NCAA Basketball: 10 teams with most to prove during 2023 Feast Week

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 13: Head coach Hubert Davis talks with R.J. Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of their game against the Miami Hurricanes at the Dean E. Smith Center on February 13, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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NCAA Basketball Syracuse Orange guard Judah Mintz (Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Gonzaga Bulldogs

MTE: Maui Invitational

Being a top-10 team, Gonzaga doesn’t have to prove they’re good. They’re among the best programs to play in the Maui Invitational, winning multiple titles. But besides having to play Purdue in the first round, the Bulldogs will play three games in three days with depleted depth on the perimeter. With Steele Venters out for the season, the team will have guards Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard playing nearly all 40 minutes.

There’s plenty of talent elsewhere on the roster, with Graham Ike and Anton Watson as one of the best frontcourts in NCAA Basketball. But will the guards hold up? In a Maui Invitational that features a ton of great backcourts, it’s something to watch to see how Gonzaga looks and whether they can have another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

7. Syracuse Orange

MTE: Maui Invitational

With there being a coaching change for the first time in decades, some would’ve been willing to give new HC Adrian Autry a chance to settle in. But when you have one of the top guards in NCAA Basketball in sophomore guard Judah Mintz, along with other young pieces such as JJ Starling, Justin Taylor, and Chris Bell.

The Maui Invitational features a bunch of win-now teams and the Orange stands out for being the youngest and least-proven. That could mean that they’re destined to finish in the last-place battle against Chaminade. But if they overachieve, look for the hype for this team to reach new heights going forward.

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