College Basketball season tips off in just a few weeks!
We get a treat on opening night with 4 of the AP Top 5 teams playing each other in a pair of exciting Champions Classic games at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, November 5th.
There are plenty of vanilla rankings out there from 'sports guys' that are actually more focused on NFL, MLB, NCAA football... but I am a die hard hoop head that prioritizes NCAA basketball above all else! So I put together MY top 40 teams in the nation, right here for your entertainment! If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear them!
We get a treat on opening night with 4 of the AP Top 5 teams playing each other in a pair of exciting Champions Classic games at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, November 5th.
There are plenty of vanilla rankings out there from 'sports guys' that are actually more focused on NFL, MLB, NCAA football... but I am a die hard hoop head that prioritizes NCAA basketball above all else! So I put together MY top 40 teams in the nation, right here for your entertainment! If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear them!
| 1 |
Michigan State | The Spartans are led by senior point guard Cassius Winston, the best player in the country, who will have a good shot at becoming the first college player ever to reach 2,000 points & 1,000 assists. Returning from injury, former McDonald’s All American Jeremy Langford joins the backcourt for his senior season. On the wing, sophomore Aaron Henry has reportedly made the biggest improvement this off-season, and down low junior Xavier Tillman has been drawing NBA interest. |
| 2 |
Kentucky | More like 1B to MSU’s 1A, Kentucky is probably the most talented team in the nation. Returning point guard Ashton Hagans was SEC Co-Defensive POY last season. Hagans joins Quickly in a rare UK backcourt with both talent AND experience. Incoming freshmen 5-stars include combo guard Tyrese Maxey and wing Kahlil Whitney who appears dunk contest ready judging by the video of him dunking over three people at practice. Bucknell grad transfer Nate Sestina gives some depth in the frontcourt alongside Kentucky’s top two rebounders & shot-blockers returning in Richards & Montgomery. |
| 3 |
Kansas | The Jayhawks will be led by returning point guard Devon Dotson, returning center Udoka Azubuike as a dominant force down low, and legitimate NBA talent Ochai Agbaji in between. Add in Iowa transfer sharp shooter Moss, and they could easily be the best team in the country. Bill Self brought in Snoop Dogg, who in turn brought in strippers – I mean pole dancers – I mean ‘aerial dancers’ – to get the students and fans hype at Allen Fieldhouse… and I’m guessing it worked. I doubt they lose a game at The Phog this season. |
| 4 |
Louisville | Jordan Nwora, the preseason ACC POY, leads this team in coach Chris Mack’s second season in Louisville. St. Joe's transfer Kimble will start at the point while David Johnson recovers from injury. |
| 5 |
Florida | A solid backcourt with Nembhard & Mann, Va Tech transfer Blackshear down low, and 6’5” SG/SF skilled defender freshman Scottie Lewis make up one of the most complete teams in the country. |
| 6 |
Duke | Tre Jones returns his defense and leadership at the point guard position. Freshman Wendell Moore could provide the three point ability Duke was sorely missing last season. Star big man Vernon Carey will join Matthew Hurt in a fresh looking front court. |
| 7 |
Memphis | It’s year two for coach Penny Hardaway, with almost all freshmen. James Wiseman, Precious Achiuwa, and D.J. Jeffries are all 5-star talented freshmen in front court, then add in former Duke commit Boogie Ellis in the backcourt. The only returning experience on the team is actually at PG position. If this combination of freshmen talent wore “Duke” or “Kentucky” on their jerseys, most people would have them ranked top 3 in the nation. Let’s see if Penny can get the most out of this unreal collection of talent. |
| 8 |
Gonzaga | Concerns around the Killian Tillie injury is preventing the Zags from being in my top 5. Texas A&M transfer PG Admon Gilder should be a nice fit here, with Kispert back in action and talented incoming freshman Timme down low. |
| 9 |
Maryland | Terps will be led by veteran PG Anthony Cowan. Smith, Ayala & Wiggins are all great on the wings. A freshmen frontcourt is the main question mark. |
| 10 |
UNC | Freshman PG Cole Anthony is such a stud – he may honestly be the best player in country. He plays both ways and earned MVP honors in the McDonald’s All-American game this summer. UNC lost a ton of pieces though, and now will be without injured Anthony Harris, Jeremiah Francis & Sterling Manley to start season. |
| 11 |
Seton Hall | Pirates return 4 starters including Myles Powell, the preseason Big East POY. |
| 12 |
Ohio State | FSU transfer CJ Walker is eligible and will join freshman PG Carton in the backcourt. The returning Wesson brothers make this a much underrated team right now. |
| 13 |
Villanova | Freshman phenom Bryan Antoine – an explosive 6’5” SG – is still recovering from shoulder surgery and has yet to practice since high school. Coach Jay Wright is even considering redshirting him. If Antoine were healthy I would definitely have Nova in the top 10. |
| 14 |
Xavier | I expect big things in year 2 for coach Travis Steele. X returns Goodin, Marshall, Scruggs & Jones. |
| 15 |
Wisconsin | Badgers lost Ethan can’t-make-a-free-throw Happ, but return a backcourt of Trice & Davidson, Reuvers down low, and Kobe King who is ready to explode. Although Happ was dominant, this season’s Wisconsin team should be a great example of ‘addition by subtraction’. |
| 16 |
Arizona | A pair of freshmen 5-stars in Nico Mannion at the point, who can distribute or dominate himself, and Josh Green on the wing make this a very talented and entertaining squad. |
| 17 |
Oregon | Ducks return the bookends of last season's Sweet 16 lineup in PG Pritchard and C Okoro. This season they welcome incoming freshmen talent and UNLV transfer forward Juiston. |
| 18 |
Utah State | Return 6/7 top players, including Merrill & Queta. |
| 19 |
Georgetown |
Really good backcourt returns with last season's Big East Freshman of the Year James Akinjo and YouTube leaping sensation Mac McClung. Omer Yurtseven is now eligible, an 7-foot NBA prospect who transferred from NC State as a work in progress and has now had a year and a half to learn from Patrick Ewing. |
| 20 |
Virginia | The ‘Hoos not only lost their top three scorers from last season’s championship squad – they lost their best three players on campus since Malcolm Brogdon. With Tony Bennett coaching, UVA should still compete in the ACC, but I don’t expect another deep March run. UVA returns PG Kihei Clark, Mamadi Diakite, Braxton Key, and bring in two top 100 freshmen. |
| 21 |
Michigan | Year 1 for coach Juwan Howard is a major question mark for me, but he sure looked smart when he hired longtime St Joe's coach Phil Martelli as an assistant. Wolverines return senior PG Simpson, Livers, and 7-footer Teske. Brooks, Wagner incoming. Under coach John Beilein, this would have been a top 15 team. |
| 22 |
Marquette | The Hauser bros transferring out will hurt a lot. But the best scorer in the nation, Markus Howard, returns 25 PPG, 40% from 3, and his multiple 50+ point games. |
| 23 |
VCU | Last year’s A-10 champs returns 5 seniors, led by Evans at PG. They play excellent defense, but are just awful at 3-point shooting. VCU should battle Dayton & Davidson in the A-10. |
| 24 |
Auburn | Frontcourt depth in McLemore, Purifoy & Wiley return from last year’s Final Four squad. This is a tough team with length, but they’ll need to find shooting somewhere. |
| 25 |
Washington | Say hello to two 5-star freshmen Stewart & McDaniels down low. The Huskies' lengthy 2-3 zone defense will be tough to beat, but questions remain on offense with shooting - and scoring. |
| ... | ||
| 26 |
Cincinnati | |
| 27 |
Purdue | |
| 28 |
Texas Tech | |
| 29 |
Illinois | |
| 30 |
Colorado | |
| 31 |
Tennessee | |
| 32 |
LSU | |
| 33 |
Baylor | |
| 34 |
Saint Mary's | |
| 35 |
Houston | |
| 36 |
Iowa State | |
| 37 |
Florida St. | |
| 38 |
Providence | |
| 39 |
Davidson | |
| 40 |
NC State |