Can you believe it’s only been seven days?
Opening week of the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season did not disappoint. The stars shined, the highly touted freshman class lived up to the hype, big-name transfers made spectacular first impressions and several returners looked poised to take a major leap.
Among the many remarkable performances so far, here are my top 10:
1. Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner vs. UT Rio Grande
49 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 20-22 FG, 2-2 3PT
The sensational big man started off his final season — and Player of the Year campaign — with the best performance of his career. His 49 points were the second-most in a single game in Creighton history. He also became the first player to make 20 field goals on 90 percent shooting since Bill Walton in the 1973 NCAA championship game. UT Rio Grande somehow managed to keep the contest close, but Kalkbrenner ultimately proved unstoppable, as the Bluejays secured the 99-86 victory.
2. Kansas guard Zeke Mayo vs. No. 9 North Carolina
21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 7-14 FG, 3-9 3PT
In the game of the week, no one stood out more than Zeke Mayo. The transfer from South Dakota State looked extremely confident playing under the bright lights at Allen Fieldhouse. When the Tar Heels climbed back from being down 20, Mayo delivered in the clutch, scoring four straight points and then finding Hunter Dickinson down low for an easy bucket to break an 89-89 tie with 1:17 left.
3. Auburn forward Johni Broome vs. No. 4 Houston
20 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals, 10-15 FG
Freshman Tahaad Pettiford was phenomenal (game-high 21 points), but Broome was the best player on the court, stuffing the stat sheet to help Auburn pull off the 74-69 upset at the Toyota Center. Facing one of the toughest, most physical teams in college basketball, Broome still dominated the paint on both ends. The All-American senior made it clear why he’s a contender for the 2025 Wooden Award.
4. Marquette guard Kam Jones vs. Stony Brook
32 points, 3 assists, 14-16 FG, 4-6 3PT
What an opening statement from the senior guard, who was named to the preseason All-Big East First Team. Marquette demolished Stony Brook, 102-62, and Jones played a near-perfect game, missing just two shots and finishing two points shy of his career-high in just 26 minutes of action.
5. Indiana forward Mackenzie Mgbako vs. SIUE
31 points, 9 rebounds, 13-17 FG, 4-5 3PT
Dunks, putbacks, threes, midrange jumpers. Mgbako did a little bit of everything in his season debut, scoring a career-high 31 points to lead Indiana to an 80-61 win over SIUE. The sophomore appears to have improved significantly from last season — yet another reason to keep an eye on Mike Woodson’s new-look squad.
6. Maryland center Derik Queen vs. Manhattan
22 points, 20 rebounds, 2 blocks, 9-16 FG
The second-highest ranked recruit in Maryland basketball history had an unforgettable first game, becoming the first Division I freshman to go for 20 and 20 in his debut since Michael Beasley did it for Kansas State in 2007. It was also the first 20-20 game by a Maryland player since Joe Smith in 1995.
7. Illinois forward Will Riley vs. Eastern Illinois
31 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 10-13 FG, 5-6 3PT
A five-star recruit from Canada, Riley introduced himself to Illinois fans with an outstanding performance off the bench against Eastern Illinois. In just 25 minutes, the versatile forward broke the school record for most points in a freshman debut — with 26 of his 31 coming in the second half alone.
8. UCF guard Darius Johnson vs. No. 13 Texas A&M
24 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-13 FG, 5-11 3PT
Johnson, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, stole the show in the first court-storming upset of the season. The Knights shot just 34 percent from the field as a team, so Johnson’s five three-pointers were absolutely critical. He also dropped a beautiful dime to forward Benny Williams for the go-ahead slam with less than a minute remaining.
9. Texas guard Tre Johnson vs. Houston Christian
28 points, 3 assists, 11-18 FG, 5-8 3PT
Like Queen and Riley, the freshman Johnson wasted no time making his presence felt. After erupting for 29 points in an opening-night loss to Ohio State, Johnson scored a team-high 28 in the Longhorns’ bounce-back win over Houston Christian on Friday. Any questions about whether the sharpshooting guard’s offensive ability would translate to the next level have been answered.
10. Georgia forward Asa Newell vs. Tennessee Tech
26 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 13-22 FG
Sensing a trend here? Asa Newell — yet another freshman — starred in the Bulldogs’ narrow win over Tennessee Tech to begin the season. The 6-foot-11 forward tied Dominique Wilkins’ record for most points scored by a Georgia freshman in his debut. With the Bulldogs clinging to a five-point lead with three minutes left, Newell had a monster block and then cleaned up a miss on the other end to help put the game away.
