2024-25 college basketball preview: Ranking the top 50 players and coaches

Welcome to the 2024-25 college basketball season!

Another journey to madness tips off Monday, and with it comes a slew of storylines from across the country. From UConn looking to complete a three-peat, to the Cooper Flagg Show revving up at Duke, to Kansas seeking a redemption season, to Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins headlining the women's game — there's plenty to look forward to this season. 

FOX Sports' coverage of the men's college basketball season kicks off Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET with "Big East Opening Night Tip-Off" featuring live look-ins of eight non-conference tilts on FS1. Rick Pitino and St. John's welcome Fordham to Carnesecca Arena to start the evening, while Big Ten newcomer No. 22 UCLA, led by Dylan Andrews, hosts Rider on FS1.

Big Ten Network will carry a triple-header, as life without Zach Edey begins for reigning national runner-up Purdue when the 14th-ranked Boilermakers host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 6 p.m. ET. Following that, Michigan kicks off the Dusty May Era against Cleveland State (8 p.m. ET) before USC begins the Eric Musselman Era against Chattanooga (10 p.m. ET).

Other marquee games on opening night include a top-10 showdown between No. 6 Gonzaga and No. 8 Baylor from Spokane, Washington (11:30 p.m. ET), and No. 19 Texas taking on Ohio State in Las Vegas (10 p.m. ET). 

On the women's side, Watkins and No. 3 USC take on No. 20 Ole Miss from Paris at (noon ET), followed by No. 5 UCLA and No. 17 Louisville hitting the floor in France (2:30 p.m. ET). No. 1 South Carolina begins its title defense by taking on Michigan in Las Vegas (7:30 p.m. ET).

With that, let's set the table with a list of 50 names — 25 players and 25 coaches — to watch throughout the road to March. 

Top 25 players to