2018-19 College Basketball Preview

With tip-off of the 2018-19 college basketball season just days away, here is my projection of the top eleven seeds for the 2019 NCAA Tournament. That’s right, here are my 44 best teams. And don’t worry, I’ll be back to check on them throughout the year.

1-Seeds

Nevada – Behind the ultra high-powered steam engine of the content train known as the Muss Bus (named after coach Eric Musselman), Nevada is the most talked about mid-major of the past 18 years (my entire lifetime). With a stellar combination of elite seniors and incoming transfers with a dash of talented freshmen, the Wolf Pack have the most perplexing roster in the country. Coach Eric Musselman proved he can win deep into the season last year after advancing to the Sweet 16. This year, with a loaded roster and a very, very friendly schedule, I’m predicting Nevada to soar to the program’s first (and likely only) number one seed. In fact, I think they will be the number one overall seed this coming March.

Kentucky – After watching this Kentucky team in the Bahamas, against professional overseas competition, it was clear John Calipari is fielding one of his better squads — which speaks volumes considering his illustrious coaching portfolio. Next to Kansas, the Wildcats probably have the deepest team in the country. Expect this team to score in a variety of ways but still pride themselves on lock-down defense. Kentucky will be competing in a tough SEC, but I think they’ll construct a 1-seed quality resume by season’s end.

Kansas – I guess I’ll just have to disregard all 1 million signs pointing to an FBI-induced nuclear explosion in Lawrence for this prediction. Why? Oh…well…because Bill Self never gets in trouble. I digress….Kansas has, per most pundits, the best roster in the country. With a similar mold in terms of roster makeup to Nevada, Self could very well have his best team yet. Dedric Lawson is already a projected Big 12 Player of the Year, and his teammates aren’t too far behind him.

Virginia – Despite last year’s 16-over-1 atrocity, I still retain the belief that Virginia will be one of the best teams in all of basketball. It’s like people forgot that the Cavalier kicked the respective asses of North Carolina and Duke and glided to a 2-loss regular season and the overall number one seed. Tony Bennett is a fantastic coach with a winning system. He’s going to win again this year, although his team may have a slightly different identity with counter-cultural athletic wings like De’Andre Hunter and Braxton Key accompanying sharpshooters Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome to form a potent offense.

2-Seeds

Tennessee -After surprising everyone in the country last year and vaulting from a lowly SEC predicted finish of 13 to sharing the conference crown and earning a 3-seed in the tournament, the Volunteers are poised for possibly their best season in school history. They return all five starters and their double-digit scoring sixth man Lamonte Turner. Grant Williams and Admiral Schofield are bonafide badasses and are the roughest and toughest duo in the country. Rick Barnes has UT in a great spot!

Duke – Duke is the great enigma of the upcoming season. With the top three recruits in the country all crossing paths in Durham, the talent level is exuberant. The problem: all three players (RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish) play the exact same position and all require the ball. And I haven’t even mentioned fellow 5-star point guard Tre Jones who will also demand touches. Some interesting chemistry conundrums might be brewing in Cameron Indoor; however, Coach K is still the coach, and as long as that’s the case, the Blue Devils will have things figured out by March.

Gonzaga – I mulled over a decision between the Zags and another team (coming soon) for about five minutes, ultimately going with Mark Few’s club for the final 2-seed spot. For starters, they just lost their starting Center Killian Tillie for the next two months — which happens to include nearly all of their important games. However, I think this team still has enough talent via the likes of dynamic wing Zach Norvell Jr, transfer Brandon Clarke, athletic Jap Rui Hachimura and senior guard Josh Perkins.

Washington – This is my sleeper team of the year. Honestly, I don’t know why Washington isn’t getting more love. They have two elite scorers — one in the backcourt and one in the frontcourt — in Jaylen Nowell and Noah Dickerson. Matisse Thybulle is the best perimeter defender I watched last season and Mike Hopkins is just a really good coach. In one year, he took an abysmal Huskies program that finished well below .500 and was losing the number one draft pick (Markelle Fultz), and turned them into a serious threat in the Pac-12. I’m really high on a fringe-tournament team from a year ago that lost nobody.

3-Seeds

Villanova – After losing last year’s four leading scorers, I have full faith in Jay Wright’s ability to keep Nova in the top 10 in 2019. Returners Phil Booth and Eric Paschall will shepherd a team stocked with newcomers. Joe Cremo, a graduate transfer from Albany will provide scoring and leadership. Jahvon Quinerly, a 5-star point guard, will likely assume starting duties at some point during the season, and brings an athleticism rarely around Philly streets. And Cole Swider, by all accounts, is a knockdown shooter who will stretch the floor at either forward spot. Yeah, expect another fantastic season from the Wildcats.

Michigan State – Tom Izzo has big-bodied warrior Nick Ward, perimeter dynamo Josh Langford, and 50% three-point shooting point-guard Cassius Winston headlining a Spartans team that should be the best in the Big Ten by some distance. This team will be excellent shooting the ball from deep and should excel under the defensive gameplay of Izzo.

North Carolina – With incoming 5-star forward Nassir Little, the Tar Heels have a multi-faceted scorer with a specialty in taking it to the hole. He and All-American Luke Maye, a 16-10 guy last year, will form the nation’s top forward duo, barely edging out Duke. Additionally, the offensive prowess of Kenny Williams and Cam Johnson will allow North Carolina to run and gun like Roy Williams loves. The only question is point guard, where freshman Coby White will be tasked with setting the table for a cornucopia of high-level scorers.

Auburn – After the disappointing news that Austin Wiley and Daniel Purifoy would miss the entire 2018 season because of the FBI scandal, expectations were thrown out the window for Bruce Pearl. Nonetheless, he rallied his troops and led the Tigers to a shared SEC conference title and 4-seed in the Tournament. With only Mustapha Heron departing, and the Wiley/Purifoy combo returning, high level basketball will be played in Auburn, Alabama.

4-Seeds

TCU – I’m high on Chris Collins and the Horned Frogs (the Julius Erving of mascots. Yeah, it’s cooler than cool). The guard combo of Jaylen Fisher and Desmond Bane will be tops in the Big-12 (yeah I said it. Eat it Kansas). After sitting on the bench, Desmond will erupt into a Big-12 Player of the Year candidate and lead this team all the way to a 4-seed.

Kansas State – The Wildcats surprised folks in the Tournament last season, capitalizing off the UMBC-Virginia upset and also besting Kentucky to make it to the Elite 8. Guards Xavier Sneed and Barry Brown shined during the run in the absence of leading scorer Dean Wade. With Wade and the rest of the starters back, KSU figures to have one of their best squads in years.

Oregon – A spice of exuberant optimism has contaminated the air in Eugene, Oregon. After a one year hiatus from the NCAA Tournament, the Ducks will be back. Book it. With Bol Bol — a true athletic phenomenon — and a slew of returners/transfers/freshmen, Dana Altman has one of the nation’s deepest rosters. This team should thrive defensively, especially with Bol as its anchor. They’ll rake up wins in the perennially weak Pac-12.

Syracuse – Syracuse is the toughest team for me to get a feel for this preseason. On one hand, Boeheim still runs a tight zone seemingly unbreakable in the Tournament. He also gets his entire starting five back and brings in hyped transfer Elijah Hughes and top-40 recruit Jalen Carey. On paper, this team is elite. But….that’s what we all thought the previous two seasons and…well…they didn’t exactly deliver in the regular season. I’m going to forget that for now, and trust Jim, for now.

5-Seeds

Virginia Tech – Originally, I planned to make Va Tech a 3 or 4 seed. But then Khadim Sy suspiciously departed the team — which is a major blow considering he was the only man not named Kerry who was taller than 6’6. And then, just a few days ago, Chris Clarke, their do-it-all 6’6 spiritual leader was suspended indefinitely. Now, he probably won’t miss but a few games, if any. However, I’m just not a fan of the vibe around Blacksburg right now. They might have some major internal issues. But let’s talk about what I like: Justin Robinson should be a frontrunner for ACC Player of the Year, and the offense will take and make a million threes. The ACC rendition of the Warriors will win games, sure. But will they be able to routinely outscore opponents. I think so.

Iowa State – I LOVE Iowa State this year. Lindell Wigginton is a box off electricity at shooting guard and could comfortably average 20 points a game this year. Nick Weiler-Babb is a nightly triple double threat as a 6’5 wiry point guard. And Cameron Lard put up 12 a game with over 60% field goal shooting. Throw in defensive gem and admirable scorer Marial Shayok transferring from Virginia on the wing and Steve Prohm has himself an uber-talented squad capable of dethroning Kansas. I think, if all goes right, they have the best shot.

Florida State – After making a run to the Elite 8 and knocking off 1-seed Xavier on their way, the Leonard Hamilton-led Seminoles return a large portion of last year’s production. Seniors Phil Cofer and Terance Mann highlight a well-rounded FSU roster that should take a step forward on both ends. As long as Hamilton doesn’t extrapolate on his end-of-game folly vs. Michigan in the Tournament, Florida State will be again a player in the ACC.

Indiana – How Indiana isn’t ranked in the preseason is an utter mystery. I know they’ve been more disappointing than The Godfather Part III but come on, they have Romeo Langford, who’s more talented than anyone to pass through Bloomington since…like…I don’t know…Kent Benson?!? Okay, I’m joking about the last part but seriously, with Langford and Juwan Morgan, the Hoosiers absolutely have the Big 10’s best duo. And the Big 10 sucks this year so why can’t Indiana win a crap-load of games?

6-Seeds

West Virginia – SAGABA KONATE. That’s all anyone wants to talk about. His two-handed soul-crushing swats pulse through Mountaineer faithful and College Basketball Twitter like an electromagnetic current. When WVU is at home, forget about it. The place goes nuts. He and accurately named “Beatle” Bolden are a nice inside/out combo poised to shine in the Big 12. Rinse and repeat for Bob Huggins and Press Virginia. They’ll be fine, once again.

Mississippi State – Ben Howland easily has the Bulldog’s best roster in quite some time. Anyone that started even one game is back. Plus, top-50 recruits Reggie Perry and Robert Woodard join them. This team is deep, has go-to scorers in the Weatherspoon brothers (Quinndary and Nick) and a host of defensive glue-guys, led by 6’11 sophomore Abdul Ado. Now, if Howland can just get  Lamar Peters to stop jacking up 5 threes per game when he’s merely a 27% shooter. In Starkville (blah) there’s a collection of talent ready to be fine-tuned into a Tournament-quality squad.

Nebraska – This is the year for Nebraska. After a surprising 13-5 record in the Big 10 last year in which they won 10 of the last 12, the Cornhuskers have the roster to actually compete for a Big 10 crown. The usual suspects are rather down (Michigan, MSU, Ohio State) and Tim Miles knows it’s time to perform. They get leading scorers James Palmer Jr, Isaac Copeland Jr and Glynn Watson Jr. (BTW I will be referring them as the False Juniors. Why? Because each are seniors, but have Jr. at the ends of their names). Nebraska should be solid, finally.

Marquette – Wojo has his best roster yet at Marquette, even after losing 20+ ppg scorer Andrew Rowsy. How? Because Markus Howard, a sub-6-foot 20.4 ppg heat-check point guard returns along with fellow double-digit scoring wing Sam Hauser. Additionally, the Golden Eagles were active on both the recruiting and transfer trails this offseason. Nebraska transfer Ed Morrow and Fordham transfer Joseph Chartouny both join and will be immediate impactors. And throw in Sam’s little bro Joey (of course the younger brother has the name ending with y) Hauser, a top-50 recruit in his own right, and Marquette is set. In a weaker Big East, Marquette will have ample opportunity to claim some wins.

7-Seeds

Florida – I don’t understand why the Gators aren’t getting more preseason love. I know they lost utility point guard Chris Chiozza and streaky but reliable (sorry about the paradox) wing Egor Koulechov, but the returning guard combo of KeVaughn Allen and Jalen Hudson will keep the scorekeeper busy. As Mike White teams generally go, they’ll be solid from behind the arc and play up-tempo, challenging the opposition to run with them. I like the pieces this year. But hopefully they’ll be more consistent than a year ago.

Purdue – Per your average college basketball media member, Carsen Edwards, the dazzling Purdue combo guard with the scoring ability of James Harden inside the body of an Elf, will be the best point guard in the country this season. Guess what? He wasn’t even a point guard last year! It’s fishy to rank teams this high based on one guy, but Edwards is elite, and the other guys should be enough to propel the Boilermakers to another tournament appearance.

LSU – Will Wade has something cooking down in Baton Rouge, and it ain’t just cajun fried chicken. With 5’9 All-Conference point guard Tremont Waters, he has an established offensive leader. The sophomore will join forces with a plethora of talented freshmen, including 5-star frontcourt starters Naz Reid and Emmitt Williams. Both are fascinating to watch for their own reasons and Waters will remain a blast. LSU should be one of the more entertaining squads in the country. I know I’ll be tuned in.

UCLA – Steve Alford’s seat is scorching after last year’s uninspiring campaign. Another one and he’ll for sure receive the Eduardo Saverin treatment. He and Luke Walton are USA/Russia Moon-chase type competition for who will get booted from their Los Angeles coaching position first. It’s an interesting debate, and my money would be on Walton, slightly. But for Alford to retain his position, he must get sizable leaps from sophomores Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes. Both are admirably talented, but yet to put everything together. Hands sliding into the true point guard position should benefit him.

8-Seeds

UCF – With leading scorer BJ Taylor’s return from injury and 7’6 Tacko Fall’s looming defense and improving offense, the Knights should be penciled in as an at-large bid. But perhaps they won’t need one, since the AAC will see a significant step back from last season. Behind a solid offensive core and a defense anchored by a behemoth, UCF won’t be a fun matchup for any team.

Western Kentucky – Based on pure talent, WKU should be in the mix for a 4-5 seed. Taiveon Hollingsworth will be a multifaceted offensive gem. Lamonte Bearden is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Hilltopper offense. DeSean Murray (my favorite player in basketball) and his unorthodox body transfer in after scoring 10 a game for 2018 SEC champ Auburn. And Charles Bassey is the most highly touted recruit in the history of Western Kentucky athletics. The bench is loaded as well with former ESPN 100 guards Josh Anderson and Delano Banton. This team is loaded, and I don’t care one bit if Rick $tansbury cheated.

Michigan – After a runner-up year, the Wolverines lose a healthy dose of their players, including 3 of 4 leading scorers. The keys will be handed to Charles Matthews and (oh boy) Swaggy Poole. Swaggy’s game-winning 35-foot heave instantaneously cemented him in beloved status in An Arbor. What most people don’t know is that Swaggy only scored 6 points a game. He, Zavier Simpson and Isaiah Livers all need to improve their scoring output for Michigan to have any shot of a repeat of 2018.

Clemson – Brad Brownell surprised everyone by rocketing on to the national radar with his 2018 Tigers. That team, a 5-seed, gets the talented backcourt tandem of Marquise Reed and Shelton Mitchell back — along with forward Elijah Thomas. All are seniors and come back equipped with tournament experience. They should be in the hunt once again.

9-Seeds

Cincinnati – What’s new? Not Cincinnati. They play good defense and they’re uglier than the Mona Lisa on offense. But guess what: Mick Cronin wins basketball games. Cincinnati wins basketball games. They will this year too…just not as many as last year. Expect Jaron Cumberland to be a focal point, but for the Bearcats to struggle early while they iron out offensive roles.

Alabama – John Petty and Donta Hall will be one hell of an entertaining duo this year for there Crimson Tide. With Johnny’s hair and Hall’s rim-abuse, ‘Bama will be a joy to watch on random Tuesday nights. With Avery Johnson’s spiciness, they’ll be someone who can beat Kentucky at home, but also turn around and lose to Ole Miss by 15. High Jekyll and Hide potential in Tuscaloosa.

Miami (FL) – Chris Lykes is my favorite player in college basketball. He is a generous 5’7 and can score buckets! Dewan Hernandez is an athletic rim-crushing center with a noticeable defensive presence. And Dejan Vasiljevic? Jay Cutler with a jump-shot. Jim Larranaga has a notable collection of players and should be in prime position for another tournament appearance.

Texas – Shaka Smart may have lost Mo Bamba, but he gets his actually good offensive players back. Ouch @Bamba. Dylan Osetkowski, and his 13.4 points per game are back. He is probably their best offensive player, which is concerning because he looks like the guy at a frat party who’d chug a can of off-brand beer while smiling. But they will get the athletically appealing guard combo of Andrew Jones and Kerwin Roach back, which should scare most Big 12 opponents. And I’ve heard great things about freshman point guard Courtney Ramey. Things are looking up in Austin, even if the football team isn’t.

10-Seeds 

Vanderbilt – Pundits are enamored by the recruiting bravado of Bryce Drew, and have high-fives over his ensnarement of 5-stars Simi Shittu and Darius Garland. Both will be spectacular, but the surrounding pieces are lackluster. Joe Toye and former Irishman Matt Ryan will be integral to the team’s success. I think highly of Drew and am encouraged buy his work so far, so I think he’ll make the tournament this year. But don’t be surprised is the ‘Dores are sweating out a beautiful Selection Sunday next March.

Xavier – the Musketeers just got hit with one hell of a gut punch when Chris Mack looked at his alma mater, bid them farewell and then decided he’d rather get paid more to coach a program that’s started labeling their scandals with roman numerals because they have so many. Ouch. Mack bolted and left a relatively depleted roster for brand new head coach Travis Steele. His first year should be an interesting one. That’s for sure.

Arizona – Sean Miller’s situation will always be hilarious to me, but an apparent afterthought to the rest of the country, especially Mark Schlabach. Wait, hold on. I just listened to a wiretap that intercepted this message: “Everybody good from Arizona last year left. And now they have a bunch of unproven sophomores and grad transfers.” 10-seed. I think that will do.

Wisconsin – Buzzcut Brad Davison will not miss the tournament in 2019. No way. With he and Ethan Happ, the Badgers have the best white guy duo in the country. Elsewhere, they have all of their players back from last year. So, that’s generally a good recipe for success. I like Wisconsin, even if I do get made fun of for pronouncing it WEST-consin.

11-Seeds

Louisville – With the stench of scandal finally (and hopefully) wafting out of the usually clean Louisville air, Chris Mack is the media darling of college basketball. I haven’t heard one bad word about the man since his hiring, and I live in the city for goodness sakes! As for his current roster?I’ll admit, the media-mob got me on this one. They were bad last year and missed the tournament (obviously). But they still lost their three leading scorers and starting center Anas Mahmoud. I don’t really know why I think they’ll be in the tournament, frankly. If it happens though, sophomore Jordan Nwora and junior VJ King must assert themselves offensively.

Maryland – Anthony Bowen and Bruno Fernando will be a fun pick-and-roll combo for the eleventh straight season. This time around, the Terps have a talented recruiting class coming in, led by 5-star power forward Jalen Smith and 4-star wing Aaron Wiggins. The talent is there. A  Cowen-Morsell-Wiggins-Smith-Fernando lineup should be good. Mark Turgeon needs to find a way to the NCAA tournament this year. If not, well…he may not get another shot.

Texas Tech – Chris Beard proved himself last year by leading an unheralded Tech squad to the Elite 8. This year, the talent level has dropped, but that’s ok. Beard has earned himself some breathing room after the heroics of 2018. However, I still really like the pieces on this Red Raiders team and how they fit. Grad transfer Matt Mooney is a reliable scorer at guard. Bradone Francois showed promise at the point guard spot last year. Jarrett Culver is athletically eye-popping and a fluid scorer. Khan Moore should bring an interesting look to the 4-spot as a freshman. And Tariq Owens is a well-rounded defender transferring over from St. John’s. They’ll be back in the hunt.

USC – Last year, the FBI pulled an Odysseus on the Trojans by invading their protectedly awesome season and smacking them in the face with off-the-court legal distraction. What a tragedy. This year, USC and Andy Enfield have the requisite talent to make the field, but will they? After losing three of their best players, they’ll be reliant on youngsters to make an impact. Bennie Boatwright should be re-ignited after a disappointing junior campaign. Nick Rakocevic and Jonah Matthews were solid last year and will hopefully continue that trend. And I’ve heard that Kevin Porter may be the most underrated recruit in the 2018 class. I think they’ll slither their way back into the NCAA Tournament.

That…is my take on who will be the top eleven seeds in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.