NCAA Basketball Picks: Top Teams To Watch This Season

The people in the entire world had to quarantine into their homes because of the outbreak. The last hope of joy also vanished when the NCAA announced the cancellation of the Division I college basketball national championship of the season 2019-20 along with all winter and spring championships. 

However, we can forget what happened with the season and move ahead to see what the next season holds and hope for better situations.

If you’re ready for the next season, here’s the list of the teams that need your attention.

UCLA Bruins:

In a career of over a century, Bruins always made sure to offer remarkable performance and wins to its fans. With 11 NCAA titles (including 7 consecutive title wins), 25 final four wins (along with 10 consecutive final four appearances), 54 consecutive winning seasons, and 4 undefeated seasons, UCLA  is sitting at the top of our discussion. 

There is no way to ignore such overwhelming potential in the upcoming season. 

UCLA announced the signing of Mick Cronin on April 19, 2019, and the news improves the team’s expectancy rates. Cronin has been named as AAC Coach of the Year in 2014 and also led Cincinnati to nine straight appearances in the NCAA tournament, his record tells. 

In his 17 years of career as a coach, he has guided Murray State and Cincinnati before coming to UCLA this season.

Texas Longhorns:

Longhorns are entitled to a total of 27 conference championships and have made its appearance 34 times in the NCAA Tournament during its entire career, which is over a century. The Texas Longhorns have also qualified three times for the NCAA Final Four.

The head coach, Shaka Smart, announced the signing of Greg Brown with Longhorns on 24 April for the 2020-21 season. 

Brown has an average of 26.1 points with 13.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. His shot percentage is 54 from the field. Greg Brown has also ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the nation, declared by the Rivals while No. 9 by 247 Sports.

The Texas Longhorns can have a better chance to appear in the top 15 with Greg’s commitment.

Iowa Hawkeyes:

The Hawkeyes are titled with eight Big Ten regular season’s conference championships in total and also won the Big Ten Tournament twice. They have also played in 26 NCAA Tournaments and Final Four thrice.  

There is a possibility of a qualified game if Luka Garza makes a comeback for the season 2020-21. He has an average of 24.6 points, along with 11.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game in his senior season. Garza has also scored 44 points, third-highest in Iowa history, in a loss against Michigan with a 103-91. He has also been named as Big Ten Player of the Year.

Garza’s presence can push Iowa to win the Big Ten and the national title. However, his appearance is all awaited.

Creighton Blue Jays:

Blue Jays have appeared in NCAA Tournaments 20 times, while 2018 was its latest appearance. Bluejays holds 15 MVC regular-season conference titles and 12 MVC Tournament titles on its name.

The head coach, Greg McDermott, says that his new hire has a tremendous amount of experience with the national team and also has been trained with one of the best basketball clubs in Europe. Yes, his name is Modestas Kancleris.

Modestas has an average of 4.8 points along with 4.5 rebounds.

Along with the departure of Ty-Shon Alexander, Creighton welcomed Duke transfer Alex O’Connell and two freshmen Ryan Kalkbrenner and Sami Osmani.

The recruits, mostly Modestas, improve the chances of Blue Jays.

Gonzaga Bulldogs:

Any team becomes great with its players, the same case applies to Gonzaga. Bulldog has 15 of its players who have been awarded as WCC Player of the Year. 

Moreover, Gonzaga has its name on 25 regular-season championship titles and has won the 18 Conference Tournament Championship in its career. Bulldogs have also appeared in 22 NCAA Tournaments.

The Gonzaga’s head coach, Mark Few, has an eye on NBA draft decisions as they have marked Joel Ayayi, Corey, Kispert, and Filip Petrusev. Three of them can offer a unique advantage to the Bulldogs in the upcoming season. 

Petrusev has been awarded as WCC Player of the Year while Ayayi has a tiny mix of everything a team needs in a match. Also, the teamwork among the freshmen Jalen Suggs, Dominick Harris, and Aaron Cook can provide ball-handling options in the backcourt to Mark.