B/R Expert Predictions for the 2014-15 College Basketball Season

After seven long months of asking questions about the 2014-15 college basketball season, we’re finally fewer than 10 days away from finding out some of the answers.

However, there are still 10 burning questions that we asked each of our college basketball experts to weigh in on before the season begins.

Can Kentucky possibly live up to the hype? If not Kentucky, who will win the national championship? Who is the best freshman in the country? Who is the best player in the country? Are the answers to those last two questions actually the same?

That’s just a sampling of the questions posed in this preseason quiz to our panel of experts that includes Scott Henry, Jason King, Kerry Miller, C.J. Moore, Brian Pedersen and Scott Polacek. 

Be sure to bookmark this thing so you can properly throw all of our misguided predictions in our faces in a few months.

Scott Henry

USA TODAY Sports

Will Kentucky live up to the preseason hype?

It's possible, but the only thing reining in Big Blue Nation is the hype from last year, when they touched the 40-0 hot stove and got badly burned with a disappointing regular season. Otherwise, this team would make last year's feel positively under-the-radar. Even with all that said, I don't know of any team in recent memory with such a national-title-or-bust feel to it (1991 UNLV, maybe?). As you'll see elsewhere, I expect UK to come up just short.

Is the ACC the best conference ever?

The potential is there to come close, but the 11-bid Big East of 2011 can still rest easy. The top contenders all have serious questions, and that middle tier looks like a six-wide corner at a NASCAR race. As I've written elsewhere, nine bids are very attainable for this league.

How many teams will rank No. 1? Who will they be?

Even as wide-open as this season appears to be, I think the true elite will stake out their territory early. Aside from Kentucky, I see Arizona and Duke also getting a turn. Kansas will rise when Big 12 play starts, especially if it beats Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum on Jan. 17. Also, Wichita State may get a turn if it survives its respectable nonconference slate unbeaten.

Date when the last undefeated team falls?

I see Duke squeaking out a win at Wisconsin to survive the (only?) major test of its pre-ACC schedule, carrying an unbeaten record to the middle of January. Either Jan. 11 at NC State or Jan. 17 at Louisville will be the end of the ride.

Best freshman?

I don't put freshmen on preseason All-America teams, but I was tempted by Jahlil Okafor. Never pondered Andrew Wiggins for a minute, but Okafor gave me some pause. (So did Stanley Johnson, but Okafor's the final answer here.)

Best mid-major star?

Green Bay's Keifer Sykes will have his own segment on SportsCenter and blow up YouTube at some point this season, because we all love to see a little man throw it down.

Player of the Year?

Marcus Paige, North Carolina. He'll still have his moments where he has to take over as the alpha scorer, but he'll get to show off as a distributor just as often.

Most disappointing team?

Nebraska. Seriously, I love Tim Miles and think he'll be on that elite level of coaching very, very soon, but this wasn't an efficient offensive team last year, didn't add any major talent and is dangerously thin in the post after Leslee Smith's injury—for my money, the least appreciated loss of any team in America. Never mind Top 25; I won't be surprised if Big Red doesn't return to the tournament.

NCAA tournament sleeper?

Seems like we have to put Gonzaga in this category until it actually achieves something in March, but Mark Few did a great job of filling in his team's weak spots. Kyle Wiltjer can salvage his career the same way ex-Kentucky teammate Ryan Harrow has done at Georgia State, plus I'd happily put a Benjamin down on Byron Wesley to win West Coast Conference Player of the Year.

National champion?

Arizona. Because to Big Blue Nation, calling media members haters is like oxygen, and everyone needs to breathe, right? But seriously, Arizona has everything it needs to knock out anyone in the country, especially if Stanley Johnson and Kadeem Allen can prove themselves as shooters.

Jason King

USA TODAY Sports

Will Kentucky live up to the preseason hype?

I guess that depends on whose doing the hyping. Will the Wildcats join the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers and Ric Flair’s Four Horsemen as one of the best sports teams ever assembled? Highly doubtful. But I do think they’ll be the most complete squad in college basketball this season and the clear favorite to win the NCAA title.

Is the ACC the best conference ever?

I realize it’s a strong statement but, yes, I believe it is. Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse and Louisville are led by coaches who have already been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Virginia’s Tony Bennett is one of the game’s rising stars. Pittsburgh, Florida State and Notre Dame are pretty darn good, too—and Virginia Tech will be eventually under Buzz Williams. One media credential to this year’s ACC tournament, please.

How many teams will rank No. 1? Who will they be?

Kentucky, Arizona and Wisconsin will all be ranked No. 1 at some point this season. Kansas and Duke are possibilities, too.

Date when the last undefeated team falls?

Feb. 7 when Kentucky visits Florida. As much as I love Wichita State, I have the Shockers losing to Utah on Dec. 3. Hey, it’ll be good for them.

Best freshman?

Jahlil Okafor is the best freshman—and arguably the best player—in America. But don’t sleep on his Duke teammate, Justise Winslow, a James Harden-style player who may only be in Durham for one season. 

Best mid-major star?

Any school whose coach uses a private plane to recruit doesn’t qualify as a mid-major in my book. So sorry, Fred VanVleet. You and Ron Baker aren’t eligible for this one. Instead, I’ll throw a little love to UC Santa Barbara star Alan Williams, who averaged 21.3 points and 11.5 rebonds—second-best in the nation— last season. Check him out against Kansas on Nov. 14.

Player of the Year?

I had Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky slotted in this spot a few weeks ago—but then I went to Duke and met Jahlil Okafor in person. The man is a specimen, folks. I can’t wait to watch him play. After speaking with him at length, I’m also convinced he has the right type of mental makeup to flourish under the spotlight that’s sure to shine bright all season.

Most disappointing team?

Michigan State. Tom Izzo is one of the best coaches in America, but sometimes the pieces just aren’t there. The Spartans lost too much—and don’t return enough—to be a Top 25 team. At least not at the start. Things could be different in March.

NCAA tournament sleeper?

I’m a big believer in Bruce Weber and what he’s doing at Kansas State. All the hype in the Big 12 centers around Kansas, Texas, Iowa State and Oklahoma. Kansas State deserves to be in that mix, too. I expect the Wildcats to be a Top 25-caliber team throughout the season and good enough to win a few games in the NCAA tournament.

National champion?

I want to pick Wisconsin here, because I love everything about the Badgers and what they have going. But the teams with the most talent are usually—I repeat, usually—the best bets in March. So I’m going with Kentucky as my pick to win the NCAA title. By the way, have you heard about John Calipari’s platoon system?

Kerry Miller

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Will Kentucky live up to the preseason hype?

Unless they find a way to go 43 and -3, I'm not sure it's mathematically possible. This is the fourth straight season the Cats have opened the year ranked in the Top Three, and they've proved they can either dominantly win it all or get knocked out in the first round of the NIT. But they are far more likely to take the former route. If this Kentucky team suffers more than four losses or misses the Final Four, I'll be flabbergasted.

Is the ACC the best conference ever?

Nope. I'm not even convinced it's the best conference this season. Oh, it's loaded up top. If you had to bet on one conference to win the national championship, the ACC is the safest bet. But the middle five teams are iffy and the bottom five are pretty bad. Meanwhile, out of the 10 teams in the Big 12, five are very talented teams and three others (Baylor, West Virginia and Oklahoma State) are every bit as likely to make the NCAA tournament as middling ACC teams like Florida State and Notre Dame. Also, it's pretty much impossible for any conference to have a better season than the 2010-11 Big East.

How many teams will rank No. 1? Who will they be?

Four. Kentucky, Arizona, whoever wins the Battle 4 Atlantis (Wisconsin, North Carolina or Florida) and…drum roll, please…Texas! The first three shouldn't need justification, but within the first 22 days of the season, Texas will play neutral court games against Iowa and either California or Syracuse, a road game against the defending national champs (UConn) and a road game against the favorites to be the next national champs (Kentucky). Could the Longhorns lose all four of those games? I suppose. But they're getting a whole lot of first-place votes if they're still undefeated on December 8. 

Date when the last undefeated team falls?

February 28. If I could pick five teams with a remote chance of an undefeated regular season, those five teams would be Arizona, Harvard, VCU, Villanova and Wichita State, and they just to happen to each face a very difficult opponent on that day.

Best freshman?

Best? Jahlil Okafor.

Most fun to watch? Either Stanley Johnson or Tyler Ulis.

Best mid-major star?

We use it all the time, but I hate this term. Is the A-10 a mid-major conference? Mountain West? Missouri Valley? It's so subjective. But instead of giving you Fred VanVleet, Briante Weber or Siyani Chambers from teams that open the season ranked in the Top 25, how about my man Alan Williams from UC Santa Barbara? Do you know how many times in the past four years a player has averaged at least 20.0 PPG and 11.0 RPG in a season? If you guessed that 6'7" Williams is the only one, good job.

Player of the Year?

Though I'm tempted to go with Utah's Delon Wright, I'll take the more conservative route and say Marcus Paige. However, if the fallout from the Wainstein Report results in UNC missing postseason play, give me Wright.

Most disappointing team?

Not making any friends in my home state with this one, but I don't see the Virginia Cavaliers as a Top 10 team. Replacing Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell is no small task, and they have a much more difficult conference schedule than last season. They'll make the tournament, but I wouldn't go making reservations for a spot in the Top Five seed lines just yet.

NCAA tournament sleeper?

Sleeper to make the tournament: Auburn. Best I can tell, I might be the only bracketologist out there who has Auburn in the tournament discussion, let alone in the projected field. But Bruce Pearl was a very busy man this offseason, and the Tigers could immediately be light years better than last year. Their first four games are against Milwaukee, Colorado, Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulsa, so get ready to find out what they're made of in a hurry.

Sleeper to win the tournament: Iowa State. 33-to-1 odds on the Cyclones sound pretty good to me.

National champion?

Is it cheating if I just say the Wildcats? That way I get Kentucky, Arizona, Villanova and Northwestern! Alright, fine, gun to my head, I like Arizona this year. T.J. McConnell is one of the most underrated point guards in the country. Stanley Johnson is one of the most exciting freshmen in the country. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has spent the summer adding a jump shot to his game. Brandon Ashley is healthy. Kaleb Tarczewski is still 7'0". What's not to love?

C.J. Moore

USA TODAY Sports

Will Kentucky live up to the preseason hype?

I think most people have come to realize that all the 40-0 talk is ridiculous and I'm not hearing as much of that this year. I believe the experience of this team will lead to more consistency than last year, but there are going to be some bumps in the road, especially if John Calipari tries to stick to the platoon system. 

From what I saw watching the games in the Bahamas over the summer, this team is special. Love the addition of Tyler Ulis. If Andrew Harrison resorts back to his pre-tourney form at anytime, Calipari has a legit backup at point guard. Ulis will also make the Harrisons better. 

But I am going to say no to the question because I think as far as the preseason hype goes, it's national title or bust. And even if UK is the best team, that doesn't always equate to a title. 

Is the ACC the best conference ever?

No. Not this year. Syracuse is down. Louisville isn't what it has been the last few years. Virginia should be good but not as good as last year. I like what Duke and North Carolina have, but both teams are leaning on freshmen to play key roles. One of these years the stars may align with all the big boys in the league—and we'll all be able to say Mike Krzyzewski was right—but that's not this year. 

How many teams will rank No. 1? Who will they be?

Six. Kentucky, Wisconsin, Arizona, Kansas, Duke and a wild card—I'll say either Wichita State or Gonzaga. 

Date when the last undefeated team falls? 

Jan. 22. Arizona will be the last undefeated team and lose on the road at Stanford.  

Best freshman?

Jahlil Okafor. I'm a believer. And a sucker for footwork and actual post moves. Okafor is so advanced for a freshman. He has great feel and fundamentals. His transition to the college game will be easier than it is for most stud freshmen. 

Best mid-major star?

If Wichita State is a mid-major, then the answer is either Fred VanVleet or Ron Baker. Love the games and intelligence of both of those guys. I think Baker is going to have a huge year, so I'll go with him. 

Also watch out for Green Bay's Keifer Sykes. He may be the most exciting guard in the country to watch. Not just mid-major, but country. Period. 

Player of the Year? 

I'm always hesitant to pick a freshman, but I've seen enough of Okafor to believe. It's also easier for an exceptional big man to dominate as a freshman than it is for a wing or guard. Nine freshmen have been named first-team All-Americans over the last eight years, and seven* of those were big men. 

*Eight if you count Jabari Parker, who played the 4 most of the time last year for the Blue Devils. 

Most disappointing team?

Syracuse. I was surprised to see the Orange ranked in both national polls. It's usually not a smart idea to bet against Jim Boeheim because of the zone, but I think the Orange are going to have a tough time scoring the ball. Tyler Ennis wasn't expected to be one-and-done, and they lack a proven scorer on the wing. Freshman Kaleb Joseph is the key. He has to be a stud right away. I'm predicting NIT. 

NCAA tournament sleeper?

Georgia State. The Panthers have a great backcourt with R.J. Hunter and former Kentucky point guard Ryan Harrow. Hunter has NBA scouts intrigued because of his jumper and ridiculous range. 

National champion?

Wisconsin. Love the talent. Love the experience. Sam Dekker had the breakout season most expected out of him last year. Look for Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes to improve as sophomores. Frank Kaminsky will continue to be a matchup nightmare, and Traevon Jackson and Josh Gasser will run Bo Ryan's swing offense to perfection. 

Brian Pedersen

USA TODAY Sports

Will Kentucky live up to the preseason hype?

When all is said and done, Kentucky is going to be one of the best teams in the country. But just like last year's team, it's going to have some bumps and hurdles. With so much talent comes far too many opportunities for things to go wrong, because of the expectations, and while the platoon system is great in theory, it probably won't last. 

Is the ACC the best conference ever?

The ACC has the best makeup of coaches ever, but a lot of weak teams at the bottom are keeping me from calling it the best of all time from a performance standpoint. The Big East that had 11 NCAA tournament bids in 2010-11 gets my vote for best ever, and that league only got two teams into the Sweet 16. 

How many teams will rank No. 1? Who will they be?

Seven: Kentucky, Duke, Arizona, Wisconsin, Kansas are the most likely, with another surprise or two possible. Also, if a team other than Wisconsin wins the Battle 4 Atlantis, it should automatically be No. 1 regardless of what else happened that week. 

Date when the last undefeated team falls?

Mid-January. 

Best freshman?

Stanley Johnson, Arizona. The Kentucky guys will cancel each other out, and many of the other top ones will have the burden of trying to carry their teams. Johnson, however, can just slide into Aaron Gordon's old role of being an athletic freak that has talent all around him to feed off.

Best mid-major star?

Alan Williams, UCSB. You'll hardly see much of him during the year (unless you're willing to stay up super late to catch him in the Great Alaska Shootout during Thanksgiving weekend), but this NBA-level rebounder eats glass and dominates inside.  

Player of the Year?

Montrezl Harrell, Louisville. While his reasons to return to school were more for his professional prospects than for his team, Harrell's dominance this season is going to enable the Cardinals to compete in the ACC despite losing Russ Smith. Nobody will be able to stop him inside.

 
Most disappointing team?

Duke. The best Duke teams have had veteran leadership and talent, but the Blue Devils of late have been too reliant on young superstars. And with both their starting point guard and center being freshmen this year, they'll crash and burn.

NCAA tournament sleeper?

Utah. The Utes figure to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009, but don't expect them to be a one-and-done team. With a tough schedule that features nonconference games against BYU, Kansas, San Diego State, Wichita State and UNLV as well as two games apiece with Arizona, Colorado and UCLA, they'll be more than battle-tested for the tourney.

National champion?

Wisconsin. If Nigel Hayes can develop into a solid post player, that's the one piece the Badgers were missing. And with four starters back, they have everything else needed to give the Big Ten its first NCAA title since Michigan State in 2000.

Scott Polacek

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Will Kentucky live up to the preseason hype?

It must be November if we are talking about Kentucky basketball and hype. 

It depends on what you call living up to the hype. The Wildcats aren’t going to finish undefeated, so you can stop printing more 40-0 shirts, but they could very well win the national title. I say that would constitute living up to the hype.

Is the ACC the best conference ever?

The ACC may be the best conference ever in terms of coaching pedigree considering Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Rick Pitino and Jim Boeheim are all living legends, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The ACC has to win its first ACC/Big Ten Challenge since 2008 before we can even definitely call it the best conference this year.

How many teams will rank No. 1? Who will they be?

Power is going to be consolidated at the top this season.

Only four teams—Kentucky, Duke, Wisconsin and Arizona—will be ranked No. 1 at some point this year. Kentucky is going to knock off fellow challengers Kansas and North Carolina early, and the rest of the country is simply behind these four programs entering the season.

Date when the last undefeated team falls?

Arizona is going to be the last undefeated team. Early showdowns against Gonzaga and Michigan will prove challenging, but the Wildcats aren’t going to drop a game until a Jan. 22 showdown at Stanford.

The Pac-12 is really weak behind the Wildcats, and their dominant record is going to reflect that all season.

Best freshman?

With a head nod to the Kentucky youngsters, the best freshman in the country is Duke’s Jahlil Okafor.

It means something when Mike Krzyzewski thinks you could be the top pick in the upcoming draft and you haven’t even played a minute of meaningful college basketball yet. He will dominate on the boards and spearhead an impressive Duke offense from down low.

Best mid-major star?

If Wichita State still counts as a mid-major, Fred VanVleet is certainly the best player in this category.

He may not put up eye-popping numbers, but VanVleet is always in control of the game and will lead the Shockers to yet another impressive season with crisp passes and timely scoring. As long as he is on the roster, Wichita State is in good hands.

Player of the Year?

Marcus Paige’s Tobacco Road rivals may be getting more of the attention early in the season, but the backcourt star is going to lead North Carolina to new heights in 2014-15.

Mr. Everything for the Tar Heels will rack up the points, assists and steals all season as his team competes with Duke for the ACC crown and a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Don’t sleep on the veteran just because there are exciting freshmen to watch this year.

Most disappointing team?

Michigan State is ranked No. 18 in the initial AP Poll, but even that is based on program pedigree alone.

The Spartans simply lost too many players (Gary Harris, Adreian Payne and Keith Appling) and are going to be relying on role players to play major minutes. Travis Trice, Matt Costello and Denzel Valentine are fine as fourth, fifth and sixth options, but they are going to struggle more than people realize in a solid Big Ten.

Branden Dawson needs to make a jump to superstardom quickly.

NCAA tournament sleeper?

Ohio State had a very disappointing 2013-14 season, so it’s easy to forget just how good it has been under Thad Matta.

The Buckeyes aren’t going to reach the Final Four or anything, but they are poised to advance much deeper than their No. 20 ranking indicates with a loaded recruiting class and a handful of returning seniors.

This team has athleticism all over the floor and will be a problem for anyone it faces.

National champion?

Kentucky is going to cut down the nets.

College basketball fans and John Calipari haters may not want to hear it, but the Wildcats have so much talent on the team that it’s basically unfair. Calipari’s bench at any given moment will be better than 95 percent of the teams he faces.

Kentucky is simply too good this season.