This season was perhaps the most difficult yet, as many freshmen and international newcomers were expected to play key roles. It’s usually smart to value experience and not overstate highly rated freshmen.
Well, this freshman class is definitely an outlier. What a first week.
The Class of 2025 is already generating hyperbolic shots. Greatest ever? Let’s not forget that Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Chris Mullin were all in the same class. But this one might be one of the all-time greats. The depth is ridiculous. The performances al are ridiculous.
The bigger point is that we shouldn’t cling to our preseason biases. I look at the next few weeks as repeats. It’s hard when some teams play cupcakes and others play real competition. The preseason bias will still have some influence, especially in the first few polls, but we will get a clearer picture by the end of November. I’m not afraid to push someone to the top based on a win, especially if they look good. (See major climbs this week for Arizona, Alabama, Gonzaga and North Carolina.)
There are teams between 10 and 20 that could finish in the top five and I wouldn’t be surprised. Sometimes I’m tempted to let the computer ranking systems help with my polling, but this freshman class broke the computers.
So the eye test is what I have to do, and eye tests with a small sample size will be full of errors. I’m sure I’ll be reminded of those mistakes. No problem. I’m excited for what’s going to be an incredibly fun ride.
Annual reminder: In my weekly Top 25, I give nuggets for an unspecified number of teams each week. So if a team appears in the table but not in the text below, that’s why.
Failed: Washington, Missouri
Keep an eye on: North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, Georgetown, Wisconsin, San Diego State, Auburn, Nebraska, Clemson, Utah State, Virginia Tech, Liberty, Baylor
2. Arizona
Last week: Defeated Florida 93-87 and Utah Tech 93-67
I was high on Arizona this offseason, but was afraid to push the Wildcats too high because they started two freshmen. But I liked their positional size and believed Koa Peat is also one of the best-prepared freshmen in the country. Confirmed.
Peat, who has season-high performances so far (30 points, seven rebounds and five assists on opening night against Florida), doesn’t look or play like a freshman. One of the reasons he’s such a good weapon is the post-to-post, high-low passing that has always been a staple of the Tommy Lloyd/Mark Few offense. Turf has already shown that he has a good ball with this pass:
Peat, Tobe Awaka and Motiejus Krivas are all good at pushing their man up the court. Krivas has the advantage of being a huge target at 7 feet, and Arizona has scored on four of five of these high-low post pins so far. Lloyd’s teams haven’t shot many three-pointers; this team is extreme, attempting only 16.1 percent of its shots from deep. The Wildcats can be efficient even without 3s because they live in the paint. Combine the bigs with the driving skills of Jaden Bradley, and this team might be Lloyd’s best ever at putting pressure on the rim.
6. Alabama
Last week: Beat North Dakota 91-62 and St. John’s 103-96
In Rick Pitino’s last 26 seasons as college basketball coach, his teams had allowed one opponent to score 100 points in regulation until Alabama’s win at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. The Crimson Tide became the first team to do it against Pitino since Feb. 22, 2003, a 101-80 victory for Cincinnati over Louisville.
Alabama made just 11 of 35 from deep, but the benefit of shooting all those 3s is that it makes it easier to score inside the arc while the defense worries about the 3-point threat. We’ve seen this the past two seasons at Alabama, which ranks 11th and 4th in two-point percentage. This team may be Nate Oats’ most dangerous team inside the arc due to the speed and finishing ability of guards Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway, who combined to make 15 of 21 2s and 9 of 12 shots at the rim.
Both have a great touch and Philon’s finishing package is quite unreal. He can gently remove it from the glass with both hands at full speed.
Going to the right (and with the wrong foot):
And to the left:
Notice in both clips that the strong side angle provides no assistance and stays at home. It’s going to be hard to slow down these two guards when the lanes are so big.
9. Gonzaga
Last week: Defeated Texas Southern 98-43 and Oklahoma 83-68
Gonzaga is the oldest team in college basketball: four Zags are already 23 years old or older, while a fifth (Jalen Warley) turns 23 in February. As if that wasn’t hard enough, Gonzaga has a 19-year-old freshman point guard who has the intelligence and touch of a vet.
Mario Saint-Supery’s name is not discussed among the first-year elite, but he is already one of my favorites. He had eight points and six assists in 26 minutes off the bench in a win over Oklahoma, and what stood out was his vision, his ability to play off a ball screen and his alertness to what’s happening on the floor on both ends. In pick-and-roll, his head is always up; watch as he makes his man run into the screen, then sees what’s in front of him once he makes the choice:
The question for Gonzaga was how it would replace Ryan Nembhard. Fourth-year junior Braeden Smith is the starter and has spent one year as a redshirt in the system. He’s a solid option, but Saint-Supery may have already surpassed him.
12. North Carolina
Last week: Defeated Central Arkansas 94-54 and Kansas 87-74
The best teams in college basketball over the past two years have had great front lines, and Hubert Davis made sure to invest in his after a mediocre season. UNC may have one of the best right now. Freshman power forward Caleb Wilson looks like a lottery pick and was the star in Friday’s win over Kansas. Arizona transfer center Henri Veesaar wasn’t as spectacular, but just as important.
Veesaar is great in the pick-and-roll. He sets good screens and gets to the rim quickly, and he is a huge target. During a 58-point second half, the Heels took advantage of KU’s shaky ball screen coverage, confusing the Jayhawks’ guards as to who the tag should be and also taking advantage of those tag guys playing way too far from the center line:
If you are late to Veesaar, he will approach you:
Veessar scored eight of his twenty points on rolls, had two assists on short rolls and also had seven screen assists, freeing up guards for drives and shooters for wide-open shots with his rolling gravity:
UNC had 30 points created by Veesaar screens. If the Heels shoot the ball better from the perimeter (they were just 8 of 27 from 3) this will be a tough ball screen offense to contain.
22.Indiana
Last week: Defeated Alabama A&M 98-51 and Marquette 100-77
As intended, the Indiana Hoosiers have shooters again.
On Sunday, Tucker DeVries reminded college basketball that he is one of the best scorers/shooters in the country. The two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year was our top transfer The Athletics in 2024, but played just eight games at West Virginia last year due to a shoulder injury and kind of slipped from our basketball conscience.
Not only is DeVries playing hoops at a high level again, his father has built a nice team around him. Indiana looks like a group that has been playing together for years. Darian DeVries, who comes from the stock of Creighton coach Greg McDermott, is running great sets, and the Hoosiers were great Sunday at screening the ball to generate looks for Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson. Of IU’s 28 three-point attempts, 11 were generated by off-ball screening, and they made six of those attempts.
My favorite was this one below because it shows the unselfishness of a great shooter (Wilkerson, maker of 212 career 3s) who is willing to be a screener and set up his teammate:
Between the two, they made 12 3s and scored 50 points in the 100-77 win over Marquette. They will be a fun duo to watch this season, and after weathering the Mike Woodson era, IU fans will be treated to a beautiful offense.
24. Michigan State
Last week: Defeated Colgate 80-69 and Arkansas 69-66
One concern for Michigan State coming into the season was a lack of perimeter scoring, which was valid. The Spartans are 7 of 35 from 3 in two games and made just one of 14 in Saturday’s win over Arkansas. But here’s what you always have to remember about Tom Izzo teams: They’re going to play to their strengths.
Against Arkansas, 22 of MSU’s 25 buckets were in the paint. Two others were within three feet of the paint. This team knows how to space, cut and pass from close range. When the ball goes in the post, the Spartans aren’t looking for kickouts on a post-double team. Jaxon Kohler has two options close to the bucket:
The Spartans will play in transition as much as possible and through their bigs in the half court, whether it be post-ups, rolls or cuts. They will also be elite on the offensive glass. They’re recovering 47.5 percent of their misses through two games. It should be difficult to get on offense without the threat of shooting at the rim, but if anyone can make it happen, it’s an Izzo team.
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