A wild opening week of college basketball saw great ranked matchups, excellent freshman play and everything in between. Naturally, that comes with overreactions in November for a sport that ends in April. These could be spot on by the time the nets are cut down, or they could be a brief flash in the pan. Either way, here are four overreactions to the first week of men’s college basketball.
This is the best freshman class in over 20 years
All the talk coming into this college basketball season was about the big three incoming freshmen and deservedly so. AJ Dybantsa from BYU, Cameron Boozer of Duke and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson have all been spectacular throughout the first week of their collegiate careers. Peterson is shooting 60% from the field and had 22 in a loss against a ranked North Carolina team. Boozer is averaging a double-double and had 24 points and 23 rebounds in an exhibition win over Tennessee. Dybantsa is averaging 19 points and seven rebounds going into a homecoming game against UConn at TD Garden on Saturday night. However, this freshman class goes deeper than these three future lottery picks. Neoklis Avdalas had 33 points in Virginia Tech’s overtime victory over Providence. The Greece native went 5 of 8 from three while also contributing five rebounds and six assists. Koa Peat is another name to remember. In his first college game ever, Peat scored 30 points on 11-18 shooting to take down the defending champion Florida Gators. The projected lottery pick followed that up with 18 points on 85.7% shooting against Utah Tech. All of these freshmen could hear their name called in the lottery and tanking NBA teams would be happy to have any of them on their rosters.
Georgetown is a top 3 team in the Big East
When Ed Cooley became the first coach to leave one Big East school for another, it was said that it would take three years to determine whether the hire was worth it or not. In year three of the Cooley regime, it looks like the Hoyas made the right move. Georgetown went into Maryland last Friday and walked away with a double-digit win over the Terps. Junior Malik Mack led the charge with 19 points. Mack started in 32 games last year for the Hoyas and continues to make leaps forward. Caleb Williams was thrust into the starting lineup as a sophomore and responded with 14 points and 10 rebounds Friday night. The cherry on top was Arizona transfer KJ Lewis who had 16 points and nine boards for Georgetown. Those three had 49 of 70 points for the Hoyas. If Cooley can get more out of UConn transfer Isaiah Abraham and his other transfers, this Georgetown team could make a serious run. UConn and St. John’s have separated themselves as the top teams in the Big East with Marquette, Georgetown and the No. 23 ranked Creighton team in the next tier of teams. Georgetown will face Marquette on Dec. 17, to get their Big East season started. A win against them could cement the Hoyas’ spot as a perennial contender in the Big East.
Alabama and St. John’s will see each other again in March
The Crimson Tide won a 103-96 thriller against the Red Storm last Saturday at Madison Square Garden. The game lived up to its hype while confirming that both teams are title contenders this season. Florida State transfer Taylor Bol Bowen had 25 on 10-17 shooting while returning players Labron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway both scored over 20 for the Tide. Head coach Nate Oats also had Latrell Wrightsell return to the Tide after missing most of last season with an injury. Wrightsell had 17 points, with 12 of those coming by Oats’ favorite shot, the three-pointer.
The Jonnies fought valiantly on their home court with the Big East Player of the Year favorite Zuby Ejiofor scoring 27 and grabbing 10 rebounds. Rick Pitino put his transfers to work; Bryce Hopkins had 19 while Pitino got 14 points apiece from Ian Jackson and Oziyah Sellers.
Alabama has been one of the best programs in the 2020s, including their first ever Final Four appearance in 2024. Meanwhile, Pitino led the Red Storm to their first win in an NCAA tournament game since 2015. Hopes are high for both schools and it would not be a surprise if both schools faced off against each other late in the NCAA tournament.
Indiana is back
The Darian DeVries era has begun, rejuvenating one of the most storied college basketball programs. The Hoosiers own a 2-0 record and beat NCAA tournament mainstay Marquette by 23 on Sunday. The team is led by DeVries’ son Tucker, who dropped 27 against the Golden Eagles. Sam Houston State transfer Lamar Wilkerson had 23 on Sunday after averaging 20.5 points last season for Sam Houston State. DeVries brought Drake University back to prominence and is poised to do the same in Bloomington. The Hoosiers have only made the tournament twice since 2016 and have not made the second weekend of the tournament since that same year. Games against ranked Louisville and Kentucky are still on the docket before Big Ten play begins for IU, but hopes are high for the five-time national champions.