With March Madness on the horizon, four college basketball programs have made a statement to the rest of the sports world. From senior leadership to young talent, every team that is listed has the ability to acquire the National Championship Trophy.
Michigan Wolverines
First off is the Wolverines, who have blown all expectations through the roof and have cemented themselves as one of the early teams to look out for in March.
The Wolverines have a strong core of eight players who can perform at a high level, with their two stars being Elliot Cadeau and Yaxel Lendeborg.
Cadeau is leading their offense at such a high level, and having Lendeborg at the forward makes them virtually unstoppable at this point in the season. Lendeborg is a transfer from the University of Alabama in Birmingham where he was one of the best players in the nation. He has the physical build of a professional player that no one in college basketball can stop.
That is how the Wolverines capped off three straight wins by 30 plus points in the Players Era Championship tournament, having two of them versus top 20 teams in the nation. They are a force to pay attention to moving into February and March.
Duke Blue Devils
The second team that looks very polished in the first months of college basketball is the Duke Blue Devils. This is a true blue blood team (name given to the best college basketball teams in history), and anyone who watches basketball knows they are undisputedly the greatest program of all time.
This year is no different. Having the leading favorite for the Naismith player of the year (an award for the best player in college basketball) on their team is a big reason why they have had success through the first part of the season. His name is Cameron Boozer, and he has made them one of the top teams in the country even though he is only an 18-year-old freshman.
The Blue Devils have already beat several of the top programs in the country, including Kansas, Michigan State, Florida, and Arkansas. Their Head Coach, Jon Scheyer, was a former Blue Devil who played from 2006 to 2008. He understands the level of intensity it takes to win a National Championship at one of the most storied programs in history, and will do anything it takes to get them there
Brigham Young Cougars
When it comes to basketball history, this team is different from the others. The Brigham Young (BYU) Cougars have been a good team in the past, but not as historically great compared to the other teams listed. They are aiming to flip that narrative this year.
Being led by freshman National Basketball Association (NBA) prospect, AJ Dybantsa, they are in good hands when it comes to pure talent. Baylor transfer guard, Robert Wright, and forward, Richie Saunders, have boosted this team in passing and defense.
These two players will have to be playing their best ball for them to make a run in March Madness. If they are, they can go to new heights where BYU has never been before.
Down the stretch of their schedule, they will play many high-level teams and they will have to prove themselves as a true top five team, but with their talent, anything is possible for the Cougars.
Arizona Wildcats
The Wildcats look like the mid-season National Champions and it is no surprise how they are playing at such a high level. In the off season, coach Tommy Lloyd performed a recruiting masterclass. He brought in four of the top high school seniors in the country while also keeping veteran leaders to compliment their skills.
In the first game of the season, freshman star forward Koa Peat put everyone on notice. He scored 30 points versus Florida, who were the defending National Champions from the year prior. They are the No. 1 ranked team in the country and show no signs of slowing down.
According to Kevin Thomas at Yahoo Sports, he believes Arizona is a team that we haven’t seen in quite some time.
“One thing has been made clear so far this season, if a team is going to defeat Arizona, they’re going to have to have a combination of size and skill that not many teams possess,” Thomas said.
Teams are going to have to adapt to be able to beat the Wildcats, and it will take major contributions from all players. Not many programs have had the ability to retain upperclassmen and bring in a top recruiting class.
These four teams are miles ahead of the rest of the college basketball world and they are all looking to hoist the National Championship trophy. From talented freshmen to experienced seniors, these squads all have the ability to face each other in the March Madness tournament to determine who is the best team in the nation.
