Comprehensive guide to the 2022-23 college basketball season
We're officially on the road to March Madness as the 2022-23 college basketball campaign tips off on Monday with all 25 ranked teams in action.
Coaches like Jay Wright and Mike Krzyzewski opted to retire, meaning we're in for a season of change across the sport's landscape with many high-profile transfers likely to make a huge impact.
Here's our full guide to the season.
Conference previews
Big Ten
The Big Ten sent the most teams of any conference to the NCAA Tournament for yet another year. However, things ended in disappointment when all nine were eliminated before the Elite Eight, extending the conference's title drought to 22 seasons. Several programs have a solid chance of going far in 2022-23, such as Zach Edey and Purdue and both schools from Michigan. Read full preview.
Big 12
Kansas' title defense will begin without head coach Bill Self, who the school suspended for the first four games of the season. Once Self returns, expect the Jayhawks to sit among the nation's elite yet again. Five-star freshman Keyonte George brings some much-needed pop to Baylor after the Bears lost numerous players to the NBA, while Texas will look to finally capitalize on its eye-opening talent-filled roster. Read full preview.
ACC
With almost all key contributors returning from last year's national finalist squad, expect North Carolina to make another deep run this time around. The team will attempt to do so with a new face leading its bitter rival as the Jon Scheyer era begins at Duke. Both Virginia and Miami will lean on transfers to keep them near the top of the conference, while Florida State looks to rebound from a 17-14 campaign last year. Read full preview.
SEC
Kentucky is primed for another strong season with Oscar Tshiebwe and Sahvir Wheeler back in Lexington to try to avenge last year's shocking NCAA tourney exit. While those two return, the rest of the conference is undergoing great change as six new head coaches usher in a new era. Highly-touted freshman Nick Smith Jr. should keep Arkansas competitive at the top while Florida's new boss Todd Golden looks to get the Gators back on track. Read full preview.
Big East
Change is the word of the campaign in the Big East. Jay Wright is the headline name on four coaching changes in the conference, Villanova reloads with former assistant Kyle Neptune in charge, and Xavier calls a familiar face back to Cincinnati in Sean Miller. Shaheen Holloway is back at his alma mater Seton Hall fresh off Saint Peter's epic run in last year's tournament, while Thad Matta returns to Butler after five years away from coaching. Read full preview.
Pac-12
Johnny Juzang is gone, but UCLA retains a ton of firepower from a team that has made the Final Four and the Sweet 16 in the last two NCAA Tournaments. Arizona's star trio from last season is off to the NBA, but Tommy Lloyd's up-tempo attack will keep the Wildcats among the Pac-12's elite. Whether Oregon, USC, or one of the other programs can keep up with the top two will be this year's major storyline in the conference. Read full preview.
Best of the rest
Houston and Gonzaga have the shortest odds to win the NCAA championship in April despite neither residing in one of the six major conferences. The Bulldogs get most of the attention in March, but the Cougars are no stranger to making noise in the annual event. Kelvin Sampson has taken Houston to a Sweet 16, an Elite Eight, and a Final Four in the last four tournaments, which is why those two frontrunners lead our list of five mid-major schools that could run away with the title. Read full preview.
News/Features
"The Baylor way": How Scott Drew transformed Bears into perennial contenders
In Baylor's 96 seasons of men's basketball before Scott Drew took over, the Bears made just four NCAA Tournaments and hadn't won a game in the event since 1950. In Drew's 19 seasons in Waco, Baylor has made ten tourneys and three Elite Eights and won the national title two years ago. The 52-year-old has completely revolutionized the program and turned the Bears into one of college basketball's powerhouses. Here's how he's accomplished such a feat.
Duke's class heads list of impact freshmen
While Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson aren't playing collegiate basketball, there's still plenty of talent in the freshmen ranks this year. Duke's quintet of recruits all sit in the top 27 nationally and should ease Jon Scheyer's transition as he takes over for Mike Krzyzewski. Arkansas brings in five-star talent Nick Smith Jr., while Baylor's George and South Carolina's GG Jackson are among the other first-year players to watch. See full post.
- Louisville, former coaches Pitino, Mack avoid major penalties in NCAA probe
- Report: Gonzaga in talks to join Big 12
- Kansas suspends Self for 4 games, imposes recruiting restrictions
- Transfer portal causing ripple effect in recruiting
- North Carolina coach Davis gets new deal, raise after 1st-year run
Betting corner
CBB futures best bets: Bet UNC, Villanova to win national title
After coming so close to a national title last year, UNC is back with four returning starters and several key transfers. The Tar Heels at +1100 and Villanova at +4000 are among our best bets to win the title in April, but that's not the only wager to make this season - we've got conference winners and Player of the Year picks as well. Read full post.
National title odds
Gonzaga +850
Houston +850
Kentucky +1100
North Carolina +1100
Duke +1200
Kansas +1200
UCLA +1500
Arkansas +1700
Arizona +2000
Baylor +2000
Texas Tech +2500
Creighton +2500
Michigan +3300
TCU +3300
Tennessee +3300
Texas +3300
Auburn +4000
Alabama +4000
Indiana +4000
Villanova +4000
Illinois +4000
Odds via theScore Bet.