I looked outside my window at 5 P.M. today and it was dark, which can only mean one thing; the NCAA basketball season is upon us.
Inspired by ESPN’s Zach Lowe, I wanted to take a look at the teams I’m most excited to watch this season. There is no universal opinion on what makes a basketball team fun. Some people enjoy watching Virginia hold opponents to 20 points in a half.
I prefer up-tempo, modern offenses, with elite guard play, and generally exciting players. The more threes and dunks the merrier. Here are some of the things I was looking for in these rankings:
- Guard play. To me, guards make college basketball. Your team must have good guards to get me really interested.
- Superstar/take-over potential. Does your team have a player that can take over games? Some player that makes you stop what you’re doing and tune into their game instantly?
- Athletes. Points for up-tempo teams, and teams that frequently appear in the Sportscenter top 10.
- Aesthetics. If you have a cool court or jersey design, I’m more intrigued.
- Storylines. I want the game to matter, at least a little bit. If I hop on Twitter, can I find other people talking about this game? With that being said, here are the teams I’m most excited to watch.
Honorable Mentions
UW-Milwaukee
What happens when you put a 6’9 lottery pick in the Horizon League? Well, we’re about to find out. Patrick Baldwin is going to be must-see TV as he tries to will the Panthers to their first NCAA Tournament since 2014.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Regardless of the roster, I enjoy a lot of the stuff Mike Young runs as a head coach. Have an off-night and the Hokies can surprise you regardless of who you are. Keve Aluma is one of my favorite unsung players in the ACC this season.
Detroit-Mercy Titans
Speaking of electric scoring guards that can go off, Antoine Davis is that guy. He averages a career 24.9 points per game over three seasons. Now as a senior, he’s a candidate to break even more records.