NCAA Basketball: Biggest roster needs of each WTE top-25 team for 2024-25 season
11. Purdue Boilermakers
Biggest need: Add frontcourt experience
Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith will man the backcourt for the third consecutive year, providing the steady, consistent presence college basketball fans have grown accustomed to in the past two seasons. Zach Edey is irreplaceable, but Will Berg will look to fill his void at the center spot. With Zach Edey en route to the pros and Mason Gillis and Ethan Morton heading to the portal, Matt Painter will look to develop Trey Kaufmann-Renn and Cam Hiede but to add an experienced forward who can make an impact similar to what Lance Jones did (proving offensive “pop”) would be an ideal addition.
10. UConn Huskies
Biggest need: Experienced guard play on the perimeter
Dan Hurley established a lethal tree-guard mold last year, starting Cam Spencer, Tristen Newton and Stephon Castle. Although all played different roles on the team, all were integral to UConn’s championship-level dominance, and separated themselves from the rest of the pack once March rolled along. Now, Hurley is tasked with filling that void, although he recently added Michigan transfer Taris Reed Jr. (the Donovan Clingan replacement), making the need for experienced guard play -- especially with strong shooting skills on the perimeter -- that much more pivotal in the upcoming weeks ahead.