CONTENTS

FEATURES LARGE CONFERENCE INDEX

3 Atlantic Coast Conference.................................................................... 30
Welcome to the
2024 VSiN College American Athletic Conference............................................................... 40
Basketball Betting Guide
Atlantic 10 Conference.......................................................................... 48
4
VSiN Expert College Big 12 Conference................................................................................. 57
Hoops Best Bets
Big East Conference.............................................................................. 66
6
Matt Youmans Presents Big Ten Conference............................................................................... 73
Top 50 Preseason Poll
Missouri Valley Conference................................................................... 83
12
Schedule Breakdown Mountain West Conference................................................................... 90
and Analysis of ACC and
Big Ten Travel Southeastern Conference..................................................................... 97

16 West Coast Conference...................................................................... 106

Hunting Hoops Value

18
Wooden Award:
SMALL CONFERENCE INDEX
Three-Tiered Approach America East Conference...............................................................................113
to Betting a Winner
Atlantic Sun Conference.................................................................................114
20 Big Sky Conference........................................................................................115
Predicting Improvement
Big South Conference....................................................................................116
and Decline
Big West Conference......................................................................................117
22 Coastal Athletic Association Conference.......................................................118
Steve Makinen’s
Power Ratings Conference USA Conference.........................................................................119
Horizon League Conference...........................................................................120
26
Returning Playing Minutes Ivy League Conference...................................................................................121
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference................................................................122
Mid-American Conference.............................................................................123
VSIN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Mid-Eastern Conference................................................................................124
COVER: James Coleman
DATABASE MANAGER: Jason Latus Northeast Conference....................................................................................125
LAYOUT AND DESIGN: Matt Devine
SENIOR EDITOR: Zachary Cohen Ohio Valley Conference..................................................................................126
MANAGING EDITOR: Adam Burke
WRITERS: Zachary Cohen, Steve Makinen,
Patriot League Conference............................................................................127
Aaron Moore, Greg Peterson,
Wes Reynolds, Jonathan Von Tobel
Southern Conference.....................................................................................128
and Matt Youmans Southland Conference....................................................................................129
Southwestern Athletic Conference.................................................................130

ODDS WITHIN GUIDE

Summit League Conference...........................................................................131
ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE Sun Belt Conference......................................................................................132
WAC Conference............................................................................................133
photos by USA Today Sports Images
[Link]
Greetings, all.

College basketball is the hardest sport to track in the preseason because of the
transfer portal craziness and all of the coaching changes. That’s why I’m happy to
announce that we’ve done a lot of that work for you in our 2024-25 VSiN College
Basketball Betting Guide.

Every conference has an overview and 10 conferences - ACC, AAC, Atlantic-10, Big
12, Big East, Big Ten, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, SEC, and West Coast - also
have team previews for each of the member schools.

Here’s what each contributor was responsible for in this year’s CBB Guide:

• Matt Youmans’ Preseason Top 50

• Greg “Hoops” Peterson’s Betting Nuggets and 15 conference overviews
• Aaron Moore’s features on the Wooden Award and ACC/Big Ten travel, plus the
A-10 and MAAC
• Jonathan Von Tobel on the Mountain West and West Coast
• Wes Reynolds on the Big Ten and SEC
• Senior Editor Zachary Cohen on the ACC and Big 12
• Adam Burke on the AAC, Big East, Missouri Valley, and five other small
conferences
• Head of Analytics Steve Makinen’s Power Ratings, Team Up/Downs, and stats

And, as always, we’ve got best bets from the Guide contributors on futures, awards,
and more!

Now is the time to tell your friends and family to become a VSiN Pro Subscriber, as we
are running a lot of great offers now and throughout the upcoming holiday season to
join us and get unfiltered access to everything
we do, including our college basketball in-
season content.

Happy reading and happy college basketball

season!

Adam Burke
Managing Editor, [Link]
aburke@[Link]
@SkatingTripods on X

3
VSIN
MATT YOUMANS
DUKE TO WIN ACC REGULAR SEASON (+140)
North Carolina appears to be the only serious threat to Duke
in a two-horse conference race. The Blue Devils are loaded in
coach Jon Scheyer’s third season. Scheyer has had back-to-

EXPERT
back 27-9 seasons and this is his most talented team, starting
with Cooper Flagg, who had his way with a USA basketball
team full of NBA stars over the summer in Las Vegas. A 6-foot-
9 forward who can do everything on the floor, Flagg arrives as
the nation’s top-ranked freshman and favorite to be the No. 1
pick in the NBA Draft. Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot-2 freshman
from South Sudan, is another NBA prospect with a high ceiling.

COLLEGE
The Blue Devils have several veterans surrounding their young
stars. Junior point guard Tyrese Proctor returns and is joined
by transfers Maliq Brown (Syracuse), Mason Gillis (Purdue) and
Sion James (Tulane).

GONZAGA TO WIN WCC REGULAR SEASON (-225) &

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP (18-1)
The talent gap between the Bulldogs and Saint Mary’s, the

HOOPS
consensus No. 2 team in the West Coast Conference, is huge. It’s
so big that the DraftKings price on Gonzaga to win the conference
probably should be double what it is and closer to -500. The Zags
found their groove in the second half of last season and played
better than every other team in the nation but UConn and Purdue,
which knocked out Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.

Four starters return for coach Mark Few, who can count on
senior guards Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard, 6-foot-
10 senior Ben Gregg and 6-foot-9 center Graham Ike, who’s
as rugged as it gets around the basket. The Bulldogs’ top six
players are seniors, which is rare for any elite team. Few boosted
the talent level by adding transfers Khalif Battle (Arkansas) and

BEST
6-foot-7 forward Michael Ajayi, a Pepperdine star who made
47 percent of his 3-pointers and led the WCC in scoring. Steele
Venters, a 3-point marksman and former Eastern Washington
transfer, is ready to go after missing last season with an injury.
Few’s team definitely has Final Four potential.

MARK SEARS TO WIN WOODEN AWARD (+900)

Alabama power rates as the No. 2 team in the nation, thanks to
its senior point guard backing out of the NBA Draft before the
June deadline. Sears was projected to be a second-round pick,
so it was a wise decision. Sears, who averaged 21.5 points
and shot 44 percent from 3-point range for the season, was the

BETS
catalyst to the Crimson Tide’s run to the Final Four. He scored
24 points in the national semifinal loss to UConn and thrives in
big games.

AARON MOORE
MARK SEARS (+900) & JOHNI BROOME (20-1)
TO WIN WOODEN AWARD
I am putting one unit on Sears, who should be equally priced
with North Carolina’s RJ Davis (+700) and Kansas’ Hunter
Dickinson (+750). Sears’ ability to create social-media worthy
highlights will help during the campaign season. I am adding a
half-unit on Broome because Auburn has a chance to compete
for an SEC title and, if that happens, it will propel the Tigers big
man and his attractive odds onto the national stage.

UCONN TO WIN BIG EAST REGULAR SEASON (+150)

This futures play isn’t with an emphasis on financial ROI, more
for the psychological side of betting. Even with odds barely over
even money and months away from being decided, this might
be the only time to get UConn at plus money to win the Big
East. Dan Hurley has shown a unique Saban-like quality to keep
his program hungry. The mix of Alex Karaban, returners and
newcomers should once again make this the most talented team
in the conference. Even with these low odds, I want to be part of
what has become college basketball’s most valuable commodity.

4
SAINT LOUIS TO WIN ATLANTIC 10 REGULAR SEASON (+450) SAINT LOUIS TO WIN ATLANTIC 10 REGULAR SEASON (+750)
The Billikens now have the most dynamic player in the league with I have a lot of respect for VCU and Dayton, but I just wouldn’t be
Robbie Avila. Saint Louis also has his former Indiana State coach Josh surprised if Josh Schertz wins the league in his first season with Saint
Schertz’s offense that the other A-10 coaches are not accustomed to Louis. Last year, Indiana State was a 32-win team, and KenPom had the
facing in-conference. The Billikens offer more value - and possibly talent group at 13th in the nation in offensive rating — and 38th overall. Well,
- than the favorite VCU. the two top players from that team, Robbie Avila and Isaiah Swope, both
followed Schertz.
INDIANA TO WIN BIG TEN REGULAR SEASON (+750)
I am not overly pleased coach Mike Woodson is part of this investment, Avila, who averaged 17.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game,
but +750 for this newly loaded team needed a place in my futures was one of the best players in all of college basketball last year. And
portfolio. There is every indication the Hoosiers behind Myles Rice Swope is a guard that can really shoot the basketball, as he averaged
and Oumar Ballo can win the conference title over the Zach Edey-less 15.9 points per game and shot 36.2% from 3 a year ago. Those two
Boilermakers and UCLA’s frequent flyers from Westwood. A ticket like alone make the Billikens a dangerous group in this conference, but
this can be monetized towards the end of the season when the schedule Schertz added some other impressive transfers. One that stands out
appears to favor Indiana over Purdue. is Brown forward Kalu Anya, who averaged 9.6 points, 7.4 rebounds,
1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game last year. He’s a stat-sheet stuffer
QUINNIPIAC (+350) TO WIN MAAC that contributes on both ends of the floor. I’m also interested in seeing
Iona (+260) is currently the favorite but the preseason No.1 team in how Miami’s AJ Casey and USC’s Kobe Johnson look against worse
the conference according to the coaches comes with a much better competition. Johnson was a double-digit scorer in the Pac-12.
price.
Saint Louis also has two solid returners in Larry Hughes and Gibson
MISSISSIPPI TO WIN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP (100-1) Jimerson. The latter is an absolute sniper from deep, and he could feast
Here is the long shot I’m adding to my futures portfolio. It’s a minimal with the types of looks he’ll get off Avila.
investment to put away and remember around the end of February with
the plan of monetizing it. Most shops have Ole Miss in the 80-1 range. This should be a pretty special group offensively, and A-10 teams might
This number at publication is 100-1 at bet365. Chris Beard has a good not know what’s about to hit them. Last year, the Sycamores were fifth
squad in a loaded conference. The Rebels will get enough SEC wins to in the nation in 3P rate (49.5%) and 11th in 3P% (38.1%). They were
get into the NCAA tournament and use that regular-season experience to also first in 2P% (62.4%), meaning they could spread you out or let Avila
make a deep run. Essentially it’s a 100-1 ticket with the hopes that Beard work you in the post. This year’s Billikens team should look just like that.
can coach Ole Miss to the Sweet 16. Let’s just see if they can defend.

ZACHARY COHEN ADAM BURKE

FLORIDA TO WIN SEC REGULAR SEASON (25-1) MEMPHIS TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (120-1)
The Gators went 16-17 overall and 9-9 in SEC play in Todd Golden’s
first year with the program. However, things looked a heck of a lot better Memphis is clearly the top dog in the AAC this season. Head coach
in Year 2, as Florida went 24-12 overall and 11-7 in conference play. Penny Hardaway opened the NIL wallet to get proven commodities once
The Gators were also 12th in the nation in offensive rating, according to again, but this time, he changed the types of players he was looking
KenPom. for, focusing on toughness and shot-making rather than finesse. P.J.
Haggerty is probably the most notable name, as he had 21.2 points per
I generally like the way Golden’s team competed, as Bart Torvik had game last season for Tulsa, but the starting five and the post depth stand
the group ranked eighth in the nation in offensive rebound rate (37.3%). out.
The Gators also did a good job of keeping opponents from shooting 3s,
finishing 36th in the country in 3PT rate defense (32.4%). The rest of the roster is filled out with upperclassmen, mostly from other
programs. Colby Rogers is at his fourth school and is a 38.7% 3-point
Realistically, Florida can be an elite team if it shoots the ball better shooter. Tyreek Smith is the big, physical body that Hardaway wanted
and defends a little better. And there are reasons to believe both of this season to be a menace on both ends of the floor. He’s shot over
those things will happen this year. The Gators return some of their 60% on 2s every season and spent three of those years in the Big 12
best players from a year ago, with Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and before being at rival SMU last season. Tyrese Hunter joins Haggerty as
Alex Condon all back and ready to go. But Golden also made some another great ball handler with scoring punch and he’s stepping down in
nice moves in the transfer portal, adding Florida Atlantic shooter class with the move from Texas. Nick Jourdain stayed, but Dain Dainja
Alijah Martin and Washington State big man Rueben Chinyelu. came in from Illinois, giving Hardaway two players that shot 66% on
Martin’s 3P% dipped from 37.2% in 2022-23 to 33.8% in 2023-24, 2s. Add in 7-footer Moussa Cisse from Ole Miss and you’ve got tons of
but he’s a legitimate floor spacer and should thrive in this system. interior depth to go with guards that can play all night if you ask them.
And Chinyelu has the ability to be the starting center that Florida
needs to improve on its 94th-ranked defensive rating. He’s a big body In terms of Bart Torvik’s Projected Production from Transfers, Memphis
that can really clean the glass, which could be big for a Gators team ranks fourth behind Vanderbilt, Louisville, and DePaul. His projections
that rebounded just 28.8% of misses last year. And if Chinyelu isn’t have them favored in every AAC game and only a one-possession dog
the guy, perhaps Thomas Haugh can be. He did some nice things last to UConn in the November 25 spotlight game. They’re also slight dogs at
season. Clemson and Virginia in mid-December.

I just love the firepower that Clayton possesses as a lead guard, and I This is a team that should be able to bank a lot of wins for a high seed
think the team is built really well around him. Even Chattanooga transfer and has a chance at a signature win or two over those three games. The
Sam Alexis can be a useful contributor right away, giving the team experience, top-end talent, and long, athletic depth make the Tigers a
several guys that can play their roles to perfection. very dangerous squad.

With Golden’s elite coaching and a roster that has talent and experience, If nothing else, I should get them into the Dance as a high seed and then
the Gators are a little more live than their odds suggest in a somewhat I’m holding a big number that I can play with.
open SEC.

5
MATT YOUMANS PRESENTS

TOP 50
PRESEASON
POLL
KANSAS #1

6
 Only fools believed Dan Hurley would leave college
basketball coaching and jump to the NBA. At the top
of his profession after winning back-to-back NCAA
championships, Hurley considered an offer to lead the Los
Angeles Lakers. Although some would say it was an unserious
courtship all along, Hurley’s acting job was worthy of an Oscar.
He turned down the offer in June, citing unfinished business at
Connecticut.

Hurley got the first thing he wanted — a new six-year, $50 million contract. The
Hollywood ending he’s seeking — a third straight national title — will be the hard part.
The four star players the Huskies lost to the NBA Draft will be tough to replace.

So there’s a new No. 1, at least for now. UConn is being replaced. Kansas sits atop the Associated Press
preseason poll, Alabama is ranked the top team by the Blue Ribbon Yearbook, and Houston has the top spot
in the Pomeroy Ratings ([Link]).

“We have quite a bit of money on UConn,” Circa Sports oddsmaker Nick Bogdanovich said. “People think
Hurley can three-peat. I think it’s a stretch, but I thought last year was a stretch as well.”

The Huskies open the season at No. 3 in the VSiN preseason Top 50, where my power ratings show Kansas
No. 1 and Alabama No. 2. Hurley and the Huskies are followed by No. 4 Duke and No. 5 Gonzaga.

Circa lists UConn as the national title favorite at +900, after heavy action showed at 14-1. Duke and Kansas
are each at 10-1, followed by Alabama at 11-1.

“It’s still wide open,” Bogdanovich said. “I don’t think any team should be less than 10-1 odds. There are so
many new pieces in every spot. I can tell you they bet Duke really strong.

The Blue Devils boast the nation’s top newcomer, 6-foot-9 forward Cooper Flagg. The Crimson Tide will be
led again by Mark Sears, arguably the nation’s best point guard. Aside from Hurley, who brings back only one
starter, almost everything about the Huskies will look new.

Kansas is old and new. Hunter Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 center, returns for his fifth year and turns 24 in
November. Dickinson, who spent his first three seasons at Michigan, has 122 career starts. He plays inside
and out and has the passing ability of a point guard. The Jayhawks bring back their true starting point guard,
Dajuan Harris, along with forward KJ Adams.

After a humbling 23-11 season that included a fifth-place finish in the Big 12 and ended with an 89-68 loss
to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA tournament, coach Bill Self hit the transfer portal in search of
talented veterans. The Jayhawks needed depth and shooting, and Self found what he wanted in transfers
Rylan Griffen (Alabama), Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and AJ Storr (Wisconsin).

Griffen, Mayo and Storr are big-time scorers who will help Kansas overcome the losses of Kevin McCullar
and Johnny Furphy. It’s sometimes easy to overlook freshmen in this era of free agency, but Self’s top
recruits — center Flory Bidunga and guard Rakease Passmore — also will contribute to a team that’s much
deeper than last season.

Preseason power ratings are an inexact science. Before we see any games in November, my team ratings
are based mostly on opinion. I rate teams in seven categories — coaching, backcourt, big men, experience,
3-point shooting, defense/rebounding, and depth — and the first three categories listed are weighted for
more emphasis. Hurley has become the top power-rated coach.

Kansas was No. 1 in my power ratings for VSiN prior to the 2021-22 season — Gonzaga was the favorite by
media and oddsmakers — and the Jayhawks cashed at 15-1 odds by beating North Carolina for the NCAA
championship.

For the record, my preseason No. 1 last year was a swing and miss as Michigan State finished 20-15 and lost
in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Another Big Ten team, Purdue, fell to UConn in the national
title game — the Boilermakers were No. 3 and Huskies No. 6 in my preseason ratings.

In April, when confetti falls and the trophy is raised, Hurley could have his third shining moment, but I’m not
betting on it. In the beginning, when it’s a guessing game, Kansas is No. 1 by a narrow margin. The Jayhawks
will get early strength tests by playing Duke and North Carolina in November.

7
2. ALABAMA
Before the NBA Draft deadline in June, I bet Alabama at 20-1 odds, predicting that point guard Mark Sears would return to the Crimson Tide. The
catalyst to the Tide’s run to the Final Four was not projected to be a first-round pick. Sears, who scored 24 points in the national semifinal loss
to UConn, did pull out of the draft and will lead a team with title potential. Alabama coach Nate Oats always has his teams shooting 3-pointers in
waves, and he’s got shooters and size on a loaded roster, thanks to Sears and 6-11 sophomore Jarin Stevenson withdrawing from the draft. Oats,
who also welcomes back 6-11 senior Grant Nelson and Latrell Wrightsell Jr., brought in transfers Cliff Omoruyi (Rutgers), Aden Holloway (Auburn)
and Chris Youngblood (South Florida). The 6-foot-11 Omoruyi, who has a 7-foot-6 wingspan, is a tough defender and rim protector.

3. CONNECTICUT
In Dan Hurley’s first four years at UConn, he won zero conference titles and went 0-2 in the NCAA tournament. In the past two years, he went
68-11, including 12-0 in the tournament. But the Huskies lost four starters from last season’s 37-3 title team — guard Stephon Castle and
center Donovan Clingan were top-10 picks before guards Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer went in the second round. Alex Karaban is the lone
returning starter, but 6-foot-10 Samson Johnson and point guard Hassan Diarra also return to fill larger roles. Hurley signed 6-foot-7 forward Liam
McNeeley, a McDonald’s All-American, and hooked transfer shooting guard Aidan Mahaney (Saint Mary’s) and 6-foot-10 Tarris Reed (Michigan).
The talent level has dropped off, but don’t doubt Hurley’s ability to coach up this team.

4. DUKE
Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward who can do everything on the floor, arrives as the nation’s top-ranked freshman. Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot-2
freshman from South Sudan, is another NBA prospect with a high ceiling. The Blue Devils have several veterans surrounding their young stars.
Junior point guard Tyrese Proctor returns and is joined by transfers Maliq Brown (Syracuse), Mason Gillis (Purdue) and Sion James (Tulane). The
Devils lost a lot, including 7-footer Kyle Filipowski, but Jon Scheyer has had back-to-back 27-9 seasons, and this is his most talented team. Flagg
lit up a USA basketball team full of NBA stars over the summer in Las Vegas and will be fun to watch.

5. GONZAGA
The Zags got hot in the second half of last season and played better than probably every other team but UConn and Purdue, which knocked out
Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. Anton Watson, a fifth-year senior forward and a second-round pick by the Celtics, is the only starter not returning. Zags
coach Mark Few can count on senior guards Nolan Hickman and Ryan Nembhard, 6-foot-10 senior Ben Gregg and 6-foot-9 center Graham Ike,
who’s as tough as it gets around the basket. The Bulldogs’ top six players are seniors, which is rare for any elite team. Few boosted the talent
level by adding transfers Khalif Battle (Arkansas) and 6-7 forward Michael Ajayi, a Pepperdine star who made 47 percent of his 3-pointers and led
the West Coast Conference in scoring.

6. HOUSTON
A jump from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 was no problem for the Cougars, who won the regular-season title in their new
conference and finished 32-5. Kelvin Sampson-coached teams will be elite defensively and win at a high level, and this team will be no different.
Sampson averaged 31.3 wins over the past four seasons. Point guard Jamal Shead, a relentless defender who scored off the dribble, is a huge
loss. Still, Sampson is reloading with Oklahoma transfer Milos Uzan at the point. Veteran guards LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp return and should
lead the team in scoring. The frontcourt starters, 6-foot-7 J’Wan Roberts and 6-foot-8 Ja’Vier Francis, are not tall, yet they are athletic.

7. BAYLOR
Four starters, including two NBA first-round picks, are out the door. Bears coach Scott Drew tried to offset the departures by adding two veteran
transfers — point guard Jeremy Roach from Duke and power forward Norchad Omier from Miami — who will make a major impact. Shooting
guard VJ Edgecombe is one of the nation’s top freshmen, a five-star recruit who could be a top-five pick in next summer’s draft. Junior guard
Langston Love and 6-foot-10 Joshua Ojianwuna are the top returnees. Baylor won the NCAA title in 2021 and remains a strong contender,
especially if Edgecombe is as great as advertised. The Bears will pick a fight and find out how tough they are in a road game against UConn on
Dec. 4.

8. NORTH CAROLINA
The coaching transition from a legend to one of his former players has been successful at Duke, and the same is true at North Carolina. Hubert
Davis went 29-8 last season, losing to Alabama in the Sweet 16. The biggest loss was Armando Bacot, a dominant big man who spent five
seasons in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are loaded with talent, but how soon will the puzzle pieces fit? Senior guard RJ Davis led the ACC in scoring
(21.2 ppg), and sophomore Elliot Cadeau runs the point. Jalen Washington, a 6-foot-10 junior, steps into Bacot’s spot. Junior guard Seth Trimble
looks like an emerging star, as do freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell. The Heels never shy away from challenges and will play Kansas on
Nov. 8 at Allen Fieldhouse.

9. AUBURN
After winning the SEC tournament, the Tigers were upset by Yale in the NCAA first round to put a black eye on a 27-win season. Bruce Pearl is
a resilient coach, and Auburn will bounce back with an experienced team. The Tigers will have a matchup edge in the paint in most games with
senior center Johni Broome, who ranked in the conference’s top 10 in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage and blocked shots. Senior
shooting guard Denver Jones and senior forward Chad Baker-Mazara also return. Point guard JP Pegues (Furman) and shooting guard Miles
Kelly (Georgia Tech) were added as senior transfers. Pearl stacked the nonconference schedule with Houston, Iowa State, Duke, Ohio State and
Purdue.

10. PURDUE
Every preview of Purdue’s season will begin with the obvious: Zach Edey, the 7-foot-4, 300-pound back-to-back national Player of the Year, is
gone to the NBA. In Edey’s final game, a loss to UConn in the title game, he totaled 37 points and 10 rebounds. The Boilermakers’ supporting
cast faded against the Huskies, but those players must carry the team now, and it starts with junior point guard Braden Smith. Two other junior
starters, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, also return. Purdue coach Matt Painter has plenty of talented players ready to step up, including
Camden Heide and Myles Colvin. The freshman class of Gicarri Harris, Jack Benter, CJ Cox, 6-foot-11 Raleigh Burgess and 7-foot-4 Daniel
Jacobsen (the next Edey?) is loaded.

8
11. ARIZONA
While Tommy Lloyd has coached Arizona to 88 wins in three years, his teams have fizzled in the NCAA tournament. Life in the Big 12 will be
tougher on the Wildcats than it was in the Pac-12. Lloyd lost a lot of talent from last season’s 27-win team, but he was a recruiting ace as a
Gonzaga assistant and remains so in Tucson. Senior guard Caleb Love will be one of the nation’s top scorers, and he’ll be playing alongside junior
point guard Jaden Bradley. Motiejus Krivas is developing into a reliable 7-foot-2 center, and Lloyd made two major transfer additions by getting
6-foot-9 Tobe Awaka (Tennessee) and 6-foot-7 Trey Townsend (Oakland), the Horizon League Player of the Year.

12. INDIANA
Purdue is the Big Ten preseason favorite, but Indiana could be just as good or better. How long will it take coach Mike Woodson to put the puzzle
together? The Hoosiers spent big to bring in transfers Oumar Ballo (Arizona), Myles Rice (Washington State), Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford) and Luke
Goode (Illinois). The four returning starters are forwards Malik Reneau and Mackenzie Mgbako and guards Trey Galloway and Gabe Cupps. And
don’t forget freshmen Bryson Tucker, a McDonald’s All-American, and Jakai Newton. The Hoosiers, who tied for sixth in the conference and did
not play in a postseason tournament, can challenge for the league title and have the talent to make a run in March.

13. IOWA STATE

Junior point guard Tamin Lipsey plays both ends of the floor and is a strong defender, making him the typical Iowa State player. The Cyclones
ranked No. 2 nationally in defensive efficiency last season, behind Houston. Iowa State finished second to the Cougars in the Big 12 regular
season before winning the conference tournament. Lipsey and former UNLV transfer Keshon Gilbert, the team’s leading scorer last season, form
a talented backcourt. Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger brought in transfers Dishon Jackson, a 6-foot-11, 280-pound center from Charlotte, and
Joshua Jefferson, a 6-8 forward from Saint Mary’s. Iowa State is No. 5 in the AP preseason poll, but that ranking appears too high.

14. CREIGHTON
Three starters return for the Bluejays, but the two who departed — guard Trey Alexander and forward Baylor Scheierman — will be sorely missed.
Scheierman was a first-round pick by the Celtics. Ryan Kalkbrenner, a 7-foot-1 senior, will lead the way after averaging 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds
and 3.1 blocks. Point guard Steven Ashworth is back to run the offense, and coach Greg McDermott snagged guard Pop Isaacs (Texas Tech) as a
transfer. Ashworth scored 20 points in a blowout victory over UConn in February. Mason Miller, a 6-foot-9 junior, is a 3-point sharpshooter who’s
ready for a breakout season. McDermott is rock solid as a coach, averaging 23.6 wins the past five years.

15. ARKANSAS
Eric Musselman’s stay in Fayetteville was a blast for a while, but his act eventually wore thin and the vagabond coach bolted for USC after a
disastrous 16-17 season. John Calipari’s stunning decision to leave Kentucky after 15 years will keep the Razorbacks relevant on a national level.
Arkansas has a new look, which is a good thing, and junior forward Trevon Brazile is the only returning player. Calipari brought along Kentucky
transfers DJ Wagner, Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic, plus former Wildcats commits Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond III. Senior
guard Johnell Davis (Florida Atlantic) and senior center Jonas Aidoo (Tennessee) are transfers who will make a major impact.

16. TENNESSEE
Not only did Dalton Knecht depart for the NBA, but the Volunteers said goodbye to Santiago Vescovi, Josiah-Jordan James, Jonas Aidoo and
Tobe Awaka from their Elite Eight team. Knecht was the second-best player in the nation and best in the SEC. So who’s left and who’s new? Point
guard Zakai Zeigler is still around to run the offense and be a defensive menace. Other players to watch will be guards Chaz Lanier, a high-scoring
transfer from North Florida, and Jahmai Mashack. Junior center Felix Okpara transferred from Ohio State and fits in with this team as a defensive
force. Tennessee is deep and talented, but there are so many new pieces that coach Rick Barnes will have a lot of work to do.

17. KENTUCKY
Bigger names were tossed around as coaching candidates, but Mark Pope is looking like a smart hire by Kentucky, where he played for Rick
Pitino on the 1996 national championship team. John Calipari took several Wildcats players and recruits after he left for Arkansas, leaving Pope
to rebuild. Pope’s roster includes seven seniors and three freshmen. The top transfer additions are point guard Lamont Butler (San Diego State),
guard Jaxson Robinson (BYU), guard Kobe Brea (Dayton), guard Kerr Kriisa (West Virginia), guard Otega Oweh (Oklahoma), 6-foot-11 Andrew
Carr (Wake Forest) and 7-footer Amari Williams (Drexel). Pope is an innovative offensive coach who has put together an impressive roster.

18. MARQUETTE
Shaka Smart averaged 28 wins the past two years, when the Golden Eagles were a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament each year. It’s unlikely Smart
can coach this team to that level after losing point guard Tyler Kolek and power forward Oso Ighodaro, a pair of NBA second-round picks. Senior
point guard Kam Jones is ready to run the show after averaging 17.2 points and shooting 40 percent on 3s. Jones is joined in the backcourt by
senior Stevie Mitchell, and senior forward David Joplin is another 3-point threat who started all 37 games for a 27-win team. Jones is a star who can
carry the Golden Eagles in a lot of games, but Smart’s challenge will be developing co-stars and depth. UConn and Creighton are clearly better in the
Big East.

19. OLE MISS

Chris Beard is an elite coach who’s attempting to repair his reputation after off-court issues led to the loss of his dream job at Texas. His first
year at Ole Miss (20-12) was a positive start. Beard can make more out of less, and he’s got more talent to work with in his second year. Senior
guard Matthew Murrell (16.2 ppg, 46.4 percent on 3s) flirted with the NBA before returning to Oxford. Murrell will get scoring support from seniors
Jaemyn Brakefield and JuJu Murray. Beard has recruited well, which is no surprise, and has a mix of freshmen and transfers. Virginia Tech
transfer Sean Pedulla, Seton Hall transfer Dre Davis, 6-foot-9 Malik Dia and 7-foot-2 John Bol should help the Rebels climb the SEC ladder and
get to the NCAA tournament.

20. UCLA
Bet on the Bruins bouncing back after a rare losing season (16-17) for coach Mick Cronin. Junior guard Dylan Andrews was the team’s leading
scorer and may be again, but he’s got a lot more talent around him now. Cronin is rebuilding with transfers Skyy Clark (Louisville), Dominick Harris
(Loyola Marymount), Kobe Johnson (USC), Tyler Bilodeau (Oregon State) and others. Senior wing Lazar Stefanovic, who transferred from Utah
before last season, also fills an important role. Cronin will make UCLA competitive in the top half of the Big Ten. The Bruins, who could get travel-
weary in a new coast-to-coast conference, are keeping their former Pac-12 rivalry with Arizona alive by playing in Tucson on Dec. 14.

9
21. ST. JOHN’S
Rick Pitino was one of the few coaches who figured out how to push UConn to the limit last season when the Red Storm took a 95-90 loss to the
Huskies in the Big East tournament. Pitino, who’s touting junior wing RJ Luis as an emerging star, landed two of the top transfer guards on the
market — Kadary Richmond (Seton Hall) and Deivon Smith (Utah). USC transfer Vincent Iwuchukwu and 6-foot-9 Zuby Ejiofor beef up the front
line. St. John’s was my first long-shot bet at 80-1 odds in May after Richmond committed to the Red Storm.

22. FLORIDA
A veteran backcourt led by Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin, a Florida Atlantic transfer, will be the Gators’ strength. Clayton (17.6 ppg) will
run the point. Martin scored 26 points for the Owls against San Diego State in a Final Four game in 2023. Florida coach Todd Golden will count
on shooting guard Will Richard and big men Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, a transfer from Washington State. What also stands out about
Golden’s roster is the presence of 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, an incoming freshman from Canada.

23. RUTGERS
If the young guns live up to the hype, the Scarlet Knights have a high upside. Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are ranked as the nation’s No. 2
and No. 3 incoming freshmen, respectively. Harper, the brother of former Rutgers star Ron Harper Jr., is a 6-foot-6 point guard and was MVP
of the McDonald’s All-American game. Bailey is 6-foot-10 and can play everywhere on the floor. Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell has enough talent
surrounding Bailey and Harper to contend in the Big Ten and energize the atmosphere inside Jersey Mike’s Arena.

24. TEXAS A&M

The return of senior Wade Taylor IV gives the Aggies one of the nation’s top point guards and a legit go-to scorer. Taylor totaled seven 30-point
games last season. Junior center Pharrel Payne, a Minnesota transfer, provides inside strength. Texas A&M was one of the nation’s worst 3-point
shooting teams last season at 29.3 percent (345th nationally), but transfer guard CJ Wilcher (Nebraska) should be a boost in that area. Aggies
coach Buzz Williams has a great player (Taylor) and a good team that seems overrated at No. 13 in the AP preseason poll.

25. TEXAS
Longhorns coach Rodney Terry has no returning starters and needed to find ways to replace guards Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter and forward
Dylan Disu. Terry landed point guard Jordan Pope (Oregon State), forward Tramon Mark (Arkansas), forward Arthur Kaluma (Kansas State) and
6-foot-11 center Kadin Shedrick (Virginia) as transfers. The player with the most potential is probably shooting guard Tre Johnson, a hyped
freshman who seems headed for the NBA after this season. The eyes of Texas are focused on the football team for now, however.

26. CINCINNATI
Jizzle James has a game to go along with a great first name. The son of former NFL running back Edgerrin James is a sophomore point guard
who showed promise last season. James and senior Day Day Thomas give the Bearcats two strong backcourt scorers. Junior forward Dillon
Mitchell is a big addition as a Texas transfer, and he’ll be flanked in the frontcourt by Butler transfer Simas Lukosius and 7-footer Aziz Bandaogo,
a Utah Valley transfer. Cincinnati coach Wes Miller should be able to avoid a return trip to the NIT.

27. ILLINOIS
It’s a total rebuild in Champaign, where coach Brad Underwood has 10 new scholarship players. Underwood is reloading and starting with point
guard Kylan Boswell, a transfer from Arizona. The lone returning starter is junior guard Ty Rodgers. The Fighting Illini must replace Terrence
Shannon, Marcus Domask, Coleman Hawkins, Luke Goode and Quincy Guerrier, among others, from a 29-9 team that finished second in the Big
Ten before getting crushed by UConn in March. Underwood has enough talent on his roster to make it work.

28. TEXAS TECH

Shooting the 3 is the Red Raiders’ speciality, especially with riflemen Darrion Williams and Kerwin Walton returning. Walton and Williams each
shot better than 45 percent from long range last season, and Chance McMillian is another hot perimeter shooter. JT Toppin, a 6-foot-9 forward
who looked like a rising star as a New Mexico freshman, is a major transfer acquisition. Grant McCasland is an outstanding coach who won 23
games and tied for third in the Big 12 last season, although Tech was ousted in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

29. XAVIER
Musketeers coach Sean Miller did a complete makeover of his roster after finishing the season 16-18. Ten players from that team are out the door.
One big returnee is 6-foot-9 forward Zach Freemantle, who suffered a broken foot during the 2022-23 season and sat out all of last season. The
coach on the floor is senior point guard Dayvion McKnight. Miller added backcourt help by getting transfers Ryan Conwell (Indiana State) and
Dante Maddox (Toledo). The mystery man is another well-traveled transfer, 6-foot-10, 275-pound John Hugley IV.

30. KANSAS STATE

The transfer portal helped coach Jerome Tang recover from losing four starters. Kansas State pulled in 6-foot-10 Coleman Hawkins (Illinois)
and 7-footer Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky), along with guards Dug McDaniel (Michigan), Max Jones (Cal State Fullerton) and CJ Jones (Illinois-
Chicago). Hawkins is one of the most versatile players in the nation, which is why he reportedly grabbed $2 million to transfer. Tang has the talent
to compete in the Big 12, but this is a new team that needs time to develop chemistry.

10
31. SAINT LOUIS 40. MICHIGAN
Indiana State was a great story last season as coach Josh Schertz With the Wolverines finishing 8-24, Juwan Howard was at the end of
and 6-foot-10 Robbie Avila (also known as Cream Abdul-Jabbar) led the road. Dusty May, who coached Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in
a 32-win team to the NIT championship game. Schertz and Avila have 2023, lured Vlad Goldin, a 7-foot-1 force for the Owls, and Ohio State
relocated and plan to transform the Billikens, a 20-loss team, into transfer guard Roddy Gayle Jr. May will make this a quick turnaround.
winners. Schertz also brought along former Sycamores point guard
Isaiah Swope, who will play in a backcourt with Larry Hughes II, son 41. MISSISSIPPI STATE
of the former Saint Louis and NBA star. The Bulldogs might be the 10th-best team in the SEC, but that’s
still pretty good. Sophomore guard Josh Hubbard (17.1 ppg) is back
32. OHIO STATE to trigger the offense for coach Chris Jans, who’s also counting on
After the firing of coach Chris Holtmann in mid-February, Jake Diebler senior guard Claudell Harris and Penn State transfer Kanye Clary.
took over a slumping Buckeyes team and won six of his first eight
games. Now the full-time coach at age 38, he’s thankful to have junior 42. NEVADA
point guard Bruce Thornton (15.7 ppg) back to run the show. Diebler It appears San Diego State’s declining talent level is opening the door
snagged four transfers, including center Aaron Bradshaw (Kentucky), for Nevada to climb higher in the Mountain West. Steve Alford is an
guard Meechie Johnson (South Carolina) and forward Micah Parrish underrated coach who finds players, and he’ll win with 6-foot-10 Nick
(San Diego State). Davidson, 6-foot-10 Brandon Love, 6-foot-9 Kobe Sanders and guard
Xavier DuSell.
33. CLEMSON
Brad Brownell is a widely respected coach, but he too seldom won 43. UAB
big games in March — until he did last season. The Tigers made Yaxel Lendeborg, a 6-foot-9 senior, averaged a double-double (13.8
a surprising run to the NCAA Elite Eight and finished with 24 wins. points, 10.6 rebounds) last season for a 23-win Blazers team. He’s
Senior guard Chase Hunter and junior forward Ian Schieffelin, two of arguably the best player in the American Athletic Conference, and
the players who powered Clemson’s rise, return for another run at it. UAB coach Andy Kennedy has the league’s team to beat.
The Tigers will miss two other key players, PJ Hall and Joe Girard, but
they should fight for third place in the ACC. 44. DAYTON
Saint Louis is the clear frontrunner in the Atlantic 10, with Dayton and
34. MICHIGAN STATE VCU in the rear-view mirror. Flyers coach Anthony Grant finished 25-8
Entering his 30th year as Michigan State coach, Tom Izzo owns 707 last season and welcomes back three starters, highlighted by 6-foot-7
career wins. Last season, he lost too many games (15) and was senior Nate Santos and senior guard Posh Alexander.
knocked out in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Izzo is
against the transfer portal and paying players. The Spartans have 45. GRAND CANYON
some talent returning, led by 6-foot-11 Xavier Booker and freshman The Western Athletic Conference earned some respect when Bryce
point guard Jeremy Fears, but there are several roster riddles Izzo Drew coached the 12th-seeded Lopes to a first-round victory over
must solve to get this team into the Big Ten’s top five. Saint Mary’s in the NCAA tournament. Senior guards Tyon Grant-
Foster (20.1 ppg) and Ray Harrison return from a 30-5 team.
35. SAINT MARY’S
It was the Gaels, not Gonzaga, who won the West Coast Conference 46. WASHINGTON
regular-season title with a 15-1 record. Randy Bennett, who has 533 After taking Utah State to the NCAA tournament, Danny Sprinkle took
wins in 23 years as Saint Mary’s coach, is not going to finish ahead of off for the Washington job and brought 6-foot-8 senior Great Osobor
the Zags this time. The Gaels lost veteran point guard Aidan Mahaney along for the ride. No starters are coming back for the Huskies, but
as a transfer to UConn, and that was a big blow, but they still boast that’s not terrible news. Sprinkle is rebuilding with several transfers.
two of the league’s top players in guard Augustas Marciulionis and
6-foot-10 Mitchell Saxen. 47. BYU
Kevin Young, who was an NBA assistant for Phoenix, got the job to
36. BOISE STATE replace Mark Pope. The Cougars won 23 games, tied for fifth in the
No, the Mountain West is not getting six teams into the NCAA field Big 12 and made the NCAA tournament before Pope left for Kentucky.
again this year. The conference could get three, and the Broncos BYU will bank on 6-foot-6 senior Fousseyni Traore and several
are the favorites. Senior forward Tyson Degenhart and senior center prospects.
O’Mar Stanley are among the top 10 players in the league.
48. UNLV
37. OREGON Slowly but surely, fourth-year coach Kevin Kruger is making progress
Sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad is expected to be the Ducks’ top in Vegas. He’s off a 21-win season and fourth-place finish in the
scorer, and he’s one of three starters coming back from a 24-12 team. Mountain West. Dedan Thomas Jr. is the top point guard in the
Oregon coach Dana Altman is relying on transfers Brandon Angel conference, and Kruger has quietly compiled his most talented roster.
(Stanford) and T.J. Bamba (Villanova) to step up.
49. PITTSBURGH
38. VILLANOVA On paper, the Panthers are not incredibly impressive, but coach Jeff
Only one starter returns for Wildcats coach Kyle Neptune, but that Capel averaged 23 wins the past two seasons, and he’s probably got
player is 6-foot-8 Eric Dixon, one of the best the Big East has to offer. a top-six team in the 18-team ACC. Pitt will be led by guards Jaland
Neptune has a two-year record of 35-33 since following the retired Lowe, Ishmael Leggett and Houston transfer Damian Dunn.
Jay Wright. Neptune needs Miami (Fla.) transfer Wooga Poplar to be a
major scorer. 50. NOTRE DAME
If there’s a sleeper team in the ACC, it’s the Fighting Irish. Micah
39. WAKE FOREST Shrewsberry is a shrewd coach who’s recruiting well and rebuilding.
Senior guard Hunter Sallis, who averaged 18 points and shot 40 Sophomore guard Markus Burton (17.5 ppg) is one of four starters
percent from 3-point range, turned down the NBA Draft to return to returning, along with the coach’s son, sophomore guard Braeden
the Demon Deacons. Sallis’ decision gives coach Steve Forbes a shot Shrewsberry.
to crack the ACC’s top three.

11
SCHEDULE
BREAKDOWN AND
ANALYSIS OF ACC AND
BIG TEN TRAVEL
By Aaron Moore

The new look ACC and Big Ten conferences are going to raise a lot of “Looking at the records of Big Ten teams traveling at least two time
questions this college basketball season. zones, sure it’s a pretty small sample size overall, but could this trickle
into college hoops and be a thing for the foreseeable future? Absolutely.
Can Stanford and Cal reinvigorate their programs in the ACC? Letdown & lookahead spots have existed for years at the college level.
Adding in extended travel to your handicap needs to be part of the
Is SMU ready to be a power conference program? equation for these conferences.”

Will the former Pac-12 teams make an immediate impact in a loaded Big While the football games are once a week with teams coming right back
Ten? home afterwards, the ACC and Big Ten basketball teams will head out
on road trips to play sets of games. The 12-game football season also
There is another question bettors are already asking about these two creates more urgency than the 30+ games in basketball.
gargantuan conferences.
These schools are about to set out on the road like they do in the
Will all the daunting travel these teams face impact their on-the-court professional ranks. That means college bettors must be ready to identify
performance? occasions when colleges might slip into the bad habits made in the NBA
according to professional sports bettor Chris Macero.
To get ahead of this question before it becomes a popular media
narrative, we asked a number of college basketball bettors their thoughts “We have to watch early on if colleges deal with the travel and schedule
and how it will be incorporated into their handicapping. spots like those in the NBA call an ‘off night’ where they mail in a game
after tough travel,” said the California-based Macero. “You have to at
We also broke down the schedule for each ACC and Big Ten team to least consider that it will become more of a thing in the ACC and Big
identify the stretch of games most impacted by travel. Ten.”

Macero recommends bettors keep their eye on these schedule points

CHANGE OF SEASON early on this season.

Before college basketball bettors consider if the added mileage about to “Yeah, the travel is going to be tough for teams and players, but it
take place in these conferences will affect game performance (and the creates more opportunities for the bettor to find favorable spots due to
spread), they first can look towards the ongoing football season. rough travel conditions.”

The results as of mid-October have already caught the attention of The new ACC and Big Ten is putting more games like this on his radar.
Circa’s VP of Operations and college basketball betting guru Mike Palm.
“I guess you would have to call the road games in these two conferences
“The “Coast to Coast Big 10” has staged nine games where teams Super Situational Spots.”
traveled at least two time zones” said Palm. “The visitors are 1-8 SU
and 3-6 ATS in those games.”
TRAVEL PLANS
Even Penn State’s James Franklin intimated how the thousands of miles
it takes to reach the West Coast altered his football team’s established Even though Palm is still focused on fall action, he expects
routine. In order to make it to Los Angeles for the USC game, the Nittany to include coast-to-coast road trips in his college basketball
Lions left a day earlier than normal because a two-hour bus ride was handicapping since he has seen travel play a large role in other
needed to get to Harrisburg. There they could charter a larger plane that sports.
didn’t need to be refueled.
“The exaggerated travel has to be a point of emphasis in handicapping
Bettors then took note of Franklin’s comments and the line dropped from these ACC and Big Ten games,” said Palm.
Penn State -5.5 to -3.5. Perhaps the journey did play a role as the more
talented Nittany Lions came out sluggish and trailed 20-6 in the first half. Now that schedules are available, VSiN’s Matt Youmans can determine
Eventually they made an impressive comeback and won 33-30. when there will be upcoming travel issues, especially in a conference
he focuses on like the Big Ten. The host of Circa’s College Hoops
Add that to the ATS loss total Palm previously mentioned. Challenges plans to handicap with them in mind.
This same trend of Big Ten football teams struggling with travel across
multiple time zones already has VSiN’s Mitch Moss thinking about the “I will be looking to bet against travel-weary teams on extended trips.
implications for basketball. Obviously, the oddsmakers are aware of that angle and the betting

12
market won’t sleep on it, but some of those teams will fall into really bad He believes the ACC and Big Ten coaches spent much of the offseason
spots where the numbers are not adjusted enough. planning on the best ways to earmark off days during trips.

“We make a big deal about the football road trips, but there are far more That is also a reason why veteran handicapper Brue Marshall initially
travel miles involved in the basketball schedules.” feels that the travel angle may be a “tad overrated.”

Youmans already highlighted a 10-day stretch for UCLA in January that Marshall contends that yes, a trip for a team like UCLA to the Eastern
includes a game at Rutgers. time zone comes with an added level of difficulty. However when those
same Bruins travel to the Midwest, other than a new time zone, it won’t
The winner of Youmans’ Circa contest, David Dineen, a former player at be much different than when they flew up to the Northwest for Pac-12
Cal Poly, feels travel is a factor to consider but warns handicappers from games.
over-generalizing it in their analysis.
“Bottom line is the travel might be a factor, but not as important as the
“It should be in your handicap but don’t make it too much,” said Dineen, teams they face and the matchups,” said Marshall, who handicaps
who hyperfocuses his betting on college basketball. college games for Vegas Insider and CBS Sportsline.

“Don’t forget how good your body can bounce back when you’re 19-23 He gives this nugget of college hoops betting advice in advance.
years old. These players have been playing AAU since 11 years old,
traveling around the country playing games, sometimes three a day.” “As always monitor the season as it goes. Home and road always
figures into the handicap and sometimes really factors in, but to assume
Dineen feels there is just too much money at stake for these teams not it will be more pronounced this season may be jumping the gun a bit.
to make elite-level accommodations. That includes the best hotels, Let’s wait to see how much difference there is before making any line
restaurants and ways to rest between games. adjustments.”

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN Here are the schedule segments identified as being most
impacted by travel for every ACC and Big Ten squad.

ACC
BOSTON COLLEGE FLORIDA STATE
Sat 2/22 home Georgia Tech Wed 1/22 AT California
Wed 2/26 AT Stanford Sat 1/25 AT Stanford
Sat 3/1 AT California Wed 1/29 home Virginia Tech
Wed 3/5 home Clemson
LOOK AHEAD
LOOK AHEAD The home game against Va. Tech might be the one most affected by
The games in Northern California occur later in the season after most travel. FSU returns from the other coast and plays a physical Hokies
of the ACC grind. If BC is out of contention for a tournament bid - team first game back.
something that last happened in 2009 - motivation and travel could likely
come into play during this segment of games. GEORGIA TECH
Tue 1/7 AT Syracuse
CALIFORNIA Sat 1/11 AT SMU
Wed 3/5 AT Louisville
Sat 3/8 AT Notre Dame LOOK AHEAD
After its business trip from Atlanta to Upstate New York, Georgia Tech
LOOK AHEAD will either have a short turnaround at home or stay longer on the road.
It is hard to pinpoint the segment of Cal’s conference schedule most The amount of court time Damon Stoudamire has to practice in-between
impacted by travel because the entire season will be. That is what should be limited due to the travel.
happens when the Golden Bears leave Berkeley to go south, then east
and in a different time zone. The games mentioned above are just how LOUISVILLE
they will end a long regular season. In total, Cal will make four significant Sat 1/11 AT Pittsburgh
ACC road trips. Can bookmakers correctly bake the travel into Cal’s final Tue 1/14 AT Syracuse
games? Sat 1/18 home Virginia
Tue 1/21 AT SMU
CLEMSON
Sat 2/15 AT FSU LOOK AHEAD
Sat 2/22 AT SMU Pat Kelsey must deal with these 10 specific days to get wins and rest in
order to push for a tournament bid. He will benefit from the final three
LOOK AHEAD games of the season at home with two against the California squads
Should not be an overtly difficult schedule for Brad Brownell to navigate. ending their long seasons.
They get the California teams at home after they already played at Wake
Forest. When it comes time to trek to Dallas, the Tigers have a week to MIAMI
prepare after playing in Tallahassee. Wed 1/22 AT Stanford
Sat 1/25 AT California
DUKE Wed 1/29 home Virginia
Wed 2/12 home California
Sat 2/15 home Stanford LOOK AHEAD
Mon 2/17 AT Virginia Nothing epitomizes the current state of college basketball than a team
from South Florida jet setting to Northern California for conference
LOOK AHEAD matchups. The Hurricanes better get rid of any residual travel issues
The Blue Devils got an assist from ACC schedule makers. Just a prior to the arrival of Virginia’s defense.
standalone trip to SMU (1/4) and the California schools come to Durham
when all the Cameron Crazies will be back from winter break. Seems to
lessen the load right before the short trip to Charlottesville.

13
NORTH CAROLINA VIRGINIA
Tue 1/7 home SMU Sat 1/4 home Louisville
Sat 1/11 AT NC State Wed 1/8 AT California
Wed 1/15 home California Sat 1/11 AT Stanford
Sat 1/18 home Stanford Wed 1/15 home SMU
Tue 1/21 AT Wake Forest Sat 1/18 AT Louisville

LOOK AHEAD LOOK AHEAD

UNC should challenge for both a conference and national championship. The Cavaliers might be on upset alert when Louisville gets its return game.
A lot of that has to do with an almost unbelievably accommodating
schedule in the new look ACC. During that segment noted above, the VIRGINIA TECH
Tar Heels don’t leave the state and get to play teams based in Texas and Tue 2/25 home Louisville
California. Sat 3/1 home Syracuse
Tue 3/4 home North Carolina
NORTH CAROLINA STATE Sat 3/8 AT Clemson
Wed 2/5 AT California
Sat 2/8 AT Stanford LOOK AHEAD
… Going under the premise that there should be some travel weary teams,
Wed 2/26 AT Syracuse Va. Tech might be getting a number of them coming to Blacksburg to
Sat 3/1 AT Georgia Tech end the season.
Wed 3/5 home Pittsburgh
Sat 3/8 AT Miami WAKE FOREST
Wed 2/5 AT Stanford
LOOK AHEAD Sat 2/8 AT California
While UNC got a favorable version, its little brother down the road in Wed 2/12 home FSU
Raleigh got the worst part of it. The Wolfpack have a trip to California in Sat 2/15 AT SMU
early February then go up and down the eastern part of the country to Sat 2/22 AT NC State
end the season. They are likely going to be dogs crawling to the finish
line in all those final contests. LOOK AHEAD
This February stretch for Wake Forest might be an opportune time for
NOTRE DAME bettors to situationally play against the Demon Deacons. The amount of
Wed 3/5 home Stanford road games - even to nearby NC State - are bunched in the last portion
Sat 3/8 home California of the season. This could be the hardest travel segment an ACC team
faces in conference play during 2025.
LOOK AHEAD
The Midwesterners really don’t deal with any added abnormal travel.
SMU, Cal and Stanford all play at the Purcell Pavilion. BIG TEN
PITTSBURGH ILLINOIS
Sat 2/8 AT North Carolina Sun 12/29 home Chicago State
Tue 2/11 AT SMU Thu 1/2 At Oregon
Sun 1/5 AT Washington
LOOK AHEAD Wed 1/8 home Penn State
The Panthers have a rather smooth ACC road schedule as of now. The
California teams come to the Petersen Events Center at the start of the LOOK AHEAD
New Year. The trip from Chapel Hill to Dallas requires a relatively quick Appears to be the standard Big Ten schedule with an early January trip to the
turnaround. Pacific Northwest. Conveniently, that comes after a December filled mostly with
home games and a contest against Chicago State before its flight to Eugene.
SMU
Wed 2/26 AT California INDIANA
Sat 3/1 AT Stanford Sat 3/1 AT Washington
Tue 3/4 home Syracuse Tue 3/4 AT Oregon
Sat 3/8 AT Florida State Sat 3/8 home Ohio State

LOOK AHEAD LOOK AHEAD

Not an advantageous way for this Texas program to end the season. Winter time trips in the Big Ten are already laborious. Indiana now adds
There are games on the West Coast leading to one at home then a a West Coast flight to it to round out the season. Perhaps the residual
Florida trip. effects will be seen more during the Big Ten tournament that starts a
week after its return home.
SYRACUSE
Sat 1/25 home Pittsburgh IOWA
Wed 1/29 AT Stanford Tue 1/4 AT USC
Sat 2/1 AT California Fri 1/17 AT UCLA
Wed 2/5 home Duke Tue 1/21 home Minnesota

LOOK AHEAD LOOK AHEAD

The time in wine country for the Orange has the look of trap games. The Iowa shouldn’t have many concerns during conference play. The
contests before and right after clearly have more meaning to them. Hawkeyes play their first eight games at home and then travel to USC
and UCLA in mid-January.
STANFORD
Wed 1/15 AT Wake Forest MARYLAND
Sat 1/18 AT North Carolina Thu 1/2 AT Washington
Sun 1/5 AT Oregon
LOOK AHEAD Fri 1/10 home UCLA
Like with Cal, the entire schedule for Stanford should be difficult so each
segment has its own implications. The one mentioned above comes LOOK AHEAD
after the Cardinal makes its first trip east (1/1 Clemson, 1/4 Pittsburgh) Great schedule for a team dealing with a coast-to-coast itinerary. The
then home for two games (1/8 Virginia Tech, 1/11 Virginia) and then onto Terrapins play a tune-up game against Maryland-Eastern Shore then
Tobacco Road. go to Washington and Oregon. After a five-day break, in comes UCLA
making the opposite trip.

14
MICHIGAN PURDUE
Sat 1/4 AT USC Thu 1/9 AT Rutgers
Tue 1/7 AT UCLA Sun 1/12 home Nebraska
Sun 1/12 home Washington Thu 1/16 AT Washington
Sat 1/18 AT Oregon
LOOK AHEAD
Similar scenario for Michigan as Maryland. LOOK AHEAD
Futures bettors are going to want to look ahead at the Purdue schedule
MICHIGAN STATE since the Boilermakers are favored to win the Big Ten regular season
Sat 1/25 AT Rutgers title. How well they navigate this stretch will play a large part in if they
Tue 1/28 home Minnesota can make it three championships in a row.
Sat 2/1 AT USC
Tue 2/4 AT UCLA RUTGERS
Sat 2/8 home Oregon Sun 2/16 AT Oregon
Thu 2/20 AT Washington
LOOK AHEAD Sun 2/23 home USC
This is a hard stretch where a physical team like MSU might show signs Thu 2/27 AT Michigan
of slowing down from going to New Jersey, back home, then on to Tue 3/4 AT Purdue
Southern California in just over a week.
LOOK AHEAD
MINNESOTA As would be expected, this could be the team most impacted by all the
Tue 2/4 AT Penn State travel. The Scarlet Knights also have a Las Vegas getaway scheduled
Sat 2/8 home Illinois for a tournament at the end of November. It seems like a reasonable
Sat 2/15 AT USC expectation that star freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey could hit the
Tue 2/18 AT UCLA wall by late February.

LOOK AHEAD UCLA

This could be a road-weary Big Ten team that Youmans alluded to earlier. Fri 1/4 AT Nebraska
Tue 1/7 home Michigan
NEBRASKA Fri 1/10 AT Maryland
Sun 1/26 AT Wisconsin Mon 1/13 AT Rutgers
Thu 1/30 home Illinois
Sun 2/2 AT Oregon LOOK AHEAD
Wed 2/5 AT Washington The bookmakers believe UCLA can handle all this travel by making them
one of the regular season favorites. As Marshall said, this is a program
LOOK AHEAD already versed in dealing with the road. Still, there is a cumulative effect
Another team to possibly bet against based on situational handicapping. of all those miles from Westwood to these games. Consequently, I
The Cornhuskers have extensive travel from the start of January until believe a more centralized favorite like Purdue or Indiana would be a
early February. better bet or more value on Illinois than UCLA.

NORTHWESTERN USC
Sat 2/8 AT Washington Thu 2/20 AT Maryland
Tue 2/11 AT Oregon Sun 2/23 AT Rutgers
Sun 2/16 home Nebraska Wed 2/26 home Ohio State
Thu 2/20 AT Ohio State Sat 3/1 AT Oregon
Tue 2/25 AT Minnesota
LOOK AHEAD
LOOK AHEAD Some have called Eric Musselman’s team a wildcard that could finish
This stretch could create issues. There might be chances to go against surprisingly high in the Big Ten standings. That claim may be done by
the Wildcats because they have a reputation for being competitive dogs just looking at talent and not the travel implications of finishing a long
(9-6 ATS in 2024). season this way.

OHIO STATE WASHINGTON

Sun 2/23 AT UCLA Wed 2/12 AT Ohio State
Wed 2/26 AT USC Sat 2/15 AT Penn State
Tue 3/4 home Nebraska Thu 2/20 home Rutgers
Sat 3/8 AT Indiana Sat 2/22 AT Iowa
Tue 2/25 AT Wisconsin
LOOK AHEAD
Very difficult way for OSU to end a season. LOOK AHEAD
Other than Great Osobor, the Huskies don’t appear to have a roster built
OREGON for the Big Ten to begin with. They are likely going to be dogs in all these
Sat 1/25 AT Minnesota games. As of now, I am not sure the books can make a line high enough
Thu 1/30 AT UCLA to scare me away from taking the favorites.
Sun 2/2 home Nebraska
Wed 2/5 AT Michigan WISCONSIN
Sat 2/8 AT Michigan State Sat 1/18 AT USC
Tue AT UCLA
LOOK AHEAD Sun 1/26 home Nebraska
This is the honey-hole for situational bettors to go against the Ducks. Wed 1/29 AT Maryland
Sat 2/1 AT Northwestern
PENN STATE
Sat 2/8 AT UCLA LOOK AHEAD
Tue 2/11 AT USC Seems like travel should be part of the daily handicap when Wisconsin
enters this stretch.
LOOK AHEAD
Remember, the basketball team will have the same issues Franklin
identified. Based on their entire schedule, Penn State will spend a lot of
time in hotels during 2025.

15
HUNTING
Knights group was fifth in the nation in defensive rating, according to
KenPom. It was the second year in a row that Rutgers was a top-10
defensive team, and the fourth time in the last five years that the Scarlet
Knights were top 20 in defensive rating. If Pikiell can get this year’s group

HOOPS
to defend, Rutgers could be one of the best teams in college basketball.
That’s because talent isn’t an issue anymore.

Rutgers actually landed the second-best 2024 recruiting class in the

nation, according to ESPN. The group is headlined by Ace Bailey, a 6-foot-

VALUE
10 wing with outrageous size, athleticism and shot-making ability. Bailey
was the second-ranked recruit in the class, putting him right behind Duke
phenom Cooper Flagg. Pikiell also secured the fourth-ranked recruit in the
class in Dylan Harper, whose brother Ron Harper Jr. played for Rutgers
a few years ago. Harper is an incredible on-ball player, as he can work
By Zachary Cohen magic as a pick-and-roll ball handler and is a true three-level scorer.

For as good as Pikiell’s teams can be defensively, they can be pretty

The championship futures market can be tricky in college basketball. The miserable offensively. But it’s going to be hard for him to mess things up on
fact that a national champion has to win a 68-team tournament makes it that end of the floor with Bailey and Harper. Rutgers also has some solid
very difficult to look ahead. In college football, a Georgia backer will think returners in Jeremiah Williams, Jamichael Davis and Emmanuel Ogbole.
about how the Bulldogs match up with a handful of teams — Alabama,
Texas, Ohio State, Oregon, etc. — in potential College Football Playoff Honestly, the only thing to really worry about with this group is 3-point
showdowns. That’s not doable here. There’s far more parity in college shooting. Pikiell needs to find some time for his designated floor-
basketball, and stylistic differences can mean everything in a single- spacers. Luckily he has a few of them. PJ Hayes, a San Diego transfer,
elimination tournament. That means that there’s a lot more to think shot 39.7% from deep last year, so he could be a big factor right away.
about. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved at all. The same goes for Princeton transfer Zach Martini, who is 6-foot-8
and shot 38.5% from 3 last year. Even Tyson Acuff, who averaged 21.7
I like attacking this market by hunting value in a few different categories. points per game for Eastern Michigan last year, is a much better shooter
I’m looking for a top-tier team that might be slept on compared to other than his 29.2% 3P% last year suggests. And he’ll get cleaner looks as a
contenders, a mid-tier team with the potential to break into that top smaller part of this offense.
group and then a sleeper with high upside. For some of these, winning
There’s going to be a lot for Pikiell to figure out on the fly, but his teams
the championship shouldn’t be the ultimate goal. Sometimes you should
generally outperform their talent. So, if that trend continues with this type
be trying to get a favorable price to set up some hedging opportunities
of roster, you’re looking at a potential contender.
down the road.

With that out of the way, here are a few tickets I’m adding before the
year: ARIZONA STATE (500-1)

After going 42-20 in two years at Buffalo, Bobby Hurley’s Arizona State
IOWA STATE (30-1) tenure has been plagued by inconsistency. In nine years, Hurley has had
four seasons with at least 20 wins. However, he has also had five with 15
or fewer. But for the most part, Hurley’s teams have overachieved, and
I think it’s going to be very clear early in the season that this is a top-five
he has proven that he is a good defensive coach. Now, Hurley will try to
team in the country. That means you won’t be able to get these odds by
build a team that is great on both ends of the floor, and he’ll be doing it
the time the Big Dance rolls around.
with the best roster he has ever had.
Last year, Iowa State was first in KenPom’s defensive rating and second
Thanks to John Calipari’s Kentucky exit, Hurley was able to flip five-star
in Bart Torvik’s adjusted defensive efficiency. This year, head coach
Jayden Quaintance, a 6-foot-9 big man with all-world explosiveness, a
T.J. Otzelberger has the core of that team back. So, this is a group that
high motor and some unique skills. Then, when Caleb Love announced
should be very difficult to score on, but I also think we can expect some
he was returning to Arizona, Hurley swooped in and convinced the
growth offensively.
22nd-ranked prospect in the class, Joson Sanon, to ditch Tucson for
Tempe. Sanon is viewed as a potential one-and-done player because of
Iowa State was just 52nd in the nation in offensive rating last year,
his ability to make shots. With four-star wing Amier Ali already in the mix,
but this team has its three best guards back. Tamin Lipsey, Keshon
Hurley got himself ESPN’s seventh-ranked 2024 recruiting class.
Gilbert and Curtis Jones should all be awesome this year. The Cyclones
also added Northern Iowa transfer Nate Heise, a versatile player with
Hurley also happened to bring in some remarkable transfers. Alston
good size and great instincts. There might not be a team in the nation
Mason, who could start at point, averaged 17.5 points and 3.6 assists
with guard play this good, and the frontcourt has potential also. Milan
per game for Missouri State last year. Wing BJ Freeman, who averaged
Momcilovic made the conference’s All-Freshman team last year, and he’s
21.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game on solid shooting
only going to get better in Year 2. And Charlotte transfer Dishon Jackson
splits for Milwaukee, has the potential to be one of the best players
could give the team a much-needed inside presence.
in the Big 12. And forward Basheer Jihad was an All-MAC player last
year, averaging 18.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals per
Having reliable guards is crucial in the NCAA Tournament, and the
game.
Cyclones have three that can be the best player on the floor on any given
night. Then you have Momcilovic, who is a legitimate NBA talent on the
Those experienced newcomers join productive returners Adam Miller, a
wing. Combining that with good coaching and real continuity should give
guard that averaged 12.0 points per game last year, and center Shawn
Iowa State a chance of being a special team.
Phillips Jr., a center that does some of the dirty work.

Like Pikiell and Rutgers, there will be a lot that Hurley will have to piece
RUTGERS (55-1) together this year. And the 53-year-old isn’t going to have a lot of time
to do it. But having talented young players that can play with anyone
immediately, along with older guys that have proven themselves already,
Steve Pikiell has taken Rutgers to the NCAA Tournament three times in is not a bad problem to have. In terms of pure talent, this Sun Devils
the last five years, and most of those teams lacked talent. Pikiell is just team will never be overmatched. So, at 500-1, it’s worth some pizza
incredible at getting his teams to defend. Even last year’s 15-17 Scarlet money to hope it all comes together.

16
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WOODEN
AWARD
THREE-TIERED APPROACH
TO BETTING A WINNER
By Aaron Moore

18
Let’s take a look at the Wooden Award which tends to be one of the The best option here looks to be Sears. He comes with higher odds
most popular futures markets for college bettors. than the other competitors and plays the most dominant role on his
team. Grant Nelson is also back for the Crimson Tide, but Sears is the
This year, someone will fill the void left by Zach Edey who was the first face of the Alabama program on the national stage. There are probably
back-to-back winner since Ralph Sampson (1982 and 1983). Edey’s two going to be more times that Davis and Dickinson get overshadowed by
impressive seasons came after Oscar Tshiebwe won in 2022 and Luka teammates than Sears.
Garza in 2021.
As for Flagg, he’s a freshman going against three other players praised
That makes four straight seasons the Wooden Award went to someone by the media as “veterans” with fifth year status.
listed as a center.

One of the favorites this year, Hunter Dickinson (+750, DraftKings) from
Kansas could make it five in a row for that position. Unlike Edey who TIER 2 FAVORITES
lived on the blocks and scored mostly with his back to the basket,
Dickinson plays center more in-tune with today’s style of stretching the LJ Cryer (+2000)
court from behind the arc. Johni Broome (+2000)
AJ Storr (+2000)
Joining Dickinson as one of this year’s favorites is RJ Davis (+700). The Johnell Davis (+3000)
North Carolina guard returns to Chapel Hill after leading the ACC in Khalif Battle (+3500)
scoring (21.2 PPG) a year ago. Tamin Lipsey (+3500)
VJ Edgecombe (+3500)
Not far behind these two is Alabama’s offensive machine Mark Sears
(+900) who looks to roll over his NCAA tournament success into the BREAKDOWN
Crimson Tide’s regular season. Cryer (Houston), Broome (Auburn) and Lipsey (Iowa State) are favorably
positioned in the media as returning stars who can carry their squads to
The wildcard here is 17-year old Duke freshman Cooper Flagg who is not a conference championship.
listed at some books because of his age. DraftKings has a Yes/No option
for Flagg (Yes +700/ No -1400). Storr (Kansas), Davis (Arkansas) and Battle (Gonzaga) are going to be
billed somewhat differently. They will be referred to as familiar names
There are certain preseason characteristics needed to win the award offering their new programs a key veteran addition to an already strong
and this group possesses the right combination. All come into the lineup. Storr’s gun-for-hire reputation, and playing alongside Dickinson,
season with plenty of media hype, their teams are pushing for a national could hinder his campaign. Davis will be on the media radar with stories
championship, and they can score. of how he left Florida Atlantic to move up and help John Calipari’s
immediate rebuild in Fayetteville.
Sure, big men like Edey, Tshiebwe and Garza all rebounded and blocked
shots, but just like the other guards and forwards who recently won the
Baylor’s Edgecomb will be one of the names challenging Flagg as the
award, scoring is what gets the most attention.
nation’s top freshman.
Taking a look back at the winners since Frank Kaminsky in 2015, the
Broome is a good option for bettors looking for more value. He is
average scoring number for this group is 21.4 PPG. The lowest points
per game was Tshiebwe’s 16.5. Also, every winner in this time frame, the featured player in Bruce Pearl’s system and has demonstrated a
except Tshiebwe and freshman Zion Williamson, increased their scoring continual offensive improvement (16.5 PPG, 35.4% 3-PT). Also, as a
totals from the previous season. big man most noted for his rebounding (8.5 RPG) and shot blocking
(2.2 BPG), Broome offers a more unique candidacy than the top
To put into perspective, this year’s winner needs to be featured on a favorites.
contending team, score around 21 points a game and demonstrate an
increase in production from 2024. The 2025 Torvik projections for Broome have him increasing his scoring
(19.2 PPG) and rebounding (9.2 RPG).

TIER 1 FAVORITES
TIER 3 AND BEYOND
RJ Davis (+700)
Cooper Flagg (+700) Ace Bailey (+4000)
Hunter Dickinson (+750) Dylan Harper (+4000)
Mark Sears (+900) Liam McNeeley (+4000)
Caleb Love (+4000)
BREAKDOWN Ryan Nembhard (+4000)
Any of these four are a good addition to a futures portfolio. The odds are Ryan Kalkbrenner (+4000)
high enough at this point to have room for another ticket or two as the Zeke Mayo (+4000)
season reaches the halfway point. Tyrese Proctor (+4000)
Grant Nelson (+4500)
If a freshman can somehow pull off the win, it would likely be a Blue
Devil as Williamson did in 2019. The 6-foot-9 Flagg enters the season BREAKDOWN
with a Zion-level of hype, can excel anywhere on the court and is already Everyone on this list and deeper is either a heralded freshman (Bailey &
being billed as the No.1 pick in the next NBA draft. Harper at Rutgers, McNeeley at UConn), a second option behind a star
player, or a great player on a team not expected to be near the top of
Flagg’s persona is so large he plays at a Nike school but has an the rankings. All those factors make it very difficult in the preseason to
individual endorsement deal with New Balance. envision them winning the Wooden Award.

All four of these players - IF they stay healthy - are expected to fill up Instead of investing in someone here, look at the conference or national
the stat sheet in a number of ways. Three of them demonstrated that championship futures board. It is easier to monetize a longshot there
last season (Davis - 21.2 PPG, 3.5 APG, 3.6 RPG; Dickinson - 17.9 PPG, rather than an award based on a media narrative.
10.9 RPG, 2.3 APG; Sears - 21.5 PPG, 4.2 APG, 4.2 RPG).

19
PREDICTING
IMPROVEMENT AND
DECLINE
By Steve Makinen

For those of you familiar with my preseason college football work, some of • 83, or about 69.2%, had two or fewer returning starters (84 of the
the key pieces surround what I call “transitional systems.” These systems 125 teams for this season have this)
project whether or not teams will improve or decline based upon a variety • About 2/3 of them had less than 50% RPM (returning player minutes)
of factors, ranging from key statistics, number of returning starters, back for that season (73 of the 84 teams for this season share this
coaching changes, and several other variables. I even have a popular trait)
system I employ yearly to quantify my theories, called Stability Scores.
Note: I have made a big adjustment to the qualifiers for bullet point #3
I do this every summer to prep for a new season, as one of the most after going back and reassessing the numbers. The RPM benchmark
difficult things about handicapping college sports is the process of used to be 30% or less. It is now less than 50%. This has expanded our
evaluating teams from one season to the next. So many things can list of teams greatly, thus giving bettors more teams to go against.
affect a team’s strength and/or how different they might be. Adding to With a list of 73 potential teams destined to fall off in 2024-25, I then
the difficulty is the thought that many programs are taking players out of analyzed seven different statistical angles from the prior season,
their most recent recruiting class and/or the transfer portal and plugging matching the 120 teams from past years that experienced 30%-plus
them into early starting spots. For the 2024-25 season, 39 teams across declines in win percentage:
the country bring back 10% or less of their player minutes from last
season. Essentially, these teams are starting from scratch. • About 2/3 of them had a point differential of less than +6.5 PPG in
the prior season
I have a similar set of ideals in predicting potential teams that might • About 2/3 of them won 50% or more of their games ATS in the prior
improve or decline in the coming season for college basketball. They’re season
based upon shared characteristics of past teams fitting that bill. • About 2/3 of them had at least five close wins in the prior season
Identifying those teams accurately can help build bankrolls. In 2022-23, (<=5 PTS)
the list of teams to watch for performed amazingly, as all 21 of the teams • About 2/3 of them had at most four close losses in the prior season
I projected to decline last year did so, and 20 of the 23 teams I projected (<=5 PTS)
to get better that season saw their records improve year-over-year. • About 2/3 of them had five or fewer blowout wins in the prior season
(>=20 PTS)
Last year, 23 of the 26 teams that made the likely decline list did exactly • About 2/3 of them had at least one blowout loss in the prior season
that, winning 5.5 fewer games on average. On the opposite side, 11 (>=20 PTS)
of the 14 likely improved teams followed through. I share the details of • About 2/3 of them won seven or fewer of their last 10 games in the
those projections from last year below, which are highlighted in gray. It prior season
was the third straight season in which I saw noteworthy returns on this
strategy, so I have decided to employ it again. Here is the list of the 73 teams with the number of traits they match
from above (out of seven). It could be assumed that the more shared
Any of you who have become regular readers of my work know that I rely traits, the greater chance that the team declines significantly in 2024-25,
heavily on systematic approaches that exhibit a solid foundation for year- although, as you’ll see just below this year’s list, there was a consistent
after-year repeated success. I strongly believe that returning experience decline from all the teams last year. Note that the teams marked with a
or lack thereof, and the relationship of that with how a team fared in the “*” have new head coaches this season:
prior season in various analytics, is a huge foundational cornerstone
on which bettors should analyze teams going into a college basketball * DUQUESNE (7) PROVIDENCE (5)
season. What I have put together below is based wholly on that logic. OAKLAND (7) RICHMOND (5)
BELMONT (6) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (5)
COLGATE (6) SETON HALL (5)
SHARED CHARACTERISTICS OF LIPSCOMB (6) ST BONAVENTURE (5)
MONTANA (6) SYRACUSE (5)
TEAMS THAT DECLINE YEAR-TO-YEAR SOUTH CAROLINA (6) TOLEDO (5)
SOUTH FLORIDA (6) UNC-ASHEVILLE (5)
There have been 120 teams over the last nine seasons that have STETSON (6) * VIRGINIA (5)
declined by 30% or more (approximately 15 wins) from one year to the TARLETON STATE (6) * WASHINGTON STATE (5)
next in terms of outright won-lost percentage. Do these teams share * TENNESSEE-MARTIN (6) APPALACHIAN STATE (4)
personnel or statistical characteristics that might help us project the UNLV (6) COLORADO (4)
potential depreciating teams for this season? Let’s take a look, using ARK-LITTLE ROCK (5) FAIRFIELD (4)
a similar process I employ in projecting the title favorites and potential BRYANT (5) GEORGE MASON (4)
Cinderella teams for the NCAA Tournament each March. CHARLOTTE (5) * INDIANA STATE (4)
* DRAKE (5) LONGWOOD (4)
Of the 120 teams I described above, to narrow down the list of this HOFSTRA (5) OHIO STATE (4)
year’s qualifying teams: ILLINOIS (5) SAMFORD (4)
* JAMES MADISON (5) UNC-GREENSBORO (4)
• About 2/3 of them won 60% or more of their games in the prior MEMPHIS (5) UT-CHATTANOOGA (4)
season (125 teams did this in 2023-24) NC STATE (5) WESTERN ILLINOIS (4)

20
WISCONSIN (4) UNC-WILMINGTON (3) • About 2/3 of them had 50% RPM or more (11 of the 15 teams have
AKRON (3) * WESTERN CAROLINA (3) this)
ARIZONA (3) * YOUNGSTOWN STATE (3) • Automatically eliminate any teams with new head coaches (this
BAYLOR (3) * BYU (2) eliminates one team for 2024-25, William & Mary)
BOISE STATE (3) * FLORIDA ATLANTIC (2)
CAL SAN DIEGO (3) * KENTUCKY (2) With a trimmed-down list of 10 potential teams destined to improve in
* COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (3) OKLAHOMA (2) 2024-25, I again analyzed seven more statistical angles from the prior
CONNECTICUT (3) SAN DIEGO STATE (2) season, matching the 126 teams from past years that experienced 28%-
DREXEL (3) TCU (2) plus gains in win percentage:
MISSISSIPPI STATE (3) DUKE (1)
* MOREHEAD STATE (3) LOUISIANA TECH (1) • About 2/3 of them had a point differential of better than -6.0 PPG in
NEW MEXICO (3) MASSACHUSETTS (1) the prior season
SEATTLE (3) ST JOHN’S (1) • About 2/3 of them won 50% or less of their games ATS in the prior
TENNESSEE (3) ST THOMAS-MN (1)
season
TEXAS TECH (3) TEXAS (1)
• About 2/3 of them had four or fewer close wins in the prior season
(<=5 PTS)
Here is a look back at the 2022-23 to 2023-24 results. Overall, 23 of • About 2/3 of them had at least five close losses in the prior season
the 26 teams declined, by an average of 6.1 wins on the season or a (<=5 PTS)
little over 20% on winning percentage. The eight teams that dropped • About 2/3 of them had at least two blowout wins in the prior season
after bringing in new head coaches dropped by an average of 7.9 (>=20 PTS)
wins: • About 2/3 of them had four or fewer blowout losses in the prior
season (>=20 PTS)
*NORTHWESTERN STATE (7) – fell from 22-11 to 9-23
• About 2/3 of them won three or more of their last 10 games in the
SANTA CLARA (7) – fell from 23-10 to 20-13
prior season
*GEORGE MASON (6) – went from 20-13 to 20-12
INDIANA (6) – fell from 23-12 to 19-14
Here is the list of the 10 teams with the number of traits they match
KANSAS STATE (6) – fell from 28-8 to 23-11
from above (out of 7). Again, it could be projected that the more shared
*PENN STATE (6) – fell from 23-14 to 16-17
traits, the greater the chance that the team will improve significantly in
ARIZONA STATE (5) – fell from 23-13 to 14-18
2024-25:
BALL STATE (5) – fell from 20-12 to 15-16
MONTANA STATE (5) – fell from 25-10 to 17-18
*SOUTHERN UTAH (5) – fell from 24-13 to 10-21 ARMY (6)
TOWSON STATE (5) – fell from 21-12 to 20-14 LAFAYETTE (6)
ALABAMA (4) – fell from 31-6 to 25-12 AIR FORCE (4)
CINCINNATI (4) – fell from 23-13 to 22-15 CHARLESTON SO (4)
*VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH (4) – fell from 27-8 to 24-14 MD-BALT COUNTY (4)
VIRGINIA (4) – fell from 25-8 to 23-11 MORGAN STATE (4)
GONZAGA (3) – fell from 31-6 to 27-8 DARTMOUTH (2)
*IONA (3) – fell from 27-8 to 16-17 HOLY CROSS (2)
KENTUCKY (3) – went from 22-12 to 23-10 N CAROLINA A&T (2)
MEMPHIS (3) – fell from 26-9 to 22-10 ST FRANCIS-PA (2)
*TEXAS A&M CC (3) – fell from 24-11 to 21-12
*UTAH STATE (3) – went from 26-9 to 28-7 The big takeaway from the “likely improvement” list is that it is shrinking
*UTAH VALLEY STATE (3) – fell from 28-9 to 16-16 more and more every year, as, unfortunately, the growing transfer portal
XAVIER (3) – fell from 27-10 to 16-18 is making it impossible for teams to improve by retaining talent. In fact,
YOUNGSTOWN STATE (3) – fell from 24-10 to 22-10 for the first time since I started doing this, not a single power conference
NC CENTRAL (2) – fell from 18-12 to 18-13 team appeared. I imagine this could be the last year I can even use this
UCLA (2) – fell from 31-6 to 16-17 methodology before reinventing a strategy. In the same way, the likely
decline list continues to expand annually.
In addition, a noteworthy 29 of the 120 (24.2%) teams had a new
head coach, a lofty number considering the normal percentage of new Here is a look back at the 2022-23 to 2023-24 results from this same
coaches is 13%. The average SU win percentage drop for this group study. Overall, 11 of the 14 teams improved, after 20 of 23 did the prior
has been 36.9%! For 2024-25, as denoted above, nine teams find season. The average win bump for those that did get better was 6.5 on
themselves in that dangerous predicament: BYU, College Of Charleston, the season or a little over 17% on winning percentage. The outliers are
Drake, Duquesne, Florida Atlantic, Indiana State, James Madison, in italics:
Kentucky, Morehead State, Tennessee-Martin, Virginia, Western Carolina,
Washington State, Youngstown State. CENTRAL CONN STATE (5) – climbed from 10-22 to 20-11
ILLINOIS STATE (5) – climbed from 11-21 to 15-17
LAMAR (5) – climbed from 9-22 to 19-14
SHARED CHARACTERISTICS OF LOYOLA (IL) (5) – climbed from 10-21 to 23-10
LOYOLA (MD) (5) – fell from 13-20 to 7-25
TEAMS THAT IMPROVE YEAR-TO-YEAR NEW ORLEANS (5) – fell from 12-20 to 10-23
COLUMBIA (4) – climbed from 7-22 to 13-14
There have been 126 teams over the last nine seasons that have
DARTMOUTH (4) – fell from 10-18 to 6-21
improved by 28% or more (approximately 10 wins) from one year to the
CHICAGO STATE (3) – climbed from 11-20 to 13-19
next in terms of outright won-lost percentage. Do these teams share
MARIST (3) – climbed from 13-20 to 18-13
personnel or statistical characteristics that might help us project the
potentially upgraded teams for this season? Let’s take a look. NORTH DAKOTA (3) – climbed from 13-20 to 18-14
Of the 126 teams I described above, to narrow down the list of this DELAWARE STATE (2) – climbed from 6-24 to 15-19
year’s qualifying teams: NEBRASKA-OMAHA (2) – climbed from 9-23 to 15-18
OREGON STATE (2) – climbed from 11-21 to 13-19
• About 2/3 of them won less than 37% of their games in the prior
season (68 teams did this in 2023-24) Use this information in conjunction with the analysis of VSiN’s college
• 90 of them, or 71%, had three or more returning starters (15 of the hoops experts to build your own list of play on and/or against teams for
68 teams for 2024-25 have this) 2024-25.

21
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATINGS
TEAM RANK TEAM RANK TEAM RANK
HOUSTON 96.0 MARYLAND 85.5 LOUISVILLE 81.0
DUKE 95.5 MEMPHIS 85.5 MINNESOTA 81.0
CONNECTICUT 95.0 OLE MISS 85.5 SAN FRANCISCO 81.0
KANSAS 94.5 USC 85.5 UAB 81.0
ALABAMA 93.5 WAKE FOREST 85.5 BUTLER 80.5
AUBURN 93.5 WISCONSIN 85.5 COLORADO ST 80.5
GONZAGA 93.5 DAYTON 85.0 LOYOLA-IL 80.5
IOWA ST 93.5 MIAMI 85.0 S CAROLINA 80.5
ARIZONA 92.5 MICHIGAN 85.0 SETON HALL 80.5
BAYLOR 92.0 PITTSBURGH 85.0 UTAH 80.5
PURDUE 92.0 KANSAS ST 84.5 GEORGIA TECH 80.0
N CAROLINA 91.5 NC STATE 84.5 VIRGINIA TECH 80.0
TENNESSEE 91.5 OKLAHOMA 84.5 W VIRGINIA 80.0
CREIGHTON 91.0 VA COMMONWEALTH 84.5 BRADLEY 79.5
TEXAS A&M 91.0 BOISE ST 84.0 COLORADO 79.5
TEXAS 90.0 NORTHWESTERN 84.0 ST JOSEPHS 79.5
TEXAS TECH 89.5 TCU 84.0 UNLV 79.5
ILLINOIS 89.0 GRAND CANYON 83.5 GEORGE MASON 79.0
UCLA 89.0 NEBRASKA 83.5 N TEXAS 79.0
CINCINNATI 88.5 RUTGERS 83.5 OKLAHOMA ST 79.0
MARQUETTE 88.5 LSU 83.0 PRINCETON 79.0
BYU 88.0 PROVIDENCE 83.0 SANTA CLARA 79.0
ST JOHNS 88.0 SAN DIEGO ST 83.0 VANDERBILT 79.0
CLEMSON 87.5 MISSOURI 82.5 FLORIDA ST 78.5
MICHIGAN ST 87.5 NEVADA 82.5 STANFORD 78.0
VILLANOVA 87.5 NEW MEXICO 82.5 GEORGETOWN 77.5
FLORIDA 87.0 PENN ST 82.5 MCNEESE ST 77.5
INDIANA 87.0 SYRACUSE 82.5 SAINT LOUIS 77.5
KENTUCKY 87.0 UCF 82.5 UC-IRVINE 77.5
MISSISSIPPI ST 87.0 GEORGIA 82.0 VERMONT 77.5
OHIO ST 87.0 NOTRE DAME 82.0 WASHINGTON ST 77.5
OREGON 87.0 SMU 82.0 WICHITA ST 77.5
ARKANSAS 86.5 UTAH ST 82.0 S FLORIDA 77.0
ST MARYS-CA 86.5 VIRGINIA 82.0 FLA ATLANTIC 76.5
IOWA 86.0 WASHINGTON 82.0 HIGH POINT 76.5
XAVIER 86.0 ARIZONA ST 81.0 ARKANSAS ST 76.0

22
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATINGS
TEAM RANK TEAM RANK TEAM RANK
LOUISIANA TECH 76.0 GEORGE WASHINGTON 72.0 TEXAS ST 70.0
N IOWA 75.5 LA-LAFAYETTE 72.0 UC-RIVERSIDE 70.0
OHIO U 75.5 OREGON ST 72.0 ABILENE CHRISTIAN 69.5
SAM HOUSTON ST 75.5 PURDUE FT WAYNE 72.0 MARSHALL 69.5
LIBERTY 75.0 TULSA 72.0 UNC-ASHEVILLE 69.5
MASSACHUSETTS 75.0 BELMONT 71.5 WRIGHT ST 69.5
MURRAY ST 75.0 CAL SAN DIEGO 71.5 COLGATE 69.0
W KENTUCKY 75.0 DEPAUL 71.5 MISSOURI-KC 69.0
YALE 75.0 E TENN ST 71.5 NICHOLLS ST 69.0
BOSTON COLLEGE 74.5 FURMAN 71.5 HAWAII 68.5
DRAKE 74.5 TOLEDO 71.5 IL-CHICAGO 68.5
DUQUESNE 74.5 TX-ARLINGTON 71.5 LONGWOOD 68.5
TOWSON ST 74.5 BRYANT 71.0 MONTANA ST 68.5
TROY 74.5 CAL BAPTIST 71.0 PENNSYLVANIA 68.5
CALIFORNIA 74.0 FORDHAM 71.0 ST THOMAS-MN 68.5
E CAROLINA 74.0 INDIANA ST 71.0 WYOMING 68.5
RICHMOND 74.0 S DAKOTA ST 71.0 YOUNGSTOWN ST 68.5
SEATTLE 74.0 SF AUSTIN ST 71.0 GA SOUTHERN 68.0
AKRON 73.5 TULANE 71.0 GEORGIA ST 68.0
CHARLOTTE 73.5 UNC-WILMINGTON 71.0 QUINNIPIAC 68.0
COLL OF CHARLESTON 73.5 UTAH VALLEY ST 71.0 TEXAS A&M CC 68.0
SAMFORD 73.5 UTEP 71.0 BROWN 67.5
ST BONAVENTURE 73.5 WI-MILWAUKEE 71.0 CLEVELAND ST 67.5
TEMPLE 73.5 CAL DAVIS 70.5 FLA GULF COAST 67.5
UMASS-LOWELL 73.5 CORNELL 70.5 IONA 67.5
WOFFORD 73.5 MIDDLE TENN ST 70.5 JACKSONVILLE ST 67.5
APPALACHIAN ST 73.0 MONTANA 70.5 MERCER 67.5
DAVIDSON 73.0 N KENTUCKY 70.5 N COLORADO 67.5
JAMES MADISON 73.0 UNC-GREENSBORO 70.5 SAN JOSE ST 67.5
KENT ST 73.0 WEBER ST 70.5 DREXEL 67.0
LIPSCOMB 73.0 WINTHROP 70.5 JACKSONVILLE 67.0
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT 73.0 HOFSTRA 70.0 MISSOURI ST 67.0
UC-SANTA BARBARA 73.0 ILLINOIS ST 70.0 MONMOUTH 67.0
UT-CHATTANOOGA 73.0 LASALLE 70.0 N DAKOTA ST 67.0
RHODE ISLAND 72.5 NEW MEXICO ST 70.0 NORTHEASTERN 67.0
S ILLINOIS 72.5 OAKLAND 70.0 AIR FORCE 66.5

23
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATINGS
TEAM RANK TEAM RANK TEAM RANK
BALL ST 66.5 CHARLESTON SO 64.5 E MICHIGAN 62.0
DELAWARE 66.5 GARDNER WEBB 64.5 LA-MONROE 62.0
FAIRFIELD 66.5 MAINE 64.5 PRESBYTERIAN 62.0
HOWARD 66.5 N DAKOTA 64.5 S CAROLINA ST 62.0
MARIST 66.5 PORTLAND ST 64.5 ELON 61.5
MIAMI OHIO 66.5 SOUTHERN U 64.5 SE LOUISIANA 61.5
N ALABAMA 66.5 TEXAS SOUTHERN 64.5 W ILLINOIS 61.5
OLD DOMINION 66.5 ALBANY 64.0 BELLARMINE 61.0
RICE 66.5 CS-FULLERTON 64.0 BETHUNE-COOKMAN 61.0
S ALABAMA 66.5 E KENTUCKY 64.0 BINGHAMTON 61.0
ST PETERS 66.5 LONG BEACH ST 64.0 CAMPBELL 61.0
TX-SAN ANTONIO 66.5 MOUNT ST MARYS 64.0 CANISIUS 61.0
AMERICAN 66.0 N ARIZONA 64.0 E WASHINGTON 61.0
BOSTON U 66.0 N FLORIDA 64.0 N CAROLINA A&T 61.0
COLUMBIA 66.0 NC CENTRAL 64.0 ROBERT MORRIS 61.0
EVANSVILLE 66.0 W CAROLINA 64.0 TX-RIO GRANDE 61.0
MERRIMACK 66.0 WAGNER 64.0 ARMY 60.5
MOREHEAD ST 66.0 C MICHIGAN 63.5 NIAGARA 60.5
SOUTHERN MISS 66.0 COASTAL CAROLINA 63.5 PACIFIC 60.5
SOUTHERN UTAH 66.0 CS-BAKERSFIELD 63.5 SACRAMENTO ST 60.5
TARLETON ST 66.0 FLA INTERNATIONAL 63.5 STETSON 60.5
VALPARAISO 66.0 GRAMBLING 63.5 TENNESSEE ST 60.5
WM & MARY 66.0 MD-BALT COUNTY 63.5 DENVER 60.0
ARK-LITTLE ROCK 65.5 FRESNO ST 63.0 N ILLINOIS 60.0
BUCKNELL 65.5 IDAHO 63.0 NEBRASKA-OMAHA 60.0
HARVARD 65.5 LAFAYETTE 63.0 DARTMOUTH 59.5
NORFOLK ST 65.5 RADFORD 63.0 IDAHO ST 59.5
RIDER 65.5 S DAKOTA 63.0 INCARNATE WORD 59.5
CS-NORTHRIDGE 65.0 STONY BROOK 63.0 JACKSON ST 59.5
KENNESAW ST 65.0 AUSTIN PEAY 62.5 MANHATTAN 59.5
LEHIGH 65.0 LAMAR 62.5 MORGAN ST 59.5
NAVY 65.0 QUEENS COLL 62.5 NEW HAMPSHIRE 59.5
ORAL ROBERTS 65.0 SAN DIEGO 62.5 SIU EDWARDSVL 59.5
PEPPERDINE 65.0 UTAH TECH 62.5 W MICHIGAN 59.5
PORTLAND 65.0 ALABAMA ST 62.0 WI-GREEN BAY 59.5
BOWLING GREEN 64.5 C CONN ST 62.0 ALCORN ST 59.0

24
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATINGS
TEAM RANK TEAM RANK TEAM RANK
S INDIANA 59.0 CAL POLY-SLO 56.5 ST FRANCIS-PA 54.0
SE MISSOURI ST 59.0 FARLEIGH DICKINSON 56.5 STONEHILL 53.5
HAMPTON 58.5 HOLY CROSS 56.5 HOUSTON CHRISTIAN 53.0
LEMOYNE 58.5 TENNESSEE TECH 56.5 FLORIDA A&M 52.5
E ILLINOIS 58.0 DETROIT 56.0 MERCYHURST 52.5
SACRED HEART 58.0 LINDENWOOD 56.0 TEXAS A&M-COMM 52.5
WEST GEORGIA 58.0 LOYOLA-MD 56.0 ARK-PINE BLUFF 52.0
DELAWARE ST 57.5 NEW JERSEY TECH 56.0 MD-EAST SHORE 51.5
SIENA 57.5 NEW ORLEANS 56.0 IUPUI 51.0
C ARKANSAS 57.0 TENN-MARTIN 56.0 VMI 50.5
CHICAGO ST 57.0 BUFFALO 55.5 COPPIN ST 49.0
NORTHWESTERN ST 57.0 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 55.5 MISS VALLEY ST 45.5
THE CITADEL 57.0 USC UPSTATE 55.5
ALABAMA A&M 56.5 LONG ISLAND 55.0

25
 RETURNING PLAYING
MINUTES % (RETURNING STARTERS)

TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES

NAVY 92% (4) UCLA 64% (4) MARIST 55% (3)
WOFFORD 87% (4) MARQUETTE 64% (3) N DAKOTA ST 55% (3)
NOTRE DAME 86% (4) VA COMMONWEALTH 63% (3) ST FRANCIS-PA 55% (3)
GONZAGA 80% (4) ORAL ROBERTS 63% (2) WICHITA ST 55% (3)
TOWSON ST 79% (4) SE MISSOURI ST 63% (2) LA-MONROE 55% (2)
COLUMBIA 79% (3) ARKANSAS ST 62% (3) SAM HOUSTON ST 55% (2)
N CAROLINA A&T 78% (5) FORDHAM 62% (3) ELON 54% (3)
BOSTON U 77% (5) NICHOLLS ST 62% (3) HOLY CROSS 54% (3)
AMERICAN 77% (4) BRADLEY 62% (2) NORTHEASTERN 54% (3)
HIGH POINT 76% (4) MISSOURI-KC 61% (5) ST JOSEPHS 54% (3)
UC-RIVERSIDE 75% (4) OLE MISS 61% (3) NC CENTRAL 54% (1)
E TENN ST 75% (3) UAB 60% (4) QUINNIPIAC 53% (3)
BUCKNELL 74% (4) UC-IRVINE 60% (4) S DAKOTA 53% (3)
CHARLESTON SO 73% (4) DARTMOUTH 60% (3) LIBERTY 52% (3)
PRINCETON 72% (3) MONTANA ST 60% (3) MCNEESE ST 52% (3)
SANTA CLARA 72% (3) OHIO U 60% (3) MIDDLE TENN ST 52% (3)
VERMONT 71% (4) PENN ST 60% (3) ALABAMA 52% (2)
CINCINNATI 71% (3) VALPARAISO 60% (2) C CONN ST 52% (2)
LAFAYETTE 71% (3) INDIANA 59% (4) LOYOLA-MD 52% (2)
N ARIZONA 71% (3) PENNSYLVANIA 59% (3) MERRIMACK 52% (2)
MORGAN ST 70% (4) WM & MARY 59% (3) FLORIDA 51% (3)
MERCYHURST 70% (3) DAVIDSON 57% (4) ILLINOIS ST 51% (3)
HOUSTON 69% (4) S CAROLINA ST 57% (4) IOWA 51% (3)
WINTHROP 69% (4) AUBURN 57% (3) MD-BALT COUNTY 51% (3)
TEXAS A&M 69% (3) LAMAR 57% (3) HOWARD 51% (2)
UMASS-LOWELL 69% (3) N KENTUCKY 57% (3) RHODE ISLAND 51% (2)
AIR FORCE 68% (3) SAN FRANCISCO 57% (3) ST MARYS-CA 51% (2)
LEHIGH 68% (3) WAKE FOREST 57% (3) PURDUE 50% (3)
IOWA ST 67% (3) MAINE 57% (2) N CAROLINA 50% (2)
W KENTUCKY 66% (4) ALABAMA ST 56% (4) PITTSBURGH 50% (2)
ARMY 66% (3) NORTHWESTERN 56% (3) WI-MILWAUKEE 49% (4)
BROWN 66% (3) BUTLER 56% (2) N IOWA 49% (3)
TROY 66% (3) CAL DAVIS 56% (2) UTEP 49% (3)
GRAND CANYON 65% (4) CORNELL 56% (2) NEW MEXICO 49% (2)
PURDUE FT WAYNE 64% (4) YALE 56% (2) IDAHO 48% (3)
TEXAS A&M CC 64% (4) KANSAS 55% (3) BYU 48% (2)

26
 RETURNING PLAYING
MINUTES % (RETURNING STARTERS)

TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES

MASSACHUSETTS 48% (2) UTAH TECH 42% (2) ST PETERS 37% (2)
MURRAY ST 48% (2) WRIGHT ST 42% (2) CS-FULLERTON 37% (1)
NEVADA 47% (3) GEORGIA TECH 41% (3) STONEHILL 37% (1)
CAL SAN DIEGO 47% (2) MANHATTAN 41% (3) FARLEIGH DICKINSON 36% (2)
CREIGHTON 46% (3) MARYLAND 41% (3) PORTLAND 36% (2)
LOYOLA-IL 46% (3) S CAROLINA 41% (2) PROVIDENCE 36% (2)
NEBRASKA-OMAHA 46% (3) SACRAMENTO ST 41% (2) CONNECTICUT 36% (1)
HARVARD 46% (2) SOUTHERN U 41% (2) TENNESSEE 36% (1)
TEXAS SOUTHERN 46% (2) TOLEDO 41% (2) LEMOYNE 35% (4)
WAGNER 46% (2) UNLV 41% (2) CLEMSON 35% (3)
WISCONSIN 46% (2) VIRGINIA 41% (2) ABILENE CHRISTIAN 35% (2)
DAYTON 45% (3) DELAWARE ST 40% (3) BINGHAMTON 35% (2)
GA SOUTHERN 45% (3) E ILLINOIS 40% (3) CHARLOTTE 35% (2)
COLGATE 45% (2) FLA GULF COAST 40% (3) GEORGE MASON 35% (2)
JACKSONVILLE 45% (2) FURMAN 40% (3) JACKSONVILLE ST 35% (2)
LA-LAFAYETTE 45% (2) CAL BAPTIST 40% (2) PRESBYTERIAN 35% (2)
MISSISSIPPI ST 45% (2) GEORGE WASHINGTON 40% (2) SYRACUSE 35% (2)
NEW JERSEY TECH 45% (2) MINNESOTA 40% (2) UC-SANTA BARBARA 35% (2)
SF AUSTIN ST 45% (2) SEATTLE 40% (2) E CAROLINA 34% (3)
CS-BAKERSFIELD 44% (4) TENNESSEE TECH 40% (2) NEBRASKA 34% (3)
N FLORIDA 44% (3) COPPIN ST 39% (2) BRYANT 34% (2)
TEXAS ST 44% (3) S INDIANA 39% (2) DUQUESNE 34% (2)
LIPSCOMB 44% (2) TEMPLE 39% (2) LONGWOOD 34% (2)
N ALABAMA 44% (2) UNC-GREENSBORO 39% (2) MOUNT ST MARYS 34% (2)
ST THOMAS-MN 44% (2) UT-CHATTANOOGA 39% (2) OHIO ST 34% (2)
OREGON 43% (3) MICHIGAN ST 39% (1) S FLORIDA 34% (2)
WEBER ST 43% (3) CAMPBELL 38% (3) UNC-ASHEVILLE 34% (2)
FLA INTERNATIONAL 43% (2) GRAMBLING 38% (2) MONTANA 34% (1)
LOUISIANA TECH 43% (2) LSU 38% (2) INCARNATE WORD 33% (3)
TULSA 43% (2) TEXAS TECH 38% (2) LASALLE 33% (2)
UCF 43% (2) NC STATE 38% (1) LINDENWOOD 33% (2)
ARIZONA 43% (1) SAINT LOUIS 38% (0) OLD DOMINION 33% (2)
BOISE ST 42% (2) MIAMI OHIO 37% (3) SOUTHERN UTAH 33% (2)
MARSHALL 42% (2) NEW MEXICO ST 37% (3) BELLARMINE 33% (1)
MONMOUTH 42% (2) UTAH ST 37% (3) ALBANY 32% (2)
N DAKOTA 42% (2) LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT 37% (2) C ARKANSAS 32% (2)

27
 RETURNING PLAYING
MINUTES % (RETURNING STARTERS)

TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES

E MICHIGAN 32% (2) MISS VALLEY ST 26% (2) SACRED HEART 19% (2)
KENT ST 32% (2) OKLAHOMA 26% (2) BETHUNE-COOKMAN 19% (1)
MIAMI 32% (2) BAYLOR 26% (1) OKLAHOMA ST 19% (1)
MISSOURI 32% (2) BOWLING GREEN 26% (1) TEXAS 19% (0)
DELAWARE 32% (1) E KENTUCKY 26% (1) S ALABAMA 18% (2)
PORTLAND ST 32% (1) GARDNER WEBB 26% (1) RUTGERS 18% (1)
SMU 31% (3) RICHMOND 26% (1) SE LOUISIANA 18% (1)
C MICHIGAN 31% (2) STANFORD 26% (1) ARIZONA ST 17% (2)
KENNESAW ST 31% (2) SOUTHERN MISS 26% (0) DETROIT 17% (2)
RIDER 31% (2) NORFOLK ST 25% (4) IL-CHICAGO 17% (2)
COLORADO ST 31% (1) BUFFALO 25% (2) HAMPTON 17% (1)
GEORGETOWN 31% (1) COLL OF CHARLESTON 25% (1) IDAHO ST 17% (1)
ROBERT MORRIS 31% (1) W ILLINOIS 25% (1) TEXAS A&M-COMM 17% (0)
SAMFORD 31% (1) CS-NORTHRIDGE 24% (2) NEW HAMPSHIRE 16% (2)
SAN DIEGO 31% (1) TX-RIO GRANDE 24% (1) GEORGIA ST 16% (1)
SIU EDWARDSVL 31% (1) DREXEL 24% (0) SAN JOSE ST 16% (1)
VILLANOVA 31% (1) OAKLAND 23% (2) HOFSTRA 15% (1)
WI-GREEN BAY 31% (1) MICHIGAN 23% (1) RICE 15% (1)
ALABAMA A&M 30% (2) STONY BROOK 23% (1) THE CITADEL 15% (1)
ARK-LITTLE ROCK 30% (2) UNC-WILMINGTON 23% (1) AUSTIN PEAY 14% (1)
BALL ST 30% (2) APPALACHIAN ST 23% (0) STETSON 14% (1)
FLORIDA ST 30% (1) ST JOHNS 23% (0) BOSTON COLLEGE 14% (0)
UTAH VALLEY ST 30% (1) MERCER 22% (2) COLORADO 14% (0)
W MICHIGAN 30% (1) FLORIDA A&M 22% (1) HOUSTON CHRISTIAN 14% (0)
WEST GEORGIA 30% (1) SAN DIEGO ST 22% (1) PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 14% (0)
FAIRFIELD 29% (2) CAL POLY-SLO 21% (2) RADFORD 14% (0)
QUEENS COLL 29% (2) AKRON 21% (1) S ILLINOIS 14% (0)
CLEVELAND ST 29% (1) HAWAII 21% (1) VIRGINIA TECH 14% (0)
XAVIER 29% (1) OREGON ST 21% (1) YOUNGSTOWN ST 14% (0)
N COLORADO 28% (3) SETON HALL 21% (1) KANSAS ST 13% (1)
DENVER 28% (2) S DAKOTA ST 21% (0) N TEXAS 13% (1)
EVANSVILLE 28% (1) DUKE 20% (1) VMI 13% (0)
NEW ORLEANS 28% (1) LONG ISLAND 20% (1) ILLINOIS 12% (1)
GEORGIA 27% (3) ALCORN ST 20% (0) FRESNO ST 12% (0)
CHICAGO ST 27% (2) BELMONT 20% (0) JACKSON ST 12% (0)
UTAH 27% (2) SIENA 20% (0) CANISIUS 11% (3)

28
 RETURNING PLAYING
MINUTES % (RETURNING STARTERS)

TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES TEAM MINUTES

TX-ARLINGTON 11% (0) MOREHEAD ST 7% (1) FLA ATLANTIC 3% (0)
JAMES MADISON 10% (1) VANDERBILT 7% (0) TENN-MARTIN 2% (0)
N ILLINOIS 10% (0) COASTAL CAROLINA 6% (1) MISSOURI ST 1% (0)
ARKANSAS 9% (1) TCU 5% (1) TX-SAN ANTONIO 1% (0)
NORTHWESTERN ST 9% (0) DRAKE 5% (0) DEPAUL 0% (0)
TENNESSEE ST 9% (0) PACIFIC 5% (0) IONA 0% (0)
WASHINGTON 9% (0) PEPPERDINE 5% (0) IUPUI 0% (0)
MEMPHIS 8% (1) INDIANA ST 4% (0) KENTUCKY 0% (0)
ARK-PINE BLUFF 8% (0) LONG BEACH ST 4% (0) LOUISVILLE 0% (0)
ST BONAVENTURE 8% (0) TARLETON ST 4% (0) MD-EAST SHORE 0% (0)
TULANE 8% (0) USC 4% (0) NIAGARA 0% (0)
W CAROLINA 8% (0) W VIRGINIA 4% (0) USC UPSTATE 0% (0)
WYOMING 8% (0) WASHINGTON ST 4% (0)
E WASHINGTON 7% (3) CALIFORNIA 3% (0)

29
 ATLANTIC
COAST
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The ACC is hanging on for dear life in college football, but Duke and North
Carolina keep the conference relevant on the hardwood.

There will be a ton of eyeballs on Duke this year, as Jon Scheyer landed
Cooper Flagg, the top prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Blue Devils
also have several other high-end youngsters, and junior Tyrese Proctor is a
Tyrese superb lead guard.
Proctor
North Carolina, last year’s ACC regular season champion, also has serious
young talent, but the Tar Heels will be led by RJ Davis. The fifth-year guard
averaged 21.2 points per game last year, and he’ll be joined by some
excellent players in the backcourt.

The teams that have the best shot at spoiling the party are Wake Forest
and Miami.

Steve Forbes was able to convince Hunter Sallis to stick around for one
more year. Sallis averaged 18.0 points per game last season, and his
presence should mean Wake will be great offensively again.

Miami returns Nijel Pack and Matthew Cleveland. Jim Larranaga also hit
the transfer portal hard, bringing in Virginia Tech’s Lynn Kidd, Samford’s
A.J. Staton-McCray, Stetson’s Jalen Blackmon, East Carolina’s Brandon
Johnson and Idaho State’s Kiree Huie. The Hurricanes are also expecting
big things out of five-star guard Jalil Bethea.

Louisville, Clemson, Virginia and NC State could also make noise.

The Cardinals hired Pat Kelsey as their new head coach. He’s fresh off a
very successful stint with College of Charleston and has stockpiled talent
quickly in Kentucky.

Clemson returns a decent amount of contributors from last year’s Elite

Eight team, and Brad Brownell added through the portal.

Virginia is in a weird spot. Tony Bennett’s pack line defense and swing
offense always gave the Cavaliers a high floor. But the team’s lack of
firepower has been a real problem recently, and Bennett retired just before
the start of the season. What will this team look like without him?

NC State has a good coach in Kevin Keatts, who won the ACC tournament
with an average roster last year. Unfortunately, the Wolfpack won’t have DJ
Burns back, but they should be alright without him.

What happens with the rest of the conference is anyone’s guess. Syracuse,
Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame can’t be written off, nor can
newcomer SMU — especially with Andy Enfield in charge. But things could
be ugly for Boston College, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Stanford and
California. The last two are also new to the conference.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY ZACHARY COHEN

30
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 74.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#17 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#122 of 364)

BOSTON
EAGLES
COLLEGE
2023-24 RECORD: 20-16 SU, 16-20 ATS, 21-15 O-U-P

Boston College finished with 20 wins last season, which is something the Eagles hadn’t done since 2010-11. However, the oddsmakers have
Boston College as the worst team in the conference this year. Earl Grant deserves a lot of credit for what he has done with this program, but
things change quickly in college sports these days. The Eagles lost four of their five starters to the transfer portal. One of the losses had to sting
more than others, as Jaeden Zackery stayed in the conference. Boston College also has to replace center Quinten Post, who averaged 17.0
points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Post was one of the best bigs in the ACC, but he was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in
June.

The Eagles will be hoping that returners Donald Hand and Chas Kelley can thrive with increased workloads, and transfers Dion Brown, Josh
Beadle and Chad Venning will also be important pieces. Brown averaged 19.0 points per game for UMBC last season and can really score.
However, Boston College doesn’t have the talent or depth required to compete in this conference. Grant will be limited to focusing on long-term
development.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 7-13 against the spread as an underdog last season
and has the sixth-highest Over percentage in conference play since
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the 2017-18 season. The Over is 87-54-2 in Eagles conference games
since then.
150-1 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 14%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 74.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#18 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#123 of 364)

CALIFORNIA
GOLDEN BEARS
2023-24 RECORD: 13-19 SU, 15-16-1 ATS, 19-13 O-U-P

After going 28-9 in his final year at Utah Valley, Mark Madsen went 13-19 in his first season with Cal. Madsen should be able to turn this
program around, but it’s not going to happen overnight. The oddsmakers only give the Golden Bears a 0.99% chance of winning the ACC this
season. One thing Cal will do is compete defensively. In Madsen’s final season at Utah Valley, his team was 29th in the nation in defensive
rating. Madsen also got the Golden Bears from 195th in defensive rating in 2023 to 139th in 2024. It was a small but noteworthy improvement.
However, Cal only has two players back from last year’s team, and neither of them contributed a lick.

Madsen is hoping some high profile transfers exceed expectations this year. Mady Sissoko comes over from Michigan State, while Andrej
Stojakovic left Stanford for Berkeley. But don’t be surprised if Christian Tucker is the best of all the transfers. He averaged 11.3 points and 5.4
assists per game for UTSA last year. However, even with a great coach and some exciting transfers, Cal won’t win a lot of games this year. But I
wouldn’t be surprised if this is a solid ATS team.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 3-13-1 against the spread as a favorite over the past
two seasons, giving the program the third-worst cover rate as a
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT favorite among teams that have been favored in at least 10 games in
that span.
100-1 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 3%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#26 of 364)

CLEMSON
TIGERS
2023-24 RECORD: 24-12 SU, 20-15-1 ATS, 18-18 O-U-P

Clemson is looking for a fourth straight year with a winning ATS record. Losing P.J. Hall, who averaged 18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4
blocks per game, is going to make that tough on Brad Brownell. But Ian Schieffelin, who almost averaged a double-double last year, and
Cincinnati transfer Viktor Lahkin make up a great frontcourt. In the backcourt, the Tigers brought back Chase Hunter, one of the steadier point
guards in the ACC. They also added some firepower in BC transfer Jaeden Zackery and Air Force transfer Jake Heidbreder. Both are absolute
flamethrowers from 3, so don’t be surprised if Clemson significantly improves upon last year’s 35.1% shooting from deep.

The question will be whether or not the Tigers can continue to be a good defensive team. Clemson was 35th in the country in defensive rating
last year, but this year’s roster isn’t quite as athletic. Brownell’s team also lacks a true off-the-dribble creator that can be trusted in isolation late
in games. Hunter is probably the best bet, as he can really get to the basket. But Clemson can use a little something from somebody else.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under was 10-4 in the team’s final 14 games last season, and
the Tigers are 18-7 against the spread as underdogs of at least 4
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT during the regular season since February of 2019.
15-1 150-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 35%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 95.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#2 of 364)

DUKE
BLUE DEVILS
2023-24 RECORD: 27-9 SU, 21-14-1 ATS, 14-22 O-U-P

Jon Scheyer’s first two seasons on the sidelines ended with Duke at 27-9, and the Blue Devils made it to the Elite Eight in last year’s NCAA
Tournament. Scheyer hasn’t done anything spectacular just yet, but he hasn’t come under fire either. That could change if he doesn’t do
something special with this year’s team.

Duke, which was seventh in KenPom’s efficiency rankings last season, brought in ESPN’s top-ranked recruiting class, headlined by Cooper
Flagg. The 6-foot-9 forward is viewed as a generational NBA prospect. He’s an elite defender across multiple positions and has all sorts of
game offensively. Freshmen Kon Knueppel, Isaiah Evans and Khaman Maluach are also supposed to make immediate impacts. The Blue Devils
also brought back Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, who are both awesome backcourt players. Tulane transfer Sion James will also help at
guard. And Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown is a 6-foot-9 forward that should thrive in his new situation.

It’s rare to see a team with this much talent whose players complement one another so well. So, while Scheyer is absolutely winning when it
comes to the recruiting trail, it’s time for him to make his first Final Four as Duke’s head coach.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Under coach Jon Scheyer, the Under is 45-26-1, the seventh-highest
Under percentage in the country over the past two seasons. Also, the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT Blue Devils went 11-4 against the spread in their final 15 games last
+140 10-1 season.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 20%

 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 78.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#15 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#96 of 364)

FLORIDA
SEMINOLES
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 17-16 SU, 16-16-1 ATS, 22-11 O-U-P

Leonard Hamilton has won at least 20 games in 12 of his 22 seasons with Florida State, but the Seminoles are trending in the wrong direction.
Florida State has missed the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons, and it’s starting to feel like Hamilton’s running out of time in
Tallahassee – whether that’s his decision or the university’s. Last year’s Florida State team couldn’t shoot the 3 whatsoever. The Seminoles were
288th in the country in 3-point shooting percentage (31.7%) and that’s why they barely cracked the top 100 in offensive rating. Let’s see if this
year’s team shoots it better.

Florida State’s best player will once again be Jamir Watkins, who averaged 15.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game last year. The
former VCU wing can be trusted to show up on a nightly basis. But will Watkins get consistent help from anywhere else? Perhaps Chandler
Jackson and Hampton transfer Jerry Deng can provide that. The ‘Noles are also high on freshman point guard Daquan Davis.

It feels like Hamilton is facing an uphill battle here. This program could once be relied on to be elite defensively, but that identity is gone.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Among teams with at least 25 home games with listed totals
since the 2016-17 season, Florida State has the third-highest Over
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT percentage in the country. The Over is 79-41-4 in this span.
100-1 200-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 30%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#13 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#83 of 364)

GEORGIA
YELLOW JACKETS
TECH
2023-24 RECORD: 14-18 SU, 15-17 ATS, 16-16 O-U-P

The Yellow Jackets went 14-18 overall and 7-13 in conference play in Damon Stoudamire’s first year with the program. It wasn’t a great season
overall, but Georgia Tech did score impressive wins over Clemson, Duke and North Carolina. That’s something to build on. The Yellow Jackets
have some key pieces back, including big man Baye Ndongo. Last season, Ndongo averaged 12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per
game. Naitha George also feels like he’s due for a pretty big leap after averaging 9.8 points and 4.7 dimes per game last year. Stoudamire also
added a pair of useful transfers in Javian McCollum, who played great for Oklahoma last season, and Luke O’Brien, a nice role player for a
Colorado team that made the NCAA Tournament last season.

Georgia Tech probably can’t be counted on for a massive leap in Stoudamire’s second year in Atlanta, but the Yellow Jackets are probably the
most talented of all the ACC bottom-dwellers. This could be a team that ends up doing pretty well against the spread, and there’s some real
hope for the future if Stoudamire can avoid losing guys to the portal.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 1-5 against the spread as a favorite last season and
has the eighth-best cover percentage on the road since the 2018-19
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT season began. The Yellow Jackets are 43-27 against the spread on
the road since then.
80-1 200-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 41%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 81.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#12 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#74 of 364)

LOUISVILLE
CARDINALS
2023-24 RECORD: 8-24 SU, 12-17-3 ATS, 17-14-1 O-U-P

Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Louisville is just 25-71 overall and 11-49 in the ACC. This program has really fallen off, and Kenny
Payne’s 12-52 record in two years didn’t help. But the Cardinals hired a proven winner in Pat Kelsey, who went 75-27 in three years with
Charleston and is coming off back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament. Before that, Kelsey amassed a 186-95 record at Winthrop, and his
time there included another three trips to the Big Dance.

Kelsey’s teams put up a lot of 3s offensively and defend the 3-point line on the other end of the floor. They also play with some real tempo
on offense, while also having some nasty to them on defense. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly he can work his magic on Louisville, but
it might not take all that long. Players have always wanted to play for this program. Kelsey did well to scoop Wisconsin’s Chucky Hepburn,
Colorado’s J’Vonne Hadley, James Madison’s Terrence Edwards Jr., South Florida’s Kasean Pryor and BYU’s Noah Waterman in the portal.
That’s a potential starting five of players that started for other teams last season.

If things click a little sooner than expected, the Cardinals could be the third-best team in the ACC.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team’s 46-68-2 ATS record the past four seasons is the third-
worst among teams that spent each of the past four seasons at the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT Division I level.
15-1 75-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 0%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#44 of 364)

MIAMI
HURRICANES
2023-24 RECORD: 15-17 SU, 13-16-3 ATS, 14-18 O-U-P

After making the Final Four in 2022-23, the Hurricanes went 15-17 last year. However, it’s probably best to throw that out completely, as Miami
had terrible injury luck. But this is still a team with an elite head coach, and there’s some real talent in Coral Gables this year. Nijel Pack, one of
the first players to get a massive NIL deal, is back after averaging 13.3 points and 3.6 assists per game last year. He should be able to build on
that, as you only have to go back to 2021-22 for a season in which he averaged 17.4 points per game — and did so on very efficient shooting.
The Hurricanes also return Matthew Cleveland, who averaged 13.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last year. And transfers Lynn Kidd and
A.J. Staton-McCray are proven starters at this level.

If five-star freshman point guard Jalil Bethea is ready to go right out the gate, this Miami team will be dangerous. Just two years ago, the
Hurricanes were sixth in the nation in offensive rating. Larranaga has been great as an offensive coach in recent years, and he has had good
defensive teams in the past.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 4-13 against the spread as a favorite of at least 20 since
November 12, 2016. But the Hurricanes are also 23-10-1 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread in road games the past three seasons, giving them the third-
best road cover rate in America in that span.
12-1 70-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 32%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 91.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#13 of 364)

NORTH
TAR HEELS
CAROLINA
2023-24 RECORD: 29-8 SU, 21-16 ATS, 20-16-1 O-U-P

The Tar Heels suffered a disappointing Sweet 16 exit in last year’s NCAA Tournament, but they did finish the year 29-8 and were the regular
season ACC champions. And while some key pieces like Armando Bacot are gone, R.J. Davis is back after averaging 21.2 points per game. He
was the ACC Player of the Year and an AP All-American, and he’ll be joined in the backcourt by returners Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble.

North Carolina also has two five-star freshmen coming in, as Ian Jackson and Drake Powell are expected to do big things on the wing. Hubert
Davis also added an instant-impact transfer in Belmont forward Cade Tyson, who shot 46.5% from 3 on 5.5 attempts per game last year.
And the Heels are also expecting a huge year from big man Jalen Washington. However, if Washington doesn’t take the next step, Vanderbilt
transfer Ven-Allen Lubin can be a small-ball big. He averaged 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last year.

North Carolina was a top-20 team in both offensive and defensive rating last season. This year’s team should be the same, and there might be
more upside with this group.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since November 23, 2023, the team is 10-5 against the spread as
a favorite of fewer than 8, and the Over is 15-4 in its neutral-court
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games the past two seasons
+350 18-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 50%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 84.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#50 of 364)

NC STATE
WOLFPACK
2023-24 RECORD: 26-15 SU, 19-20-2 ATS, 21-17-3 O-U-P

NC State was America’s team last year, as DJ Burns won fans over with his feathery touch and infectious smile. But Burns is now playing
professional basketball in Korea, and the Wolfpack also lost leading scorer DJ Horne and his 16.9 points per game. The good news is that
Kevin Keatts is a great head coach, and he should be able to put out a decent product this year.

Back from last year’s team are Michael O’Connell, Jayden Taylor and Ben Middlebrooks. New to the rotation are Louisville transfers Brandon
Huntley-Hatfield and Mike James. Huntley-Hatfield averaged 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game last season, and he could be the best
player on NC State this year. Meanwhile, James is a talented player that could look a lot better in a more stable situation. Dontrez Styles is
another transfer that NC State will be counting on. The former North Carolina guard played good ball for Georgetown last year, averaging 12.8
points per game and shooting the 3 at a good clip.

The talent probably isn’t there for NC State to contend, but another year above .500 is well within reason. And the Wolfpack will be a hard out in
any tournament.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 8-1 against the spread as an underdog of at least
7 last season. The Wolfpack were also 0-6 against the spread as
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT favorites of at least 6 after December 21 last season.
20-1 130-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 38%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#70 of 364)

NOTRE
FIGHTING IRISH
DAME
2023-24 RECORD: 13-20 SU, 18-15 ATS, 12-21 O-U-P

The Fighting Irish went 13-20 in Micah Shrewsberry’s first year as head coach, but there’s hope that things will turn around fast. Shrewsberry
went 14-17 in his first year with Penn State and then went 23-14 and made the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament in Year 2. Also, Notre
Dame just landed a five-star recruit in the 2025 class, as guard Jalen Haralson decided that he wants to play for the Irish. That doesn’t happen
without real belief in a head coach.

As far as this year’s team goes, Shrewsberry has some continuity. Markus Burton, Braeden Shrewsberry, Tae Davis and J.R. Konieczny are all
back after starting last year. Burton averaged 17.5 points per game and should be one of the best guards in the ACC this year.

One thing that’s certain is that this team will be solid defensively. Notre Dame was 39th in defensive rating last year, and there’s no reason
to expect a drop-off. The team just needs more offensively, as the Irish were 234th in the nation in offensive rating. That’s not going to cut it.
Perhaps Princeton transfer Matt Allocco can help. He shot 42.7% from 3 last year and should see minutes at both guard spots.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

In games with a total above 136, the Under went 9-0 last year. And in
non-conference play the past three seasons, the Under is 23-13.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

50-1 180-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 4 RETURNING MINUTES: 86%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#46 of 364)

PITTSBURGH
PANTHERS
2023-24 RECORD: 22-11 SU, 21-9-3 ATS, 19-13-1 O-U-P

The Panthers were 22-11 last year and finished 33rd in KenPom’s efficiency rankings last year. However, Blake Hinson and Bub Carrington
are gone. Hinson, who averaged 18.5 points per game, is currently trying to latch on with an NBA team, while Carrington was drafted by the
Washington Wizards with the 14th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Those two were huge parts of what the Panthers did last year.

Pittsburgh will now hope that Ishmael Leggett and Jaland Lowe can step up and be the go-to guards. Both players managed to pop last year,
despite playing with two guards that were higher in the pecking order. The Panthers will also be hoping for a leap from forward Zack Austin,
who was solid in a smaller role for the team last season. The Panthers also have some important transfers coming in, as big man Cam Corhen
comes from Florida State and Damian Dunn is over from Houston. Both will have chances to play big minutes. Pitt will also be hoping for some
development from Jorge Diaz Graham and Guillermo Diaz Graham.

It’s not entirely clear what this will look like, but Jeff Capel has settled in nicely as the team’s coach and Leggett should be able to show out as
the new star.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Only Connecticut has a better ATS record than Pittsburgh the past
two seasons, as the Panthers are 45-20-4 against the spread.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

40-1 180-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 50%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#66 of 364)

SMU
MUSTANGS
2023-24 RECORD: 20-13 SU, 13-17-2 ATS, 14-18 O-U-P

After going 15-18 at USC last season, Andy Enfield decided to take the SMU job. Enfield went 220-147 in 11 seasons with the Trojans, and that
was directly after going 41-28 in two years with Florida Gulf Coast. Enfield has turned programs around before, and he even took USC to the
Elite Eight in 2020-21. So, he could do some big things with the resources he’ll have in Dallas. Lower expectations won’t hurt either. SMU went
20-13 last season, but the Mustangs were in the American Athletic Conference. This will be a step up in competition. A winning record isn’t out
of the question, nor is a solid ATS mark. But SMU probably won’t be as good as last year.

Getting Chuck Harris and his 13.4 points per game back helps. Harris can really score and is a great shooter. Enfield also had some big wins on
the transfer portal, landing Wake Forest’s Kevin Harris (15.6 PPG) and UMass’s Matt Cross (15.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG). Both will contribute instantly.
He’s also taking some swings on Oregon’s Yohan Traore and UC Santa Barbara’s Kario Oquendo.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team closed the 2023-24 season by going 0-7 against the spread
in its final seven games. And the Over is 17-8 in Mustangs road
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games the past two seasons.
35-1 350-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 31%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 78.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#16 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#97 of 364)

STANFORD
CARDINAL
2023-24 RECORD: 14-18 SU, 16-16 ATS, 17-14-1 O-U-P

Stanford made one of the best coaching moves of the summer, replacing Jerod Haase with Kyle Smith. Haase did a good job of getting talent
to Palo Alto, but consistency on the court evaded him. That shouldn’t be a problem with Smith, who had two 20-win seasons with Columbia,
three in three seasons with San Francisco, and two in the last three seasons he spent with Washington State. Smith won’t say it like Indiana
football coach Curt Cignetti did, but he wins. Google him.

This year’s Cardinal group has a great center in Maxime Raynaud, who averaged 15.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last year. Raynaud will
be one of the best centers in the nation this season. He just might not have much help. In returner Benny Gealer and UC Irvine transfer Derin
Saran, the Cardinal have one of the worst starting backcourts in the ACC. Smith could, however, have something interesting in USC transfer
Oziyah Sellers and Harvard transfer Chisom Okpara. Sellers has some tools, so he’s an upside swing. And Okpara averaged 16.5 points per
game for the Crimson last year.

This team isn’t good enough to do much damage this year, but it won’t take long for Smith to get this thing going.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over was 13-3 at home last season and the Cardinal are 10-5
against the spread as favorites of at least 6 since November 9, 2022.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

80-1 400-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 26%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#65 of 364)

SYRACUSE
ORANGE
2023-24 RECORD: 20-12 SU, 12-18-1 ATS, 17-14 O-U-P

Adrian Autry didn’t make the NCAA Tournament in his first year as Syracuse’s head coach, but the Orange went 20-12 overall and 11-9 in
conference. He’ll be hoping to build on that in Year 2, but it’s not going to be easy. Maliq Brown, an impressive forward, left for Duke in the
offseason. The Orange also lost guard Judah Mintz, who averaged 18.8 points per game and was one of the best drivers in the nation.

Syracuse does bring back forward Chris Bell, who is one of the best shooters in the country. JJ Starling is also a meaningful returner, as
he averaged 13.3 points per game last year. Outside of that, Autry will be hoping that Hofstra’s Jaquan Carlos, Delaware’s Jyare Davis and
Colorado’s Eddie Lampkin can be useful portal additions. While Lampkin is the biggest name in that group, it’s Davis that is most intriguing. He
averaged 17.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last year. And if he doesn’t live up to expectations, maybe Donnie Freeman will. The five-star
recruit has a lot of potential.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since January 1, 2023, the team is 1-9 against the spread as a
favorite of more than 5. The Orange are also 9-16-2 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread as underdogs the past two seasons.
35-1 120-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 35%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#69 of 364)

VIRGINIA
CAVALIERS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-11 SU, 17-15-2 ATS, 15-19 O-U-P

This program, which won a national title in 2019, had the best regular-season record six times from 2014 to 2023, and has finished with two
or fewer conference losses in four of the last 11 seasons. The Cavaliers can generally be counted on to be elite defensively and boring-but-
efficient offensively. However, that turned into boring and bad offensively in 2024. The Cavaliers were 200th in the nation in offensive rating, and
that’s just not good enough to do anything meaningful. Tony Bennett, one of the best coaches in college basketball, also retired right before the
season. Was what he saw in practice so bad that he couldn’t stomach another year?

This team does have some solid offensive players, as Isaac McKneely and Andrew Rohde are both willing and able to knock down shots.
However, it’s unsettling that the Cavaliers are prepared to start a non-shooter at point guard, with Florida State transfer Jalen Warley likely
getting the nod. And while Duke transfer TJ Power and returning big Blake Buchanan have potential in the frontcourt, they haven’t proven much
of anything. There are now real question marks surrounding this program, which should be in the bottom half of the conference this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since January 1, 2021, the team is 9-20 against the spread as a
favorite of at least 11, and the Under was 10-2 in conference games
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT last season.
25-1 150-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 41%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#14 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#85 of 364)

VIRGINIA
HOKIES
TECH
2023-24 RECORD: 19-15 SU, 15-19 ATS, 18-15-1 O-U-P

Mike Young is a good coach, but the Hokies haven’t been very reliable in conference since he took the job. Sure, the overall record of 92-66
over the last five years is decent, but they’re just 45-48 in conference. And this year’s team is fighting an uphill battle when it comes to being
respectable. Virginia Tech doesn’t have a single starter back from last season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Young rights the ship eventually, but I’d
be stunned if he does anything with this roster.

Young was hoping that Temple transfer Hysier Miller would be a star this year. Miller averaged 15.9 points, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game
last season. However, it was announced that the guard was released from the team on October 23. Honestly, Ben Burnham, who averaged 11.9
points and 4.5 rebounds per game for College of Charleston last year, might be the prize of the transfer group. He’s a stretch four and his game
should translate nicely. Young will also be hoping that swings on Virginia guard Jaydon Young, Cal forward Rodney Brown Jr. and Pitt big man
Mylyjael Poteat will work out.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since the 2018-19 season began, the Hokies have the worst road
cover percentage in the country at 17-45-1 against the spread.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

50-1 200-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 14%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#37 of 364)

WAKE FOREST
DEMON DEACONS
2023-24 RECORD: 21-14 SU, 17-16-2 ATS, 21-13-1 O-U-P

Steve Forbes went 6-16 in his first year with the Demon Deacons. Since then, Wake Forest is 65-38 overall and 34-26 in ACC play. And while
Forbes hasn’t yet made the NCAA Tournament, this should be the year. Last season, Wake Forest was 25th in the nation in offensive rating and
59th in defensive rating. This year’s group should be great on offense again, as Hunter Sallis is back after averaging 18.0 points per game on
nasty shooting splits. The Deacons also bring back Cameron Hildreth, another guy that can really shoot it, and Efton Reid, a seven-footer that
played well for Wake in his first year after transferring from Gonzaga.

Forbes is now hoping that Ty-Laur Johnson, a Louisville transfer, or Omaha Biliew, a five-star forward that went to Iowa State, can be his
next big transfer portal success. Johnson has the potential to be the point guard Wake desperately needs, while Biliew has the star potential
that Sallis once had. Tre’Von Spillers is another intriguing transfer, as he averaged 12.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game for
Appalachian State last season.

All in all, this team is talented and well coached. Wake is as good a bet to win the ACC as anybody outside of Duke or Carolina.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over is 98-61-4 in Wake Forest games since the 2016-17 season
began. And the Demon Deacons were 13-5-1 against the spread at
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT home last season.
10-1 130-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 57%
AMERICAN
ATHLETIC
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The amount of change in the AAC last season was a big point of
emphasis when I wrote up this conference in last year’s College
Basketball Betting Guide. Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF all moved
to the Big 12, while Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice,
UAB, and UTSA all moved in from Conference USA. Yaxel
Lendeborg
We don’t have any changes for this season, as Army is a football-
only member, but we do have another departure with SMU leaving
for the ACC, leaving 13 teams in the conference.

Interestingly, newcomers to the conference finished second, third,

and fourth in 2024, as South Florida won the league at 16-2, but
FAU, Charlotte, and UAB were the next three by the standings.
Bart Torvik ranked the AAC as the eighth-best conference for the
2022-23 season and it dropped to 10th for the 2023-24 campaign,
but it wasn’t because of the new programs.

Last year, there were five top-90 teams, so the conference wasn’t
as top-heavy with a top-five Houston squad and a top-20 Memphis
team, but it was deeper all around and more balanced. That looks
to be the case again this season, as heavy losses at FAU are sure
to set that program back, but other teams have a great chance to
be on the rise.

This is a great conference to analyze and handicap because there

are so many different styles of play and so many different tempos.
USF won the regular season, but UAB beat the Bulls en route to
the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Will
the Blazers run it back? Will Memphis figure things out and put
together a record representative of their talent level? How about
North Texas after a transitional year under first-year HC Ross
Hodge?

The AAC is wide open in my opinion and we should get a lot of

close, competitive games during the regular season.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY ADAM BURKE

40
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 73.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#129 of 364)

CHARLOTTE
49ERS
2023-24 RECORD: 19-12 SU, 15-14-1 ATS, 14-16 O-U-P

Aaron Fearne begins his second season as the bench boss for the 49ers with a lack of familiar faces. Top player Igor Milicic Jr. (13 PPG, 8.4
RPG) transferred to Tennessee. Lu’Cye Patterson led the team with 14.6 PPG and he’s now at Minnesota. Big man Dishon Jackson and wing
Jackson Threadgill also transferred out. The 49ers only return one player that averaged more than 20 minutes for the squad.

Most of last year’s scoring punch is gone, as only Nik Graves had over 10 PPG and he was third on the team in minutes with nearly 30 per
game. It could be a rough year for the 49ers, who had to go to the transfer portal for depth and starting-level talent on a team that ranked 356th
in adjusted tempo per Torvik last season. That likely means a lot of empty trips on offense and a lot of low-scoring games.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 20-9 against the spread at home the past two seasons,
and the Under was 11-4 last season in games with a total above
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 133.5.
20-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 35%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 74.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#125 of 364)

EAST
PIRATES
CAROLINA
2023-24 RECORD: 15-18 SU, 14-17-1 ATS, 13-19 O-U-P

East Carolina may have gotten a little bit more athletic through the transfer portal, but the Pirates have to replace Brandon Johnson (14 PPG,
8.6 RPG) and Ezra Ausar (11.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG), who ranked second and third in points and first and third in rebounds. Leading scorer RJ Felton
(17.3 PPG) is back and he’ll be able to play with his younger brother, Ladontae. They’ll likely spend ample time on the floor with a couple of
double-double machines from the JUCO ranks in Trevion LaBeaux and Jayshayne Woodard.

With the new conference members, ECU regressed on defense and continued to be poor on offense, finishing 231st in eFG% defense and
289th in eFG% offense. They were outside the top 270 in 3P%, 2P%, and FT%, improving slightly from beyond the arc and inside of it. ECU
was 14th and 13th, respectively, in 3P% and 2P% in conference games, so unless the new faces help instantly, expect more of the same.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under was 10-2 in games with a total higher than 142 last
season. The Pirates are also 5-11 against the spread as underdogs of
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT less than 12 since March 2, 2023.
20-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 34%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 76.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#106 of 364)

FLORIDA
OWLS
ATLANTIC
2023-24 RECORD: 25-9 SU, 15-18-1 ATS, 18-16 O-U-P

The magnificent, and improbable, two-year run for FAU basketball will live on forever in college basketball history. Things will look a LOT
different in Boca Raton this year. John Jakus takes over for Dusty May, who is now the head coach at Michigan. The Owls have zero returning
starters, so that means guys like Johnell Davis, Vladislav Goldin, Alijah Martin, and Nick Boyd are all gone.

Jakus has been under Scott Drew at Baylor since 2017 and worked under Mark Few from 2014-17 as the Director of Basketball Operations,
so he’s learned from some of the game’s best head coaches. I don’t think FAU will bottom out. In fact, I think they have a great shot to win the
conference. They’ve added some premier scoring punch in KyKy Tandy (18.2 PPG at Jacksonville State), Ken Evans (18.8 PPG at Jackson
State), Leland Walker (15.4 PP, 4.1 APG at Eastern Kentucky) and two giant bigs from Lithuania. How quickly everybody comes together will be
the key, but this team could have scorers everywhere, lots of length, and tons of athleticism.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team has the third-best non-conference ATS cover rate at 21-7
against the spread, but the Owls went 2-10 against the spread as
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT favorites of at least 8 after Christmas.
13-1 400-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 3%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#41 of 364)

MEMPHIS
TIGERS
2023-24 RECORD: 22-10 SU, 12-20 ATS, 18-13-1 O-U-P

Overhauls are nothing new for Memphis, given that the program deals with one-and-done players on an annual basis. But, this overhaul is by
design. Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway wants his team to play the hard-a-way, in that he wants them to not be as flashy and floating
free. The Tigers were 339th in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage per Torvik and didn’t show nearly as much effort to get other
team’s misses as they did their own.

The Tigers were a solid offensive crew, but lacked a little panache on the defensive side. The ironic thing is that Memphis actually didn’t really
have one-and-dones last season. They had a bunch of tenured transfers, including Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Jaykwon Walton, Jahvon Quinerly,
and David Jones. This year’s roster is also loaded with transfers, headlined by PJ Haggerty from Tulsa, who averaged over 21 PPG. Big rim
protectors were imported like Tyreek Smith and Moussa Cisse. Expect a much more physical Memphis team that also projects to shoot better
from the outside.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 10-20 against the spread at home the past two seasons,
and it was 9-3-1 to the Over in road games last season.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

+120 120-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 8%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#90 of 364)

NORTH
MEAN GREEN
TEXAS
2023-24 RECORD: 19-15 SU, 18-13-1 ATS, 18-14 O-U-P

The Dudes of Denton were strong on the defensive end and had a top-15 3P% for first-year head coach Ross Hodge. The transition from Grant
McCasland to Hodge was an easy one because he was an assistant under the now Texas Tech bench boss. Speaking of transition, the Mean
Green had their fastest season by adjusted tempo since 2021…and still ranked 360th in the nation per Torvik. Like every team in the AAC, the
roster turnover is extreme with one returning starter.

To fill out a lineup, Hodge went to Drake for Atin Wright, who shot almost 50% on 2s and over 81% at the stripe. North Texas was 298th in the
nation in 2P%, so Wright is a very welcomed addition, but other top transfers like Latrell Joseph, Jasper Floyd, and Jonathan Massie were all
below average in that department. UNT should still have some good shooters on the outside and a monster on the glass in holdover Moulaye
Sissoko, but the ceiling for the season looks lower than in past years.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since the 2019-20 season began, North Texas has the nation’s top
ATS cover percentage in conference play. The Mean Green are 61-36-
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 2 against the spread in conference games in that span.
+600 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 13%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 66.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#12 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#220 of 364)

RICE
OWLS
2023-24 RECORD: 11-21 SU, 11-19-1 ATS, 15-16 O-U-P

Most of the C-USA squads looked pretty good in Year 1 in the AAC. Rice was not one of them. The Owls were plenty competent on the
offensive side, but they were atrocious on defense. The rough season got Scott Pera fired and now it will be Rob Lanier’s team, as he goes
from Dallas to Houston following his dismissal from SMU. Lanier actually put together a 10-win improvement for the Mustangs from 2022-23 to
2023-24, but that was apparently not good enough.

The shocking pink slip could be Rice’s gain. The Owls haven’t had a coach finish his tenure with a winning record since Don Suman from 1949-
59. Mike Rhoades was the closest from 2014-17, going 47-52. Unfortunately, the cupboard is really bare for Lanier, as Mekhi Mason transferred
to Washington and Max Fielder and Travis Evee ran out of eligibility. That trio combined for 40 PPG, 16.7 RPG, and 10.2 APG. Emory Lanier and
Jalen Smith followed Lanier from SMU, but most of the rest of the roster is made up of small-conference transfers for what could be a very long
year.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 22-36-3 against the spread in conference games the
past three seasons, and the Over is 70-48 in home games since the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 2015-16 season began.
200-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 15%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 77.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#105 of 364)

SOUTH
BULLS
FLORIDA
2023-24 RECORD: 25-8 SU, 22-10-1 ATS, 13-20 O-U-P

Tragedy struck the USF basketball program on Oct. 24 when head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died unexpectedly due to complications from
surgery. He was heading into his second season leading the Bulls and had a phenomenal first year with 25 wins, including a win in the NIT over
UCF. The 25 wins were a program record and the team had enjoyed their first postseason appearance since winning the CBI during the 2018-
19 season. Time will tell how the program moves forward from the devastating and heartbreaking loss.

Unlike a lot of AAC teams, the Bulls did have some holdovers, including top 3-point shooter Jayden Reid and also Kobe Knox, who were third
and fifth in percentage of minutes played. Brandon Stroud, Quincy Ademokoya, and Kasen Jennings were also with Abdur-Rahim at Kennesaw
State. So he had a lot of continuity on the roster to go along with transfers from Cincinnati and Florida State, but now the team goes into the
season with heavy hearts and without one of the game’s most promising young coaches.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Bulls had the country’s highest cover rate in conference games
last season, as they went 14-3-3 against the spread in AAC play.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

12-1 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 34%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 73.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#131 of 364)

TEMPLE
OWLS
2023-24 RECORD: 16-20 SU, 17-17-1 ATS, 18-17 O-U-P

The third and final Owls in this conference play out of Philadelphia. After starting 1-11 in conference play and 8-17 overall, the Owls won four of
their final six regular season games and four games in four games to make the AAC Championship Game. They lost to UAB, but first-year head
coach Adam Fisher, who coached under Jim Larranga at Miami and Mike Rhoades at Penn State, finally started pressing the right buttons.

The first step this offseason was replacing the production and high usage rates of Hysier Miller and Jahlil White. Pulling Jamal Mashburn Jr. out
of New Mexico surely looks to be a good start and Saint Joseph’s transfer Lynn Greer, who started his career at Dayton, could also help. Greer
was a good shooter in the A-10. Mashburn was not in the Mountain West, firing away at 38% on 2s. Given that Temple was 345th in 2P% and
289th in 3P% (338th in eFG%), you wonder if this team has enough scoring punch.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team covered in 10 of its final 14 games last season, and the
Owls are 12-4-3 against the spread as road underdogs over the past
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT two seasons.
50-1 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 39%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 71.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#159 of 364)

TULANE
GREEN WAVE
2023-24 RECORD: 14-17 SU, 13-17 ATS, 19-11 O-U-P

I wrote in last year’s CBB Guide that I felt like the infusion of talent from the Conference USA teams would be a problem for a team like Tulane.
It turns out that was true. The Green Wave were knocked out of the conference tourney by one of them (North Texas) and didn’t beat any of
them in the regular season. That was not the way that Ron Hunter wanted to follow up the first 20-win season in a very long time.

But, Tulane struggled badly on defense, got wrecked on the glass, and squandered a pretty good offense as a top-10 team in adjusted tempo.
Hunter is back with a warmer seat and a brand-new lineup, as all five starters departed. Hunter spent the offseason looking for players familiar
to him. He heavily recruited areas where he had previously coached and grabbed Michael Eley from Siena and Kam Williams from Louisiana.
That said, this team still lacks depth and proven scoring talent, which seems problematic for an iffy defense wanting to play at a breakneck
pace.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over is 28-14-2 in home games the past three seasons. Also, the
Green Wave are 6-16 against the spread as underdogs the past two
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT seasons.
80-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 8%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 72.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#147 of 364)

TULSA
GOLDEN HURRICANE
2023-24 RECORD: 16-15 SU, 13-14-3 ATS, 15-13-2 O-U-P

Eric Konkol is a solid coach and he made the best of what he had with Tulsa last season. The Golden Hurricane lost Keaston Willis just two
games into his season after he missed the first five. Freshman PJ Haggerty and Cobe Williams, who came with Konkol from Louisiana Tech,
carried the team to a 16-15 record. Unfortunately, Haggerty moved on to conference rival Memphis and Williams is out of eligibility. At least
Willis will return, along with several players from last season, including Isaiah Barnes, who shot 62% on 2s.

The silver lining of Haggerty’s departure is that he was a bad 3-point shooter and that was the one primary area where Tulsa lagged behind
everybody else. Willis and the holdovers getting a greater shot share should help and Dwon Odom from Georgia State can step right into
Haggerty’s role. Of all the transfer classes in this conference, Tulsa’s is one of the most intriguing to me, as Konkol has a good eye for talent
and led an 11-win improvement from Year 1 to Year 2.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team’s 18-38-4 ATS record over the past two seasons is the
worst mark in the nation in that span.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

30-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 43%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 66.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#13 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#228 of 364)

UTSA
ROADRUNNERS
2023-24 RECORD: 11-21 SU, 15-16 ATS, 19-11-1 O-U-P

As I said, most of the C-USA squads found success. UTSA was one that did not. Steve Henson is out and Austin Claunch is in, as the
Roadrunners look to the 34-year-old to turn things around. Claunch was named the head coach at Nicholls at just 26 years old and was there
for six seasons before joining Nate Oats as an assistant at Alabama last season. Claunch’s Colonels were 90-61 on his watch.

In terms of style of play, UTSA will continue to move up and down the floor. They were in the top 100 in tempo in all but one of Henson’s
seasons and the Roadrunners won’t slow down under Claunch. Nicholls and Alabama both played fast while he was there. But this team badly
needs shot-makers and shot-stoppers. UTSA was 271st in eFG% offense and 257th in eFG% defense. They were also among the worst in the
nation at forcing turnovers and defending 3s. Claunch does have a clean slate here with no returning starters and we’ll just have to wait and see
how the team gels.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Roadrunners are 40-21 to the Over the past two seasons, and
that’s the fourth-highest Over rate in America. The Over is also 14-4
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT in games with a total higher than 150 since then.
200-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 1%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 81.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#76 of 364)

UAB
BLAZERS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-12 SU, 21-12-1 ATS, 19-15 O-U-P

Surely I sound like a broken record to this point, as the AAC just had an incredible amount of turnover. One team bucked the trend and will be
able to boast a strong sense of continuity this season and it just so happens to be the reigning champions. UAB returns four starters, including
top scorer Yaxel Lendeborg. Eric Gaines entered the draft and went unpicked, but he is the only noteworthy loss for the Blazers.

To replace him, Andy Kennedy hit the portal to get Georgia Southern’s Tyren Moore, who was a 41% 3-point shooter, and Iona wing Greg
Gordon, who shot over 58% on 2s. Kennedy also got an efficient big in Bradley Ezewiro from Saint Louis, who averaged 12 PPG and 6.2 RPG
while averaging just 22 minutes per game. UAB is the rightful favorite to win this conference and pretty clearly the strongest team in my mind.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 16-4 against the spread in its final 20 games last
season, and the Over is 65-39-1 the past three seasons — which is
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT good for the fifth-highest Over rate in the country.
+400 350-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 4 RETURNING MINUTES: 60%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 77.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 13)
NATIONAL RANK: (#101 of 364)

WICHITA
SHOCKERS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 15-19 SU, 14-19 ATS, 15-18 O-U-P

The metrics looked better than the record for Wichita State last season, as they were a borderline top-100 team by adjusted defensive
efficiency and roughly in line with the national average on offense. First-year coach Paul Mills went 5-13 in league play, though, and the team
was just 6-17 after a cupcake start to the season that saw them begin 7-1. That said, Wichita State was 4-5 vs. Quadrant 2 opponents, which
was better than most of the teams in the bottom half of the AAC standings.

Mills just didn’t have the right makeup for his team, as they were 320th in Assist Rate and 311th in 3P Rate. The last three Oral Roberts teams
were all top 20 in 3P Rate. So, Mills had to find some shooters in the portal and AJ McGinnis could be one after shooting 40% from 3 for
Lipscomb. Zane Meeks is a career 34.4% 3-point shooter, but a very efficient scorer inside. So is Saint Peter’s transfer Corey Washington. It
was a transitional year and this roster looks better equipped for Mills’ wishes on both ends of the floor.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 22-13-2 against the spread in road games since the
2020-21 season began. The Shockers are also 11-5-2 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread as road underdogs the past two seasons.
10-1 700-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 55%
 ATLANTIC 10
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The Atlantic 10 enters the season looking to continue the
momentum from last year when multiple teams - Duquesne and
Dayton - made the NCAA tournament. Then both the Dukes and
Flyers earned a first-round tournament win.

Key parts from those squads are gone, namely Dae Dae Grant for
Duquesne and DaRon Holmes II, the conference’s co-Player of the
Year for Dayton, so Virginia Commonwealth gets the nod as the
A-10’s top preseason team according to the coaches’ poll.

The Rams are led by 6-foot-5 guard Max Shulga. The fact that
Shulga (13.7 PPG) could lift VCU to a championship is not a
surprise. Him still wearing a Rams’ jersey, is. In May, the Ukraine
native announced he was transferring to Villanova. Less than a
month later, he withdrew that commitment and returned to VCU.

Perhaps Shulga had some regrets leaving Ryan Odom, who also
previously coached him at Utah State; but not coincidentally, the
Rams found some extra NIL money for him right before his change
of heart. Whatever it takes to keep a star, especially in the A-10,
where one player like Shulga makes a major difference.

Since the A-10 lives somewhere between the Big East and
Conference USA, navigating the transfer portal and finding the best
way to construct a roster are major yearly decisions these coaches
now must make. Some teams will look to rely mostly on continuity
(VCU and Loyola Chicago), others are supplementing their roster
with key additions for an instant boost (Saint Joseph’s and Dayton)
to those basically forming a new squad with a mass influx of
transfers (St. Bonaventure and LaSalle).

The most recognizable name, make that goggles, to enter this

year is Robbie Avila. The former Indiana State folk hero now calls
Saint Louis home along with his coach Josh Schertz and former
teammate Isaiah Swope.

Max Shulga Another big name to enter the conference this year will provide
zero contributions on the court. It’s juice he will bring to the
program. Saint Bonaventure welcomed former ESPN NBA insider
Adrian Wojnarowski in the newly formed role of basketball general
manager at his alma mater. Even in a mid-major like this, NIL
money can shift the balance of power, and schools now have GMs.
Welcome to the current state of college basketball.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY AARON MOORE

48
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 73.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#135 of 364)

DAVIDSON
WILDCATS
2023-24 RECORD: 15-17 SU, 14-16 ATS, 11-19 O-U-P

In Matt McKillop’s three campaigns leading the program since his father, Bob, retired, the Wildcats have just a 13-23 record in conference play.
Four of its five starters return, namely Connor Kochera and his 13.2 PPG. Reed Bailey and Bobby Durkin will also be back down low again.

In order for Davidson to avoid the bottom portion of the A-10 standings the returners have to provide more offensive production than just their
“continuity.” Also, their two main newcomers who arrived on campus via divergent paths. must immediately contribute. The hope is the 6-11
former high school hotshot Joe Hurlburt can break into the starting lineup and be a force after logging just 26 minutes last year for Colorado. In
the backcourt, Zach Laput will look to score in the same way he did over his four years at D2 Bentley where he poured in 600 points in back-to-
back seasons.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 0-6 against the spread in the calendar year 2024 as a
pick’em or a favorite of less than 6. The Wildcats also have the sixth-
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT highest conference Under percentage since the 2020-21 season
began. They’re 45-28 to the Under.
50-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 4 RETURNING MINUTES: 57%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#45 of 364)

DAYTON
FLYERS
2023-24 RECORD: 25-8 SU, 16-15-2 ATS, 18-14-1 O-U-P

DaRon Holmes II is now a Denver Nugget and that means someone else must play the role of leading man for the Flyers.

Anthony Grant will look towards returner Matt Santos or Posh Alexander, now on school number three, to fill that need. Most likely, though, it
will be a combination of the two along with the defensive contributions from the 6-foot-3 Enoch Cheeks that will keep the Flyers in contention
for a regular season title. Alexander went from St. John’s to Butler where last year once again he led the Big East in steals (71) for the fourth
straight season. The point guard position belongs to the talented Malachi Smith, a redshirt junior who has dealt with significant ankle and knee
injuries over the past two seasons. The other starting big man position next to Santos, who was named to the A-10’s Preseason First Team,
goes to grad transfer Zed Key. Last year, the 6-foot-8 Key averaged 7.4 PPG after returning from a shoulder injury that derailed a strong junior
season at Ohio State.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 8-18 against the spread since February of 2020 as a
favorite of more than 13. However, the Flyers are 20-13-1 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread as underdogs over the past four seasons.
+350 200-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 45%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 74.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#120 of 364)

DUQUESNE
DUKES
2023-24 RECORD: 25-12 SU, 19-17 ATS, 10-25-1 O-U-P

Keith Dambrot and a bulk of seniors, including guards Dae Dae Grant and Jimmy Clark, who combined for over 30 points per game for the
Dukes, are gone from a team that made a late run for the conference tournament title and won a first-round NCAA Tournament game.

Now it’s former assistant Dru Joyce’s job to lead a revamped roster that has a preseason look of a middle of the pack team. The Dambrot style
was to use a lot of bodies so that should help the returning trio of Kareem Rozier (G), Jake DiMichele (G) and David Dixon (F) settle into their
starting roles. Look for Tre Dinkins (15.4 PPG), an All-MAAC performer at Canisius, to quickly find a scoring role. Maximus Edwards (12.4 PPG,
6.6 RPG) shouldn’t have a hard time transitioning into conference play as he was a former A-10 Rookie of the Year at George Washington.
Offense, or at least offensive potential, is what will drive the Dukes towards another postseason berth.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 19-31 against the spread at home the past three
seasons. The group also had the third-highest Under percentage last
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT season, as the Under was 25-10-1 in Duquesne’s games.
22-1 750-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 34%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 71.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#14 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#166 of 364)

FORDHAM
RAMS
2023-24 RECORD: 13-20 SU, 15-18 ATS, 17-16 O-U-P

Sustaining the success Keith Urgo immediately brought to the Bronx in 2023 by winning 25 games has proven to be difficult. Fordham still
used its deliberate style and defense last year, but lost 20 games. This year, the Rams are slated for the bottom of the conference standings.

Their main trio of Elijah Gray (now at Temple), Kyle Rose (led the team in scoring 10.8 PPG) and Antrell Charlton (106 assists) are gone.
Returnees Japhet Medor, Will Richardson and Abdou Tsimbila must do more than a year ago to even surpass last season’s 10th place finish.
Medor, who scored close to 10 points a game last year, will be the primary offensive option and the 6-foot-9 Tsimbila will be one of the A-10’s
top shot blockers. Urgo needs his two main transfers who spent time at larger programs - Jackie Johnson (UNLV) and Matt Zona (Notre Dame)
- to flourish in a starting role.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team played 11 of its final 16 games last season Under the total.
The Under is also 35-23-1 in Fordham road games since the 2018-19
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT season began.
75-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 62%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#92 of 364)

GEORGE
PATRIOTS
MASON
2023-24 RECORD: 20-12 SU, 17-14 ATS, 15-16 O-U-P

Last season, the Patriots were somewhat of a surprise in reaching 20 wins, due in large part to an Adjusted Tempo of 63.8, one of the slowest
in the country according to KenPom.

Unfortunately for Tony Skinn, that didn’t lead to a postseason appearance after GMU lost its opening conference tournament game. Reaching
that goal this year starts with replacing Keyshawn Hall (16.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG) who moved onto UCF and point guard Baraka Okojie, who parlayed
his All-Rookie team honors into a new home with Memphis. Shinn will lean on his main outside threat, Darius Maddox (14.0 PPG., 414 3PT), to
help GMU’s portal additions adjust to the methodical style that worked so well last season. GMU’s return haul from the portal was a good one.
It includes KD Johnson (Auburn), Zach Anderson (Florida Gulf Coast) and Jeremiah Quigley (Iona). This is a good mix of new talent. Johnson
(7.8 PPG) has power-conference experience. Anderson (.459 3P%) brings outside shooting while Quigley’s hustle earned him all MAAC Rookie
honors. The Patriots look to be in the tier of teams right below the A-10 favorites.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 11-6 against the spread as a favorite of at least 3 since
December 7, 2022. The Patriots are also 20-10 against the spread as
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT underdogs the past three seasons.
+700 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 35%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 72.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#13 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#145 of 364)

GEORGE
REVOLUTIONARIES
WASHINGTON
2023-24 RECORD: 15-17 SU, 13-17-1 ATS, 15-16 O-U-P

This team ended last season in a miserable manner, losing 14 of its last 15 games. It’s difficult to envision a different scenario occurring this
season. Garrett Johnson, who missed time last year because of a hip tumor and resulting therapy, tore his ACL over the summer and is out
for the year. The inside-outside forward scored over 13 points per game last season. GW will look to rebuild from within by showcasing the
6-foot-7 Darren Buchanan, Jr. (15.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG) and expecting more of an interior presence from the London-born 6-foot-8 sophomore
Zamoku Weluche-Ume. He will play alongside two other big men new to the program. The 6-foot-11 Rafael Castro (2.9 PPG) comes over from
Providence to team up with the 6-foot-9 Sean Hansen (8.8 PPG) formerly of Cornell. Still without Johnson, the Revolutionaries should finish
below .500 in conference play.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 15-5 against the spread as an underdog of at least 8
during the regular season since January 20, 2022. However, the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT Revolutionaries are 21-34 against the spread as favorites since the
2018-19 season began.
40-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 40%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 70.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#15 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#182 of 364)

LA SALLE
EXPLORERS
2023-24 RECORD: 16-17 SU, 14-17-1 ATS, 13-19 O-U-P

The A-10 coaches predict the Explorers will finish 15th out of 15 teams. The only reason that may not happen is Fran Dunphy is once again
back on the sidelines. For nearly five decades, he has been one of the best coaches in the sport. Over the past two seasons at his alma
mater, with limited resources and a turnstile roster, the Explorers have remained competitive (31-36) with three A-10 tournament victories. Last
season’s top two players left La Salle to move up the college basketball ladder. Khalil Brantley is now at Oklahoma State and Jhamir Brickus
traveled across town to Villanova. Helping to ease this loss is the arrival of the 6-foot-7 Jahlil White (10.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG) from Temple, who is
also jumping from one Philly school to another. A pair of other transfers: forward Demetrius Lilly (Penn State) and wing Erick Acker (LIU) should
get plenty of time in the starting lineup. Perhaps the best part of this upcoming year for La Salle will be the offseason improvements to the Tom
Gola Arena, which previously was one of the worst home courts in the nation.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 7-17 against the spread as a favorite of at least 8 since
January 5, 2017, and the Under went 14-6 in the Explorers’ Atlantic
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 10 games last season.
150-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 33%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#82 of 364)

LOYOLA
RAMBLERS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-10 SU, 17-15 ATS, 14-18 O-U-P

The Ramblers are experienced, with five major contributors back, and will challenge for a conference title. Drew Valentine needs to keep the
progress going that his team showed last year with 23 wins and a share of the regular season title with Richmond. Now that’s the way to
bounce back from winning just 10 games prior in the Ramblers’ inaugural A-10 season. Loyola’s guard-heavy lineup welcomes back Des
Watson (12.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG), Jayden Dawson (7.9 PPG), Sheldon Edwards (6.0 PPG), Jalen Quinn (4.5 PPG) and 6-foot-10 big man Miles
Rubin (2.3 BPG). New to the team and expected to contribute are Justin Moore (12.4 PPG at Drexel), Kymany Houinsou (4.3 ppg with 10 starts
at Washington State) and 6-foot-6 freshman Daniil Glaskov from IMG Academy. This gives Loyola some of the best depth in the conference.
Also working in Valentine’s favor is Loyola’s location, which can be difficult during A-10 travel season, as the Ramblers lost just one conference
home game a year ago.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under is 31-48-1 in road games the past six seasons. The team
is also just 7-18 against the spread in non-conference games the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT past two seasons.
+800 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 46%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 75.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#113 of 364)

MASSACHUSETTS
MINUTEMEN
2023-24 RECORD: 20-11 SU, 18-13 ATS, 15-16 O-U-P

The Minutemen have been one of the A-10’s most recognizable programs since the conference began playing basketball in 1976. This year,
though, will be its last as a member because the football team is driving the bus to the MAC beginning next season. That means A-10 fans
have one last opportunity to see Frank Martin’s intensity on the bench and his team’s physical nature on the court. Before Martin deals with the
MAC, he needs to navigate the A-10 after losing his top two backcourt scorers in Matt Cross (SMU) and Josh Cohen (USC) - those two gave
the offense over 30 points a game last year. That means holdovers Rahsool Diggins (12.9 PPG), Jaylen Curry (7.4 PPG) and Jayden Ndjigue
(5.5 PPG) will man the backcourt. The other two rounding out the starting five should be Daniel Rivera, who averaged over 13 points and eight
rebounds at Bryant, and Daniel Hankins-Sanford (5.3 RPG) in the middle. Without Cross and Cohen, it is going to be a lot harder for Martin and
crew to once again reach the 20-win mark.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 6-2 against the spread as an underdog last season.
The Minutemen are also 18-9 against the spread as favorites of at
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT least 7 since the 2018-19 season began.
20-1 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 48%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 72.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#12 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#143 of 364)

RHODE
RAMS
ISLAND
2023-24 RECORD: 12-20 SU, 11-19-1 ATS, 18-13 O-U-P

Archie Miller’s rebuilding project enters Year 3. Two years ago, the Rams struggled to get nine wins. Last year, they bumped it up to 12. In
order for that number to make another positive, incremental move in 2025, Miller must do it without former starters Luis Kortright and Zek
Montgomery, now at Washington and Bradley, respectively. In total, the Rams program lost seven players. URI’s defense last season was
dreadful, finishing 261st in KenPom’s Defensive Adjusted Efficiency. Miller needs his top returning players Jaden House (14.1 PPG) and a
healthy David Green (14.3 PPG) to do most of the work on both ends of the court. If the Rams can get to 15 wins, it may quell the growing
concerns some in Kingston have that Miller has not turned this program around quick enough.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is only 27-48 against the spread in conference games
the past four seasons, and that’s good for the second-worst non-
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT conference cover percentage nationally in that span.
60-1 750-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 51%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 74.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#124 of 364)

RICHMOND
SPIDERS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-10 SU, 21-11-1 ATS, 15-18 O-U-P

Just when there were some rumblings the Chris Mooney era in Richmond might be coming to an end, the Spiders won 23 games and earned
a share of the 2024 regular season title. Tremendously better than the 15-18 record a year before. That type of variance is going to happen in
a conference where roster volatility has become the norm. This year, Mooney seemingly starts with a lot less talent. Jordan King, who came to
Richmond from ETSU and was the A-10 co-Player of the year, graduated. The same for Neil Quinn. Dji Bailey bolted for LSU.

So here comes a much different starting group for the Spiders. Of course it features transfers. George Washington III (Michigan), Jonathan
Beagle (Albany) and Dusan Neskovic (Dartmouth) all must quickly learn from veteran DeLonnie Hunt (9.3 PPG) Mooney’s passing and picking
offense.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 3-8-1 against the spread as an underdog of at least 6
since November 26, 2019. However, the Spiders went 7-1 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread last season as favorites of 7 or more last season.
60-1 750-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 26%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 77.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#104 of 364)

SAINT
BILLIKENS
LOUIS
2023-24 RECORD: 13-20 SU, 13-17-2 ATS, 19-13 O-U-P

After the Billikens struggled through a 13-20 record last year, Travis Ford was let go after eight mostly productive seasons. The position
directing the Saint Louis program now belongs to Josh Schertz, who turned his Indiana State resurgence into being of the hottest commodities
in the job market. The creative NBA offensive philosophies he incorporates immediately make Saint Louis a unique squad in a conference
known mostly for grind it out games played in the low 70s.

Schertz is bringing along Robbie Avila who prospered reading and reacting within his offensive sets. The “Larry Blurred” nickname probably
goes away but he will still score (17.4 PPG), rebound (6.6 RPG), dish it out (4.1 APG) and stretch the court (39% behind the arc). Also making
the move from Terre Haute is guard Isaiah Swope (15.9 PPG). They join Gibson Jimerson (15.8 PPG), already one of the A-10’s best scorers.
Returners Kellen Thames and Larry Hughes II, along with transfers such as Kobe Johnson (West Virginia), Kalu Anya (Brown) and AJ Casey
(Miami) are all in the position to either start or be key rotational pieces for what should be a Top 25 squad. I have a Saint Louis +450 ticket to
win the A-10 already in my portfolio.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 1-6 against the spread as a home favorite last season,
tied with Sacramento State for the worst cover rate for any team
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT that covered at least one game as a home favorite last season.
+750 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 38%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 73.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#127 of 364)

SAINT
BONNIES
BONAVENTURE
2023-24 RECORD: 20-13 SU, 16-15-2 ATS, 19-14 O-U-P

Regardless of what the Bonnies accomplish this season, all the talk surrounding the program begins and ends with Adrian Wojnarowski serving
as their GM. He will see firsthand the seismic movements the portal causes, as the rebuilding Bonnies now have Melvin Council (Wagner),
Dasonte Bowen (Iowa) and Chance Moore (Missouri State) among others to replace Chad Venning, Moses Flowers, and Daryl Banks. Mark
Schmidt has a reputation of finding ways to fit new players immediately into his defensive schemes. If the Bonnies can claw their way up to a
8-9 seed for the conference tournament at Capital One Arena, it will be a good way to kick off the Woj era in Olean.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 56-36-1 against the spread at home since the 2017-18
season began, and the Over is 21-9 in its home games the past two
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT seasons.
25-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 8%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#87 of 364)

SAINT
HAWKS
JOSEPH’S
2023-24 RECORD: 21-14 SU, 19-16 ATS, 18-17 O-U-P

Sticking with the theme of the transfer portal impacting this conference in a major way, the Hawks lost some key names. Gone are starting
point guard Lynn Greer, who ventured to crosstown rival Temple and 7-foot center Christ Essandoko, whose continued development will
now take place in Providence. This doesn’t mean the Hawks are taking a step back; in fact, their returning star power makes them one of the
favorites (+425) to win the conference. Erik Reynolds (17.3 PPG) returns for a fifth year and should challenge for Player of the Year honors. He
will pair nicely again with last year’s A-10 Rookie of the Year, Xzayvier Brown (12.7 PPG and 3.3 APG). The A-10 coaches also expect a lot from
forward Rasheer Fleming ( 10.7PPG, RPG 7.4) naming him to the preseason All-Conference 3rd Team. Lange acquired Derek Simpson (Rutgers)
for his defense and Justice Ajogbor (Harvard) to block shots. The last regular season A-10 title for the Hawks came back in 2005. Their last
NCAA tournament appearance was in 2016.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 11-3 against the spread in non-conference games last
season. Since February 1, 2021, the Hawks are also 15-6-1 against
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the spread as underdogs of at least 7.
+650 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 54%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 84.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 15)
NATIONAL RANK: (#48 of 364)

VCU
RAMS
2023-24 RECORD: 24-14 SU, 23-14-1 ATS, 14-24 O-U-P

The Rams are the favorite to win the A-10 regular season title according to both bookmakers (+350) and the coaches’ preseason poll. Ryan
Odom is looking to prove them right by leveraging an experienced roster that features a star scorer in Max Shulga (.439 3P%). Even though the
Rams missed the NCAA Tournament last year, they gained some late season momentum with two NIT victories. Both guards, Zeb Jackson (3.3
APG) and Joe Bamisile (13.1 PPG), are graduate students with the wisdom to know when to score and the time to feed Shulga. All three make
up the best backcourt in the conference.

Down low, VCU has the 6-foot-10 long armed Christian Fermin and the well traveled Jack Clark (La Salle, NC State, Clemson) to work the
boards. This is a team that at its best provides intense defensive pressure. Because of the expected development of Fermin and sophomore
Michael Belle, VCU’s top 40 KenPom defense from a year ago should statiscally be even better.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under was 14-5 in VCU’s final 19 games. The Rams are also 29-
14 against the spread in conference games the past two seasons.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

+250 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 63%
BIG 12
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The Big 12 will look different this season, as Oklahoma and Texas
are out while Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are in.

Houston claimed the regular season title last year, while Iowa State
won the conference tournament. Both are expected to be great
again, and Kansas will be a contender. Bill Self’s team has boasted
the best record in the conference for two of the last three seasons,
and has won at least a share of the regular season conference Dajuan Harris
crown eight times since 2014. However, some of the new blood in
the conference will threaten at the top, and that especially applies
to Arizona. The Wildcats were the regular season champs in the
Pac-12 six times since the start of the 2013-14 season.

This year, the cream of the crop will be Kansas, Houston, Iowa
State, Arizona and Baylor.

Injuries ravaged Kansas last year, but the Jayhawks should get
back to being a top-10 team. Dajuan Harris, one of the best floor
generals in basketball, is back, and so are studs KJ Adams and
Hunter Dickinson. Self also landed two huge transfers as South
Dakota State’s Zeke Mayo and Wisconsin’s AJ Storr are heading to
Lawrence.

Houston has won at least 27 games in six of the last seven

seasons. The Cougars were KenPom’s second-ranked team in
net rating last year, and they’ll be a powerhouse as long as Kelvin
Sampson is on the sidelines. Iowa State, led by T.J. Otzelberger,
returns four of the best players from last year’s team, which was
first in the nation in defensive rating. The Cyclones also added
Charlotte’s Dishon Jackson after the big man averaged 11.4 points
and 6.1 rebounds per game a year ago.

Arizona has won at least 27 games in all three years under Tommy
Lloyd, and this year’s team is loaded. Caleb Love was the Pac-12
Player of the Year last year, and he’s back and ready to rock. The
Wildcats could also have a breakout star in Motiejus Krivas. Lloyd
added two awesome transfers in Campbell’s Anthony Dell’Orso
and Oakland’s Trey Townsend. Baylor will also be tough this year,
with Scott Drew returning after flirting with the Kentucky gig. Drew
added two stars in the portal as he landed Duke’s Jeremy Roach
and Miami’s Norchad Omier. However, the go-to guy will be five-
star wing VJ Edgecombe, who looks like a top-10 pick in the 2025
NBA Draft.

The other teams with potential are Arizona State, Texas Tech, BYU,
Kansas State and Cincinnati. Less should be expected of West
Virginia, TCU, Utah, UCF, Colorado and Oklahoma State.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY ZACHARY COHEN

57
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 92.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#9 of 364)

ARIZONA
WILDCATS
2023-24 RECORD: 27-9 SU, 22-14 ATS, 15-20-1 O-U-P

Lloyd has done a decent job at Arizona, but fans are desperate for postseason success. Will this be the year the Wildcats make a run in the NCAA Tournament?
Last year, Arizona was 11th in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating. The group was excellent on both ends of the floor, and there’s no reason this team
can’t be similar. Caleb Love, who averaged 18.0 points per game last season, should be one of the best players in the country. He’ll be joined in the backcourt by
Jaden Bradley, who is ready for a bigger role.

At the forward spots, transfers Anthony Dell’Orso, a microwave scorer, and Trey Townsend, a do-it-all power forward that led Oakland to a win over Kentucky,
should be instant-impact players. KJ Lewis could also have a breakout season. And center Motiejus Krivasis is a mountain of a man with real skills. People have
wanted Oumar Ballo to transfer so that Krivasis can play more. The Wildcats also have some highly-touted recruits, with Carter Bryant being the most exciting
this year.

This is a very talented group that has what it takes to disrupt in the Big 12, and there’s no reason Arizona can’t be a Final Four team. But people need to see it to
believe it.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 9-0-1 against the spread in its last 10 games as a
favorite of more than 18. The Wildcats were also 9-2 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread in regular season non-conference games last season.
+800 25-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 43%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 81.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#12 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#75 of 364)

ARIZONA
SUN DEVILS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 14-18 SU, 14-17-1 ATS, 17-15 O-U-P

If you’re looking for a long shot to win the conference, Arizona State could be the play. The Sun Devils are going to be young, but they’re also
extremely talented. Bobby Hurley has highly regarded freshmen on this roster, as he grabbed five-star center Jayden Quaintance from Kentucky
and also stole guard Joson Sanon from Arizona. Both players have a world of potential, and it also sounds like four-star wing Amier Ali will be a
player this season.

On top of having all the kids, Hurley also added some good transfers in Missouri State’s Alston Mason, UW Milwaukee’s BJ Freeman and Ball
State’s Basheer Jihad. All of them were insanely productive at their previous spots. In fact, Freeman averaged 21.1 points per game for the
Panther and could have a pro future. Arizona State is also expecting a good season out of Adam Miller, who averaged 12.0 points per game last
year.

Realistically, this team is as talented as any in the conference. Hurley just needs to piece it all together. However, his job is probably riding on
doing so, as he has had an up-and-down run in Tempe.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 26-46-1 against the spread as a favorite since the
2019-20 season began. The Sun Devils were also just 3-8 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread in non-conference games last season.
150-1 250-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 17%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 92.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#10 of 364)

BAYLOR
BEARS
2023-24 RECORD: 24-11 SU, 20-12-2 ATS, 18-16 O-U-P

Little stands in the way of Baylor being an elite team again. Baylor has been in the top 20 in KenPom’s efficiency rankings in five straight
years. Scott Drew is one of the best coaches on the planet, so it was huge that he turned down the Kentucky job and stayed at Baylor. Drew
also reloaded his team, adding Duke’s Jeremy Roach and Miami’s Norchad Omier through the portal. Roach is one of the best point guards
in the nation, and Omier is a double-double machine. Roach, Omier and five-star freshman VJ Edgecombe could make up the best trio in the
conference. Edgecombe balled out against professionals for the Bahamian national team in Olympic qualifying. He’s a lottery-level talent and
will be a stud from Day 1.

Returning starter Jayden Nunn is also a rock-solid player, and Langston Love will start this year after averaging 11.0 points and 2.9 rebounds
per game last year. Also, look for Cal transfer Jalen Celestine to make an impact off the bench after shooting 44.0% from 3 last season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 11-2 against the spread as a favorite of at least 7 last
season. The Bears are also 10th in ATS cover rate in non-conference
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games since the 2019-20 season began. They’re 43-25-2 against the
+750 25-1 spread in those games.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 26%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 88.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#22 of 364)

BYU
COUGARS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-11 SU, 20-14 ATS, 16-18 O-U-P

BYU hired Phoenix Suns assistant Kevin Young as the program’s new head coach. Young was viewed as one of the best offensive assistants in
the NBA, and it sounds like BYU is going to give him a lot of money to go after high-level recruits. So, this is a program to keep an eye on. This
year, Young has a decent team. Two of last year’s top three scorers, Fousseyni Traore and Trevin Knell, are back. Knell is an elite shooter. The
Cougars also get back starter Dallin Hall, who is a good player at point. Richie Saunders also returns after averaging 9.6 points per game last
year. And Mawot Mag, who averaged 9.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game for Rutgers last year, should be a starter.

Young also has a potential lottery pick in freshman Egor Demin, a 6-foot-9 wing that can do everything out there. There’s also some other
young talents like Elijah Crawford, Kanon Catchings, Khadim Mboup and Brody Kozlowski. Last year, BYU ranked 14th in the nation in offensive
rating and 60th in defensive rating. This year’s team should have a good statistical profile, and the group will be less reliant on the 3. That could
mean a higher floor.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 11-3 against the spread in non-conference play
and is 11-1 against the spread as a favorite of more than 13 since
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT December of 2022.
30-1 80-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 48%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 88.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#20 of 364)

CINCINNATI
BEARCATS
2023-24 RECORD: 22-15 SU, 18-18-1 ATS, 19-18 O-U-P

Wes Miller is 63-43 in three years with Cincinnati, but the Bearcats went 7-11 in conference play in their first year in the Big 12. And while Miller
is undoubtedly a solid coach, this feels like a program that could struggle with so many talented new teams in the conference.

Cincinnati will be hoping that Dan Skillings Jr., last year’s leading scorer at 12.9 points per game, can build on an awesome second half of last
season. The Bearcats also have other key contributors back from last year, including Simas Lukosius, Day Day Thomas and Aziz Bandaogo.
Miller also added a proven two-way player in Texas transfer Dillon Mitchell, who averaged 9.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks
per game last year. It’ll also be interesting to see what CJ Fredrick Jr., a sniper from deep, can do now that he’s healthy. And shooter Connor
Hickman, who played for Bradley last year, should also be a rotation piece.
The Bearcats were 19th in the country in defensive rating last year, and this year’s group could be even better. But Miller needs more from his
team offensively. Maybe the transfers can help.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 8-2 against the spread as a road underdog last
season and is 20-6 against the spread coming off a straight-up loss
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the past two seasons. The latter is good for the second-best cover
rate in the nation.
20-1 90-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 71%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#15 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#86 of 364)

COLORADO
BUFFALOES
2023-24 RECORD: 26-11 SU, 19-17-1 ATS, 22-15 O-U-P

Colorado went 26-11 last season and was 24th in KenPom’s efficiency rankings. Tad Boyle’s team also made it to the NCAA Tournament,
beating Boise State in the First Four and Florida in the first round. The Buffaloes also played a good game against second-seeded Marquette
in the Round of 32. The problem is that Colorado lost Tristan da Silva, KJ Simpson and Cody Williams to the NBA Draft. And J’Vonne Hadley,
Eddie Lampkin and Luke O’Brien all transferred. That’s a lot of talent out the door, so this could be a trying year.

The only returning starter from last year’s team is Julian Hammond III, who averaged 7.4 points per game last season. New faces will make up
the rest of the rotation. Freshman Andrew Crawford, a four-star recruit, will see big minutes immediately. Then, it’ll likely be Washington State
transfer Andrej Jakimovski, DII Colorado Mesa transfer Trevor Baskin and Grace College transfer Elijah Malone rounding out the starting five.
The team has high hopes for Baskin and Malone, who dominated at lower levels.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 41-74-2 against the spread in road games since the
2014-15 season began. The Buffaloes have the worst road cover
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT percentage in that span.
150-1 200-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 14%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 96.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#1 of 364)

HOUSTON
COUGARS
2023-24 RECORD: 32-5 SU, 18-18-1 ATS, 16-21 O-U-P

Houston plays a pretty old-school brand of basketball on offense, but the team defends the 3-point line like there’s no tomorrow. Opponents
shot just 30.1% from 3 against the Cougars last year, and they also had the 11th-best 2PT% defense in the nation. Kelvin Sampson has built a
defensive juggernaut in Houston, and this year’s team should be a bit better than last year’s offensively.

L.J. Cryer, Emanuel Sharp and J’Wan Roberts, three of the four best scorers from last year’s team, are back. Cryer averaged 15.5 points per
game and should be an All-American candidate. Sampson is also hoping that Oklahoma transfer Milos Uzan can fill in for Jamal Shead, who
was the heart and soul of last year’s team. Terrance Arceneaux also feels like a player that is due for a big leap, as he’s a very talented wing.
And there should be some growth from within from several other players.

All in all, Sampson has eight of the 10 players that averaged double digits in minutes back from last year. So, this should be an elite team with a
championship ceiling.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 138-99-5 against the spread since the 2017-18 season
began. That’s the second-best cover percentage for any team that
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT has been at the Division I level for at least three seasons in that time.
+280 15-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 4 RETURNING MINUTES: 69%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 93.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#7 of 364)

IOWA
CYCLONES
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 29-8 SU, 26-11 ATS, 17-20 O-U-P

Four of last year’s most important pieces are back for Iowa State, as Keshon Gilbert, Tamin Lipsey, Curtis Jones and Milan Momcilovic all
return. Gilbert, Lipsey and Jones are all capable of being the best guard on the floor on any given night, and another year in T.J. Otzelberger’s
system should help the Cyclones break into the top 25 in offensive rating. When considering that this team was first in defensive rating last
season, this is going to be a scary group.

It’ll just be interesting to see what some of the other Iowa State rotation players are able to provide. Dishon Jackson, a transfer from Charlotte,
has a massive body and a good feel for the game. He should end up being the starting center for the Cyclones, who can use a legit inside
presence. Northern Iowa transfer Nate Heise could also help the rotation, as he has proven to be a productive player. Iowa State also has an
intriguing young guy in Nojus Indrusaitis, a four-star guard.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 23-11 against the spread in home games the past two
seasons and went 15-7 against the spread in its final 22 games last
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT season.
+350 22-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 67%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 94.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#4 of 364)

KANSAS
JAYHAWKS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-11 SU, 13-19-1 ATS, 16-16-1 O-U-P

Last year didn’t go as planned for Kansas. The Jayhawks lost some games they normally never lose, and they got crushed by the injury bug.
By the time the NCAA Tournament rolled around, the team’s depth was decimated. But this year’s team has the goods, making another Big 12
championship and extended March run possible for Bill Self. Little stands in the way of Baylor being an elite team again. Baylor has been in the
top 20 in KenPom’s efficiency rankings in five straight years.

The Jayhawks have a bunch of great returners, as Dajuan Harris Jr., the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and an awesome floor
general on offense, is joined by KJ Adams Jr. and Dickinson. That’s an elite point guard and two players that should make up one of the best
frontcourts in the nation. Self also added Zeke Mayo, who averaged 18.8 points per game for South Dakota State last year, and AJ Storr, who
averaged 16.8 points per game for Wisconsin. Those were two of the best players in the portal. Alabama’s Rylan Griffin is another transfer
addition that will contribute right away. The Jayhawks also happen to have some exciting youngsters to develop, with Rakease Passmore and
Flory Bidunga being prized recruits.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team went 3-9 against the spread in its final 12 games last year.
The Jayhawks are also 7-14-1 against the spread as underdogs
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT since the 2020-21 season began. That’s the fifth-worst underdog
+220 10-1 cover percentage in the country.

RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 55%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 84.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#49 of 364)

KANSAS
WILDCATS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 19-15 SU, 17-17 ATS, 17-16-1 O-U-P

In Jerome Tang’s first season in Manhattan, the Wildcats went 26-10 overall and 11-7 in conference. They were also 21st in KenPom’s
efficiency rankings, finishing 37th in offensive rating and 27th in defensive rating. Last year, things fell apart. Kansas State went 19-15 overall
and 8-10 in conference. The Wildcats were just 70th in KenPom’s efficiency rankings, and a 139th-ranked offense was the reason. Things
should get a little better in Year 3.

Tang was able to convince Michigan point guard Dug McDaniel to join the squad. McDaniel should instantly be one of the best guards in the
conference, and having a player that good at an important position can mean the world. Another massive portal addition for the Wildcats was
Illinois big man Coleman Hawkins. The 6-foot-10 forward has had an up-and-down college career, but he can space the floor and has always
had an intriguing skill set. The rest of the starting five is also made of transfers, with Cal State Fullerton’s Max Jones, Illinois Chicago’s C.J.
Jones and Samford’s Achor Achor all likely to start. It’s not clear how some of those players will handle the jump in competition, but McDaniel
and Hawkins can play anywhere, so Tang should be able to make this work.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over was 5-1 in games with a total of 151 or higher last season.
The Wildcats are also 2-7 against the spread as a favorite of at least
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 9 since December 12, 2022.
40-1 75-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 13%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#16 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#94 of 364)

OKLAHOMA
COWBOYS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 12-20 SU, 10-19-3 ATS, 19-13 O-U-P

There isn’t a team with longer odds to win the conference than this one. New head coach Steve Lutz has been to the NCAA Tournament in each
of the last three years, getting there twice with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and then taking Western Kentucky there in his lone season with the
team. So, Lutz is a coach that has gotten the job done and expects to win games. But this is going to be a bit of a project. Maybe the Pokes
will be a good ATS team this season, as Lutz is genuinely a good coach. But he needs time to stockpile talent and put his system in place.

Bryce Thompson, who started his career at Kansas, has been a double-digit scorer for Oklahoma State in each of the last three years. He’ll
be expected to lead this group, and La Salle transfer Khalil Brantley and Arkansas transfer Devo Davis will help. Brantley averaged 15.0 points
per game last season, and Davis averaged 10.9 points per game two years ago. So, there is some firepower on the perimeter. However, this
Cowboys team lacks size and toughness in the frontcourt and that significantly limits this group’s upside.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 2-8 against the spread as a home underdog since the
2022-23 season began. The Cowboys also went 0-6 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread in their final six games last season.
200-1 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 19%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 84.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#51 of 364)

TCU
HORNED FROGS
2023-24 RECORD: 21-13 SU, 19-15 ATS, 19-15 O-U-P

TCU went 21-13 and 9-9 in Big 12 play last season. The Horned Frogs were also a top-45 team in both offensive and defensive rating. Jamie
Dixon has now won at least 21 games in each of the last three seasons, and he has also done so in six of his eight years with TCU. One thing
to like about this year’s squad is the backcourt. Arizona State transfer Frankie Collins averaged 13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.6
steals per game last year. He’s a good scorer and a feisty competitor. Joining him is Green Bay transfer Noah Reynolds, who averaged 20.0
points and 4.5 assists per game last year. Reynolds has good size, is highly skilled and knows how to play the game.

Dixon will also be counting on Wyoming transfer Brendan Wenzel, a very good 3-point shooter, UNC Wilmington transfer Trazarien White, who
averaged 19.8 points and 6.8 rebounds last year, and Ernest Udeh, a big man that started his career at Kansas and showed promise with TCU
last year. This is a team that is more talented than it looks on paper. There’s probably not much upside, but this could be a tournament team.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 9-3 against the spread as a favorite of at least 14 since
November 15, 2022, and the Over was 8-3 in Horned Frogs road
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games last season.
100-1 150-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 5%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 89.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#17 of 364)

TEXAS
RED RAIDERS
TECH
2023-24 RECORD: 23-11 SU, 15-18-1 ATS, 19-14-1 O-U-P

Grant McCasland is trying to change the perception of this Texas Tech program. Once known as a defensive-minded team, the Red Raiders
were 27th in offensive rating in McCasland’s first year with the school. He significantly upped the team’s 3-point rate, and he has the Red
Raiders playing some modern basketball. Now, McCasland is going to try and turn this program into a Big 12 contender. The betting odds
suggest Tech isn’t close to really competing, but it’d be a mistake to count this group out. Realistically, this team can beat anybody in the
conference, and it’s the type of roster that can get hot in the NCAA Tournament.

The best returning player on the team is forward Darrion Williams, who averaged 11.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game last
season. He also shot 45.8% from deep. Guard Chance McMillian, who averaged 10.8 points per game, is also back. McCasland is looking to
Minnesota transfer Elijah Hawkins, New Mexico transfer JT Toppin and Pittsburgh transfer Federiko Federiko (yup) to round out the starting five.
Hawkins is one of the best passers in the nation, and Toppin is a strong, athletic forward with a high motor.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 7-2 against the spread as a favorite of at least 14 points
since December 15, 2022, and the Over is 12-6-1 in Red Raiders road
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games the past two seasons.
25-1 70-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 38%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#60 of 364)

UCF
KNIGHTS
2023-24 RECORD: 17-16 SU, 19-14 ATS, 18-14-1 O-U-P

UCF was 21st in the nation in defensive rating last year, but the Knights were just 148th in offensive rating. The season ended with UCF at 17-
16 overall and 7-11 in conference play. Johnny Dawkins is now hoping to figure out the offense, as doing so could mean an appearance in the
NCAA Tournament.

Getting Jaylin Sellers, last year’s leading scorer, back is a good start. Sellers will be joined by Darius Johnson in the backcourt. Johnson was
right behind Sellers in scoring, but the point guard led the team in assists too. This is going to be a very strong group of guards, especially with
UTSA transfer Jordan Ivy-Curry coming over after averaging 17.1 points per game last year. And George Mason transfer Keyshawn Hall should
add firepower on the wing after averaging 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season. In the frontcourt, Dawkins is hoping that a new
situation can bring the best out of Syracuse transfer Benny Williams, a former high-level recruit with loads of talent. And Moustapha Thiam, a
7-foot-2 center that was 30th in the 2024 ESPN 100, could start at center. If Thiam can be productive right away, the Knights are going to be
tough this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 13-3 against the spread as a favorite of at least 8 since
February 1, 2022. The Knights also went 13-7 against the spread in
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT conference play last season.
150-1 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 43%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#13 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#78 of 364)

UTAH
UTES
2023-24 RECORD: 22-15 SU, 19-18 ATS, 19-15-3 O-U-P

This team was top 50 in offensive and defensive rating last year. Let’s see if that’s sustainable. Losing Branden Carlson, one of the best centers
in the country, is going to hurt. But the team is hoping that Lawson Lovering is up for the challenge of replacing him. Lovering is 7-foot-1 and
did some good things in his 18.4 minutes per game last year. Head coach Craig Smith has praised him for his growth in the offseason. Ezra
Ausar, a 6-foot-9 forward that averaged 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for ECU last year, will join him in the frontcourt.

In the backcourt, Utah will be counting on the Madsen twins. Gabe Madsen, who averaged 13.6 points and shot 38.6% from 3 last year, is back
to start at point guard. But his brother Mason transferred in from Boston College after averaging 8.1 points on 37.7% shooting from deep. With
those two and San Francisco transfer Mike Sharavjamts in the mix, Smith’s team has an intriguing group on the perimeter.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since the 2019-20 season began, the team has the second-worst
road cover percentage in the nation at 28.9%.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

150-1 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 27%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#14 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#84 of 364)

WEST VIRGINIA
MOUNTAINEERS
2023-24 RECORD: 9-23 SU, 13-18-1 ATS, 17-15 O-U-P

Head coach Darian DeVries and his son Tucker DeVries did great things at Drake, but how will it look in the big leagues? And can Darian get
it done without a single returning rotation player from last year’s Mountaineers roster? Tucker should immediately be one of the best players
in the conference. He averaged 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game last year, and he’s a two-time Missouri Valley
Player of the Year. There’s no reason his game can’t translate, as he’s 6-foot-7, can shoot the cover off the ball and has great feel for the game.

The other starters will seemingly be Oklahoma State’s Javon Small, Detroit Mercy’s Jayden Stone, Illinois Chicago’s Toby Okani and Fresno
State’s Eduardo Andre. Darian has also talked up Illinois transfer Amani Hansberry. Small was highly productive for the Cowboys, so we know
he can play at this level. The others have more question marks, but Stone is going to be a fun one to watch. He averaged 20.8 points per game
last year.

It’s hard to expect much from a team that was pieced together like this, but there’s talent here and Darian can coach.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 19-36 against the spread as an underdog the past three
seasons, and the Over is 27-13 in Mountaineers road games the past
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT three seasons.
100-1 130-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 4%
 BIG EAST
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The Big East Conference is a true college basketball powerhouse.
It also just so happens to contain the reigning two-time National
Champions. The UConn Huskies will attempt to run it back for a
third straight season, as they’ve gone 68-11 overall and 31-9 in
conference play over the last two seasons. As good as the 2023
title team was, they were better in 2024, going 37-3 and 18-2 in
league play.

So, that’s the standard that everybody else in the conference will
attempt to emulate. For all of the good teams in the conference,
only three made the NCAA Tournament last season and the other
two, Creighton and Marquette, bowed out in the Sweet 16. St.
John’s, at least from metric sites like Bart Torvik and KenPom,
was one of the biggest tourney snubs. But, the problem with
this conference is that they all grade strongly, but spend time
cannibalizing each other during conference play.
Ryan
Kalkbrenner UConn was the only team with fewer than six losses. The
aforementioned Red Storm went 20-13 overall and 11-9 in
conference, but ranked in the top 20 per Torvik and 21st for
KenPom. The only other top-36 team for KenPom to miss the
tournament was Wake Forest.

Torvik and Pomeroy both had nine of the 11 teams in their top 61
last season. UConn’s personnel losses may level the playing field
a little bit, but every game will be a grind night in and night out and
the members of this league often have big showcase games in the
non-conference, especially with the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

The depth of this conference is a reflection of the talent and also

the coaching, as there are a lot of strong bench bosses in the Big
East. What will be interesting to see is if the second-year guys
Rick Pitino (St. John’s), Kim English (Providence), and Ed Cooley
(Georgetown), and third-year guys Shaheen Holloway (Seton Hall),
Kyle Neptune (Villanova), Sean Miller (Xavier), and Thad Matta
(Butler) can take their teams to the next level. Doormat DePaul has
a new coach in Chris Holtmann, formerly at Ohio State.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY ADAM BURKE

66
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#77 of 364)

BUTLER
BULLDOGS
2023-24 RECORD: 18-15 SU, 14-18 ATS, 13-17-2 O-U-P

Butler’s location in the hotbed of basketball has produced a lot of underwhelming results. The Bulldogs would have made the NCAA
Tournament in 2020 if not for COVID, but they haven’t made the dance since 2018 in the first year under LaVall Jordan, who built off of Chris
Holtmann’s success, but then largely squandered it. Getting true game-changers to Indianapolis has been a challenge and one that Thad Matta
has decided to embrace for the second time after playing there from 1987-90 and coaching there from 1997-2001.

The Bulldogs, like so many teams around the country, have major losses and additions, but they were able to keep leading scorers Pierre
Brooks II (14.8 PPG) and Jahmyl Telfort (13.9 PPG). Kolby King from Tulane and Patrick McCaffery could be impact transfers, as Iowa head
coach Fran McCaffery’s son went to Butler for a clean slate. It seems like Butler didn’t fully address their issues on the offensive glass or with
interior defense, though, so we’ll see if they can outscore teams to win.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 2-8 against the spread in its last 10 games of the
2023-24 season. The Bulldogs also didn’t play a game that went
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT Over the total after February 2. The Under was 10-0-1 in their final 11
games.
100-1 200-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 56%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 95.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#3 of 364)

CONNECTICUT
HUSKIES
2023-24 RECORD: 37-3 SU, 28-12 ATS, 17-23 O-U-P

Last season’s Huskies had to replace Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins. No problem. This year’s Huskies have to replace Cam Spencer,
Tristen Newton, Donovan Clingan, and Stephon Castle. Potential problem? I would say so. Dan Hurley remains one of the nation’s top coaches
and turned down a chance to coach the Lakers in order to remain with UConn. He still has Alex Karaban to build around, but four of the five
UConn players that averaged double figures are gone, including the irreplaceable big man Clingan, who is 7-foot-2.

The nice thing about free agency in college sports is that players want to win. That’s why the Huskies got Aidan Mahaney from Saint Mary’s and
Tarris Reed Jr. from Michigan. This was the top offense in the nation by adjusted efficiency per Torvik and the fourth-best defense. This was a
team that outshot opponents by nearly 16% on 2s and owned the offensive glass. Are all of those things possible again with Karaban, Hassan
Diarra, and a much larger role for Samson Johnson? This will be another great team. But elite? Maybe not, unless projected top-10 pick Liam
McNeeley is the real deal as the year goes along.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 29-4-1 against the spread in non-conference games and
55-23-1 against the spread overall the past two seasons. Both are
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the best cover rates in the country.
+130 +900
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 36%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 91.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#14 of 364)

CREIGHTON
BLUEJAYS
2023-24 RECORD: 25-10 SU, 18-16-1 ATS, 18-17 O-U-P

The Big Three is now a Big One in Omaha, as Ryan Kalkbrenner is the only holdover from the trio of him, Baylor Scheierman, and Trey
Alexander. We’ll see if Steven Ashworth, the other Bluejay who averaged double figures, can take a major step forward, but the Bluejays need
to replace 36.1 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game from Scheierman and Alexander.

Greg McDermott’s offensive system will create open looks. This team was third in eFG% last season and third in 2P%. They were also 30th in
3P% and ranked in the top 10 in FT%. They just make shots and always have, finishing in the top 10 for Torvik in adjusted offensive efficiency
five times in the McDermott era. The only “bad” offense came in 2022 and that team still went 23-12. What separates Creighton from other
good offenses is that they haven’t finished outside the top 35 in adjusted defensive efficiency since 2020. Expect another Top 25 team with
Kalkbrenner and some high-upside transfers.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team ended the 2023-24 season going 8-1 against the spread in the
final nine games it played as a favorite of 14 or more. The Under is also
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 44-22-2 in Bluejays road games since the 2018-19 season, the highest road

+300 45-1 Under percentage for any team that has been at the Division I level the past
six seasons.

RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 46%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 71.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#151 of 364)

DEPAUL
BLUE DEMONS
2023-24 RECORD: 3-29 SU, 11-20-1 ATS, 17-15 O-U-P

The Tony Stubblefield era has mercifully come to an end in Chicago, as former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann inherits a major rebuild.
The Blue Demons were winless in conference play and 9-51 on Stubblefield’s watch. This is a program that has one winning season in league
play since joining the Big East for the 2005-06 season. They have two winning seasons total in that span and last made the NCAA Tournament
in 2004 as a member of Conference USA.

On the plus side for Holtmann, nobody wanted to stick around. So, he had a clean slate and a commitment from the athletic department to
build what he wanted. That included pure scorer David Skogman from Davidson, a player who shot nearly 60% on 2s and 46% on 3s last
season. It included UIC and Colorado state guard Isaiah Rivera, who shot better than 40% from 3. N.J. Benson shot 63% on 2s for Missouri
State. David Thomas from Mercer shot 39% from 3. Troy D’Amico was a 36% 3-point shooter. DePaul has added scorers. Now we’ll see if they
can defend.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 9-22-1 against the spread as either a favorite or an
underdog of fewer than 16 since January 19, 2023. The Blue Demons
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT are also 4-16-2 against the spread as home underdogs the past two
seasons.
250-1 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 0%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 77.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#99 of 364)

GEORGETOWN
HOYAS
2023-24 RECORD: 9-23 SU, 13-19 ATS, 18-14 O-U-P

Playing poor defense in a conference where virtually every team can score turned out to be a major issue for Georgetown. The Hoyas won two
of their 20 Big East games and allowed conference foes to shoot 62% on 2s and 38% on 3s. When you consider that the Hoyas were also last
in the league in 2P% at 44.5%, you can see why they struggled a lot. Eight of Georgetown’s nine wins came against Quadrant 4 competition
and DePaul was the only team they beat in conference.

This will be a perimeter-led team with top scorer Jayden Epps (18.5 PPG) and Harvard transfer Malik Mack, who led the Crimson with 17.5
PPG. Drew Fielder is a nice homegrown piece to build around at 6-foot-10 with Supreme Cook out of the picture and Cooley brought in a good
player in Micah Peavy from TCU. Depth will be a major issue for the Hoyas, but they have more scoring punch to try and offset what will be
another rough season on defense.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 65-103-3 against the spread at home since the 2014-15
season started, and the Over is 69-47-1 in Georgetown road games
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT since the 2013-14 season began.
200-1 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 31%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 88.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#21 of 364)

MARQUETTE
GOLDEN EAGLES
2023-24 RECORD: 27-10 SU, 21-15-1 ATS, 15-22 O-U-P

Has the ceiling been lowered for Marquette this season? Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro are gone, leaving one star behind in Kam Jones. Kolek
was one of the top facilitators in the nation and also a gifted scorer in his own right. Jones is a pure scorer, but the Golden Eagles will need to
find somebody to run the offense and find them quickly. Jones may run point out of necessity, but only one Golden Eagle averaged more than
three assists per game last season and it was Kolek.

In fact, Jones only had 2.4 assists per game. While he led the team with 17.2 PPG and can create his own shots, it remains to be seen if he can
create them for others. This is still going to be an elite defensive team, as Stevie Mitchell and Chase Ross are both excellent on-ball defenders.
But, Marquette also needs a big to emerge with Ighodaro gone. David Joplin and Ben Gold shot 36% each from 3, and Marquette will stretch
the floor a lot on offense as a result, but they are going to be very dependent on outside shooting.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 14-7 against the spread in its final 21 games last
season. The Golden Eagles are also 20-4 against the spread as
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT favorites of at least 8 since November 8, 2023.
+800 75-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 64%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 83.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#57 of 364)

PROVIDENCE
FRIARS
2023-24 RECORD: 21-14 SU, 20-15 ATS, 15-19-1 O-U-P

The fast ascent of Kim English was a big story last season when he took over at Providence after two years as the head coach at George
Mason. Top 2024 recruit Garwey Dual transferred to rival Seton Hall. Top scorers and all-around players Devin Carter and Josh Oduro are gone.
But, a season, a full recruiting cycle, and a chance to go shopping at the Portal Mart have a lot of people excited about Providence’s prospects
this season.

It starts with senior Bryce Hopkins, who was dynamic in the non-conference before going down with a torn ACL in the first game of 2024. How
everybody around Hopkins comes together will determine how the season goes. Wesley Cardet Jr., Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Bensley Joseph, and
7-footer Christ Essandoko project to play big minutes for a team that badly needed 3-point help on both ends of the floor. For a team that shot
a lot of them, Providence was 251st in 3P% and that was an offseason target for English.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under was 10-2 in Providence non-conference games last
season, and the Friars have the best road cover percentage in the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT country the past three seasons at 22-9 against the spread.
40-1 120-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 36%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#80 of 364)

SETON
PIRATES
HALL
2023-24 RECORD: 25-12 SU, 17-19-1 ATS, 18-19 O-U-P

The Pirates won 20 regular season games and went 13-7 in a very tough conference. Eight of their losses were to Quadrant 1 opponents and
they were a top-40 team for both Torvik and KenPom. Here’s the thing, though. Seton Hall didn’t really excel in many areas. They were a top-25
offensive rebounding team, but ranked in the 190s and 170s in 3P% and 2P%, respectively, and outside the top 100 in defending both 3s and
2s. Ironically, after the NCAA Tournament snub, they rolled through the NIT and won that title.

The losses from last season are exceptionally heavy. Kadary Richmond, Al-Amir Dawes, and Dre Davis all had at least 15 PPG. Jaden Bediako
did not, but he shot 61% from the floor and ran out of eligibility. Richmond is at St. John’s. Davis is at Ole Miss. Shaheen Holloway brought
in guards Chaunce Jenkins (Old Dominion) and Zion Harmon (Bethune-Cookman) and 6-foot-10 forward Yacine Toumi (Evansville), but the
talent level of this team is not close to last season’s. Plus, they’ve gotten much worse on the offensive glass and have a lot of below average
shooters.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 1-6 against the spread as an underdog of at least 11
since the 2016-17 season began. At 55-32 against the spread, the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT Pirates also have the third-best road underdog cover percentage
since the 2013-14 season began.
40-1 150-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 21%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 88.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#23 of 364)

ST. JOHN’S
RED STORM
2023-24 RECORD: 20-13 SU, 17-16 ATS, 18-15 O-U-P

Many felt like St. John’s got screwed last season. They were a top-20 team per Bart Torvik and 21st per KenPom, but they were kept out of the
NCAA Tournament. A 95-90 loss to UConn in the Big East Tournament ended the season. The Johnnies only went 1-7 in Quadrant 1-A games,
though, and didn’t have the big wins that the committee was looking for, even though they didn’t have any bad losses either.

Not everybody was committed to sticking around for revenge, as St. John’s actually returns zero starters. But, they did get Kadary Richmond to
transfer from rival Seton Hall and four-time transfer Deivon Smith, who was terrific last season at Utah. Aaron Scott from North Texas is a career
54% shooter on 2s and 38% from 3s as a stretch four. RJ Luis was a great sixth man and he’ll get more run. It is Year 2 under Rick Pitino and
this likely looks more like the team he wants after inheriting most of last season’s roster. The numbers should go up across the board here.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over is 26-13-1 in St. John’s non-conference games the past
four seasons, tied for the fifth-highest non-conference Over rate in
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the country. The Red Storm are also 20-30-1 against the spread at
+500 50-1 home the past three seasons.

RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 23%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#25 of 364)

VILLANOVA
WILDCATS
2023-24 RECORD: 18-16 SU, 16-16-2 ATS, 11-23 O-U-P

Villanova often played slow under Jay Wright and Wright’s protege, Kyle Neptune, kept that tradition going in Philadelphia. The problem is that
the Wildcats haven’t had the shooters to play that slowly on offense. The defense was outstanding last year for Neptune’s crew, finishing 10th
in adjusted defensive efficiency per Torvik and 13th per KenPom. Unfortunately, the team went from 200th in 3P% to 185th from Year 1 to Year
2 for Neptune.

Villanova gave up at least a point per possession in 11 of 20 conference games. Those accounted for nine of their 10 losses. The margin for
error just wasn’t great enough. Leading scorer Eric Dixon still believed enough to stick around and Neptune hit the portal hard for Jhamir
Brickus, who shot almost 40% on 3s for LaSalle. Wooga Poplar shot nearly 39% from 3 for Miami. Tyler Perkins was a 35% distance shooter
for Penn. I think this is the year Villanova turns it around, as Neptune’s system will produce a good defense and they now have the shooters on
offense.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

All of the team’s final 10 games went Under the total, and the Under
is 18-8 in Villanova road games the past two seasons.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

25-1 110-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 31%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 86.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#35 of 364)

XAVIER
MUSKETEERS
2023-24 RECORD: 16-18 SU, 16-17-1 ATS, 17-17 O-U-P

The most improved team in the conference is the one from Cincinnati. Xavier head coach Sean Miller was able to bring back PG Dayvion
McKnight and big man Zach Freemantle, who missed the final 15 games of the season. He also snagged transfer Ryan Conwell, a 61% shooter
on 2s and 40% on 3s, from Indiana State. Conwell shot 260 3-pointers last season, so he fills a need for a Xavier team that was 302nd in
3P Rate. So, too, does Toledo’s Dante Maddox Jr., a 41% 3-point shooter for his career with nine more made 3s (423) than 2s over his four
seasons.

Xavier badly needed scorers, as they were 248th in eFG%. They didn’t shine on defense either, but played at a high tempo, so their offensive
inefficiency really took a toll. They were under 48% on 2s. Miller, who almost always had terrific 3-point shooting teams at Arizona, now has a
roster in Year 3 that better fits what he wants. The Sweet 16 team from 2023 shot 39% on 3s and almost 54% on 2s. This year’s team will be a
lot closer to that.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over is 22-12-1 in Xavier home games the past two seasons, and
the Musketeers are 29-19-1 against the spread in non-conference
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games the past four seasons.
10-1 70-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 29%
BIG TEN
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Despite losing literally the biggest player in the conference, with
the two-time consensus National Player of the Year 7-foot-4
Zach Edey now gone from Purdue and into the NBA, the “B1G”
only gets bigger with 18 teams as Oregon, UCLA, USC, and
Washington enter the fray.

Perhaps with four new programs in the league, the Big Ten can win
a National Championship for the first time since Michigan State did
it in 2000 (Maryland won in 2002 as a member of the ACC). Purdue
(first Final Four since 1980) reached the National Championship
game and was the first program in the conference to make Monday
night since Michigan in 2018. Alas, the Boilermakers fell short to
UConn and the title drought continues for the conference.

Of the four newbies, only UCLA, off a rare losing season (16-17),
is expected to challenge atop the league. Oregon (15/1 to win Big
Braden
Ten), loses its top two scorers, but is loaded with veteran transfers.
Smith
At Washington (100/1), Danny Sprinkle has made the NCAA
Tournament three straight seasons - twice at Montana State
and last year at Utah State - takes over. Eric Musselman brings
the Muss Bus to USC (40/1) after a tumultuous final season at
Arkansas.

Aside from Sprinkle and Musselman, there are two other first-
year head coaches in the conference as Jake Diebler became the
interim coach replacing a fired Chris Holtmann on Valentine’s Day
last season and went 8-3 to earn the full-time gig at Ohio State
(10/1). After leading FAU to a Final Four two years ago, Dusty
May finally moves to a high-major job but not to his alma mater at
Indiana, as he takes over at Michigan (12/1).

Unlike last season, when Matt Painter and Purdue returned five
starters from a No. 1 seed team, this season there is no clear-
cut favorite in the B1G. The Boilers (4/1) are favorites once again
and return their starting backcourt but will have to play differently
without Edey. The fans in Bloomington are getting a bit restless,
but Mike Woodson may have his best team in four years at Indiana
(6/1).

Just below the two Hoosier state teams, Michigan State (6/1)
,UCLA (7/1), and Illinois (9/1) also have odds in single-digits to win
the conference.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY WES REYNOLDS

73
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 89.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#18 of 364)

ILLINOIS
FIGHTING ILLINI
2023-24 RECORD: 29-9 SU, 22-15-1 ATS, 26-12 O-U-P

Behind the nation’s No. 3 adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom, Illinois made it to the Elite Eight before being one the six victims of UConn. This year, the Illini
only returns 9.7% of their scoring, which led the conference last season (83.4 PPG).

The scoring will be down for Brad Underwood’s bunch, but there is still talent here and likely to be even more in the future with certified ‘dude-getter’ Orlando
Antigua (multiple stints with Calipari at Kentucky) back as associate head coach. Ty Rodgers (6.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG) is the lone returning starter on the wing, but
he has company with 10 new players on the roster including point guard and Champaign native Kylan Boswell (9.6 PPG, 3.6 APG, Arizona) along with Tre White
(Louisville), Jake Davis (Mercer), and the returning Dra-Gibbs Lawhorn.

Antigua has already paid dividends luring five-star freshman forward Will Riley and 7-2 Croatian big Tomislav Ivisic, the twin brother of Arkansas’ Zvonimir Ivisic,
and Lithuanian lead guard Kasparas Jakucionis, a projected first-round pick next year. Evansville grad transfer Ben Humricious averaged 15 a game last season
and is a sharp-shooter. Scoring will be down for this group, but there is quality depth that should get better as the season progresses.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over was 22-6 in the team’s final 28 games, and the Illini are
11-3-1 against the spread as road underdogs the past four seasons.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT That’s the best cover percentage for any team that has been a road
+700 75-1 underdog in at least two games in that span.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 12%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#30 of 364)

INDIANA
HOOSIERS
2023-24 RECORD: 19-14 SU, 15-15-3 ATS, 18-15 O-U-P

The Hoosiers missed the NCAA Tournament last year for the first time in Mike Woodson’s three years and there is more than just some chatter regarding
Woodson’s job status. This is a potential make or break year and Indiana took its robust NIL and went heavy into the portal.

Three starters come to Bloomington from the Pac-12, including two first-team all-conference players in Arizona C Oumar Ballo and Washington State PG Myles
Rice, who finally gives Indiana a legitimate point guard they lacked last season. Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford) is Rice’s backcourt running mate, so Indiana is deeper
with these two, plus Trey Galloway (10.6 PPG, 4.4 APG) who played out of position at the point. With Ballo manning the paint, Malik Reneau (15.4 PPG, 6 RPG)
and Mackenzie Mgbako (12.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG) will be asked to stretch the floor.

Rumors are out there that Indiana will finally quicken the tempo offensively and play a more modern-style of basketball. Last year, the Hoosiers ranked 350th
out of 362 D-1 teams with just 5.03 made 3s per game (dead last among major conference teams). Indiana has not made a second weekend in the NCAA
Tournament nor won the Big Ten since 2016 and that is the expectation this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since December 8, 2022, Indiana is 1-7 against the spread as a
favorite of at least 11 points. The Hoosiers are also 34-58-4 against
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the spread in road games since the 2015-16 season began, the
+650 45-1 country’s worst road cover percentage in that span.

RETURNING STARTERS: 4 RETURNING MINUTES: 59%

 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 86.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#36 of 364)

IOWA
HAWKEYES
2023-24 RECORD: 19-15 SU, 13-20-1 ATS, 23-11 O-U-P

The Hawkeyes streak of six consecutive NCAA Tournament bids ended last season. The streak of Fran McCaffery having one of his sons play for him is also over,
as Patrick transferred to finish up his career at Butler and his youngest son, Jack, also committed there for next season.

Nevertheless, McCaffery claims this year’s Iowa team is one of his deepest in his 15th season in Iowa City. It all starts with Payton Sandfort (16.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG),
who passed on the NBA Draft over the summer after leading the Big Ten with 94 made 3s. Josh Dix (8.9 PPG, 42.1% 3P%) and Brock Harding return, while Drew
Thelwell (Morehead State) comes in. Big man Owen Freeman (10.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.1 blocks per 40 minutes) shared Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and
Iowa added some depth, including Manhattan transfer Seydou Traore (11.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG).

Iowa will always be able to shoot and score the ball (2nd in conference - 83.1 PPG) but they reverted back to poor defense last season (105.4 points/100
possessions - worst since 2017-18). McCaffery just turned 65 and appears to be done coaching his sons, so there is a possibility that this is his swan song in
Iowa City.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over was 10-3 in Iowa games with a total of 161 or less last
season. The Hawkeyes are also 51-28-2 against the spread as home
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT favorites since the 2019-20 season began.
30-1 150-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 51%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#39 of 364)

MARYLAND
TERRAPINS
2023-24 RECORD: 16-17 SU, 13-20 ATS, 13-20 O-U-P

Kevin Willard’s bunch was an excellent defensive team last season, leading the league in scoring defense (65.9 PPG) but they could not throw a pea in the
Atlantic Ocean as they rated 320th nationally in shooting percentage (41.3%) and even worse from the 3 (28.9% - 340th).

To solve the Terps shooting woes, Willard hit the portal to bring in Selton Miguel (39% 3P%, South Florida), Rodney Rice, who played locally at DeMatha, but was
injured for the better part of the last two seasons at Virginia Tech, and Ja’Kobi Gillespie (39% 3P% at Belmont). Loyola Marymount transfer Chance Stephens
shot 37% from 3 two seasons ago. McDonald’s All-American Derik Queen, originally from Baltimore, picked Maryland over Indiana and will see immediate
minutes down low and should provide a good 1-2 punch with Julian Reese (13.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 60 blocks).

Maryland will still be one of the best defensive teams in the conference, but will be in a lot of grinders and close games (9 losses last year by five points or less
vs. just one win) and the backcourt is not yet good enough.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 13-7 against the spread as a favorite of at least 9.5
since December 29, 2021, and the Under is 43-25 in Maryland games
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the past two seasons.
20-1 75-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 41%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#12 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#43 of 364)

MICHIGAN
WOLVERINES
2023-24 RECORD: 8-24 SU, 8-23-1 ATS, 18-14 O-U-P

Juwan Howard is a Michigan basketball legend, but the Wolverines went 8-24 and he was rightfully dismissed. Enter Dusty May, who was arguably one of college
basketball’s hottest young coaches just two seasons removed from taking FAU to the Final Four.

May did not waste any time adding nine scholarship players - six transfers and three freshmen. Vladislav Goldin (15.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG at FAU) came with May from
Boca Raton and Yale transfer Danny Wolf are a couple of seven-footers added to the lineup and Alabama stretch forward Sam Walters joins up front.

The primary question for May is who will be his PG. Great passer Tre Donaldson (Auburn) and defensive stopper Rubin Jones (North Texas) may split duties.
Freshmen Justin Pippen, son of Scottie, and L.J. Cason, a May signee at FAU, will also see time. Michigan was dead last in the conference and 336th nationally
in turnover margin, so they should improve in that regard. Roddy Gayle Jr. (Ohio State) joins returnees Nimari Burnett and Michigan Mr. Basketball Durral Brooks
for more depth.

After posting their worst record since 1960-61, the Wolverines will likely be the most improved team in the conference and will at least be on the NCAA
Tournament bubble in May’s first season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team’s 8-24 ATS record was the third-worst in the nation last
year. The Wolverines were 3-19 against the spread in their final 22
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games.
10-1 55-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 23%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#24 of 364)

MICHIGAN
SPARTANS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 20-15 SU, 20-15 ATS, 15-20 O-U-P

After losing four starters from a second-round NCAA Tournament team, Michigan State took a trip to Spain this summer to acclimate three new freshmen and two
rare transfer portal additions to the roster.

Jaden Akins (10.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG) returns on the wing as the only remaining starter from last year’s group. Tre Holloman (5.7 PPG, 2.4 APG, 42.5% 3P%) also
returns to play both guard spots, but Jeremy Fears Jr. (3.5 PPG, 3.3 APG), who missed most of last season, inherits the PG spot. Freshmen Kur Teng and Jase
Richardson, son of former Spartans star Jason Richardson, will also see time for a club that needs to shoot the 3 more often (30.4% 3P Rate, 324th).

When you have been the head coach of a program for 30 years like Tom Izzo, you tend to get set in your ways when it comes to things like transfer portal. Frankie
Fidler (20.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, Omaha) and he arrived in East Lansing with 7-footer Szymon Zapata (9.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, Longwood).

Perhaps Michigan State has reached its peak under Izzo, as they have not been better than a 7 seed over the last four years in the NCAA Tournament. However,
it is still tough to discount a coach that has reached eight Final Fours.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 15-1-1 against the spread with a rest disadvantage last
season. The Spartans are also 86-53-1 against the spread at home since
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the 2015-16 season began, the third-best home cover percentage among
+600 55-1 teams that have been at the DI level each of the past nine seasons.

RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 39%

 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 81.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#18 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#72 of 364)

MINNESOTA
GOLDEN GOPHERS
2023-24 RECORD: 19-15 SU, 23-9-2 ATS, 18-16 O-U-P

The Golden Gophers played postseason basketball (NIT) for the first time since 2019 and had some positive momentum going forward, but now Ben Johnson is
rebuilding again as six players left the program.

Dawson Garcia (17.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG) is the top returning scorer in the Big Ten and can play the 4 or the 5. Johnson would like him to play more inside-outside
with him and may be able to do that with the addition of Canisius transfer Frank Mitchell (12.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG) who posted 15 double-doubles last season and
ranked Top 10 nationally for both offensive and defensive rebounding rate per KenPom.

Mike Mitchell Jr. (10.2 PPG, 2.8 APG) shot over 40% from 3 last year, but may have to play out of position a bit and share PG duties. Well-traveled Femi Odukale
can play multiple positions. Tyler Cochran was the co-MAC Defensive Player of the Year at Toledo. Lu’Cye Patterson (Charlotte), Brennan Rigsby (Oregon), and
Caleb Williams (D3) also come in to provide depth.

Minnesota is older but are they necessarily better? They finally got out of the Big Ten cellar last year after residing there in Johnson’s first two seasons, but they
likely find themselves in that all too familiar position once again.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team’s 25-9 ATS record was the second-best in the country last
season, and the Under is 16-7 in Minnesota non-conference games
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the past two seasons. That’s the sixth-highest non-conference Under
percentage in the country.
200-1 350-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 40%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 83.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#14 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#55 of 364)

NEBRASKA
CORNHUSKERS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-11 SU, 21-12-1 ATS, 22-11-1 O-U-P

It was a triumphant year for ‘Nebraskatball”, as the Huskers returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade and had its best record (23-11) in well
over three decades. Fred Hoiberg has finally found players to fit his system and has adjusted to a more half-court, physical game in the Big Ten.

Unfortunately, he will have to do it this year without big man Rienk Mast, who is redshirting due to knee surgery. North Dakota State transfer Andrew Morgan
(12.9 PPG, 5 RPG) will look to replace the lost offensive production and Washington transfer Braxton Meah (77 blocks L2Y) will look to do the same defensively.
Double-figure scorers Brice WIlliams (13.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG) and Juwan Gary (11.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG) are returning veteran leaders for a mostly new team.

Nebraska has been searching for a true PG and may have found one with Rollie Worster. Utah was an NCAA Tournament team with Worster, as they were 12-4
with him, but only 10-11 without him when he was out for the season with a leg injury.

Hoiberg was able to figure out his rotations last year but this team could struggle early and then get better late in the season to make its way toward the NCAA
Tournament bubble.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 1-8 against the spread as an underdog of 7 or less in the
calendar year 2024, and the Cornhuskers were 12-3 against the spread
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT as home favorites last season. The latter is the fifth-best in cover rate
among teams that were a home favorite at least four times last season.
50-1 150-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 34%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 84.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#13 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#53 of 364)

NORTHWESTERN
WILDCATS
2023-24 RECORD: 22-12 SU, 19-14-1 ATS, 17-15-2 O-U-P

The Wildcats once again reached the NCAA Tournament and did so in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. Now they must try to three-peat
without Boo Buie, the program’s all-time leading scorer. Despite the loss of arguably the greatest player in Northwestern basketball history, the ‘Cats bring back
the most minutes production (62.4%) and the fourth-most offensive production (55.4%) in the league.

Northwestern shot 39% as a team from 3. They should come close to that again with Brooks Barnhizer (14.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 35% 3P%) and Ty Berry (11.8 PPG,
43.3% 3P%). Berry and Matthew Nicholson (5.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG) suffered late-season injuries. Both are back and Nicholson will get help down low from Nick
Martinelli (8.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG), who could be the breakout player for Northwestern this season. Jalen Leach (16.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3 APG, Fairfield) will attempt to
take Buie’s place running the offense.

Aside from Buie’s scoring and ball handling, Northwestern returned to the NCAA Tournament largely due to its defense which led the conference in turnover
margin (+3.59). They will be a tough out night after night in the Big Ten, but the loss of Buie may be too much to ask for the Wildcats to make a third straight
NCAA Tournament appearance.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 7-2 against the spread as a home underdog the past two
seasons, and it’s also 1-6 against the spread as a favorite of more
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT than 14 since November 10, 2022.
50-1 200-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 56%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#31 of 364)

OHIO
BUCKEYES
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 22-14 SU, 17-18-1 ATS, 22-14 O-U-P

Jake Diebler took over as interim coach on Valentine’s Day after Chris Holtmann was fired. He made a great first impression knocking off No. 2 Purdue and
finished the season 8-3, which was good enough to have the interim tag removed.

PG Bruce Thornton (15.7 PPG, 4.8 APG) was second in the nation for assist-to-turnover ratio (4.0). He has some much-needed company in the backcourt with
Meechie Johnson (14.1 PPG, 2.9 APG), a Cleveland native who was with the Buckeyes program in 2022 before playing at South Carolina the last two years, and
Micah Parrish (San Diego State). Devin Royal (4.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG) is the lone returner in the frontcourt where Diebler hit the portal to find 7-foot-1 Aaron Bradshaw
from Kentucky and Sean Stewart from Duke. Both were McDonald’s All-Americans two years ago.

The Buckeyes have failed to make the NCAA Tournament in each of the last two seasons, but should find their way back into the field of 68. Thornton is a big-
time leader and clutch player that will win a couple games on his own, but Ohio State will be a legitimate Big Ten dark horse if Bradshaw and Stewart can live up
to their prep accolades.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 8-3 against the spread after the coaching change
from Chris Holtmann to Jake Diebler. That move was made after a
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 9-15-1 ATS start. Seven of the team’s final eight games went Over
+900 60-1 the total.

RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 34%

 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#32 of 364)

OREGON
DUCKS
2023-24 RECORD: 24-12 SU, 16-19-1 ATS, 21-14-1 O-U-P

The Ducks were arguably on the bubble last year and won the Pac-12 Tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, they upset South Carolina before falling to
Creighton in double overtime. Jermaine Couisnard and N’Faly Dante combined for 123 of the Ducks 160 points in the tourney. Both are gone, but a strong core
returns for Dana Altman.

Jackson Shelstad (12.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG) ended up being the standout of last year’s freshmen group. Jadrian Tracey (7.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG) began starting in January,
replacing the injured Keeshawn Barthelemy (7.9 PPG, 2.3 APG). Newcomers to the backcourt include Ra’Heim Moss (Toledo), T. J, Bamba (Villanova), and four-
star freshman Jamari Phillips.

Oregon was denied an NCAA waiver for Dante, so 7-footer Nate Bittle (10 PPG, 4.4 RPG) is the primary post presence after playing just five games last year.
Sophomore Kwame Evans Jr. (7.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG) was a five-star McDonald’s All-American. Brandon Angel (13 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 44.7%, Stanford) and Supreme
Cook (8 RPG, Georgetown) transferred in.

Altman’s program is older and that is needed to survive the physical rigors of the conference. Oregon is likely not a Big Ten title contender in the first year, but
should likely earn an NCAA Tournament bid in its first season in new surroundings.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Despite Oregon’s 2024 NCAA Tournament run, the team was 4-11 against the
spread in its final 15 games last season. But the Ducks are 35-17 against
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the spread against ranked opponents since the 2015-16 season began, and
that’s the best cover percentage for any team to cover at least eight games
15-1 100-1 against a ranked team in that span.

RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 43%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#16 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#62 of 364)

PENN STATE
NITTANY LIONS
2023-24 RECORD: 16-17 SU, 17-13-3 ATS, 20-13 O-U-P

The Nittany Lions went one game under .500 in Mike Rhoades first season in State College, which is respectable considering it was almost a complete roster
makeover and because this is the toughest job in the conference. Three starters and two other contributors return for 61 percent of the total minutes.

Ace Baldwin Jr. (14.2 PPG, 6 APG, 2.7 RPG) came with Rhoades from VCU last year and is the key cog in the “Havoc” pressure defense that forced opponents
to turn the ball on 20.3% of their possessions (23rd nationally). However, Penn State needs better than 32.9% from 3. The team’s other biggest deficiency is
rebounding, as they ranked dead last in the conference and 324th nationally in rebounding margin (-4.6), so Rhoades brings in some size with 7-footer Yanic
Konan Niederhauser (Northern Illinois), 6-foot-11 freshman Miles Goodman, and Kachi Nzeh (Xavier).

The Nittany Lions should be improved in Rhoades’ second year and he has been through the battles with his guys Baldwin and Nick Kern. However, there are too
many teams to leap for this group to make the NCAA Tournament.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Among teams that have been at the Division I level each of the past
three seasons, Penn State is seventh in cover percentage the past
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT three seasons at 58-39-4 against the spread.
75-1 250-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 60%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 92.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#11 of 364)

PURDUE
BOILERMAKERS
2023-24 RECORD: 34-5 SU, 20-16-3 ATS, 23-16 O-U-P

Matt Painter was finally able to get Purdue to the biggest stage. The Boilermakers reached the Final Four for the first time since 1980 before losing to UConn in
the National Championship Game. Purdue is a rarity in college basketball, as they recruit to their system out of the high/prep schools and develop those players
without relying much, if at all, on the portal. In fact, all 13 scholarship players have never played anywhere in college except Purdue.

Two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey is gone, but Purdue still returns three starters, including a backcourt beginning its third season together. Braden
Smith (12 PPG, 7.5 APG, 43.1% 3P%) is the lone returning Big Ten First Team player in the conference and Fletcher Loyer (10.3 PPG, 44.4% 3pt) were a major
part of Purdue ranking second in 3P% (40.4%).

Purdue still has plenty of size with Trey Kaufman-Renn (6.4 PPG, 4 RPG) and Caleb Furst (2.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG) who will both see minutes at both the 4 and 5. The
Boilermakers also have a couple raw bigs, 7-foot-2 Will Berg and 7-foot-3 freshman Daniel Jacobsen.

No Edey, but Purdue ranks second in the conference in points and minutes returning. They are always disciplined and well-coached. The Boilermakers deserve to
be the favorite in the Big Ten, but it is not as clear-cut as last year.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 12-3-2 against the spread in non-conference games
last season, but the Boilermakers have the eighth-worst road cover
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT percentage since the 2016-17 season with an ATS record of 31-49-5.
+500 40-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 50%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 83.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#15 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#56 of 364)

RUTGERS
SCARLET KNIGHTS
2023-24 RECORD: 15-17 SU, 13-19 ATS, 10-21-1 O-U-P

Rutgers brings in the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class per Rivals headlined by Dylan Harper, son of Ron Harper Sr. and brother of former Rutgers star Ron Harper
Jr., and Airious “Ace” Bailey - both five-star McDonald’s All-Americans - who are consensus Top 5 prospects in next year’s NBA Draft.

Harper had knee surgery this summer, but will be ready to start the season and the 6-foot-7 freshman can score everywhere on the court. PG Jamichael Davis
will be able to distribute to him and other wings like Tyson Acuff (Eastern Michigan), who led the MAC in scoring. Bailey is a 6-foot-10 high-level athlete who will
affect both ends and may challenge Duke’s Cooper Flagg for the No. 1 overall pick spot next summer. Zach Martini (Princeton) is a pick-and-pop four who shot
37.3% from 3. PJ Hayes IV (San Diego) shot nearly 40% from 3 at San Diego.

Rutgers only brings back one starter in Jeremiah Williams (12.2 PPG), but there has not been this much excitement around this program since they went to the
Final Four in 1976. The Scarlet Knights ranked last in scoring and shooting (2P%, 3P%, and FT%) but that can only improve with Harper and Bailey. If they play
the typical elite defense that Pikiell demands, Rutgers will go dancing.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team closed last season by going 1-8 against the spread in its
final nine games, and the Under was 16-6 in games with a total of
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 142.5 or higher.
10-1 50-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 18%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 89.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#19 of 364)

UCLA
BRUINS
2023-24 RECORD: 16-17 SU, 15-16-1 ATS, 14-18 O-U-P

The Pac-12’s most successful program ended its run in the conference by finishing below .500 and missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Mick
Cronin’s five-year tenure. However, a move to the Big Ten might be what the doctor ordered for the Bruins, as Cronin has always had physical and tough
defensive teams (led the P12 in scoring defense last year) and that should fit right in the Big Ten.

Dylan Andrews (12.9 PPG, 3.7 APG) made the leap from role player to the star of the team last season. His new running mate in the backcourt comes from
crosstown rival USC as Kobe Johnson (10.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.3 APG) comes in to be part of a likely three-guard lineup with Lazar Stefanovic (11.5 PPG, 6.1
RPG), who was UCLA’s best three-point shooter at 38.9%. Tyler Bilodeau (14.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, Oregon State) will be the primary offense in the paint.

With the departure of Adem Bona, UCLA could go small ball and play a bit faster. Cronin has a veteran group for his first season in the Big Ten and likely has a
faster transition to the new league than his other fellow Pac-12 defectors. UCLA should be back in the NCAA Tournament again.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 2-10 against the spread as a home favorite last
season, and the Bruins went 8-3 to the Under in non-conference
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games last season.
+600 60-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 4 RETURNING MINUTES: 64%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#42 of 364)

USC
TROJANS
2023-24 RECORD: 15-18 SU, 16-17 ATS, 20-12-1 O-U-P

Rob Lanier was fired at SMU and Andy Enfield elected to take a fresh start in Dallas, so the Muss Bus found a destination to Los Angeles. Eric Musselman
had taken Arkansas to two Elite Eights and three Sweet Sixteens in four seasons before it all came apart last year with plenty of turmoil in Fayetteville. Now
Musselman gets his own fresh start at USC with what is an entirely new roster for the Trojans.

In the backcourt, the Trojans have all-conference team transfers from the Big East, Big West, Mountain West, and Ivy League. In the frontcourt, they have all-
conference team transfers from the Big Sky, MAC, and Atlantic-10. So, Desmond Claude, Bryce Pope, Chibuzo Agbo, Clark Slajchert, Saint Thomas, Rashaun
Agee, and Josh Cohen will all play a vital role.

Musselman was all about the transfer portal before the transfer portal was cool as he achieved success primarily with transfers at both Nevada and Arkansas.
The Trojans are a high-variance team. There is talent here, but most of which are proven performers only at the mid or low-major level. USC looks like a midpack
team at best for Musselman’s first season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over went 21-12 in USC games last season. The Trojans are
also 20-11 against the spread as road underdogs since the 2019-20
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT season.
40-1 120-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 4%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#17 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#68 of 364)

WASHINGTON
HUSKIES
2023-24 RECORD: 17-15 SU, 17-15 ATS, 18-14 O-U-P

Everything is new in Seattle with a new conference and a new coach. Danny Sprinkle takes over a program that has made the NCAA Tournament once in seven
seasons. He has not had a problem getting into the Big Dance with three straight appearances for two different programs.

The first order of business for Sprinkle is to replace 57 points from the Huskies’ depleted backcourt. All of the incoming transfers were double-figure scorers at
their previous destinations including Luis Kortright (Rhode Island), D.J. Davis (Butler, UC Irvine), Mekhi Mason (Rice), Tyree Ihenacho (North Dakota), and Tyler
Harris (Portland). The most talented player in the backcourt is Zoom Diallo, who was a McDonald’s All-American. Great Osobor was the Mountain West Player of
the Year at Utah State and followed Sprinkle to Seattle. K.C. Ibekwe was in the Top 50 nationally in blocked-shot percentage last year at Oregon State.

Sprinkle will run a great deal of four and five-out looks offensively and that leads to a lot of shots inside the arc, especially at the rim (56.7% 2-point FG - 10th
nationally at Utah State in 2024). It also helps to have Osobor down low. If the Huskies can find some 3-point shooting, they could be a surprise and earn an
NCAA Tournament bid.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since February 1, 2023, the team is 10-1 against the spread as an
underdog of more than 4 points.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

100-1 150-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 9%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 18)
NATIONAL RANK: (#40 of 364)

WISCONSIN
BADGERS
2023-24 RECORD: 22-14 SU, 16-19-1 ATS, 22-13-1 O-U-P

The Badgers were 16-4 entering February, but the wheels came off with a 6-10 finish and a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. Then, Wisconsin lost three
transfers who helped the Badgers to their most efficient offense (17th) in the Greg Gard era. Gard is typically more of an old-school coach but he has had to
adapt in this new era of college basketball and embrace the portal.

Nevertheless, Wisconsin starts with two returners on the wing with Max Klesmit (9.9 PPG, 40% 3P%) and John Blackwell (8 PPG, 3.2 RPG). The primary question
is who will replace three-year starting PG Chucky Hepburn? Camren Hunter (16.9 PPG, 5 RPG, 3 APG, Central Arkansas) could be first in line. 7-footer Steven
Crowl (11.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG) has been a steady performer at Wisconsin, but the Badgers need more. Xavier Amos (13.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, Northern Illinois) has only
played 32 games the last two seasons.

It seems like every time you count Wisconsin out, they find a way to surprise and prove everyone wrong. However, this is a mass portal exodus to overcome.
Gard is a solid coach with a high floor, but has not matched Bo Ryan’s postseason success. A potential change could be made if Wisconsin does not find it this
season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over went 9-2 in the final 11 Wisconsin games last season. Also,
the Badgers went 3-9 against the spread on the road last year.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

25-1 130-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 46%
 MISSOURI
VALLEY
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Life as a mid-major has never been easy in college basketball,
Duke Deen but it has gotten so much more difficult in recent years. The ease
of transferring and the NIL mean players are being poached
at a higher rate and the sharks are circling almost endlessly.
Accomplished coaches are also on the move frequently and it isn’t
always easy to get a comparable replacement.

Those themes are very much present in the Missouri Valley this
season. Former Indiana State head coach Josh Schertz is now
at Saint Louis and took star Robbie Avila with him. Former Drake
head coach Darian DeVries is now at West Virginia and took his
son, Tucker, with him. Senior guard Atin Wright took his free
transfer opportunity with the coach leaving and went to North
Texas. Belmont’s trio of sophomore standouts - Ja’Kobi Gillespie
(Maryland), Cade Tyson (North Carolina), and Malik Dia (Ole Miss)
- all moved to major programs. Bradley standout Connor Hickman
transferred to Cincinnati.

There are a lot of good offensive teams on an annual basis.

Per Torvik, this was the top conference in Effective Field Goal
Percentage offense at 52.1%, narrowly edging out the Ivy League.
This was also a good defensive conference last season, due in
large part to how the league is called. Fouls are not called often.
Teams take a ton of 3s (39.7% 3P Rate ranked sixth) and mid-
range jumpers. They don’t get to the rim and typically don’t have
great size, so there aren’t a lot of offensive rebounds or free throw
attempts.

Sadly, the storylines for this conference are about who is no longer
there as opposed to who stuck around or transferred in. As a
result, the ceiling for the Missouri Valley has been dramatically
lowered. A team or two will undoubtedly emerge, but Indiana
State, Drake, and Bradley were all top-60 teams per Bart Torvik
and top-65 teams by KenPom at season’s end. Bradley is the
only preseason top-100 team for Torvik and KenPom entering the
season.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY ADAM BURKE

83
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 71.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#156 of 364)

BELMONT
BRUINS
2023-24 RECORD: 20-13 SU, 16-16 ATS, 12-18-2 O-U-P

As mentioned in the conference overview, Belmont’s losses are substantial. Malik Dia led the nation in Usage Rate, while Ja’Kobi Gillespie
was a 66% 2-point shooter and a 39% 3-point shooter. Gillespie was also fifth in the conference in assists per game. Cade Tyson was a 47%
3-point shooter. Furthermore, Keishawn Davidson and Jayce Willingham are no longer on the team, so each of Belmont’s five most productive
scorers are not on the roster.

Casey Alexander is a good head coach, but his string of eight straight 20-win seasons is in jeopardy. His teams have also won at least 10
games in league play every one of those years. He did bring some good transfers to Nashville and some good 2-point shooters, but last year’s
team shot 37.2% from 3 and he doesn’t have those kinds of shooters this season. The offense will have to change for a team that took a
3-pointer 42% of the time last season, unless Alexander feels confident in his offense getting the newcomers open looks and knocking them
down.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 8-16-1 against the spread as a road underdog since the start
of the 2019-20 season, which is the ninth-worst mark in the country. The
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT team’s 7-15-1 record as a road ‘dog over the last three seasons is also good
for the 10th-worst in cover rate in that span.
12-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 20%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#88 of 364)

BRADLEY
BRAVES
2023-24 RECORD: 23-12 SU, 17-15-2 ATS, 19-15 O-U-P

The Braves enter this season as the conference favorite, simply because they did better with the war of attrition than most everybody else did.
Head coach Brian Wardle is back for his 10th season. He had arguably his best team last season, even though the 2022-23 team had a better
record. Wardle’s crew was in the top 30 in 2P% and 3P% offense. They were also 28th in 2P% defense.

I’m not sure I’d bet on similar offensive metrics this season. The Braves took 568 Close Twos as defined by Bart Torvik and 560 Far Twos, so
basically mid-range jumpers. Those are typically lower-percentage attempts. They also took 802 3-pointers, but lost a 41% shooter in Connor
Hickman. Duke Deen is back and he was a 39% shooter and also the facilitator of the offense. The loss of leader Malevy Leons is big, as he led
the team in rebounding and blocks, but more playing time is coming for 7-foot-1 center Ahmet Jonovic.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 41-20-2 against the spread as a home favorite since the
start of the 2019-20 season, the second-best cover percentage for
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT teams that have been home favorites in at least 15 games in that
+180 2000-1 span.

RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 62%

 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 74.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#118 of 364)

DRAKE
BULLDOGS
2023-24 RECORD: 28-7 SU, 18-16 ATS, 17-17 O-U-P

Drake will look a lot different this season, as Darian DeVries has taken his talents, and his son, to Morgantown. DeVries led the Bulldogs to four
straight top-100 seasons and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. He won at least 20 games in every season. He should thrive at
West Virginia, but what about the team he left behind?

Ben McCollum inherits a blank canvas after 15 seasons at Northwest Missouri State, where he won four Division II National Championships
and was a 12-time MIAA regular season champion. With a record of 394-91, it is hard to believe that it took so long for him to make the leap
to Division I. McCollum brought four players from NW Missouri State with him to help fill out the roster and also hit the portal hard. Last year’s
Bulldogs went 4-1 in Quadrant 1 games and ranked in the top 40 in 3P%, top 30 in 2P%, and top 50 in FT%. Those are some big shoes to fill.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 11-23-1 against the spread in non-conference games
the past three seasons. However, the Bulldogs went 15-8 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread in conference play last season.
+550 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 5%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 66.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#232 of 364)

EVANSVILLE
PURPLE ACES
2023-24 RECORD: 17-18 SU, 19-14-1 ATS, 11-23 O-U-P

One of the wildly underappreciated coaching jobs in the country last season came from David Ragland. Evansville went 5-27 in his first season
and just 1-19 in league play, but the Aces improved by 12 wins last season. The Aces won 24 games total in Todd Lickliter’s three seasons
before Ragland took over. The same problem areas Evansville always contends with were there, as this wasn’t a very good offensive team, but
the team was light years better on defense.

Evansville was 342nd per Bart Torvik in adjusted offensive efficiency during the 2021-22 season under Lickliter and 359th in Ragland’s first year.
They improved by over 100 spots, but the defense really stood out. Also, by accepting an invitation to play in the CBI, the Aces, who went 16
days between games, got a lot of valuable practice time. Unfortunately, leading scorer and best player Ben Humrichous transferred to Illinois
and big man Yacine Toumi went to Seton Hall, so it’s tough to see another year of improvement.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 23-37-1 against the spread in conference play the past
three seasons. The group also played 21 of its last 28 games Under
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the total last season.
22-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 28%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 68.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#190 of 364)

UIC
FLAMES
2023-24 RECORD: 12-21 SU, 15-15-2 ATS, 13-19 O-U-P

Life in the Missouri Valley has not gone well for UIC. They’ve had two seasons in the conference and have gone 4-16 in league play both years,
posting a 24-41 overall record. Luke Yaklich did not work out, so we have a coaching change here with Rob Ehsan taking over. Ehsan was the
head coach at UAB before Billy Kennedy and had a couple of 20-win seasons, but didn’t have the Blazers at their current level of expectations.
He’s spent the last four seasons as an assistant at Stanford.

This, like so many teams, will be a roster made up of transfers. Filip Skobalj is the top returnee after scoring 8.2 points per game. Modestas
Kancleris was a good scorer at Cal State Bakersfield and Tyem Freeman shot 47% on 3s at Toledo in limited minutes. Ehsan has been attached
to Jerod Haase a lot and Haase, who was fired from Stanford, typically has teams that shoot well from 3, but struggle to take care of the ball.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 7-15 against the spread in its final 22 games last
season. It’s also 1-9-1 against the spread as a favorite of at least 8
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT since the 2019-20 season began.
18-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 17%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 70.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#180 of 364)

ILLINOIS
REDBIRDS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 15-17 SU, 14-17 ATS, 14-17 O-U-P

Ryan Pedon paid his dues as an assistant at Miami (OH), Toledo, Illinois, Butler, and Ohio State before getting a crack at Illinois State. In Year
1, Pedon had more conference wins than the team had in the previous three seasons. In Year 2, he led the Redbirds to a four-win improvement
overall and a three-win improvement in conference. The team improved in all facets of the game except for 3-point shooting, but that is
precisely what Pedon went after in the portal.

He pulled a really good player from the Summit League in Boden Skunberg, who was a pretty average 3-point shooter last season, but a guy
who might benefit from more of a supporting cast. He shot 39% from 3 the previous season. Landon Wolf shot 43% from 3 in limited minutes
for rival Northern Iowa. Sophomore Johnny Kinzinger is a year older and wiser and shot 40% from 3 last season as his playing time increased
late in the year. This is my MVC dark horse.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team has the second-worst ATS record (75-102-3) since the
2018-19 season among teams that have been at the Division I level
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT for all six seasons.
10-1 5000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 51%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 71.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#162 of 364)

INDIANA
SYCAMORES
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 32-7 SU, 22-15-1 ATS, 22-16 O-U-P

What a story Indiana State was last season. The Sycamores deserved a better NCAA Tournament fate, but didn’t let the snub get to them.
After winning 32 games and losing to Drake in the MVC Tournament final, the Sycamores went to the NIT and made the finals, beating SMU,
Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Utah before losing by a bucket to Seton Hall. The story will not be as compelling this season.

Head coach Josh Schertz is now at Saint Louis and Robbie Avila went with him. The entire starting five left, so new head coach Matthew
Graves is starting from scratch. Graves was promoted internally and will have a team full of transfers. Double-digit scorers Samage Teel and
Markus Harding come in from Presbyterian and Central Michigan, respectively, and Jahni Summers is a JUCO transfer, so this is a step up in
class conference-wise for them. Not much will change with how Indiana State plays, but the talent disparity from last season is the largest in
the league.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over was 20-9 in games with a total of 159 or less last season.
The Sycamores are also 40-21-3 against the spread at home the past
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT five seasons, the third-best cover percentage for a team with more
than 10 home games on the betting board in that time.
20-1 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 4%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 67.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#211 of 364)

MISSOURI
BEARS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 17-16 SU, 17-15-1 ATS, 17-16 O-U-P

After a couple-year hiatus, Cuonzo Martin is back in the coaching ranks as he takes over at Missouri State. This is his second stint with the
Bears, as he was there from 2008-11. Dana Ford only had a losing record once in six seasons, but that wasn’t enough and he was let go. All
five starters from last season are gone and the program is in a state of flux with a move to Conference USA on the horizon.

Martin has been a very good recruiter throughout his career, securing all kinds of good freshmen to Cal, Missouri, and Tennessee, but he
doesn’t have the resources or the brand now. His chief transfers in the portal are from Morgan State, IU Indianapolis, Austin Peay, and Delaware
State. Some decent players, especially Wesley Oba, but it looks like a rebuilding year where the primary focus will be playing defense.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 7-3-1 against the spread in non-conference games
last season and is 10-4 against the spread as a favorite of at least 4
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT since February 20, 2023.
35-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 1%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 75.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#115 of 364)

MURRAY
RACERS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 12-20 SU, 13-18 ATS, 14-17 O-U-P

This was a better team than the 9-20 record would indicate last season. The Racers were 2-10 in games decided by six or fewer points. Murray
State only shot 56.3% on Close Twos as defined by Bart Torvik, meaning shots at the rim like layups, dunks, and anything inside a few feet.
JaCobi Wood (51.3%) and Quincy Anderson (49%) were the biggest culprits given their usage. Anderson is gone, but Wood is back. The tough
part is that Anderson was the team’s best 3-point shooter at 39% and there were only two guys better than 33%.

The other was Wood, so he’ll be the leader here. To fix the problem at the rim, Kylen Milton from Austin Peay (54%) and AJ Ferguson
(58.3%) from Southern Illinois are now on the roster. Murray State was 62nd in shot share on Close Twos and ranked 293rd in 3P%, so some
improvements in those two areas could make this team a contender. A lot of positive regression seems to be on their side if the newcomers live
up to their potential.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Among teams that were favored in more than eight games last
season, Murray State had the second-worst cover percentage as a
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT favorite in the country last season. The Racers were 3-12 against the
+500 1000-1 spread as favorites last season.

RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 48%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 75.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#110 of 364)

NORTHERN
PANTHERS
IOWA
2023-24 RECORD: 19-14 SU, 15-16-1 ATS, 15-17 O-U-P

Come hell or high water, Ben Jacobsen is going to have a solid basketball team. The records aren’t always there for Northern Iowa, as their
slower style of play often condenses games and tightens them up, although the Panthers have played a bit faster in recent seasons. We’ll see
what they have in store for this season, as they really need to get better on defense.

Over the last four seasons, the Panthers have been 273rd or worse in eFG% defense. It’s the Missouri Valley. Teams make shots. But, still.
They haven’t had elite offenses in three of those four seasons to close the gap. No matter what, you’re going to get one of the best defensive
rebounding teams in the nation, but also one of the worst offensive rebounding teams out of UNI. In terms of continuity, the Panthers did keep
a trio of solid players that started, but depth will be a huge worry this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under was 14-7 in the final 21 Northern Iowa games last season.
Also, the team is 8-2 against the spread on neutral courts over the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT past two seasons.
+400 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 49%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 72.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#144 of 364)

SOUTHERN
SALUKIS
ILLINOIS
2023-24 RECORD: 19-13 SU, 18-12-1 ATS, 20-11 O-U-P

One of the more interesting coaching moves in the Missouri Valley involved Southern Illinois. They fired former standout player Bryan Mullins
and brought in Scott Nagy, who was willing to leave Wright State after eight seasons. Wright State was perennially solid under his watch,
including a couple of NCAA Tournament appearances. They were often terrific on the offensive glass and also played at a heightened pace. If
Nagy wants to run here in Carbondale, it will be a tremendous departure from the team under Mullins.

The Salukis were 335th per Bart Torvik in adjusted tempo last season and never higher than 273rd during Mullins’ tenure. Wright State was
293rd back in 2019, but has been in the top 25 twice, top 35 three times, top 50 four times, and top 100 in every season since. So, this is
a team that is likely to push the pace more. Nagy’s Raiders were fifth in the nation in 2P% last season. The roster is full of transfers and,
surprisingly, none from Wright State. But Kennard Davis, the second highest-ranked recruit under Mullins did stick around, so we’ll see how
Nagy uses him.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team went 8-1-1 against the spread in non-conference games
last season, the second-best non-conference percentage in the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT nation. The Over was 7-3 in those games.
10-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 14%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 66.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#12 OF 12)
NATIONAL RANK: (#233 of 364)

VALPARAISO
BEACONS
2023-24 RECORD: 7-25 SU, 17-13-1 ATS, 16-15 O-U-P

Valpo has fallen on really hard times and the program seemed to bottom out in Year 1 under Roger Powell Jr. The team went 7-25 last season
and just 3-17 in MVC play. Since joining the Mo Valley, Valpo has not had a winning season in conference play and one winning season overall.
Last year’s team was 331st in eFG% offense and 348th in eFG% defense, so they were awful on both ends of the floor. They also had one of
the lowest free throw rates in the nation, so they didn’t get to the rim enough.

Surprisingly, Cooper Schwieger, who thrived as a freshman, stuck around. So did leading scorer Isaiah Stafford, who had 16.9 PPG, but that
was a byproduct of volume and not efficiency. Those two combined for over 44% of the team’s nightly offensive output. Leading passer Darius
DeAveiro stayed, too. Credit to Valpo for getting kids that have bought into the program. Maybe that will lead to some improvement.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Valpo’s 12-2 ATS road record the past two seasons is the second-
best mark in the country. The Over is also 26-13 in the team’s road
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games the past three seasons.
40-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 60%
MOUNTAIN
WEST
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Tyson Degenhart

Last year, the Mountain West sent a record six teams to the NCAA
Tournament. A seventh program – UNLV – won 21 games and
made a run to the NIT quarterfinals. This conference has always
been deep, and the 2024-2025 season is no different.

KenPom has the Mountain West as the sixth-strongest conference

in the country as we enter the season. Six is a longshot, but this
could be a multi-bid league in the NCAA Tournament once more.

The shortest shot to win the conference as of now is New Mexico

(+350). The Lobos lost a tremendous amount of talent, but
Donovan Dent leads the way for a team primed to compete for a
regular season title once again.

Boise State and San Diego State have the same odds to win the
conference (+380). The Broncos have the favorite to win Mountain
West Player of the Year in Tyson Degenhart and a massive amount
of size. The Aztecs lost four starters from last season, but Brian
Dutcher brought in a strong transfer class to offset the losses.
Nevada (+390) could actually be the best team in the conference.
The Wolf Pack boast a frontcourt rife with 6-foot-10 monsters that
will make it a challenge for any team to score. They are also one of
the oldest in the conference.

There is a dramatic dropoff in odds to win the Mountain West after

that, but the talent is still deep. UNLV has the best guard in the
conference in DJ Thomas. The Runnin’ Rebels finished conference
play on a 10-2 run last season and bring back some key pieces
of that squad. Colorado State has a true NBA prospect in Nique
Clifford and one of the best head coaches in Niko Medved.

The Mountain West has quietly been one of the most competitive
and deepest conferences in the country. Over the last two
seasons, 10 teams from the conference have made the NCAA
Tournament. The depth is now on full display, and it means
opportunities for bettors in a conference in which any one of five
teams could win it.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY JONATHAN VON TOBEL

90
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 66.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#221 of 364)

AIR
FALCONS
FORCE
2023-24 RECORD: 9-22 SU, 10-21 ATS, 20-10-1 O-U-P

Joe Scott’s second stint as head coach of Air Force is not going well. The Falcons have not won more than five conference games in a season
in his time at the helm, and the team has won fewer than 10 games twice in four years. This season, Air Force has three starters back and five
seniors on the roster. It is Scott’s most experienced group, but what that means in an extremely deep conference remains to be seen.

Ethan Taylor (13.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG) is the most experienced player on the team. He is a high-volume shooter who hit 35.7% of his 7.6 attempts
per game. Jeffrey Mills (9.1 PPG, 38.8% 3P%) and Byron Brown (5.1 PPG) are back as well. Brown put up double-digit scores in three of his
last six games last season. Luke Kearney (3.9 PPG) is the sophomore wing to keep an eye on after scoring 27 points in his final three games.
At 6-foot-9 he will play a big role in this frontcourt and is one of a few intriguing pieces on this roster. The Falcons will play at a slow tempo and
they’ll be a solid shooting team. But, this still figures to be one of the cellar dwellers in the Mountain West, even if the youngsters develop.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team’s 10-21 ATS record was the ninth-worst in DI basketball last
season. The Falcons were also 4-17 against the spread as either favorites or
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT underdogs of less than 10 points.

200-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 68%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 84.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#52 of 364)

BOISE
BRONCOS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 22-11 SU, 16-13-2 ATS, 16-15 O-U-P

The Broncos bring back the core of last season’s NCAA Tournament team. Tyson Degenhart – the favorite to win Mountain West Player of the
Year – is a 6-foot-8 wing who averaged 16.7 PPG and 6.2 RPG. O’Mar Stanley – also 6-foot-8 – averaged 12.7 PPG and 6.6 RPG. They are the
only returning starters for Leon Rice this season, but they are arguably the best returning duo in the conference. This team has size across the
board. Emmanuel Ugbo is a 6-foot-8 forward, Javan Buchanan from Indiana Wesleyan is 6-foot-7 and redshirt freshman Dylan Anderson is a
7-footer.

Where this team seems weakest is in the backcourt. Senior transfer Alvaro Cardenas from San José State was a fantastic piece to land in the
transfer portal. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 13.1 PPG and shot 38.5% from deep. He fits perfectly with Rice’s system. Outside of that, redshirt
freshman Chris Lockett Jr. and true freshman Julian Bowie could have big roles for the Broncos this season. Boise State is a big team at the
wing and up front. It was the third-best shooting team in the Mountain West, and will likely be one of the best again this season. But, a lack of
experience at guard could derail a promising season if that depth is tested.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 50-31 to the Over in conference games since the 2020-
21 season. The Broncos also went 15-7 against the spread in their
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT last 22 regular season games.
+475 250-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 42%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#79 of 364)

COLORADO
RAMS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 25-11 SU, 17-17 ATS, 13-21 O-U-P

Colorado State enters a new era after the departure of star guard Isaiah Stevens, who terrorized the Mountain West for five seasons. Niko
Medved enters his seventh with four starters from last year gone. The remaining pieces are great ones to have though, and that starts with
Nique Clifford (12.2 PPG, 52.2%, 37.6% 3P%, 7.6 RPG, 1.6 SPG). A true NBA prospect, Clifford could be in contention for Player of the Year
in the Mountain West. Senior guard Jalen Lake (6.0 PPG, 1.6 RPG) missed time due to injury. These two will be integral pieces to the Rams’
chances this season, but there are plenty of impactful new faces as well.

Keshawn Williams (17.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG) last played in the 2022-23 season, but he was great for Northern Illinois. Bowen Born (13.3 PPG; 17.9
PPG in 2022-23 at Northern Iowa) took 47.7% of his shots from deep last season and figures to fill the same role for CSU this year. Medved
also landed 6-foot-8 sophomore Jaylen Crocker-Johnson (9.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, Little Rock) as an extremely important piece for a team looking for
someone to fill the holes in the frontcourt. The Rams have won at least 20 games in four of Medved’s six seasons. It wouldn’t be a shock to see
them fail to reach that mark this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 24-37 against the spread in conference games the past
three seasons. The Rams also went 1-9 against the spread as a
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT favorite of at least 7 after Thanksgiving of 2023.
+650 400-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 31%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 63.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#279 of 364)

FRESNO
BULLDOGS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 12-21 SU, 15-17 ATS, 19-13 O-U-P

After six underwhelming seasons Fresno State parted ways with head coach Justin Hutson. In his place is 67-year-old Vance Walberg, who last
coached at the Division I level in 2008 at Pepperdine. He sports a 14-35 record as a Division I coach and had been coaching Clovis West High
prior to being hired by Fresno State. This is a complete rebuild and the Bulldogs look like the worst program in the Mountain West at this point,
without question.

Jalen Weaver (7.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG) is the lone returning guard. Weaver was an inefficient shooter, but word out of Fresno is that he fits nicely
in Walberg’s dribble-drive offense. Junior college Player of the Year Amar Augillard (22.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.8 SPG) joins the program. They
also brought in David Douglas Jr. (37.1% 3P%) from Green Bay after he won Freshman of the Year in the Horizon League. The Bulldogs also
got some size in the portal with 7-foot-1 Mor Seck, who is recovering from a torn ACL, but he is athletic and can run the floor, which is what
Walberg is looking for from his centers. What bettors will be looking for from Fresno State is unclear, but rim pressure and play in transition
figure to be a staple of what looks to be a bottom-dweller.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 7-16 against the spread in non-conference games the
past two seasons, and the Over is 39-24 in Fresno State road games
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the past five seasons.
200-1 750-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 12%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#64 of 364)

NEVADA
WOLF PACK
2023-24 RECORD: 26-8 SU, 21-12 ATS, 15-18 O-U-P

Nevada is big and old this season. The frontcourt is this team’s biggest strength, and that starts with forward Nick Davidson. Davidson – a
6-foot-10 redshirt junior – averaged 12.2 PPG and 7.3 RPG on 54.5% from the floor. Alongside him up front will be center K.J. Hymes, a
seventh-year senior who averaged 5.7 PPG and 3.0 RPG. At SF, Tre Coleman is a legit 3-and-D wing (37% 3P%) and is a two-time MWC All-
Defense team member. The Wolf Pack finished 42nd in defensive efficiency last season (98.6) and will likely be strong on that end of the floor
again.

Steve Alford has a ton of size on this roster outside of those three as well. But, the backcourt will be the position to watch closely after the
losses of Jarod Lucas, Kenan Blackshear and Hunter McIntosh. Tyler Rolison only averaged 3.8 PPG last season, but he and Amire Robinson
will be asked to do more. Alford landed transfer – and Mountain West stalwart – Xavier DuSell who has played at both Wyoming and Fresno
State. He is a knockdown shooter (39.5%) who fills a great need. Rolison projects to be a great facilitator and Robinson a great shooter. If both
pan out, this team is extremely dangerous and has a claim to be the favorite to win the Mountain West.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

Since the 2015-16 season began, Nevada is 166-121-16 against the
spread. That’s the best mark for any team to have at least 10 games
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT on the betting board in each season in that span.
+360 400-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 47%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#61 of 364)

NEW
LOBOS
MEXICO
2023-24 RECORD: 26-10 SU, 23-12 ATS, 17-18 O-U-P

There are not many teams that lost as much production in the offseason as New Mexico did. Guard Jamal Mashburn (14.1 PPG) and forward
JT Toppin (12.4 PPG) transferred, and Jaelen House (15.9 PPG) graduated. Still, an extremely talented trio remains, giving Richard Pitino a
foundation to build on. At the center of it is guard Donovan Dent, who averaged 14.1 PPG (52%, 37.5% 3P%) and 5.4 APG last season. Dent
is extremely talented and plays at the speed his predecessors Mashburn and House played. Center Nelly Junior Joseph (8.9 PPG, 8.2 RPG)
returns after a strong first season and co-Sixth Man of the Year Mustapha Amzil is back after scoring 162 points off the bench.

Where the rest of the production comes from is a question for the Lobos. Sophomore guard Tru Washington had some great performances last
season, including a 14-point outburst in 21 minutes against Air Force in the Mountain West tournament. Pitino also addressed the backcourt
losses with CJ Noland (10.9 PPG, 38.4% 3P%, North Texas). New Mexico is still a great team despite the production losses, but some shops
have this team favored to win the Mountain West. They will compete, but that is a bit too strong for a team looking to re-tool this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 26-12-2 against the spread in non-conference games
the past four seasons and is 19-8 against the spread as a favorite of
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT more than 8 since November 13, 2022.
+320 250-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 49%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 83.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#59 of 364)

SAN
AZTECS
DIEGO STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 26-11 SU, 14-21 ATS, 17-18 O-U-P

Brian Dutcher has done incredible work in his time at San Diego State. There is no reason to believe this season will be any different, but the
eight-year head coach has his work cut out for him, as four starters from last year’s NCAA Tournament team are gone. Reese Waters (9.6
PPG, 40.1%, 3.7 RPG) is back and is a good free throw shooter with the ability to hit from distance at a higher rate than his numbers suggest.
Redshirt sophomore Miles Byrd (4.0 PPG) and sophomore BJ Davis (1.2 PPG) are also back and expected to take on larger roles this season.

Still, this season will go as the transfers do, and Dutcher has a tremendous track record of hitting on the new faces he brings in. Wayne
McKinney (13.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, San Diego) and Nick Boyd (9.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, FAU) add shooting to a backcourt that desperately
needs it. Up front, Dutcher landed a big piece in 6-foot-10 forward Jared Coleman-Jones (11 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 44.2% 3P%, 1.1 BPG, Middle
Tennessee). A season built on transfers is the new norm in college hoops, and there are few who do as well as Dutcher. Look out for the Aztecs
to be near the top of the conference once more this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 8-16 against the spread on the road the past two
seasons, and the Under is 37-25 in San Diego State conference
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT games the past three seasons.
+450 120-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 22%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 67.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#205 of 364)

SAN
SPARTANS
JOSE STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 9-23 SU, 12-19 ATS, 19-12 O-U-P

Tim Miles got a breakout season from Omari Moore two seasons ago and it led to the most wins for the program ever. But, the other two
seasons under Miles have seen a combined 17 victories with only three total wins in conference play. The Spartans lost four starters from last
season, and Miles is rebuilding once again at what is arguably one of the most difficult spots to win in college hoops.

The most established player on this roster is transfer Donovan Yap Jr. He averaged 9.0 points last season for Fresno State and gives Miles a
potential double-digit scorer in the backcourt. Will McClendon (4.1 PPG, 35.4% 3P%, 3.3 RPG, UCLA) and should be the primary knockdown
shooter. Sadaidrien Hall (10.7 PPG, Stephen F. Austin) could be the team’s best scorer and was a second team All-WAC member two years
ago. Josh Uduje (8.7 PPG) won co-Sixth Man of the Year honors in the Mountain West last season at Utah State. Miles has an eclectic group of
transfers this season, but not a group that profiles as great on offense. SJSU might not be the worst team in the Mountain West, but it won’t be
far from the 11th seed in the conference tournament when the time comes.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 3-12 against the spread in its final 15 games last season.
And among teams that have had at least 40 conference games listed
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT on the betting board since the 2007-08 season, the Spartans have the
fourth-worst cover percentage at 132-176-3 against the spread.
200-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 16%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#89 of 364)

UNLV
RUNNIN’ REBELS
2023-24 RECORD: 21-13 SU, 21-11 ATS, 19-13 O-U-P

Only two regular starters return from a 21-win team last season, but they are two massive pieces. Point guard D.J. Thomas (13.6 PPG, 44.9%,
5.1 APG) is one of the best players in the conference already despite being a true sophomore. Rob Whaley (9.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 63.8% vs.
MWC) is the other. Kruger brought in transfers such as Oral Roberts guard Jailen Bedford (14.8 PPG), DePaul forward Jaden Henley (8.6
PPG) and Boise State guard Jace Whiting (3.3 PPG) to fill in some of the holes on this roster. A name to watch is 6-foot-6 wing Jalen Hill, who
averaged 10.7 PPG and 6.1 RPG before a season-ending injury and returns for his sixth season.

Thomas was a revelation for UNLV last season. The Rebels played at a slower pace – 294th in tempo – but they finished with their highest
ranking in offensive efficiency (113.0, 71st) since 2018. Thomas raises the floor of this offense exponentially. With Whaley back and Hill
returning from injury, this could once again be the best offense Kruger has had in his time with the program. UNLV has been projected to finish
around fifth in the Mountain West, but the Runnin’ Rebels could surprise some folks once again this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 19-6 against the spread in its final 25 games last
season, and the Over is 40-23 in all UNLV games the past two
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT seasons.
+900 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 41%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#67 of 364)

UTAH
AGGIES
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 28-7 SU, 16-16-1 ATS, 21-12 O-U-P

For the fourth time in five seasons, Utah State enters the regular season with a new head coach. That turnover is not due to a poorly run
program, but instead, immense success. The Aggies have won 26 or more games in four of the last six seasons. In comes Jerrod Calhoun after
a successful seven seasons with Youngstown State, including a 2023 NCAA Tournament berth. Offense will be the name of the game for Utah
State under Calhoun. YSU finished third or better in offensive efficiency in Horizon League play each of the last three seasons. The aim for the
Aggies will be to do just that this season, and Calhoun has the returning production to pull it off.

Ian Martinez is back after averaging 13.3 PPG and 3.6 RPG on 38.1% from deep. In the backcourt with him is Mason Falslev who put up 11.3
PPG and 4.4 RPG while shooting 56.2% from the floor. Transfers Dexter Akanno (10.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, Oregon State), Drake Allen (11.9 PPG, 4.3
APG, Utah Valley), and Braden Housley (10.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, Southern Utah) and Tucker Anderson (Central Arkansas) are among the
newcomers. The turnover is extreme once more in Logan, but the expectations should be high as well.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 58-37-2 against the spread as a favorite since the 2020-
21 seasons began. The Aggies are also 18-10 against the spread at
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT home the past two seasons.
+600 400-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 37%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 68.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#197 of 364)

WYOMING
COWBOYS
2023-24 RECORD: 15-17 SU, 12-17-1 ATS, 17-12-1 O-U-P

The rebuild is on in Laramie. Former head coach Jeff Linder decided to leave the program in early May for a job as an assistant at Texas
Tech. Wyoming’s athletic department landed on Green Bay’s Sundance Wicks as his replacement. Wicks had just one season at Green Bay
after three seasons as an assistant here at Wyoming. In his first season in Green Bay, the Phoenix were 345th in tempo and one of the better
defensive teams in the Horizon League. Bettors can expect that similar approach in Laramie this season.

Wicks did not get much time to put his roster together, but he did land some solid pieces. Jordan Nesbitt (10.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.3 APG,
Hampton), Obi Agbim (15.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, D-2), and Matija Belic (3.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG), a 6-foot-7 junior from UC Santa Barbara ready for a
massive leap, are the notable transfers. Then there is 6-foot-9 Touko Tainamo (15.2 PPG, 34.9% 3P%, 7.7 RPG, Denver). His ability to rebound
and stretch the floor mean he could be Wyoming’s best player. Wicks clearly went for size and length with his roster, and the Cowboys have it.
The projections aren’t friendly for Wyoming, but this team could surprise some teams in conference play given its makeup.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 2-9 against the spread as an underdog of at least 9
since March 1, 2023, and the Over went 10-2-1 in Wyoming games
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT with a total of 144 or less.
100-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 8%
 SOUTHEASTERN
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The SEC tied its previous high from 2018 and 2023 with eight
Mark Sears NCAA Tournament bids last season and had one of its teams reach
the Final Four for the first time since 2019 (Auburn) as Alabama
(2/1 to win SEC) advanced there for the first time in the history of
the program. This year the Crimson Tide, a No. 4 seed last year,
is expected to be at the Final Four, as Nate Oats’ club is ranked
No. 2 overall in the AP Preseason Poll. They brought back three
starters, including the SEC’s leading scorer Mark Sears, added
impact transfer big man Clifford Omoruyi (Rutgers), and had the
nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, including two McDonald’s All-
Americans, per 247 Sports.

Perhaps, the Tide’s biggest competition to win the SEC is right

there with them in the Yellowhammer State, as SEC Tournament
champion Auburn (+350) returns four starters from a team that led
the nation in effective FG% defense (43.7%), but was bounced in
the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Bruce Pearl is seemingly
always rumored for other jobs, but he’s still there.

Of course the biggest story of the offseason in the SEC was John
Calipari being lured to Arkansas (15/1). Both parties had seemingly
grown tired of each other at Kentucky, as Cal had a strained
relationship with the administration and Big Blue Nation had grown
restless not making a Final Four since 2015, despite NBA Draft
lottery picks coming in and out of Lexington seemingly every year.

Kentucky (30/1) now turns to one of its own as Mark Pope, the
captain of the Wildcats 1996 National Championship team, takes
over a completely new roster as zero scholarship players return
(three from last year’s team followed Calipari to Arkansas).

Tennessee (4/1) won the regular season SEC crown in 2024 and
made just its second Elite Eight trip in program history, but the
Final Four still eludes the Vols.

Texas A&M (18/1) could be the dark horse this season.

The two new SEC members are Texas (15/1), who fights Alabama
for honors as arguably the most talented and experienced team
in the league, and Oklahoma (75/1), who has failed to make the
NCAA Tournament in Porter Moser’s first three seasons.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY WES REYNOLDS

97
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 93.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#5 of 364)

ALABAMA
CRIMSON TIDE
2023-24 RECORD: 25-12 SU, 21-15-1 ATS, 27-10 O-U-P

Alabama - Basketball School? Nate Oats would say the answer is yes as the Crimson Tide, who led the NCAA in scoring (90.1 PPG), returns
three starters and welcomes aboard one of the nation’s best recruiting classes.

SEC Preseason Player of the Year Mark Sears led the SEC in scoring (21.5 PPG) and also hit 44 percent of his 3s. He returns with two other
starters - Latrell Wrightsell (8.9 PPG, 3 RPG, 44.7% 3pt), who is back healthy after late-season injuries, and Grant Nelson, who led the SEC at
the rim offensively last season (69% FG). Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi gives Alabama the rim presence they lacked last year and should
help the Tide give up less offensive rebounds (31% - 277th nationally), which often led to easy baskets at the rim and too many fouls.

Alabama has it all from a roster standpoint and they play a high-octane style. The only question is if they can overcome bad shooting variance
that can happen any night in the NCAA Tournament? If that answer is yes, there is no reason this team cannot cut down the nets in San
Antonio.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team had 27 of its 37 games last season go Over the total, the
third-highest Over percentage in the nation. But the Crimson Tide
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT were just 2-7 against the spread as underdogs of more than 1 and
+200 10-1 13-6 against the spread as favorites of 7 or more.

RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 52%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 86.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#34 of 364)

ARKANSAS
RAZORBACKS
2023-24 RECORD: 16-17 SU, 12-20-1 ATS, 25-8 O-U-P

After 15 years, John Calipari seemingly had enough of Kentucky and many in the Big Blue Nation had enough of him, so now he goes to
another program with fertile ground steeped in tradition at Arkansas.

Trevon Brazile (8.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG) missed eight games with an ankle injury and is the lone returner for the Hogs. Cal did not come from
Lexington by himself, though, as D.J. Wagner (9.9 PPG, 3.3 APG), Adou Thiero, and Zvonimir Ivisic (5.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 37.5% 3P%), joined
three other signees originally committed to Kentucky. Arkansas also hit the portal to land Johnell Davis, the AAC Player of the Year and a
member of FAU’s Final Four team, and Tennessee’s Jonas Aidoo (1.8 BPG).

As usual, Calipari had a top-end recruiting class, rated No. 3 per 247 Sports. Cal’s last team in Lexington led the SEC in overall shooting and
3-point percentage, but that team had two lottery picks in the backcourt with Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham. This group may be a little
more old-school Calipari offense with more drivers than pure shooters. The Sweet 16, which Calipari has not reached since 2019, could be this
group’s ceiling.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Razorbacks had the second-highest Over percentage in the
country last season at 24-8-1. And new coach John Calipari’s
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT Kentucky team had a 23-10 record to the Over last year.
10-1 28-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 9%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 93.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#6 of 364)

AUBURN
TIGERS
2023-24 RECORD: 27-8 SU, 21-14 ATS, 15-20 O-U-P

The Tigers won the SEC Tournament Championship and 27 games last season, but were bounced in the first round by Yale. Bruce Pearl’s
Tigers haven’t made the second weekend since 2019 when they were National Runner-Up.

Auburn should be a SEC title contender again with the return of two-way big man Johni Broome (16.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG). Auburn has arguably the
deepest post rotation in the country for a team that led the nation in 2-point defense (42.9%), so they will gamble for steals because they can
funnel to the rim with elite shot blockers down low.

Depth is always a major part of Pearl’s teams, as they love to run a variety of full-court pressures and you need plenty of bodies with the foul
trouble that comes with it. The backcourt is relatively new with the addition of McDonald’s All-American point guard Tahaad Pettiford as well
as Furman transfer JP Pegues and Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly, who both led their teams in scoring last season, along with the returning
Denver Jones (9.1 PPG). Expect Auburn to contend for the SEC crown, but expectations will also be for a deeper run in March.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 19-5 against the spread as a home favorite of 12 points
or fewer since March of 2021. The Tigers also went 21-12 against the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT spread as favorites last season.
+300 28-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 57%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#29 of 364)

FLORIDA
GATORS
2023-24 RECORD: 24-12 SU, 16-19-1 ATS, 24-12 O-U-P

The Gators returned to the NCAA Tournament last year after a two-year absence, only to bow out in the First Round with a wild 102-100 loss
to Colorado. Perhaps they would have advanced further with the services of 7-foot-1 Micah Handlogten, but he broke his leg in the SEC
Tournament and will miss this season.

Florida will not lack size, though, with 6-foot-11 Australian Alex Condon (7.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG) and 6-foot-11 Rueben Chinyelu of the NBA
Academy Africa via Washington State. The Gators also have a freshman preferred walk-on in 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux, who becomes the tallest
man in the history of D-1 basketball.

Todd Golden, an excellent coach who got San Francisco in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large in 2022, installed an up-tempo (17th adjusted
tempo) offense when he came to Gainesville and Walter Clayton Jr. (17.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG) is the man that makes it go. Will Richard (11.4 PPG,
3.9 RPG) is a steady running mate. Alijah Martin was part of FAU’s Final Four team in 2023 and averaged 13 PPG and 5.9 RPG for the Owls last
season. Florida should be just on the right side of the bubble to make a return appearance.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

All five of Florida’s games with a closing total above 166 went Over
the total. The Gators were 23-12-1 to the Over overall. They also went
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 2-8-1 against the spread as favorites of at least 9 last season.
25-1 60-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 51%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#14 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#71 of 364)

GEORGIA
BULLDOGS
2023-24 RECORD: 20-17 SU, 21-15-1 ATS, 17-20 O-U-P

The Bulldogs finished just 11th in the SEC for Mike White’s second season in Athens but played its best basketball towards the end of the season with a run to
the NIT semifinals.

Asa Newell, who is the third-highest rated recruit in the history of the Georgia program (behind Anthony Edwards and Lou Williams), was the second-highest
rated PF in the 2024 class and the five-star joins his brother Jaden.

To take that next step and return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over a decade, the Bulldogs have to shoot the basketball better, as they ranked
12th in the conference and 279th nationally (43%). Silas Demary Jr. (9.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG) should take a big leap in his sophomore season. A pair of Mount St.
Mary’s transfers, Dakota Leffew (36.5% 3pt) and De’Shayne Montgomery (41% 3pt), will be counted on despite the step up in competition. Tyrin Lawrence (13.8
PPG at Vanderbilt) and Blue Cain (7.4 PPG, 2.5 RPG) will also see significant backcourt minutes.

Georgia is moving in the right direction and is adding talent to better compete in the SEC, but still may be a year away from returning to the NCAA Tournament.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Bulldogs closed the 2023-24 season on a 7-1 ATS run in the
final eight games. The Bulldogs’ 11-1 ATS record in road games last
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT season was the best in the country.
100-1 180-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 27%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#28 of 364)

KENTUCKY
WILDCATS
2023-24 RECORD: 23-10 SU, 17-15-1 ATS, 23-10 O-U-P

After a National Championship (2012), four Final Fours, 400+ wins, and 48 NBA Draft picks including 10 NBA All-Stars, John Calipari is done
in Lexington after 15 seasons. Big Blue Nation now turns their lonely eyes to an alum as Mark Pope, captain of the 1996 NCAA Championship
team, returns to Lexington to reverse the ‘Cats NCAA Tournament fortunes, as they have exited early each of the last three years. Pope was
successful at Utah Valley and BYU and has a totally revamped roster that returns a “Blutarsky” (0.0) in terms of scoring.

The backcourt features veterans Kerr Kriisa and Lamont Butler, a terrific defender up top. Replacing the lost 3-point shooting punch of Reed
Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, and Antonio Reeves are transfers Koby Brea (50% 3P%, Dayton), Otega Oweh (11.4 PPG, 38% 3P%, Oklahoma)
Oklahoma, and wing Jaxson Robinson (14 PPG, BYU).

Kentucky does not have any first-round talent on this roster, but they do have a good veteran group that should defend better, as the Wildcats
had their worst defensive efficiency ranking since 1997 last year. This roster is full of players that dreamed of playing at Kentucky, but were
overlooked. They will be discounted, but do so at your peril because they will surprise this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 7-15 against the spread as a favorite of at least 9 since
Thanksgiving of 2022. The Wildcats also had the sixth-highest Over
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT rate last season, as the Over was 23-10 in Kentucky games in 2023-
24.
30-1 35-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 0%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 83.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#12 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#58 of 364)

LSU
TIGERS
2023-24 RECORD: 17-16 SU, 13-20 ATS, 17-15-1 O-U-P

The Tigers probably overachieved last season finishing a game over .500. Perhaps they can do it again, but Matt McMahon must squeeze
everything he can out of this roster to do so.

Tyrell Ward (9.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG) and Mike Williams III (7.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG) return and are joined by Cam Carter (14.6 PPG), who started all 70
games at Kansas State the last two seasons, but returns home to Louisiana. Jordan Sears led the Ohio Valley in scoring (21.6 PPG) at UT-
Martin last year. Freshman Curtis Givens III and Richmond transfer Dji Bailey, who was voted the Most Improved Player in the A-10 last season,
will add depth.

LSU made 256 threes last season and will likely need to make and take more. They should have plenty of opportunity to do so in McMahon’s
motion offense. McMahon took Murray State to three NCAA Tournaments and is a good coach, but it will take more time in Baton Rouge for
him to get LSU back to where Will Wade had it before recruiting violations led to his termination in 2022.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team’s 23-42-1 ATS record the past two seasons is the fifth-
worst nationally. The Tigers’ 10-26 home ATS record gives them the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT third-worst in home cover percentage at 10-26 the past two seasons
against the spread at home in that span.
150-1 130-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 38%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 87.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#27 of 364)

MISSISSIPPI
BULLDOGS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 21-14 SU, 17-17-1 ATS, 16-18-1 O-U-P

Chris Jans and the Bulldogs have made the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons in Starkville largely on the back of excellent
defense and rebounding. Mississippi State ranked just outside the Top 20 nationally for adjusted defensive efficiency and were eighth in
defending 3s (29.8%). The offense has to improve with shooting and taking care of the basketball (18.9% TO%, 298th) if they are going to take
the next step.

Josh Hubbard (17.1 PPG) had a marvelous freshman campaign and was one of the nation’s highest-usage players. He needs some help in the
backcourt and may have it with transfers Kanye Clary (38% 3P%), Riley Kugel and Claudell Harris to provide much needed outside shooting for
a team that improved, but still only shot 32% last year. Cameron Matthews (9.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG) led the SEC in eFG% by shooting 69 percent
on 2s and he is an excellent defender all over the floor.

Jans took New Mexico State to the NCAA Tournament in four of five years and is doing the same at Mississippi State. His team’s defense is
good enough to get them on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but this team has to prove it can make shots to make a return appearance.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under is 20-8 in non conference games the past two seasons,
the third-highest non-conference Under percentage in the nation.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT The Bulldogs were also 2-8 against the spread on the road last
season.
30-1 120-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 45%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 82.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#13 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#63 of 364)

MISSOURI
TIGERS
2023-24 RECORD: 8-24 SU, 9-22-1 ATS, 17-15 O-U-P

No team in the power conferences took a bigger dive last year than Missouri, a 25-10 NCAA Tournament team that reached the second round
in 2023. Last year, the Tigers were 8-24 and 0-18 in the SEC. This year, Dennis Gates bolstered the roster with transfers and the nation’s No. 5
recruiting class per 247 Sports.

PG Tony Perkins (14.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.6 APG) had nearly 1,200 points at Iowa. Tamar Bates (13.5 PPG) had seemingly lost his confidence
shooting the ball at Indiana, but regained it last year at Mizzou (54% 2P%, 39% 3P%, 93% FT%). Marques Warrick was Northern Kentucky’s
leading scorer last season at 19.9 PPG. The star of the recruiting class is wing Annor Boateng, Mizzou’s highest-rated recruit since Michael
Porter Jr in 2017. The star of the portal class is former McDonald’s All-American Mark Mitchell, who started 67 games the last two years at
Duke and is likely a better fit in a more up-tempo offense.

Missouri should undoubtedly be the most improved SEC team, but the frontcourt behind Mitchell lacks proven production. The Tigers will likely
fall short of an NCAA Tournament bid, but Gates has a fun offense that will continue to attract talent to Columbia.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 10-21 against the spread as a favorite of at least 5
points since December 21, 2020. However, the Tigers are 64-49-2 to
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the Over in conference play since the 2018-19 season began.
75-1 130-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 32%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 84.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#47 of 364)

OKLAHOMA
SOONERS
2023-24 RECORD: 20-12 SU, 15-17 ATS, 16-16 O-U-P

Oklahoma is about to find out that making the NCAA Tournament out of the SEC is just as difficult as the Big 12 has been in Porter Moser’s first
three seasons in Norman. Five players transferred out and six newcomers are in this season for the Sooners.

Duke Miles (17.5 PPG, 3.6 APG) led High Point to a Big South regular season title last season and will run the point for Oklahoma. Transfers are
the story here, with Kobe Elvis (37% 3P%), Brycen Goodline (47% 3P%), and Jadon Jones (38% 3P%) all on the roster as part of Moser’s effort
to shoot better from outside. Jalon Moore (11.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG) and Sam Godwin (6.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG) are the lone major returning players on
this roster.

Porter Moser led Loyola Chicago to a Final Four in 2018 and to an Elite Eight in 2021, but he will need Sister Jean and any other divine
intervention to get this group to the NCAA Tournament as there is just not enough talent here.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 10-19 against the spread as a favorite of at least 7 since
February 1, 2021, and the group went 7-15 against the spread in the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT final 22 games of last season after an 8-2 ATS start.
75-1 180-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 26%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 85.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#38 of 364)

OLE
REBELS
MISS
2023-24 RECORD: 20-12 SU, 13-18-1 ATS, 18-13-1 O-U-P

It was only natural that Year 1 of Chris Beard was going to involve a transition. The Rebels won 20 games, yet their defense and rebounding,
trademarks of Beard’s teams at all his stops (Texas, Texas Tech, and Little Rock), was poor. Ole Miss ranked 359 out of 362 teams in terms of
opponents’ ORB%.

Four starters return, including point guard Jaylen Murray (13.8 PPG, 4 APG, 37% 3P%) and Matthew Murrell (16.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 40% 3P%).
Transfer Dre Davis (15 PPG, 5.9 RPG) will provide the additional defensive toughness needed on the wing. Davon Barnes (39% 3P%) and Sean
Pedulla (154 career 3s) should add some offensive firepower as TJ Caldwell serves as the backcourt’s best defender. Additionally, transfers
Malik Dia and Mikael Brown-Jones should be potent scorers in the post.

Ole Miss has plenty of punch, but Beard will not be satisfied trying to outscore opponents. Before last season, Beard’s teams were rated in the
Top 20 of KenPom Defensive Efficiency in six straight seasons. While it is likely unreasonable for this group to reach that standard, it should be
dramatically improved enough to get Ole Miss back into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team went 1-8 against the spread in its final nine games last
season. The Rebels are also 9-22 against the spread as underdogs
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the past two seasons.
40-1 80-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 61%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 80.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#15 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#81 of 364)

SOUTH
GAMECOCKS
CAROLINA
2023-24 RECORD: 26-8 SU, 22-10-2 ATS, 17-17 O-U-P

Lamont Paris took over the South Carolina program in 2023 and the Gamecocks went 11-21. One year later, they finished 26-8 and went to the NCAA
Tournament for the first time since 2017. Paris won SEC Coach of the Year and was a finalist for all the national awards. The Bo Ryan disciple brought some
Wisconsin basketball to the SEC with a slower tempo (351st), tough defense (4th in defensive efficiency in the SEC), and team play (16th in Assists/FGM).

Jamarii Thomas starred at Norfolk State and was masterful at drawing fouls (230 FTA). Jacobi Wright and Myles Stute contribute more on defense than on
offense. Cam Scott, who flipped from Texas to stay home, is the most talented player on the backcourt and may have to contribute immediately. The backcourt is
still highly unproven, but the frontcourt features Collin Murray-Boyles (10.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG), who made the SEC All-Freshman Team and is a potential lottery pick
next summer.

The Gamecocks will stay competitive in most games solely based on tempo and defense, but they will miss Meechie Johnson’s ability to get buckets. Plus, they
were on the fortunate side in a lot of close games (8-3 in games decided by five points or less). South Carolina likely regresses this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 18-5 against the spread on the road the past two
seasons, the second-best road cover percentage in America in that
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT span.
75-1 180-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 41%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 91.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#12 of 364)

TENNESSEE
VOLUNTEERS
2023-24 RECORD: 27-9 SU, 18-17-1 ATS, 17-18-1 O-U-P

The Vols reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2010 thanks to a familiar recipe, as Tennessee had the No. 3 adjusted defensive
efficiency and was No. 6 in eFG% defense. Rick Barnes also loosened up the offense with the quickest tempo (80th) of his tenure. Now is that
a philosophical change or was it because they had a first-round draft pick in Dalton Knecht?

Sometimes initiating offense is just having Zakai Zeigler (11.8 PPG, 6.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 37% 3P%) play his pitbull-like defense and just take the
ball away to go for a layup or set up a teammate. Barnes and the Vols are hoping that lightning can strike twice by landing a 3-point marksman
in Chaz Lanier (44% 3P%, North Florida) after they got that with Knecht from Northern Colorado. Darlinstone Dubar is an inside-outside threat
who averaged 17.8 PPG and 6.8 RPG at Hofstra. Igor Millicic Jr from Charlotte is a bruiser type who averaged 12.8 PPG and 8.5 RPG last
season and shot 63 percent on 2s plus shot 38% on 3s.

Tennessee will once again be in the NCAA Tournament. However, it is tough to replace Knecht’s production. Another disappointing early first or
second-round exit looks likely for Rocky Top.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 17-8 against the spread as a favorite of at least 12
points since November 15, 2022. The Vols are also 21-10-1 against
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the spread at home the past two seasons.
+350 50-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 36%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 90.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#16 of 364)

TEXAS
LONGHORNS
2023-24 RECORD: 21-13 SU, 14-20 ATS, 20-14 O-U-P

The Longhorns reached the NCAA Tournament again last year, but were bounced in the second round by former Texas head coach Rick Barnes
and Tennessee. Texas went 0-8 against Top 30 opponents in the Big 12 last season. Rodney Terry will have to produce with mostly newcomers
as all five starters are gone.

Big man Kadin Shedrick (7.7 PPG, 3 RPG) is the main returning contributor as he elevates to a starting role. Arthur Kaluma (14.4 PPG, 7 RPG)
is an inside/outside threat that will be given freedom to attack the rim asTerry also brought in two players from Indiana State’s NIT runner-up
team with Jayson Kent (13.5 PPG, 8.1 RPG) and Julian Larry (11 PPG, 4.8 APG, 46.2% 3P%) who is a pesky defender. Jordan Pope (17.6 PPG,
37.1% 3P%, Oregon State) and Tramon Mark (16.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, Arkansas) are also in. Five-star McDonald’s All-American wing Tre Johnson
is a likely one-and-done and borderline lottery pick in 2025.

Outside of Alabama, Texas could very well be the most talented team in the SEC. They were very unlucky last year and could see some positive
regression on that end. There are six seniors on this roster, so they have the experience, but do they have the grit to win these close games?

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team went 1-7 against the spread as a favorite of at least 17
points last season. The Longhorns are also 11-20 against the spread
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT as underdogs the past three seasons.
15-1 60-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 19%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 91.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#15 of 364)

TEXAS
AGGIES
A&M
2023-24 RECORD: 21-15 SU, 18-18 ATS, 23-13 O-U-P

The Aggies have made back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time since 2011 and advanced a round for the first time since 2018 before
losing to Houston in overtime. Buzz Williams’ group ranked 341st in eFG% (45.7) and shot just 29.3% from 3 (342nd). However, they guard and
they rebound, as they were No. 1 in ORB% (42.3%).

Wade Taylor IV (19.1 PPG, 4 APG) is the big shot-maker and shot-taker for this team. The Aggies put the foot on the gas tempo wise to get off
the bubble. A&M had the nation’s fourth-best offensive efficiency after March 1. Zhuric Phelps (SMU), a slasher, and C.J. Wilcher (Nebraska), a
three-point bomber, gives the Aggies even more weapons in an up-tempo style.

A&M is also deep in the frontcourt with the returns of Henry Coleman III, Solomon Washington, Andersson Garcia, and Jace Carter, who can
all score and rebound. Plus, Pharrel Payne comes in to give the Aggies the rim protection they have lacked. This team has all the pieces and
the depth to be a second weekend team in the NCAA Tournament. The scoring went up late in the season playing at a faster tempo, but the
shooting percentages must improve for a longer run to become a reality.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over went 9-0 in the Aggies neutral-court games last season.
Texas A&M is also 35-22-1 against the spread on the road since the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 2018-19 season, and the team was 23-7-1 against the spread as an
underdog last season.
18-1 75-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 69%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#16 OF 16)
NATIONAL RANK: (#95 of 364)

VANDERBILT
COMMODORES
2023-24 RECORD: 9-23 SU, 15-16-1 ATS, 12-19-1 O-U-P

The Jerry Stackhouse era came to an end with a 9-23 season last year. Vanderbilt now turns to Mark Byington, who led James Madison to its
best season in school history with 32 victories and an NCAA Tournament upset of Wisconsin. JMU was Top 40 in adjusted tempo per KenPom
in two of Byington’s four seasons there so it is likely that the new coach brings the same to Nashville.

Byington had to hit the portal heavily, but especially in the backcourt. A.J. Hoggard (10.7 PPG, 5.2 APG, 34.7% 3P%, Michigan State), high-
volume shooter Jason Edwards (19.1 PPG, 35% 3P%, North Texas), MJ Collins and Tyler Nickel (40% 3P%) (Virginia Tech), Alex Hemenway
(42.9% 3P%, Clemson), Grant Huffman, who led the Atlantic 10 in assist rate (35.1), Chris Manon (Cornell), Devin McGlockton (10.2 PPG, 6.3
RPG, 39% 3P%, Boston College), and Byington recruit Jaylen Carey headline the roster overhaul.

Vandy will play a lot of five-out offense. While the Commodores are likely a year away from being more competitive in a daunting SEC, they
have the guards to pull a couple of upsets along the way.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Commodores are 22-10-2 against the spread in road games over
the past three seasons.
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT

200-1 300-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 7%
WEST COAST
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s are the two programs that garner the
most respect from the West Coast Conference. The Bulldogs are
NCAA Tournament regulars who find themselves in the Sweet 16
and beyond year after year under Mark Few. Randy Bennett almost
always fields a competitive team, and he has won at least 20
games each season but one since 2008.

But do not be fooled; the West Coast Conference is deep.

San Francisco has won at least 20 games in seven of the last eight
seasons, and it most recently made the NCAA Tournament in 2022.
Santa Clara has quietly become an NBA hub, producing first round
selections in two of the last three drafts. The Broncos were also a
bettor’s best friend last season, finishing with a league-best 18-12-
2 ATS (60%) record.

This conference also got deeper in the offseason. Due to the chaos
of conference realignment, the two Pac-12 castoffs – Washington
State and Oregon State – are now honorary members of the WCC.
They can win the regular season title, and are listed on oddsboards
to do so. Their presence only makes a sneaky deep league even
deeper.

Having said that, there are some very poor programs here.

Pacific was the worst cover team in the country last season at 6-24
ATS (20%). It failed to cover on average by 8.3 points per game; Augustas
also the worst mark in the country. Pepperdine has not won more Marciulionis
than 15 games in the last four seasons. Portland is well-coached
with Shantay Legans, but it is rebuilding once more.

Speaking of, there are quite a few great coaches in this league
outside of Few and Bennett. Herb Sendek (Santa Clara), Chris
Gerlufsen (San Francisco) and Wayne Tinkle (Oregon State) to
name a few.

At the end of the day, this conference runs through the Bulldogs,
and Gonzaga looks like a national title contender once again. But,
Gonzaga has some stiff competition this season, and this could be
a multi-bid league once again.

PREVIEW AND TEAM OVERVIEWS

BY JONATHAN VON TOBEL

106
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 93.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#1 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#8 of 364)

GONZAGA
BULLDOGS
2023-24 RECORD: 27-8 SU, 17-17 ATS, 17-17 O-U-P

Four starters are back from the team that made a Sweet 16 run last season. Gonzaga was the fifth-best offensive team in the country by
efficiency standards (122.6). With three double-digit scorers from last season – Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman and Graham Ike – back in
the fold this team should be one of the most prolific offenses in the country again. If Gonzaga were to improve in any one facet it, it would be
on defense. The Bulldogs ranked 51st in defensive efficiency (99.4) and 201st in opponent 3-point shooting. Still, they were the second-best
defense in the WCC and are strong enough to deserve the status of odds-on favorite (-225) to win the conference.

The new face in the fold is Arkansas transfer Khalif Battle (14.8 PPG). He’s a sixth-year senior with good size that should fit well next to
Nembhard (12.6 PPG) and Hickman (41.3% 3P%). Those two form one of the best backcourts in the country. Nembhard (12.6 PPG) was 65th
in the country in assist rate last season. Up front, Ike might be one of the best low post players in the game. Last season, this program was
supposed to be down. Instead they made a tournament run. This season, there are warranted expectations for the Bulldogs.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 15-9 against the spread as a favorite of 14 points or less
since January 13, 2023, and the Over is 67-47 in Gonzaga’s non-
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT conference games since the 2017-18 season began.
-250 18-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 4 RETURNING MINUTES: 80%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 73.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#6 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#137 of 364)

LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT
LIONS
2023-24 RECORD: 12-19 SU, 12-17-1 ATS, 16-14 O-U-P

Loyola Marymount was an extremely poor team last season. It went 12-19 SU/12-18-1 ATS for the season and just 5-11 SU in conference play.
Injuries did play a role, but so, too, did poor play. This season, the Lions are set up to improve. Two of five double-digit scorers are back. Head
coach Stan Johnson dipped into the transfer portal and landed some really solid pieces as well. The Lions are stronger up front and along the
wing this season. They could be a plucky team early before the market catches up to the improvements this team has made.

The biggest name Johnson landed is former Pepperdine forward Jevon Porter (16.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG), who is an electric scorer. Alex Merkviladze
is one of the two returning double-digit scorers for the Lions. He is 6-foot-8 and a 35.2% shooter. Porter and Markviladze give LMU two solid
wing players that will be a handful for opponents to defend. Will Johnston (11.1 PPG) was a 37.5% shooter. Those three should help the Lions
maintain their strong shooting from last season. Rick Issanza is a massive 7-foot-1 center which gives LMU a legit rim protector. There is also
plenty of depth to this roster with the additions in the portal.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team was 2-8 against the spread in its final 10 games last
season, and each of the program’s games with a total lower than
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT 143 went Over last year.
75-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 37%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 72.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#7 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#148 of 364)

OREGON
BEAVERS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 13-19 SU, 16-13-2 ATS, 20-11 O-U-P

Oregon State’s roster was demolished in the offseason. Two of the program’s best players – Jordan Pope and Tyler Bilodeau – transferred to
other programs. Five others – including a third double-digit scorer in Dexter Akanno – left as well. Wayne Tinkle was forced to rebuild through
the transfer portal. Despite that, the Beavers should be at least on par with the group that finished 13-19 SU/16-14 ATS.

The key piece for Tinkle and Oregon State will be Michael Rataj. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 8.3 points and 5.8 rebounds. He is a strong
rebounder who grabbed 18.1% of defensive rebounds. Rataj also has the ability to space the floor despite shooting just 28.8% from deep.
Where the production comes from around Rataj is a question. Parsa Fallah (13.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG) is a 6-foot-9 forward from Southern Utah and
Matthew Marsh – a 7-foot-1 transfer from Wake Forest – will round out the frontcourt for Tinkle. Demarco Minor (15.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG) comes in
from SIUE to run the show after a strong season. Those four form a strong core for Oregon State to build on. Tinkle loves to play at a slow pace
with an emphasis on rebounding and this group should allow him to do just that.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over is 40-24-1 in Oregon State home games the past four
seasons. Also, the Beavers are 5-17 against the spread as favorites
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT the past three seasons, third-worst for any team that has been a
favorite in at least 12 games in that span.
50-1 500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 21%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 60.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#11 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#308 of 364)

PACIFIC
TIGERS
2023-24 RECORD: 6-26 SU, 6-24 ATS, 13-17 O-U-P

Pacific was one of the worst teams in the country last season. The Tigers finished 6-26 SU/6-24-2 ATS with a -8.3 spread differential. They lost
on average by 15.1 points per game and dropped the last 17 games of the season. Usually there is nowhere to go but up for such a moribund
program, but that is not likely the case for Pacific this season. All five starters from last season are gone. Transfers from Division I, Division
II and JUCOs around the country round out this roster. Dave Smart – a former Texas Tech assistant – has his work cut out for him without a
doubt.

Smart brings 6-foot-4 guard Lamar Washington (2.1 PPG, 1.5 RPG) with him from Lubbock. He played in 30 games last season for the Red
Raiders, so his experience at such a high level should work wonders as he leads a program at a lower level. Jefferson Koulibaly (SMU) and
Elijah Fisher (DePaul) are another pair of transfers. Of the two, Fisher is the big get, as he averaged 10.2 points on 52.0% shooting from the
floor. The Tigers will likely not be the pure bet-against team they were last season, but this team still figures to be one of the lowest-rated teams
in the country this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team had the nation’s worst ATS record in both the 2021-22 and
2023-24 seasons, with its 25-62-2 ATS record the past three seasons
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT being the worst in America. The next-worst cover rate belongs to
Tulsa at 32-55-4 against the spread.
500-1 2000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 5%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 65.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#8 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#248 of 364)

PEPPERDINE
WAVES
2023-24 RECORD: 13-20 SU, 13-18 ATS, 15-13-3 O-U-P

Ed Schilling takes over a Pepperdine program which saw two of its best players – Michael Ajayi and Houston Mallette – depart for greener
pastures. Overall, the entire starting five from last season is gone. But, thanks to a strong transfer class the Waves might hit the ground running
in Schilling’s first season at the helm.

Aaron Clark is the most intriguing transfer. From Wake Forest, Clark is a former four-star recruit that played in just seven games last season.
Grad transfer Alonso Faure – who stands at 6-foot-10 – projects to be a starting option at center. Marist transfer Javon Cooley is a 38.3%
shooter. Moe Odum played in the WCC for Pacific and knows the conference well. He ranked 17th in the country in assist rate (35.5%).
Schilling also has some really intriguing freshmen who could play big roles this season. A name to monitor will be Jaxon Olvera (19 PPG, 6
RPG, 5 APG) for Golden State Prep in Oakland. The other youngster is Taj Au-Duke who averaged a whopping 24.8 points for CALI Prep in
Canada. KenPom projects six WCC wins for Pepperdine, but this team could push for a few more if the freshmen get off to strong starts.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 11-24 against the spread in road games the past
three seasons. The program is also 18-37 against the spread as an
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT underdog in all games in that span.
250-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 5%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 65.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#9 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#251 of 364)

PORTLAND
PILOTS
2023-24 RECORD: 12-21 SU, 15-16 ATS, 12-18-1 O-U-P

Portland is a young team this season. Seven of the scholarship players for Shantay Legans are either redshirt freshmen or true freshmen. There
are some old heads on the roster, but everything out of Portland is that this season is about growth and improvement. That will likely lead to
some ugly results, in hopes that the bumps taken lead to good results in the future.

Vukasin Masic (12.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.9 APG) is one of the seniors on this roster and shot 40.3% from deep. Chris Austin – the other senior –
averaged 6.8 points and shot 36.5% from beyond the arc. Max Mackinnon (12.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG) transferred in from Elon. Of the youngsters
bettors should track, Bol Dengdit is one of the most important. Dengdit is a 6-foot-10 center who ranked 14th in defensive rebounding rate and
ninth in offensive rebounding rate in the WCC last season. Vincent Delano and Kelson Gebbers – a pair of redshirt freshmen – figure to play
large roles at point guard and along the wing. Portland has usually been a somewhat quick team with a poor defense under Legans. With so
many young pieces, that is exactly what this version of Portland projects to be this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team’s 7-18 ATS record on the road the past two seasons is the
fifth-worst mark in the country. The Pilots are 4-15 as an underdog
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT on the road in that span.
250-1 1500-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 36%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 62.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#10 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#282 of 364)

SAN
TOREROS
DIEGO
2023-24 RECORD: 18-15 SU, 14-17 ATS, 18-13 O-U-P

San Diego improved its record from the first to the second season under Steve Lavin. However, Lavin lost four of his starting five from last
season. Lavin must now work with a group built on talented sophomores like Dragos Lungu and Keyon Kensie. There are a few key transfers
brought in as well, but the Toreros season will go as the youth does this season.

Lungu (5.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG) assisted on 19.2% of baskets when he was on the floor, and showed some improvement in international play over
the summer. Kensie showed some flashes last season, including a 16-point and six-rebound outburst in the final game of the season against
Santa Clara in the WCC Tournament. Don’t forget about leading returning scorer Steven Jamerson (8.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG). There are also quite
a few freshmen that figure to play massive roles. Jackson Gaffey is a 6-foot-6 wing that gives the Toreros length along the perimeter. Chas
Lewless, if healthy (back), projects to get time at guard. One transfer to monitor: Division II transfer Kody Clouet averaged 17.6 points and 5.1
rebounds at Southeastern Oklahoma State. Lavin has some talent to work with and has a good track record of developing young players. This
team shouldn’t take a massive step back this season.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 14-26 against the spread in non-conference games the
past four seasons, and its 27-8 record to the Over in road games the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT past three seasons is the highest Over percentage in the country.
250-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 1 RETURNING MINUTES: 31%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 81.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#3 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#73 of 364)

SAN
DONS
FRANCISCO
2023-24 RECORD: 23-11 SU, 19-14 ATS, 18-15 O-U-P

Chris Gerlufsen has done a tremendous job in two seasons at San Francisco. He has won 43 games in two seasons, and the Dons finished
third in the WCC and went 12-6 SU/8-10 ATS against conference foes. San Francisco has three starters back and a team primed to push the
powers at the top of the WCC for a spot at the table.

Marcus Williams is the Dons’ lead man. Williams averaged 14.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists on his way toward a first team all-
conference selection. A great lead guard, Williams ranked sixth in the WCC in assist rate (23.7%) and eighth in steal rate (2.5%). Malik Thomas
is a 6-foot-5 wing player who averaged 12.4 points and shot 40.0% from deep. Ndewedo Newbury averaged 9.4 points and 3.7 rebounds. He
finished 36th in the country in true shooting percentage. Then there is sophomore Ryan Beasley who won WCC Freshman of the Year after
averaging 7.8 points per game. Despite the losses there is an argument to make that this group is better than last season, and at +1200 there is
real value in this team winning the regular season WCC title.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Over was 16-6 in San Francisco’s last 22 games last season, and
the team is 11-4 against the spread as an underdog of more than 6
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT since February 14, 2021.
12-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 57%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 79.0
CONFERENCE RANK: (#4 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#93 of 364)

SANTA
BRONCOS
CLARA
2023-24 RECORD: 20-13 SU, 18-13-1 ATS, 14-16-2 O-U-P

Santa Clara was the best WCC team to bet on last season. The Broncos went 20-13 SU/18-12-2 ATS, and they finished 13-4-1 ATS against
WCC opponents. Herb Sendek had this team playing some of the best defense in the league, and it finished with the best perimeter defense
in the WCC. Three starters and a good chunk of their production return this season, meaning the Broncos are ready to build on an extremely
strong year.

The lead returner for Santa Clara is former Arizona transfer Adama-Alpha Bal. Bal (14.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.1 APG) was 14th in the WCC in usage
rate and will be the focal point of this offense once again. Johnny O’Neil averaged 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds and returns to play up front
for the Broncos. He was ninth in the WCC in blocks with 25 total. Tyeree Bryan will likely have a larger role after averaging 8.2 points and 3.8
rebounds in 32 games last season as well. Sendek also has depth at center with Christoph Tilly returning after a strong season in which he put
up 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Broncos are 35-15-2 against the spread in their last 52
conference games, giving them the best in-conference cover rate of
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT any team in the nation in that span.
18-1 1000-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 3 RETURNING MINUTES: 72%

STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 86.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#2 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#33 of 364)

SAINT
GAELS
MARY’S
2023-24 RECORD: 26-8 SU, 18-15 ATS, 18-15 O-U-P

Death, taxes and an underrated Saint Mary’s basketball team. That seems to be the case once again, as Randy Bennett enters the regular
season as the second choice to win the West Coast Conference. Bennett brings back two starters from a team that won the WCC Tournament
but lost to Grand Canyon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gaels went 17-1 SU/12-6 ATS against WCC opponents. Would it
really shock anyone if St. Mary’s dominated the conference once again this season?

Augustas Marciulionis (12.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.3 APG) is back after a breakout season in which he won WCC Player of the Year. Returning with
Marciulionis is the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, Mitchell Saxen. Saxen (11.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG) is a 6-foot-10 center who was also
the conference’s third-best offensive rebounder (13.2%). Harry Wessels is a 7-foot-1 center who could play with Saxen and give the Gaels
a nearly impenetrable front line. The backcourt is the biggest issue with this roster. Jordan Ross (1.3 PPG) and Luke Barrett (5.5 PPG) figure
to take on more, but are largely untested. Regardless, given the strength up front and the track record of Bennett, this team is going to be a
formidable foe for Gonzaga once again.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The team is 77-49-3 to the Under in road games since the 2011-12
season began. Also, the Gaels were 7-2 against the spread on the
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT road last season.
+320 100-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 2 RETURNING MINUTES: 51%
 STEVE MAKINEN’S
POWER RATING 77.5
CONFERENCE RANK: (#5 OF 11)
NATIONAL RANK: (#102 of 364)

WASHINGTON
COUGARS
STATE
2023-24 RECORD: 25-10 SU, 18-16-1 ATS, 14-20-1 O-U-P

Washington State is rebuilding. All five starters from last season are gone, and only one scholarship player from that team remains. David Riley
comes in after three seasons with Eastern Washington with a tall task. Riley won 31 conference games over the last two seasons with the
Eagles. To speed up the process in Pullman, he brought the core of that team with him.

Cedric Crawford (15.4 PPG) is a 6-foot-6 senior who averaged 15.4 points per game. Dane Erikstrup is a 6-foot-11 big man who averaged
10.8 points and 3.3 rebounds. Ethan Price is 6-foot-10 and can stretch the floor. LeJuan Watts (9.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG) averaged 9.4 points and
4.9 rebounds for Riley as well. That quartet brings size, length and experience for Washington State. Riley’s teams were some of the fastest in
the country, and his offensive approach will be easily implemented with a group of players who have been in it the last few years. The Cougars
might replicate the 25 wins from last season, but they won’t be as poor as teams that are in similar situations usually are.

THE ODDS ‘HOOPS’ BETTING NUGGET

The Under was 6-1-1 in Washington State neutral-court games last
season. The Cougars also went 6-5 as an underdog on the moneyline
CONFERENCE NCAA TOURNAMENT last season.
10-1 400-1
RETURNING STARTERS: 0 RETURNING MINUTES: 4%
 AMERICA
EAST
CONFERENCE
Shamir
Bogues

PREVIEW
This conference has a perennial boogeyman in Vermont, which
has earned at least a share of the regular season crown each of
the past eight seasons and has made four of the past five NCAA
Tournaments. But the Catamounts are searching for their first
NCAA Tournament win since 2005.

Vermont is 45-2 straight-up in home games the past three

seasons, which is the best mark in the country in terms of home
winning percentage. The team also brings back its top two scorers
from last season: Shamir Bogues and TJ Long.

The conference as a whole has been speeding up around Vermont.

The Catamounts ranked 278th or lower in total possessions per
game in each of the past eight seasons, while UMBC and Bryant
both ranked in the top four nationally in possessions per game.
Four other teams were in the top 31 in possessions per game.

UMass Lowell is in search of its first NCAA Tournament

appearance and looks to build off of having the best road 3-point
shooting defense (26.5%) in America last season. The team also
returns its top 3-point shooter Cam Morris, who logged 11.3 points
and 6.3 rebounds per game for a unit that was 22nd in the country
in rebound rate and have four of last season’s top six scorers back.

Bryant entered last season in turmoil with coach Jared Grasso

dealing with off-court issues and now the team has had a full
offseason without headaches under coach Phil Martelli Jr., who
looks to improve the team’s rebounding. Bryant had an offensive
rebound rate of 19.9% last season, which ranked 348th in the
country. The team also had a road free throw shooting percentage
that was 347th at 63.7%, which offset a defense that ranked fourth
in the nation in percentage of opponents field goal attempts that
were blocked at 9.7%.

Maine’s 15 wins last season were the most since the 2010-11
season. Chris Markwood brings back four of last season’s top
five scorers, and last year’s defense was 50th in America in points
allowed on a per possession basis and 48th in turnovers forced
per defensive play.

New Hampshire ranked 11th in opponents 3-point shooting

percentage on the road last season at 29.7%, but the Wildcats
turn over much of last season’s roster with Trey Woodyard, who
averaged 7.7 points per game, being the only of their top six
scorers that returns.

PREVIEW
BY GREG PETERSON

113
ATLANTIC
SUN
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The A-Sun is one of the more enjoyable low-major conferences
to bet and follow. The teams in this league play wildly different
styles and tempos. It is a conference where two teams ranked in
the top 10 in tempo, three teams ranked in the bottom 50, and
nobody really plays defense. According to Bart Torvik, one team
in the conference ranked higher than 239th in Effective Field Goal
Percentage defense. Will Pruitt

Very few teams force turnovers, so it is an offense-driven

conference with a whole lot of 3-point shooting. The national
average 3P Rate was 37.3%. Five teams shot above that, with
North Florida first in the nation at 54.7%. Two more teams were
right on the national average and four were under it. So, this
conference can be chaotic on a nightly basis, but that often makes
for good betting opportunities, especially in a league not followed
closely at all by the oddsmakers.

This season, the conference loses Kennesaw State to Conference

USA, but adds a Division I newcomer in West Georgia. The Wolves
made the Division II tournament in three of the last four seasons
and won both the regular season and their conference tournament
in the Gulf South Conference last season.

Lipscomb projects to be the top dog in this league, as the Bisons

were able to hold on to the league’s best player, Jacob Ognacevic,
who shot over 70% on 2s in 2022-23 before missing all of last
season. They also kept Will Pruitt and Joe Anderson, so Lennie
Acuff’s squad comes into the campaign as the clear favorite.

The fight for second place could be a jumbled mess. Florida Gulf
Coast, North Alabama, and Eastern Kentucky are among the top
contenders. All three teams return some measure of production
from last season. FGCU was the best defensive team of the group
and they look to be the chief contender to Lipscomb, but the
Bisons should roll to the regular season title and it would be a
surprise if they don’t get the conference’s lone NCAA Tournament
bid.

PREVIEW
BY ADAM BURKE

114
 BIG SKY
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Brandon Whitney This is my favorite conference to bet on in college basketball.
There are so many actionable travel spots and differences between
the teams that wagering opportunities are present all of the time.

Two teams have new head coaches, as Sacramento State goes

with Michael Czepil and Eastern Washington rolls with former Long
Beach State bench boss Dan Monson. Czepil was the associate
head coach under Patrick and a move that probably won’t move
the needle much. At least not as much as the Monson hire, as he
led the 49ers to the NCAA Tournament after it was announced he
and the program would part ways.

Eastern Washington already played fast anyway, but expect

them to ramp it up under Monson, as LBSU was in the top 30
in adjusted tempo in six of the last seven seasons per Bart
Torvik. That adds another wrinkle to this conference, where usual
suspects Montana and Weber State are expected to be the best
teams.

In an era where keeping top talent is hard, Eric Duft was able
to keep Blaise Threatt, Dyson Koehler, and Alex Tew at Weber
State. He lost top scorer Dillon Jones and right-hand man Steven
Verplancken, but Idaho State transfer Miguel Tomley will ease the
blow. Expect a balanced scoring attack from the Wildcats again.

As far as Montana goes, Travis DeCuire lost two of his top four
scorers, but the Grizzlies have a lot of efficient 2-point shooters.
What they’ll have to find are some guys that can make outside
shots. Northern Colorado is another team in this range, but I see
them as a big regression candidate after winning 10 games by
six or fewer points and shooting 56.4% on 2s to finish 15th in the
nation.

To me, the team to watch in this conference is Idaho. Alex Pribble

enters his second season after serving as an assistant at Seattle
under a great defensive head coach in Chris Victor. Injuries hurt in
Year 1, but this is a better roster for Year 2.

PREVIEW
BY ADAM BURKE

115
BIG SOUTH
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
College basketball can be such a cruel sport. High Point was far
and away the class of the Big South Conference last season, but
the Panthers lost when it mattered most, as Longwood won 80-79
in overtime in the conference tournament and went on to get the
automatic bid. High Point was so good offensively that they ranked
43rd in adjusted offensive efficiency for Bart Torvik and 36th in
Offensive Rating for Ken Pomeroy.

That was a team that no high-major wanted to see in the first

round, but the Panthers found themselves in the CBI Tournament
instead. They did make it to the championship game there before
falling short to Seattle. Leading scorer Duke Miles transferred to
Oklahoma, but second-leading scorer Kezza Giffa stayed and
so did third-leading scorer and top rebounder Kimani Hamilton,
making the Panthers the clear-cut favorite to win the Big South.

Longwood’s top two scorers and 7-footer Szymon Zapala are

both gone, but Colby Garland is a good scorer from Drake and
Michael Christmas (11.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG) is back. Remember that
the Lancers were just 6-10 in conference play before their highly
improbable tourney run.

Mike Morrell’s UNC Asheville teams are always solid on both ends
of the floor, but the loss of Drew Pember is a huge deal. He led the
team in 2-point and 3-point shots and was second in assists at
6-foot-11. Everything went through Pember, who had 20.6 PPG,
8.2 RPG, and 3.5 APG. His 32.2% Usage Rate was the 13th-
highest in the nation. There is no Pember on the roster, so this will
be more of a guard-oriented team.

Winthrop is actually the challenger I like the most, as Mark Prosser

brings back four starters. The Eagles get to the free throw line at
one of the highest rates in the nation and improved dramatically on
defense from the 2022-23 season. If they can make more 3s this
season, they are very dangerous.

Gardner-Webb promoted associate head coach Jeremy Luther and

USC Upstate is now led by former Drake assistant Marty Richter.
Michael Christmas

PREVIEW
BY ADAM BURKE

116
 BIG WEST
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The conference’s .515 straight-up win percentage last season
was its best since the 2006-07 season. Interestingly enough, the
conference’s NCAA Tournament representative, Long Beach State,
had a fired head coach lead a remarkable run to the Big West
tournament title.

San Diego State assistant coach Chris Acker replaces Long Beach
State’s Dan Monson and brings with him a former top-40 recruit in
Barrington Devin Askew. Askew was limited to 19 games at California the past
Hargress two seasons, but he should be the main cog for a team that figures
to be rebuilding.

The regular season champion in the conference last season was

UC Irvine, which went 17-3 for an 11th straight season with five
losses of fewer in Big West play. The Anteaters ranked sixth in the
nation last season in points allowed on a per possession basis,
and they return three of their top four scorers.

UC Davis had finished .500 or better in conference play in seven

of the past eight seasons and was 20th in the country in turnovers
forced per play on defense last season. But the Aggies were
340th in turnovers per possession on offense in home games last
season, and they have to replace two of the three players that
averaged more than 5.8 points per game last season.

Many thought UC Santa Barbara would finish first or second in the

conference last season, but the team finished a disappointing 9-11
in Big West play. The group also finished with a losing record in
conference play for just the third time in the past 18 seasons. The
Gauchos were also 348th in turnovers per possession on offense
in home games last season.

All teams except for Hawaii are based in California, allowing

for teams’ production on the road to fall off less than in most
conferences. Six teams from the Big West ranked in the top 92 in
points allowed on a per possession basis. As a conference, teams
were 89-73 against the spread in true road games last season.

While CS Northridge and Long Beach State both ranked in the top
24 in possessions per game, the Big West had a lot of slow tempo
teams. Five different teams ranked 244th in possessions per game
or worse. And with Long Beach State’s coaching change, the
Beach figure to also play at a slower tempo.

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BY GREG PETERSON

117
COASTAL
ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION Ante
Brzovic

CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
This conference is made up of primarily slower teams with
Charleston having ranked 96th in total possessions per game and
no other team in the conference ranking higher than 188th in this
category last season.

Charleston will likely run a bit of a different offense with Pat Kelsey
accepting the Louisville job after leading the Cougars to each of
the past two NCAA Tournaments. But in return, former Louisville
coach Chris Mack takes over the program.

Mack is not the only new coach in the conference, as Cornell

coach Dan Earl enters the CAA to coach William & Mary. Earl had
Cornell 64th or faster in possessions per game in each of the past
three seasons. He could look to speed up a team that was 353rd in
possessions per game last season.

Excluding the 2020-21 season when Towson played just 18 games

due to COVID, the Tigers have four straight seasons of at least
19 wins and return five of their top six scorers from a core that
rebounded 38.8% of their missed shots as an offensive rebound,
the second-highest percentage in the nation last season.

While North Carolina A&T has had just four of its past 27 seasons
result in a record above .500, the team returns its top three scorers
from last season, including Landon Glasper, who was 21st among
qualifying Division I players in scoring last season with 20.9 points,
3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. But the team
was 340th in assists per possession last season.

Stony Brook had the best ATS record in the country last season at
25-8-1, but the team lost all five of its top scorers from last season.
Forward Andre Snoddy is the lone returning starter after averaging
5.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Many teams have a lot of moving parts in the conference, including

UNC Wilmington, which had perhaps the biggest win for the
conference last season. The Seahawks defeated Kentucky on the
road, but they lost all of last season’s tip six scorers from a team
that was second in America in fewest turnovers per possession on
offense.

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BY GREG PETERSON

118
 CONFERENCE
USA
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Only two teams finished with a record better than 8-8 in
conference play last season. This was a conference in which
home-court advantage was critical, as teams went 64-50-1 against
Tyrone the spread in true home games.
Marshall Jr.
The range of teams in the conference is vast as Florida
International ranked second in America in turnovers forced on a
per possession basis in road games last season, but the team
finished last in the conference thanks to being the worst team in
the country in opponent 3-point shooting percentage (40.3%). The
Panthers were also 361st in rebound rate.

Liberty was a powerhouse in the Atlantic Sun with a 65-14

record in conference play in five seasons before a 7-9 record in
Conference USA play last season. The Flames have a tried-and-
true style, ranking 302nd or slower in possessions per game in
nine straight seasons.

The conference’s NCAA Tournament representative from last

season, Western Kentucky, saw coach Steve Lutz leave for the
Oklahoma State job. Assistant Hank Plona now takes over a
program that ranked third in possessions per game, but he brings
back the leader in points and assists in Dom McHenry. He also
added a slew of transfers to team up with a bench of players that
were on a team that was third in the nation in possessions per
game last season.

Every team in the conference was outside the top 80 in 3-point

shooting percentage with only two teams ranking outside the top
300 in points scored on a per possession basis.
Sam Houston State, which finished first in the regular season
with a mark of 13-3 in Conference USA play, brings back four of
last season’s top five scorers and has won at least 10 conference
games and 18 games overall in each of the past 11 seasons.

UTEP loses its top two scorers from a program that led the country
in turnovers forced per possession last season, generating a
turnover on 25.4% of defensive possessions. The team looks to
Tarleton State transfer Devin Barnes to elevate the team’s 3-point
shooting after he notched 13.0 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals
per game on 39.7% 3-point shooting while playing in a similar
system last season.

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BY GREG PETERSON

119
HORIZON
LEAGUE
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
This conference has a bunch of new coaches with Detroit, UW Brandon
Green Bay, IU Indy (formerly IUPUI), Wright State, and Youngstown Noel
State all making offseason changes.

Detroit’s 1-31 record was the worst in college basketball last season.
Michigan State assistant coach Mark Montgomery will look to turn
things around. Five of last season’s top six scorers are gone from a
team that was 327th in points scored on a per possession basis and
359th in points allowed on a per possession basis.

Oakland defeated Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament last season,

but the team’s top four scorers from a season ago are gone.

IU-Indy, which is 14-79 over the past three seasons, looks to

Division II University of Indianapolis coach Paul Corsaro to turn
around a team that returns zero minutes from last year’s team.

For the first time since the 2004-05 and 05-06 seasons, the UW
Milwaukee Panthers have back-to-back 20-plus win seasons.
Bart Lundy has the team playing fast, ranking in the top 45
in possessions per game each of the past two seasons in a
conference that had four of the top 68 teams in total possessions
per game last season.

Fort Wayne was 13th in the country in turnovers forced on a

per possession basis and brings back its top two scorers from
last season. The team ranked second in the conference in total
possessions per game.

Wright State was the fastest team in the conference, but the
program replaced coach Scott Nagy with Clint Sargent, who has
been with the program since 2016. Wright State was 341st in
points allowed on a per possession basis and 352nd in opponent
field goal shooting percentage. But the team was third in the nation
in points scored on a per possession basis in games played away
from home, with its 52.1% road field goal shooting percentage
leading the country.

Youngstown State promoted assistant Ethan Faulkner after Jerrod

Calhoun bolted to Utah State. The Penguins have had at least a
.545 winning percentage in each of the past five seasons, despite
having a winning percentage below that mark each of the previous
18 seasons.

UW Green Bay becomes the first program in college basketball

history to have a head coach that also hosts a daily radio show at
the same time, as the team hired Doug Gottlieb. It was a puzzling
move, but he did add Isaiah Miranda, a consensus top-150 recruit
in the 2022 freshman class.

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BY GREG PETERSON

120
 IVY LEAGUE
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Due to the academic standards of the schools in the conference,
Caden Pierce the Ivy League has the fewest incoming transfers of any
conference in college basketball.

After a 6-17 start to the season, Brown ended the season winning
seven straight games before falling in the Ivy League tournament
final by one point to Yale. But rebounding leader Nana Owsu-
Anane, who at 6-foot-8 averaged 14.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1
assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, suffered an injury in
early October that might be season-ending.

Brown’s injury troubles open the door for Columbia, which returns
five of its top seven scorers from a team that was 18th in the
nation in 3-point shooting (37.4%). The team has gone .500 or
worse in conference play in 29 of the past 31 seasons, but things
are looking up for the program.

Yale has been 7-7 or better in conference play in every year since
the 1999-2000 season and looks to build off a victory over Auburn
in the NCAA Tournament. But the Bulldogs have to replace last
season’s top two rebounders from a core that was 17th in the
country in defensive rebound rate.

Princeton has won 23 or more games in each of the past three

seasons after having done so in just seven of its first 120 seasons
of basketball. The program returns its top two scorers from a
season ago: Xavian Lee and Caden Pierce.

Cornell was the only team that was faster than 143rd in the
conference in possessions per game, but coach Dan Earl left to
take the William & Mary job. Former Cornell player Jon Jacques
was hired as the new head coach after spending the past decade
in an assistant role with the program. He’ll likely keep things the
same.

Additionally, Cornell was 93rd in turnovers forced per possession

last season, making this the lone team in the conference to rank
better than 177th in this category.

Pennsylvania looks to improve on defense after ranking 325th in

points allowed on a per possession basis last season.

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BY GREG PETERSON

121
METRO
ATLANTIC
ATHLETIC
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Saint Peter’s looks to defend its MAAC tournament title by being
even uglier this season. That’s a compliment of the Peacocks’
style that relies on defense and physicality, not smooth offensive
production. Bashir Mason’s squad must replace the production of
last year’s top player Corey Washington (transfer to Wichita State).

Since the MAAC lacks offensively-gifted squads, defense-first

teams like Marist, Rider and newcomer Merrimack are also in Savion
contention, but Quinnipiac is No.1 in the coaches preseason poll Lewis
based on its inside-outside trio of Savion Lewis (7.3 APG) at guard
and Paul Otieno (league best 63.8% FG%) next to the Preseason
Player of the Year Amarri Monroe (12.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG) down low.

John Dunne’s Marist squad will rely on a pair of sophomores Jadin

Collins-Roberts (started all 31 games last year) and Josh Pascarelli
(10.7 PPG) to run his deliberate offense geared to keep the game
in the low 60s.

Rider needs holdovers Tariq Ingraham and T.J Weeks Jr. to replace
all the work Mervin James did on the offensive end last season for
the Broncs.

Tobin Anderson went portalling to get Iona back to the top of the
standings, a regular occurrence under his predecessors Rick Pitino
and Tim Cluess. The Gaels starting five could be the best in the
MAAC because whoever it ends up being, is experienced and likely
was playing in a higher conference a year ago.

From an overall handicapping standpoint, here is what to expect

from the MAAC. These squads will beat the hell out of each other
during the regular season with many low scoring affairs during
their Friday-Sunday games. Come tournament time in Atlantic City,
where now only the top 10 schools get an invite, the winner will
be the team that essentially outlasts its opponents during physical
games, not necessarily by just outsourcing them.

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BY AARON MOORE

122
 MID-AMERICAN
CONFERENCE
Anthony
PREVIEW
Pritchard
The conference was down for its standards last season with a
62-77-1 ATS record in non-conference games. Akron was the only
team in the conference that ranked in the top 113 in points allowed
on a per possession basis last season.

Akron has made two of the past three NCAA Tournaments despite
ranking 294th in 3-point shooting percentage last season. But
the Zips are tasked with replacing their top four scorers from last
season. They’ll also try to keep their defensive intensity up. Akron
ranked 21st in opponent 3-point shooting percentage and 53rd in
points allowed on a per possession basis last season.

After spending last season at Indiana, Peyton Sparks is back

with Ball State. He was the team’s top rebounder in the 2022-
23 season, but he wanted to test his game at a higher level.
Unfortunately, Sparks was glued to the bench in the Big Ten last
season, which is why he decided to head back to the MAC. He’ll
look to lead the Cardinals to a big season in 2024-25.

Toledo has gotten at least a share of the conference regular season

title in each of the past four seasons, but the team has zero NCAA
Tournament appearances to show for it. The Rockets have a high
powered offense that has ranked in the top 35 in points scored on
a per possession basis in each of these past four seasons. But in
each of the past two seasons, they have been 247th or worse in
points allowed on a per possession basis.

Despite ranking just 324th in points scored on a per possession

basis, Central Michigan went 10-6 in conference play. The team
benefitted from the conference being down offensively. Buffalo,
Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Miami OH, and Northern
Illinois all joined the Chippewas as teams that were 256th or worse
last season in points scored on a per possession basis.

After making the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Kent State’s 17-17

record last season was tied for its worst win percentage since
the 1997-98 season. The Golden Flashes are also tasked with
replacing six of last season’s top eight scorers.

Ohio is the only team in the conference that returns at least 50%
of its minutes played. The team has also had a winning record in
all five seasons under coach Jeff Bowles. Additionally, the Bobcats
were 18th in fewest turnovers per possession last season. They’ll
look to Jackson Paveletzke to put up the type of numbers he did at
Wofford two seasons ago, when he had 15.1 points and 3.7 assists
per game on 39.3% 3-point shooting before spending last season
on Iowa State’s bench.

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BY GREG PETERSON

123
MID-EASTERN
ATHLETIC
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW Bryce Harris

Home underdogs went 24-14-2 against the spread last season

in a conference that has been a 14 seed or worse in every year
since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams for the 1985
tournament.

With coach Cleo Hill being hired in June, Maryland-Eastern Shore

has to replace every player that logged a point last season in a
conference in which every team was 157th or worse in points
scored on a per possession basis, but all but one team was 233rd
or better in points allowed on a per possession basis.

Morgan State brings back all of its top four scorers from last
season after being the worst team in the conference in points
allowed on a per possession basis, but the team has gone .500 or
better in conference play each of the past five seasons.

In 26 seasons playing MEAC conference play, Norfolk State has

never been below .500 in conference play and has been .500 or
better in 11 of the past 12 seasons. The Spartans’ 36-2 straight-up
record in home games the past three seasons is the second-best
in the country in terms of home winning percentage.

The conference has been represented by Howard in each of the

past two NCAA Tournaments and the Bison return their top two
players in total points scored from last season

After eight straight seasons of 10 wins or fewer, Delaware State

broke out for a 15-18 record last season and top scorer Martez
Robinson is back.

South Carolina State went 9-5 in MEAC action last season, just its
second time in the past 14 seasons having a record above .500 in
conference play.

After ranking 361st out of 362 Division I teams in points scored

on a per possession basis, Coppin State loses last season’s top
three rebounders from a team that was 359th in rebound rate last
season.

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BY GREG PETERSON

124
 NORTHEAST
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
Zaire
Williams The conference loses two of their stronger members from last
season with Merrimack and Sacred Heart going to the MAAC with
Division I independent Chicago State and Division II Mercyhurst
taking their spots.

Mercyhurst had a record of only 15-16 at the Division II level last

season, allowing only 66.2 points per game, but also allowing
opponents to make 37% of their 3-point shots — while blocking
only 1.8 shots per game, which would have been 350th in the
country at the Division I level last season.

Central Connecticut was the best team in the conference in points

scored on a per possession basis last season among teams that
return, ranking 214th in points scored on a per possession basis
and their win total has increased in each of the past five seasons
but have to replace three of last year’s top four scorers from a 20
win team.

Coach Gerald Gillion got Chicago State to 24 wins as an

independent that past two seasons, which was more than the 23
total wins the program had the past seven seasons combined. But
he left in the offseason to become the associate head coach within
the conference for a Long Island team that has posted a 10-48
record the past two seasons.

The in-conference coaching change has Chicago State needing

to replace last season’s top three scorers under new coach Scott
Spinelli, who was an assistant last season, while Long Island
brings in two Chicago State guards in a transfer haul that includes
Malachi Davis, who was a former top JUCO transfer that spent last
season on Arizona State’s bench.

Last season’s top three scorers are gone from a Wagner team that
made the NCAA Tournament and was 67th in points allowed on
a per possession basis and 16th in opponent 3-point shooting.
The team also ranked in the top 67 in points allowed on a per
possession basis each of the past three seasons.

The conference’s bottom two teams are St. Francis PA and

Stonehill, which have big rebuilds ahead of them. St. Francis lost
its top three scorers from a team that ranked 338th among Division
I teams in points scored on a per possession basis and 303rd in
points allowed on a per possession basis. Meanwhile, Stonehill
ranked 316th in points allowed on a per possession basis and
357th in points scored on a per possession basis.

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BY GREG PETERSON

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OHIO
VALLEY
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
If you like bad offense, the Ohio Valley Conference is for you. Six of
the 11 teams in his conference ranked in the 300s in Effective Field
Goal Percentage offense last season. As a result, you did have
some decent defensive metrics in the league, as teams simply
didn’t make enough shots. Morehead State was the best team on
both ends of the floor and held up in the conference tournament to
get the automatic bid.

The Eagles hung around as long as they could with Illinois, which
was about 25 minutes, but eventually lost by 16. Running it back
may be tough, as Morehead State bid adieu to head coach Preston
Spradlin, as he leveled up to James Madison. Four starters are
gone and new head coach Jonathan Mattox’s top returning scorer Ryan Myers
had 4.6 points per game. The 35-year-old Mattox was on the
Morehead State staff from 2013-22 before joining Murray State as
an assistant under Steve Prohm.

With that in mind, the OVC is wide open for this season. Little
Rock will be led by super senior KK Robinson, but most of last
year’s supporting cast is gone. UT Martin rose up and had a big
season last year, but head coach Ryan Ridder is now at Mercer.
Top players Jacob Crews and Jordan Sears both transferred to
SEC programs and seniors Issa Muhammad and KK Curry are also
gone.

Western Illinois was second to Morehead State in adjusted

defensive efficiency and a top-20 team in eFG% defense, so
maybe the Leathernecks are the team to watch. They had major
scoring issues last year, but some exciting transfers have come in
and this is a team with great length, as seven players are listed at
6-foot-6 or taller.

Tennessee State strikes me as a dark horse, as they played good

defense last season and brought in some more efficient scorers via
the portal. Brian Collins has had back-to-back 18-win seasons with
10-8 marks in league play. With no Morehead State this season,
improving that by a couple games might be enough.

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BY ADAM BURKE

126
 PATRIOT
LEAGUE
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The league has been dominated by Colgate, which has finished
either first or second in the conference standings each of the
past seven seasons and made five straight NCAA Tournaments.
Colgate’s 72-6 straight-up record against Patriot League teams is
the best record against conference foes in the country in that span,
but the program does need to replace each of last season’s top
Caleb Kenney three scorers to stay on top.

The Patriot League is a make-it-and-take-it conference with Loyola

MD losing 25 games last season, the second-most in program
history, despite allowing opponents to rebound just 17.1% of their
missed shots as an offensive rebound in home games. That was
good for the nation’s best home defensive rebound percentage.

The conference was also by far the slowest as a collective in the

country with nine of the 10 teams in the conference ranking 302nd
or lower in total possessions per game. Lehigh bucked that trend,
ranking 75th in possessions per game. The Mountain Hawks bring
back their top two leaders in points per game from last season.

Navy returns eight of last season’s top nine scorers and each of
the top four, including Austin Benigni, who averaged 17.0 points
and 3.8 assists per game last season.

Before Colgate’s dominance in the conference, Bucknell had a

stretch of six NCAA Tournament appearances in 14 seasons (2005-
2018) and second-year coach John Griffin, a player from the team
that defeated Kansas in the 2005 tournament, returns four of his
top five scorers from a season ago.

After missing the whole 2023-24 season, Jalen Rucker returns

for Army to aid an offense that was 347th in points scored on a
per possession basis last season and posted a 10-22 record after
going 17-16 the previous season.

American lives and dies by the 3-point shot, ranking 27th in

percentage of shots from 3-point range on offense and 29th
in highest percentage of opponents points coming from made
3-pointers.

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BY GREG PETERSON

127
SOUTHERN
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
All but two teams in the conference finished with a record of 16-17 Donovan Atwell
or better last season, but the conference saw a drop in defense
with Samford being the only team that ranked in the country’s top
120 in points allowed on a per possession basis.

Samford’s 29 wins last season were a program record, having

never won more than 24 games at the Division I level en route to
the NCAA Tournament. And though point guard and assists leader
Rylan Jones is back, five of last season’s top six scorers are gone.

Western Carolina’s 22 wins last season tied a program record, but

the team lost coach Justin Gray in the offseason, replacing him
with Gardner-Webb coach Tim Craft. The new lead man will be
tasked with replacing each of last season’s top four scorers and
over 90% of the minutes from last season.

Wofford and East Tennessee have the most returning production

from last season. Wofford brings back all eight of the team’s top
scorers from last season, while East Tennessee ranked 21st in
offensive rebound percentage last season and has four of its top
five scorers back.

Chattanooga is looking for its backcourt to do big things, as the

group returns its top two scorers from a squad that attempted
50.5% of its field goals from 3-point range, the third-highest rate in
the country while its 37.8% 3-point shooting on the road was 12th
in America.

UNC Greensboro tied with Chattanooga for second in the

conference behind Samford, and has won at least 20 games in
seven of the past eight seasons with its win total improving in all
three seasons under coach Mike Jones. But the Spartans lost their
top two scorers from last season.

After coaching last season at UT-Martin, Ryan Ridder takes over as

Mercer’s new coach and is tasked with replacing all of the top five
scorers from last season.

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BY GREG PETERSON

128
 SOUTHLAND
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The Southland was run by McNeese State last season, as Will
Wade’s team posted a record of 30-4 in his first year with the
program. The Cowboys had never won more than 22 games in any
season prior.

McNeese had the highest win percentage against teams within

the conference among all Division I teams last season, going 19-1
between conference play and the Southland tournament. The
Cowboys bring back much of last season’s core while adding four
transfers from the power conference level to further improve an
offense that was 13th in points scored on a per possession basis
last season.

The conference brings in two new members with Stephen F Austin

and UT Rio Grande Valley entering from the WAC. This is a reunion
for Stephen F Austin, which was a Southland member from 1987-
88 through the 2020-21 seasons.

The step down in competition should help a Stephen F Austin team

Christian that had its second-worst win percentage in 18 seasons last year,
Shumate finishing 18-15. The Lumberjacks will look to improve a defense
that ranked 345th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage last
season (37.1%) and ranked 357th in turnovers per possession on
offense.

The conference as a whole is made up of teams that force a ton

of turnovers, with Stephen F Austin and UT Rio Grande Valley
included. Seven of the top 94 teams in the country in this category
are in the Southland, with McNeese sixth and Stephen F Austin
seventh nationally.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi had their two losses to McNeese come
by a combined eight points and have made two of the past three
NCAA Tournaments. The Islanders bring back much of a core that
was 21st in points allowed on a per possession basis and 31st in
opponent 3-point shooting percentage at 31.1% last season.

The lone loss within the conference for McNeese last season came
at the hands of Southeast Louisiana, which has point guard Carlos
Paez back for a sixth season after being limited to eight games
last season. He’ll bolster a team that had an assist on 60.3% of its
made field goals, ranking 18th in the country.

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BY GREG PETERSON

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SOUTHWESTERN
ATHLETIC
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The SWAC tournament winner has received a 16-seed in all but
one NCAA Tournament since 1998, with the lone exception being
when Texas Southern got a 15 in the 2015 dance.

Texas Southern missed the NCAA Tournament after making seven

of the previous nine NCAA Tournaments — and three straight —
but returns its top two rebounders from last season and was 96th
in points allowed on a per possession basis last season.

Despite making just two of the past 17 NCAA Tournaments,

Southern was won at least 10 conference games in 12 of the past
13 seasons and while Southern was just 315th in rebound rate,
they bring back their point guard from a team that was ninth in
turnovers forced per possession on defense and fourth in points Kintavious
allowed on a per possession basis last season. Dozier

Only two teams in the conference ranked in the top 260 in

points scored on a per possession basis with Prairie View taking
advantage on defense, ranking eighth in turnovers forced on a
per possession basis last season — and finishing top nine in this
category for the fifth time in the past seven seasons.

Perennial punching bag Mississippi Valley State has won nine

games or fewer in 12 straight seasons and ranked last in the nation
in points scored on a per possession basis and 358th in points
allowed on a per possession basis.

Grambling has finished first in SWAC play each of the past two
seasons and brings back both last season’s leader in points and
rebounds. The team made its first ever NCAA Tournament last
season.

This is an uptempo conference with 10 of the 12 teams finishing

142nd or faster in total possessions per game with most of these
teams having to replace teams ravaged by transfers, including
Alcorn State, which finished in the top two in the SWAC standings
each of the past three seasons but must replace last season’s top
six scorers.

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BY GREG PETERSON

130
 SUMMIT
LEAGUE
CONFERENCE
Issac McBride
PREVIEW
The conference has been controlled by South Dakota State,
which has made seven of the past 12 NCAA Tournaments.
The Jackrabbits also went dancing last year, but they have
to replace their top four scorers and will look to improve their
perimeter defense after ranking 286th in opponent 3-point
shooting percentage at 35.5% — while 46.9% of opponents field
goal attempts were 3-pointers, which was the second-highest
percentage in America.

Since moving from the Division III level to Division I for the 2021-
22 season, St. Thomas’ overall and conference records have
improved in every season, and the team went 20-13 overall and
9-7 in conference play last season. Rebounding is the strength
here. Opponents grabbed just 20.8% of their missed shots as an
offensive rebound, allowing St. Thomas to rank 27th in defensive
rebound rate.

All but two teams in the conference — Denver and South Dakota
— ranked 194th or slower in total possessions per game last
season, with every team ranking 153rd or worse in points allowed
on a per possession basis.

After having the fewest points allowed per possession and finishing
second in conference play last season, UMKC brings back the
most points or minutes of any team in the Summit League.

Since rejoining the Division I ranks prior to the 2009-10 season,

North Dakota’s 18-14 record was their second-best win
percentage. The team returns Amar Kuljuhovic, who led the squad
in rebounds with 8.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game on 45.5%
3-point shooting last season.

Omaha allowed fewer than 75 points per game last season for the
first time since joining Division I prior to the 2012-13 season, while
Denver has to replace all three of last season’s top scorers. That
includes guard Tommy Bruner, who was second in Division I in
scoring (24.0 PPG) last season.

PREVIEW
BY GREG PETERSON

131
SUN BELT
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The Sun Belt had a big moment in college basketball last season.
James Madison became a prominent team on the national
landscape, including a win in the NCAA Tournament over
Wisconsin. Appalachian State actually won the regular season title
with two wins over the Dukes and a 16-2 record overall, as they
finished their season with a loss in the NIT.

It is unlikely that we have a James Madison this season in the

conference, but it is a conference that has improved across the
board. The Dukes are also unlikely to repeat last season’s run, as
head coach Mark Byington is now at Vanderbilt. JMU does have Nate
a strong replacement in Preston Spradlin, but there is virtually no Martin
returning production on the roster.

Old Dominion has a new bench boss in Mike K. Jones and

Marshall could look a little different under promoted assistant
Cornelius Jackson. That’s it for the coaching changes, as several
Sun Belt programs made a change last season or within the last
couple. It is a huge conference with 14 teams, so you get some big
talent disparities and a wide range of styles.

This was the third-fastest conference on average by adjusted

tempo per Bart Torvik, trailing America East and the SEC, but
teams don’t chuck as many 3s as you would expect. The Sun
Belt was 22nd in 3P Rate, so it’s not run and gun, but there is a
lot of slashing to the basket and also a conference that gets a
possession bump by having a lot of offensive rebounds.

The most exciting transfer group to me is at Georgia State, where

third-year head coach Jonas Hayes had a four-win improvement
from Year 1 to Year 2 and brought in some good scorers in Justin
Archer, Zarique Nutter, Nick McMullen, and Cesare Edwards.
Southern Miss also added an impact player in DeAntoni Gordon
from Little Rock. Those are my dark horses in a league where
Arkansas State and Troy will be highly rated and James Madison
and App State will live early on reputation.

PREVIEW
BY ADAM BURKE

132
 WESTERN
ATHLETIC
CONFERENCE
PREVIEW
The conference was controlled by Grand Canyon last season,
which won a franchise record 30 games. The Antelopes’ 79.1
points per game was 3.2 points per game more than in any of
their other 10 seasons at the Division I level. They also return Tyon
Grant-Foster, who led the way with 20.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.7
steals, and 1.5 blocks per game last season.

The WAC is down to nine members with UT Rio Grande Valley and
Stephen F Austin both leaving for the Southland. The remaining
teams in the conference are poor when it comes to 3-point
shooting, with UT Arlington, which was 96th in 3-point shooting
Tyon percentage, being the lone team in the conference that was in the
Grant-Foster top 146 in 3-point shooting percentage last season.

A clean bill of health might be all Cal Baptist needs to ascend, as

its had an 11-8 record with Dominique Daniels in the lineup. He
led the team with 19.2 points and 2.9 assists per game on 36.3%
3-point shooting, but the team was 5-9 without him.

Most teams in the conference look to generate a bunch of

turnovers with Abilene Christian chief among that, as the team was
31st in turnovers forced per possession on defense —which was
actually the program’s worst mark since the 2015-16 season.

Free throw shooting is magnified in this conference, as every team

in the WAC ranked 199th or worse in fouls committed on a per play
basis on defense. Utah Tech will desperately look to improve on
ranking 354th in free throw shooting percentage at 63.7%

After ranking 360th in home 3-point shooting percentage and

352nd in overall 3-point shooting percentage, Utah Valley looks
to a turned over roster with three of last season’s top four scorers
gone. The offense will look to take better advantage of the fact
that its defense has been in the top 37 in points allowed on a per
possession basis each of the past three seasons.

PREVIEW
BY GREG PETERSON

133