Rivals Roundtable: Title picks, big matchups & surprises in college hoops
This week’s roundtable is all about the rapidly approaching college basketball season, as the action is set to get started on Monday night. With that in mind, Rivals analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan discuss their national title picks, favorite opening-week matchups and squads they feel could outperform preseason expectations.
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WHO IS YOUR NATIONAL TITLE PICK AND WHY?
“I hit this prediction two years back, when I picked Kansas, and my pick last season, Houston, looked great before failing me in the NCAA Tournament. Let’s get back to our winning ways this season and ride with the Jayhawks once again. It’s not usually like me to pick a No. 1-ranked team to win the title, but picking a true underdog is getting more difficult in the transfer portal era. With that in mind, gimme the Jayhawks, a team built around a proven, high-major superstar in Hunter Dickinson and seasoned guards Dajuan Harris and Nick Timberlake. If experience and guard play win in March, KU has to like its chances. The X-factor may well be freshman Elmarko Jackson, whose physicality and knack for making wise decisions with the ball could allow him to contribute early for Bill Self, who hasn’t always felt comfortable relying too heavily on freshmen.” – Cassidy
“I’m taking Duke because of their balanced scoring, which is built around Kyle Filipowski. The versatile 7-footer is arguably the biggest matchup problem in the country. The Blue Devils also have a dynamic group of stars like sophomore scorer/playmaker Tyrese Proctor and senior point guard and sharpshooter Jeremy Roach manning the backcourt. Mark Mitchell gives Duke the “tough” element, and freshmen like Jared McCain, Caleb Foster and TJ Power are capable of 20-plus points on any given night. Ryan Young is a steady presence and solid role player and Sean Stewart could serve as a potential spark in the front court. Jon Scheyer showed his ability to make in-game adjustments and with the plethora of options, I expect the team to flourish in his second year at the helm.” - Jordan
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WHICH FIRST-WEEK MATCHUP ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WATCHING?
“I’ll be at Kansas State-USC in Las Vegas on opening night, so I’ll ride with that one. Even with Bronny James unlikely to play as he works himself back from an off-season health scare, there are plenty of storylines at work. First, I’m intrigued by the debut of former No. 1 prospect Isaiah Collier, who will be asked to do a lot of heavy lifting during his freshman season for the Trojans. Then, there is promising USC sophomore big Vincent Iwuchukwu, who will likely play more minutes than he did a year ago after he collapsed at a summer workout in a similar fashion to James. The K-State angle is intriguing as well, as second-year head coach Jermone Tang built an Elite Eight team through the transfer portal a season ago and has once again used that method to attract seasoned talent to Manhattan. The Wildcats feel like a program on the rise, and Tang's second act is worth getting excited about.” – Cassidy
“Really can’t wait to watch Auburn-Baylor to see how well KD Johnson and Aden Holloway coexist against Baylor’s talented group of perimeter players. The Bears look good on paper, but with only one starter back this season chemistry will be an issue early on. That said, I love RayJ Dennis’ game and I’ve always been high on Ja’Kobe Walter because of all the boxes he checks off on both ends of the court. Scott Drew should have more depth, but Bruce Pearl has dogs in the backcourt. Curious to see which style prevails. I’m intrigued for sure.” - Jordan
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WHICH TEAM EXPECTED TO FLOP DO YOU THINK MIGHT SURPRISE THIS SEASON?
“It depends on what we mean by “surprise” here, but I could see Georgetown being better than expected. Is this pick partly rooted in the fact that it would be difficult to get worse than the last two seasons? Sure, but the Hoyas have a favorable non-conference schedule that could allow a team with a bunch of new pieces to start to click and build confidence before Big East play. Will Georgetown contend to win the league in Ed Cooley’s first season? Of course not, but an experienced roster highlighted by returning starter Jay Heath (12 PPG last year), touted freshman Drew Fielder and talented Texas transfer Rowan Brumbaugh provide some level of promise. I realize the Hoyas are an extreme long-shot pick to fight for a tournament berth, but I had to make up for my chalk national title choice somehow.” – Cassidy
“OK, so I’m basing this operating under the assumption that MJ Rice is in the lineup soon, which I think is a safe bet, but I like NC State to surpass expectations this season. Rice was once thought to be a one-and-done prospect before Bill Self benched him for a full year. If he can get back to that level, watch out. His style of play and versatility scoring the ball would open the world for the rest of the personnel. DJ Burns is a force when he’s not in foul trouble and Casey Morsell provides the perimeter firepower. Kevin Keatts has enough to compete and win in the ACC.” - Jordan