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NCAA Basketball: Buy or sell WTE consensus top-10 teams for 2023-24 season?

By Tristan Freeman

Michigan State Spartans' A.J. Hoggard (11) Mady Sissoko (22), Tyson Walker (2) and forward Malik Hall (25) during the 69-60 win over Marquette in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Columbus, Ohio, March 19, 2023.Msumarq 031923 Kd6623 MSU huddle
Michigan State Spartans' A.J. Hoggard (11) Mady Sissoko (22), Tyson Walker (2) and forward Malik Hall (25) during the 69-60 win over Marquette in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Columbus, Ohio, March 19, 2023.Msumarq 031923 Kd6623 MSU huddle /
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Creighton Basketball
NCAA Basketball Creighton Bluejays guard Baylor Scheierman (55) celebrates with guard Trey Alexander (23) and center Ryan Kalkbrenner Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Creighton Bluejays – Sell

It was understandable that for one reason or another, Creighton wasn’t going to be returning its entire starting lineup for another year. If there is good news, the team, from a production standpoint, lost its two worst starters in Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga) and Arthur Kaluma (Kansas State), who each entered the transfer portal.

Replacing Nembhard is Steven Ashworth, the best player on a Utah State squad that got an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 16.2 ppg and 4.5 apg and shot over 40% from three-point range. He, Trey Alexander, and Baylor Scheierman will be one of the top backcourts in NCAA Basketball next season.

There won’t be a question at center, as returning leading scorer and two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year big man Ryan Kalkbrenner is back. But who’ll be playing next to him? Mason Miller is a former top-75 prospect and so is Isaac Traudt, who came from Virginia this offseason. Kaluma had his flaws but he had his big moments at Creighton as well.

Last season showed that the Bluejays heavily relied on Kalkbrenner to be good and while he’s back, the senior center will have even more attention on him unless a power forward emerges next season. This is a roster with potential but there may be better bets in the Big East alone that are more likely to make a deep run.

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