NCAA Basketball: 10 bold predictions for 2022-23 season

Mar 18, 2022; Greenville, SC, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the during the second half against the Davidson Wildcats during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

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NCAA Basketball Western Kentucky Hilltoppers center Jamarion Sharp Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

Conference USA gets 3 bids to the NCAA Tournament

Conference realignment has affected a number of leagues but none more than CUSA, which is set to lose a number of members to the American after this season. But in their final year together, this could be the best year for them in recent memory, thanks to a trio of programs with high expectations.

The first is the reigning champions UAB, which returns the Conference Player of the Year, Jelly Walker. He led the team with 20 ppg and 5.0 apg and was one of the top impact transfers in all of NCAA Basketball a year ago. He’s joined by several quality transfers, including Eric Gaines, who was an All-SEC Freshman at LSU last year, sharpshooter Tyler Bertram from Charlotte, as well as Ty and Ledarrius Brewer, two double-digit scorers at East Tennessee State. They’re arguably even better compared to a year ago and the record should show it.

A team that was right on their tails was North Texas, which has one of the best defenses in the country. Leading scorer and former 6th Man of the Year Tylor Perry is back, joined by key players, Abou Ousmane and Rubin Jones. New Hampshire transfer Jayden Martinez adds some offense to the team and as long as they remain elite on the defensive end, they’ll be a top-50 team nationally.

The team with the most questions happens to be the one with the most talent in Western Kentucky. They return their leading scorer and point guard, Dayvion McKnight, as well as 7’5 center, Jamarion Sharp, who averaged nearly four blocks a game last season. The supporting cast arguably has gotten better, including Boise State transfer and versatile forward, Emmanuel Akot, as well as Dontaie Allen and Khristian Lander, a pair of former top-40 prospects out of high school that could break out at this level.

The Hilltoppers have more talent than even North Texas and UAB but have consistently underachieved under head coach Rick Stansbury. If they look as good on the court as they do on paper, I can see all three programs dominating the league and making really strong cases to be in the at-large contention. Plus, with another league that I’m not as high on (more on that later), I think Conference USA will be one to watch.

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