Oregon was supposed to be the Pac-12’s best chance at a Final Four contender. Instead, they’ve already lost to a middling Big Ten team and at home to a SWAC team. So what’s wrong? How easily can the Ducks be fixed?
Read moreRoot's Ramblings - Thoughts from Feast Week, Part 1
Welcome to Root’s Ramblings, where Jim lazily makes up a gimmicky column name to give him an excuse to discuss multiple teams/games in brief (and in his briefs)…
Read moreEthan Happ and the Fan Rorschach Test
Can you appreciate the subtleties that make a player like Ethan Happ elite? Although he lacks the “en vogue” skills of superior athleticism and a silky jump shot, he is undeniably a star in college hoops, making his game an interesting gauge for the casual fan…
Read moreMEAC 2018-19 Preview
An experienced conference graduated many of its best players - and perhaps its best team, as Hampton sailed off to the Big South. That leaves a wide open league for the remaining 12, with (probably) four main contenders for the top spot.
Read moreNortheast 2018-19 Preview
The clear favorite here is Rob Krimmel’s Red Flash, as St. Francis returns a plethora of offensive weapons. The tier behind them offers some challengers, but the NEC will likely be “seeing red” this year…
Read moreQuick Peek at Futures - 2018-19
Jim’s annual preseason dive into the NCAA futures market is here! Will he find the next Villanova (a 20:1 winner last year) among this season’s odds? He thinks he has…
Read moreBig West 2018-19 Preview
The Big West had a Big Bounceback in 2017-18, improving to 19th in Ken Pomeroy’s conference rankings after finishing a dismal 29th in 2016-17. With a ton of returning AND new talent, as many as six teams look like real contenders this year…
Read moreBig South 2018-19 Preview
Radford is the odds-on favorite after winning the Big South Tourney last year, but a deep tier lurks dangerously right behind them in the standings. Who will emerge from that group?
Read moreOhio Valley 2018-19 Preview
The top two squads (Belmont and Murray St.) both return a bona fide star, but outside of that, the league has plenty of attrition and uncertainty. They’ll still likely duel at the top, but a few newer threats are looking to emerge…
Read moreMAAC 2018-19 Preview
Iona remains a threat, but the usual contenders (Siena, Monmouth) have fallen off slightly - opening the door for Rider, Quinnipiac, and others to stake a claim as the MAAAAAAAAC’s best team…
Read moreIvy 2018-19 Preview
The Ivy is getting deeper and deeper, as more schools pick up talented young recruits with bright futures. Tommy Amaker’s Crimson seem to be the pick of the litter at first glance, but Penn is still lurking, and other contenders are lining up for a shot as well…
Read moreColonial 2018-19 Preview
Jim is bursting at the seams to finally preview the Colonial after three years of being shut out. It’s no coincidence that the league name has two “O’s” and zero “D” (yes that joke is horrendous, but it’s true)…
Read moreAtlantic 10 2018-19 Preview
The A-10 promises to be an extremely deep and challenging-to-predict league, but a few programs stand out to us as the most notable contenders…
Read morePac 12 2018-19 Preview
Likely the weakest of the so-called Power 6 leagues, the Pac 12 will have to deal with being a kind of “little brother” to Gonzaga and Nevada on the west coast. The league is relatively wide open (not always a compliment), but the traditional powers will probably make up the upper tiers…
Read moreBig East 2018-19 Preview
Xavier ended Villanova’s reign of terror last year, but despite a plethora of pro defections, Jay Wright’s Wildcats appear to once again be the class of the league. Who else will emerge from a crowd of possible contenders?
Read more#9 Villanova Preview 2018-19
After one of the best three-year runs in NCAA history, Villanova faces a tall task replacing four key players from its dominant national title team. Jay Wright remains, as does a very talented roster - will the Wildcats continue to be among the nation’s elite?
Read more#15 Oregon Preview 2018-19
After an underwhelming 2017-18, Dana Altman has once again assembled an extremely talented roster boosted by one of the nation’s best freshman classes. Can he build a contender out of the intriguing pieces?
Read more#24 Washington Preview 2018-19
Mike Hopkins’s squad brings back every significant contributor from a year ago. With the Pac 12 as open as ever, how high can the more experienced Huskies climb in this year’s standings?
Read more#26 Marquette Preview 2018-19
Known for the last two years as a prolific three-point shooting offense but a sieve defense, can Marquette find a little more balance this year? And is Wojo’s seat sneaky-warm?
Read more#29 UCLA Preview 2018-19
For a coach who has made three Sweet 16s in the past five years, Steve Alford’s seat appears to be heating up. Will a roster rife with talented underclassmen be enough to earn Mr. Alford some job security?
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