College Basketball Update

Early on in this college basketball season there hasn't been too much noise, there were a couple good games between top teams, and some teams certainly helped their resume, but nothing completely surprising. The Big Ten seems like it will be a three team battle between Michigan State, Purdue, and Maryland, with Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa also hanging in there. Michigan State is currently ranked #1 but I think that may be too high, I think the Spartans will probably end up with at least 5 losses, but will come to play come tournament time. Purdue seems like a really good team, which doesn't really make sense considering they had a fairly average season last year. They are loaded with big men, they have two 7-footers, A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas, and a talented 5-star freshmen Caleb Swanigan. Plus Raphael Davis, Kendall Stephens, and Vince Edwards are all solid contributors to the Purdue line-up. Purdue will play solid defense throughout the year but it will be interesting to see if they can get back to an elite status as a team. Maryland has taken care of business, outside of an acceptable road loss to North Carolina they have look very good and should be very dangerous.

The Big 12 is also likely a three team race it seems, with Kansas, Oklahoma and Iowa State all contending. Last year Kansas won the regular season title, but Iowa State won the Big 12 tournament. Perry Ellis will always be a force for the Jayhawks, but they still have a few players remaining from the 2013 Class that featured Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid, the first and third overall draft picks in the 2014 NBA Draft. Frank Mason, Wayne Selden, and Brannen Greene should all make an impact and young players Devonte Graham, Carlton Bragg, and Cheick Diallo all will be difference makers. Oklahoma is a veteran team led by Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins, Ryan Spangler, and Jordan Woodard. I think Oklahoma and Iowa State certainly will definitely challenge for the Big 12 Title, but Kansas looks just too deep and too talented and I expect the Jayhawks to win a piece of another Big 12 Championship and probably contend for the national title.