Dick Vitale’s spectacular lots for the 2024-25 season

Penis Vitale, College Basketball analystNov 1

, 2024

, 12:00 PM ET Close Dick Vitale, college basketball’s top expert and ambassador, joined ESPN throughout the 1979-80 season. His extensive knowledge of the game is brought forth in an enthusiastic, passionate design. Vitale also contributes columns to ESPN.com.Oh, you much better believe it

, hoops season is on the horizon, and my excitement meter is off the charts.Preseason practices are rolling, exhibition games are around the corner, and I’m informing you, this season is going to be electric!We’ve got everything from UConn chasing after that legendary three-peat to loaded conferences, portal wildness, new-look powerhouses and diaper dandies prepared to make some noise. There’s a lot going on, even I’m attempting to track all the drama.But hey, I resemble a bear coming out of hibernation, and it’s going to be continuously hoops heaven for the next six months! Let’s dive into 12 things I’m fired up about for the 2024-25 season, baby!Jump to: Diaper dandy alert|Can’t-miss games Mid-majors to view|Famous coaches 1. UConn’s quest for the trifecta Can UConn do it? The three-peat, baby! The Huskies have dominated with 6 titles given that 1999. They’re the group of this generation, no doubt. They steamrolled the tournament last season winning by an average of 23.3 points, however can they keep that mojo going under head coach Danny Hurley? Just UCLA under the legendary John Wooden has actually ever done it– seven straight, child! Buckle up, this is going to be a wild ride.2. Prime-time players in power conferences Hunter Dickinson is anchoring a skilled Kansas team.

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann We’re talking big-time stars like RJ Davis remaining at North Carolina, and Hunter Dickinson anchoring Kansas. These guys can move the balance of power like a damaging ball!Cooper Flagg at Duke– the freshman phenom everybody’s buzzing about– can he live up to the hype?And do not sleep on Purdue’s Braden Smith or Rutgers’two predicted NBA lottery picks, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, from the Big Ten.The SEC is a beast league, and Alabama’s Mark Sears returns from the

Crimson Tide’s very first Last Four appearance.Forget about getting anything by three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year in Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner. He provides the Bluejays a chance at overtaking UConn, which has its own star in Alex Karaban.The star power in these conferences is through the roof!

3. Diaper dandy alert Cooper Flagg is the diaper dandy of the year, no concern! But don’t forget about Rutgers’Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper

; UConn sharpshooter Liam McNeeley; Maryland center Derik Queen, who boasts an outstanding big-man skill set; and Baylor’s highest-ranked hire in over a years in VJ Edgecombe.These young fellas are going to light it up, and I’ll

be enjoying every minute of it. It’s going to be fantastic!

4. Where did he go?The transfer

website is the Wild West, my friends. We have actually got stars such as Kadary Richmond heading to St. John’s, AJ Storr strengthening Kansas, Oumar Ballo moving to Indiana, Johnell Davis taking control of the guard area at Arkansas and Norchad Omier anchoring the paint at Baylor.With over 2,000 players going through the portal, it’s like musical chairs out

there. Chemistry is the secret, and we’ll see who jells first.5. New coaches, new faces, new places Editor’s Picks 2 Related Oh, you got to love it, child! John Calipari’s taking control of Arkansas, Mark Pope is at Kentucky, Dusty May at Michigan– these guys are shocking the landscape.We have actually even got Eric Musselman moving cross-country to USC, and Steve Lutz, who has won at least 22 games in his three seasons as a head coach, taking his style to Oklahoma State in the powerful Huge 12

. Other power conference teams with brand-new sideline generals consist of Stanford with Kyle Smith, Vanderbilt with Mark Byington, Washington with Danny Sprinkle, SMU with Andy Enfield and West Virginia with Darian DeVries.How will these brand-new hires deal with the

pressure?

I can’t wait to see the drama unfold.6. Can’t-miss games, child The heavyweight matches are stacked this season! North Carolina at Kansas on Nov. 8, Duke vs. Kentucky on Nov. 12 in Atlanta– I’m going to be glued to my seat for those. These are the early-season games that separate the pretenders from the contenders in March, baby.Nov. 9: Auburn at Houston Nov. 9: Arkansas vs. Baylor (Dallas, Texas)Nov. 22: Duke at Arizona Nov. 25: Iowa State vs. Auburn (Maui, Hawaii)Nov. 26: Alabama vs. Houston( Las Vegas, Nevada)Dec. 4: Baylor at UConn Dec. 7: Kentucky vs. Gonzaga (Seattle, Washington)Dec. 8: UConn at Texas 7. Conference adjustment madness

Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah to the

Big 12– these moves are shocking

competitions and customs! With three of the top 5 teams from the Huge 12 in the AP preseason poll, it’s going to be tough to rise to the top.The Big 10 is getting stacked, too, with Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA, and the ACC is including Stanford, Cal and SMU. I imply, how will these teams manage those cross-country road

trips? It’s an entire brand-new ballgame.8. Keep an eye out for the mid-majors Never forget
about the Cinderella stories. McNeese, Grand Canyon, Saint Louis– these mid-majors are loaded with talent and ready to take one of the 37 at-large quotes come March. I enjoy a great underdog story.9. Big 10’s title drought

— will it end?Big 10 teams have not won a national title because Michigan State in 2000, falling in 8 chances since then. Purdue has a shot, Indiana and UCLA remain in the mix, but can any of them finally bring a champion back to the conference? It’s a little a long shot, however it’s why we play the games! 10

. Legendary coaches still doing their thing Michigan State lost in the second round of the competition last year. Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire Tom Izzo, Costs Self, Rick Pitino– these Hall of Fame legends are still leading the charge. Izzo is a device at Michigan State, Self has actually Kansas stacked, and Pitino is doing huge things at St. John’s. And one of my buddies, Tennessee’s Rick Barnes, runs a sharp program having actually

assisted the Volunteers to their highest surface in the AP poll at No. 5 last season.I likewise can’t forget Gonzaga’s Mark Few, who yearly builds contenders on the West Coast, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, who has actually turned Houston into a powerhouse again, Oregon’s Dana Altman, who has actually won 20 or more games in every season as the Ducks’ head coach, and Arkansas ‘John Calipari, who tops the list for the majority of wins by an active coach at 855. Basically,

these guys understand how to win.11. NIL is a game changer Gamers are making bank now with those NIL offers! The pressure, the opportunities, it’s an entire brand-new dynamic. Coaches resemble general managers now, attempting to stabilize whatever. The talent swimming pool is deep, and the stakes are high!Even with all these changes in the college athletics landscape, I’m informing you, the item on the flooring is as more powerful as it’s ever been! The skill, the competitors, the excitement– it’s off the charts

, infant! And think what? The fans are tuning in more than ever. The TV rankings just keep increasing, up, up! As long as the return on investment exists, the stock in college athletics is going to keep increasing to the top. It’s a slam dunk for everyone included.12. New metrics for Choice Sunday More data, more drama! BartTorvik’s metrics are in the mix, and we’ve got the” Wins Above Bubble “stat, baby!

This will make Selection Sunday even wilder– who

‘s in, who’s out– it’s constantly a nail-biter! Buckle up, my friends. This season is going to be one for the ages! We’ve got storylines galore, talent everywhere, and I’m here for every second of it. LET’S GOOOOO!