From UConn three-peat to Duke star Cooper Flagg, the top men’s basketball storylines to watch

No matter how much things change, the same goal remains in men’s college basketball: make it to the end of the road to the Final Four.

Like college football has already seen, this year’s men’s college basketball season will be one unlike any other. The list of teams in Division I continues to grow with more than 350 programs, and there are big names in new places – schools, players and coaches – all hoping to survive and advance to San Antonio on April 5 and 7.

With the rapid change that comes in college sports nowadays, anything can happen this season. Last season’s top teams can fall flat, while those that stumbled can become contenders. To prepare for what will surely be another wild journey to March, here are some of the key storylines heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season:

Can Connecticut three-peat?

It’s been more than 50 years since the last three-peat men’s national champion, back when John Wooden dominated the sport at UCLA. Can the Huskies be the second school to ever do it?

The Huskies were undoubtedly the favorite last season to win the title, but there it doesn’t seem like a certainty this time around. Most of the starters are gone, but Alex Karaban remains, and is someone that has two championship rings already. Hassan Diarra is also back, and Samson Johnson can take the place of big man Donovan Clingan. Five-star recruit Liam McNeely can add some offensive firepower to a team that needs a knockdown shooter.

Connecticut is the favorite to win the Big East and will be well tested before the calendar flips over. It’ll play in the stacked Maui Invitational and then face Baylor, Texas and Gonzaga in an 11-day stretch. By the time Big East play begins, the country may know if the Huskies remain the top dog.

Will Cooper Flagg live up to the hype?

No men’s college basketball boosted their popularity over the summer quite like Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. He already was the top recruit in the 2024 class, but he proved he’s a star in the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/uconn-three-peat-duke-star-110902163.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2024-11-04 11:09:00

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