The ball is tipped...

Take a step outside, and soak it all in. The weather is cooling down. You're fresh off of that extra hour of sleep from daylight savings. And like Phil Collins, you can feel it in the air. 

We made it. The season is here.

At the time of publishing, we're less than four hours away from Baylor and Mississippi Valley State tipping off. But before the Bears mangle the Delta Devils (apologies to all the SWAC fanatics), we still have some news to cover. Let's get to it.

1. Get your popcorn ready

Just because the season starts today doesn't mean it's too late to buy The Almanac. (It's like in college when you procrastinated studying until the morning of the test. Go ahead and crack the books open). And in honor of today's mammoth 126-game slate (and that's just D1 vs. D1), today's Almanac excerpt gives a snapshot of the season's 68 must-watch contests, courtesy of Heat Check CBB founder Eli Boettger.

This year's opening day lacks a marquee matchup —  there isn't a single power conference school facing off with another power conference school, but we'll have more on today's slate a little farther down the Daily — but the first week still delivers a few compelling showdowns.

The Armed Forces Classic, which returns this Friday after a 10-year hiatus, looks the most enticing. Mainly because we'll learn more about two storied programs.

Gonzaga comes with a couple of "sure things" — for instance, we know Drew Timme will talk some trash and use his deft footwork to rack up points in the post. We also know Rasir Bolton will light it up from distance and provide stability for a young backcourt. But more interesting will be the Zags' defensive performance: Was their poor showing against Tennessee a one-off or a harbinger of what's to come?

The Spartans, on the other hand, have many more questions surrounding them. Can Malik Hall and Joey Hauser be the consistent scorers that Michigan State desperately needs? Will Jaden Akins and AJ Hoggard live up to breakout expectations? Will Sparty's lack of depth bite them, even in Game 1? 

Hopefully, on-court condensation issues won't keep us from finding out. 

For the full list of 68 Games to Watch and much, much more, purchase The Almanac here.

Also, a quick programming note:

2. Bleak day for Ike

Wyoming fans received unfortunate news Friday, as they learned the Cowboys will be without star big man Graham Ike for six to eight weeks. The 6-9 junior suffered a lower leg injury that head coach Jeff Linder attributed to "wear and tear."

His absence is a crushing blow to Wyoming, considering it relies on him for a large bulk of its offense. The lefty is a force in the paint, adept at creating for himself in both the high and low post. Additionally, Ike controls the glass on both ends of the court — he ranked second in the Mountain West Conference in defensive rebounding rate and fourth in offensive rebounding rate last season.

After a stellar 2022, Ike was named Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year last month. He also ranked 73rd in The Almanac's Top 100 Players. 

For the time being, Wyoming will rely even more heavily on versatile point guard Hunter Maldonado, whose 30.8 percent usage rate wasn't too far behind Ike's league-leading 35.3 percent. Nevertheless, if the Cowboys want to make it back to the NCAA Tournament, they'll need a speedy recovery from the big fella.

3. All in on Holland

It's been a nice couple of months for The University of Texas. Not only has it found some success on the gridiron, but it has also positioned itself for a bounce-back year on the hardwood. The additions of Tyrese Hunter, Dillon Mitchell, Arterio Morris and Sir'Jabri Rice, plus a healthy Dylan Disu could eventually launch the Longhorns into the top 5 of the sport. (And if you need another reason to buy into them, Chris Beard dropped by our Twitter space on Friday to share a little bit about his team).

But it's not just this year that bodes well for Texas. Next season looks rosy as well — in part because 5-star forward Ron Holland Jr. chose the Longhorns over the weekend.

Beyond the 6-8 forward's college-ready defense, his motor and his vertical and lateral athleticism, his perimeter skills are also trending upward. The earlier-linked On3 story cites Holland's 3-point shot as something that needs improvement. But his form doesn't look broken, and in time, he could develop into an above-average shooter. Additionally, Holland has already proved capable of attacking the basket off of one-to-two dribbles, where he flashes tremendous body control finishing through and around contact. 

Plus, Holland will be a terrific cultural fit in Austin. 

"UT is getting a high-level, energetic guy that has winning habits. A great teammate and a great person on and off the court," he told On3.

4. The Tiger Trifecta

Staying in the world of recruiting, Penny Hardaway landed *LeBron voice* not one, not two, but three commitments over the weekend. 

Of the trio, none are more notable than 2023 combo guard Mikey Williams, who committed on Saturday during his official visit. Williams burst onto the recruiting radar as a middle schooler, thanks to his vertical athleticism and, more specifically, his in-game dunks. Moreover, playing on the same AAU team as Bronny James increased his notoriety, as he accrued an enormous social media following before starting high school. 

Once Williams took the court for San Ysidro High (CA) as a freshman in 2019, he delivered on the hype, scoring 41 and 50 points, respectively, in his first two games. Since those early days, though, he hasn't quite developed the way that many analysts anticipated. While he continued to produce electrifying highlights, questions about his shot selection and motor started popping up on scouting reports. 

Still, Williams checks in as a consensus top-25 recruit (with ridiculous NIL value) who projects as an immediate starter for Memphis. His high school teammate, JJ Taylor, who also visited Memphis this weekend, announced his pledge six minutes after Williams.

Taylor is an explosive 6-8 wing with deep shooting range and defensive tools. He recently transferred to San Ysidro after the closure of his previous stop, Donda Academy. Per On3, despite his talent, his recruitment had cooled in recent months due to the perception that he would opt for the professional route. Thankfully for Memphis fans, though, his on and off-court chemistry with Williams helped sway his decision.

The final recruiting decision came from 3-star forward David Tubek. As his ranking suggests, Tubek is a long-term project, as opposed to Williams and Taylor. However, his skillset and background give plenty of reason for optimism. 

Per the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Tubek, who's originally from South Sudan, started playing basketball just five years ago. He's already developed quickly, as the article highlights:

“My game – how do I describe my game?” Tubek said. “I like being physical. I like being active on the defensive end. Communicate. Get teammates involved. I can shoot the ball – mid-range, 3-point. I play above the rim. I block shots. I can post up. I can defend 1-5.

Also in the recruiting world:

• Mike Williams, a 2023 3-star guard, chose LSU.

• Ruben Chinyelu, a 2023 behemoth out of NBA Academy Africa, announced his five finalists — and it's one of the most unique collections of schools I've ever seen.

• Towson and Navy both picked up commitments.

5. Making sense of Love

For one reason or another, it's not uncommon for highly-touted recruits to underwhelm in their first collegiate seasons. Just ask Caleb Love, who came to North Carolina as the 14th-ranked player in his class, per the 247Sports composite. Despite his pedigree, Love shot just 31.6 percent from the field and 26.6 percent from 3 in his inaugural year in Chapel Hill.

So how does one go from that letdown of a season to hitting one of the biggest shots in UNC history? 

The Athletic's Brendan Marks dove into that shot and more in a terrific feature. The piece covers Love's training sessions with Drew Hanlan, his decision to return to North Carolina for a third season, the death of his grandfather, and his relationship with Jayson Tatum, among other anecdotes. 

But maybe the most interesting morsel for the Tar Heel faithful? His part in recruiting Northwestern transfer Pete Nance: 

We'll get our first glimpse at Love's improvement and Nance's role tonight, as the No. 1 Tar Heels take on UNC Wilmington.

New faces in Cameron

Tonight, for the first time since 1980, Duke will be without Coach K on the sidelines. Yes, the Jon Scheyer era officially begins at 7 pm ET (ACC Network), as the Blue Devils host the Jacksonville Dolphins. But don't overlook the opponent just because they play in the ASUN. Jacksonville won 21 games last year — Jordan Mincy's first at the helm — and fell one victory short of earning its league's auto-bid. Sure, Duke likely secures a double-digit victory. But Jacksonville's physical defense and dominance on the glass could give the young Blue Devils an early test. 

• Fort Wayne at Michigan, 6:30 pm ET (Big Ten Network)

• LaSalle at No. 16 Villanova, 6:30 pm ET (FS1)

• George Mason at No. 15 Auburn, 8 pm ET (ESPN+)

• Longwood at No. 20 Alabama, 8 pm ET (ESPN+)

• Montana State at Grand Canyon, 9 pm ET (ESPN+)

Do you have what it takes to be the next John Fanta?

Probably not. There's only one Fanta.

But if you want to try, New Mexico State broadcaster Adam Young made a cheat sheet with all sorts of different play-by-play/color commentary jargon.

The national title contender no one's talking about

OK, there are people discussing Tennessee as a serious contender to win the 2023 NCAA Tournament, especially after they dismantled Gonzaga during last month's scrimmage.

But Terrence Oglesby, Patric Young and Rob Dauster all agree — the Vols have the experience, the balance, and an incredible defense that could carry them to a place Rick Barnes has never been in March. 

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Links to click as you crank "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)." RIP.

• D1 newcomer Queens University of Charlotte will be without head coach Grant Leonard for its first five games. The university suspended him for a DWI charge.

• Manhattan's mess continues, as assistant Matt Grady resigned.

• Hawaii guard Juan Muñoz will miss his second straight season due to injury.

• Could San Diego State get a Pac-12 invite?

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