While the 68 teams that made the NCAA tournament prepare for the madness, fans of teams on the outside must turn the page to next season. Thanks to a core of returning players and strong incoming recruits, here are five programs that could be dancing at this time next year.
Georgetown Hoyas
Quick references:
Georgetown's 2013-14 roster
Georgetown's 2014 recruiting class
Possible 2014-15 starting five:
G: D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera
G: Jabril Trawick
F: Paul White
F: Mikael Hopkins
C: Josh Smith
Who it loses: Four players will be gone for coach John Thompson III. Markel Starks and Nate Lubick have been starters since they were sophomores and were instrumental to last season's Big East championship team. Starks was first team All-Big East this season, scoring 17 points per game. Aaron Bowen played a big role as the sixth man and gave the team a spark off the bench. At times, he played starter's minutes. Moses Ayegba was a frontcourt presence off the bench and was a strong presence in the paint.
Who it adds: This four-man class is the nation's seventh best and it includes three ESPN 100 players. This class is loaded with versatility and scoring talent as the Hoyas will continue to cause matchup problems for opponents. Isaac Copeland's growth continues to impress us, as he combines size and athletic ability with a very fluid set of skills. He won a championship at Brewster Academy in the New England Prep school league, which is some of the best competition in the country. Paul White is the consummate forward in the Georgetown system as he showed he could be a facilitator, bucket-getter or defender. L.J. Peak is a battle-tested and tough small forward who can score in different ways and someone who can play right away because he competes so hard. Tre Campbell was a first-team all-league performer as a point guard in the prestigious WCAC, an ultra-competitive Washington, D.C.,-area high school conference. Georgetown predicates its system on having a high level of skill on the floor at all times and this class gives them that edge plus a whole lot more.
What it means for next season: Next season's team could be more gifted and athletic as the freshman class gives them a big boost. The one freshman who needs to be good early is Campbell, because of the departure of Starks. With Smith-Rivera returning as the team's leading scorer and best 3-point shooter, and Smith back controlling the inside, this team could be a contender for a Big East title. Georgetown has always played the game with many interchangeable parts and next season it will have plenty of pieces to choose from.
Trending: Up. The Hoyas return the strength of their roster and add a lot of talent. Under the guidance of JT3, that means more postseason appearances. - Paul Biancardi
Indiana Hoosiers
Quick references:
Indiana's 2013-14 roster
Indiana's 2014 recruiting class
Possible 2014-15 starting five:
G: Yogi Ferrell
G: Stanford Robinson
F: Troy Williams
F: Jeremy Hollowell
F: Noah Vonleh
Who it loses: The big question is whether Vonleh returns, and the answer, in my opinion, is he will enter the NBA and become a top-10 pick. Vonleh's size, athletic ability and underrated skill makes him a player that is a double-double waiting to happen. Tough guy Will Sheehey is an athletic, do-it-all wing who will be missed on both ends of floor with his ability to finish on the break, make plays and defend multiple positions. Evan Gordon is a good, all-around guard who could score in spurts, rebound well for his position and pass when he draws a second defender.
Who it adds: The Hoosiers have the nation's 17th-ranked class, led by five-star shooting guard James Blackmon, who is a terrific shooter and is smart and skilled enough to help at the point. Four-star shooting guard Robert Johnson, who was one of the fastest-rising players in the class, is very similar to Blackmon in the way he can excel on and off the ball. Blackmon is No. 19 overall and Johnson comes in at No. 46. Power forward Max Hoetzel is another big-time shooter who rounds out this very skilled three-man class.
What it means for next season: If Vonleh leaves for the NBA, Indiana will have to replace size, rebounding and scoring inside and out, but Blackmon, Johnson and Hoetzel are all capable of shooting 40-plus percent from behind the arc. That will make the Hoosiers great at spacing the court and very difficult to defend, especially with Ferrell running the show and setting the tone on defense.
Treading: Indiana is trending up for sure. Vonleh's departure would hurt, but if he stays, the Hoosiers are close to being a lock for the NCAA tournament next season with the addition of excellent talent that can flat-out shoot from deep. If Vonleh leaves, I still like their chances to make the field. - Reggie Rankin
Maryland Terrapins
Quick references:
Maryland's 2013-14 roster
Maryland's 2014 recruiting class
Possible 2014-15 starting five:
G: Seth Allen
G: Dez Wells
F: Jake Layman
F: Evan Smotrycz
F: Charles Mitchell
Who it loses: Everyone is back, which means next season's group will be talented, deep and experienced as it enters the Big Ten. This season, when Allen was injured and missed some games they were not the same team. This team beat the No. 1 team in the ACC in Virginia, and played Duke and Syracuse to the final seconds. A remarkable note about this season's team: The Terps never lost more than two games in a row.
Who it adds: The nation's No. 14 class has three shooters on the perimeter and a big man in the middle, and this class should get Maryland over the top next season in the Big Ten. This class has three ESPN 100 players, including two who are right in Maryland's backyard. That was a sore spot before Mark Turgeon arrived. Romelo Trimble is a combo guard who is strong and stocky with the ability to handle point guard responsibilities and create off the pick-and-roll. He makes shots spotting up and can finish once in the lane. Dion Wiley has a college-ready body and is a major threat behind the 3-point line. He will make an immediate impact with his shooting prowess. Jared Nickens is a small forward whose main asset is his jumper and he makes tough, contested shots with his size. Trayvon Reed will be the rim-protector for all of this perimeter talent and can become a low post threat in time.
What it means for next season: The Terps went 9-9 in the ACC regular season. As they move forward to the Big Ten, it doesn't get easier. The downside for Maryland is that all the returning players and coaches will have to learn and study a new league. The great news is next season's roster is primed with talented experience and youthful exuberance. With Turgeon at the helm and scoring answers up and down the roster, this group will have an opportunity to make a deep run in next year's NCAA tournament.
Trending: Up. Since the arrival of Turgeon and staff, this program has continually made progress. A combination of transfers (Wells and Smotrycz) and strong high school evaluation has the Terps well positioned. This program has taken all the steps of improvement and will continue to do so with this freshman class, plus a talented returning roster. They could easily be one of the favorites in the Big Ten next season. That's a great way to make a grand entrance. - Paul Biancardi
Seton Hall Pirates
Quick references:
Seton Hall's 2013-14 roster
Seton Hall's 2014 recruiting class
Possible 2014-15 starting five:
G: Sterling Gibbs
G: Isaiah Whitehead
F: Brandon Mobley
F: Patrik Auda
C: Angel Delgado
Who it loses: Seton Hall will have to account for three graduating starters, all of whom are among the team's leaders in scoring and minutes played per game. Fuquan Edwin led the Pirates in both scoring and steals and was also the defensive player of the year in the Big East. Another swingman, Brian Oliver, averaged just less than 27 minutes and 11 points per game and was the team's chief weapon from behind the 3-point line. Finally, head coach Scott Willard will have to account for the departure of the man in the middle, 6-9 big man Eugene Teague, who was another double-figure scorer as well as the team's leading rebounder.
Who it adds: Willard has his best class since arriving in the Big East, headlined by McDonald's All American guard Isaiah Whitehead and big man Angel Delgado. They got two more signatures in the early signing period in volume scoring guard Khadeen Carrington and athletic hybrid forward Ismael Sanogo. Whitehead's high school teammate Desi Rodriguez is a strong and athletic point forward type who gave a verbal commitment in December, and Northwestern transfer Chier Ajou is a skilled center who will have two-and-a-half years of eligibility, beginning after the first semester of next season.
What it means for next season: While Seton Hall will lose arguably three of its top four players from a team that had another disappointing season, the arrival of Whitehead and Delgado has brought some optimism back to the Pirates' fan base. Whitehead is going to assert himself as one of the team's primary scorers and playmakers from day one, and the return of Gibbs in the backcourt will help lighten Whitehead's load as Gibbs will serve as the true leader and floor general. Look for rising sophomore Jaren Sina to be the first guard off the bench and potentially even play with Gibbs and Whitehead at times, giving Willard the potential to put three playmaking guards on the floor at one time. Delgado's most immediate contributions will be on the glass, and Mobley and Auda will join him to form an equally versatile interior trio, capable of spelling each other or potentially playing together, should Willard want to go with added size and length up front. Sanogo and Carrington will ideally be brought along slowly, while Rodriguez and Ajou will likely play more immediate minutes, but likely still coming off the bench in a supportive role.
Trending: Level. The reality is that while Seton Hall has signed a terrific class, there will be a level of uneasiness until they are all cleared by the NCAA eligibility center. Even if they all do qualify, the Pirates are losing so much that they'll need big contributions from the freshmen just to sustain their current level of competitiveness. - Adam Finkelstein
USC Trojans
Quick references:
USC's 2013-14 roster
USC's 2014 recruiting class
Potential 2014-15 starting five:
G: Jordan McLaughlin
G: Katin Reinhardt
F: Byron Wesley
F: Nikola Jovanovic
F: Strahinja Gavrilovic
Who it loses: The Trojans will lose approximately 30 percent of their scoring with the losses of Pe'Shon Howard, Omar Oraby, J.T. Terrell and D.J. Haley to graduation. Howard and Terrell can score in bunches, but their shot selection and overall decision-making was erratic at best. Losing the mammoth size of Oraby and Haley will hurt initially, but neither really fit the mold of the kind of versatile, athletic bigs that Andy Enfield and his staff will be pursuing from here on out.
Who it adds: The Trojans are not only bringing in an excellent recruiting class, but they also have an outstanding transfer sitting out in Reinhardt -- a prolific shooter and gifted passer. In terms of the recruiting class, ESPN 100 point guard Jordan McLaughlin highlights an outstanding haul by the Trojans. McLaughlin is a savvy lead guard who can put points up in a hurry or facilitate the offense. To improve the athleticism at the wing position the Trojans snagged a major sleeper in Malik Marquetti. Marquetti is still raw, but he is a jack-of-all-trades type who should bring a lot of versatility to the Trojans' perimeter. In terms of bigs, Enfield identified two out-of-state projects who possess quite a bit of upside. Malik Price-Martin needs strength, but the 6-9 power forward is long and athletic and possesses solid face-up skills. Meanwhile, Jabari Craig has a nice touch in the paint, runs well and is just scratching the surface of his potential.
What it means for next season: Despite the difficult first season for Enfield, the future looks quite promising, considering the Trojans' best player and scorer returns in senior wingman Wesley. The aforementioned Reinhardt will add a shooter who can stretch the defense and he has shown the ability to hand out the nifty assist, as well. With the ultra-polished McLaughlin, they will have a guard with the skill and savvy to run Enfield's high-octane offense. Jacobs acquired valuable experience and should team up with McLaughlin to form one of the more promising backcourts in the Pac-12. The frontcourt should improve, as well, as Jovanovic and Gavrilovic picked up valuable experience and will now play with a point guard who knows how to run a half-court offense. Combine this with improved depth that is oozing with upside, and Enfield should right the ship in his second season.
Trending: Up. There is no doubt Enfield is champing at the bit to launch into the 2014-15 season. The Trojans have Wesley and they add arguably the best point guard out West in probable starter McLaughlin. McLaughlin and Jacobs should be a handful defensively to spark Enfield's up-tempo style, and the depth should be much better, considering the outstanding recruiting class that is due to arrive this summer. - Joel Francisco