Our 2013-14 season preview continues with the Dagger's look at the programs who are on the decline entering the season. Check back every morning for the next six weeks for more college hoops preview content.

Alabama (23-13, 12-6 last season): Alabama at one point appeared capable of contending in the SEC and making the NCAA tournament this season thanks to the anticipated return of its top seven scorers from this past year's 23-win team. Then came an unexpectedly disastrous offseason that has muted some of the optimism. First sophomore guard Trevor Lacey, Alabama's second-leading scorer, announced in April he was transferring to NC State. Then in June, former top 30 recruit Devonta Pollard was charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, leading to his dismissal from the program. The result is a roster with only nine scholarship players and insufficient scoring punch surrounding returning star Trevor Releford. Anthony Grant's teams have traditionally been excellent defensively, and this year's squad probably will be no exception. Still, if scorers don't emerge to support Releford, the Crimson Tide's ceiling is probably a .500 finish in the SEC and another NIT bid.

Butler (27-9, 11-5 last season): The summer of 2013 was a time of transition at Butler. Brad Stevens left to coach the Boston Celtics, standout seniors Rotnei Clarke and Andrew Smith graduated and the player most likely to emerge as Butler's next star, wing Roosevelt Jones, suffered a left wrist injury that will sideline him for the entire season. All of that raises the question of just how ready Butler is for perhaps its biggest transition: a move to the Big East. Khyle Marshall, Kameron Woods and Erik Fromm form an experienced frontcourt, but perimeter questions abound. Can freshman Rene Castro or returners Alex Barlow or Jackson Aldridge shore up the point guard position? Will Kellen Dunham shoot from the perimeter with more consistency while drawing greater defensive attention? Can promising freshman Elijah Brown replace some of the wing scoring Jones would likely have provided? If the answer to those questions is yes, we'll probably get another lesson in the dangers of underestimating Butler. If the answer to those questions is no, the Bulldogs are probably headed for a finish in the lower half of the standings in the new Big East.

Colorado State (26-9, 11-5 last season): Having inherited a roster loaded with established seniors, new Colorado State coach Larry Eustachy led the Rams to a second-place finish in a loaded Mountain West and a Round of 64 NCAA tournament victory. Unfortunately for Eustachy, the entire starting five moved on last spring, leaving him with almost a complete rebuild entering the 2013-14 season. The most proven returning player is Daniel Bejarano, a former top 100 recruit who is an excellent rebounder for a guard and is capable of improving his 31 percent 3-point shooting. Sixth-year senior Jesse Carr could have solidified the point guard position but a second torn ACL will end his college career and thrust Jon Octeus into the starting lineup. Question marks abound in the frontcourt, where Colton Iverson and Pierce Hornung's rebounding propelled the Rams a year ago. One spot may be filled by senior Gerson Santo, who played sparingly a year ago. The other could go to transfer J.J. Avila, who led Navy in almost every statistical category two years ago but sat out last season in junior college while getting his academics in order. Finishing in the upper half of the Mountain West isn't out of the question if Avila emerges as a focal point and some of last season's bench players embrace bigger roles, but it's hard to see Colorado State contending the way it did a year ago.

Kansas State (27-8, 14-4 last season): The talented, experienced roster Bruce Weber inherited helped the former Illinois coach lead Kansas State to a share of the Big 12 title and a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament. Approaching that level of success will not be so easy for Weber in year two, however, since some of the stars of that team are no longer in Manhattan. Rodney McGruder has graduated, leaving Kansas State without a proven go-to scorer. Angel Rodriguez has transferred to Miami, forcing Weber to either start a freshman at point guard or play an upperclassman out of position. And the departure of graduated 6-foot-11 Jordan Henriquez and 6-10 Adrian Diaz gives Kansas State nobody taller than 6-foot-8 on its roster. The combination of defensive-minded D.J. and low-post scoring threat Thomas Gipson provides Kansas State a frontcourt duo that complements one-another quite well. Of more concern is the backcourt, where for Kansas State to contend for an NCAA bid, someone must emerge at point guard and one of the wings must have a McGruder-like transformation from role player to scoring star.

Story continues