The 15 Most Exciting College Basketball Teams to Watch This Season

College basketball is naturally exciting. Some teams, however, take that excitement to a higher level, making every game they play in a must-watch.

This season, some teams have already distinguished themselves. Certain squads just command attention. When they are on television, remotes hover, channels are changed and viewers are instantly glued to the screen.

Other teams fly under the radar. While they may not be on the minds of every basketball fan out there, they should be.

A combination of style, pace and star quality have set these 15 teams apart from the rest.

Long Beach State

On the surface, the Long Beach State 49ers do not look like a team to be reckoned with. Their 4-5 record is nothing to write home about—until you consider their schedule. 

The 49ers have played Pittsburgh, San Diego State, Louisville, Kansas, North Carolina and will face Xavier just before Christmas. 

Long Beach State’s worst lost? By 13 points in a game against Louisville that was much closer than the final score indicates. The 49ers lost to Kansas by eight points and to North Carolina by six.

Long Beach State has tested itself and proved it is a very good team. The 49ers have senior leaders who show no fear. Watching a complete team is always exciting, especially one with the skill of Long Beach State.

Louisville

The Louisville Cardinals are thrilling to watch because of one thing: their defense.

Coach Rick Pitino is known for his full-court pressure, jumping traps and stifling man-to-man defense that dismantles opponents.

Louisville gets just under nine steals per game and forces countless more turnovers that lead to fast breaks. The Cardinals are always a threat to go on a huge run.

Guard Peyton Siva is anchoring an injury-depleted team, but when Louisville is healthy, the Cardinals will be tough to beat.

Wichita State

The Wichita State Shockers are finally finding their stride.

The Shockers won the NIT championship last year, but so far this season, they have looked out of sync.

In the past few games, however, Wichita State is putting it all together.

The team crushed a UNLV team that was coming off an upset of No. 1 North Carolina. Senior guard Joe Ragland has come into his own. He scored 31 points in the win against UNLV and has steadily increased his production since a slow start to the season. 

Wichita State is always a threat to take down traditional powerhouses—and what's more fun than cheering on an underdog?

The Shockers’ two games against the Creighton Bluejays this season will be must-watch affairs.

Missouri

After very little fanfare to begin the season, the Missouri Tigers have burst on the scene thanks to a 9-0 start and a No. 10 ranking.

The Tigers are averaging 85 points per game, thanks to their scorching 51 percent field goal percentage.

Led by guards Kim English and Marcus Denmon, Missouri can shoot the three but also drive into the lane and convert shots at a high rate.

The Tigers are athletic, quick and know how to play basketball. Missouri is a dark horse to challenge the Baylor Bears for the Big 12 title and should certainly keep pace with the Kansas Jayhawks.

Iona

The Iona Gaels simply know how to score. The team is averaging a ridiculous 90 points a game while also doling out more than 10 assists, leading the country in both categories. 

The Gaels have perfected the art of playing fast basketball while still looking for the open man, something most teams struggle with. 

Iona succeeds, and it is beautiful to watch. The team converts a high percentage of shots mostly because they pass so well that the shooter is often wide open.

The Gaels could present some problems for teams if they can make it to the NCAA tournament. A team as talented and cohesive as Iona is tough to beat.

Florida

The combination of two undersized guards and strong post play makes the Florida Gators stand out. 

Guards Irving Walker and Kenny Boynton have a knack for sneaking into the lane and converting near-impossible shots against players twice their size.

Fans must always keep watching, as either player has the potential to break off an amazing play at any time.

To top it off, sophomore Patric Young anchors the front-court. Against Arizona, Young had 25 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. He is capable of that type of jaw-dropping performance in any game.

Florida’s combination of size and quickness makes them a great team to watch. There is no saying where the ball will go or who will score, but anyone is capable of a monster game.

Kentucky

The Kentucky Wildcats, as usual, are a young team.

Also, as usual, they are extremely talented.

Freshmen Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague join returning veterans Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb and Darius Miller on a team that could have as many as six first-round NBA draft picks. 

The style of offense Kentucky plays is one that allows any player to take his man one-on-one. Therefore, in any game, there are a number of amazing drives where players can showcase their skills.

When the Wildcats get out on a fast break, you cannot blink. Any player can bring the ball up the court (yes, even Anthony Davis, although he does do better slamming down alley-oops), and the team runs the floor so well that there’s no telling who will be the last Wildcat to touch the ball.

Either way, Kentucky basketball is full of dynamic players who leave fans glued to their seats.

UC Santa Barbara

The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos have no one on their roster taller than 6'9", yet they are grabbing 42 rebounds per game.

The Gauchos play with the heart and determination that is truly enjoyable to watch. It does not matter who UC Santa Barbara is playing, the team will compete until the last buzzer.

The Gauchos' only two losses of the season came to San Diego State and UNLV in double overtime. Despite their size disadvantage, the team has two great forwards in Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally who provide leadership and toughness for the team.

UC Santa Barbara is well-coached and plays together. What’s not to like?

Memphis

The Memphis Tigers have very skilled players who can all run the floor. The team likes to get out on the break to show off their talent.

Will Barton is leading the team in scoring and rebounding, and has the type of energy that is contagious.

The Tigers are a young team, but have enough talent and leadership to always make them a factor in games. 

With their quickness, many of their forwards present matchup problems for bigger teams, and Memphis has learned to exploit that to win games.

The Tigers are a fun team to watch because of their run-and-gun style of offense. There is never a dull moment.

Creighton

The Creighton Bluejays, like many of the other teams on this list, play a very up-tempo style of offense. The team ranks in the top 10 nationally in points per game, assists per game and field goal percentage.

Doug McDermott, the coach’s son, is averaging 24 points a game while shooting more than 60 percent from deep. 

The Bluejays often tire out opponents with their fast-paced offense.

And when the team is making more than 51 percent of their shots, they will score a lot of points.

UConn

The absence of Kemba Walker was thought to have set the Connecticut Huskies back, but the team has more than made up for it so far.

Guards Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb have increased their production, and are leading the team with their hot shooting.

Alex Oriakhi anchors the post, and freshly eligible freshman Andre Drummond blocks every shot sent his way. 

Freshman Ryan Boatright is living up to his early-season hype and schooling defenders with his one-on-one moves.

Connecticut is an exciting team to watch because they are capable of winning in a variety of ways. They can shoot from outside, post up inside and drive past defenders for easy layups.

The Huskies have all the pieces they need to make the loss of Walker just another bump in the road.

San Diego State

The San Diego State Aztecs were thought to be in for a down year after the departure of star Kawhi Leonard to the NBA. 

However, behind guard Chase Tapley, the Aztecs have picked up right where they left off last year.

San Diego State’s only two losses have come to the Baylor Bears and Creighton Bluejays. They have also beaten two ranked teams—the Arizona Wildcats and the Cal Golden Bears.

San Diego State has no freshmen on its roster. The team is comprised mostly of upperclassmen, and their experience shows. The Aztecs stay composed and play together in every game. 

Watching a player as skilled as Tapley take over an offense is thrilling in itself, but to see him do it surrounded by so many seasoned teammates is special.

San Diego State is a great team to watch because of their chemistry and leadership.

Baylor

Quincy Acy and Perry Jones III make up one of the best front-courts in college basketball. Jones III turned down a shot at being a lottery pick in the NBA draft to come back and try leading the Baylor Bears to new heights.

Freshman Quincy Miller has come in to star at guard for the Bears, giving them a balanced attack that is tough to compete with.

Acy and Jones III combine for almost 14 rebounds and 32 points per game. When the team is at their best, neither of the two can be stopped.

Good inside play is hard to come by, and Baylor has two great players. Watching their skill in the post is electrifying.

Weber State

When a team has a player who can go off for 40-plus points a night, it is always special to watch.

Players like Jimmer Fredette and J.J. Reddick always captivated fans with their ability to score, no matter the defense.

Damian Lillard is that player for Weber State.

Lillard is averaging 26.9 points per game, but has a season-high of 41 points to go along with two other 30-point outings on the season.

Lillard is a great shooter, and it is fun to see him succeed despite the fact that defenses are geared around him.

Xavier

The Xavier Musketeers are 8-0 and ranked eighth in the country. 

Led by point guard Tu Holloway, a National Player of the Year candidate, Xavier is always an exciting team to watch.

Holloway has an uncanny ability to take over games when he has to. Against both Purdue and Vanderbilt, he was able to shrug off subpar games to come alive at the end of regulation and seemingly will his team to victory. 

Talent and awareness like that do not come around often. When Holloway is on, he is one of the best players in the country. 

And for a little more excitement, there is always the possibility of Xavier’s "gangsters" getting into another brawl…