Excitement abounds as the college basketball season begins

The 2017-18 college basketball season had everything. Standout performances, a No. 1 seed finally falling in the first game of the NCAA Tournament and Villanova cutting down the nets for the second time in three seasons.

Oh, and Sister Jean and Loyola-Chicago giving hope to underdogs everywhere by reaching the Final Four.

A new season starts Tuesday, and it has been a long seven months to wait for a sport that seems to top itself every year.

To get you ready, we’ve got a guide to the top teams and players and other tidbits to look for in 2018-19:Top teams

Kansas: Bill Self has another strong recruiting class, a preseason All-American in Memphis transfer Dedric Lawson and a No. 1 ranking.