Opening week in men's college basketball delivered drama: upsets, freshman breakouts and storylines that snowballed quickly. Arizona toppled defending champion Florida on opening night. North Carolina beat Kansas in a high-profile early test. St. John's and Alabama traded fireworks at Madison Square Garden. Here are six early narratives that took hold — and whether they’re fair reactions or premature conclusions.
1) Purdue isn’t living up to preseason No. 1 hype Purdue entered the season as the AP preseason No. 1 with the sort of personnel that fuels title talk: Braden Smith (preseason NPOY chatter), Trey Kaufman-Renn (All-Big Ten credentials) and Fletcher Loyer (a deadly shooter). But the Boilermakers have looked uneven in early outings — Oakland led late in West Lafayette and the offense has shown some rust. Kaufman-Renn’s hip absence has disrupted rhythm, though he’s expected back soon. Importantly, Purdue’s offense still ranks among the nation’s best by advanced metrics through the first two games. Verdict: Slight overreaction — they haven’t hit peak form yet, but the offensive foundation remains elite and small-sample disruptions explain much of the concern.
2) This is the b
