Finally, college basketball is back.

In my opinion, next to the NBA, college basketball is the most exciting sport to watch. The main difference in the two sports is that college players tend to give more effort in every game.

That could be that because NBA players are paid, that sometime it looks like they take games off. Sometimes NBA players look like they are not giving it their all, which is probably difficult to do over an 82 game schedule.

On the other hand, with college those players are going out there and putting everything they have and leaving it on the court each play and each game. College players probably should get some money – but that is a discussion for another column.

The college season gets underway in a big way next week. On Nov. 12, No. 1 Kentucky plays No. 2 Michigan State and No. 4 Duke pl;ays No. 5 Kansas.

Kentucky is the preseason No. 1 for the third time in the past four years, which should surprise no one since John Calipari continues to be the top recruiter in the land. Heannually has three or more players picked in the first round of the NBA draft and just this week landed Tech center Trey Lyles for next year.

It seems that every year Kentucky has a chance to win it — well scratch last year — but at least It came down to the end of the season. Last year the loss of No. 1 draft pick Nerlens Noel to a torn ACL surely hurt the team.

With all that being said though you still have to give team’s like the returning champs Louisville Cardinals, who were inspired through the tourney by the wake of Kevin Ware’s devastating leg injury last year. Louisville is preseason No. 3.

Locally, Indiana will have to overcome the loss of four starters and will field one of the youngest teams in the nation. Butler will see if first-year coach Brandon Miller knows about the “Butler” way as the Bulldogs move to the Big East. Notre Dame will start its first season in the ACC and Purdue looks to emerge from the middle of the pack in the Big Ten.

It’s basketball season, finally. To me, that means must-see TV.

Let the games begin.