5 NCAA basketball teams that will be better than you think next season
Five NCAA basketball teams that will be better than you think next season.
The 2019-20 season never got a fair sense of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that doesn’t mean it is too early to start thinking about next year. The NCAA is set to open campuses for student-athletes at the beginning of June so football and basketball players can return to school to get ready for the next season.
There are still a few unanswered questions about how rosters will look due to transfers and NBA Draft decisions, but for the most part, teams are pretty complete at this point. Let’s take a look at five teams that could be better than people think next season, beginning with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
NCAA basketball rankings: Way-too-early Top 25. light. Must Read
5. Rutgers Scarlet Knights: FanSided way-too-early ranking – No. 19
If there was an NCAA Tournament this season Rutgers would have been in it for the first time in 29 years. The Scarlet Knights assembled a talented roster that could do it all, albeit one that struggled mightily to win outside of the RAC.
A year of experience for this group should make a big difference, especially with most of the rotation back for another run at March Madness. Head coach Steve Pikiell is also one of the more underrated coaches in the country and has a squad that could push to be a top-5 entrant in the rugged Big Ten standings.
The fact that Rutgers will have so much continuity is massive for the Scarlet Knights, who don’t get talked about nearly enough in a league that features powerhouse programs like Michigan State, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio State. Don’t be shocked if Rutgers knocks off a few of these premier schools on its way to a tournament bid.