Rank | Team | Reason |
---|---|---|
1 | Duke | 4 incredibly talented, top-ranked freshmen plus Grayson Allen, a returning senior and former preseason player of the year. |
2 | Michigan State | Izzo now has a deep, experienced bench and he gets Bridges back. |
3 | Arizona | Another case of a deep, experienced roster with a high floor and enormous offensive potential. |
4 | Kansas | Graham and Newman and a few other high profile new teammates under Bill Self. |
5 | Villanova | Brunson and DiVincenzo plus a new round of highly anticipated freshmen. |
6 | Wichita State | They have some injuries coming in, but over the course of the season they'll start to steamroll some competitors. |
7 | USC | Returning starting 5 plus 2 talented transfers gives USC experience that other teams lack. |
8 | Cincinnati | 3 returning high scorers plus a highly touted transfer in Broome. |
9 | Kentucky | This is low for a Calipari team, but this might be the youngest team he's ever brought to the table. Low floor and high ceiling. |
10 | Miami (FL) | Stellar backcourt including McDonald's AA Walker IV. |
11 | Minnesota | 5 returning starters plus a new top-100 PG means they are experienced and deep. |
12 | West Virginia | WVU holds onto their defensive reputation with Carter but a few key losses this offseason may complicate things. |
13 | Xavier | Trevon Bluiett plus new transfers and recruits means Xavier might set new highs this year. |
14 | Florida | The Gators lose some key contributors but still return Allen and Chiozza. |
15 | North Carolina | Berry III is out for a few weeks and UNC returns few key contributors from last year's title team. |
16 | Seton Hall | |
17 | Notre Dame | |
18 | Northwestern | |
19 | Louisville | |
20 | UCLA | |
21 | Gonzaga | |
22 | Purdue | |
23 | Saint Mary's | |
24 | Providence | |
25 | Baylor |