UConn, Cooper Flagg among those to watch as college hoops tips off

Another college basketball season is upon us after months of anticipation.

Several head coaches and players have found new homes since UConn cut down the nets in Phoenix last April. There's also a whole new crop of freshmen chomping at the bit to get going.

Here are 10 things to watch in the opening month of the college hoops campaign.

1. UConn starts quest for 3-peat

Dan Hurley isn't resting on his laurels despite leading UConn to a second straight national championship last season. The Huskies reloaded in the summer with five-star freshman Liam McNeeley and former Saint Mary's standout Aidan Mahaney joining holdovers Alex Karaban, Hassan Diarra, and Samson Johnson.

Sophomores Solomon Ball and Jaylin Stewart are also expected to take on bigger roles after playing sparingly during their debut campaign. No school has three-peated since the legendary John Wooden guided UCLA to nine consecutive titles from 1964-73. It'll be an uphill climb for UConn after losing four starters to the NBA, but count Hurley and the Huskies out at your own peril.

2. Flagg watch

It won't take long for fans to realize why NBA teams are tanking for Cooper Flagg. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward turned heads in scrimmages against Team USA over the summer, showcasing a versatile two-way skill set that bodes well for the next level.

Flagg is a low-post threat, above-the-rim finisher, and possesses the court vision of a guard. On the defensive end, the teenager uses his length on the perimeter to force turnovers and has tremendous shot-blocking instincts. Flagg has also made strides with his jumper, displaying the ability to shoot off the catch and pull up from the mid-range.

3. Cal's next chapter

Eric Musselman brought Arkansas back to relevance with a pair of Elite Eight appearances in five seasons. It'll now be on John Calipari to get the Razorbacks over the hump. The Hall of Famer has been busy from the get-go overhauling the team's roster. Calipari brought over a number of players and recruits from Kentucky and surrounded them with some fresh faces through the transfer portal.

Talent has never been a question with Calipari's squads; it's well-documented how many first-round draft picks he's coached over the years. Can Calipari finally optimize the roster at his disposal and avoid another early March exit?

4. Pope returns to Kentucky

Few people understand the lofty expectations of Big Blue Nation better than Mark Pope. The new lead man at Kentucky played a pair of seasons for the Wildcats and captained the school to a national championship in 1996. While it's certainly a feel-good story to see Pope return to his alma mater, he's also got the pedigree to bring the program back to the promised land.

Pope has registered a record of .500 or better in eight of his nine head coaching seasons. At his latest stop at BYU, the Cougars had three top-25 finishes in KenPom's rankings for adjusted offensive efficiency. Pope's teams play a modernized, up-tempo brand of basketball with a heavy emphasis on 3-point shooting. That alone will be refreshing for Kentucky fans after watching Calipari undervalue threes for much of his 15-year tenure.

5. Alabama's a basketball school?

Nate Oats has taken Alabama's basketball program to new heights since he arrived in 2019. The Crimson Tide have made four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including their maiden Final Four last season. There's every reason to believe Oats and Co. can make it back, with All-American guard Mark Sears and Grant Nelson returning for their final year of eligibility.

Alabama also boasts a strong incoming recruiting class - led by five-star forward Derrion Reid - and added Clifford Omoruyi, Chris Youngblood, and Aden Holloway via the transfer portal. The Crimson Tide averaged a nation-leading 90.1 points last season and arguably have even more firepower on their roster.

6. Rutgers' freshman duo

Rutgers enters the upcoming campaign ranked in the AP preseason poll for just the second time since 1978. Projected top-five draft picks Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have a lot to do with it. The freshman duo are the highest-ranked commits in Scarlet Knights history and will be leaned on heavily to lead a relatively young group of players.

Bailey is an elite-sized shotmaking wing with explosive athleticism, while Harper is a natural floor general who operates well out of ball screens and maximizes his height advantage against opposing guards. A lack of depth may ultimately be Rutgers' downfall, but the star frosh should be appointment viewing.

7. Big 12 front-runners

The Big 12 has been recognized by many as the best conference in college hoops. And for good reason: Two of the past four national champs have come from the Big 12, and five of its teams are ranked in the top 10 of the AP preseason poll.

No. 1 Kansas returns All-American center Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams Jr., and Dajuan Harris Jr. The Jayhawks addressed their 3-point shooting woes through the transfer portal with the additions of Rylan Griffen and Zeke Mayo. No. 4 Houston is enjoying its best stretch of basketball since the Phi Slama Jama era. The Cougars have been an elite defensive squad under Kelvin Sampson and brought back four starters from the previous campaign, led by L.J. Cryer.

Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger is also engineering a turnaround for the fifth-ranked Cyclones on the strength of a stingy defensive unit. No. 8 Baylor has been a model of consistency under Scott Drew. The Bears have one of the NCAA's top freshman (V.J. Edgecombe) and surrounded him with a pair of seasoned vets (Norchad Omier, Jeremy Roach).

Newcomer Arizona rounds out the list of Big 12 schools in the top 10. High-scoring guard Caleb Love returns for a fifth year, Motiejus Krivas is expected to fill the shoes of Oumar Ballo, and Oakland transfer Trey Townsend should keep Tommy Lloyd's high-octane offense rolling.

8. Purdue enters post-Edey era

Purdue will have a different look with its main man in the middle - Zach Edey - off to the NBA following back-to-back Wooden Award campaigns. But that doesn't mean the Boilermakers won't be in the hunt for a third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title.

Braden Smith topped all players in assists (292) last season and should continue to grow alongside backcourt mate Fletcher Loyer. Fellow junior Trey Kaufman-Renn is set for a larger frontcourt role after flashing promise when given extended minutes.

But it wouldn't be a Matt Painter team without an interior presence, and incoming 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen fits the bill. The Chicago native starred for USA Basketball this past summer at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, averaging 9.2 points and posting an American tournament-record 19 blocks.

9. Returning 5th-year stars

Sears, Dickinson, and Love are just a few of the notable players who exercised a fifth year of college eligibility rather than go pro. Super seniors have had a significant impact in recent years, and that should be no different this season.

RJ Davis is the lone returning AP first-team All-American. The reigning ACC Player of the Year was the engine of the Tar Heels' high-scoring offense a year ago, and the program will only go as far as he takes it.

Auburn's firmly in the mix for another SEC crown with Johni Broome back in the fold. The 6-foot-10 forward has always been superb around the basket as both a finisher and rim-protector. He added the 3-point shot to his arsenal last season, which should give Bruce Pearl more lineup flexibility.

Creighton got its starting big man back as well. Ryan Kalkbrenner has led the Big East in blocks in each of the previous two campaigns. The 7-footer is looking to join Patrick Ewing as the only four-time winners of the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award.

10. New faces in new places

While continuity is certainly valued, an impact transfer or two is almost a requirement to have success in today's game.

Oumar Ballo heads to Indiana after spending the last four years with Lloyd at Gonzaga and Arizona. The 7-foot, 260-pound center is a walking double-double, and the shot-creating ability of guards Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle should give Ballo a similar opportunity to feast in the paint.

Johnell Davis burst onto the national scene as a junior during Florida Atlantic's Cinderella run to the Final Four. The versatile guard proved capable of being a high-usage scorer last season and will be leaned on by Calipari during his first year in charge at Arkansas.

Kadary Richmond opted to stay in the Big East, joining Rick Pitino and St. John's following three campaigns at Seton Hall. At 6-foot-6, he's got a size advantage on most opposing point guards and has a knack for getting into the paint. Even when Richmond's shot isn't falling, he still contributes as a playmaker, rebounder, and defender.

AJ Storr is taking his talents to Kansas after a breakout sophomore season with Wisconsin. The 6-foot-6 guard tallied a team-high 16.8 points per contest and was an All-Big Ten second-team selection. Storr provides size on the wing, and his scoring ability will help a Jayhawks offense that had far too many dry spells last season.