Six must-watch CBB groups heading into 2025-26 season

[ad_1] One month from Friday, the highway to the Ultimate 4 will start as one other school basketball season is on the horizon.

How does Houston reply after its heartbreaking runner-up end? Will Auburn’s success proceed regardless of head coach Bruce Pearl’s sudden retirement?

From blue bloods to bracket-busters, these are the six squads to watch.

Why to look at: The Boozer brothers

When is Duke ever not a speaking level in school basketball? One 12 months after Cooper Flagg’s historic marketing campaign, the Blue Devils are primed for one more dominant run.

Head coach Jon Scheyer brings in Cameron and Cayden Boozer, sons of former Duke icon and NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer. The 2 five-star recruits possess elite expertise, and so they excelled at the highschool stage. The brothers helped safe 4 straight state titles, together with a nationwide championship on the 2025 Chipotle Nationals.

Why to look at: Nationwide championship favorites

Final season, Houston made a formidable run to the nationwide title recreation earlier than struggling a gut-wrenching loss to Florida. Nevertheless, the Cougars might discover themselves in the identical place this 12 months.

Houston returns senior guards Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp. Uzan earned second-team All-Huge 12 honors in 2024, whereas Sharp was named the Huge 12 Match MVP. The 2 can wreak havoc on protection and can lead a trio of proficient newcomers.

Kingston Flemings, Isiah Harwell and Chris Cenac Jr. have been all top-20 recruits, and the latter of the 2 are anticipated to be within the beginning lineup.

Why to look at: A brand new Pearl takes over

Former head coach Bruce Pearl shocked the basketball world final week when he introduced his retirement. His son, Steve, now takes the reins.

Sophomore Tahaad Pettiford is the one returning starter from final 12 months, however the Tigers added large transfers in Mississippi State’s KeShawn Murphy and UCF’s Keyshawn Corridor.

Steve has been on the employees since Bruce took over in 2014 and was one of many minds behind Auburn’s tenacious defenses. However as head coach, can he maintain his father’s success within the daunting SEC?

Why to look at: Nation’s high recruit

Second-year head coach Kevin Younger has shortly turned BYU’s basketball program right into a reliable title contender. After a profitable journey to the Candy 16, the Cougars made a splash within the offseason.

BYU brings in freshman AJ Dybantsa, who was extensively thought-about to be the No. 1 recruit within the nation. The 6-foot-9 ahead has nice dimension and may create photographs everywhere in the flooring, making Dybantsa must-watch tv.

Why to look at: Frontrunner in MWC

Exterior the Energy 4, the Mountain West is probably the most aggressive convention heading into the season. It produced 4 bids to the 2025 NCAA Match, and the addition of Grand Canyon bolsters the league’s expertise.

San Diego State would be the workforce to beat within the MWC this 12 months because it returns a heap of manufacturing, together with prolific guards Miles Byrd and Reese Dixon-Waters. The Aztecs additionally added Louisiana Tech’s Sean Newman Jr. from the switch portal. Newman was a third-team All-C-USA choice.

Why to look at: Possible Cinderella

Each March, a mid-major faculty few folks have heard of pulls off one or two gorgeous upsets. This 12 months, it could very nicely be George Washington.

The Revolutionaries return 4 gamers who began 15 or extra video games in 2024, and so they added 4 transfers who averaged double figures. Essentially the most notable is Tre Dinkins III, who led Duquesne in scoring and posted 17 consecutive video games with 10 or extra factors.