College basketball season preview roundtable: Final Four predictions, conference rankings, best players

College basketball roundtable discussing Final Four picks, breakout players, coaches on the hot seat and more of the biggest storylines entering the season.

College basketball is back Tuesday, Nov. 5 with Michigan State vs. Kentucky and Kansas vs. Duke in the Champions Classic from Madison Square Garden to start the season in style. This may be one of the more wide-open seasons in recent memory with a number of really good teams, but perhaps not one elite team ahead of the pack. This means it should be a really fun season to watch unfold from November into early March before we all set our brackets for March Madness.

Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett are gone but a new wave of freshmen phenoms are in to generate must-see highlights and have NBA fans wishing they can win the NBA Draft lottery to pick one of these one-and-done players.

To help ring in the new season, I called upon some of the best college basketball minds around the FanSided network to take part in a fun roundtable where we talked about some of the biggest storylines this season, overrated and underrated teams, best freshmen and of course our Final Four picks and the one who will be the national champion.

Joining me for the roundtable are Tristan Freeman and Lukas Harkins from Busting Brackets, Connor Muldowney from Spartan Avenue, Zack Pearson from Keeping it Heel, Matthew Giles from Ball Durham and FanSided’s editorial director for college sports, Michael Collins.

What’s the biggest storyline entering the 2019-2020 season?

Tristan: The opportunities for non-traditional powerhouses to take on the “blue bloods”. Whether it’s Florida vs. Kentucky, Louisville taking on Duke/UNC, or even Seton Hall trying to edge Villanova in the Big East, there are recruiting consequences for who wins some of these battles.

Zack: How wide open it really is this year. I don’t think there’s a clear cut favorite like we thought we had last season going into this year. There are a handful of teams I think can win it all this season.

Matt: Once again, the media will focus on one guy, thereby irking fans of other players and teams. This season, the one guy who has both the skill and opportunity to dazzle like Zion Williamson or Trae Young is UNC’s Cole Anthony. Admittedly, though, my current emotions as a Duke fan — increasing Zion withdrawal and Tar Heel nightmares — may be impacting my answer here.

Connor: I think the biggest storyline would have to be the rebound of Duke without Zion and if the Blue Devils can get back to the top with a more unheralded group. There’s obviously going to be the talk about Tom Izzo chasing national title No. 2 with arguably his deepest team ever but Duke climbing back to the top and potentially Kansas fighting through “adversity” with the media circus would be another interesting storyline.

Lukas: The FBI Investigation and the Notice of Allegations that have ensued will follow the sport throughout this coming season. DePaul and Georgia Tech have already been hit with punishments and Kansas has been sent an NoA. There will be plenty of speculation over the coming months regarding how severely the programs involved will be punished and how many programs will be implicated. Fans are yet to know the full extent of this issue and it will be a constant talking point not only for this season but for the next few years to come.

Michael: The biggest storyline will most likely be watching the programs who have been hit with the FBI investigation and subsequent notices handed down by the NCAA. Along with Kansas, who is fighting to the end to prove their innocence, notices were given in July by the NCAA to North Carolina State. In addition, Arizona, Auburn, Creighton, Louisville, LSU and USC are still under the watchful eye of investigators and the NCAA. Who knows which — if any — of those teams may lose postseason eligibility before March arrives.

Patrick: I’m excited to see the next wave of one-and-done players. Cole Anthony, Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, among others are the players I can’t wait to see how they adapt to the college game and make their teams better.

What will be the overriding theme of the season?

Tristan: Extending the three-point line might not impact the shooters as much as the overall spacing of the floor. Teams with skilled bigs who can operate down low will have an advantage this season.

Zack: The play of this freshman class. There is so much damn talent in this class, I truly think they are going to be the showcase all season long, much like last year.

Matt: Experience trumping freshman talent. Expect a load of upsets early and in the postseason. As parity increases due to the increasing number of kids hooping all across the world, so too does the threat of senior-laden mid-majors whose coaches continue to land prospects from all over and develop them over four years.

Connor: Expect a lot of No. 1 teams to fall. There isn’t going to be a clear favorite to win the national title all season and the No. 1 team may change just about every week. The field will be as open as ever before.

Michael: The mid-majors will be an overriding theme. With the turmoil going on in many of the blue-blood programs, this year will be an opportunity for mid-majors other than the usual few we hear about (Butler, Gonzaga, VCU, etc) to gain some attention.

Patrick: Pay for play and how soon the NCAA will implement a plan to compensate athletes for their name, image and likeness.

Lukas: Coaching matters. Gonzaga, Virginia, Texas Tech, and Villanova (among others) all lost a significant amount of talent and will be working with less experienced rosters as a result. And while it is reasonable to expect these schools to take steps back in response to their lost talent, I think the majority of them will still post very strong seasons.

Which head coach is on the hottest seat?

Tristan: Outside of John Calipari of Kentucky, just about all the other SEC programs have switched head coaches in the last few years, with some having major success. Missouri’s Cuanzo Martin could be out next if they remain in the bottom three of the league. There are no five-star incoming recruits coming to save him this time around.

Matt: Wake Forest’s Danny Manning is entering his seventh season, so he’s had ample time to at least give a glimmer of hope to a fanbase still holding strong memories of the Demon Deacons’ regular appearances in both the AP Top 25 and NCAA Tournament from 1991 through 2010. Manning’s six seasons on the job include five ending with a losing record, including his most recent back-to-back 11-win campaigns. His seat would be on fire after another one.

Connor: If I’m Iowa, I don’t give Fran McCaffery much more of a leash. He’s constantly falling short of expectations and this isn’t a program that is void of talent. The Hawkeyes may not have to win the Big Ten this year for him to keep his job, but if he misses the tournament, he could be looking for work.

Michael: Georgia Tech’s Josh Pastner has returned the program to mediocrity after a successful 2016-17 season and Coach of the Year honors. The quick slide downward for the Yellow Jackets over the past two seasons combined with the NCAA probation and postseason ban announcement, make Pastner’s seat quite warm.

Lukas: Pat Chambers at Penn State. The Nittany Lions are facing relatively high expectations this season as a potential at-large contender and that will be a double-edged sword for Coach Chambers. Penn State has already missed the NCAA Tournament in nine consecutive seasons under his leadership and failing to dance again in a season with enough talent to do so might be the final nail in his coffin.

Who is the best mid-major?

Tristan: Gonzaga, by far has the highest ceiling of any mid-major and is once again a Final four threat. They return very good players in Killian Tillie and Admon Gilder (grad transfer) while also bringing in a top-15 recruiting class. But don’t underestimate Utah State and VCU, who each are major threats for a run of their own.

Zack: I don’t want to go with the obvious answer of Gonzaga like every year but I really like Utah State this season. They enter this year as defending Mountain West Champs and have a legit shot at repeating.

Matt: I’ll predict preseason No. 20 St. Mary’s (Cal.) stops playing second fiddle to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference and then makes a deep postseason run. Randy Bennett has compiled 16 consecutive winning records, including seven NCAA Tournament appearances. This season, the Gaels are old and wise, boasting three fifth-year guys and five fourth-years — including Jordan Ford, a stellar guard who averaged 21.1 points last season.

Connor: Gonzaga is the easiest choice every year and I’m going with the Zags yet again. However, I think Memphis is going to make some noise this year under Penny Hardaway because of the talent he’s gotten on the roster in such a short period of time. Never bet against a Mark Few-coached team, though.

Michael C: Keep your eye on VCU this year. They have practically the entire roster returning from what was a very good team (who probably underachieved) last year. The Rams play defense extremely well — something that always seems to win tournament games — and will hopefully have a healthy Marcus Evans to give them some pop. The Rams should win the Atlantic-10 and be a team to fear in the Big Dance.

Lukas: Gonzaga plays in a mid-major conference but they are not really a mid-major team. I am excluding the Bulldogs from my answer as a result. Looking a bit deeper, VCU is my favorite mid-major on paper. There are arguments for a bunch of other teams, but the Rams feature an elite defense that might just be the best in the country this season. The Rams return the vast majority of their key pieces from a strong season a year ago and Marcus Evans will be back at 100 percent.

Patrick: Thank you, Lukas, for having the guts to say someone besides Gonzaga. I don’t know if they qualify as a mid-major either but Memphis has the potential to be elite in a best-case scenario. Harvard could make a lot of noise too.

Who is the most underrated team in the preseason Top 25?

Tristan: Chuma Okeke was fantastic for Auburn last season from the frontcourt but don’t forget about former top-50 prospects Danjel Purifoy and Austin Wiley, a pair of big men who have always shown promise when on the court. The Tigers still have some depth left from the Final Four squad.

Zack: Purdue. They lost a lot last season but don’t sleep on Matt Painter’s team in West Lafayette this year.

Matt: No. 21 Arizona. The NCAA investigation may serve as more of a chip on its shoulder than a distraction. And after riding the pine for two seasons at Duke, Chase Jeter is now a 22-year-old center who, along with other solid returners, will be a leader for a squad that welcomes two five-stars: Nico Mannion, a uniquely gifted point guard, and Josh Green, a wing who is arguably the nation’s most versatile freshman.

Connor: It has to be Ohio State. The Buckeyes are one of the fastest-rising teams in the Big Ten and they don’t lose much from a 20-win team last year.

Michael: Purdue (No. 23 AP, No. 22 Coaches) is really being overlooked. They had some bad losses early in the season last year but finished strong. Everyone seems to forget they beat the No. 2 team in the nation in the NCAA Tournament and took eventual champion Virginia to overtime before losing a close game. They’ll be back in 2019-20.

Lukas: Ohio State. Head coach Chris Holtmann is one of the best in the business and he has a ton of talent to work with this season. The Buckeyes will be led by junior big man Kaleb Wesson and an inexperienced yet talented group of players around him. Ohio State was slotted at No. 18 in the preseason top-25 poll but they could crack into the top-10 if they reach their ceiling.

Patrick: Texas Tech. I know they lost a lot but No. 13 seems way too low for last year’s national runners-up.

Who is the most overrated in the preseason Top 25?

Tristan: The reason Virginia is ranked No. 11 in the AP poll is out of respect to coach Tony Bennett and being the reigning national champion. Far as the roster goes, I’m not sure it’s top-25 worthy.

Matt: Without a doubt, and coming from a lifelong Duke fan, the No. 4 Blue Devils are highly overrated. Duke lost 73 percent of its scoring from last season. Yes, the program welcomes four coveted freshmen, but none are alphas like Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett. Plus, Duke’s 3-point shooting could be even worse than last season when the Blue Devils knocked down only 30.8 percent of their attempts yet for some reason decided to launch more than 23 per game.

Connor: While I think Maryland has the talent to make a Final Four run this season, I just don’t think they’re there just yet. This team has a couple of veteran pieces, but I’m not sure the Terrapins are No. 7-worthy. That seems incredibly high to me, especially for a team that is going on a decade without a conference title.

Michael: I think Oregon at No. 15 is a bit of a reach. The Ducks did have a nice recruiting class, but they’re a long way from maintaining themselves as a Top 25 team. They’ll drop from the rankings quickly once conference play begins.

Lukas: While I think Seton Hall is going to be a very good team and deserves to be ranked in the preseason top-25, slotting the squad at No. 12 is just too high. It is difficult to make a substantial leap based solely on internal improvements and Ike Obiagu is the only impact newcomer joining the program. Seton Hall could easily prove me wrong and there is a lot to like about their roster heading into the season, but very few teams are able to make the leap that many are projecting out of the Pirates.

Patrick: Memphis. I’m buying the hype surrounding the program but to rank them at No. 14 based on the potential of a handful of players who have never played a game is the definition of overrated.

Who will be this year’s Chris Beard? (breakout coach)

Tristan: Washington’s Mike Hopkins did well with the inherited seniors last season but now has his own roster to work with. If the five-star freshmen big men and Kentucky transfer Quade Green work out, he and Washington will be mainstays in the Pac-12.

Matt: Penny Hardaway for No. 14 Memphis. In just his second year as a head coach, he has both the swagger and the No. 1 recruiting class to stamp his name atop the list of top up-and-comers.

Connor: Ohio State’s Chris Holtmann doesn’t get enough love for the job he’s done with the Buckeyes in just a couple of years. I think this might be the season the Buckeyes make a run to an Elite Eight or Final Four, putting himself on the map nationally.

Michael: Tom Crean, Georgia. When Crean was hired it signaled a change in how Georgia approached basketball. The recruiting wins are just beginning for Crean and he’s got Georgia poised to make a huge jump in a very tough conference.

Lukas: Florida head coach Mike White has done an exceptional job and the Gators boast an insanely talented roster capable of competing for the national championship.

Patrick: Add me to the Chris Holtmann fan club.

Can Virginia repeat?

Tristan: The only thing UVA needs to worry about “repeating” is making the NCAA Tournament this season. They’re at best a distant 4th in the ACC and would need someone to come out of nowhere to carry them to another Final Four. It’s not a diss to the national champs but rather realistic considering who they lost.

Zack: It’s going to be tough for the Cavaliers to repeat especially in a good ACC where they enter the year as the fourth-best team in the conference. I don’t see them doing it again.

Matt: Absolutely Virginia can repeat. Tony Bennett is still the head coach, right?

Connor: Honestly, I just don’t think Virginia has the pieces to repeat this season. The Cavaliers may not even be a top-four team in the ACC but that just means they’re going to prove me wrong and make a Final Four run.

Michael: The Cavaliers are pushing the reset button, but when you have a coach as good as Tony Bennett, you’re never out of it. Repeating will be a tall order for Virginia, but I wouldn’t count them out.

Lukas: The answer to this question will depend on how impactful Virginia’s newcomers will be. Most notably, incoming freshman Casey Morsell and JUCO transfer Tomas Woldentensae will be asked to play key roles in Coach Bennett’s blocker-mover offense. They will need to learn the system quickly and understand how to make the correct read as scorers. If both of them emerge as legitimate top scoring threats for the Cavaliers, then the team can definitely compete for a repeat.

Patrick: Nope. Next question!

Who will be the best player in college basketball?

Tristan: Michigan State’s Cassius Winston is the best player overall based on what he did last season. However, I think teams will focus on him, even more, to try and shut him down. Look for Devon Dotson of Kansas to have a great season as the primary ball-handler to stuff the stat sheet.

Zack: I have to go with the senior Cassius Winston. I think this will be a good year talent-wise for college basketball all-around but Winston will be the best this year when it’s all said and done.

Matt: Michigan State guard Cassius Winston, but maybe only because I cannot stomach to answer yet another question with Cole Anthony.

Connor: How can I not say, Cassius Winston? The senior point guard might be close to cementing himself on the Mount Rushmore of Spartan legends but the Michigan State guard is not content with just finishing his career as an all-time great in terms of personal accomplishments, he wants to win titles. That drive is special and he is the craftiest, most exciting player in the country to watch.

Lukas: This one is a no-doubter. Cassius Winston is easily the best player in the country and he will be the leader of the best team in the country as well.

Patrick: Cassius Winston all day.

Michael C: It’s unanimous, Cassius Winston. His return is the main reason the Spartans are ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll, and he could be the reason Izzo nets another championship.

Who will be the player NBA scouts love most?

Tristan: Cole Anthony has everything set up for him to make the best impression for scouts. The ball will be in his hands on a title contender and his skill set fits perfectly in the modern-day NBA game.

Zack: Cole Anthony. The UNC Freshman has the skill-set to be a top pick next season, and the first No. 1 overall pick for Roy Williams while at UNC. His all-around game is special from the scoring to defense and even how he distributes the ball to his teammates.

Matt: Anthony Edwards (again, I’ve already vowed to stop answering with Cole Anthony). Georgia’s 6-foot-5 freshman — No. 2 on the 247Sports 2019 Composite — is quick, explosive, aggressive, and lengthy. Plus, he’s honed his 3-point stroke and has tremendous vision. He’s pretty much everything NBA scouts are looking for in a guard.

Connor: I have to say, Cole Anthony. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better pro prospect than this kid. He can do just about everything that he’ll be a perfect fit in today’s NBA.

Michael: Anthony Edwards. He’s the prototypical NBA guard, and unfortunately for Georgia and Tom Crean, he may be a one-and-done player. He’s basketball’s version of a five-tool player with speed, length, shooting touch, defense and strength.

Lukas: Cole Anthony will be the nation’s most impactful freshman this season but Anthony Edwards will have scouts heading to Athens in droves. He is a sensational athlete and is my early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was born to play at the next level.

Patrick: James Wiseman. He’s not a finished product and there are some questions about his health but you can’t coach 7-feet.

Who will make the Final Four?

Tristan: Michigan State, Baylor, Florida, Maryland

Zack: North Carolina, Michigan State, Florida, Louisville

Matt: Kentucky, Louisville, Virginia, Villanova

Patrick: Michigan State, Kansas, Louisville, North Carolina

Connor: Michigan State, Kansas, Kentucky, Florida

Michael: Michigan State, Kansas, VCU, Kentucky

Lukas: Florida, Louisville, Ohio State, Oregon

Who will win it all?

Tristan: Florida already has the defense and talent. If they can just shoot the ball a bit better, I find it hard to find a team with the ability to outplay them for 40 minutes in March.

Zack: I’ll be a homer here, but I can’t pick against UNC.

Matt: As much as it pains me to say, Kentucky, led by its uber-talented mix of freshmen and sophomores.

Connor: I don’t mind being a little biased so I think this is finally the year Michigan State wins No. 2 for Tom Izzo. The Spartans are incredibly deep and I don’t think any team will be able to hang with that depth.

Michael: Michigan State. The Spartans have too many weapons (including the best player in the nation), more depth than anyone, and a coach who can pull it all together.

Lukas: Louisville. I really like head coach Chris Mack and there is plenty of talent for him to work with. Jordan Nwora is the star and is surrounded by great pieces. Louisville features an insanely talented incoming recruiting class and these newcomers will have ample opportunity for playing time against lower-level ACC opponents.

Patrick: Kansas. I know there’s been a lot of noise around the program but barring injuries and suspensions, I think they cut the nets down.

One-on-one with Connor Muldowney, site expert at Spartan Avenue to get the inside scoop on the nation’s preseason No. 1 team, led by unanimous preseason All-American, Cassius Winston.

The biggest question facing Michigan State?

How do the Spartans play with a gigantic target on their backs? They aren’t used to being the No. 1 team (first time as the preseason No. 1 in school history) and it seems like the program always plays better as an underdog, but will they embrace that favorite role? If Michigan State can just act like it’s any other season without the pressure of No. 1, I think it can be special.

Most important (not necessarily best) player for Michigan State?

Cassius Winston is the easy answer here. While it could be fair to say that Xavier Tillman is more important because the post is relatively unproven, if Cassius were to go down with an injury, this team would be in major trouble. There’s such a big drop-off from starter to backup point guard at Michigan State that Cassius might be the nation’s most important player.

Michigan State will make the Final Four if _____ _?

It doesn’t read its own headlines. The only worry is that this team might read just how good it should be and not actually prove it on the court. That sometimes happens with teams ranked No. 1 in the preseason. If Michigan State can continue to show that underdog, blue-collar mentality that it’s had for Tom Izzo’s entire tenure, it’ll make the Final Four. Winning it is another obstacle in itself.

One-on-one with Matthew Giles, site expert at Ball Durham, about the biggest storylines facing the Duke Blue Devils.

How does Duke replace Zion, RJ and Cam Reddish?

Umm…unfortunately, it doesn’t. All the Blue Devils can do is accept that fact and move on to what they can do. They may have to incorporate old-school ball movement in halfcourt settings, like something out of Hoosiers because the rim-rocking highlights are definitely not going to be a mainstay on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays this season.

Most important (not necessarily best) player for Duke?

Freshman forward Matthew Hurt has to be a wizardly scorer and creator. Not only is his quick, high-release shot hard to guard — this flick of the wrist led to regular 50-point outings in high school — but his ability to catch the ball at the elbow and find open teammates is imperative to Duke generating points. If he doesn’t live up to his five-star billing against college competition, then the offense in Durham this season will almost certainly be atrocious.

Duke will make the Final Four if _____?

Coach K finds some loophole in the NCAA Handbook that allows him to pay Zion Williamson to come back for the postseason. Joking aside, the only possible way is for the Blue Devils to limit most of their 3-point attempts to their two best shooters while embracing the type of defense — anchored by ball-hawking point guard Tre Jones — that made folks learn how to pronounce “Krzyzewski” decades ago. Allow no passes to be easy. Dive on the floor or headfirst into the crowd on seemingly every possession. Regularly slap the floor with both hands to intimidate opponents. And never stop communicating. In short, Duke needs to do what the great Duke teams of yesteryear did: bring a higher level of energy than all of its opponents.

One-on-one with Zack Pearson, site expert at Keeping it Heel, about the biggest storylines facing the North Carolina Tar Heels

What’s the biggest challenge facing Roy Williams?

Managing the rotations is something I’m curious to see how Williams figures out early on in the year. He lost five of his top six scorers, returning only Garrison Brooks of that bunch from a Sweet 16 team. But he has a very good freshman class headlined by Cole Anthony and Armando Bacot, as well as two solid graduate transfers in Christian Keeling and Justin Pierce. Anthony, Brooks and Keeling will likely be the starters but after that, the Tar Heels will have some options including Rechon Black, Bacot and Brandon Robinson.

How good can Cole Anthony be?

Anthony could be the best player in college basketball by the time the season is over with this year. He does have a lot of hype going into the year but it’s well-deserved. I think most of America will know Cole’s name by the time conference play begins. His all-around game is fantastic. Not only is he one of the best scoring freshmen in the nation but he’s also a very good facilitator and will create opportunities for his teammates. It really wouldn’t shock me to see Cole walk away with some awards at the season’s end.

North Carolina will make the Final Four if _____?

They rebound well. Every year the Tar Heels are among the top teams rebounding-wise in the country. This year, they go into the year with an improved Garrison Brooks and a freshman Armando Bacot as their two primary bigs. Sterling Manley is hurt and Brandon Huffman hasn’t shown enough yet to prove he can be counted on. This might be the year we see a dip in the rebounding numbers for UNC unless Brooks takes that next step. If UNC rebounds well, it will lead to more possessions on offense, especially when Williams likes to push the ball up the court. It will also limit opposing teams to possessions, giving UNC’s defense a bit of a boost.

For more NCAA basketball news, analysis, opinion and features, check out more from the FanSided college basketball section to stay on top of the latest action.