After a deep, dark, long hibernation, college basketball IS BACK! All across the country student athletes hit the courts to get ready to represent the university they picked to take their talents to. Top college freshmen like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Brandon Boston get to stay on their one and done, in and out plan to the NBA. Leaders of young men like Coach K and Bruce Pearl get to break out the clipboard and gameplans to hopefully make it to March Madness.
Duke’s Coach K always strives for excellence from his teams and this year is no different. Photo courtesy of BR
The college basketball “Blue Bloods” are in the top 25 early in the season as usual, albeit with varying degrees of success. Duke is 2-2 with 2 cupcakes wins and a loss to Michigan State and Illinois. This Duke team will be a challenge for Coach K but if anyone can turn these boys into men overnight it’s him. Villanova lost Saddiq Bey but Jay Wright still has Collin Gillespie and his squad is out to a 4-1 start while UNC is 3-2, Kansas is 5-1 and Kentucky 1-3.
Luka Garza, a senior out of Iowa who put up 23.9 points, 9.8 rpg and 1.8 blocks per game.
The preseason all americans to keep an eye on are Luka Garza a senior out of Iowa who put up 23.9 points, 9.8 rpg and 1.8 blocks per game, Jared Butler a junior guard starting for Baylor who returns with averages of 16.0 Points and 3.9 dimes per contest to go along with 1.6 steals. Senior Remy Martin of Arizona State becomes “the man” leading the sun devils this season with 19.1 points, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is the Robin to Collin Gillespie’s Batman role on Villanova. This duo is why The wildcats are legit title contenders to cut down the nets in March. Robinson-Earl returns for his sophomore year with nice complimentary numbers like 10.5 ppg, 9.4 rebs and 45.4% FG%. Rounding out this group is super freshmen/top 5 nba pick Cade Cunningham who comes into college ball with Oklahoma State and tries to bring them to the top of the Big 12 and beyond in one year.
Cade Cunningham comes into college ball with Oklahoma State and looking to bring home a championship and Big 12 tournament birth for Oklahoma State. He was awarded the newcomer of the week for the very first week of competition. Photo courtesy of BB Nation
This should be a really fun season and it will be interesting to see how games are played with empty arenas and gyms. How postponed games will be played if they are played at all due to covid and will the entire March Madness season really be held at one hub/bubble sight? Who else will emerge as heros, what program will make the big leap and fingers crossed that we get to finish the season at all.
