The Publish’s Zach Braziller offers 5 daring predictions for the 2022-23 faculty basketball season.
A brand new period at Villanova begins on proper observe
Of all the brand new coaches at main faculties, from Xavier to Duke to Butler to LSU to Florida to Seton Corridor, Kyle Neptune has the very best season. He leads Villanova to the Huge East Match crown and the Elite Eight. Neptune did phenomenal work in his lone yr at Fordham, guiding the Rams to their most convention wins since 2016. He inherits a top quality roster led by veterans Caleb Daniels, Eric Dixon, Brandon Slater and Justin Moore — as soon as he returns from his torn Achilles tendon — and blue-chip freshman Cam Whitmore.
A shock within the Huge 12
Historical past will probably be made in Fort Value, as TCU wins its first Huge 12 regular-season crown. I’m bullish on Jamie Dixon’s gritty crew that’s each bit nearly as good as any of his greatest Pittsburgh groups. They actually ought to’ve overwhelmed Arizona final yr within the second spherical of the NCAA Match and can solely be improved after returning their whole core. Dynamic junior guard Mike Miles Jr. will probably be a unanimous first crew All-American and the Horned Frogs take an undefeated file into the brand new yr.
Life after Coach Ok begins gradual
Jon Scheyer has recruited extraordinarily nicely and the early evaluations have been constructive, however he’s by no means been a full-time head coach. That is all new. There will probably be rising pains, notably for a crew made up largely of freshmen — gifted as they could be — with a first-year head coach. Duke finishes third within the ACC behind North Carolina and Virginia and fails to get out of the primary weekend of the NCAA Match.
Historical past in Lexington
Not since Ralph Sampson in 1982-83 has faculty basketball seen a repeat consensus Nationwide Participant of the 12 months, however Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe will be part of that unique membership this winter. The bruising massive man has tons of expertise round him, from sharpshooter CJ Fredrick to level guard Sahvir Wheeler and ultra-talented freshmen wings Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston, that may allow him to proceed to pile up big numbers because the Wildcats win their first SEC regular-season title in three years.
Fade the Huge 10
The truth that Indiana is the projected favourite speaks volumes. The Hoosiers are a pleasant crew led by All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis, however removed from a heavyweight. Michigan has Hunter Dickinson and never a lot else. Illinois misplaced its high three gamers in Kofi Cockburn, Alfonso Plummer and Trent Frazier. Rutgers and Ohio State every misplaced their two stars — Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker for the Scarlet Knights, and E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham for the Buckeyes. Purdue received’t be the identical with out Jaden Ivey and Trevion Williams. It is a six-bid league at most.
Read the full article here
