Jay BilasNov 5, 2025, 08:45 AM ET
- College basketball analyst for ESPN and ESPN Insider
- Played and coached at Duke
- Practicing attorney
The Bilastrator doesn’t like to brag. Yet, by now, as a conscious being on this planet, you know that The Bilas Index is the preeminent, reliable and most universally respected indicator and compilation of basketball knowledge and judgment known to humankind. As such, it serves as much more than a guide or a road map to this men’s college basketball season – it is a pinpoint GPS for the year.
Why is The Bilas Index indispensable for any basketball fan or observer? It is quite simple and self-evident. While some mistakenly rely upon a …
Jay BilasNov 5, 2025, 08:45 AM ET
- College basketball analyst for ESPN and ESPN Insider
- Played and coached at Duke
- Practicing attorney
The Bilastrator doesn’t like to brag. Yet, by now, as a conscious being on this planet, you know that The Bilas Index is the preeminent, reliable and most universally respected indicator and compilation of basketball knowledge and judgment known to humankind. As such, it serves as much more than a guide or a road map to this men’s college basketball season – it is a pinpoint GPS for the year.
Why is The Bilas Index indispensable for any basketball fan or observer? It is quite simple and self-evident. While some mistakenly rely upon a strict analytics approach and others mistakenly rely upon a weekly vote among the unwashed masses, The Bilas Index is based upon the most powerful and consequential instrument of basketball wisdom and judgment the game has ever known ... the gray matter of The Bilastrator himself. The Bilastrator’s immense and powerful brain is superior in processing basketball performance, potential and ability than any other analytical tool ever imagined.
To be clear, providing such context to these picks is not bragging. It is simply a recitation of unimpeachable fact. Last season, The Bilastrator dominated the NCAA tournament prediction field, as per usual. After taking intense criticism from the uninformed on Selection Sunday, The Bilastrator correctly predicted the four Final Four teams, the two title game participants and the national champion. In addition, The Bilastrator predicted seven of the Elite Eight teams. You’re welcome, America.
Of course, it is too early to prognosticate forward to the 2026 NCAA tournament. But in the meantime, The Bilas Index will provide you with a reliable guide to the season, with periodic updates as things progress. Again, you’re welcome.
1. Purdue Boilermakers
The Boilermakers have the nation’s best point guard, period, in Braden Smith. His interior counterpart, Trey Kaufman-Renn, is among the most efficient and productive big men in the college game. Purdue also has arguably the best coach in college basketball right now in Matt Painter, who has handled the recent challenges of the game without complaint. The Boilermakers know who they are, and embrace their standards. For the past several years, Purdue has challenged for national honors, and has improved throughout each season. With the exception of Florida and perhaps Duke, no team gave Houston a tougher challenge in the NCAA tournament. This season’s version of the Boilermakers will be even better than last season’s, especially with the addition of Omer Mayer, the Israeli guard who can shoot, handle and pass. Expect Purdue to be in Indianapolis.
2. Houston Cougars
Kelvin Sampson has not only returned Houston to its glory days of the 1980s, he has established the program as one of the truly elite in the country. Houston has been the model of consistency and annually leads the nation, or is among the top teams, in playing hard. While Houston suffered losses from last season’s title game team, the returnees and additions make the roster title-worthy again. Guards Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp will lead the way, and Joseph Tugler has established himself as the premier defender in the country.
3. Florida Gators
Last season’s national champion returns the nation’s best and toughest forecourts in the country. The key to repeat will be the play of Florida’s guards. Gone are Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin, last season’s best backcourt. Coming in are Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee from Arkansas and Princeton, respectively. If those two can provide a reasonable facsimile of last season’s backcourt – especially Fland becoming this season’s Clayton – Florida will challenge again.
4. UConn Huskies
After back-to-back national championships, the UConn faithful and head coach Dan Hurley expected nothing less in the 2024-25 season. Instead, the Huskies went 0-3 in the Maui Invitational and Hurley set a modern record for highest blood pressure while wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Still, UConn was outstanding at the end of the season, giving Florida everything it had in the NCAA tournament’s second round before losing to the eventual national champion 77-75. This season’s Huskies should keep Hurley’s blood pressure within reasonable limits – UConn is very talented and has another challenger for the Final Four. Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. return better, and Silas Demary Jr. (Georgia) and 7-0 freshman big man Eric Reibe will be heavily relied upon. UConn is legit.
5. Duke Blue Devils
Jon Scheyer has engineered one of the best starts to a head coaching career in college basketball history. Entering his fourth season, Scheyer has won 89 games. He reached an Elite Eight in his second year and a Final Four in his third. Will this season’s Duke team match last season’s version? That is a tall order, because Duke had the National Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in Cooper Flagg, and two other lottery picks in Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. Yet Duke has the nation’s top recruiting class heading to Durham, led by Cameron Boozer, who is as big, as imposing and as talented as Paolo Banchero was entering Duke a few years ago. A key to Duke reaching its potential as a team will be leadership from the guard position, most notably the play of Caleb Foster.
6. St. John’s Red Storm
Rick Pitino won a Big East title last season and resurrected a proud tradition at St. John’s in just two years. The 2024-25 Red Storm won 31 games behind dizzying defense and relentless offensive rebounding, and only an uncharacteristic performance in the NCAA tournament second round blemished an otherwise amazing season. This season, Pitino returns Zuby Ejiofor, one of the nation’s best big men, and surrounds him with talented transfers, including Bryce Hopkins, Dillon Mitchell and better perimeter shooting. Can St. John’s better its finish when the lights are on? It’s tough to bet against Rick Pitino.
7. Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines lost two 7-footers in Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin, but bring in one of the best and most productive players in the nation in UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg. Last season, Lendeborg led UAB in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. Cooper Flagg was the only other player to do that. Don’t be surprised if coach Dusty May goes through Lendeborg even more than he went through Wolf last season. In addition to Lendeborg, May brings in North Carolina transfer Elliot Cadeau and UCLA big man Aday Mara to blend with Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle Jr., to make Michigan the top threat to Purdue in the Big Ten.
8. Kentucky Wildcats
Mark Pope did a masterful job last season of bringing Big Blue Nation together and injecting a positive attitude among the players and the faithful. Pope also brought beautiful offense to Lexington, and before some injuries slowed the Wildcats down, Kentucky was a true joy to watch. One thing that was missing was lockdown defense, which will be different this season. Kentucky will be able to defend at a much higher level, with length and athleticism at multiple positions. Otega Oweh returns and will likely lead the Cats in scoring again, thanks to his consistent performances, especially in second halves. Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen, Arizona State transfer Jayden Quaintance and Alabama transfer Mo Dioubate will bring defense and toughness, and Pittsburgh transfer Jaland Lowe will prove to be one of the best guards in the country.
9. Tennessee Volunteers
For what feels like the first time since Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld played in Knoxville, Zakai Zeigler will not be in a Vols uniform. Zeigler was the embodiment of the Vols program under coach Rick Barnes, and the heart and soul of the program for years. Also gone are Chaz Lanier, Igor Milicic Jr. and Jahmai Mashack, so the Vols need to establish an identity with a new crop of players. Few are better than Barnes in accomplishing that task. Felix Okpara, the lengthy rim-protecting and rebounding big man who made good strides offensively, will blend in with transfers Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Jaylen Carey and Amaree Abram, but the straw that stirs it all will be Nate Ament, a 6-9 freshman who is as talented as any in the country. Ament is not Kevin Durant, but he conjures the image of KD, especially when one considers Barnes coached the NBA star at Texas. Expect Ament to be Barnes’ queen on the Vols’ chess board.
10. UCLA Bruins
It was not an easy season in Westwood in 2024-25, but UCLA still won 23 games and a first-round NCAA tournament game. Not bad at all, for most programs – it’s just not a memorable season at UCLA. The Bruins return a trio of very good players in Tyler Bilodeau, Eric Dailey and Skyy Clark, but the key to the season will be New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent. While Purdue’s Braden Smith is the nation’s best point guard, Dent is a close second. Dent can score, but what he can really do is distribute and make winning decisions. If Xavier Booker, the big man transfer from Michigan State, can realize his potential at UCLA, the Bruins can leave last season in the rearview mirror. A better road is ahead.
11. Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders lost a lot from their Elite Eight team from a season ago, but have so much coming back and have added to the mix. Start with the Big 12 Player of the Year, JT Toppin, add an elite guard in Christian Anderson and you have a contending team in the conference and nationally. Texas Tech will shoot it well from multiple positions and will have a number of athletic, rangy defenders. Toppin could very well take home the Wooden Award – he could wind up as the nation’s best all-around playmaker.
12. Illinois Fighting Illini
Petrovic. Stojakovic. Ivisic. Mirkovic. The Illinois roster might read like a FIBA World Cup team, but it will also translate to being a Big Ten contender. The Illini have size, shooting, skill and depth. And Brad Underwood – also known as “Bradimir” – has leaned into the international flavor of his roster. Watch for former Stanford and Cal wing Andrej Stojakovic to be a focal point. Stojakovic is an excellent shooter who can really pass.
13. Louisville Cardinals
Has there been a better turnaround in college basketball than Louisville’s eight-win 2023-24 to 27 wins last season? And despite some big losses from last season’s roster, the Cardinals are set up to contend again. Freshman Mikel Brown Jr., a 6-4 guard and five-star recruit, is a projected top-five NBA draft pick and the most well-rounded player on Pat Kelsey’s uber-talented roster. Isaac McKneely (14.4 PPG at Virginia) and Ryan Conwell (16.5 PPG at Xavier) enter their first years in the ACC as some of the most promising scorers in the conference.
14. Alabama Crimson Tide
Another Elite Eight run last season made it four out of the past five years that Nate Oats’ squad has reached at least the Sweet 16, and the Tide look primed for another go this season. Labaron Philon Jr. recorded 16 points (including 3-for-6 from 3), 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in that Elite Eight loss to Duke, and he’s the standout from one of the country’s best backcourts. Aden Holloway, who averaged 11.4 PPG last season, takes over the offense from All-American Mark Sears. How he replaces him will tell us a lot about Alabama’s chances this season.
15. Iowa State Cyclones
T.J. Otzelberger’s squad continues to be one of the Big 12’s elite, and this season, with a solid core of returners, should see them build on last season’s 25-win campaign. Tamin Lipsey, who returned for opening night after suffering an MCL sprain, is one of college basketball’s best point guards. He’s an elite defender who averaged 10.6 points last season and has been an All-Defensive selection in the Big 12 two straight years. Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson also return for the Cyclones and should take big steps forward this year.
16. BYU Cougars
The Cougars are can’t-miss basketball this season – Kevin Young had the best offense in the country for the back half of last season, and added this year’s top recruit, explosive 6-9 wing AJ Dybantsa. There has never been this much hype about a player in Provo – he’s the potential No. 1 draft pick – and he joins transfers Robert Wright III (11.5 PPG at Baylor) and returner Richie Saunders, who averaged 16.5 points and shot 43.2% from 3 last season. The Cougars are coming off a Sweet 16 appearance, but with how Young has leveled up this offense, they’re pushing for the first Final Four berth in 2026.
17. Arizona Wildcats
Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats are surprisingly well set up for a squad that lost five players from last season, including 2024 Pac-12 Player of the Year Caleb Love, who averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals last season, Two five-star freshmen, Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, will be key contributors in Tucson, alongside a strong defensive core of returners. Peat went off in the Wildcats’ opener, an upset of No. 3-ranked Florida: 30 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Peat won four state championships and has four gold medals with USA Basketball – and looks ready to lead the Wildcats to another deep Big 12 and NCAA tourney run.
18. Kansas Jayhawks
After two of the worst seasons in Kansas basketball history, Bill Self’s squad looks ready to reemerge, thanks to a player Self calls the best incoming freshman he has ever coached. That’s Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 player in ESPN’s top 100. In a season stacked with talented freshmen, Peterson is among the elite, a 6-6 guard with hardly any weaknesses. He joins Flory Bidunga, who withdrew his name from the transfer portal and should make a big leap for the Jayhawks in his sophomore season – in six starts last season, he averaged 8.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.
19. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Another season, another WCC championship likely for Mark Few’s Bulldogs – but the 2025-26 season will be the last, with Gonzaga moving to the Pac-12 next season. Returners Graham Ike and Braden Huff are primed to lead Few to another 30-win season – and maybe a deep tourney run? Both players stood out in Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 loss to Houston, with Ike scoring 27 points and Huff adding 11 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Transfer Tyon Grant-Foster’s injunction to play a final season after the NCAA had denied his eligibility waiver earlier in the summer was huge for Few (he averaged 14.8 PPG at Grand Canyon).
20. Arkansas Razorbacks
After a 24-win season in 2024-25, John Calipari’s Razorbacks look ready to level up this season. With three starters returning, including D.J. Wagner (11.2 PPG) and Karter Knox (8.3 PPG), the Razorbacks will be better at both ends of the court. Knox is a popular breakout pick this season after finishing with double-digit scoring in nine of his final 12 games, including a 20-spot against Texas Tech in the Sweet 16. And we haven’t even gotten to freshman Darius Acuff Jr., a five-star recruit who will be the latest in a long line of Calipari frosh to lead an offense.
21. Creighton Bluejays
Ryan Kalkbrenner was a mainstay for Greg McDermott’s squads in the past four years, but he seems to have done a decent job retooling. Two transfers from Iowa, Josh Dix and Owen Freeman, join the Bluejays, and both seem to be good fits – Freeman will be tasked with replacing Kalkbrenner after he recovers from knee surgery, and Dix, who shot better than 42% from 3 the past two seasons, is a perfect fit on McDermott’s trey-happy offense.
22. Baylor Bears
Every single Baylor player from 2024-25 is gone, thanks either to graduation or the transfer portal, but coach Scott Drew has showed plenty that he’s good enough to regroup. Bringing in Tounde Yessoufou – No. 9 in the SC Next 100 – was the biggest coup. Yessoufou is an elite offensive player with a decent midrange game. In a year crowded with freshman talent, he should be a draft lottery pick.
23. Wisconsin Badgers
Last year, All-American John Tonje ran the show, but sophomore John Blackwell grew into his role behind him, averaging 15.8 points and 5.1 rebounds (both big jumps from his freshman season). With Tonje gone, Blackwell will have even more room to shine in his junior season, particularly alongside talented transfer Nick Boyd (13.4 PPG at San Diego State last season) and returner Nolan Winter, who neared 10 points per game in 2024-25.
24. Ole Miss Rebels
A 24-win team last season, Ole Miss will have a ton of holes to fill this season, but returning forward Malik Dia should be a bright spot. He averaged 10.8 points last season, and showed off in an 18-point, 8-rebound performance against Iowa State in the NCAA tournament round of 32. He could be a contender for All-SEC honors if he keeps improving on his shooting, which got better through SEC play.
25. USC Trojans
Eric Musselman’s squad will be starting almost from scratch this season after plenty of transfer turnover. Terrance Williams II returns and five-star prospect Alijah Arenas is rostered, though his status after an offseason knee surgery won’t be clear for months. So the Trojans will be depending on portal pickups this season. Rodney Rice is a standout – he was one of the Big Ten’s best offensive players last season for Maryland, averaging 18.8 points over an eight-game span in conference play. Auburn transfer Chad Baker-Mazara also will be key, coming off career highs in scoring (12.3) and assists (2.7).
26. Michigan State Spartans
Tom Izzo’s Spartans will have to contend with a crowded Big Ten that could send double-digit teams dancing, finishing ahead of only Wisconsin among the six conference programs that made the preseason AP Top 25. The Spartans return four rotation players – Coen Carr (8.1 PPG), Jaxon Kohler (7.8 PPG), Jeremy Fears Jr. (7.2 PPG) and Carson Cooper (5.0 PPG) – from a team that won 30 games and a regular-season conference title.
27. Auburn Tigers
Steven Pearl barely escaped his coaching debut with a 95-90 win over ... (checks notes) ... Bethune-Cookman, which forced overtime in Monday’s season opener. The Tigers do have a very talented roster anchored by Tahaad Pettiford, but he is the only returning player from last season’s Final Four squad. Steven might have his work cut out for him in succeeding his father, Bruce.
28. North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels’ inclusion in last season’s NCAA tournament caused an uproar that is still hanging over them, earning their lowest ranking (No. 25) in the preseason AP Top 25 since 2005. Hubert Davis has a lot to prove this season, but he’ll have one of the top recruits – Caleb Wilson, who debuted with 22 points in Monday’s win over Central Arkansas – to help him do it.
29. Maryland Terrapins
Buzz Williams has won NCAA tournament games at all three programs he has led, taking Texas A&M dancing in each of his final three seasons before departing for Maryland. A few players followed him, including Pharrel Payne, who averaged 10.4 points last season and had a game-high 21 points to go with 6 rebounds and 2 assists in the Terrapins’ season-opening win over Coppin State.
30. NC State Wolfpack
Will Wade’s revamped Wolfpack wasted no time making a splash with 114 points in Monday’s season-opening win over North Carolina Central, with seven players finishing in double-figure scoring – not a typo! After winning only 12 games last season, Wade takes over in Raleigh with a roster infused with transfer talent led by Darrion Williams (15.1 PPG at Texas Tech in 2024-25).
31. Vanderbilt Commodores
The Commodores are coming off their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2016-17 and a 20-win season in a loaded SEC. Can they make it again? That could depend on how much returning players such as Tyler Nickel (10.4 PPG last season) continue to develop alongside transfers such as AK Okereke (13.9 PPG at Cornell last season).
32. Mississippi State Bulldogs
The Bulldogs lost a lot of talent to the portal and graduation from a roster that won 21 games and made the NCAA tournament last season, but they return their leading scorer Josh Hubbard, who averaged 18.9 points and 3.1 assists in 2024-25.
33. Texas A&M Aggies
Potentially good news for an Aggies team that has gone dancing each of the past three seasons: New head coach Bucky McMillan took his Samford Bulldogs to their first NCAA tournament in more than 20 years in 2024. And he has a roster filled with interesting transfer talent, including Pop Isaacs (16.3 PPG in eight games at Creighton) and Jacari Lane (17.3 PPG at North Alabama).
34. Texas Longhorns
Texas had a tough opening opponent in Duke, but expectations will rise as Sean Miller’s first season in Austin unfolds – he has won at least 20 games in 15 of his 20 seasons of coaching. And though last season’s leading scorers (Tre Johnson and Arthur Kaluma) are gone, the Longhorns do return Jordan Pope (11.0 PPG in 2024-25) and Tramon Mark (10.6).
35. Missouri Tigers
The Tigers have made the NCAA tournament in two of Dennis Gates’ first three seasons in Columbia. They lost two of their top three leading scorers from a 22-win team, but return Mark Mitchell (13.9 PPG), and have already seen returns on transfers Shawn Phillips Jr. (16 points) and Jayden Stone (13) in Monday’s opening win over Howard.
36. Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are hoping Darian DeVries can return them to March relevance. The program has only two NCAA tournament wins over the past nine seasons – and one was during the First Four in 2022. With two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Tucker DeVries following his father to Bloomington, Indiana could be a dangerous bubble team.
37. Georgia Bulldogs
The Bulldogs lost their top contributors from last season with Asa Newell on to the NBA and Silas Demary Jr. transferring to UConn, but they return Blue Cain (9.6 PPG), who tied Cal transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson with a team-high 15 points in Monday’s season-opening win over Bellarmine. BYU transfer Kanon Catchings (7.2 PPG) also makes a team that won 20 games a season ago interesting.
38. Marquette Golden Eagles
The Golden Eagles turned over their top three contributors from last season but return their last double-figure scorer Chase Ross (10.5 PPG in 2024-25), who led Marquette with 15 points in Monday’s season-opening win. Shaka Smart also brought in a trio of SC Next 100 recruits led by Nigel James Jr. (No. 67).
39. Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats fell short of high expectations as a preseason AP Top 25 team last season, finishing 7-13 in Big 12 play to miss the NCAA tournament altogether. Wes Miller could be coaching to keep his seat, but has another talented roster with incoming freshmen and transfers, three of whom each scored 18 points in Monday’s opener: Shon Abaev (No. 26 recruit in SC Next 100), Baba Miller (Florida Atlantic) and Moustapha Thiam (UCF).
40. Oregon Ducks
Year 2 in the behemoth that is the Big Ten should be interesting for Dana Altman – he lost a lot of talent in the offseason. But Nate Bittle, a 7-foot former five-star high school recruit, finally had his breakout moment last season to the tune of 14.2 PPG and returns for a fifth. Jackson Shelstad (13.7 PPG) should be one of the best clutch performers once fully healthy. The Players Era festival will be a test of the Ducks’ future tournament potential, but it also helps that, once again, they face the giants of the conference – Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State – just the one time.
41. Clemson Tigers
The Tigers are looking to erase a bad first-round exit – 13 points in the first half?! – with a full rebuild. It’s not as if they had a choice: They lost all five starters, and are now a roster cobbled together with three-star recruits and mostly mid-major transfers. Can they return to the second weekend of the tournament after making an Elite Eight run two seasons ago? It will be tough, but if anyone knows how to pull off a miracle, it’s perennial hot-seat coach Brad Brownell.
42. San Diego State Aztecs
Sure, Brian Dutcher and Miles Byrd – due for another step up after breaking out last season – are still there, in SDSU’s final year in the Mountain West. The Aztecs are hungry for another deep tournament run after their first Final Four appearance in 2023, and will look to boost their résumé via facing down powerhouses in the Players Era festival (Michigan, Oregon) as well as Arizona before conference play begins.
43. Ohio State Buckeyes
The incredibly efficient Bruce Thornton (50.1% shooting, 42.4% on 3s) is sticking around Columbus for another season, giving Jake Diebler his best chance to return the Buckeyes to the NCAA tournament in his second full season as head coach. Thornton will have John Mobley Jr., another efficient player (13.0 PPG, 39% on 3s), and breakout junior forward Devin Royal (26 points vs. Michigan last season) around him. A tough stretch for Ohio State looks closer to ending.
44. Virginia Tech Hokies
In Tech’s 2025-26 opener, last season’s leading scorer Tobi Lawal kept the momentum going with 20 points and West Virginia transfer Amani Hansberry had 19. Highly touted international newcomer Neoklis Avdalas – who impressed at the NBA draft combine before deciding to play in college instead – had only nine points. But he should settle in and be key for a team looking to improve on an 8-12 ACC record.
45. Utah State Aggies
Utah State’s challenge this season is multifold: Win its final Mountain West tournament before moving to the Pac-12, against a gauntlet that includes current projected tournament teams San Diego State and Boise State. Keep Jerrod Calhoun from moving onto the high majors after a season, as happened with its past two coaches – Ryan Odom to VCU then Virginia, Danny Sprinkle to Washington. Continue to unlock Mason Falslev (15.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 39% on 3s last season). And avoid a Big Ten team in the first weekend of the tournament after losing to Purdue in 2024 (second round) and UCLA in 2025 (first round). If the right dominoes fall, a return to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1970 could be in the cards.
46. Saint Louis Billikens
Robbie Avila, aka “Cream Abdul-Jabbar,” transferred from Indiana State to Saint Louis last season and didn’t miss a step with his ridiculous production: 17.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.0 APG. In Monday’s season opener, he recorded an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double. With a strong supporting cast – Dion Brown also had a double-double, and three others scored in double figures – he should help Saint Louis navigate a potential multibid A-10 and win its first league tournament crown since 2019.
47. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Can the Cornhuskers build on the momentum from winning the inaugural College Basketball Crown? Rienk Mast (12.3 PPG in 2023-24) is fully healthy and back after sitting out a full year, as are four players who started games last season. They increase the chances coach Fred Hoiberg can win 20-plus games – yes, even in the loaded Big Ten – for a third consecutive year and get a second invite in three seasons to go dancing.
48. Boise State Broncos
The perennial bubble team is rarely not in the tournament conversation despite having its appearance streak (three) broken last season. This season’s team, led by Andrew Meadow (12.6 PPG in 2024-25), is too dangerous to miss out again – that is, if it can recover from its big (capital B) upset loss to Division II Hawai’i Pacific on opening night.
49. Xavier Musketeers
Xavier didn’t return a player who played a single minute last season (Roddie Anderson III redshirted after transferring from Boise State), forcing new head coach Richard Pitino to rebuild entirely via the portal. The good news is, the new roster won its opener with four double-figure outings from Malik Messina-Moore, Jovan Milicevic, All Wright and Tre Carroll. Can the Musketeers offer any kind of challenge to UConn and St. John’s in the Big East, though? We’ll be watching to see if college basketball can survive two Pitinos in the same league.
50. Memphis Tigers
Former NBA players haven’t tended to last long as college basketball head coaches. Penny Hardaway is an exception to that recent trend. Losing an entire roster in the offseason wasn’t a problem for Hardaway, who recruited top transfers to come play for him. What’s left to see is whether this group – headlined by Dug McDaniel (11.4 PPG at Kansas State), former five-star Aaron Bradshaw (6.0 PPG at Ohio State) and Sincere Parker (12.2 PPG at McNeese) – can mesh and dominate the American again.
51. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Coach Steve Forbes enters Year 6 at Wake Forest looking to make his first foray into March Madness with the Demon Deacons. Tre’Von Spillers is the team’s top returning player, and Washington transfer Mekhi Mason looks to spark the backcourt.
52. Saint Mary’s Gaels
Since 2007-08, the Gaels under coach Randy Bennett have won more than 20 games every season except the COVID-19-shortened season of 2020-21. But they must now replace WCC Player of the Year Augustas Marčiulionis, who led them to 29 wins and a fourth consecutive NCAA tournament berth last season.
53. Virginia Cavaliers
Ryan Odom takes over for the Cavaliers after two seasons at VCU, including an NCAA tournament appearance last season. Thijs De Ridder signed this season out of Belgium and has made an immediate impact, going for 21 points and 10 rebounds in his college debut against Rider.
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