It’s that time of year again; the leaves begin to fall, and so do the number of days until the college basketball season begins. Six months removed from the “NCAA tournament of “Cinderellas,” Grant and I begin to evaluate how this year’s season will play out.  These predictions include likely favorites in each power conference, players who are destined to make an impact, what to expect from local teams, potential freshman superstars and a very early Final Four prediction. One thing is for sure: last year’s season was nothing short of spectacular. Fans were treated to adrenaline-filled games in the regular season, and an NCAA tournament that was full of surprises. It’s hard to imagine that the 2014-2015 season will be any different.

Power Conference Favorites

The Big 10 conference: 

While the Big 10 may not be as dominant this year as in years past, enough firepower remains for it to still be considered a top conference. The Wisconsin Badgers, having come off of an appearance in the Final Four and returning with four of their starting five players, are heavy front runners. However, Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana Hoosiers and conference beginner Maryland Terrapins all have excellent recruiting classes that will likely earn them NCAA tournament berths. 

The ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference):

Although the ACC has lost some of its stature in the past few years, the 2014-2015 season will likely ensure their dominance in the league of 17. With the exit of the Maryland Terrapins comes the introduction of the Louisville Cardinals, an institution that is widely known for its basketball success. The Cardinals, along with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Virginia Cavaliers, Duke Blue Devils and Syracuse Orange all have the potential to be Final Four squads. Better yet, each team was ranked in Sportsnews.com  top 25 preseason poll.  The ACC will be the top conference this year and we could easily see eight or maybe even nine teams get berths into the NCAA tournament in March.

The SEC (Southeastern Conference)

The SEC has lacked enormously in competition in recent years, and seems likely to follow this trend in the upcoming season. Outside of the always-dominant Florida Gators and Kentucky Wildcats, two teams that were knocked out in the final four last season, the SEC doesn’t have a single team that is likely to earn top 25 status. 

The AAC (American Athletic Conference)

In its first year in 2013-2014, “The American” was surprisingly competitive. The UCONN Huskies won the national championship, and the Louisville Cardinals journeyed to the sweet 16 when the NCAA tournament rolled around. However, the absence of Louisville will hurt its status as a power conference this year. The only potential contenders seem to be Connecticut, Memphis and Southern Methodist. 

Local Team Profiles:

University of Maryland Terrapins:  The Terps recently moved from the (ACC) to the Big Ten Conference, which was essentially moving from one of the top two basketball conferences in the nation to another.  Coach Mark Turgeon brings in a superb recruiting class, including two local players, Romelo “Melo” Trimble and Dion Wiley.  Expect the Terps to put up a fight in their conference games and to be a dark horse in the conference tournament.  Maryland opens up the season against Wagner on Nov. 14.

Howard University Bison:  The Bison should be competitive in the always up-in-the-air Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) this season.  The team will have some tough tests during the season, including when they open against the University of Miami (FL) in Coral Gables, FL.  Additionally, they will have to play well against tough conference teams like N.C. Central University, Hampton University and Norfolk State University.

George Washington University Colonials:  The Colonials are coming off of one of their best seasons in years, in which they earned a 9 seed in the NCAA tournament.   The Colonials benefited from outstanding play from Maurice Creek, a transfer from Indiana University.  The team will be much younger this year, with only one returning senior in their starting five.  Look for local high school standout Nick Griffin, from Magruder, to have an important role this year, especially with his superior shooting skills.  The Colonials will have tough matchups against Virginia, Saint Louis and Virginia Commonwealth.

Georgetown University Hoyas:  The Hoyas have brought in an excellent recruiting class this year with four, 4-star recruits.  They had a disappointing season last year because they were knocked out in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).  Coach John Thompson III will put out a winning team this year, in a weaker Big East Conference.  Expect the Hoyas to be very much in the Big East race all season.  They will have very tough tests early on against Florida, Kansas and Indiana, as well in conference games against Villanova University. The Hoyas open up the season against St. Francis University (NY).

American University Eagles:  American University (AU) looks to have another repeat of last years’ season where they won the Patriot League Championship and received a berth in the NCAA tournament.  The Eagles will definitely be competitive in the Patriot League.  American will have tough non conference games such as their season opener against Temple University in Philadelphia and another game against Illinois University in Champaign, IL.  The Eagles will also have tough conference tests against  Holy Cross College, Boston University and Lehigh.

George Mason Patriots:  The Patriots will look to improve on a dismal first season in the Atlantic-10 Conference (A-10) in which the team went 11-20 and 4-12 in conference play.   The team will need to play close in conference games to do that.  They have tough games against West Virginia, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma, and most opponents in the A-10.  The Patriots will need to win games against the weak teams in their conference, such as Duquesne, Rhode Island, Fordham and St. Bonaventure.  In the end, the Patriots just don’t have the players to compete in this elite conference.  Expect them to finish the season towards the bottom of the standings.

Possible ‘Cinderellas’:

Maryland Terrapins: Despite unexpected transfers of valuable assets in the off-season, the Terps are bringing in an all-star recruiting class that features local natives Dion Wiley and Romelo ‘Melo’  Trimble. In what may be Mark Turgeon’s final year as head coach, the Terps are a competitive piece in the BiG 10 this year. With seniors Dez Wells and Jake Layman leading the way, be sure to keep watch on a team that has struggled in previous years but aims to impress fans with its potential.

Virginia Commonwealth Rams: Coach Shaka Smart is one of the best coaches in the country and employs the infamous “HAVOC” defense.  The Rams are the clear favorite to win the Atlantic -10 conference this year and are well-prepared to make a deep run in the tournament.  Seniors Briante Weber and Treveon Graham will both lead the team this year and help anchor down the defense.