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Hot takes for the rest of the men's college basketball season

Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley. Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Five hot takes for the remainder of the men's college basketball season

By Zach Wadley | Last updated Nov 26, 2024 9:26 PM ET

Men's college basketball is nearly a month into the season. Some teams have lived up to the preseason hype, while others have endured a rocky road to this point.

As the holiday tournaments heat up, here are five hot takes for the young season.

If Dan Hurley leaves UConn it won't be because of wins and losses

Hurley's resume cannot be questioned at this point. The back-to-back national champion head coach is arguably the biggest coaching name in the sport and flirted with the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason. But there's a troubling trend about the Huskies head man.

His tirade in the closing minutes of Monday's 99-97 loss in overtime against Memphis resulted in a technical foul that played a large role in UConn losing.

Hurley has little control of his emotions on the sidelines and frequently must be held back by assistant coaches, sometimes even attempting to fight them off. He has sparred with opposing fans over the years.

It all begs the question: will UConn put up with this if the 30 win seasons stop? Are his actions on the sidelines representing UConn well? Right now, the wins and trophies overshadow it, but his behavior in Maui has been a bad look for the program. It could be his demise someday.

Dan Hurley's thoughts on today's officiating:

"I had a lot of issues with what went on. That over-the-back call... there was a Memphis player that made a half-ass effort, Liam McNeeley high-pointed the rebound, and for that call to be made... was a complete joke. I may have lost… pic.twitter.com/w5AxFsZF5d
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 25, 2024

Caleb Love will go undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft

The Arizona guard was once on top of the college basketball world while at North Carolina. Love's shot to down rival Duke in the 2022 Final Four had many thinking he would leave for the NBA, but he opted to return. He again flirted with the NBA Draft after being named the Pac-12 Player of the Year last season at Arizona. Now, it looks like Love will go undrafted.

He's struggled in big games, including losses to Wisconsin (2-for-13 shooting) and Duke (3-for-13 shooting) this season. He's also never improved his shooting efficiency, holding marks of 37% from the field and 32% from three for his career. His lack of improvement will likely mean he fails to hear his name called this summer.

Kansas will win the Big 12 title

The Big 12 is expected to be the deepest league in the country, but Kansas has so far looked every bit like the No. 1 team in America. Baylor was dominated by Gonzaga to open the season and has been plagued by slow starts. Arizona has yet to find its footing. Houston and Iowa State both have a loss to Auburn. It may not come easy, but history says it's never wise to bet against the Jayhawks.

Rutgers will finish top two in the Big Ten

The Big Ten goes through Purdue, but Rutgers is poised for its best season to date since joining the league in 2014. The freshmen tandem of Ace Bailey (19 points, 5.7 rebounds per game) and Dylan Harper (19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists) has lived up to the hype so far. In a down season for the league, expect Rutgers to ascend to heights it hasn't been before.

Penny Hardaway will be Memphis' head coach next season*

Hardaway secured the biggest win of his career Monday by defeating No. 1 UConn. Memphis followed that with a win over Michigan State. The Tigers are rolling and its likely bought Hardaway more time.

The asterisk though is whether or not the program experiences any more drama off the court. It's been plentiful during Hardaway's time. If he's able to keep the focus on the court, he'll be coaching Memphis next season.

Zach Wadley

Zach Wadley's sportswriting career began at the age of 12 when he started covering Little League games for his local newspaper. Since then, he's worked in the sports information field where he merged his love of writing, social media, and broadcasting. He is a graduate of Anderson University (IN).

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