Mark Pope's first season at Kentucky among ESPN's top college basketball storylines

The 2024-25 college basketball season is roughly 100 days away (101 in Kentucky’s case) and ESPN’s college hoops panel is celebrating with a mini preview, including the best storylines, most anticipated games, players to watch, etc. Per usual, your University of Kentucky Wildcats are mentioned, but given the eventful offseason, in a unique context.

The changing of the guard in Lexington created two of the top storylines in the sport in the eyes of Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf. Borzello is excited to see how John Calipari will adjust to his new surroundings in Arkansas and whether he will adapt his style following another NCAA Tournament first-round loss. There’s an equal amount of intrigue for his successor at Kentucky, Mark Pope. As Medcalf writes, so far, the 1996 team captain seems to understand the very difficult assignment ahead.

“After whiffing on big-name candidates for its successor to John Calipari, the blueblood school ultimately landed on the former BYU coach and once-team captain on the 1995-96 Wildcats squad that won a national championship. It hasn’t mattered to Pope that he wasn’t the first choice, though, as he’s quickly turned early skepticism into optimism. Thousands of fans attended his introductory press conference at Rupp Arena. He has a top-25 team full of elite transfers. More importantly, he understands that, while he’s replacing John Calipari, the standard has not changed: he knows it’s always championship or bust in Lexington.”

UConn’s quest for a three-peat, NIL, realignment, Doug Gottlieb’s first season as Green Bay’s head coach (yes, that Doug Gottlieb), and Cooper Flagg are some of the other storylines Medcalf and Borzello are looking forward to. Speaking of Duke, the Cats vs. the Blue Devils in the Champions Classic on Nov. 12 is one of their five best non-conference matchups. Flagg is the first player listed under Player of the Year candidates and Freshmen to Watch, too. Wouldn’t it be fun to beat him and the Blue Devils in Atlanta?

It’s still pretty weird to see John Calipari’s name listed under “New coaches to watch.” Pope is there too, along with Eric Musselman, now at USC, which was part of the domino effect that led to Cal going to Arkansas and Pope to Kentucky. Check it all out over at The Worldwide Leader.

Changes coming to College Basketball start dates?

Kentucky will tip off the 2024-25 season on Nov. 4 vs. Wright State at Rupp Arena. Currently, the 2025-26 season for both men’s and women’s basketball is scheduled to begin on Nov. 11, 2025. That could soon change.

Last week, the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees proposed starting the women’s season 22 weeks before the women’s Final Four to avoid conflicts with Election Day and give more flexibility for TV windows and venue demands. That would mean the women’s season would tip off on a Monday, two days before the men’s season on a Wednesday. It would also standardize the length of the playing season, which currently fluctuates between 21 and 22 weeks depending on when the Men’s and Women’s Final Fours take place.

If approved by the Division I Council in October, the first women’s game of the 2025-26 season would take place on Nov. 3, 2025, and the first men’s game on Nov. 5, 2025. Here are the current and proposed start dates for seasons through 2030-31, along with the Final Four dates, if you’re really into planning ahead.

Division I men

Season	Current Start Date	Proposed Start Date	Men’s Final Four
2025-26	Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025	Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025	April 4 & 6, 2026
2026-27	Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026	Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026	April 3 & 5, 2027
2027-28	Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2027	Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2027	April 1 & 3, 2028
2028-29	Monday, Nov. 6, 2028	Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2028	March 31 & April 2, 2029
2029-30	Monday, Nov. 5, 2029	Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2029	April 6 & 8, 2030
2030-31	Monday, Nov. 4, 2030	Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2030	April 5 & 7, 2031

Division I women

Season	Current Start Date	Proposed Start Date	Women’s Final Four
2025-26	Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025	Monday, Nov. 3, 2025	April 3 & 5, 2026
2026-27	Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026	Monday, Nov. 2, 2026	April 2 & 4, 2027
2027-28	Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2027	Monday, Nov. 1, 2027	March 31 & April 2, 2028
2028-29	Monday, Nov. 6, 2028	Monday, Oct. 30, 2028	March 30 & April 1, 2029
2029-30	Monday, Nov. 5, 2029	Monday, Nov. 5, 2029	April 5 & 7, 2030
2030-31	Monday, Nov. 4, 2030	Monday, Nov. 4, 2030	April 4 & 6, 2031