NCAA Basketball: Biggest x-factor for each top-25 team for 2022-23 season

2. Gonzaga Bulldogs – Nolan Hickman

Ever since Josh Perkins took over for Kevin Pangos as the new starting point guard in 2015, Gonzaga has had a proven ball-handler to lead the offense every year, with a couple of Final Fours as a result. That’s a little bit of a question with Andrew Nembhard gone, as Nolan Hickman is set to take over. The former five-star prospect averaged 5.1 ppg in 17 mpg off the bench but did seem to hit a “freshman wall” towards the end of last season.

The Bulldogs are once again national title contenders but the one potential weak spot is at point guard. If Hickman solidifies the position and makes it clear that he can run the offense at a high level, then the WCC juggernaut could be the team to beat. If he struggles, then the team may turn to SoCon Player of the Year and Chattanooga transfer Malachi Smith to run point.

1. North Carolina Tar Heels – Caleb Love

The Tar Heels return four starters from last season’s NCAA Tournament title game squad. And they replaced one talented forward in Brady Manek with another one in Northwestern transfer Pete Nance. With Armando Bacot looking like an All-American candidate, this team can definitely make another run next March.

If there’s one player that would qualify as an “x factor” for UNC, it would be the veteran guard Caleb Love. He averaged 15.9 ppg last season and went for career-high 28 and 30 points in the NCAA Tournament last season. Love also shot 37% from the field overall and had several poor shooting games, including going for 5/24 in the title game versus Kansas.

When Love is efficient from the field and having one of those nights where his shots are going in, the Tar Heels are nearly impossible to beat. But if he struggles and has a poor night, they certainly could lose too. His consistency will be the key to UNC’s 2022-21campaign.