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College Hoops Cram Session: 5 takeaways from the 1st month

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

It's a long way from March, but believe it or not, the college basketball season is now a month old.

With most of the college sports world focused on the football playoff rankings and upcoming bowl games, the beginning of hoops season can go largely unnoticed.

That's why we are here with five takeaways from the first month in your cram session:

1. Ben Simmons is better than advertised

Ben Simmons arrived on LSU's campus as the much-heralded No. 1 recruit in the country, yet has somehow blown away all expectations in the early games of his freshman season. The Australian-born forward is fresh off an incredible 43-point performance, and is currently leading the nation in rebounding with almost 15 per game.

The 76ers' midweek win over the Lakers cut their lead to three games in the Ben Simmons sweepstakes (i.e. the 2016 NBA Draft).

2. Grayson Allen's 2015 title game numbers were no joke

Grayson Allen scored 16 points as a freshman in last season's NCAA title win for Duke, 12 more than his season average, and in doing so, became a household name across most of the country.

Turns out it wasn't a fluke.

The sophomore has exploded to start the season, dropping 20-plus points in five of eight games. He's also taken over the mantle of Duke player fans love to hate, following in the footsteps of Greg Paulus, J.J. Redick, and Jon Scheyer's footsteps. His game, however, is a little bit different then those long-range bombers.

3. Denzel Valentine is a man among boys

A player who stays in school all four seasons in the current college landscape is usually met with skepticism: "What's wrong with his game?" Michigan State senior Denzel Valentine is doing all he can to remove any doubt in his abilities with a ridiculous start to 2015, posting two triple-doubles in the Spartans' first eight games.

4. Monmouth is the most interesting team in the nation

Their star is 5-foot-8. They rank 263rd in the nation in field-goal percentage. They haven't been to the NCAA tournament since 2006.

They are the most interesting team in the country.

The Hawks have already knocked off USC, UCLA, and Notre Dame this young season, led by the diminutive Justin Robinson's 25 points per game. The main reason Monmouth has become "America's team," however, is one of the greatest bench mobs in history. The bench has become known for its extensive choreographed celebrations, and while all of them are worth a look, none beat "The Human Scissors."

Monmouth bench celebrations are the best.

5. Flying Freshmen

With the implementation of the one-and-done rule prior to the 2005-06 season, college basketball officially became a young man's game. 2015 is no different, and the flying freshman have taken over the sport, turning it into a dunk exhibition.

Whether it be UNLV's Derrick Jones' lefty cram, the vertical styling of UCLA's Prince Ali, or the thunder from Massachusetts forward Dontavious Smith, we have witnessed a possibly unprecedented aerial assault through four weeks of the season.

The top freshman dunk thus far, though, goes to Texas guard Kerwin Roach.

Month two of the college hoops season has a tough act to follow.

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