Everything you need to know about college hoops

There will be approximately 5,500 games between now and the April night in Indianapolis when a national champion is presented the trophy by that paragon of virtue Mark Emmert (if he is still around by then). There are a few other details we know (Kentucky will be really good) and more than a few we don't know (such as the other three teams joining Coach Cal and his squad at the Final Four in Lucas Oil Stadium). So let us just watch some games and see what goes down.

How many McDonald's All-Americas is too many?

Apparently, 10.

Kentucky and Duke have nine each on their rosters this season. That seems like a bit of overkill. Really, why couldn't they lend a few to say, Mercer, or even Robert Morris.

How far ahead of his peers is John Calipari?

Years.

I have known Cal since his UMass days when his only goal was to get John Chaney to uncross his legs during a game. While awaiting that historic moment, Calipari studied the Temple zone, got better players and, soon enough, had UMass in the 1996 Final Four, still one of the great building jobs in college basketball history.

When he got to Kentucky, he built a new model. Whatever you think of Cal (and everybody has an opinion), you can never say he is not really smart. And if you think he is just a recruiter who can't coach, you're wrong, way wrong.

Rather than playing along with the "student-athlete" nonsense the NCAA wants the clueless to accept, Cal got to Kentucky and decided to create a better business model. He told his recruits he was training them for the NBA. Now, he has an NBA D-League team with fans, lots of fans. Nearly a million saw Kentucky play last season.

So what did Cal do for an encore after the March wakeup call last season? He took his team to the Bahamas to play exhibition games televised by ESPN. He held what was essentially an NBA combine televised by ESPN and attended by nearly 100 NBA general managers and scouts.

So how is this new business model working? In Cal's 5 years, UK has won a national championship, lost in the national championship game, lost in the national semifinals, lost in the Elite 8 and lost at Robert Morris in the NIT. Twelve of his 19 UK players drafted stayed exactly one season.

Now, for the first time, Cal has actual scholarship upperclassmen he recruited to go along with the freshmen who stayed after last season and another recruiting class on its way to the NBA. He says he will play platoons this season. Of course, he will play platoons.

"Succeed and proceed" is the new Calipari motto. Seems to be working.

Will Wichita State be 35-0 again?

Probably not, but the Shockers will be really good again.

Departed Cleanthony Early was a huge part of their success, but the three-man backcourt returns. Fred Van Vleet, Ron Baker and Tekele Cotton are all individually talented. Together, they are a basketball symphony that was why Wichita was so much fun to watch last season. Wichita played brilliantly in its NCAA loss to Kentucky, which had to play its best game of the season to win.

There is no reason to think Gregg Marshall's team won't be among the nation's best.

Are Mercer or Lehigh on Duke's schedule and, if not, why not?

Doesn't appear as if they are, but Coach K is loaded again with top recruits Jahil Okafor and Tyus Jones.

Who is Cliff Alexander?

He might be the best freshman of all. And he will play for Bill Self at Kansas' Allen Field House. Don't blink. He won't be around long.

Can Bo Ryan get Wisconsin back to the Final Four?

With five of its top six returning, Bo's team is the class of the Big Ten and will be a team nobody wants to see in March. Big forward Frank Kaminsky is a matchup nightmare.

What player will be the most fun to watch?

Give me a look at Louisville's Montrezl Harrell. Rick Pitino is good at many things, but nobody is better at player development. Harrell is Exhibit A. He is a scary, get-out-my-way force around the basket.

My favorite mid-major player to watch?

Alan Williams, UCSB.

Stay up late a few nights and watch the only player in America to be in the top 15 in scoring and rebounding last season, 21.3 points and 11.5 rebounds.

What mid-major player who will be in Philly is really worth seeing?

Marcus Thornton (William & Mary) will be at Drexel on Jan. 5. He is a stone scorer who also happens to be a great athlete and clearly loves the game.

Where is Bruce Pearl?

He is at Auburn. Don't expect him to take very long to make the Tigers an SEC factor.

What coach will be most missed?

Fang Mitchell, Coppin State, one of the all-time good guys in the game, who did his good friend John Chaney one better: He played anybody anywhere, as long as it was on their court.

Will Herb Magee get his 1,000th win this season?

Of course, he will.

What local player can make the Final Four?

Chester High's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be a key player for Sean Miller's Pac-12 favorite Arizona. There won't be many more athletic teams, with Brandon Ashley back after his injury and freshman star Stanley Johnson.

What classes will the North Carolina basketball team take?

Apparently, not advanced calculus.

What is the most recent Big Ten national champion?

This is a trick question. The answer is Maryland (2002).

Give me a dangerous NCAA mid-major?

Georgia State from the Sun Belt. R.J. Hunter (18.3 points) and Ryan Harrow (17.8 points) return. And they will be joined by Kevin Ware, last seen when his leg blew up in Louisville's 2013 Elite Eight win over Duke. Ware, apparently recovered, transferred from Louisville.

Remember a time when you knew all the teams in every conference?

I can't anymore. Every season at this time, I have to go back over the leagues and try to make sense of it. It rarely makes any sense, except, of course, for the Ivy League. What is the matter with those people? No tournament, no athletic scholarships, the same eight teams, Friday and Saturday conference games. I just don't understand.

How about a team that will make a major turnaround?

How about Hofstra, which was 10-23 in Joe Mihalich's first season. Now, he has Philly guys and Niagara transfers Juan'ya Green (Archbishop Carroll) and Ameen Tanksley (Imhotep Charter).

Is Larry Brown the greatest coach in history?

He is in the conversation. SMU won 27 games last season. The Mustangs will be very good again this season.

I just can't figure out why LB thinks the Sixers don't know what they are doing. Really, what evidence is there of that?

How many city teams will make the NCAA Tournament?

One. That would be Villanova, clearly the class of the Big East and Big 5, a veteran team that knows how to win close games and has a style that is hard to play against.

I think La Salle and Temple both will be better than predicted, but don't know whether that will be enough for the NCAA. Saint Joseph's has a star in DeAndre' Bembry and a lot of questions. Drexel also has a star in Damion Lee, but lost two very productive seniors. Penn is picked seventh in the Ivy League, which would have been unimaginable a few years ago.