4 Opening Night College Basketball Storylines You Missed While Watching the Champions' Classic
By Mark Powell
College basketball is officially back, which means unsuspecting upsets and the emergence of some of the best players you've never heard of. Tuesday marked Night 1 of what will be a long and arduous season. Yet, here are four storylines you likely missed if your eyes were glued to the Champions' Classic, like most of America.
4. James Wiseman is a Beast
James Wiseman will be a name you become familiar with over the course of the season. The 5-star freshman is an absolute stud, and he put up a casual 28 points and 16 boards against South Carolina State in his college basketball debut for Penny Hardaway and Co.
3. Andrew Jones Puts up 20 in Return From Cancer
Andrew Jones' cancer diagnosis, and his teammates' ability to rally around him, was one of the more inspirational storylines of the 2018-19 campaign. Jones scored 20 points in his first game back for Texas against Northern Colorado.
2. Penn, Nicholls State and UC Riverside Play Spoiler
Fred Hoiberg's Nebraska debut could not have gone worse. The Cornhuskers lost to UC Riverside on Tuesday night in what should've been a gimme. Nicholls State, meanwhile, took down Illinois in overtime while Penn defeated Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Expect the unexpected!
1. Markus Howard Picks up Where He Left off
Markus Howard could score 30 points in his sleep, which is ironic considering the Marquette guard very nearly averaged that per contest this past season. In his 2019-20 debut, Howard put up a very casual 38. Yawn.