Two programs at their peak

UConn is raising its fifth NCAA tourney banner tonight, while Kansas is chasing its fifth. A look at two elite programs. Plus, eligibility and injury updates ahead of openers, a game-changing lawsuit, Duke's recruiting wins, and more!

Author

Mike Miller
November 06, 2023

That sound you hear? It’s just college basketball fans giddy about the sport finally starting today. There are 185 games today, meaning you’ll be able to bask in basketball most of the day — as long as you don’t mind matchups like Spalding vs. IUPUI. Most of the notable teams won’t start until this evening.

So prep yourself properly! Read The Almanac — if you haven’t bought it already, no shame here! it’s still just $19.99 — and read the Daily. We’ve got you.

1. UConn & Kansas: Comparing the hoops success

It’ll be a big night in Storrs, Connecticut.

UConn will revel in championship glory before their opener tonight against Northern Arizona, raising a fifth national title banner with some well-earned pomp and circumstance. Now entering in their sixth season under coach Dan Hurley, the Huskies are firmly among college basketball’s elite programs. They’re ranked sixth in the preseason AP poll and will vie for another Final Four.

Meanwhile, the team atop the AP poll, Kansas, celebrated its own banner raising last season after winning the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Bill Self’s entering his 21st season in Lawrence, yet the Jayhawks’ swagger isn’t much different from UConn. They’re a hungry, bold team that expects a run to the Final Four.

There are full breakdowns of both teams from The Almanac — here’s UConn, and here’s Kansas — but I’m fascinated by the verve of two most recent champs.

Luckily enough, there’s a person uniquely suited to help us discuss both before everything tips-off tonight: Kansas City Star reporter Shreyas Laddha.

Q: You previously covered UConn, and moved to Lawrence last season to cover Kansas. How would you compare the two programs in terms of basketball approach and facilities? There are the two most recent national champs and are both among the contenders this season.

Shreyas: Great question! Both programs have top-notch facilities. At Kansas, the history and prestige are evident when you walk into Allen Fieldhouse and are greeted by all the banners. For UConn, they've built an entire brand around being the "Basketball Capital of the World," which I think is fun. There's a more modern feel around UConn, but they have plenty of success to back it up.

Both programs approach the game of basketball super similarly in that both coaches are beloved by their players, but they strike the balance of tough love and praise well. Dan is obsessed with basketball, and that's evident to any player that comes to UConn. Bill is similar in that way.

I think both coaches are perfect fits for the programs they coach — Dan is a little insane, but the UConn fanbase is insane as well (I say this with love), while the KU fanbase matches the demeanor of Bill Self. Anytime KU takes the floor, there's an expectation for Kansas to be great. That said, Self will undoubtedly let it be known when his team messes up, much like the fanbase.

Q: Along those lines, what about the Big East vs the Big 12? The Big East's basketball tradition and basketball-centric schools sets apart from most leagues, but it's tough to argue with the Big 12's depth and overall success. Is this really a matter of perception among the media, or do coaches and fans view the Big 12 as a hoops-centric league as well?

Shreyas: I believe the coaches and players view the Big 12 as a basketball-centric league. With Texas and Oklahoma leaving, plus the other schools coming in, it's even more accurate. If you ask anyone associated with the Jayhawks or in the Big 12, they'll quickly tell you how it's the best basketball conference in the country.

Football is important in the Big 12 for sure, but make no mistake — basketball is king.

Q: Bill Self's long been viewed as one of the game's premier coaches, and perhaps its best Xs and Os coach. Do you think Dan Hurley might finally get some of that acclaim after last season given how many sets their offense runs, and his adjustments made last season?

Shreyas: For sure! Dan adapted to a new offense last season, using four-out and one-in, and it worked out great — UConn won the title. He's been very impressive in adapting to his players, much like Bill has over the years in taking more threes.

Q: UConn plays Kansas on Dec. 1. It's still a month away, but what's going to be the most compelling part of that game?

Shreyas: I’m fascinated to see how UConn's young team looks against an experienced Kansas squad. KU will still have some growing pains, but the matchup of Clingan vs. Dickinson fascinates me. Not to mention Elmarko Jackson and Stephon Castle are good friends. Plus, can't forget the matchup of the last two champs.

Q: Here's one writers always couch: Which team advances further in the 2024 NCAA Tournament?

Shreyas: I think Kansas advances further and they're more likely to win another title because this team is the definition of win-now with the assembled talent.

We’ll see if Shreyas’ prediction comes true starting tonight against North Carolina Central.

2. Waiver, injury updates for opening day

A handful of important waiver requests landed Friday night, just in time for teams to NOT have players for the season. Kudos on timely responses!

(I’m looking for the sarcasm font.)

Easily the most notable among these decisions was Memphis 5th-year senior DeAndre Williams being denied an additional season. The school was not pleased:

"We are extremely disappointed a waiver for an additional year of eligibility for DeAndre Williams was denied, which came following a request for reconsideration of the initial denial and then an appeal. We felt the evidence about academic misadvisement prior to his initial collegiate enrollment that was uncovered and provided to the NCAA was sufficient to grant this waiver, and we also strongly believed the depth of additional information shared with the NCAA on an ongoing basis would be on DeAndre's side. Unfortunately, after multiple months of back-and-forth, the NCAA arrived at a different conclusion. We appreciate DeAndre's contributions to our men's basketball program over the past two-and-a-half years, and he will always be a Memphis Tiger. Nevertheless, we are very much looking forward to an exciting season on the court for our men's basketball team."

Even without Williams, the Tigers should be an NCAA tourney team and an AAC contender. But this significantly impacts their ceiling. He would have been their best player (and a potential AAC POY) because of his perimeter shooting, passing, and defense.

Williams wasn’t the only disappointed player, though. Here’s a list of other players who got denied in the last few days.

This doesn’t include players such as Moussa Cisse, Efton Reid, Primo Spears and Adam Miller who are still waiting on the NCAA.

Then again, some players did get good news, such as UCF’s Antwann Jones. He’ll have to sit in November, and will make his debut in December.

And some schools got mixed results. UCLA finally got word that big man Aday Mara has been cleared to play, while they’re still waiting on the same for forward Berke Buyuktuncel.

Then there are the injuries to note.

3. Could Chicago State’s prize twins play after all?

Chicago State is playing the 2023-24 season as an independent, but it made a power conference move when former 5-star prospects Matthew and Ryan Bewley committed to play for them this season.

Except … the NCAA said the twins weren’t eligible to play because of compensation they received while playing for Overtime Elite.

So they sued the NCAA. After all, they argue, why should former OTE players Rob Dillingham (Kentucky) and Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford) be cleared to play this season, but not the twins?

"By certifying Mr. Dillingham and other former OTE athletes, the NCAA determined that competing for OTE and receiving compensation from OTE was permissible under its interim policy," the lawsuit reads.

The NCAA says the twins made too much money while playing for Overtime Elite. According to court documents, they made at least $33,333 per month during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. And not only is that more than what the NCAA deems acceptable for expenses, it was effectively a salary.

The twins say that’s just a matter of semantics compared to other OTE athletes.

"The NCAA simply ignores this undisputed fact because the compensation package is described as a 'salary' in the Bewleys' contract while later versions of the OTE contract described the compensation as a 'scholarship,' 'financial aid,' and NIL compensation," the lawsuit reads.

There’s a hearing to start sorting it all out on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Chicago State opens its season tonight at Bowling Green.

4. NCAA may not recover from federal ruling

If you thought NIL and the transfer portal changed college sports, just wait. Things are really getting interesting in the House v. NCAA lawsuit.

OK, this is a bit muted. At play is more than $4 billion in potential damages. Yes, billion. With a B.

Thousands of athletes could receive NIL backpay, and a slice of TV revenue. Also, NIL changes could be coming that permits schools and conferences to pay athletes for any reason, including performance. There’s a comprehensive rundown here, but it can summarized as one big cluster for the NCAA, the schools and conferences.

This would likely accelerate schools leaving the NCAA, and certainly spells the end of the current student-athlete model. At this point, it’ll be judges that decide the future of college sports, not the NCAA.

5. Another day, another Duke 5-star

If Duke can match its off-court success this season, it’s Final Four bound. Because the Devils just keep adding 5-star prospects to their 2024 recruiting class after Patrick Ngongba committed on Friday.

Ngongba is a 6-10 forward who’s not technically the highest-rated among the recent signees, but he’ll be a vital part of the class because of his position. Evans, Knueppel and Harris are all small forwards (Flagg could play power forward), and there aren’t any big men among Duke’s current freshmen, either.

That leaves Ngongba as a physical rim protector on the interior.

All of this begs the question: Is Scheyer the game’s best recruiter? I’m guessing John Calipari is going to take this as a personal challenge.

In other 2024 recruiting news:

Something for everyone* on opening night

Of the 185 games involving D-I teams on Monday night, most of the televised games might end up being blowouts. And there are a few (listen two below) that I’d love to watch, but need to track down streaming options (fingers crossed). That means your fave team is probably the best option tonight — seeing them no the floor for the first time is always must-see TV — but for those trying to watch meaningful hoops, USC vs. Kansas State is your best bet. It’ll be two talented NCAA tourney contenders facing off in Vegas. That’s a worthwhile watch. (10 pm ET on TNT)

Other games to watch (All times ET)

  • Georgia vs. Oregon, 4:30 pm (TNT)

  • Princeton vs. Rutgers, 7 pm (Peacock)

  • UMBC at Louisville, 7 pm (ESPN+)

  • Iona at Charleston, 7 pm

  • Akron at South Dakota State, 9:15 pm

  • Bradley at UAB, 8 pm (ESPN+)

*If you want a Top 25 showdown, you’re SOL.

Going whole Hog

When it comes to SEC basketball, why isn’t Arkansas getting more attention? John Fanta argues that the Razorbacks should be considered the favorite in the SEC, and a Final Four contender. His argument was so good, he almost got Terrence Oglesby to agree.

Links as your eyes recover from the NBA in-season tourney courts.

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