Which NCAA Basketball teams will be”must-see” for the upcoming season?
“Watchability” can mean different things to different viewers. Some people love to watch Virginia defensively strangle NCAA Basketball teams to 40 points, while some enjoy a fast-paced game with tons of points. I’m the kind of guy that prefers the latter, so with all respect to great defensive-minded teams like Virginia, Wisconsin, and Baylor, those teams were not considered.
I also like to watch games on my TV, as opposed to a low-quality computer stream, so this list is mostly of teams in power conferences. Minor things like broadcast crew and court aesthetic, also make a game more watchable for me (Memphis’ blue court almost single-handedly landed them on the list).
I also love to watch dominant, exciting guards. A guy that can make you stop what you’re doing and make you watch every offensive possession (shoutout to former must-watch guards Myles Powell and Markus Howard. You will be greatly missed on my television). Without further ado, let’s dive into the rankings.
Honorable Mentions
Iowa Hawkeyes
As someone who has watched Big Ten basketball my whole life, it’s admittedly not my cup of tea. With many low-scoring defensive-minded games and a lack of elite guard talent, it’s not super enjoyable for me. But this year’s Iowa team should be a fun watch. They led the Big Ten in scoring last year at 77.7 points per game and return the core of their scoring.
CJ Fredrick and Joe Wieskamp are one of the best shooting duos in the country, and Luka Garza’s ability to finish through contact is something else. The Hawkeyes will be a top ten team this year, meaning a lot of high-stakes games. Oh and bonus points for a potential Fran McCaffery outburst at any moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao9k0vpT51E
Dayton Flyers
Dayton was one of the most exciting teams in the country last year with Obi Toppin dunking everything. Toppin is gone, but the Flyers still play a very exciting brand of basketball. Anthony Grant is a good offensive coach who loves to space teams out. Jalen Crutcher is one of the best guards in the country and should be in the running for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. In a close game, he’s one of the clutchest players in the country.
Pepperdine Waves
If Pepperdine was in the Pac-12, they’d certainly be much higher on this list. Colbey Ross is arguably the most underrated player in the country. He’s a super-fast guard that can get to the hoop and shoot. He averaged over 20 points per game last year. Kessler Edwards is a fun forward who may sneak onto the NBA draft radar. The Wave finished top 40 in pace of play and scoring last year. Bonus points for an electric, tiny gym.
The caveat is that they’ll have few big games or nationally televised ones, making their games hard to find. But if they are on national television, they are a must-watch team.