1. Purdue
After losing two-time AP Player of the Year Zach Edey, it would’ve been completely normal for the Boilermakers to take a step back. While they didn’t reach the national title game, Purdue returned to the Sweet Sixteen, giving Houston quite a battle. Trey Kaufman-Renn turned into quite a star as Edey’s replacement while Braden Smith blossomed into an All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year.
People are so high on the Boilermakers because those two are both back as seniors, alongside sharpshooter Fletcher Loyer. Purdue added major talent in the frontcourt with South Dakota State’s Oscar Cluff and may have also grabbed their point guard of the future with freshman Omer Mayer. They’ll have one of the best starting fives in the nation with significant experience and could also get a boost from C. J. Cox, back for his sophomore season.
Regardless of depth or other faces on this roster, returning Smith and Kaufman-Renn alone makes this team a legitimate contender. They can shoot, they can defend, and they mean business as a team, with Matt Painter putting together another incredible unit in West Lafayette. We’re labeling the Boilermakers as the Big Ten favorites and perhaps a favorite nationally, especially if Smith continues developing into the nation’s best point guard.
We won’t see these teams on the court for two more months but the regular season is getting pretty close. After months of offseason buzz, which of these teams are going to live up to these expectations? Which teams not listed here are going to surprise by November?
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