1. Gonzaga Bulldogs (4-0)
The early eye test will tell you that the Zags are the best team in the country. Mark Few’s squad has the #1 offense in the country and is coming off a big win on the road against a tough San Diego State program last night.
2. Auburn Tigers (4-0)
Bruce Pearl’s Tigers continue to roll after last week’s big win over Houston. Johni Broome looks like the early frontrunner for the National Player of the Year. Auburn is KenPom’s #1 team in the country.
3. UConn Huskies (3-0)
Shouldn’t the back-to-back National Champs be the #1 team in the country until proven otherwise? Probably, but they will have a chance to prove it in early December with some marquee non-conference matchups.
4. Kansas Jayhawks (4-0)
Bill Self did a great job re-tooling this program after depth and shooting woes hampered them last year. Hunter Dickinson will be on the shortlist for plenty of hardware as he continues to dominate opposing frontcourts.
5. Iowa State Cyclones (3-0)
The Cyclones have dominated inferior competition to start the season, and their defense is once again suffocating. The backcourt of Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert is one of the best in the country.
6. Purdue Boilermakers (4-0)
So far, so good for Purdue in the post-Zach Edey era. Star point guard Braden Smith and company showed they belong with a big win over Alabama this past weekend.
7. Houston Cougars (2-1)
An early season blemish to Auburn won’t stop the Cougars from any of their goals. Coach Kelvin Sampson has one of his best all-around rosters and they will be in the mix for a number one seed at season’s end.
8. Tennessee Volunteers (4-0)
The Vols have always been strong defensively under Rick Barnes, but last year, we saw a strong complement of offense. That looks to be the case again this year with All-American guard Zakai Zeigler running the show.
9. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)
Well, that didn’t take long for Mark Pope to make a statement in year one. The Wildcats earned a big win over Duke, who boast one of the best rosters in the country. The Cats are underrated defensively and have premier outside shooting.
10. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-1)
The Tide fell on the road at Purdue after a strong start that included wins over some of the top mid-major programs in the country (Arkansas State and McNeese). The schedule doesn’t get any easier with five straight dates with AP Top 25 matchups.
11. Duke Blue Devils (3-1)
The upside of this roster, with its youth and veterans is one of the best in the country. Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are legit and will only get better. It won’t take long for the Blue Devils to be back in the Top 10.
12. Creighton Blue Jays (4-0)
Center Ryan Kalkbrenner has been one of the best players in the country on both ends of the floor. Creighton hasn’t had the toughest schedule to date, but that’s about to change over the next two weeks.
13. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-1)
The Tar Heels bounced back after a 3-point loss on the road at Kansas by smashing American University by 52. This offense, led by All-American guard RJ Davis is one of the best in the country. This team needs someone to step up in the frontcourt if they want to make a deep run in March
14. Marquette Golden Eagles (4-0)
Shaka Smart and company got a big win on the road against a very good Maryland team. Dynamic guard Kam Jones has been excellent. Like UNC, the frontcourt is the story to watch as we move through the year.
15. Indiana Hoosiers (3-0)
There were a lot of question marks on the fit of this roster, but so far so good for Mike Woodson. Sophomore Mackenzie Mgbako looks like he’s taken a big step early this season. This schedule doesn’t have many tests in the Non-Con.
16. Baylor Bears (3-1)
The Bears gave up 101 points in an ugly opening game against Gonzaga, but since then have looked much better. 5-star freshman VJ Edgecombe looks like a budding star. Scott Drew will have his program right by conference play.
17. Cincinnati Bearkats (3-0)
Cincinnati has all the tools to put together a special season. They have a plethora of options in the backcourt and strong rim protection in the frontcourt. Early December will provide some insight into how good this team can be.
18. Florida Gators (4-0)
Despite some off-court issues, Todd Golden has his Gators off to a strong start. Stud guard Walter Clayton has made a seamless transition to point guard. Florida will be a problem in the SEC.
19. Wisconsin Badgers (5-0)
Well, hello, Badgers! A big win over Arizona this past Friday will get the hype train going. John Tonje has been incredible to start the year including a 41-point effort in the big win. This team still has a lot of questions long term.
20. St. John’s Red Storm (4-0)
Rick Pitino’s second year is off to a strong start, including a nice win over his son and a talented New Mexico program. Elite guards Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith have the ability to take this program to heights they haven’t seen in quite some time.
21. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0)
Their needs to be more love nationally for the Red Raiders. Transfer big man JT Toppin has been one of the best players in the country. This team has the ability to beat you on both ends.
22. Arizona Wildcats (2-1)
Tough loss at home to the Badgers, but the roster is full of talent. Caleb Love can shoot this team to a Final Four or into an early-round exit in March. The bounce-back opportunity this weekend with Duke is coming up.
23. Texas A&M Aggies (3-1)
The Aggies dropped a tough opener on the road at UCF, but made up for it with a nice 14-point win over Ohio State over the weekend. Wade Taylor is the face of the program, but transfer guard Zhuric Phelps is the X-Factor.
24. Pittsburgh Panthers (5-0)
Like Cincinnati, Pitt is another team flying under the radar with a big upside. They blew out West Virginia by 24 over the weekend. This is one of the most experienced teams in the country with size and playmaking.
25. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-0)
The much-anticipated debut of 5-star forward Ace Bailey has Rutgers fans officially ready to go. Not to be overshadowed, fellow 5-star freshman Dylan Harper has scored 20+ points in each game to start the year.
