Tony Bennett led Virginia to its first Elite Eight since 1995 last season (Getty)
10. Michigan State
Michigan State, like season opening opponent Arizona, had to deal with personnel issues this summer with both Ben Carter and Gavin Schilling both out due to knee injuries. When the two seniors will return to the court is up in the air, meaning that head coach Tom Izzo will be asking his underclassmen (including freshman Nick Ward) for greater production. Interior depth issues aside, this is a talented bunch bolstered by a recruiting class that features Miles Bridges, Cassius Winston, Josh Langford (who has also missed time due to injury) and the aforementioned Ward. Point guard Tum Tum Nairn (he’ll have to be the leader with Denzel Valentine gone) is back along with Eron Harris (9.3 ppg) to give the Spartans added experience on the perimeter, and if the freshmen can carry their share of the load the Spartans have a team that will be heard from all season long.
9. Virginia
Tony Bennett’s turned Virginia into a program that’s no longer expected to simply reach the NCAA tournament, but compete for ACC championships and play deep into the Big Dance. Last season the Cavaliers were minutes away from their first Final Four since the Ralph Sampson days, but a stunning collapse against Syracuse ended their season in the Elite Eight. UVA has to account for the loss of both Malcolm Brogdon and Anthony Gill, two big losses because of their abilities as players and leaders. Point guard London Perrantes (11.0 ppg, 4.4 apg) is back for his senior season, and in the front court Virginia adds Memphis transfer Austin Nichols to the mix. Add in a freshman class that includes guard Kyle Guy and forwards Mamadi Diakite and Da’Andre Hunter, and the Cavaliers have the talent to contend in the ACC. The key will be the progression of veterans Darius Thompson (4.3 ppg), Marial Shayok (4.3 ppg) and Isaiah Wilkins (4.6 ppg), contributors a season ago who will have the opportunity to do even more in 2016-17.
8. Louisville
Rick Pitino has himself another team chock full of athletes with the skill set needed to play his pressure defense while also putting points up on the other end. Add in the fact that the Cardinals’ 2015-16 season came to a premature end thanks to a self-imposed postseason ban, and the returning players should be hungry to make something happen this season. Guards Quentin Snider (9.4 ppg, 3.5 apg) and Donovan Mitchell (7.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg) are both national breakout candidates, with the latter being one of the best athletes in college basketball. In the front court Mangok Mathiang (7.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Anas Mahmoud (3.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Jaylen Johnson (5.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Ray Spalding (5.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg) all return, and long wings such as sophomore Deng Adel (4.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg) and freshman V.J. King fit well into Pitino’s system as well. Louisville will have to improve as a defensive rebounding team with Chinanu Onuaku now in the NBA, and if they do that the Cardinals are capable of a Final Four run.
7. Wisconsin
Badger seniors Bronson Koenig (13.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg) and Nigel Hayes (15.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.0 apg) have made news this offseason with their stances of important social issues, and they’ll also be leaders on the court for a team that may be the best in the Big Ten. Koenig’s in better shape than he was last season, and Hayes enters the 2016-17 campaign as the preseason pick to win Big Ten Player of the Year. Greg Gard, whose interim tag was removed at the end of the regular season, welcomes back many of the players who helped get Wisconsin to the Sweet 16 after a slow start to Big Ten play. Ethan Happ (12.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg) has the potential to be a star in the front court, with veterans Vitto Brown (9.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Zak Showalter (7.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg) also figuring into the Badger rotation. Underclassmen such as sophomores Khalil Iverson and Andy Van Vliet will also be heard from this season, and with their pieces a third Final Four in four seasons is not out of the realm of possibility for Wisconsin.
6. North Carolina
After Marcus Paige’s improbable double pump three-pointer North Carolina was seconds away from forcing overtime in the national title game. You likely remember what happened next, with Ryan Arcidiacono finding Kris Jenkins with the latter’s three-pointer as time expired giving Villanova the national title. Now Roy Williams’ Tar Heels look to make another run, albeit without Paige and forward Brice Johnson. Junior point guard Joel Berry II (12.8 ppg, 3.8 apg), junior wing Justin Jackson (12.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and senior power forward Isaiah Hicks (8.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) are all capable of breakout seasons, and the addition of freshman Brandon Robinson (along with the improvement of Kenny Williams) should make North Carolina a better perimeter shooting team. Losing Theo Pinson to a foot injury hurts, but the Heels have enough depth to account for his absence until he’s fully healthy. The big question for North Carolina is how they account for the loss of what Paige provided from a leadership standpoint, with Berry the most likely candidate to grab the reins.
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