2013-14 College Basketball Preview

Ryan Collins ’14

Sports Writer

The college basketball season is underway, and many top teams have new faces. There are many questions headed into the 2013-14 season. Will Louisville repeat? Will a team led by a freshman win it all? Who will win the Big10? With all these questions headed in to the season, it has the potential to be one of the greatest season of all time.

AP Preseason Top 25
1. Kentucky (27)
2. Michigan State (22)
3. Louisville (14)
4. Duke (2)
5. Kansas
6. Arizona
7. Michigan
8. Oklahome State (tie)
8. Syracuse (tie)
10. Florida
11. Ohio State
12. Memphis
13. North Carolina
14. VCU
15. Gonzaga
16. Wichita State
17. Marquette
18. Connecticut
19. Oregon
20. Wisconsin
21. Notre Dame
22. UCLA
23. New Mexico
24. Virginia
25. Baylor.

Top incoming recruits
1. Andrew Wiggins (Kansas)
2. Jabari Parker (Duke)
3. Julius Randle (Kentucky)
4. Aaron Gordon (Arizona)
5. Andrew Harrison (Kentucky)

Local Team Previews
-Michigan- Michigan enters the 2013-14 season with very high expectations. After losing in the National Championship to Louisville last year, Michigan seeks revenge and hopes to return in 2014. Michigan has big roles to fill with the loss of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, but they hope to do it with the return of many key players such as Mitch McGary, Glenn Robinson III, and Nik Stauskas. They hope that true freshman Derrick Walton, Spike Albrecht or Zak Irvin fill the vacant point guard position.

-Michigan State- Michigan State also has very high expectations after a disappointing loss to Duke in the sweet sixteen. Michigan State has the majority of its team back for the 2013-14 season. The only loss was center Derrick Nix. Local product Matt Costello (Bay City Western High School) looks to fill in open position. Michigan State also returns star players such as Adreian Payne, Gary Harris, and Keith Appling. Tom Izzo has lead MSU to 16 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and hopes to win his second national championship.