It's that time of the year again. College basketball is upon and this season is setting up to be one of the most entertaining in recent memory.
AP Top 25 Poll rankings were released and the blue-chip programs now have to share the top ten with teams like Houston, Iowa State, Alabama, and Gonzaga. These programs have taken full advantage of the transfer portal, which has created a more wide-open field than ever before.
This season has storylines all over the country. Super freshman, Cooper Flagg, headlines a Duke squad that is only No. 7 in the rankings. Bill Self has a loaded roster of talent and experience at Kansas.
Conference realignment has transformed the Big 12, SEC, and Big Ten into a gauntlet, and with that, comes some great matchups.
Let's look at a loaded month of November that'll fire off the season's opening salvo.
Baylor and Gonzaga will meet up on opening night in Spokane Arena for the first top-ten matchup of the season. This will be the second time in two years the Zags host a top-ten opponent. In 2022, they defeated Kentucky, 88-72, in front of the largest crowd ever in Spokane Arena.
The battle of the blue bloods. UNC and KU have met 12 times on the hardwood all of which were during the NCAA Tournament. The last time these two met was in the national championship back in 2022, with Kansas winning 72-69. Tar Heels are looking to end their current four-game skid against the Jayhawks, and with All-American guard, RJ Davis, on the floor, it's a good chance for them to steal a road win.
College basketball expert, Ken Pomeroy, has these two schools in the top three of his rankings, Houston at No. 1 and Auburn at No. 3. One of the best players in the country, Johni Broome, leads Auburn while Houston will try to have another big season after losing star guard, Jamal Shead.
Post-Zach Edey officially started for the Boilermakers who will be hosting the Crimson Tide in what should be a classic SEC-Big 10 battle. Alabama head coach Nate Oats once again put together another stellar lineup with sharpshooting guard, Mark Sears returning for his senior season.
Another chance for the nation to see super freshman, Flagg, on the national stage. Flagg is highly regarded as one of the best recruits in recent memory, but he will play in his first hostile environment as a student-athlete. This will be the second game of the home-and-home series between the two. Last year the Wildcats walked out of Cameron Indoor Stadium with 78-73. Expect another great game.
Another top-ranked SEC opponent for Houston. This showdown will happen in Las Vegas during the Players Impact Era Tournament.
This blue-blood showdown in Las Vegas is a can't-miss. KJ Adams, A.J. Storrs, and Hunter Dickinson give Kansas the size, talent, and experience to make Cooper Flagg's night a miserable one.