6 Things to Watch in College Basketball

Russ Smith of Louisville

Last night I was sitting on my couch and engaged in a conversation with a roommate about college basketball and the upcoming season. In my excitement for the season to begin I rushed to the store and bought the newest college basketball preview magazine. What entailed was four hours of poring over endless material for what is sure to be a dynamite season all around.

Change is abound in college hoops and the landscape of the game was drastically altered on July 1 when conference realignment was officially implemented. Say hello to a new Big East and welcome in the American Athletic Conference. Say goodbye to some of the game's best rivalries such as Syracuse-Georgetown and bid adieu to Conference USA as a "power conference" (sorry Middle Tennessee and Old Dominion).

Yes, change is the theme of this year in college basketball, but there's no sense in complaining anymore. This is the way it is. So rather than getting your panties in a bunch about the breakup of the Big East, focus on the new great rivalries that realignment has given us. Notre Dame, Syracuse and Pittsburgh joining the ACC creates some enticing matchups as does Butler, Xavier and Creighton joining the Big East.

Don't feel bad if your head is spinning from all these changes. It's hard to keep up anymore, but here are six things to watch for this upcoming season.

1. Can Louisville repeat as national champions?
No team since Florida in 2006 and 2007 has repeated as national champions, but the ingredients are there for Rick Pitino's Cardinals. Nearly every major piece returns and the big one is Russ Smith. The 6-foot dynamo flirted with the NBA, but opted to return. That means Louisville has it's leading scorer (18.7 ppg) back to go with a great frontcourt. Luke Hancock was the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player and Wayne Blackshear started 34 games last season. Chane Behanan and Montrezl Harrell are two physical presences as well. Kevin Ware, barring any setbacks in his rehabilitation process, should be available by October.

2. Kentucky's freshmen class for the ages
We have grown accustomed to watching John Calipari win with a host of freshmen on his Kentucky roster, but last year his young crop of talent didn't possess the brains or the heart to get the job done. This year, six McDonald's All-Americans enter Lexington in hopes of bringing the national championship back across the state. Some media outlets have pegged Andrew Harrison and Julius Randle as All-Americans and Calipari has mentioned his aspirations of going undefeated. Stay tuned.

3. Can Tom Izzo win another title?
I hate to give Tom Izzo grief for only having one national championship to his name, especially because he has been to six Final Fours. However, his 2000 team is the only one that has hoisted the trophy and that's surprising with how much talent has gone through East Lansing. Like Louisville, Michigan State has several key pieces returning, most notably Gary Harris. Harris is versatile on the offensive end and gets after it on defense. Keith Appling is back to run the point and Adreian Payne will anchor the frontline. There's no reason these Spartans shouldn't be in Dallas.

4. How will Creighton, Xavier and Butler do in the Big East?
All three teams have had plenty of success in recent years, but let's not forget that just two years ago Butler was competing against the likes of Cleveland State. Sure, the Bulldogs had great tournament runs, but can they have success throughout the season playing teams like Marquette and Georgetown? Don't expect much from Butler this season, but Doug McDermott and Creighton could contend for the title. Xavier will most likely be middle of the pack.

5. The inaugural season of the American Athletic Conference
The funny thing about the inaugural season for the AAC is that it's going to look different next season. Louisville and Rutgers are members for this year only and then they will depart for the ACC and Big Ten respectively. Tulsa, East Carolina and Tulane will fill the void and the conference will rely on Cincinnati, Memphis and UConn for national exposure. For this year, the renewal of an old rivalry between Louisville and Memphis should be fun to watch, but again, it won't be here for long.

6. Freshmen sensations Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins
Much has been made about these two players. Parker will suit up for Coach K and Duke after leading Simeon (IL) to four straight state titles. He is smart player who is versatile at the forward position. Wiggins is enrolled at Kansas and was regarded as the nation's top player. Many believe that he will be the number one pick in next year's NBA Draft, but he has the ability to take KU deep into March despite being a freshman.

Yes, college football just started, but it's never too early to prepare for March Madness. There are plenty of storylines as the season commences. Kentucky will be number one in most polls, but there is plenty of experience on the Michigan State and Louisville rosters. Coach K will have Duke primed for a title run and Arizona has a nice mix of new recruits and old veterans.

It may only be September, but it's never too early to let the Madness begin.