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68 reasons to look forward to the 2022-23 college basketball season

We are now just DAYS away from the start of the 2022-23 college basketball season.

Check out our list below for 68 reasons to be excited about what lies ahead over the next few months:

1. Opening Night
If you truly love college basketball, you love it in all of its forms. There’s no Champions Classic on opening night this year — that will happen on Nov. 15th in Indianapolis — but the first day of the season should always be celebrated regardless of whether or not there’s heavyweight head-to-head matchups.

2. The Champions Classic
Speaking of this event, Kentucky/Michigan State and Duke/Kansas will be the headline matchups in this season’s Champions Classic. It will be the Blue Devils’ first time participating in the Champions Classic without Mike Krzyzewski as their head coach.

3. Duke’s first season without Coach K since 1979-80
When Krzyzewski took over in Durham 43 and a half years ago, The Empire Strikes Back had yet to hit theaters and Magic Johnson was about to begin his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers. After four and a half decades, a new era officially begins at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

4. Jon Scheyer
Only Gene Bartow — who replaced John Wooden at UCLA — could probably related to what Scheyer is about to go through. The former Duke guard is charged with the responsibility of succeeding Krzyzewski as the Blue Devils’ head coach and will have to lean on a mostly inexperienced roster in his first season. The only player currently in Duke’s program that played in the Final Four last season against North Carolina is Jeremy Roach.

5. Dereck Lively
The 7-1 big man should make Scheyer’s transition in Durham more seamless — especially defensively. A five-star prospect, Lively is already projected to be one of the top picks in the 2023 NBA Draft and will give Duke a chance to be an elite defensive team in 2022-23.

6. North Carolina’s quest
The Tar Heels came within inches of winning a national title last spring and return everyone of significance from that team aside from Brady Manek, who started for North Carolina at power forward. Anything less than winning six games in the 2023 NCAA Tournament will be viewed as a disappointment in Chapel Hill.

7. Armando Bacot
The reigning ACC Player of the Year tallied eight consecutive double-doubles in the postseason last year and averaged 13 points and 18 rebounds in two Final Four games. Bacot is a legitimate candidate to be the 2023 National Player of the Year.

8. Gonzaga/Michigan State on Nov. 11th
College basketball games that have been played on aircraft carriers in the past have been met with moderate success due to inclement weather and other circumstances, but it’s still really cool that these two blue blood programs will meet on Nov. 11th in San Diego in that type of a setting.

9. Drew Timme
Gonzaga’s star big man has quietly had one of the more decorated college careers that we’ve seen an interior player have in a very long time. His numbers should only continue to spike in 2022-23 following Chet Holmgren’s departure to the NBA. The 6-10 Timme has averaged 18.7 points and 6.9 rebounds over the past two seasons and is again a leading candidate to be the National Player of the Year.

10. Julian Strawther
Everyone knows about Timme, but Strawther is also in line to also be a star for Gonzaga. Mark Few raved about the 6-7 Strawther during the preseason and could use him in spurts as a small ball power forward, similar to the way that the Bulldogs used Corey Kispert during the 2020-21 season. Buy stock now.

11. Villanova’s first season without Jay Wright since 2000-01
Wright made the Wildcats into a blue blood program, leading Villanova to four Final Four appearances and two national titles during his two-decade tenure on the Main Line. It will be interesting to see how this program now performs with Wright in the broadcast booth.

12. Kyle Neptune
Wright’s successor may have a harder task in front of him at Villanova than Scheyer does at Duke. Why? 30 of the Wildcats’ 31 regular season games are either against power conference or Big 5 competition. Many of those early games will be played with a shorthanded roster.

13. Cam Whitmore
Villanova’s five-star freshman is currently out with a thumb injury, but he should be back at some point in November. When he returns, the Wildcats might have their most offensively gifted newcomer since Tim Thomas in the late 1990s. The 6-6 Whitmore is a certified bucket getter as well as a projected lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

14. Kelvin Sampson
There may be coaches as good as Sampson, but no one is better.

15. Houston at full strength
The Cougars advanced all the way to the Elite Eight last season with two starters — Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark — out with season-ending injuries. Both are all-conference caliber players when healthy and Sasser is a potential first-team All-American. If healthy, Houston has a legitimate chance to advance to its second Final Four in the last three seasons, which will be played at NRG Stadium in Houston.

16. Creighton’s offense
Greg McDermott is one of college basketball’s premier offensive minds and he’s got a roster that would make Mike D’Antoni salivate. With McDermott pulling the strings and the Bluejays loaded with talent, Creighton should quickly become appointment television and regularly flirt with triple digits as it aims to win its first ever outright Big East regular season title.

17. Ryan Nembhard
Many people have forgotten about the reigning Big East Rookie of the Year because he suffered a wrist injury late in the year and didn’t play in the postseason. They’ll remember soon enough. With Nembhard back to lead Creighton’s offense as a sophomore, the Bluejays should benefit from having one of the sport’s premier point guards.

18. Kentucky’s bounce back attempt
The Wildcats won 26 games last season, but lost to St. Peter’s in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in what was arguably the biggest upset in the history of the sport. Anything less than this program’s first trip to the Final Four since 2015 will be viewed as a disappointment.

19. Oscar Tshiebwe
This 6-9 big man is the first AP National Player of the Year to return to college basketball since Tyler Hansbrough returned to North Carolina for the 2008-09 campaign. We all remember how that season ended — with the Tar Heels in a pile of confetti at Ford Field in Detroit.

20. Jacob Toppin
The brother of current New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin, Jacob Toppin feels like a volcano that’s just ready to explode for Kentucky. A 6-9 forward, he averaged just 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds last season. Those numbers could very well double in 2022-23. 

21. UCLA’s freshman class
All three of the Bruins’ primary freshmen — Adem Bona, Amari Bailey, and Dylan Andrews — should have major roles for UCLA, with Bailey and Bona set to be key members of the starting lineup. The 6-9 Bona is a potential Top-15 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and far and away the most talented big man that Mick Cronin has ever coached.

22. Tyger Campbell
The addition of Bailey should allow this veteran point guard to move off the ball and stay fresher. That’s bad news for UCLA’s opponents. According to several well embedded moles in Westwood, Campbell was arguably the Bruins’ best player in the preseason and should make a major jump offensively as a senior. He shot 41 percent from three-point range last season.

23. A healthy Jaime Jaquez
If Jaquez was at full strength during last season’s NCAA Tournament, UCLA would have likely advanced to its second consecutive Final Four. If healthy, Jaquez is the best wing in college basketball.

24. Bill Self
The Hall-of-Famer begins his 20th season as the head coach of Kansas after he misses the first four games of the year due to a self-imposed suspension.

25. Keyonte George
Baylor’s been known for great guards over the years under Scott Drew. George is next in line. Don’t be shocked if this kid is the Big 12 Player of the Year as a freshman — seriously.

26. TCU’s experience
Player retention is the biggest key to college basketball in this current climate and the Horned Frogs have plenty of it. TCU returns five starters from last season’s team that nearly beat Arizona in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

27. Tommy Lloyd
Speaking of Arizona, what can Lloyd do for an encore? After leading the Wildcats to the Pac-12 regular season and tournament titles last season, Lloyd was named AP National Coach of the Year in his first season as a head coach. He again should have Arizona in the mix for a quality seed in the NCAA Tournament.

28. The Maui Invitational
This is not hyperbole: This year’s Maui Invitational is as good of a field as I’ve ever covered in the event in nearly 20 years on this beat. The 2022 Maui Invitational features Creighton, Texas Tech, Arkansas, Louisville, Arizona, Cincinnati, San Diego State, and Ohio State. Six of those teams are currently ranked in the ROTHSTEIN 45.

29. The Continental Tire Main Event
This is quietly as good of an early season tournament as there is this year in college basketball. UCLA plays Illinois and Virginia faces Baylor in the first round of this event on Nov. 18th in Las Vegas, with the winners and losers playing two days later on Nov. 20th.

30. Maryland home games at the Xfinity Center
College Park is the Spring Break Capital of the Northeast. If you know, you know.

31. Zakai Zeigler
With Kennedy Chandler now in the NBA, Tennessee is about to become Zeigler’s team. The 5-9 point guard averaged 8.8 points and 2.7 assists last season as a freshman.

32. Texas’ chemistry
The Longhorns have again stacked their roster with talent, but will it mesh?

33. Expectations at Indiana
The Hoosiers return 90.9 percent of their scoring from last season and are the clear favorites in the Big Ten. Can Mike Woodson lead his alma mater to a quality seed on Selection Sunday and a deep run in the NCAA Tournament?

34. The Big Ten
Only 15 of the league’s top 20 scorers from a year ago return. The Big Ten feels about as unpredictable as the final scene of The Usual Suspects.

35. San Diego State
The Aztecs went 30-2 during the 2019-20 season, but never got to play in the NCAA Tournament due to COVID. This year’s rendition could reach similar heights.

36. Nick Smith
The gem of Arkansas’ star studded recruiting class, Smith is talented enough to be a first-team All-American this season and the first college player taken in the 2023 NBA Draft.

37. Eric Musselman
“The Importer” has taken Arkansas to the Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons. Is this is the year that the Razorbacks finally reach the Final Four under his stewardship? Arkansas hasn’t played during college basketball’s final weekend since 1995.

38. Auburn’s depth
There’s no Jabari Smith or Walker Kessler in Auburn’s program, but there’s plenty of capable contributors. Don’t be shocked if Bruce Pearl’s rotation extends to 11.

39. VCU home games at the Siegel Center
A 40-minute game at this venue is more life altering than a 10-day trip to Europe. If you know, you know.

40. Dave Pasch and Bill Walton
You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll thank us later.

41. Brandon Miller
Nate Oats told College Hoops Today before the season that this 6-8 freshman is the most talented offensive player that he’s coached since he’s become Alabama’s head coach. That’s some serious praise.

42. Zach Edey
The “Yao Ming of college basketball” averaged 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in 19 minutes last season. With increased usage, the 7-4 Edey should flirt with averaging 20 and 10 in 2022-23.

43. Oregon
Dana Altman is still livid about how his team underachieved last season. Don’t be shocked if the Ducks are right back in the mix for a Pac-12 regular season title.

44. Sean Miller’s return to Xavier
After a year off, Miller returns to the place that he led to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16 in his final two seasons before taking the Arizona job in 2009. The Musketeers haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament in 2018, but thanks to a veteran nucleus and Miller pulling the strings, that should change in 2023.

45. Rick Pitino
Other than Bill Self, Pitino is the only active Division 1 head coach that’s won two national titles. As long as he’s coaching Iona, the Gaels will be a national story.

46. Virginia’s experience
The Cavaliers will have seven players in their rotation who are at least their junior season, including four graduate students. Don’t be shocked if Tony Bennett has this team right in the mix for an ACC regular season title.

47. Jordan Hawkins
Everyone knows about Adama Sanogo, but the 6-5 Hawkins is also a major key to UConn’s season. After averaging 5.8 points a year ago as a freshman, Hawkins has a chance to increase his scoring average by 10 as a sophomore. Yes, he’s that talented.

48. Texas A&M
This is far and away the best team that Buzz Williams has had since he’s arrived in College Station.

49. Standalone Games
It’s a rarity in college basketball when a game is played during an isolated time window, but let’s cherish these opportunities when they come. I’ll say it again: College basketball NEEDS more standalone games.

50. Conference-USA
UAB, Western Kentucky, and North Texas are all capable teams. Could this be a multi-bid league on Selection Sunday? Don’t rule it out of the realm of possibility.

51. Wyoming
Jeff Linder returns the majority of a team that won 25 games and reached the First Four last season, headlined by Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike. The Cowboys will push San Diego State at the top of the Mountain West Conference.

52. Mid-Major Conference Tournaments
The gap between the “haves and have nots” grows every single day in college sports. That means that the pressure on favorites in mid-major conferences will be even more immense in March of 2023.

53. The PK85
Who needs football on Thanksgiving? This loaded holiday tournament will take centerstage in Portland during the final week of November.

54. Hunter Dickinson
The face of Michigan’s program returns for his junior season as a bonafide National Player of the Year candidate and improved three-point shooter. The 7-1 big man made 21 three-point shots last season as a sophomore after making zero shots from long distance as a freshman.

55. USC is going small
There’s no Evan Mobley, Isaiah Mobley, or Onyeka Okongwu in the Trojans’ program, which means USC may downshift in 2022-23. Expect a lot of four-guard sets at the Galen Center.

56. Jamarion Sharp
The next Tacko Fall? It’s very possible. Western Kentucky’s 7-5 big man led the nation in blocked shots (4.6) last season and blocked a total of 23 shots in his final four games a year ago.

57. Shaheen Holloway returns to his alma mater
The star of last season’s NCAA Tournament, Holloway is back at Seton Hall after leading St. Peter’s to the Elite Eight. Holloway was a star point guard for the Pirates from 1996-00.

58. DaRon Holmes III
Dayton’s star big man averaged 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds as a freshman. He’s also approximately 25 pounds heavier as a sophomore. Don’t be shocked if the 6-10 Holmes is the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year this season.

59. Michigan State’s non-conference schedule
Tom Izzo is taking things to another level. The Spartans will play Gonzaga, Kentucky, and Villanova before the PK85 in November followed by a trip to Notre Dame as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Yikes!

60. Kris Murray
The twin brother of Keegan Murray, Kris Murray on the cusp of being the next star in Iowa’s program.

61. St. John’s
The Red Storm haven’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2000 — the longest drought among current Big East programs. That could change in 2023. Mike Anderson has a team built to win now.

62. Illinois’ versatility
Brad Underwood doesn’t have anyone like Kofi Cockburn, but he does feel that this is the best overall roster that he’s had since he’s been Illinois’ head coach. Why? Roster versatility. Positionless basketball is coming to Champaign.

63. Oklahoma State
The Cowboys weren’t eligible for the postseason last year, but that’s not the case this season. Oklahoma State should be an NCAA Tournament team for the second time in three seasons under Mike Boynton.

64. Notre Dame’s experience
Get old and stay old? You better believe it. Mike Brey will have six players in his rotation who are pursuing a master’s degree.

65. Providence goes for an encore
The Friars had a dream season a year ago, winning the Big East regular season title for the first time in program history and advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1997. How will Ed Cooley follow up that type of success?

66. Fran Dunphy returns to coaching
The 74-year old head coach is back in coaching, as he tries to lead La Salle — his alma mater — back to respectability.

67. The last year of the Big 12 double round-robin
This is the last year that the Big 12 will have a true regular season champion following the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF prior to the 2023-24 season.

68. Towson
Pat Skerry returns four double-figure scorers from a 25-win team, which is unheard of for a mid-major in this current climate. There’s no in-between for the Tigers: It’s the 2023 NCAA Tournament or bust.

Leftovers