Link: ESPN
1. Michigan
2. Duke
3. Florida
4. Connecticut
5. Arizona
6. Michigan State
7. Arkansas
8. Illinois
9. Virginia
10. Houston
11. St. John's
12. Cockeye State
13. Texas
14. Purdue
15. St. Louis
16. TCU
17. USC
18. Nebraska
19. North Carolina
20. Alabama
21. Gonzaga
22. BYU
23. Missouri
24. Vanderbilt
25. Cockeye
Next In Line
Tennessee, Kansas, Miami (FL), Texas Tech, Maryland
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1. Michigan
The reigning national champions have a legitimate chance to go back-to-back depending on the NBA draft decisions of frontcourt stalwarts Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. Entering the NCAA Tournament, both players were projected in the late first round. After high-level performances in the tournament, though, both could justifiably leave. Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney are expected to return, though, while incoming five-star recruit Brandon McCoy should join them on the perimeter.
Projected Starting Lineup
Elliot Cadeau (10.1 PPG)
Brandon McCoy (No. 18 in SC Next 100)
Trey McKenney (9.5 PPG)
Morez Johnson Jr. (13.4 PPG)
Aday Mara (12.0 PPG)
6. Michigan State
Assuming Jeremy Fears Jr. returns to East Lansing, coach Tom Izzo should have one of his best and deepest teams in recent years. Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper will be gone, but the Spartans have Cam Ward ready to take a step forward and top-50 recruit Ethan Taylor to help. Coen Carr, Kur Teng, Jordan Scott and Divine Ugochukwu all contributed this past season and will be back, and Kaleb Glenn should be healthy. Top-50 recruit Jasiah Jervis is another option who gives Izzo a fast-rising shotmaker with a high ceiling.
Projected Starting Lineup
Jeremy Fears Jr. (15.3 PPG)
Jordan Scott (5.9 PPG)
Kur Teng (7.5 PPG)
Coen Carr (12.0 PPG)
Cam Ward (5.2 PPG)
8. Illinois
Coach Brad Underwood should have the players to make another run at a Big Ten championship and the Final Four next season. Most of the team's key European players have more eligibility, including David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic, while Andrej Stojakovic -- who excelled in a bench role -- could also return. The Illini will have to replace Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell, most likely via the transfer portal. But incoming freshmen Quentin Coleman and Lucas Morillo will push for minutes.
Projected Starting Lineup
Quentin Coleman (No. 30 in SC Next 100)
Jake Davis (5.6 PPG)
Andrej Stojakovic (13.5 PPG)
David Mirkovic (13.6 PPG)
Tomislav Ivisic (10.2 PPG)
14. Purdue
It's a new era in West Lafayette. Gone are Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, a trio that brought a lot of wins and plenty of success to the Boilermakers. C.J. Cox is the lone starter back in the fold, although coach Matt Painter should expect jumps from reserves Omer Mayer and Daniel Jacobsen. Incoming top-50 recruit Luke Ertel and former Princeton transfer Caden Pierce should help replace some of the outgoing stars, and potential returnees Jack Benter and Gicarri Harris have plenty of experience as role players.
Projected Starting Lineup
Luke Ertel (No. 46 in SC Next 100)
Omer Meyer (5.5 PPG)
C.J. Cox (8.5 PPG)
Caden Pierce (11.2 PPG at Princeton)
Daniel Jacobsen (5.8 PPG)
17. USC
There are still a few moving parts, particularly in the backcourt, but coach Eric Musselman could have one of the most talented teams in the country, from an NBA perspective, if everything holds. The Trojans have an elite recruiting class with three McDonald's All-Americans, headlined by five-star frontcourt players Christian Collins and Adonis Ratliff. Alijah Arenas is one of those future NBA talents, and Rodney Rice averaged more than 20 points before an injury. If Rice and Arenas return, USC has an incredibly high ceiling.
Projected Starting Lineup
Rodney Rice (20.3 PPG)
Alijah Arenas (14.1 PPG)
Christian Collins (No. 5 in SC Next 100)
Jacob Cofie (9.9 PPG)
Adonis Ratliff (No. 15 in SC Next 100)
18. Nebraska
After putting together the biggest surprise season of anyone in college basketball, what does coach Fred Hoiberg have in store for an encore? Rienk Mast, Jamarques Lawrence and Sam Hoiberg are all gone, but elite shotmaker Pryce Sandfort and sixth man extraordinaire Braden Frager should be back. Berke Buyuktuncel should also return as a starter. The Cornhuskers could use point guard help, though, and perhaps a reliable frontcourt player alongside Buyuktuncel.
Projected Starting Lineup
Cale Jacobsen (4.6 PPG)
Braden Frager (11.7 PPG)
Pryce Sandfort (17.9 PPG)
Berke Buyuktuncel (6.7 PPG)
Ugnius Jarusevicius (16.2 PPG at Central Michigan in 2024-25)
25. Cockeye
For the first time in four years -- at three different schools -- coach Ben McCollum will enter the season without Bennett Stirtz as his starting point guard. Sure, McCollum had Division II success before Stirtz entered the fold, and he has been a winner at every spot regardless of personnel. But there will be an adjustment given how ball-dominant and high-usage Stirtz was in McCollum's system. What will help is that most of the Cockeyes' rotation could return, including NCAA tournament contributors Alvaro Folgueiras, Tate Sage and Cooper Koch.
Projected Starting Lineup
Kael Combs (6.2 PPG)
Tate Sage (5.6 PPG)
Cooper Koch (7.8 PPG)
Alvaro Folgueiras (8.5 PPG)
Cam Manyawu (6.9 PPG)
1. Michigan
2. Duke
3. Florida
4. Connecticut
5. Arizona
6. Michigan State
7. Arkansas
8. Illinois
9. Virginia
10. Houston
11. St. John's
12. Cockeye State
13. Texas
14. Purdue
15. St. Louis
16. TCU
17. USC
18. Nebraska
19. North Carolina
20. Alabama
21. Gonzaga
22. BYU
23. Missouri
24. Vanderbilt
25. Cockeye
Next In Line
Tennessee, Kansas, Miami (FL), Texas Tech, Maryland
==============================
1. Michigan
The reigning national champions have a legitimate chance to go back-to-back depending on the NBA draft decisions of frontcourt stalwarts Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. Entering the NCAA Tournament, both players were projected in the late first round. After high-level performances in the tournament, though, both could justifiably leave. Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney are expected to return, though, while incoming five-star recruit Brandon McCoy should join them on the perimeter.
Projected Starting Lineup
Elliot Cadeau (10.1 PPG)
Brandon McCoy (No. 18 in SC Next 100)
Trey McKenney (9.5 PPG)
Morez Johnson Jr. (13.4 PPG)
Aday Mara (12.0 PPG)
6. Michigan State
Assuming Jeremy Fears Jr. returns to East Lansing, coach Tom Izzo should have one of his best and deepest teams in recent years. Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper will be gone, but the Spartans have Cam Ward ready to take a step forward and top-50 recruit Ethan Taylor to help. Coen Carr, Kur Teng, Jordan Scott and Divine Ugochukwu all contributed this past season and will be back, and Kaleb Glenn should be healthy. Top-50 recruit Jasiah Jervis is another option who gives Izzo a fast-rising shotmaker with a high ceiling.
Projected Starting Lineup
Jeremy Fears Jr. (15.3 PPG)
Jordan Scott (5.9 PPG)
Kur Teng (7.5 PPG)
Coen Carr (12.0 PPG)
Cam Ward (5.2 PPG)
8. Illinois
Coach Brad Underwood should have the players to make another run at a Big Ten championship and the Final Four next season. Most of the team's key European players have more eligibility, including David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic, while Andrej Stojakovic -- who excelled in a bench role -- could also return. The Illini will have to replace Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell, most likely via the transfer portal. But incoming freshmen Quentin Coleman and Lucas Morillo will push for minutes.
Projected Starting Lineup
Quentin Coleman (No. 30 in SC Next 100)
Jake Davis (5.6 PPG)
Andrej Stojakovic (13.5 PPG)
David Mirkovic (13.6 PPG)
Tomislav Ivisic (10.2 PPG)
14. Purdue
It's a new era in West Lafayette. Gone are Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, a trio that brought a lot of wins and plenty of success to the Boilermakers. C.J. Cox is the lone starter back in the fold, although coach Matt Painter should expect jumps from reserves Omer Mayer and Daniel Jacobsen. Incoming top-50 recruit Luke Ertel and former Princeton transfer Caden Pierce should help replace some of the outgoing stars, and potential returnees Jack Benter and Gicarri Harris have plenty of experience as role players.
Projected Starting Lineup
Luke Ertel (No. 46 in SC Next 100)
Omer Meyer (5.5 PPG)
C.J. Cox (8.5 PPG)
Caden Pierce (11.2 PPG at Princeton)
Daniel Jacobsen (5.8 PPG)
17. USC
There are still a few moving parts, particularly in the backcourt, but coach Eric Musselman could have one of the most talented teams in the country, from an NBA perspective, if everything holds. The Trojans have an elite recruiting class with three McDonald's All-Americans, headlined by five-star frontcourt players Christian Collins and Adonis Ratliff. Alijah Arenas is one of those future NBA talents, and Rodney Rice averaged more than 20 points before an injury. If Rice and Arenas return, USC has an incredibly high ceiling.
Projected Starting Lineup
Rodney Rice (20.3 PPG)
Alijah Arenas (14.1 PPG)
Christian Collins (No. 5 in SC Next 100)
Jacob Cofie (9.9 PPG)
Adonis Ratliff (No. 15 in SC Next 100)
18. Nebraska
After putting together the biggest surprise season of anyone in college basketball, what does coach Fred Hoiberg have in store for an encore? Rienk Mast, Jamarques Lawrence and Sam Hoiberg are all gone, but elite shotmaker Pryce Sandfort and sixth man extraordinaire Braden Frager should be back. Berke Buyuktuncel should also return as a starter. The Cornhuskers could use point guard help, though, and perhaps a reliable frontcourt player alongside Buyuktuncel.
Projected Starting Lineup
Cale Jacobsen (4.6 PPG)
Braden Frager (11.7 PPG)
Pryce Sandfort (17.9 PPG)
Berke Buyuktuncel (6.7 PPG)
Ugnius Jarusevicius (16.2 PPG at Central Michigan in 2024-25)
25. Cockeye
For the first time in four years -- at three different schools -- coach Ben McCollum will enter the season without Bennett Stirtz as his starting point guard. Sure, McCollum had Division II success before Stirtz entered the fold, and he has been a winner at every spot regardless of personnel. But there will be an adjustment given how ball-dominant and high-usage Stirtz was in McCollum's system. What will help is that most of the Cockeyes' rotation could return, including NCAA tournament contributors Alvaro Folgueiras, Tate Sage and Cooper Koch.
Projected Starting Lineup
Kael Combs (6.2 PPG)
Tate Sage (5.6 PPG)
Cooper Koch (7.8 PPG)
Alvaro Folgueiras (8.5 PPG)
Cam Manyawu (6.9 PPG)
