With the Maui Invitational kicking off on Monday, college basketball is now in full swing. After the first few weeks of the season, it's clear that some teams are exceeding expectations and have surprised many with their strong performances.
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, who is in Maui to commentate the tournament, took the time to highlight the most surprising teams so far this season.
Without hesitation, Bilas named the Kentucky Wildcats as one of the most impressive teams. Under first-year head coach Mark Pope, the Wildcats have looked phenomenal, remaining undefeated through their first five games.
"I'd start with Kentucky." Bilas said. "Mark Pope came from BYU to take over the program, got a completely new roster. It's remarkable that you can have so many new players and be this good this fast."
Bilas also singled out Creighton, an under-the-radar Big East team led by head coach Greg McDermott.
"Creighton has been really good. It's an outstanding basketball team, and I think Greg McDermott is one of the best coaches in the country. Just a really fun team to watch."
The last two teams Bilas named were the Illinois Fighting Illini, who have had significant roster turnover but boast one of the best freshmen in the country in Will Riley, and the Cincinnati Bearcats, who have been surprisingly stout and consistent, led by Simas Lukosius, Dillon Mitchell, and Jizzle James.
"Then Illinois has been surprisingly good, and if you haven't seen Will Riley play, he's legit. He's one of the best players in the country," Bilas added. "I also think Cincinnati, under Wes Miller, has a very good basketball team. They were good last year, but they've taken a jump and are even better this year."
This season is shaping up to be highly competitive in college basketball, with several teams poised to contend for an NCAA Championship come March and April.
However, it's still early, and while a handful of teams look exceptionally strong right now, the key is not to peak too soon. November and December are important, but the real test comes later in the season.
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