3. John Calipari’s new go-to phrase

We spent way too much time last year dissecting Calipari’s platoon system. Was it effective? Which players belonged in which platoon? In May, about a month after Kentucky fell to Wisconsin in the Final Four, Caliparitried to make clear that he won’t be platooning anymore, on his website that, “I think how you will see us playing going forward will be closer to how we have always played. That won’t be platooning.” You may not hear the word “platoon” much this year, but get ready to see the Wildcats play some “position-less” basketball. By the end of the season, don’t be surprised if Cal comes up with yet another term to describe his team’s style.

2. Selection Sunday

Selection Sunday isn’t perfect—why, for example, are there still conference championship games on the same day?—but it’s one of the best days on the sports calendar. What’s not to like about a rapid-fire ranking of the top 75 teams in a sport? No matter how good of a job the Selection Committee does, there are at least a handful of well-founded complaints that make for excellent debates for the three days until …

1. NCAA tournament

It’s not just the star of the college basketball season, the NCAA tournament is the best postseason in American sports. It doesn’t always crown the best team, but it certainly always provides the best entertainment. From the endless onslaught of games on Thursday and Friday of the Round of 64 to “One Shining Moment,” the three weeks of the NCAA tournament are unmissable.