The more I watch the college game the less and less impressed I am with the actual basketball. So, here are what I perceive as CBB's strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths:
-Engaged and invested crowds. This one isn't even fair. Thousands of people have personal attachments to colleges that no one ever really has to an NBA team.
-Players who really care and give their all. (Hustle)
-Urgency: One and done tournaments and a relatively short schedule make every game seem important.
-Rivalries: The players don't really matter, just the laundry. This lends itself to long standing feuds that build atmosphere.
Weaknesses:
-Almost everything on the court....
-35 second shot clock (needs to be 30 or less). Too often teams spend 20 seconds before they even think about starting their offense
-Close 3 point line. Half of the teams don't even pretend to bring the ball near the post. Chuck and Duck baby! And this is still the case with a slightly longer three.
-Too many timeouts. Do coaches really need 5 timeouts with all the TV timeouts and other distractions?
-Too much about the coaches. Coaches don't let their players play (I'm talking to you Rick Pitino...)
College Hoops strength is in the energy, vitality, and experience of the game, but not the basketball. Maybe it's because the great players leave for the NBA too early. Maybe it's because coaches are too powerful. I don't know. But, I tend to find myself gravitating toward the NBA more and more.