2023-24 men's college basketball opening day overreactions

2023-24 men’s college basketball opening day overreactions،

USC freshman guard Isaiah Collier was as advertised. The nation’s No. 1 recruit scored 15 of his 18 points in the first half of the No. 21 Trojans’ 82-69 win over Kansas State in a Hall of Fame Series game at T-Mobile Arena from Las Vegas Monday evening. Collier made 7 of 9 shots and added three rebounds and six assists. However, he also had six turnovers and fouled out with 4:50 left.

“It’s really great to get acquainted with the college game,” Collier said. “So, I mean, I learned a lot tonight, as far as the crowd and just staying engaged in the game.”

The Trojans held the Wildcats, who were coming off an Elite 8 run, to 31.0 percent shooting from the field and 24.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Kansas State forward Arthur Kaluma, a transfer from Creighton, was 0 of 5 from deep while North Texas transfer Tylor Perry, who shot 41.3 percent from 3-point territory over the past two seasons , just 4 out of 12 from behind. the bow. He led the Wildcats with 22 points.

USC freshman Bronny James, who suffered a cardiac arrest over the summer, traveled with the Trojans but watched the game from the bench in a sweat. He did not participate in warmups and his father, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, said in Miami that Bronny would undergo an exam later this month and, if cleared, would begin training with the Trojans in anticipation of playing this season. –Paul Gutiérrez

N’Faly Dante and last season’s momentum in Oregon’s win

The former five-star recruit finally had a breakout campaign last season, averaging 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds, both career highs. He has taken his game to a different level in the 2022-23 period, putting up 14.3 points and 12.2 rebounds in his last six healthy games, including five double-doubles. In the 2023-24 season-opening win over Georgia on Monday, it was much of the same for Dante. The center finished with 16 points and 21 rebounds and was completely dominant in the paint and on the glass. Oregon has really struggled in non-conference play the past two seasons, so Monday was a step in the right direction. –Jeff Borzello

Wooga Poplar drills 3 in.

The big guys will be unleashed again in 2024 (and in 2025 and 2026….)

As my insightful colleague Mr. Borzello noted, Dante recorded a powerful outing for Oregon against Georgia in the first DI vs. DI game of the 2023-24 season. Dante’s lead was quickly followed by the usual suspects in the paint: Zach Edey, Armando Bacot and Hunter Dickinson all went wild against somewhat overmatched competition. We are now accustomed to seeing dominant big men stuffing scores and All-American teams. But it is worth remembering how much this situation has changed.

The NBA was still using multiple first-round picks per year on college players who weren’t shooting 3s just six years ago. Not so much anymore, although Derek Lively or Jalen Duren still perform occasionally. The common denominator there, and with others like Mark Williams, Day’Ron Sharpe and Isaiah Jackson, has been an average age under 20. Conversely, paintball veterans like Edey (21), Dante (22), Dickinson (who shoots 3 and turns 23 this month) and Bacot (coming 24) remain in the college game and wreak marvelous havoc. -John Gasaway

Radford Highlanders vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Full Highlights

The buzz on Wooga Poplar is real

Throughout the offseason, Coral Gables has generated constant buzz surrounding the potential emergence of Miami junior guard Wooga Poplar. Coach Jim Larrañaga seemed to confirm as much at ACC media day, telling ESPN that Poplar “looks like a pro. He looks like a first-round pick… He’s going to have a big year.”

Although it’s only one game, Poplar proves the offseason reports right. He led the Hurricanes to a 101-60 victory over NJIT, scoring 21 points and going 5 for 9 from 3-point range. With the departure of ACC Player of the Year Isaiah Wong last spring, Larrañaga needs someone to step in and fill his shoes on the perimeter. Poplar seems like that guy. –Borzello

Markus Burton fights defender for and-1

North Carolina has work to do to avoid a repeat of last season

The Tar Heels entered their season opener determined to end last season’s historic failure — they were the first preseason No. 1 team to miss the NCAA Tournament — and they had a hard time. Entering their eventual 86-70 victory over Radford on Monday night, UNC needed a late second-half boost to pull away after the Highlanders cut the lead to 56-55 with 14:56 to play.

I don’t know what you can take from this shaky start to a season opener. But Radford’s backcourt of Kenyon Giles, Bryan Antoine and DaQuan Smith combined to score 49 points, easily hitting the lane before UNC figured out how to clamp down. Against more talented teams, those gaps will be costly — UNC’s opponents made 48.4 percent of their shots inside the arc last year — if Hubert Davis can’t make it happen. –Myron Medcalf

ACC freshmen guards make statements

While most of Monday’s freshmen attention focused on USC’s Isaiah Collier or Kentucky’s newcomers, it was two under-the-radar ACC playmakers, who got their start by making statements. First up is Notre Dame’s Markus Burton, who scored 29 points Monday, going 11 of 20 from the field while also finishing with four rebounds and four assists. He took over in the second half against Niagara, scoring 16 points in six minutes over the final nine minutes.

Not to be outdone, Pittsburgh freshman guard Carlton “Bub” Carrington recorded the program’s first triple-double since 1998 (18 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) to help the Panthers past North Carolina A&T. Jeff Capel has a team that, on paper, looks quietly competitive in the middle of the pack in the ACC this season – especially if Carrington can run the show at the point guard position. –Borzello

John Calipari plays the long game

Although Kentucky struggled from 3 (9 of 29) in its 86-46 win over New Mexico State on Monday, it’s the number of attempts that count.

Under Calipari, Kentucky’s 3-point attempts have never exceeded 32 percent of its overall field goal attempts in a season, according to KenPom. On Monday, the Wildcats attempted 45%. They’ll have to take some convincing from Calipari to trust his shooters to keep taking them. But sheer volume could mean Calipari will allow this team to play with more freedom on the perimeter than previous groups. — Medical calf

Will Wade defeats his former team in McNeese debut

Last season, the Cowboys finished 11-23 (6-12 in the Southland Conference). Then the school hired Will Wade this offseason. He won’t be available for an extended period to serve his 10-game suspension and two years of show cause – handed down by the IARP for its connection to the FBI investigation into college basketball in 2017. But with a fleet transfers, Wade aimed to start this new chapter quickly. The 76-65 win over VCU, the defending Atlantic 10 champion that Wade coached from 2015-17, suggests McNeese is on track to improve — he hasn’t had a winning season since 2011-12 . — Medical calf