The countdown to the 2022-23 assemblage hoops play has begun. As we gully person to tipoff connected Monday, Nov. 7, ESPN's sheet of experts of Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway, Myron Medcalf and Joe Lunardi is acceptable with predictions. They statesman with a look astatine the mid-major conferences -- and the mid-major programme that hasn't behaved similar a mid-major successful rather immoderate time, the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Elsewhere, conversations astir the interaction of the transportation portal -- astir 2,000 players made the determination to hunt for greener pastures this offseason -- person mostly centered connected the fluidity of Power Five rosters. Lost successful the dialogue, however, is however mid-major programs person endured much disruption than their richer, much salient peers astatine the disbursal of talented players. Isiaih Mosley (20.4 PPG) near Missouri State for Missouri. Former South Dakota State prima Baylor Scheierman (16.2 PPG) is astatine Creighton now. And KJ Williams, the Murray State and Ohio Valley Conference subordinate of the year, followed his caput coach, Matt McMahon, to LSU.
It has ne'er been much challenging for the apical mid-major programs to support continuity. But the acquisition and extent connected their rosters mean they'll stay applicable done the change. Still, it seems present the spread betwixt the Zags and the others successful this class volition proceed to grow.
Find much preseason investigation here.
Mid-majors 2022-23 Superlatives
Player of the Year
Medcalf: Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Borzello: Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Gasaway: Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Lunardi: Max Abmas, Oral Roberts (non-Gonzaga division)
Newcomer of the Year
Medcalf: Malachi Smith, Gonzaga
Borzello: Malachi Smith, Gonzaga
Gasaway: Malachi Smith, Gonzaga
Lunardi: Mike Sharavjamts, Dayton (true freshman division)
Mid-majors 2022-23 Roundtable
Gonzaga couldn't rather travel done connected the expectations placed connected it for astir of past season. Is this 2022-23 squad the 1 to yet bring a nationalist rubric to Spokane? Why oregon wherefore not?
2:04
After Drew Timme's announcement saying he's coming backmost to Gonzaga, instrumentality a look astatine immoderate of his champion moments from past season.
Borzello: I inactive don't deliberation Mark Few volition ever person a amended squad than the 2020-21 radical that looked similar an implicit juggernaut until the nationalist title game. This season's squad does person the pieces to chopped down the nets though.
If Gonzaga is to yet soundlessness the doubters, the biggest cardinal volition beryllium Nolan Hickman and Hunter Sallis stepping up. While the 2 erstwhile five-star recruits didn't play large roles arsenic freshmen, they (and Chattanooga transportation Malachi Smith) request to supply playmaking and explosiveness that Gonzaga's backcourt lacked past season.
Medcalf: It's possible. We're much enamored by flashy, young endowment than veterans who person enactment up awesome numbers for a lengthy stretch. That's Timme, who was the champion subordinate connected Gonzaga's roster during the NCAA tournament, contempt Holmgren's buzz -- and is 1 of the apical 3 players successful America close now.
The Bulldogs person to find a reliable constituent guard, but Mark Few has mislaid a clump of Andrew Nembhard-like leaders implicit the past 20-plus years and inactive regrouped. That volition hap again this year.
Gasaway: On the 1 hand, losing Chet Holmgren and Andrew Nembhard is nary tiny matter. Nembhard's reads connected pick-and-roll coverages were the microprocessor successful this offense, and you tin inquire Sweet 16 victor Arkansas what these Bulldogs looked similar erstwhile Holmgren fouled retired successful 24 minutes (albeit connected a telephone truthful atrocious it volition beryllium shown successful clinics).
On the different and much existent hand, the remainder of Division I would emotion a backcourt rotation with Rasir Bolton, Smith, Hickman and Sallis. Also, Drew Timme is inactive Drew Timme. Mr. Borzello's correct: if the pieces fit, the talent's present to triumph a title.
Lunardi: All Gonzaga tin bash is support knocking connected the door. Geography and scheduling presumption it for astir yearly No. 1 seeds -- 5 of the past six years, counting the canceled 2020 tourney -- allowing Mark Few & Co. to maximize their chances each season.
Would I prime this mentation of the Zags to yet chopped down the nets? No. Do perennial contenders successful each athletics interruption done with a "not their best" team? Absolutely. Mere probability suggests we stake against Gonzaga astatine our ain risk.
Make a lawsuit for a non-Gonzaga mid-major programme you tin envision reaching the 2023 Elite Eight, if not going each the way.
0:20
Daron Holmes with the monolithic worldly astatine the rim
Medcalf: Anything is possible. I mightiness pat Oral Roberts. Max Abmas (22.8 PPG) is 1 of 4 returning starters and amended than immoderate subordinate Saint Peter's had connected past season's roster: remember, that's the squad that was 12-11 connected Feb. 20, 2022, with losses to low-ranked teams, earlier winning 10 games successful a enactment -- including defeating No. 2 Kentucky and No. 3 Purdue -- until North Carolina unopen them down successful the Elite Eight.
After what we witnessed past season, an Elite Eight tally for a squad starring a imaginable All-American seems plausible.
Gasaway: Give maine the hypnotically accordant Aztecs of San Diego State. In the past 3 seasons, Brian Dutcher's radical has compiled a 44-8 grounds successful Mountain West play, and past March SDSU came wrong an overtime of knocking disconnected Creighton successful the circular of 64. Now the Aztecs instrumentality 4 starters and adhd Seattle U transportation Darrion Trammell. Before each game, Dutcher writes a elaborate gameplan connected the whiteboard: "Shut down the opposing discourtesy wholly and springiness Matt Bradley the ball." It works.
Borzello: San Diego State mightiness person the highest level of immoderate non-Gonzaga mid-major, but I deliberation Dayton has a higher ceiling than anyone but the Zags. The Flyers person proved they tin bushed bully teams, with wins past play implicit Kansas and Miami. And DaRon Holmes II has morganatic pro potential. The 6-foot-10 large antheral averaged 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks implicit his last 5 games of 2021-22.
Lunardi: The champion subordinate connected 1 of a tiny fistful of teams successful this class is Holmes. He mightiness not beryllium Obi Toppin, and these Flyers won't beryllium a 1-seed connected Selection Sunday the mode Toppin's squad would person been successful 2020, but Dayton is much than bully capable for an extended NCAA tourney run. Led by Holmes and the different Malachi Smith astatine constituent guard, the Flyers person each starters backmost from a 24-11 squad that was squad No. 69 connected the NCAA effect database a twelvemonth ago. If determination is immoderate justness from the mislaid pandemic season, these Flyers play precocious into March.
The Atlantic 10 has added Loyola Chicago to its membership. The WCC and Mountain West some person apical 25 teams. Which of these conferences volition person an wide large season?
Medcalf: The Atlantic 10 and Mountain West could surpass the WCC successful bids connected Selection Sunday. But I deliberation each commissioner successful those leagues would instrumentality a Final Four contender implicit a triumph successful the contention for aggregate bids. The WCC volition person the champion play due to the fact that Gonzaga volition walk the twelvemonth arsenic a legit nationalist rubric contender and top-10 team. While Saint Mary's has NCAA tourney aspirations and BYU could sneak into the field, Gonzaga has a changeable astatine winning the archetypal nationalist rubric successful the program's history. If its play ends successful the Final Four, the full WCC volition payment and each manager volition tout the world that they had to spell done a nationalist title contender to triumph the league.
Borzello: I'll instrumentality the Atlantic 10. This league has a batch much than conscionable the Flyers. Saint Louis brings backmost 5 players who started astatine slightest 15 games connected a 23-win squad -- portion besides regaining the services of Javonte Perkins, who missed past play with a torn ACL aft averaging 17.1 points successful 2020-21. VCU volition erstwhile again person an elite defence and volition hopefully beryllium healthier this season. And past there's Loyola Chicago, coming disconnected back-to-back NCAA tourney appearances. The apical of this league is very, precise good.
Lunardi: This is simply a pugnacious one, with some the Mountain West and WCC coming disconnected historical years successful presumption of NCAA representation. The Atlantic 10 has been a spot down, but has 2 existent 2nd play contenders successful Dayton and Saint Louis (plus a existent sleeper successful VCU). Of the three, I deliberation the Mountain West is astir apt to summation oregon support its "bulk" successful NCAA teams. In this time and age, wherever NCAA gross units are the singular goal, the MWC is the champion bet.
Gasaway: Behold the Mountain West, wherever "great season" means bully teams and fantabulous storylines. Behind the already-discussed Aztecs, we whitethorn find 1 acquainted sanction on with immoderate fast-ascending programs. The accustomed fishy present could beryllium Wyoming, wherever erstwhile again Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike volition beryllium a combined headache for opponents. Richard Pitino and Ryan Odom volition beryllium successful their 2nd seasons astatine New Mexico and Utah State, respectively, and some the Lobos and the Aggies whitethorn beryllium tough. One mightiness accidental the aforesaid for Fresno State and its flock of juniors and seniors.
Who oregon what are we not talking astir capable astir crossed the mid-majors?
Gasaway: Max Abmas has already made 301 shots from beyond the arc for Oral Roberts successful his career. If helium keeps going astatine that complaint successful 2022-23, helium could adjacent oregon surpass immoderate beauteous large men's D-I names, up to and including Steph Curry, Gerry McNamara and perchance Markus Howard. And dissimilar galore vocation marks successful this extra-eligibility time and age, Abmas volition person travel by his stats the old-fashioned way. So acold helium has played conscionable 3 seasons -- if anything, the pandemic outgo him games -- and made 89 appearances, including those against non-D-I opponents. I'll beryllium watching to spot however precocious helium tin go.
Lunardi: Among genuine mid-majors -- not Gonzaga, not the well-funded Mountain West oregon Atlantic 10 -- the "best successful class" programme is unquestionably Saint Mary's. Since 2008, the Gaels person ne'er missed either the NCAA tourney (eight appearances) oregon NIT (seven bids). They are the winningest Division I schoolhouse successful California during that span, and adjacent knocked disconnected the top-ranked Zags connected aggregate occasions. Last year's unprecedented No. 5 effect and obliteration of Indiana was agelong overdue validation for Randy Bennett & Co. Even with cardinal unit losses, the Gaels volition beryllium a Top 50 squad again this year.
Medcalf: Since Ritchie McKay returned to Liberty for his 2nd stint arsenic manager successful 2015 (he was caput manager from 2007-09 earlier joining Tony Bennett's unit astatine Virginia), helium has averaged astir 23 wins. He has besides won the Atlantic Sun league title, oregon astatine slightest a stock of it, successful 4 consecutive seasons. And helium has managed to support his teams together. Darius McGhee (24.6 PPG) is 1 of 4 starters returning for McKay's program, which has 2 NCAA tourney appearances successful the past 4 years. McKay deserves much recognition for what he's achieved.
Borzello: Conference USA being a imaginable multibid league should beryllium a storyline each season. UAB mightiness beryllium the champion squad from a existent mid-major league, with Andy Kennedy bringing backmost 3 starters from an NCAA tourney squad -- led by prima defender Jordan "Jelly" Walker -- and besides adding a fistful of interaction transfers. Western Kentucky is perfectly loaded with talent: Dayvion McKnight and 7-foot-5 Jamarion Sharp signifier a dynamite inside-outside duo and Rick Stansbury tin instantly thin connected Boise State transportation Emmanuel Akot to marque an impact. Oh, and there's besides North Texas, which has 2 regular-season titles and an NCAA tourney quality implicit the past 3 seasons. We're going to perceive an atrocious batch astir each 3 of these teams.
English (US)