What are you most looking forward to, on or off the court?
asserted
you → look → court
JuJu Watkins’ return from injury, obviously, but also the question of whether college hoops can maintain any sense of continuity in the transfer portal era.
asserted
hoops → maintain → era
Michigan won the men’s natty in April, then lost their coach to the NBA and watched much of their roster disintegrate.
asserted
much → win → roster
Florida, meanwhile, have managed to keep the majority of the core from their 2025 title team together.
asserted
Florida → manage → team
Which model wins out?
asserted
model → win → ?
Multiple things, but top of mind: Like many fans of women’s college basketball, I’m already excited by what JuJu Watkins has shown in the preseason.
asserted
Watkins → ’m → preseason
She’s been away from the court for a long time, and it will be thrilling to see the presumptive No 1 draft pick take over again.
asserted
pick → see → time
This nine-team league has only two schools that were previously in the Pac-12 and adds five schools from the Mountain West, plus powerhouse Gonzaga from the WCC and Texas State from the Sun Belt.
asserted
that → have → Belt
The new 76-team format for men’s and women’s March Madness is …
… not good nor necessary nor something that I think will affect most people’s consumption of March Madness.
asserted
I → think → Madness
If the tournament is going to expand, I think we should full-send it and go to 128 with first-round games on campus.
asserted
we → go → campus
When the deadline for most office pools is still Thursday at 12pm Eastern, the games on Tuesday and Wednesday have always felt like the tournament’s waiting room.
asserted
games → feel → room
Now we’re just making that waiting room bigger.
asserted
room → make → ?
I’m cautiously optimistic that this is more than just another money grab for the NCAA.
asserted
this → ’m → NCAA
Hopefully, it means more surprise wins from underdog programs that might not otherwise get a shot at the tournament.
uncertain
that → mean → tournament
Like most people, I’m a “64 just feels so clean and right” guy.
asserted
64 → ’m → people
I like seeing more quality teams get a chance to compete, but expansion also hurts more of the lower-seeded automatic qualifiers, who now have to play in the First 12 on Tuesday and Wednesday.
asserted
who → like → Tuesday
NL
The surprise package of the season will be …
The Miami men won 26 games last season but were knocked out in the second round of the tournament.
asserted
men → win → tournament
With 6ft 9in forward Malik Reneau back for a fifth year, they’re a top-10 team and a Final Four contender.
asserted
they → ’re → year
I’m also excited about Jasmine Bascoe, one of the best point guards in the country last season, running it back for year three with the Villanova women.
asserted
I → ’m → women
EB
The Michigan women have never reached a Final Four, but they return their top six scorers from an Elite Eight team.
asserted
they → reach → team
Olivia Olson, Syla Swords and Mila Holloway have grown up together and the Big Ten could be there for the taking with defending champions UCLA in a rebuild.
uncertain
Ten → grow → rebuild
BAG
I think the Michigan women will make more noise than they have in recent years.
asserted
they → think → years
They finished third in their conference last season, and beyond the usual suspects like South Carolina and UConn, the women’s game feels less predictable than it has in some time.
asserted
it → finish → time
Randy Bennett spent 25 seasons building Saint Mary’s into one of the country’s most consistent programs, winning 20-plus games 19 times and reaching 12 NCAA Tournaments.
asserted
Bennett → spend → Tournaments
An early adopter of the ball-screen-heavy offense now commonplace across the sport, Bennett brings his tactical acumen and attention to detail to a Sun Devils roster loaded with size and skill.
asserted
Bennett → bring → size
Look for ASU to shake up the Big 12.
asserted
ASU → look → 12
Which team in either preseason top 10 will struggle?
asserted
team → struggle → top
In a world where 76 (seventy-six!) teams make the NCAA Tournament, all of these teams should be safe.
asserted
all → make → teams
For the sake of the exercise, I’ll pick the Tennessee men.
asserted
I → pick → men
Of the top teams in the SEC, they probably have the lowest possible floor.
asserted
they → have → floor
The Michigan men lost four starters, coach Dusty May to the NBA’s Mavericks and blue-chip recruit Brandon McCoy to a season-ending knee injury.
uncertain
men → lose → injury
Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney give them an elite backcourt, but expecting the Wolverines to remain among the top flight of contenders after so much upheaval feels optimistic.
asserted
Wolverines → give → upheaval
Missing the tournament entirely feels like a stretch, but they’re relying on a lot of young talent this season.
asserted
they → miss → talent
UCLA are also rebuilding after losing several seniors to graduation, though the defending champions have earned some breathing room as they put together their next contender.
asserted
they → rebuild → contender
There is no one in the country more reliant on their fifth-year players remaining eligible than the Red Raiders.
asserted
players → be → Raiders
If they don’t go three-for-three in their eligibility lawsuits, they simply won’t have enough talent to earn a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
asserted
they → go → Tournament
Last season’s national assists leader takes a step up – and maybe even takes the Spartans to their first Final Four since 2019.
asserted
leader → take → 2019
The 6ft 9in forward could already be earning an NBA paycheck, but instead he’s back in Gainesville alongside Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu.
uncertain
he → earn → Condon
His versatility and experience make him the centerpiece of a team with legitimate title ambitions.
asserted
him → make → ambitions
He’s a player I’m watching closely.
asserted
I → ’ → ?
…and 67 more, not listed.
The Aporia
