With the college basketball season less than a month away, it’s time to begin analyzing some of the top teams we may see in March and April.
And while the college football season overshadows college basketball in November and December, those are when the best teams separate themselves from the pack and build standout resumes against high-level non-conference opponents.
Considering that, we ranked the top 25 college basketball teams ahead of the 2025-26 season. Let’s get into it.
25) Gonzaga Bulldogs
For Gonzaga standards, the 2024-25 season was a significant disappointment. They finished second behind Saint Mary’s in the WCC standings and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
But with big man Graham Ike returning and the transfer of former GCU star Tyon Grant-Foster (who is awaiting a waiver), the Bulldogs should be better offensively than they were a year ago. As the favorites in the WCC, look for Gonzaga to make the tournament once again and potentially make a run this year.
24) Oregon Ducks
With their returning duo of point guard Jackson Shelstad and center Nate Bittle, who were both third-team All-Big Ten selections a season ago, the Ducks will be in a good position to make some more noise this season.
Head coach Dana Altman is among the best in the nation and always seems to round his team into form come March. They should be better suited to compete in the Big Ten in their second year in the conference, in which they went 12-8 and finished eighth in the standings last year.
23) Arizona Wildcats
Senior guard Jaden Bradley will be the leader of the Wildcats, but he’ll be aided by the talent of freshman Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, two highly-rated recruits who could start from Day 1.
Anthony Dell’Orso, another senior, will provide experience on the wing, having come on late last season. Coming off a Sweet Sixteen appearance in which they allowed 100 points to Duke, the focus should be on the defensive side of the ball, especially with the high-scoring nature of the Big 12.
22) Iowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones return a large core of a promising team that advanced to the tournament’s second round last season but was bounced by Ole Miss. Back is the trio of Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, and Milan Momcilovic, where continuity alone should earn them several wins this season.
Expected once again to be one of the best defenses in the country, Iowa State may not have a high enough ceiling to be a national title contender, but it can certainly make a run come March as it rides its veterans and defense.
21) NC State Wolfpack
After a very successful stint at McNeese State, there are high expectations for first-year NC State head coach Will Wade — for good reason. He brought in a talented group of transfers, headlined by Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams, North Carolina’s Ven-Allen Lubin, and Michigan State’s Tre Holloman.
The Wolfpack can challenge the Blue Devils at the top in a potentially weak ACC.
20) Wisconsin Badgers
For the Badgers, it all starts with John Blackwell Jr. One part of a duo alongside John Tonje last season, Blackwell emerged as a very reliable all-around player last season.
Now heading into the 2025-26 campaign, Tonje is gone, opening the door for Blackwell to step through and lead the team. A solid trio of transfers will aid him, as Nick Boyd (San Diego State), Andrew Rohde (Virginia), and Austin Rapp (Portland) should all provide solid contributions.
19) Creighton Blue Jays
In a transition year for the Blue Jays, as they move forward with stalwart center Ryan Kalkbrenner and point guard Steven Ashworth, head coach Greg McDermott leaned in on the transfer portal.
He poached Josh Dix and Owen Freeman from Iowa and former Howard standout Blake Harper, one of the best freshmen in the nation despite playing lesser competition. This is a high-ceiling, low-floor type of team.
18) Illinois Fighting Illini
While several players transferred out of Illinois, several key players also transferred in. The catalyst is Andrej Stojakovic, who averaged nearly 18 points per game at Cal. Big man Zvonimir Ivisic also left Arkansas for the Fighting Illini, pairing up with his brother, Tomislav, on the interior.
Returning guard Kylan Boswell will be important in meshing the team’s chemistry early on, but Illinois indeed enters this season more talented than it was a season ago.
17) Auburn Tigers
While the pre-season retirement of head coach Bruce Pearl (who handed the job to his son) was a curious decision, the Tigers have plenty of talent on this roster to stay competitive in the rugged SEC.
The leader is sophomore point guard Tahaad Pettiford, who withdrew from the NBA Draft despite being a potential first-round pick. UCF Keyshawn Hall was a huge get in the portal, as he averaged nearly 20 points per game last season. That duo alone is one of the best in the conference and should carry them.
16) Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks are entering a position they haven’t been in since 2022: not being the No. 1 preseason team. They’re now much lower in the rankings after not making the Sweet Sixteen in both seasons.
That’s not to say that head coach Bill Self’s squad isn’t talented, as they sport one of the top recruits in shooting guard Darryn Peterson. There have been rave reviews this offseason on Peterson, who is widely expected to be a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The question is whether he’s ready to engineer a successful season in Kansas. We’ll have to wait and see.
15) Alabama Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide’s strength is the backcourt. Junior Aden Holloway showed flashes last season as Mark Sears’ backup, and sophomore Labaron Philon Jr. passed up on being a potential first-round pick in returning to school.
However, that won’t be enough in the SEC as head coach Nate Oats will need several transfers to step up in key spots on the wing and interior.
14) Tennessee Volunteers
Though Tennessee is losing a large core of last season’s team, they secured the commitment of two key players: Maryland transfer Ja’Kobe Gillespie and top-five recruit Nate Ament, a tall, long wing who’s in the mix to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft.
Head coach Rick Barnes’ teams are constantly hounding defensively, which should be no different in 2025. If Gillespie and Ament live up to expectations, the Volunteers could be very dangerous come the tournament.
13) Arkansas Razorbacks
Last season was a whirlwind for the Razorbacks, as they looked to be a top-five team before looking dead in the water in the middle of SEC play. From there, they went on a run all the way to the Sweet Sixteen, surprising the college basketball world.
With a talented quartet of Darius Acuff Jr., D.J. Wagner, Karter Knox, and Trevin Brazile, Arkansas hopes to have a steady season of wins and once again peak heading into the tournament. With head coach John Calipari at the helm for his second season, that could be the reality this year.
12) UCLA Bruins
The Bruins landed one of the top point guards in the portal during the offseason, as former New Mexico star Donovan Dent immediately becomes one of the top players in the Big Ten. With big man Tyler Bilodeau returning, the Bruins will have one of the top duos in the conference.
The offense was weak last season, leading them to a second-round exit in the tournament. But with Dent in the fold and head coach Mick Cronin holding that defensive standard high, the ceiling is raised exponentially.
11) Michigan Wolverines
With nearly his entire core leaving, head coach Dusty May went to work in the portal. He landed arguably the best player in former UAB star Yaxel Lendeborg, who was a potential first-round pick before deciding to join the Wolverines. He’ll be joined by point guard Eliot Cadeau (North Carolina) and Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois), who were key players for their respective teams a season ago.
Shooting guard Roddy Gayle Jr. had a strong finish to last season and should be expected to fulfill a larger scoring role, rounding out an excellent quartet in the starting lineup. For May, he did a tremendous job of reloading and giving Michigan a chance at making a run for the national title come March.
10) BYU Cougars
Just edging themselves into the top 10, the Cougars should have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Sharpshooter Richie Saunders returns and will be joined by top recruit AJ Dybantsa and Baylor transfer Robert Wright III, who will set the table for the team.
The question will be on the defensive end of the floor, where BYU has fallen short in recent seasons. Regardless, they should be amongst the top teams in the Big 12 and an extremely entertaining watch each night.
9) St. John’s Red Storm
Head coach Rick Pitino engineered one of the best St. John’s seasons in recent memory last season. He will be looking for even more this season, as he brings in a talented group of transfers headlined by former North Carolina guard Ian Jackson.
Several others were highly rated in the portal, and they’ll be joining All-Big East center Zuby Ejiofor, one of the country’s top big men. We know the Red Storm will be tough, embodying Pitino’s personality, but will they have enough chops offensively to make a run?
8) Louisville Cardinals
Projected lottery pick point guard Mikal Brown Jr., a freshman, is expected to have the ball in his hands early and often for the Cardinals. He’ll have plenty of help on the wing, where guards Ryan Conwell and Isaac McKneely will carry much of the scoring load.
They’re both transfers, just two of head coach Pat Kelsey’s standout transfer portal class. Louisville will be among the favorites to emerge from the ACC.
7) Kentucky Wildcats
Otega Oweh is the undoubted leader for the Wildcats, having had an impressive junior campaign last year. He’ll be joined in the backcourt by Pitt transfer Jaaland Lowe, who stuffed the stat sheet with the Panthers and will look to significantly impact winning.
Head coach Mark Pope was excellent in his first season at Kentucky, leading his team to the Sweet Sixteen. They can be even better in his second season at the helm.
6) Texas Tech Red Raiders
Perhaps returning the top player in the country, the Red Raiders will be led by All-American forward JT Toppin. Though they lost Darrion Williams to the portal, there’s still plenty of talent and ability on the roster.
Transfer forward LeJuan Watts, who averaged 13.7 points per game a season ago at Washington State, will have a significant impact. The Big 12 is suddenly loaded this season, but don’t forget about Texas Tech, which has valuable experience after making the Elite Eight.
5) UConn Huskies
Coming off a disappointing season in which their three-peat national title hopes were dashed, the Huskies enter 2025-26 amongst the inner circle of teams with the personnel to win it all.
Alex Karaban and Solo Ball are back, providing a veteran presence on the roster. Multiple transfers will be expected to step in and play significant roles for head coach Dan Hurley, whose standards are always sky high for his team.
4) Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils’ roster is loaded with young talent. Recruits Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr, and Nikolas Khamenia are all vying for starting spots alongside returners Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans.
In recent years, young teams have had trouble the deeper they advance in the tournament. Look at last year’s Duke team, which crumbled in the final minute against a veteran-laden Houston squad. Something will have to change for the Blue Devils to get over the hump and win a title.
3) Florida Gators
Early in the offseason, the Gators’ program looked to be in flux after winning the national title. All three starting guards departed for the draft, and a backup guard decided to transfer as well, leaving the cupboard relatively bare.
But quickly, head coach Todd Golden went to work in the portal. He welcomed the transfer of Boogie Fland (Arkansas) and Xaivian Lee (Princeton) while retaining both forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, who played key roles in Florida’s run. They appear to have retooled and will have a solid chance at defending their title.
2) Houston Cougars
The Cougars’ motivation from a last-second national title game loss should be high. They return a large core of that team, including key cogs Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp, and Joseph Tugler.
They also welcome top-five recruit center Chris Cenac Jr., who is expected to assume a starting role immediately. The defensive prowess of Houston will carry them as they figure out their offense — which is the key to them getting over the top.
1) Purdue Boilermakers
With the most accomplished senior trio in the country in point guard Braden Smith, shooting guard Fletcher Loyer, and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, it’s hard to put any other team besides the Boilermakers in the No. 1 spot.
The three were excellent last season, leading a Sweet Sixteen run that ended in a two-point loss to Houston. Purdue should run the Big Ten and enter the tournament as one of the favorites. Smith was a candidate for the Naismith Award last season and is among the favorites to claim it this season.
