Let The Bilastrator be the first to congratulate you on your uncommon good fortune, as The Bilas Index, Volume II is now available to you, a member of the general public. Now, you can not only make sense of the vast college hoops landscape, you will stand out among the hopelessly lost members of our society who attempt to process the college hoops universe without the benevolent help of The Bilastrator. You are well on your way to winning your office pool, friendly wagers and -- when discussing the game with others with the knowledge you now possess -- you will be seen as a god among mortals. We speak from experience in this area, using the "royal we" -- it is a wondrous feeling.
After the first third of the season is in the books and we begin conference play, there is a significant date for The Bilastrator's massive and magnificent gray matter to process. The data tells us what teams and players have accomplished to this point, but it does not necessarily tell us what said teams and players are capable of in the future. For that, we need, crave and deserve as a human right the analysis and basketball judgment of The Bilastrator. As Albert Einstein -- a quality thinker in his own right, but an inferior mind to The Bilastrator in the basketball realm -- once advised: "Have holy curiosity." Well, The Bilastrator has just that ... and more.
In this early season, we have witnessed some superlative play, both team and individual. Scoring is up, as is efficiency. We have seen upsets and Top 25 teams going down to unranked teams. Just like every season, the uninformed seem perplexed, as if ranked teams always won in the past. It could be that football, where a loss is disqualifying to nearly all teams but Alabama, has poisoned uneducated minds into thinking that basketball teams should be perfect in a far different game. The best teams are the most consistent, but it does not mean that all are not subject to taking a loss on a given day. Purdue lost at Northwestern. Florida Atlantic lost to Bryant. Kentucky lost to UNC Wilmington. It happens in basketball, and it has always happened in basketball. Still, some teams have played incredibly difficult schedules (see Alabama, Arizona, Purdue), while others have had less challenging starts (see Ole Miss, South Carolina). The Bilas Index, Volume II helps you cut through simple records and statistics to determine the contenders from the pretenders.
Yet, there are clear signals as to which teams have shown the capability to contend for a Final Four spot, or a national championship. Purdue, Arizona, Connecticut and Houston have stood out as favorites, but Florida Atlantic and Kansas stand out as teams that can beat anyone and are dangerous, but for different reasons. See below for those compiling reasons.
In every sphere of engagement with that beautiful game of basketball, The Bilastrator has risen to shift the paradigm of understanding of all that does and can occur on the hardwood, and has done so through challenging conventional thinking that has become so common -- yet debilitating -- to the game and those that play it. The Bilas Index provides you, one of masses, the ability and advantage to see things from an elevated basketball perspective. The Bilas Index is not just educational and creative -- it is visionary. This cerebral exploration of the game is based upon the superior mental capacity of The Bilastrator and his basketball brain, and the incredible efficiency of his gray and white matter and the rapid conduction of nerve signals, allowing him to process the quality of teams and players beyond the comprehension of mere mortals.
To you, for your basketball journey, we present you The Bilas Index, Volume II. As always, you're welcome.
My top 5 college basketball venues are... pic.twitter.com/Q1xNSdYWjv
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) January 3, 2024
1. Purdue Boilermakers: This is the nation's best team. The Boilermakers have challenged themselves, playing one of the nation's toughest schedules. And, Purdue has a weapon no other team features: the size and skill of National Player of the Year Zach Edey. Edey had high expectations, and he has met and exceeded those expectations. Behind Edey, Purdue has beaten Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama, Arizona, Xavier and Iowa, which would be a solid, full-season résumé. Yet, all of these wins were before the ball dropped in Times Square. The big knock against Purdue last season was perimeter athleticism and guard play, both of which have been addressed and are a strength rather than a vulnerability. Lance Jones and Myles Colvin boost the fast twitch deficit of last year's Boilermakers, and guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer are more efficient and productive playing off Edey. Purdue shoots over 39% as a team from deep, ranking among the top-20 shooting teams in the country, and Purdue is one of the top-rated offensive teams in the country. It takes an incredible effort to beat this team. It can be done, but Purdue isn't scared.