The college basketball season is here, and with it comes an annual Sports Illustrated tradition: the thankless task of attempting to rank every team in the sport. It was hard before the nonstop roster turnover that has reshaped the way rosters are built. Now? It’s even more challenging. It’s no longer enough just to know about Division I players and top high school recruits; covering college hoops in 2025 also requires some international expertise (players from leagues across Europe and around the globe are enrolling) and knowledge of lower levels like Division II and NAIA, plus intel on how all those pieces fit together.
Despite the challenges, it’s an inexact science worth taking on. The art of ranking every team helps you better understand the prevailing winds of player movement, which leagues look better or worse than normal and which teams from smaller leagues might emerge as potential Cinderellas. Last year’s rankings had their misses (top-10 Baylor and North Carolina squads that limped to the tournament) and hits (early shoutouts for Drake and UCSD as potential sleepers and bullish rankings compared to consensus) on emerging powers like Florida and Texas Tech. If nothing else, there’s real value in a comprehensive ranking created by hand, rather than the preseason analytical models like KenPom and T-Rank (which are incredibly valuable tools in the monthslong process of building these rankings).
Who should be dreaming big about a trip to Indianapolis next April? And which fan bases might want to shift their sights to next year already? Use these rankings as your early guide for the 4½-month journey to Selection Sunday.
365. Mississippi Valley State (No. 12 in SWAC)
364. New Haven (No. 10 in NEC)
363. Coppin State (No. 8 in MEAC)
362. Maryland Eastern Shore (No. 7 in MEAC)
361. Saint Francis (No. 9 in NEC)
360. Arkansas Pine Bluff (No. 11 in SWAC)
359. Fairleigh Dickinson (No. 8 in NEC)
358. West Georgia (No. 12 in Atlantic Sun)
357. Louisiana Monroe (No. 14 in Sun Belt)
356. New Hampshire (No. 9 in America East)
355. Wagner (No. 7 in NEC)
354. East Texas A&M (No. 12 in Southland)
353. Mercyhurst (No. 6 in NEC)
352. Stetson (No. 11 in Atlantic Sun)
351. Canisius (No. 13 in MAAC)
Louisiana Monroe (No. 357) is one of the toughest gigs in the country, significantly outresourced compared to its Sun Belt rivals. ULM features an all-name team guy in guard Wiggy Ball, a freshman from Mississippi. Saint Francis (No. 361) made its first NCAA tournament in 34 years last season, just to announce an impending move to Division III later that month. Head coach Rob Krimmel retired soon after the move was announced.
Bringing up the rear is Mississippi Valley State (No. 365). Based on KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin, there was as wide of a gap between MVSU and last season’s second-worst team (Arkansas Pine Bluff) as there was between Pine Bluff and No. 281 Idaho. MVSU is a brutal gig, and it’s hard to imagine the Delta Devils digging far out of the cellar this season.
350. Delaware State (No. 6 in MEAC)
349. Central Arkansas (No. 10 in Atlantic Sun)
348. Tennessee Tech (No. 11 in Ohio Valley)
347. Florida A&M (No. 10 in SWAC)
346. Stonehill (No. 5 in NEC)
345. Alabama A&M (No. 9 in SWAC)
344. North Carolina A&T (No. 13 in CAA)
343. Alcorn State (No. 8 in SWAC)
342. North Florida (No. 9 in Atlantic Sun)
341. The Citadel (No. 10 in SoCon)
340. Houston Christian (No. 11 in Southland)
339. Cal State Fullerton (No. 11 in Big West)
338. Morgan State (No. 5 in MEAC)
337. Tennessee State (No. 10 in Ohio Valley)
336. Le Moyne (No. 4 in NEC)
335. Eastern Illinois (No. 9 in Ohio Valley)
334. North Dakota (No. 9 in Summit League)
333. Chicago State (No. 3 in NEC)
332. Northern Illinois (No. 13 in MAC)
331. Alabama State (No. 7 in SWAC)
330. Northwestern State (No. 10 in Southland)
329. USC Upstate (No. 9 in Big South)
328. Western Illinois (No. 8 in Ohio Valley)
327. Prairie View A&M (No. 6 in SWAC)
326. Army (No. 10 in Patriot League)
Even Army (No. 326) isn’t immune to portal losses, seeing star wing Josh Scovens depart for Davidson. The Black Knights managed to keep emerging guard Ryan Curry, though. Another retention win can be found at USC Upstate (No. 329), which kept a pair of young double-figure scorers in Karmani Gregory and Carmelo Adkins. Talent has flowed through the Northern Illinois (No. 332) program in recent years, but wins haven’t followed. Swiss guard Dylan Ducommun has a chance to be its next star after one former Swiss Husky Yanic Konan Niederhauser eventually blossomed into a first-round pick.
Tennessee State (No. 337) hired a recognizable name in Nolan Smith, the former Duke guard who has spent time on the staffs at Duke, Louisville and Memphis. He managed to keep the roster together after head coach Brian Collins left for an NBA assistant job. Florida A&M (No. 347) also made something of a celebrity hire in former Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward (who went on to play professional basketball) out of the high school ranks. Adding to the football flavor of this squad? Buffalo transfer Anquan Boldin Jr., son of the star wide receiver, who averaged 7.8 ppg last season. And if you’re searching for proof that hiring a high school coach can work, Delaware State (No. 350) has been on an upward trajectory since hiring Stan Waterman off the HS sidelines in 2021.
325. Bellarmine (No. 8 in Atlantic Sun)
324. Saint Peter’s (No. 12 in MAAC)
323. Binghamton (No. 8 in America East)
322. Kansas City (No. 8 in Summit League)
321. Tennessee Martin (No. 7 in Ohio Valley)
320. Gardner Webb (No. 8 in Big South)
319. NJIT (No. 7 in America East)
318. Elon (No. 12 in CAA)
317. Lehigh (No. 9 in Patriot League)
316. Lafayette (No. 8 in Patriot League)
315. Texas Southern (No. 5 in SWAC)
314. Southern Indiana (No. 6 in Ohio Valley)
313. Northern Arizona (No. 9 in Big Sky)
312. Southern Utah (No. 7 in WAC)
311. North Carolina Central (No. 4 in MEAC)
310. Charleston Southern (No. 7 in Big South)
309. Detroit Mercy (No. 11 in Horizon League)
308. Long Beach State (No. 10 in Big West)
307. Niagara (No. 11 in MAAC)
306. South Dakota (No. 7 in Summit League)
305. Coastal Carolina (No. 13 in Sun Belt)
304. Green Bay (No. 10 in Horizon League)
303. Sacramento State (No. 9 in Big Sky)
302. Southeastern Louisiana (No. 9 in Southland)
301. Lindenwood (No. 5 in Ohio Valley)
It has been tough sledding so far in Division I for Lindenwood (No. 301), but it should take steps forward in its first year eligible for the NCAA tournament. The Lions retained promising wings Jadis Jones and Anias Futrell and added talented guards Mekhi Cooper and Dontrez Williams via the portal. Sacramento State’s (No. 303) talent far exceeds a 300-plus-ranked team after adding UNLV big Bear Cherry and former top recruit Mikey Williams this spring, but new head coach Mike Bibby is quite inexperienced. We saw last season the pitfalls of these celebrity hires at mid-majors with Green Bay (No. 304) and Doug Gottlieb, though Gottlieb has a much-improved roster in Year 2 that should take steps forward.
Former Michigan State assistant Mark Montgomery has prioritized recruiting locally at Detroit Mercy (No. 309). That might have helped keep a pair of promising freshmen in TJ Nadeau and Nate Johnson for a second year in the program. Southern Indiana (No. 314) had a miserable 2025, but added some proven backcourt talent like Trey Thomas (16 ppg at Bethune-Cookman) to help bounce back. On the opposite side of that is Elon (No. 318), which lost players to Indiana, Oregon and Seton Hall this spring and looks to be in rebuilding mode after taking steps forward a year ago. And while Bellarmine (No. 325) loses its legendary head coach Scott Davenport to retirement, his son Doug seems more than capable of taking over. Purdue transfer Brian Waddell should boost this group after a five-win season in ’25.
300. Stony Brook (No. 11 in CAA)
299. South Carolina State (No. 3 in MEAC)
298. UC Riverside (No. 9 in Big West)
297. Air Force (No. 12 in Mountain West)
296. Loyola Maryland (No. 7 in Patriot League)
295. IU Indianapolis (No. 9 in Horizon League)
294. Western Carolina (No. 9 in SoCon)
293. Grambling State (No. 4 in SWAC)
292. Nicholls (No. 8 in Southland)
291. Holy Cross (No. 6 in Patriot League)
290. Bryant (No. 6 in America East)
289. Presbyterian (No. 6 in Big South)
288. Buffalo (No. 12 in MAC)
287. Fairfield (No. 10 in MAAC)
286. Central Michigan (No. 11 in MAC)
285. LIU (No. 2 in NEC)
284. Pepperdine (No. 12 in WCC)
283. Central Connecticut (No. 1 in NEC)
282. VMI (No. 8 in SoCon)
281. Georgia State (No. 12 in Sun Belt)
280. Rider (No. 9 in MAAC)
279. UMass Lowell (No. 5 in America East)
278. Howard (No. 2 in MEAC)
277. Weber State (No. 8 in Big Sky)
276. Drexel (No. 10 in CAA)
We wrote in March about Howard’s (No. 278) all-out push to keep star freshman Blake Harper. Harper ended up transferring to Creighton, but Howard’s creativity helped it keep MEAC first-teamer Bryce Harris and reload around him. VMI (No. 282) was one of the sport’s biggest underachievers last season, winning 11 more games than the previous year. Keeping star guard Rickey Bradley Jr. gives them a chance to keep climbing the SoCon hierarchy. The NEC title race should be interesting: Central Connecticut (No. 283) was head and shoulders above the league analytically last season thanks to its elite defense but loses a lot, while LIU (No. 285) has the most talented group with outstanding returners Malachi Davis and Jamal Fuller.
It’s hard to believe we’re just six years removed from Buffalo (No. 288) finishing as a Top 25 team per KenPom under Nate Oats. The Bulls are coming off back-to-back bottom-30 finishes nationally under George Halcovage, though they could bounce back this season after keeping guard Ryan Sabol and adding a pair of impact non-Division I transfers Ezra McKenna and Mikhail Pocknett. Holy Cross (No. 291) is also banking on a pair of transfers from the D-II ranks in John St. Germain (Augusta) and Will Aljancic (Findlay). And IU Indianapolis (No. 295) hired one of the top D-II coaches in the country in Ben Howlett from powerhouse West Liberty. He brings four players with him, headlined by talented sophomore Kameron Tinsley. That has become an increasing trend in the sport, one also followed by UC Riverside (No. 298), whose new coach Gus Argenal joins them after a strong run at Cal State San Bernardino.
275. Albany (No. 4 in America East)
274. Northeastern (No. 9 in CAA)
273. Mercer (No. 7 in SoCon)
272. Eastern Michigan (No. 10 in MAC)
271. Utah Tech (No. 6 in WAC)
270. Georgia Southern (No. 11 in Sun Belt)
269. Wright State (No. 8 in Horizon League)
268. Montana State (No. 7 in Big Sky)
267. American (No. 5 in Patriot League)
266. Jackson State (No. 3 in SWAC)
265. Portland (No. 11 in WCC)
264. Purdue Fort Wayne (No. 7 in Horizon League)
263. UMBC (No. 3 in America East)
262. Morehead State (No. 4 in Ohio Valley)
261. Monmouth (No. 8 in CAA)
260. Bucknell (No. 4 in Patriot League)
259. Idaho State (No. 6 in Big Sky)
258. Mount St. Mary’s (No. 8 in MAAC)
257. FIU (No. 12 in Conference USA)
256. Marist (No. 7 in MAAC)
255. Cal State Bakersfield (No. 8 in Big West)
254. Marshall (No. 10 in Sun Belt)
253. Boston University (No. 3 in Patriot League)
252. Old Dominion (No. 9 in Sun Belt)
251. Hampton (No. 7 in CAA)
If you’re looking for an under-the-radar mid-major star, check out Boston University (No. 253) guard Kyrone Alexander. He had a strong sophomore year, then followed it up averaging 24 points per game with the Barbados national team this summer. Marshall (No. 254) struck gold with a Canadian college transfer in Dezayne Mingo. It hopes for similar luck this season with Western University guard Noah Otshudi. Marist (No. 256) was the lowest-rated team on KenPom to win 20-plus games last season, and returns a pair of talented guards in Jadin Collins-Roberts and Elijah Lewis to push for a second straight 20-win campaign.
It will be tough for Bucknell (No. 260) to repeat as Patriot League champs after losing star big Noah Williamson to Alabama. German import Amon Dörries has the upside to be a Williamson-like player in time though. Portland (No. 265) already hit big on one Australian in Austin Rapp (now at Wisconsin) and hopes to have done it again with Joel Foxwell, a crafty PG from Melbourne. There are only a handful of Alaskans playing Division I hoops, and Patrick McMahon at Montana State (No. 268) might be the best. He’s the leading returning scorer for the Bobcats having averaged 9.9 ppg in 2025. Utah Tech (No. 271) has built something of a French pipeline thanks to assistant coach Elliott De Wit, who attended high school in France and got his coaching start there. Guards Madiba Owona and Noah Bolanga could help the program climb in the WAC. And at Mercer (No. 273) well-traveled Canadian guard Baraka Okojie looks to bounce back after a rough year at Memphis. He had a strong freshman year at George Mason though and could be a star in the SoCon.
250. UC Davis (No. 7 in Big West)
249. Lamar (No. 7 in Southland)
248. Oral Roberts (No. 6 in Summit League)
247. Eastern Washington (No. 5 in Big Sky)
246. Southern (No. 2 in SWAC)
245. New Orleans (No. 6 in Southland)
244. Brown (No. 8 in Ivy League)
243. Jacksonville (No. 7 in Atlantic Sun)
242. Maine (No. 2 in America East)
241. Denver (No. 5 in Summit League)
240. Dartmouth (No. 7 in Ivy League)
239. Queens (No. 6 in Atlantic Sun)
238. Wofford (No. 6 in SoCon)
237. Bethune-Cookman (No. 1 in SWAC)
236. Cleveland State (No. 6 in Horizon League)
235. SIUE (No. 3 in Ohio Valley)
234. Bowling Green (No. 9 in MAC)
233. Longwood (No. 5 in Big South)
232. Northern Colorado (No. 4 in Big Sky)
231. Penn (No. 6 in Ivy League)
230. Austin Peay (No. 5 in Atlantic Sun)
229. Merrimack (No. 6 in MAAC)
228. Southeast Missouri (No. 2 in Ohio Valley)
227. Navy (No. 2 in Patriot League)
226. Fresno State (No. 11 in Mountain West)
Fran McCaffery has taken four schools to the NCAA tournament in his career. Can he make it a fifth at his alma mater, Penn (No. 231)? Virginia transfer TJ Power could be a steal for the Quakers. McCaffery is twice the age of 33-year-old new Longwood (No. 233) coach Ronnie Thomas, a baby-faced coach who looks young enough to still suit up in college hoops. Instead of a jersey, you’ll see Thomas on the sideline rocking his patented bow tie. Top Bowling Green (No. 234) assistant Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. is still in playing shape, suiting up for the Bahamian national team as recently as last year before being named the country’s head coach. The former Michigan State PG has a bright coaching future.
Bethune-Cookman (No. 237) is without a doubt talented, in part due to taking risks on players with checkered pasts. Doctor Bradley averaged over 19 points per game at Pine Bluff last season but once was at the center of the New Mexico State hazing scandal, while Arterio Morris has had stops at Kansas (where he was accused of rape; charges were eventually dropped) and Texas (where he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for assaulting an ex-girlfriend).
One of the teams SI is highest on compared to analytical projections like KenPom is Denver (No. 241). New HC Tim Bergstraser did a great job at Minnesota State Moorhead and brings with him a potential star in guard Carson Johnson. Maine (No. 242) has been a consistent overachiever under Chris Markwood. We’ll see if Cooper Flagg’s twin brother, Ace, can make an early impact there. Another potential overachiever relative to preseason consensus: New Orleans (No. 245). The Privateers have tons of size (seven players are 6′ 8″ or taller, including a pair of 7-footers) and a talented lead guard Jakevion Buckley.
225. Missouri State (No. 11 in Conference USA)
224. Southern Miss (No. 8 in Sun Belt)
223. Evansville (No. 11 in Missouri Valley)
222. Milwaukee (No. 5 in Horizon League)
221. Incarnate Word (No. 5 in Southland)
220. UT Arlington (No. 5 in WAC)
219. Iona (No. 5 in MAAC)
218. Northern Kentucky (No. 4 in Horizon League)
217. Ball State (No. 8 in MAC)
216. Valparaiso (No. 10 in Missouri Valley)
215. Manhattan (No. 4 in MAAC)
214. UNC Greensboro (No. 5 in SoCon)
213. Campbell (No. 6 in CAA)
212. North Dakota State (No. 4 in Summit League)
211. Western Michigan (No. 7 in MAC)
210. Colgate (No. 1 in Patriot League)
209. Sacred Heart (No. 3 in MAAC)
208. Pacific (No. 10 in WCC)
207. Robert Morris (No. 3 in Horizon League)
206. Sam Houston State (No. 10 in Conference USA)
205. Portland State (No. 3 in Big Sky)
204. Columbia (No. 5 in Ivy League)
203. Rice (No. 13 in American)
202. Delaware (No. 9 in Conference USA)
201. Oakland (No. 2 in Horizon League)
Could Greg Kampe get Oakland (No. 201) back to another NCAA tournament? Big man Tuburu Naivalurua is a load down low, as is Jacksonville State transfer Michael Houge. Columbia (No. 204) hired Florida assistant and offensive coordinator Kevin Hovde to take over their struggling program and has the talent to climb the Ivy League ladder quickly, returning six of its top seven scorers from a year ago. I appreciated Pacific (No. 208) athletic director Adam Tschuor putting Georgia Tech on blast for tampering with PG Lamar Washington, who left for Atlanta this spring. Even with his departure, Pacific’s roster looks improved for second-year HC Dave Smart.
We just mentioned the architect of Florida’s offense, Hovde, getting a head job. Its defensive coordinator, John Andrzejek, is taking over at Campbell (No. 213). Known as a global recruiter, Andrzejek has players from Nigeria, Lithuania, Guyana and Australia on his first team. The MAAC has been gutted by the portal in recent years, so it was encouraging (and a bit surprising) to see Manhattan (No. 215) keep uber-talented forward Will Sydnor after a huge freshman year. He could explode as a sophomore. Also worth watching in the MAAC is Iona (No. 219) which had a quick hook on Tobin Anderson after two years and is starting fresh with former NBA assistant Dan Geriot. Talent-wise, this is a group capable of winning the league despite being picked fifth here.
200. Florida Gulf Coast (No. 4 in Atlantic Sun)
199. Norfolk State (No. 1 in MEAC)
198. Abilene Christian (No. 4 in WAC)
197. Louisiana (No. 7 in Sun Belt)
196. La Salle (No. 14 in Atlantic 10)
195. Idaho (No. 2 in Big Sky)
194. UT Rio Grande Valley (No. 4 in Southland)
193. Lipscomb (No. 3 in Atlantic Sun)
192. California Baptist (No. 3 in WAC)
191. Texas State (No. 6 in Sun Belt)
190. Youngstown State (No. 1 in Horizon League)
189. North Alabama (No. 2 in Atlantic Sun)
188. Nebraska Omaha (No. 3 in Summit League)
187. Troy (No. 5 in Sun Belt)
186. Princeton (No. 4 in Ivy League)
185. William & Mary (No. 5 in CAA)
184. Eastern Kentucky (No. 1 in Atlantic Sun)
183. Quinnipiac (No. 2 in MAAC)
182. East Carolina (No. 12 in American)
181. Western Kentucky (No. 8 in Conference USA)
180. Utah Valley (No. 2 in WAC)
179. Cornell (No. 3 in Ivy League)
178. Cal Poly (No. 6 in Big West)
177. Stephen F. Austin (No. 3 in Southland)
176. Tarleton State (No. 1 in WAC)
The WAC is very much a toss-up this season in what could be the final year for the league. Just seven teams remain, and they’ll play a triple round-robin schedule. We’ve got Tarleton State (No. 176), Utah Valley (No. 180) and California Baptist (No. 192) with razor-thin margins between them. Tarleton has the highest ceiling if dynamic scorers Dior Johnson and Cam McDowell pan out, though a flameout for either wouldn’t be surprising. UVU loses a lot off a 25-win season, but coach Todd Phillips seems to have things rolling there, while California Baptist is looking to break through and has a star guard back in Dominique Daniels Jr. to help do just that.
Princeton (No. 186) managed to keep Xaivian Lee and Caden Pierce out of the transfer portal last year, but couldn’t do it a second straight year. Lee is off to Florida, while Pierce is redshirting this season with plans to transfer for his graduate year next season. That obviously puts a big dent in its Ivy hopes, though Mitch Henderson has proven to be an elite talent evaluator. Ethan Faulkner has kept things rolling from Jerrod Calhoun at Youngstown State (No. 190) as the Penguins have a great chance to make the NCAA tournament for the first time ever this season. Another team hunting its first-ever trip dancing is UT Rio Grande Valley (No. 194), a program that seems to be trending up under Kahil Fennell. Serbian big Filip Brankovic will be a load to deal with in the Southland, which is more wide open with Will Wade out of the league. And will some smart AD ever make Norfolk State (No. 199) coach Robert Jones an offer he can’t refuse? Their loss is Norfolk’s gain, as he has built one of the most consistent mid-major programs in the sport there.
175. Montana (No. 1 in Big Sky)
174. Louisiana Tech (No. 7 in Conference USA)
173. Temple (No. 11 in American)
172. Indiana State (No. 9 in Missouri Valley)
171. Siena (No. 1 in MAAC)
170. Middle Tennessee (No. 6 in Conference USA)
169. Hofstra (No. 4 in CAA)
168. Massachusetts (No. 6 in MAC)
167. Little Rock (No. 1 in Ohio Valley)
166. San Diego (No. 9 in WCC)
165. Texas A&M Corpus Christi (No. 2 in Southland)
164. Appalachian State (No. 4 in Sun Belt)
163. CSUN (No. 5 in Big West)
162. Harvard (No. 2 in Ivy League)
161. Winthrop (No. 4 in Big South)
160. Samford (No. 4 in SoCon)
159. San Jose State (No. 10 in Mountain West)
158. Charlotte (No. 10 in American)
157. Toledo (No. 5 in MAC)
156. UTEP (No. 5 in Conference USA)
155. Wyoming (No. 9 in Mountain West)
154. UNC Asheville (No. 3 in Big South)
153. New Mexico State (No. 4 in Conference USA)
152. Southern Illinois (No. 8 in Missouri Valley)
151. Furman (No. 3 in SoCon)
Bob Richey’s Furman (No. 151) teams always fire away from deep, ranking in the top five nationally taking over 51% of its field goals from three last season. Even bigs like 6′ 11″ Charles Johnston like to fire away. The midrange jump shot is out of style, but New Mexico State’s (No. 153) Jemel Jones is single-handedly trying to bring it back. He took 289 non-rim twos last season (and shot an impressive 49% on them), a total that matched or surpassed that of 50 D-I teams last season (including Furman). Conference rival UTEP (No. 156) aims to muddy the game, ranking in the top 10 nationally in opposing turnover rate in back-to-back years. And on the topic of unique styles, it will be quite the adjustment for Samford (No. 160) to go from Bucky McMillan’s breakneck run-and-press style to Lennie Acuff’s methodical, hyper-efficient offense.
Harvard (No. 162) has lost transfers to Arizona, Georgetown, Stanford and St. John’s in the last three years. That’s why keeping star freshman Robert Hinton this spring was particularly notable. He could challenge for Ivy POY honors. Little Rock (No. 167) has had the injury bug hit early, but a nucleus that features Johnathan Lawson and elite rim protecting big Tuongthach Gatkek is enough to be the early pick in the OVC. Two more conference favorites to watch in this range: Siena (No. 171), which has some exciting young talent like sophomore Gavin Doty and freshman Christian Jones; and Montana (No. 175), which kept dynamic ball screen guard Money Williams from an NCAA tournament team a year ago.
150. UTSA (No. 9 in American)
149. Richmond (No. 13 in Atlantic 10)
148. Illinois Chicago (No. 7 in Missouri Valley)
147. East Tennessee State (No. 2 in SoCon)
146. Boston College (No. 18 in ACC)
145. South Dakota State (No. 2 in Summit League)
144. Fordham (No. 12 in Atlantic 10)
143. Jacksonville State (No. 3 in Conference USA)
142. Kennesaw State (No. 2 in Conference USA)
141. UC San Diego (No. 4 in Big West)
140. Tulsa (No. 8 in American)
139. McNeese State (No. 1 in Southland)
138. Rhode Island (No. 11 in Atlantic 10)
137. Vermont (No. 1 in America East)
136. Arkansas State (No. 3 in Sun Belt)
135. Radford (No. 2 in Big South)
134. UNC Wilmington (No. 3 in CAA)
133. South Alabama (No. 2 in Sun Belt)
132. Duquesne (No. 10 in Atlantic 10)
131. Wichita State (No. 7 in American)
130. Washington State (No. 8 in WCC)
129. Hawai’i (No. 3 in Big West)
128. Chattanooga (No. 1 in SoCon)
127. Seattle (No. 7 in WCC)
126. Drake (No. 6 in Missouri Valley)
Drake (No. 126) has done nothing but win of late, including an NCAA tournament victory last season over Missouri. The roster turns over again with new head coach Eric Henderson, but Henderson has consistently found hidden gems in his career at South Dakota State and should continue to in Des Moines. Veteran guard transfers Jalen Quinn and Jaehshon Thomas should help a roster in transition. Want an illustration of how hard it is for strong mid-majors to get quality games on the schedule? Chattanooga (No. 128) is fresh off winning the NIT and will play two games in different states (Nov. 7 at Saint Mary’s, Nov. 8 at UNLV) fewer than 24 hours apart since they were among the few quality opponents willing to play. Further evidence of mid-major scheduling woes can be found at UNC Wilmington (No. 134), which won’t play a single high-major team this season. Beating Kentucky in a buy game in December 2023 can’t have helped matters.
Radford (No. 135) made one of the year’s most outside-the-box hires with Zach Chu, a Richmond alum with an analytics background working in the NBA. He brought with him a major NIL cash infusion that has helped the Highlanders build a quality roster, headlined by Clemson transfer Del Jones. Will Wade is gone from McNeese State (No. 139) but his fingerprints are still all over the program. His top assistant at LSU, Bill Armstrong, is the new head coach and star guard Javohn Garcia stuck around to lead the way. Antoine Pettway at Kennesaw State (No. 142) has done a great job taking advantage of bigger schools’ focus on the portal to land top freshmen. Star Adrian Wooley left for Louisville in the spring, but fellow youngsters Braedan Lue and Jamil Miller are back and a six-man freshman class with high upside enrolls for this season.
The last high-major team in the rankings is Boston College (No. 146), which would still represent a 35-spot improvement on its KenPom finish from a season ago. Star guard Donald Hand is back, but the Eagles’ talent after him is limited and the resources to acquire said talent are lacking compared to their power conference peers.
125. Tulane (No. 6 in American)
124. St. Thomas (No. 1 in Summit League)
123. Ohio (No. 4 in MAC)
122. Belmont (No. 5 in Missouri Valley)
121. Davidson (No. 9 in Atlantic 10)
120. James Madison (No. 1 in Sun Belt)
119. California (No. 17 in ACC)
118. Florida Atlantic (No. 5 in American)
117. UC Irvine (No. 2 in Big West)
116. Towson (No. 2 in CAA)
115. Kent State (No. 3 in MAC)
114. Loyola Marymount (No. 6 in WCC)
113. Saint Joseph’s (No. 8 in Atlantic 10)
112. UC Santa Barbara (No. 1 in Big West)
111. Rutgers (No. 18 in Big Ten)
110. North Texas (No. 4 in American)
109. Bradley (No. 4 in Missouri Valley)
108. Oregon State (No. 5 in WCC)
107. Stanford (No. 16 in ACC)
106. UAB (No. 3 in American)
105. Akron (No. 2 in MAC)
104. Illinois State (No. 3 in Missouri Valley)
103. Penn State (No. 17 in Big Ten)
102. Georgia Tech (No. 15 in ACC)
101. South Carolina (No. 16 in SEC)
Illinois State (No. 104) is on an upward trajectory after its first 20-win season since 2017. Ryan Pedon’s staff managed to retain two heavily tampered-with players in big man Chase Walker and guard Johnny Kinziger. Stanford (No. 107) head coach Kyle Smith has outperformed preseason KenPom expectations in seven straight seasons. That’s why in Pomeroy’s new coaching rankings, Smith comes in at No. 7 nationally, above Mark Few, Matt Painter and Bill Self. Another consistent overachiever? Brian Wardle at Bradley (No. 109), who has met or exceeded expectations in six straight years en route to building a consistent winner in Peoria, Ill.
The battle between UC Santa Barbara (No. 112) and UC Irvine (No. 117) in the Big West should be fun. Santa Barbara is the more talented group, with a pair of high-upside portal guards in Aidan Mahaney and Miro Little joining talented wing Jason Fontenet. Irvine is the most consistent program in the league for a reason though, and the return of guard Derin Saran after a pit stop at Stanford gives it one of the best scorers in the league. Speaking of consistent mid-major programs, none may have Belmont (No. 122) beat. The Bruins have won 20-plus game in all but one season since the George W. Bush administration and should keep that streak alive thanks to sharpshooter Tyler Lundblade. And a mid-major power may be brewing at St. Thomas (No. 124), which is eligible for the NCAA tournament for the first time this season as it completes the move up from Division III. The school is well-resourced, just opened a sparkling new facility and has an outstanding ball coach at its helm in Johnny Tauer. This is a program that could rise quickly.
100. Miami (Ohio) (No. 1 in MAC)
99. High Point (No. 1 in Big South)
98. St. Bonaventure (No. 7 in Atlantic 10)
97. Murray State (No. 2 in Missouri Valley)
96. Northern Iowa (No. 1 in Missouri Valley)
95. Colorado (No. 16 in Big 12)
94. Nevada (No. 8 in Mountain West)
93. UNLV (No. 7 in Mountain West)
92. DePaul (No. 11 in Big East)
91. George Mason (No. 6 in Atlantic 10)
90. New Mexico (No. 6 in Mountain West)
89. UCF (No. 15 in Big 12)
88. Seton Hall (No. 10 in Big East)
87. Florida State (No. 14 in ACC)
86. Yale (No. 1 in Ivy League)
85. Utah (No. 14 in Big 12)
84. Santa Clara (No. 4 in WCC)
83. Pittsburgh (No. 13 in ACC)
82. Arizona State (No. 13 in Big 12)
81. Charleston (No. 1 in CAA)
80. Grand Canyon (No. 5 in Mountain West)
79. Liberty (No. 1 in Conference USA)
78. Xavier (No. 9 in Big East)
77. George Washington (No. 5 in Atlantic 10)
76. Notre Dame (No. 12 in ACC)
George Washington (No. 77) has its sights set on an A-10 breakthrough this year after spending big in the portal this spring. The Revolutionaries have impressive depth, kept star big Rafael Castro and gets shooting forward Garrett Johnson back from injury. The jump to the Mountain West is a notable one for Grand Canyon (No. 80). The Lopes have the talent to compete right away, but the quality of competition and atmospheres they’ll walk into are night and day from the WAC. Charleston (No. 81) has one of the strongest one-bid league rosters, with four guys who’ve averaged double figures in D-I plus a pair of strong D-II transfers and a guy who started his career at Duke. And at Santa Clara (No. 84), it will be fascinating to watch Thierry Darlan play. The talented African wing was ruled eligible by the NCAA despite spending two seasons playing in the G League.
Utah (No. 85) and Florida State (No. 87) each hired alums from the NBA assistant ranks. Alex Jensen was a terrific player for the Utes and spent a decade as an assistant for the Jazz, while Luke Loucks is a 35-year-old up-and-comer who once ran the point for Leonard Hamilton in Tallahassee. Seton Hall (No. 88) was the lowest-rated high-major team last season en route to a 7–25 campaign, but the roster is improved and transfer point guard Budd Clark is a consummate winner.
The 90s are loaded with intriguing mid-majors. Northern Iowa (No. 96) and Murray State (No. 97) are neck and neck in the MVC, with Northern Iowa relying on roster continuity and Murray all-in on new faces after hiring Creighton assistant Ryan Miller this spring. Watch French wing Roman Domon for the Racers. High Point (No. 99) may have a new coach in Flynn Clayman, but the talent level here is elite. A third straight 25-win season should be in the cards. And Miami (Ohio) (No. 100) came painfully close to the Big Dance a year ago, losing by two to Akron in the MAC title game. With five of its top six scorers back, this could be the year for Travis Steele’s team.
75. San Francisco (No. 3 in WCC)
74. Colorado State (No. 4 in Mountain West)
73. South Florida (No. 2 in American)
72. Syracuse (No. 11 in ACC)
71. LSU (No. 15 in SEC)
70. Dayton (No. 4 in Atlantic 10)
69. Butler (No. 8 in Big East)
68. West Virginia (No. 12 in Big 12)
67. VCU (No. 3 in Atlantic 10)
66. Loyola Chicago (No. 2 in Atlantic 10)
65. Georgia (No. 14 in SEC)
64. Villanova (No. 7 in Big East)
63. Oklahoma State (No. 11 in Big 12)
62. Wake Forest (No. 10 in ACC)
61. Northwestern (No. 16 in Big Ten)
60. Memphis (No. 1 in American)
59. Georgetown (No. 6 in Big East)
58. Minnesota (No. 15 in Big Ten)
57. TCU (No. 10 in Big 12)
56. Virginia Tech (No. 9 in ACC)
55. Kansas State (No. 9 in Big 12)
54. Mississippi State (No. 13 in SEC)
53. Nebraska (No. 14 in Big Ten)
52. Clemson (No. 8 in ACC)
51. Texas (No. 12 in SEC)
Clemson (No. 52) has one of the more intriguing roster builds out there, with four 6′ 9″ or taller transfers all expected to factor in. Nick Davidson (Nevada) and Carter Welling (Utah Valley) are high-level talents to watch coming east. The backcourt is a question mark though. Mississippi State (No. 54) and Kansas State (No. 55) will go as far as high-usage guards Josh Hubbard and PJ Haggerty, respectively, take them. Both are All-American talents with questionable supporting casts.
Memphis (No. 60) losing Haggerty and Dain Dainja this offseason means Penny Hardaway is starting fresh. The Tigers are still SI’s pick in the American thanks to PG Dug McDaniel, but South Florida (No. 73) could give them a real push. At times, Georgia (No. 65) may trot out lineups with Marcus “Smurf” Millender and Blue Cain sharing the floor together. That backcourt could give SEC foes the blues. Butler (No. 69) is excited about freshman Azavier “Stink” Robinson, the program’s highest-rated recruit ever and the headliner of a top-30 high school class. LSU (No. 71) and Syracuse (No. 72) each enter the year with head coaches on the hot seat but improved rosters from disastrous 2025 seasons. Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU) and Naithan George (Syracuse) are high-level portal PGs who could provide a significant boost. And in case you’re already feeling old, avoid watching Colorado State (No. 74) games. Their new coach is March Madness legend Ali Farokhmanesh, who takes over the program at 37 years old after being Niko Medved’s top lieutenant in Fort Collins, Colo.
50. Miami (No. 7 in ACC)
49. Utah State (No. 3 in Mountain West)
48. Mississippi (No. 11 in SEC)
47. Saint Louis (No. 1 in Atlantic 10)
46. Providence (No. 5 in Big East)
45. Boise State (No. 2 in Mountain West)
44. SMU (No. 6 in ACC)
43. Maryland (No. 13 in Big Ten)
42. Vanderbilt (No. 10 in SEC)
41. Saint Mary’s (No. 2 in WCC)
40. Cincinnati (No. 8 in Big 12)
39. USC (No. 12 in Big Ten)
38. Indiana (No. 11 in Big Ten)
37. Oklahoma (No. 9 in SEC)
36. Marquette (No. 4 in Big East)
35. Washington (No. 10 in Big Ten)
34. Missouri (No. 8 in SEC)
33. NC State (No. 5 in ACC)
32. Texas A&M (No. 7 in SEC)
31. Oregon (No. 9 in Big Ten)
30. Baylor (No. 7 in Big 12)
29. Iowa (No. 8 in Big Ten)
28. Creighton (No. 3 in Big East)
27. Alabama (No. 6 in SEC)
26. San Diego State (No. 1 in Mountain West)
San Diego State (No. 26) is our highest-rated team from outside the power conferences other than Gonzaga. Keeping Magoon Gwath after he tested the portal and Miles Byrd after he tested the NBA draft was massive. Iowa (No. 29) is aggressively ranked in this ballot, but with an elite point guard in Bennett Stirtz and a sharp tactical mind in Ben McCollum it wouldn’t be a shock if they overachieved. Baylor (No. 30) has struggled badly on the defensive end since Jerome Tang left to be the head coach at Kansas State. The Bears have made a concerted effort to improve there, hiring a defensive-minded assistant in Ron Sanchez and adding significantly more positional size than they’ve had in recent years.
It will be fascinating to watch Texas A&M (No. 32) with Bucky McMillan taking over. Will his constant full-court press work at the highest level of college hoops? NC State (No. 33) has plenty of backcourt talent in Will Wade’s first season, especially if young guards Paul McNeil and Matt Able live up to the lofty billing they’ve earned in practice. Another new coach to watch: Darian DeVries at Indiana (No. 38). This is very much a transition roster, but wings Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson should win the Hoosiers games with their shooting ability.
Few first-year coaches last season did a better job than Mark Byington at Vanderbilt (No. 42). Tyler Nickel and Devin McGlockton are quality returners to lead the way in 2025–26. SMU (No. 44) overachieved last season, but an 0–5 mark in Quad 1 games did it in from an NCAA tournament standpoint. Jacksonville State transfer guard Jaron Pierre Jr. should help push it over the top in high-level games. Providence (No. 46) had a miserable 2025 but should be much improved with Vandy transfer Jason Edwards and UCF import Jaylin Sellers leading the way. And after seeing the rapid year-over-year improvement Josh Schertz’s Indiana State’s teams had, it’s easy to bet on Saint Louis (No. 47) for a big second-year jump. The talent level and depth have improved significantly from a year ago.
25. Iowa State (No. 6 in Big 12)
T.J. Otzelberger has earned the benefit of the doubt with his transfer portal evaluations after some great under-the-radar hits in recent years, but this crop of newcomers doesn’t look great on paper. The three key pieces Iowa State retained give them the necessary nucleus to compete for another protected seed in the NCAA tournament though, and if Dominick Nelson and Blake Buchanan hit, this ranking could look far too low in retrospect. Read more on the Cyclones.
24. Gonzaga (No. 1 in WCC)
This ranking would represent a step back for Gonzaga after a ridiculous 10 straight seasons in the top 12 of KenPom, though the Zags’ numbers are often juiced by their utter domination of WCC foes. That said, there’s too much backcourt uncertainty to feel confident putting this team among the top-tier title contenders. We should learn a lot early with matchups against Oklahoma, Creighton, Arizona State, Alabama and Maryland all before Thanksgiving Day. Read more on the Bulldogs.
23. Ohio State (No. 7 in Big Ten)
From both a talent and continuity standpoint, this group looks like an upper-third Big Ten team. The Buckeyes’ offensive ceiling might be one of the five or so best units nationally. Concerns about the defense and a head coach who’s in just his second full season running a program are real, but this group’s ceiling is high if it all comes together. Read more on the Buckeyes.
22. Michigan State (No. 6 in Big Ten)
The floor is really high with this group given the Hall of Fame coach on the sideline and the elite defensive personnel. The questions come with the ceiling, especially given this group’s offensive limitations. If nothing else, this will not be a fun team to play against and one that will likely grind their way to plenty of ugly wins. Read more on the Spartans.
21. North Carolina (No. 4 in ACC)
North Carolina’s roster construction makes a lot more sense this year than last season’s combination of ball-dominant guards and bad bigs. Henri Veesaar is a huge upgrade at center, and the Heels can surround a relentless rim presence like Seth Trimble with plenty of shooting. If Caleb Wilson makes the impact some in Chapel Hill, N.C., expect him to, this group could be in for a major bounce back. Read more on the Tar Heels.
20. Virginia (No. 3 in ACC)
Virginia nailed the Ryan Odom hire, and Odom’s ability to quickly put his stamp on a place with such a prominent predecessor is a really promising sign for the future. The financial investment in this roster should make the bar for a successful first year more than just sneaking into the NCAA tournament, but the mix of talent and experience here gives this roster a chance to seriously push the best of the ACC and potentially make a deep run this March. Read more on the Cavaliers.
19. UCLA (No. 5 in Big Ten)
The Donovan Dent add massively increases the Bruins’ ceiling from a year ago, giving them the elite talent and offensive engine that could allow them to take the next step and be back in Final Four contention. But it won’t be easy in a rough-and-tumble Big Ten, especially with the amount of travel they’ll deal with in January and February. Read more on the Bruins.
18. Wisconsin (No. 4 in Big Ten)
The Badgers have been a relatively safe bet under Greg Gard to at least crack the top 20, landing as a top-five seed in five of the last seven years. This year’s portal class, when paired with John Blackwell and Nolan Winter, gives them enough talent to be right in that same mix yet again. The next step is a March breakthrough, with folks in Madison, Wis., restless for a trip to the second weekend that hasn’t come since 2017. Read more on the Badgers.
17. Tennessee (No. 5 in SEC)
Tennessee has one of the nation’s best coaches, an elite point guard and a projected top-five NBA draft pick. That alone gives the Vols a leg up on most of the rest of the sport, especially given you can trust them to be among the best defenses nationally. Things could get clunky offensively though at times, especially if Amaree Abram or Ethan Burg doesn’t emerge as a legitimate threat. Read more on the Vols.
16. Auburn (No. 4 in SEC)
There’s plenty of uncertainty here with the late coaching change and a new-look roster. Tahaad Pettiford is a superstar though, and Auburn has put enough talent around him to be very competitive in the SEC. If Keyshawn Hall channels his talents better in a winning situation or Elyjah Freeman blossoms into a star, this group could easily be back at the top of the league. Read more on the Tigers.
15. Illinois (No. 3 in Big Ten)
This year’s Illini team doesn’t have as much NBA talent as last year’s, but they’re older and more proven across the board. If Andrej Stojakovic is as advertised along with a jump from Tomislav Ivisic, this Illinois team will be incredibly hard to guard. It’s going to be tough for anyone to catch Purdue, but Illinois is built to score with just about anyone. Read more on the Illini.
14. Arkansas (No. 3 in SEC)
This is the most continuity a John Calipari team has had since the 2015 Kentucky squad that went 38–1. No one should be expecting that from Arkansas this year, but it’s not unrealistic to expect the Razorbacks to seriously contend at the top of the SEC. At his best, perhaps Calipari’s top attribute was his ability to get players who all believed they were the best player to buy into a team concept. If he can do that with this ball-dominant backcourt, the Hogs should be back in the second weekend … and could maybe go even further than that this March. Read more on the Razorbacks.
13. Arizona (No. 5 in Big 12)
Tommy Lloyd is a proven winner, and it’s hard not to love this group’s size, physicality and depth. This could be the best team in the country on the glass and one of the best in transition. With a daunting early season schedule matching up against the likes of Florida, UCLA, UConn and Auburn in the first month and change, don’t be surprised if they take some early losses as this young group as they find their footing offensively. But as Lloyd finds the best lineup combinations to roll out, this group could be on a roll by March. Read more on the Wildcats.
12. Michigan (No. 2 in Big Ten)
Dusty May did a lot with a transition year roster in 2024–25 and now has the type of talent to seriously compete for Final Fours and national championships. Yaxel Lendeborg is a likely first-rounder, and both Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. could play their way into that conversation before the year is up. If Michigan’s big bet on Elliot Cadeau pays off, this might be the Big Ten team most equipped to challenge Purdue for the conference title. Read more on the Wolverines.
11. Kansas (No. 4 in Big 12)
This is a critical year at Kansas to prove that the last two years aren’t a trend and to maximize their time with a potentially generational prospect in Darryn Peterson. If Peterson is as good as I expect him to be, he’ll cover a lot of the flaws with this roster. But there’s little margin for error here, and the road won’t be easy with a tough nonconference schedule in addition to the loaded Big 12 slate. Read more on the Jayhawks.
10. Kentucky (No. 2 in SEC)
This is a deeper, more talented and more athletic Kentucky team than the one we saw last year, one with the potential to be much improved defensively. If Mark Pope can find creative ways to operate efficiently on the offensive end (and there are plenty of reasons to believe he will), this could be one of the best two-way squads in the country. With a healthy Jayden Quaintance, this is a team that can compete for a national championship. Read more on the Wildcats.
9. BYU (No. 3 in Big 12)
This BYU roster is built very much like an NBA team, with three ultra-high usage players in Robert Wright III, Richie Saunders and AJ Dybantsa and highly specialized role players surrounding them. That’s a potent trio capable of leading a team to the highest of heights in the college game. The questions are real defensively with this roster construction, though, especially if some of the floor-spacing adds win out in the battle for minutes. With early tests against Villanova, UConn, Wisconsin and Miami in the season’s first month, we should learn quickly just how good this BYU group is. Read more on the Cougars.
8. Louisville (No. 2 in ACC)
If you’re making a list of college basketball’s League Pass teams (i.e., the squads you’d pay extra to watch every night), Louisville would be on it. Pat Kelsey’s style of play paired with this amount of shooting and playmaking could make the best version of this team an absolute joy to watch. Whether a team this reliant on the three that might not be great on the defensive end can seriously contend for a national championship remains to be seen, but it feels foolish to bet against Kelsey after his Year 1 magic. Read more on the Cardinals.
7. Texas Tech (No. 2 in Big 12)
This is as aggressive a ranking as you’ll find for a Tech team that is outside the top 20 of analytics-based preseason ranks like T-Rank and EvanMiya. That said, this looks like a roster that fits perfectly together. I’m bullish on the transfer portal additions and their fit with two stars in JT Toppin and Christian Anderson. The Big 12 is loaded, but the Red Raiders should be a factor at the top. Read more on the Red Raiders.
6. St. John’s (No. 2 in Big East)
Rick Pitino’s elite defensive scheme with this amount of size and athleticism basically ensures this group will be one of the most imposing teams on that end of the floor this season. That combined with the added three-point shooting raises the ceiling of this group higher than last season’s team, though shaky point guard play could be what holds Pitino’s team back from a true breakthrough in March. Read more on the Red Storm.
5. Purdue (No. 1 in Big Ten)
Purdue has one of the best coaches in the country (Matt Painter), the best point guard in the country (Braden Smith), and one of the best forwards in the country (Trey Kaufman-Renn). That gives Purdue one of the highest floors in the country. If the defense takes a step or one of the young guards explodes into another top-tier option, this might be the best team in the country. Read more on the Boilermakers.
The top four teams will be revealed this week: No. 4 on Tuesday, Oct. 28, No. 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 29, No. 2 on Thursday, Oct. 30 and No. 1 on Friday, Oct. 31. Find full profiles of each team on SI.com and check back here for the updated rankings each day.
More College Basketball on Sports Illustrated
Listen to SI’s new college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.
Source link
