NCAA Basketball: Five Teams To Watch In 2015
By Ryan Mayer
The Madness has ended and Duke once again has been crowned champion. Congratulations to the Blue Devils but some of you like myself are probably pretty sad about college basketball season being over. That's why I came up with an entirely too early "5 teams to watch" list for next basketball season.
5) Maryland Terrapins
The Terrapins will lose star guard Dez Wells to graduation which will hurt, but his loss is offset by the announcement from freshman Melo Trimble that he's staying in school and will return to play his sophomore season. Couple that with the addition of recruit Diamond Stone who is 247 sports' 5th ranked recruit and you've got a solid foundation. Mix in returning players Jake Layman (12.5 PPG) and Jared Nickens (9.5 PPG) and you have 3 of the top 4 scorers from this year's team that advanced to the second round of the tournament back. An offseason of training and adding a big time post presence like Stone means the Terps should make the tournament and could make a Final Four run if they put it all together.
4) Virginia Cavaliers
This depends on Justin Anderson's decision as to whether or not to enter the NBA Draft. I personally think he would be better served to come back to school for another year and develop more. (Also would allow him to avoid a stacked draft class this season.) If he leaves for the league, Virginia will be solid but not spectacular. If he stays, that would mean 6 of their top 7 scorers return to a team that went 30-4 and was a 2 seed in the tournament. The Cavs should be a menace once again next year and also the reason people will complain about college basketball needing to change for the entire season until the tournament comes around and they forget all about it.
3) Texas A&M Aggies
This seems out of place doesn't it? The Aggies are a football power more so than a basketball one. They didn't have a particularly stellar season, 21-12 and bounced in the 2nd round of the NIT. Here's why they're on this list: They bring back everybody from that team that was on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament and they add a Top 5 recruiting class. Number 3 in the nation in fact according to 247 sports. Danuel House will be back (16.2 PPG), Jalen Jones (13.8 PPG) and Alex Caruso (10.3 PPG) will be back as well. To compliment that back court, the Aggies are bringing in 3 big man prospects that are all four star recruits. Could they not pan out? Absolutely. But the experience this team returns alone is enough to make me keep an eye on the Aggies next season.
2) Duke Blue Devils
The National Champions are on this list despite expecting to lose four of their five starters to graduation or the draft. Quinn Cook graduates and the freshman trio of Okafor, Jones, and Winslow are all probably gone. Jones and Winslow in particular rocketed up draft boards during the Tournament with their performances. That said, the cupboard will be far from bare for Coach K. Grayson Allen (McDonald's All-American who single-handedly brought Duke back in the title game), Amile Jefferson, Marshall Plumlee, Matt Jones will all be back. They also add Chase Jeter a top ten prospect and Luke Kennard. Oh by the way, Grayson Allen is Duke basketball's next great villain. It was Laettner, then Redick, the Paulus, and Allen is next in line.
1) Kentucky Wildcats
John Calipari's roster will have a lot of turnover. Karl Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, both Harrison twins are all most likely gone as they'll declare for the draft. Devin Booker and Trey Lyles could declare as well, but I think they'll come back. That would mean Tyler Ulis, Booker, Lyles, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee, and Alex Poythress (look a senior on Kentucky's roster! Take that one and done haters!) will most likely be back. Add to that the annual top recruiting class in the nation with Skal Labissiere (ho-hum another 6-10 post presence), Isaiah Briscoe (another top PG recruit you say? That's new) and shooting guard Charles Matthews and you have another team that based on talent should make a tournament run. Will they challenge 40-0 again? Probably not, but they'll certainly be really really talented.
Ryan Mayer is an Associate Producer for CBS Local Sports. Ryan lives in NY but comes from Philly and life as a Philly sports fan has made him cynical. Anywhere sports are being discussed, that's where you'll find him.
