1. Houston is ranked first due to Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars returning eight of the top 10 scorers from a successful previous season. With a strong backcourt lineup, including LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp, and Oklahoma transfer Milos Uzan, Houston is poised to dominate the Big 12 conference.
2. North Carolina is ranked second as the Tar Heels return key players from a team that won the ACC and secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Adding talented recruits, North Carolina has high hopes of making a deep run in the tournament.
3. Duke, under the leadership of Jon Scheyer, is ranked third with a strong roster returning from a successful previous season. With a top-ranked recruiting class and standout players like Cooper Flagg, Duke is expected to be a force in college basketball.
4. Iowa State, led by TJ Otzelberger, is ranked fourth with the top four scorers returning from a team that showed great success last season. Players like Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert are expected to shine and lead Iowa State to new heights in the tournament.
5. Kansas, coached by Bill Self, is ranked fifth with a solid roster returning and key transfers joining the team. With players like Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams, and Dajuan Harris, Kansas is expected to be a top contender in the Big 12 conference.
6. UConn, under Dan Hurley, is ranked sixth with key players returning from a previous NCAA Tournament-winning team. Despite some departures, UConn is expected to remain a strong program under Hurley’s guidance.
7. Gonzaga, led by Mark Few, is ranked seventh with a talented roster returning from a successful previous season. With almost every rotation player returning, Gonzaga is expected to continue its NCAA Tournament streak.
8. Auburn, under Bruce Pearl, is ranked eighth with key returning players and promising additions to the roster. With talented freshmen and transfers, Auburn is expected to compete at a high level in the upcoming season.
9. Purdue, coached by Matt Painter, is ranked ninth with a strong roster returning from a successful previous season. Despite some departures, Purdue is expected to continue its impressive streak at KenPom.com.
10. Creighton, led by Greg McDermott, is ranked tenth with almost every rotation player returning from a successful previous season. With a talented trio on the court, Creighton is poised to be a top contender in the Big East conference.
