2024 FTN NFL Power Rankings Through Week 15: Who Takes Over the Top Spot?
Daniel Kelley
Check out our entire college basketball season preview!
The college basketball season is less than three weeks away, and here at FTN Fantasy we have you covered for what promises to be another thrilling year of upsets and incredible finishes. I will be taking you around the country with a betting preview of the major conferences. I recap the betting trends from last season, list projected starters, preview the season, identify a key player, and reveal how I’m backing or fading each team.
Let’s continue with the Big East, home of the two-time defending national champion Connecticut Huskies. This 11-team conference plays its conference tournament in the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden in New York City. While UConn has won two straight NCAA Championships, there has been a new regular-season conference champion in each of the past four seasons. The Big East is one of the few conferences that did not expand or contract, relying on its rich history and elite level of basketball that started 45 years ago.
Let’s continue with our betting preview for the Providence Friars.
2024-2025 College Basketball Season Preview: Providence Friars
Conference: Big East
Head Coach: Kim English (2nd season)
2023-2024 Record: 21-14 (10-10)
ATS: 19-15-1
O/U: 15-19
Projected Starters: G Jayden Pierre; G Wesley Cardet Jr.; G Jabri Abdur-Rahim; F Bryce Hopkins; F Christ Essandoko
Head coach Kim English had a very impressive first season, especially given the season-ending injury to Bryce Hopkins in the 14th game of the season. The Friars were 11-2 and 2-0 in the Big East before a four-game losing streak coinciding with the Hopkins injury. The Friars return 44.7% of their minutes per Torvik, but they need to replace their two leading scorers in Big East Player of the Year Devin Carter (19.7 PPG) and Josh Oduro (15.9 PPG). English reloaded with four transfers: Wesley Cardet Jr. (Chicago State), Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Georgia), Christ Essandoko (St. Joe’s) and Bensley Joseph (Miami).
Key Player: Bryce Hopkins
No drama here, the bellwether is forward Bryce Hopkins. The 6-foot-7 senior has averaged 15 PPG and 8.5 RPG in two straight seasons and is a leading Big East Player of the Year candidate. Hopkins got off to a slow start from 3P range last year (18.9%) but shot 36.4% the year prior. The Friars need a leader after losing both Carter and Odoro, and the only answer is Hopkins. He will likely miss the start of the season coming off an ACL tear but should be back shortly into the nonconference schedule.
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