NCAA Basketball: Top-20 mid-major teams to buy stock into entering 2024-25 season
No. 8 - High Point Panthers
The High Point Panthers were among college basketball’s biggest surprises last season, finishing with a 27-9 record under first-year head coach Alan Huss. A key reason for their success last season was their offense, averaging nearly 84 PPG, the 9th-highest in the country, according to Sports Reference.
Even if Duke Miles, last year’s leading scorer, is off to Oklahoma, the Panthers will have no shortage of offensive weapons. Kezza Giffa, who averaged 16.2 PPG and Kimani Hamilton, who averaged 14.9 PPG and 7.2 RPG are still in the mix. D’Maurian Williams (Gardner Webb, Texas Tech) and Bobby Pettiford Jr. (Kansas, East Carolina) are quality transfer portal pieces with power-five experience. High Point has depth, experience and a strong core returning, making the Panthers a trendy mid-major pick to buy stock into as the 2024-25 college basketball season quickly approaches.
No. 7 - Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
With Steve Lutz off to Oklahoma State, the key for the Hilltoppers’ offseason was to retain its talent under its new head coach, Hank Plona. Thankfully for Western Kentucky, Plona did just that.
To begin, Western Kentucky will return last year’s leading scorer, Don McHenry. Interestingly enough, McHenry played under Hank Plona at Indian Hills CC, which only helps Pona’s transition as a first-year D-I head coach.
Secondly, the Hilltoppers essentially swapped Brandon Newman (graduation) for a healthy Terrion Murdix (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) in the backcourt. Murdix, who missed last year’s campaign after suffering a season-ending injury in March 2023, was named the 2022-23 SLC DPOY at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. His impact -- when healthy -- will be instantaneous.
Hank Plona deserves lots of credit for keeping the majority of its core intact. With a roster that looks to compete in the top of the C-USA, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are a team one should certainly monitor entering the 2024-25 season.