The Bum's Previewing College Basketball Teams 2018 - 2019 !

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Purdue Preview Capsule
October 25, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 30-7, lost to Texas Tech in regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Nickname: Boilermakers

Coach: Matt Painter

Conference: Big Ten

Who's gone: Forward Vince Edwards, center Isaac Haas, guard Dakota Mathias, guard P.J. Thompson.

Who's back: Guard Carsen Edwards (18.5 points per game) was the leading scorer on a senior-dominated team and became the lead vote-getter on the preseason All-American team after withdrawing from the NBA draft. Guard Nojel Eastern (2.9 points, 2.5 rebounds) showed steady improvement as a freshman and will try to fill the void left by Vince Edwards. Energetic forward Matt Haarms played dominant defense last season (3.2 rebounds, 2.1 blocks in 17.1 minutes) and has spent the summer refining his offensive moves. Guard Ryan Cline (4.0 ppg) has primarily been used as a 3-point specialist off the bench but should play a bigger role in his final college season.

Who's new: Freshman Eric Hunter Jr. and redshirt freshman Aaron Wheeler are expected to make the biggest impact. Hunter, a 6-foot-3 guard, scored nearly 2,600 points in high school, finished his career as the career scoring leader in Marion County (Indianapolis) and should help add the scoring punch Purdue needs. Wheeler is not the Boilermakers prototypical 6-9 forward. Long and slender, he uses length to his advantage and is more athletic than some of his predecessors.

The Skinny: It won't be the same without the four seniors, but the Boilermakers still have scorers, size, depth and defenders. Painter is too good of a coach to accept a significant drop-off, even after losing so many key players. And with Edwards, perhaps the best player in the Big Ten, leading the way, steady improvement could keep Purdue in the Big Ten title mix again.

Expectations: Las Vegas doesn't expect the Boilermakers to be the same. But they're not completely off the bandwagon, either. They've installed Purdue as a 60-1 shot to win the national title, fourth among conference teams behind only the two Michigan schools and rival Indiana.

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Iowa Preview Capsule
October 25, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 14-19

Nickname: Hawkeyes

Coach: Fran McCaffery

Conference: Big Ten

Who's gone: Forward Ahmad Wagner, guard Brady Ellingson.

Who's back: Forward Tyler Cook, who led the team in scoring (15.3 points per game), rebounding (6.8) and field goal percentage (.566), returned for his junior season after flirting with the pros. Fellow junior Jordan Bohannon averaged 13.5 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 43 percent on 3s a year ago. Six-foot-11 center Luke Garza (12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds a game) could take a big step forward as a sophomore, but he was slowed by a cyst on his spleen in the offseason and may not be ready for the opener.

Who's new: Freshman Joe Wieskamp, the two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa, is a scoring wing who will likely start immediately for a team seeking an infusion of elite-level talent.

The Skinny: The Hawkeyes were arguably the worst defensive Power Five team in America a year ago. They have their top nine scorers back this season, but if those guys don't learn how to get stops it won't matter much.

Expectations: Iowa is a 250-to-1 longshot to win the national title. The Hawkeyes would probably settle for 20 wins and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

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Illinois Preview Capsule
October 25, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 14-18, lost to Iowa in first round of Big Ten tournament.

Nickname: Fighting Illini.

Coach: Brad Underwood (second year).

Conference: Big Ten.

Who's gone: For the second offseason in a row, Illinois saw a number of offseason departures. The Illini not only lost three starters, and the team's best player, but also some valuable depth players. Gone are top player Leron Black, along with starters Mark Alstork and Michael Finke, and backup players Greg Eboigbodin, Clayton Jones, Cameron Liss, Te'Jon Lucas and Matic Vesel.

Who's back: Guards Trent Frazier (2.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists per game) and Da'Monte Williams (3.5 ppg), who is returning from a torn ACL suffered in the fourth game of last season, and forward Kipper Nichols (10 ppg, 4.2 rebounds).

Who's new: Six new recruits and three transfers join the Illini this fall. They are four-star recruits Ayo Dosunmu and Tevian Jones, along with Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Alan Griffin, Anthony Higgs and Samba Kane. Griffin, Kane, Bezhanishvili and Higgs are rated as three-stars. Dosunmu is a combo guard, Griffin a shooting guard, Higgs and Jones are small forwards, Bezhanishvili is a power forward, and Kane will play center behind projected starter Adonis De La Rosa.

The Skinny: Illinois has missed the NCAA Tournament the past five years and posted a dismal 41-67 record in conference play over that span. It will likely be another tough year for Underwood to find his footing in the Big Ten.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have Illinois as a long shot to win the NCAA Tournament at 200-1.

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Minnesota Preview Capsule
October 25, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 15-17, lost to Rutgers in first round of Big Ten Tournament.

Nickname: Golden Gophers.

Coach: Richard Pitino.

Conference: Big Ten.

Who's gone: Point guard Nate Mason (graduated), center Reggie Lynch (overseas), backup shooting guard Jamir Harris (transferred), backup forward Davonte Fitzgerald (transferred), backup forward Bakary Konate (graduated), backup forward Gaston Diedhiou (graduated).

Who's back: Forward Jordan Murphy, who was named to the 20-player preseason All-Big Ten team, is the senior standout coming off career-best averages of 16.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. ... Starting forwards Amir Coffey (shoulder) and Eric Curry (knee) are healthy and primed for breakout years, after Coffey was limited to 18 games and Curry was out for the whole season. ... Point guard Isaiah Washington had a rocky freshman year, shooting just 24.1 percent from 3-point range. ... Shooting guard Dupree McBrayer gritted out an injury-influenced junior season, averaging 9.4 points per game. ... Forward Michael Hurt returns in a reserve role.

Who's new: Shooting guard Brock Stull is a fifth-year graduate transfer from Milwaukee who was the second-leading scorer for the Panthers last season. ... The three incoming freshmen are all from Minnesota, shooting guard Gabe Kalscheur, forward Jarvis Omersa and center Daniel Oturu. The 6-foot-10 Oturu was a consensus four-star recruit who helped lead Cretin-Derham Hall High School to the Class 4A state championship. ... Center Matz Stockman, a 7-foot native of Norway who sat out last season after transferring from Louisville, played three years for the Cardinals. ... Point guard Marcus Carr is another transfer who played one year at Pittsburgh but the NCAA has yet to rule on whether he'll be able to play immediately or have to redshirt this season.

The Skinny: Pitino's sixth year with the Gophers begins with a fresh start after the injury-ruined 2017-18 season that also included a midseason suspension of Lynch for alleged sexual assault. Mason's leadership and scoring touch at both the rim and from 3-point range will be dearly missed, with the erratic-but-exciting Washington in line to take over as the primary ball-handler. Curry and Oturu ought to help take some of the burden off Murphy around the basket. The Gophers could be one of the conference's surprises like two seasons ago when they reached their only NCAA Tournament under Pitino.

Expectations: Oddsmakers have Minnesota as a 200-1 long shot to win the NCAA Tournament. The Final Four is at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, less than 2 miles from campus. The Gophers were picked to finish ninth out of 14 teams in a preseason Big Ten media poll.

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Michigan State basketball preview capsule
October 25, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 30-5, won Big Ten title and lost in second round of NCAA Tournament.

Nickname: Spartans.

Coach: Tom Izzo.

Conference: Big Ten.

Who's gone: Miles Bridges (NBA), Jaren Jackson (NBA), Tum Tum Nairn, Gavin Schilling, Ben Carter.

Who's back: Nick Ward entered his name in the NBA draft before deciding to stay in school for his junior season. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward ranked third on the team last season with 12.4 points and first with 7.1 rebounds. Junior point guard Cassius Winston trailed only Bridges in scoring, averaging 12.6 points a game, made a Big Ten-best 49.7 percent of his 3-point shots and had a team-high 6.9 assists per game. Junior shooting guard Joshua Langford averaged 11.7 points and showed the potential to do more, including his 23-point performance against North Carolina.

Who's new: Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo said at least two freshmen will play right away: Aaron Henry, a 6-6, 210-pound forward, and Foster Loyer, a 6-foot point guard.

The Skinny: The Spartans are No. 10 in the preseason poll because they have a lot of experience, which they hope will help the program advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015 when Izzo reached his seventh Final Four.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have Michigan State as a 35-1 shot win the NCAA Tournament, odds that are tied with rival Michigan and trail 11 schools.

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Michigan Preview-Capsule
October 25, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 33-8, reached national title game.

Nickname: Wolverines.

Coach: John Beilein.

Conference: Big Ten.

Who's gone: Forward Moe Wagner, guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, guard-forward Duncan Robinson.

Who's back: Charles Matthews passed on the NBA and returned to the Wolverines. He averaged 13 points a game last season. Point guard Zavier Simpson shot just 29 percent from 3-point range and 52 percent on free throws, but his defensive intensity set the tone for much of Michigan's success. Jordan Poole averaged only 6 points a game as a freshman, but his 3-pointer at the buzzer beat Houston to send Michigan to the Sweet 16. Isaiah Livers and Eli Brooks combined for 34 starts in 2017-18. At 7-foot-1, Jon Teske gives the Wolverines a big defensive presence inside, and he's shown flashes on offense.

Who's new: Freshmen Brandon Johns and David DeJulius were rated No. 60 and No. 93 in ESPN's Class of 2018 Top 100. Ignas Brazdeikis averaged 28.4 points as a senior at Orangeville Prep in Canada.

The Skinny: Michigan's defensive resurgence helped the Wolverines to a Sweet 16 berth in 2017 and last season's Final Four run. Wagner will be tough to replace, and a lot may depend on how much Poole, Livers and the new freshmen can contribute offensively.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have Michigan at 35-1 to win the NCAA Tournament, the same odds as rival Michigan State. Only 11 teams - and none from the Big Ten - are given shorter odds.

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Clemson Preview Capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 25-10, reached first Sweet 16 since 1997.

Nickname: Tigers.

Coach: Brad Brownell.

Conference: Atlantic Coast.

Who's gone: Shooting guard Gabe DeVoe, forwards Donte Grantham, forward Mark Donnal.

Who's back: Guard Marcquise Reed was the team's leading scorer who considered the NBA before coming back for senior season. Point guard Shelton Mitchell, like Reed, also tested his NBA prospect before returning to form one of the ACC's most experienced backcourts. Forward Elijah Thomas, who led the Tigers with 8.1 rebounds a game, is also back for his senior season. Clemson made it four-for-four in returning seniors when David Skara, a 6-foot-8 forward who is considered the Tigers' best defender, first chose to leave and play professionally in his native Croatia, then in the summer changed his mind and came back to college.

Who's new: 6-10 forward Javan White transferred from Oral Roberts and has two years left at Clemson as a graduate student. Freshman Trey Jemison is a 6-11 forward and tallest player on the Tigers.

The Skinny: The Tigers were a surprise last season in winning 11 ACC games to finish third in the league. They won't sneak up on anyone this year. But with four experienced seniors to lead the way, a return to the NCAA is expected.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have Clemson as long shot to win the NCAA Tournament at 120-1, on par with Arizona, Butler and Mississippi State.

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Miami Preview-Capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 22-10, lost to Loyola of Chicago in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Nickname: Hurricanes.

Coach: Jim Larranaga.

Conference: Atlantic Coast.

Who's gone: Guard Lonnie Walker IV (NBA), guard Bruce Brown Jr. (NBA), guard Ja'Quan Newton.

Who's back: Forward Dewan Hernandez considered the NBA before deciding to return for his junior season and change his name from Dewan Huell. The 6-foot-10 Hernandez averaged 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds last season. Also back are dynamic 5-7 sophomore guard Chris Lykes (9.6 points), junior guard DJ Vasiljevic (9.0 points), senior guard Anthony Lawrence (8.8 points, 6.5 rebounds), 6-10 sophomore forward Sam Waardenberg (3.3 points), 6-10 senior center Ebuka Izundu (5.0 points) and 7-0 junior center Rodney Miller (1.2 points).

Who's new: Senior guard Zach Johnson transferred from Florida Gulf Coast, where he averaged 16.1 points last season. Redshirt freshman guard Anthony Mack is also expected to contribute.

The Skinny: Miami should reach the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the past seven seasons. With three starting guards departed, depth at that position is a concern, and the Hurricanes will likely go to a bigger lineup and be less perimeter-oriented than a season ago. The athletic Hernandez will face the basket more, and he and Lykes should form a formidable one-two punch. Miami will look for more inside scoring from Izundu and Miller.

Expectations: The Hurricanes are an 85 to 1 choice to win the NCAA Tournament, which puts them 25th in the country and fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

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North Carolina preview capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 26-11, reached second round of NCAA Tournament.

Nickname: Tar Heels.

Coach: Roy Williams.

Conference: Atlantic Coast.

Who's gone: The program has lost mainstays from its 2017 national championship winner in point guard Joel Berry II - a former Final Four most outstanding player - and swingman Theo Pinson.

Who's back: Forward Luke Maye followed his last-second shot to beat Kentucky in the 2017 NCAA Elite Eight with a star-turning junior season, averaging 16.9 points and 10.1 points to be an Associated Press third-team All-American. He's now a preseason AP All-American and picked as ACC player of the year. Starters Cameron Johnson (12.4 points) and Kenny Williams (11.4) are back on the perimeter, which also has junior point guard Seventh Woods competing to take Berry's job. There's also a rotation of serviceable big men, led by sophomores Garrison Brooks and Sterling Manley.

Who's new: The Tar Heels have their best recruiting class in years, perhaps not coincidentally as they emerge from years of uncertainty due to a now-resolved NCAA academic case. Wing Nassir Little is the kind of five-star McDonald's All-American and possible one-and-done talent that shunned the Tar Heels in recent years. There's another McDonald's All-American in Coby White, an top-25 national recruit who will compete to be the new point guard after setting a North Carolina state scoring record with more than 3,500 points in high school. And the 6-foot-7 Rechon ''Leaky'' Black brings size and versatility to the perimeter.

The skinny: There's no questioning talent and scoring potential on a team with Maye, Johnson and Williams joined by the touted rookie class. There are two main questions here: the Tar Heels need White or Woods to play well at the point with Berry gone, and that revolving door of big men needs to provide some interior toughness that was lacking at times as UNC leaned heavily on a small-ball lineup last year. If the eighth-ranked Tar Heels resolve both issues, this is a Final Four contender.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have UNC at 10-to-1 to win it all, tied with Villanova for the fifth-best odds nationally.

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North Carolina State preview capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 21-12, lost in first round of NCAA Tournament.

Nickname: Wolfpack.

Coach: Kevin Keatts.

Conference: Atlantic Coast.

Who's gone: A lot of scoring walked out the door with the loss of graduate transfer Allerik Freeman (16.1 points) and 7-footer Omer Yurtseven, a third-team all-ACC pick who averaged 13.5 points but has transferred to Georgetown. N.C. State also lost valuable experience with the departures of fifth-year senior Lennard Freeman, another graduate transfer in Sam Hunt and senior forward Abdul-Malik Abu.

Who's back: Senior Torin Dorn is the top returning scorer (13.9) after thriving in his first year in Keatts' system. Sophomore Braxton Beverly provided outside shooting and ballhandling, though he is recovering from surgery for a broken left hand and it's unclear when he'll be ready. And junior Markell Johnson is back at the point after ranking fifth nationally by averaging a league-best 7.3 assists.

Who's new: There's college-ready help in several transfers. The list starts with Utah transfer Devon Daniels, UNC Wilmington transfer C.J. Bryce and Missouri transfer Blake Harris, while Samford's Wyatt Walker and Florida International's Eric Lockett are graduate transfers. Daniels and Bryce worked out with the Wolfpack all last season while sitting out as transfers, while Harris sat out the spring semester after joining the program. Daniels is a 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore who averaged 9.9 points while starting 26 games at Utah, while the 6-5 Bryce is a redshirt junior and first-team all-Colonial Athletic Association performer while averaging 17.4 points under Keatts at his previous stop. The 6-9 Walker will provide rebounding help, while Lockett will help with depth.

The skinny: Keatts brought a needed won't-back-down competitiveness to the Wolfpack in Year 1, which included wins against nationally ranked Arizona, Duke and rival North Carolina. He had said several times that last year's team was able to do maybe about 75 percent of what he envisions for the long term with its fullcourt and pressure style of play. There's potential for the Wolfpack to do more in Year 2 with a lot of experience and versatility on the wing. Picked to finish eighth in the 15-team ACC, N.C. State seems positioned to return to the NCAA Tournament again.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have N.C. State at 85-to-1 to win it all, tied for 25th-best odds nationally.

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Arizona preview capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 27-8, lost to Buffalo in NCAA Tournament first round

Nickname: Wildcats

Coach: Sean Miller

Conference: Pac-12

Who's gone: C Deandre Ayton (NBA), G Allonzo Trier (NBA), G Rawle Alkins, C Dusan Ristic, G Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

Who's back: Guards Dylan Smith and Brandon Rudolph, F Ira Lee. Smith is Arizona's leading returning scorer at 4.3 points per game and will have to step into a bigger role with the other returnees. Lee, G Alex Barcello and Emmanuel Akot also will have to take on more responsibilities after playing limited minutes last season.

Who's new: F Chase Jeter (Duke), G Justin Coleman (Samford) and F Ryan Luther (Pittsburgh) are all transfers and will be relied on heavily with such a young and inexperienced roster. Jeter saw limited playing time at Duke, but is an athletic big man who should be Arizona's primary inside player.

The Skinny: Arizona is undergoing a massive roster overhaul and is unranked in the AP preseason poll for the first time since 2010-11. The Wildcats still have talent, but it could take time for it all to jell. The dark cloud of a federal investigation into shady recruiting practices also will hang over the program for the second straight season.

Expectations: Arizona was picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 and not given much of a chance by Las Vegas oddsmakers, coming in at a 120-1 shot to win the national title.

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California Preview-Capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 8-24.

Nickname: Golden Bears.

Coach: Wyking Jones, second season.

Conference: Pac-12.

Who's gone: Marcus Lee, Kingsley Okoroh.

Who's back: Sophomore F Justice Sueing led the Golden Bears at 15.8 points per game last season and grabbed 5.7 rebounds during the conference season. He also made 48 steals as a freshman. PG Paris Austin will make his Cal debut after sitting out last season as a transfer from Boise State.

The Skinny: Cal opens the season in China against Yale on Nov. 9. The Golden Bears went 2-16 in Pac-12 play to finish last in the conference. The Bears lost seven players and are in rebuilding mode once more. Cal's embarrassing losses came to Division II Chaminade by 24 points, Central Arkansas by 27 and Portland State by 25.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have Cal's chances of winning it all in the NCAA Tournament at 3,000-1.

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Southern California Preview-Capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 24-12.

Nickname: Trojans.

Coach: Andy Enfield.

Conference: Pac-12.

Who's gone: Guard Jordan McLaughlin, forward Chimezie Metu (NBA), guard Elijah Stewart.

Who's back: Forward Bennie Boatwright can reclaim the spotlight if he stays injury free. He was averaging 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists when he went down with a season-ending left knee injury in February. He had surgery in April and was sidelined for most of the summer. He also missed two months of his sophomore season with a sprained knee. Boatwright figures to be more of a playmaker without McLaughlin. G Charles O'Bannon Jr. had a quiet freshman season, but he could become a factor with Metu gone. In the backcourt, guard Derryck Thornton averaged 14.2 points in 25 games last season and guard Jonah Mathews averaged 42 percent from 3-point range.

Who's new: Guard Kevin Porter Jr. could crack the starting lineup after averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds as a high school senior in Seattle. He created a buzz at last summer's Nike Hoop Summit. Forward J'Raan Brooks recommitted to USC after the FBI investigation that led to the arrest and firing of associate head coach Tony Bland. Guard Elijah Weaver is expected to take over some of the ball-handling duties with McLaughlin's departure.

The Skinny: The Trojans have the talent to record a fourth straight 20-win season, with a mix of veterans and Enfield's highest-rated recruiting class since he arrived six years ago. They improved their nonconference schedule (Nevada, Oklahoma and TCU), which could help them keep from getting snubbed by the NCAA selection committee again.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have USC as a 225-1 shot to win the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans missed out on a third straight appearance last March as the highest-ranked major conference team ever left out of a 68-team field.

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Stanford Preview-Capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 19-16.

Nickname: Cardinal.

Coach: Jerod Haase, third season.

Conference: Pac-12.

Who's gone: F Reid Travis transferred to Kentucky as a graduate transfer, Dorian Pickens.

Who's back: G Daejon Davis (10.7 ppg) and F KZ Okpala (10.0 ppg) are experienced members from the sophomore class while 7-foot center Josh Sharma is the lone senior on the roster but has never started a game. He blocked 27 shots last season.

The Skinny: The Cardinal's tie for third place in the Pac-12 with 11 wins marked their highest showing and victory total in a decade. Now, Haase has a young roster featuring 11 of 15 players who are freshmen or sophomores - but with a nationally ranked recruiting class the freshmen could make an immediate impact. Stanford loses Travis' averages of 19.5 points and 8.7 rebounds.

Expectations: Las Vegas oddsmakers have Stanford's chances of winning it all in the NCAA Tournament at 600-1.

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Utah Preview-Capsule
October 26, 2018
By The Associated Press

Last season: 23-12, finished as NIT runner-up.

Nickname: Utes

Coach: Larry Krystkowiak

Conference: Pac-12

Who's gone: Point guard Justin Bibbins, forward David Collette, forward Tyler Rawson, guard /forward Gabe Beeler, forward Chris Seeley, center Jakub Jokl, guard Kolbe Caldwell.

Who's back: Senior guard Sedrick Barefield is the only full-time starter back from last season. Barefield averaged 12.0 points per game a year ago and shot 35.4 percent from 3-point range and could take on an increased scoring load this season. Senior guard Parker Van Dyke made 12 starts last season and averaged 4.0 points in 18.6 minutes per game. Sophomore forward Donnie Tillman will have a chance to seize a larger role in the frontcourt. Tillman averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds off the bench as a rookie. Junior center Jayce Johnson could also have a bigger role after averaging 5.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in 16.8 minutes a year ago.

Who's new: Guard Charles Jones, Jr. headlines a talented crop of newcomers. Jones was a two-time NJCAA All-American at the College of Southern Idaho, where he amassed 1,194 points in two seasons. He will give Utah's backcourt an added scoring and ball-handling punch alongside Barefield. Senior center Novak Topalovic joins the Utes as a graduate transfer from Idaho State. Topalovic averaged 10.7 points and 6.8 rebounds in 30 games for the Bengals a year ago. Among the incoming freshman, forwards Both Gach, Riley Battin, and Timmy Allen could make immediate contributions.

The Skinny: Utah is brimming with potential but short on experience heading into Larry Krystkowiak's eighth season at the helm. The Utes signed one of their most talented freshman classes ever during the offseason. Still, the team lost three of its top four scorers from a year ago and returns just one full-time starter.

Expectations: Utah was picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 preseason media poll. The Utes have a history of exceeding preseason expectations, but a tough schedule combined with inexperience may make it a tougher climb in 2018-19.