Top 23 takeaways from a memorable 2022-23 college basketball season
As I land back in New Jersey from the Final Four in Houston, the only thought right now is "wow."
What a college basketball season, one that tipped off with wild results and ended up being one of the most unpredictable rides we have seen in the sport. From a 16-seed beating a 1-seed for just the second time ever to a school that had never won an NCAA Tournament game making a Final Four to more significant coaching moves, it was a roller coaster ride.
Before I provide my list of 23 takeaways from the 2022-23 season, how about a "thank you."
Thank you to the players and coaches for their time throughout the season and allowing us to cover their stories that go beyond basketball. And thanks to the folks behind the scenes, the sports information directors, who provide the access and so much more. Those people make college basketball what it is, and the sport’s unpredictability reflects the refreshing drama every March that remains unmatched.
Oh, and if you’re looking for ways to get ready for next season, here’s my way-too-early top 25 for 2023-24.
Now, in no particular order, here are 23 takeaways that I have from the college basketball season.
1. Florida Atlantic. What Dusty May and the Owls accomplished in going 35-4 and making a relatively new program in Division I (joined in 1993) a household name in three weeks was nothing short of unbelievable. Just think about the first round of the tournament. FAU needed the heroics from Nick Boyd to beat Memphis. Nobody could have seen a Final Four coming, and they came that close to a championship game appearance.
2. The shot of the season: Lamont Butler's game-winner as time expired to lift San Diego State into the national championship game. For the Aztecs to be staring at defeat in the Final Four, down by 14, and to claw their way back behind rebounding and straight up toughness was special to watch in Houston. This shot will live in SDSU and Final Four history forever. It marked the first Final Four buzzer-beater hit by a team that was trailing before the shot.
3. The FDU Knights made history! For Fairleigh Dickinson University, which did not even win the NEC Tournament but qualified for the Big Dance because fellow league member Merrimack still had one more year of NCAA Division I transition rules, to win a First Four game, and then knock off No. 1 seed Purdue was nothing short of incredible. And for FDU head coach Tobin Anderson to call his shot? For Columbus native Sean Moore to score a career-high 19 points to power FDU to the win in his hometown? For all of this to happen in a matchup against National Player of the Year Zach Edey? That was absolute madness.
4. The play of the year and performance of the year: Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell with the "watch this" to Isiah Thomas and the lob to Keyontae Johnson for the alley-oop jam as the Wildcats beat Michigan State to advance to the Elite Eight. With 19 assists in that win over the Spartans, Nowell set a single-game NCAA Tournament record, not to mention he scored 20 points. Mr. New York City put on a show for everyone to watch.
5. My coach of the year and point guard of the year: Marquette’s Shaka Smart and Tyler Kolek. The Golden Eagles could not have been further off the map entering this past season. Smart led Marquette to a 29-7 record, a Big East regular-season and tournament crown, and had a point guard in Kolek who totaled 270 assists in 36 games. It was an incredible year in Milwaukee, and Marquette got one of the best road wins of the season when it went to Creighton and gutted out a victory in February behind Kolek to all but wrap up the regular-season title.
6. Wildest atmosphere I witnessed: Xfinity Center. February 16. Maryland 68, No. 3 Purdue 54. Kevin Willard did a brilliant job in his first season in College Park and the Terps' fan base has completely bought in to this new era. Commanding Zach Edey and the Boilers was a signature moment.
7. The player I would have started a team with: Jaime Jaquez, UCLA. He’s just a winner in every sense of that term and will be missed.
8. Biggest surprise: Northwestern. Chris Collins and the Wildcats shocked everybody with the veteran guard play of Boo Buie and Chase Audige. To be the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament? Wild! And the Cats won an NCAA Tournament game for just the second time in program history.
9. Best run to the Sweet 16?: Jersey, stand up! Ivy League, stand up! The Princeton Tigers, with the intriguing prospect Tosan Evbuomwan at the forefront, stole the show on day one of the NCAA Tournament with a shocking win over 2-seed Arizona. To follow that up with a 15-point rout over Missouri was something I did not see coming. Guard Ryan Langborg was amazing at setting things up for the Tigers.
10. Best road win I saw live: January 16. MLK Day. Purdue at Michigan State. Zach Edey went for 32 points and 17 rebounds while Fletcher Loyer came up clutch as the Boilers stole a 64-63 win from the Spartans in East Lansing.
11. Horns Up: Texas could have gone downhill after the Chris Beard saga, but the toughness level of Marcus Carr, Timmy Allen, Sir’Jabari Rice & Co. kept the Longhorns rolling. This team finished the season 29-9, coming just minutes away from a trip to the Final Four. Chris Del Conte deserves praise for naming Rodney Terry the program's full-time head coach.
12. The offense I enjoyed the most watching live: Xavier. Sean Miller adapted in his year away from the sidelines and designed a beautiful offense to watch this past season. Fifth-year guard Souley Boum was fantastic in initiating it, going for 20-plus points in 12 games. On the wing, Colby Jones developed into a quality NBA Draft prospect.
13. The coach I enjoyed covering the most in March: Miami’s Jim Larrañaga. The 73-year-old is such a great quote and has an easy-going personality. He’s reached the age where he’s actually pretty loose, and the way he handled the Hurricanes' NIL situation by letting the kids do their thing and not making it any sort of issue deserves praise. Plus, his team was loaded with talent. "Coach L," as he is called, was a big winner in March for a second straight year.
14. The player we’ll miss: Gonzaga’s Drew Timme. He was the face of the Zags and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, while winning at a historic rate with a record of 121-13. Hats off to one of the very best.
15. Best individual NCAA Tournament performance: Adama Sanogo, UConn. Averaging 20 and 10 per game in the Big Dance, setting the tone in the Final Four with two 3s in the first four minutes and totally manhandling anyone in his sights on the interior, the Huskies star big man left his mark on the tournament.
16. Biggest disappointment: North Carolina. Need we say more? I expect the Tar Heels to bounce back next season, but this past year was awfully humiliating.
17. Wildest moment of the season: This is clear. JP Pegues drilling a 3-pointer off a Kihei Clark turnover as Furman stunned Virginia on the opening day of the NCAA Tournament. For the record, Bob Richey’s Paladins were as fun to watch as any mid-major team in the country. They deserved that moment.
18. A mid-major program that blew me away: The College of Charleston. Pat Kelsey had a team of grown men this past year and the Cougars created one of the best homecourt advantages in the nation. Kelsey’s only just beginning there, and the 31-4 season was really impressive. Their offense? A chef’s kiss.
19. The team I’m bullish on entering next season: Michigan State. Watching the Spartans live and seeing the growth of Jaden Akins makes me think Tom Izzo is in for a big 2023-24 season. A.J. Hoggard will return, and if Tyson Walker were to stay in East Lansing, watch out. MSU is the squad that I feel really strongly about being the Big Ten front-runner.
20. Best coaching hire in the cycle: Rick Pitino. St. John’s. The 70-year-old will break the Red Storm’s drought of not winning an NCAA Tournament game since 2000. It might not happen this year, but it will happen under his watch. He will reinvigorate the program and a starving fan base. This was an A+ hire.
21. Never, ever count out Muss Bus: Arkansas went through injuries and adversity, yet made the Sweet 16 for a third consecutive year behind Davonte Davis and Ricky Council. I’ve learned that if you’re questioning your bracket next March, pick the Razorbacks. Before 2021, the last time they made the Sweet 16? 1996.
22. The conference that won March: The Big East. The league went 12-4 in the NCAA Tournament. Rick Pitino is back. Ed Cooley made the dramatic in-conference move from Providence to Georgetown, igniting major anger from Rhode Island and a rivalry. The energetic rising star, Kim English, was hired by the Friars. Yes, the league will be a monster next season.
23. A blue blood rises again: We save the best for last with Connecticut, which won its six tournament games by a combined 120 points and put up an all-time run in Big Dance history. Dan Hurley silenced the critics and provided validation that the words about the Huskies coming were all true. UConn is here to stay.
I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did everybody. Here’s to a great offseason. We are only 216 days from a new season!
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.
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