With college football season in full swing, that means college basketball is not far away. The anticipation continues to build as teams work their way through preseason camp across the country and the preseason AP Poll Top 25 approaches.
Anticipation for the season will only grow once each team is assigned a number and fanbases outside the Top 25 make their case to enter quickly after games get underway.
In the meantime, here is a predictive look at what the first 2024-25 AP Poll Top 25 could look like when the votes are tallied in the preseason.
Predicted AP Poll Top 25
1. Alabama
Alabama brings one of the deepest rosters into the 2024-25 season, which boosted them to No. 1 in the On3 way-too-early rankings throughout the offseason. This group features a top transfer class and recruiting class which will fill out the spots around the returni
2. Kansas
Kansas is pretty much always the safe play to predict as a Top Five team under Bill Self. This year is no different with a solid roster of veteran talent ready to prove itself. The group of returning talent and incoming transfers makes them dangerous from the start of the season to the end.
3. Houston
Under Kelvin Sampson, Houston has earned the respect of AP voters year after year. Now a staple inside the Top Five, there is no reason to drop the Cougars entering the 2024-25 season with a lot of familiar faces ready to run it back.
4. UConn
UConn is coming off back-to-back national championships, so any list with the Huskies No. 1 is hard to argue with, but the roster still needs some flushing out before a three-peat is possible. Under Dan Hurley there will be plenty willing to take that bet and keep this team near the top.
North Carolina loses some key pieces from the program but did well to combine the recruiting trail with the transfer portal in an effort to rebuild the roster around returners. The perimeter play promises to electrify once more, but to climb into the tier of those above them, the Tar Heels must prove themselves in the frontcourt.
6. Duke
Duke brings in a highly-anticipated freshman class, just like it has proven able to do so many times. The real reason for optimism outside of that group is the investment in veteran transfer able to help the young core through the growing pains which will keep them in this tier until they prove themselves.
7. Baylor
Baylor remains one of the most consistent programs in college basketball, bringing in a few instant-impact transfers and a couple highly-touted recruits to a system ready for plug-and-play. Scott Drew turned down other opportunities this offseason and now looks primed to make another deep run.
8. Gonzaga
Gonzaga hit the transfer portal once again for talented players ready to complement what the returning stars bring to the table. After a season where many questioned the credentials of the Bulldogs, Mark Few looks to put those to rest early this season.
9. Creighton
Creighton returns its point guard and center, a great start for any college basketball team looking for success. The addition of impact scorers on the wing will be pivotal as they look to replace plenty exiting talent on that area of the floor.
10. Iowa State
Iowa State rounds out the projected Top 10 for the preseason AP Poll, bringing back plenty in the backcourt from a team which looked worthy of a 1-seed conversation by the end of last season. Newcomers in the frontcourt could prove the difference in a jump up or down in tier for the Cyclones this season.
Predicting 11-25
11. Auburn
12. Purdue
13. Arizona
14. Arkansas
15. Tennessee
16. Indiana
17. Texas A&M
18. Marquette
19. Kentucky
20. Illinois
21. SDSU
22. Florida
23. UCLA
24. Michigan State
25. St. John’s
Should be in
Providence, Texas, Kansas State, Clemson, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, USC
In the preseason AP Top 25, there will always be room for debate. After all, every team has NCAA Tournament aspirations right now.
These teams will have the biggest gripe if they are left off the list, with various reasons to predict they will not get deserved love leading into the season.
For the likes of Providence, Kansas State, Cincinnati, Ole Miss and USC, it is simply a matter of asking the team to accomplish something they did not last year. However, there is reasons for optimism as each program boasts a high-level coach and a bevy of incoming transfer portal talent which will mesh with returning stars.
For Clemson, they experience changes to a successful roster which creates doubt that they can repeat the performance. However, with the incoming group of players along with an experienced core, there is plenty reason to believe the NCAA Tournament run can serve as a building block.
