All-American cast

How does the AP All-America team compare to the Almanac? Plus, a Gonzaga breakdown, Jim Nantz's best calls, Sparty going small, and more.

Author

Mike Miller
October 25, 2022

College basketball games are still 13 days away, but there's already a reason to stay up late: The Field of 68 AFTER DARK is back!

The next two weeks will bring a series of season preview specials (the ACC kicked things off last night) leading into Nov. 7 with a tip-off marathon to start the season. Then, it'll be on its usual AFTER DARK perch for post-game analysis with the college hoops personalities you know and love — along with some new faces such as former coaches Chris Mack, Lavall Jordan and Matt McCall, former players Geo Baker, Scoop Jardine, Patric Young and Meghan McKeown. (read more here).

It's gonna be a great season. Let's get to the news.

STARTING FIVE

1. A small thing in the Year of the Big

AP voters cemented "The Year of the Big" with the All-America team on Monday, selecting Oscar Tshiebwe, Drew Timme, Armando Bacot and Trayce Jackson-Davis as first-team preseason selections (the second straight year for Timme and TJD). Marcus Sasser snagged the other spot, making him the only guard on the first team.

All five are terrific players, so you can't fault the 59 AP voters. But — and stop me if you've heard this before — can't we have a team that you'd actually field? You know, with more than one guy who can handle the ball?

I'm thinking a little more like this.

We called The Almanac "The Year of the Big," but we know your starting five should look like an actual team. (I suppose the guys at CBS Sports also must've purchased The Almanac, because they have the same five guys.)

That leaves TJD as the odd man out, but it's the preseason. This team rarely matches the preseason selections (2020-21 selections Luka Garza, Cade Cunningham, Jared Butler, Ayo Dosunmu and Corey Kispert all made the preseason team and were all consensus picks at the season's end), and there's a decent chance this year's team will have different faces.

Who might those be? You'll have to buy The Almanac to find out.

2. How good is Gonzaga?

The short answer? Really good. The longer answer is really damn good. Cue The Almanac excerpt.

Look, forget any lingering Gonzaga biases you might have. This year's roster is as talented as any other in college basketball (yes, any roster, including those in Chapel Hill, Durham and Lexington), is experienced (two seniors and two juniors will start), is flexible (multiple lead guards and wings), and has shooting to prevent defenses from collapsing on Timme.

These are essential winning ingredients and sound almost exactly like the last two national champs. The team defense might not be at the same level as those Kansas or Baylor teams. However, Hunter Sallis is a terrific on-ball defender, and we'll learn how good the Zags are when they play Michigan State, Texas, Kentucky, Baylor and Alabama (not to mention the PK 85 field) all before Dec. 18.

Also, there's the Timme factor. He's already been mentioned a few times in today's newsletter, but it's worth repeating that he's among the game's elite players. Again. even in The Year of Big, no player is better in the low post. He's efficient, smooth and might even start shooting 3s.

Will the Zags be as historically elite as the last two seasons when they went 59-5 and were atop every advanced metric of note? That's a tall order, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. Not with this lineup.

3. Hello, friends. Jim Nantz is saying goodbye

The 2023 Final Four in Houston will be the last for Jim Nantz as the lead play-by-play announcer for the NCAA Tournament, the New York Post reported Monday night.

It's a fitting setting for Nantz, 63, who's a Houston graduate and began his sportscasting career there. (Maybe he'll see a Cougars' championship?) His first Big Dance was in 1986 as a play-by-play man and studio host. He replaced Brent Musberger for 1991 Final Four duties and hasn't looked back.

Ian Eagle will step into Nantz's role for the 2024 tournament. Bill Raftery and Grant Hill will reportedly stay on as analysts.

“It’s his time,” Nantz told the Post. “I will support him 1,000 percent. He doesn’t need my support. But I’m absolutely thrilled for him. He’s a great teammate. He’s been right in the middle of this NCAA Tournament for a long, long time. So he’s not dropping in from outside, I mean he’s going to be working an extra weekend. It happens to be the big one. And he is definitely capable and ready and will excel and he’ll take it to all new heights.”

It's at this point where I'd normally embed a clip of all of Nantz's best March Madness calls, but the go-to video has been restricted to YouTube only. Click here for that. (It's got a ton of great stuff, too: Mario Chalmers, UMBC, Luke Maye, two Duke stunners, etc.) Instead, I'll leave you with Nantz detailing what's happening while he's making the call for Kris Jenkins' game-winner in 2016.

4. Let's assist the Bob Cousy list-makers

The Bob Cousy Award is given annually to the nation's best point guard. Previous winners include Collin Gillespie, Ayo Dosunmu, Payton Pritchard and Ja Morant.

Maybe that's why one name jumped out when the preseason watch list for 2022-23 was released Monday. I even circled it in Carolina blue.

Caleb Love is a terrific player. But he's on the wrong list. When the Jerry West preseason award list comes out, I'd expect to see his name there. The correct Tar Heel would be RJ Davis.

But hey, since I'm here, I'll do a quick list of other point guards who have an argument for inclusion, in no particular order:

  • Dajuan Harris, Kansas

  • Jamal Shead, Houston

  • Posh Alexander, St. John's

  • Ace Baldwin, VCU

  • Malachi Smith, Dayton

  • Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee

  • Nolan Hickman, Gonzaga

  • Hunter Maldonado, Wyoming

Maldonado may make the West list, but by all rights, he's the Cowboys' point guard, even if they did bring in new guards.

(deep breath)

This feels like too much complaining for one newsletter. First, it was All-Americas, then potential Gonzaga haters, now this. The season needs to start already.

5. Michigan State might actually go small

Some things are forever tied to programs and their coaches. Syracuse and zone defense. Virginia and slow tempo. Michigan State and big men.

Hm. How about two of our three?

The Spartans only have 10 scholarship players this season. And by not adding anyone through the transfer portal (coach Tom Izzo is not a fan), they don't have many options up front. Where previous seasons might've featured Xavier Tillman, Nick Ward or Jaren Jackson, the only traditional big this season is Mady Sissoko. He's a limited player who hasn't been on the floor much his first two seasons, leaving small ball as perhaps their best option.

But that means playing 6-8 Malik Hall at the four and Joey Hauser at the five. That's not a lineup that'll rebound the way Michigan State teams traditionally do.

“It’s definitely something that we’ve worked on, just being able to have me and Joey out there at the four and the five and just really making reads and just playing,” Hall said.

“Not quite like open gym because coach won’t just let us completely off the rails, but just a little bit more freely, being able to have five people out there that can handle the ball. It’s a big deal.”

Hauser, who would likely be tasked with defending a larger player in the lineup, is hopeful the look will be used sparingly.

“Hopefully we don’t have to use it that much,” Hauser said. “Usually that means our five man is in foul trouble. But like I’ve said before, whatever they need me to do, I’m going to do.”

As a one-year stopgap, it'll have to do. But it won't last long with Xavier Booker set to arrive in 2023.

THE FAST BREAK

Links to click as even the Coach Cal haters admit this is awesome:

THE DTF PODCAST

It's an All-America team, not a fantasy team

OK, one last time on the All-America selections: You need at least two guards. I don't make the rules, I just pass 'em along. And then I let John Fanta, Terrence Oglesby and Rob Dauster explain why.

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