By Nick Konotopskyj
Sports Assignment Editor
One season ago, there was a clear number one team in college basketball. However, those spectators who heavily favored Kentucky Wildcats did not end up winning it all come the end of March.
The Duke Blue Devils are the reigning National Champions with this being the fifth title Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski has won. Unfortunately for the champs, they lost three standout freshmen to the NBA draft (Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones).
Duke is ranked fifth in the pre-season polls, and it will be led by one of its top recruits sophomore guard Grayson Allen. Allen was instrumental in helping push the team all the way to the title. Role players Amile Jefferson, Marshall Plumlee, and Matt Jones look to improve as they all step into much bigger roles this season.
The Maryland Terrapins have huge expectations in 2015, mainly because they present one of the deepest lineups in all of college basketball. They bring a little bit of everything in veterans, talented freshmen and solid transfer contributors.
Melo Trimble is one of the best point guards in the country, along with Jake Layman and freshman Diamond Stone down low. These three have the potential to be the best triad in all of college basketball. After running into trouble at Duke, transfer guard Rasheed Sulaimon looks for redemption at Maryland.
If there’s one thing to know about college basketball this year, it is that the ACC is absolutely incredible. This conference has a legitimate chance of sending 10 teams to the NCAA tournament, and the best team of them all is North Carolina.
The Tar Heels have the size, they have the shooting and most importantly, they have the player who can carry them through March just like Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier did for UConn a few years back. That player is senior point guard Marcus Paige.
Paige is considered one of the pre-season favorites for player of the year and for good reason. The biggest key for him is staying healthy for a full season, and as long as he can do that, UNC should be the best team in college basketball. They certainly are on paper.
Along with Paige, the front court is solid with Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson who should be close to double-doubles on most nights. Nate Britt is another guard who brings quickness, and sharp shooter Justin Jackson provides the outside threat.
Between the Terps, Devils and Heels, the ACC is must-see TV from now until someone cuts down the nets in the beginning of April.
Last year, Kentucky had an undefeated regular season before finally falling to Wisconsin in the Final Four. The expectations might not be as great in 2015, but make no mistake, this team is still elite.
Just like teams in Coach John Calipari’s past, it is a rotation full of mostly freshmen. Out of those freshmen, the undisputed leader of that bunch is freshman forward Skal Labissiere. He comes to the Wildcats from Haiti, and in two games has put up 17.5 points per in just 25 minutes.
They should have strong guard play with returning sophomore Tyler Ulis to run point alongside freshman Jamal Murray. Isaiah Briscoe and Isaac Humphries are the other freshmen who are expected to make huge contributions immediately. I wouldn’t expect another goose egg in the loss column, but the Wildcats will be tough to beat just like most years for them.
There is a lot of parity in college basketball this year, but I do expect these four squads to be near the top for most of the regular season and into March. I’m going with the new and improved Maryland Terrapins to win it all.
