Can the Tar Heels repeat?
Friday is opening night and college basketball has undergone plenty of changes since North Carolina cut down the nets for its sixth national championship last season. Who is expected to be the top teams and players this season?
North Carolina closed out the 2016-17 season by holding off upstart Gonzaga for its sixth national championship.
April seems so long ago now.
College basketball has undergone a major shift since the Tar Heels cut down the nets, most notably a federal probe into shady recruiting practices that ensnared several prominent programs.
The changes have come on the court, too, with teams losing key players, star freshmen filling their places, new coaches taking over prominent programs.
To get you ready for the season, which starts on Friday, here's a rundown of the top teams, players and coaches for 2017-18:
Top teams
Duke. No. 1 with another one-and-done in Marvin Bagley III joining Grayson Allen.
Michigan State. Could be Tom Izzo's most talented team with Miles Bridges back. He's gone deep into March with less.
Arizona. Allonzo Trier and freshman big man Deandre Ayton headline what could be Sean Miller's best shot at making the Final Four.
Kansas. Rebuild is not in the vocabulary in Lawrence. More like reload.
Kentucky. Coach John Calipari has another batch of budding pros, even if they will be the youngest he's had in Lexington.
Top players
Bridges, Michigan State. Was one of college basketball's best last season. Should be better after skipping out on a shot at the NBA.
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame. Double-double machine will carry the Irish far.
Trier, Arizona. One of the nation's best scorers and clutch players.
Jalen Brunson, Villanova. Scores, shoots, dishes, leads. Can't ask for much more.
Joel Berry II, North Carolina. Last season's Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four will miss the start of the season after punching a wall and breaking his hand, but watch out when he gets back.
Key nonconference games
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 2 Michigan State, Nov. 14 in Chicago. A 1-2 matchup this early is a great way to get the season rolling.
No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 5 Kentucky, Nov. 14 in Chicago. Talk about a marquee doubleheader nightcap in the Windy City.
No. 1 Duke at Indiana, Nov. 29. Blueblood battle in Bloomington.