Rankings

Tier Rank Team Conference

1 1 Baylor Big 12
1 2 Gonzaga WCC
1 3 Houston AAC
1 4 Kentucky SEC
2 5 Tennessee SEC
2 6 Duke ACC
2 7 Texas Big 12
2 8 UNC ACC
2 9 Arizona Pac 12
2 10 Creighton Big East
2 11 Arkansas SEC
3 12 UCLA Pac 12
3 13 Alabama SEC
3 14 Illinois Big 10
3 15 San Diego State MWC
3 16 Kansas Big 12
3 17 Oregon Pac 12
3 18 UConn Big East
3 19 Dayton A10
3 20 Florida SEC
3 21 Texas Tech Big 12
3 22 Indiana Big 10
3 23 Auburn SEC
3 24 Florida State ACC
3 25 Villanova Big East
4 26 TCU Big 12
4 27 Iowa Big 10
4 28 Virginia ACC
4 29 Michigan Big 10
4 30 Virginia Tech ACC
4 31 Texas A&M SEC
4 32 Xavier Big East
4 33 Oklahoma Big 12
4 34 Oklahoma State Big 12
4 35 Notre Dame ACC
4 36 Purdue Big 10
4 37 Saint Mary’s WCC
4 38 Michigan State Big 10
4 39 Memphis AAC
4 40 UAB CUSA
4 41 Ohio State Big 10
5 42 Miami ACC
5 43 Iowa State Big 12
5 44 Marquette Big East
5 45 Wyoming MWC
5 46 Saint Louis A10
5 47 USC Pac 12
5 48 LSU SEC
5 49 Ole Miss SEC
5 50 Saint John’s Big East
5 51 Seton Hall Big East
5 52 Maryland Big 10
5 53 Stanford Pac 12
5 54 Arizona State Pac 12
5 55 Furman SoCon
5 56 VCU A10
5 57 North Texas CUSA
5 58 BYU WCC
5 59 Rutgers Big 10
5 60 Loyola Chicago A10
5 61 Missouri SEC
5 62 Drake MVC
5 63 Washington State Pac 12
6 64 Cincinnati AAC
6 65 Providence Big East
6 66 Tulane AAC
6 67 San Francisco WCC
6 68 Western Kentucky CUSA
6 69 Wisconsin Big 10
6 70 Wake Forest ACC
6 71 West Virginia Big 12
6 72 Colorado State MWC
6 73 Penn State Big 10
6 74 Butler Big East
6 75 Boise State MWC
- HM Mississippi State SEC
- HM Utah State MWC
- HM Kansas State Big 12
- HM Colorado Pac 12
- HM Clemson ACC
- HM Vanderbilt SEC
- HM Syracuse ACC
- HM Toledo MAC
- HM Liberty ASun
- HM NC State ACC
- HM DePaul Big East
- HM Northwestern Big 10
- HM Temple AAC
- HM Towson CAA
- HM Georgia SEC
- HM Georgetown Big East
- HM Vermont AE
- HM Minnesota Big 10
- HM New Mexico MWC
 1.1. Baylor
KenPom: 6 | Barttorvik: 2 | Haslametrics: 2 | EvanMiya: 6

Coach: Scott Drew

PG: LJ Cryer | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Adam Flagler | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Keyonte George (3) | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Jalen Bridges (West Virginia) | Wing | 6’8”
C: Flo Thamba | Big | 6’10”
B1: Langston Love | Guard | 6’5”
B2: Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua* | Big |6’8”
B3: Caleb Lohner (BYU) | Forward | 6’8”
B4: Dale Bonner | Guard | 6’2”
B5: Zach Loveday | Big | 7’0”

Strengths
• Likely the best guard room in the country with Cryer, Flagler, George, and Love. Unreal talent with those 4, all capable
of starting for any team in the country.
• Tons of shot creation and ability to score out of ball screens in a ball screen heavy system. Four ball handlers that are
dynamic weapons to shoot it off the dribble. Should torch more traditional coverages and force opposing centers up to
touch.
• A lot of shooting on this roster. The guards are all high-level shooters, with the addition of Bridges on the wing also
being a shooting threat with size. Spread ball screen heavy system needs shooting, expect a lot of shakes and motion on
the backside of actions with dynamic movement shooters.
• Multiple threats to create shots without a ball screen. Shot making is very high-level on this team, late clock and late
game situations should not be an issue offensively.
• Thamba has improved as a roller and with the short roll. Good enough to attack mismatches on a switch. Tchamwa
Tchatchoua is a dynamic weapon as a rim runner if healthy. Lohner adds another element as a smaller screen setter with
more juice on the move.
• A lot of foot speed and some versatility defensively. Thamba can play multiple coverages and none of the guards are
liabilities on defense. Bridges and Lohner give more size on the wing against better forwards.
• Some defensive versatility with lineup combinations. Tchamwa Tchatchoua allows switching if healthy, as does Lohner
at the 5 with smaller groups.

Weaknesses
• Center rotation is thin with the health of Tchamwa Tchatchoua in question.
• Lohner is a little difficult to play next to the other centers because of shooting limitations, could take away from some
of the versatility he provides.
• How many guards can be on the floor at the same time? The 4 guards are likely the 4 best players, but not all will play
at once.
• Is the point of attack defense good enough? The guards aren’t necessarily high-level defenders, but all can hold up.
Wonder if that’s enough against the best players in the country.
• Rim pressure could be a little lacking compared to the talent level. Wish the guards collapsed the defense more often.
• Not a ton of high-level playmaking, but there is plenty of ability to excel in basic reads.
• One injury away on the wing from being a very small team. Rebounding and secondary rim protection could potentially
be an issue overall.

Quick Summary
Bring together one of the best systems for guards and arguably the best backcourt in the country and you have a fairly
explosive combination. This Baylor roster is tailormade for what Scot Drew likes to do offensively. The ball handling,
shooting, and shot creation is impressive. I also think this team can do well defensively within their no-middle scheme
with the additions of Bridges and Lohner. Baylor could be underrated to this point, as I think they could potentially be
the best team in the country.
 1.2. Gonzaga
KenPom: 3 | Barttorvik: 1 | Haslametrics: 1 | EvanMiya: 1

Coach: Mark Few

PG: Nolan Hickman | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Rasir Bolton | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Malachi Smith (Chattanooga) | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Julian Strawther | Wing | 6’7”
C: Drew Timme | Big | 6’10”
B1: Anton Watson | Forward | 6’8”
B2: Hunter Sallis | Wing | 6’5”
B3: Efton Reid (LSU) | Big | 6’11”
B4: Dominick Harris | Guard | 6’3”
B5: Kaden Perry | Forward | 6’9”

Strengths
• One of the best teams in the country operating out of ball screens. Motion heavy offense with plenty of spacing and
talented guard play.
• Push the ball in transition a ton. They have the athletes and shooters to operate out of that transition heavy style.
Allows them to quickly put away weaker teams while juicing their offensive efficiency against better ones.
• Should have one of the better backcourts in the country. Smith is arguably the best point guard to transfer, being a
massive weapon to score off the dribble or facilitate. Bolton is a monster shooter and Hickman slides nicely into the role
of more of a playmaker.
• More lineup versatility than some previous Gonzaga teams. Can go with smaller lineups with shooting at 5 spots with
Strawther at the 4. Can go bigger with either Watson or Reid alongside Timme. Can even go with more switch heavy
lineups with Timme on the bench.
• Point of attack defense should be a strength of this team. Strawther, Smith, and Sallis are all well above average on the
defensive side of the ball.
• Watson and Reid should provide some level of weakside rom protection next to Timme. Needed in their ball screen
coverages and an important part of their defensive scheme.
• Tons of shooting on this team. Can potentially go with more 5-out lineups than in years past. Floor could be really
opened up for Timme to attack. Can also utilize him more in Delay and DHO situations.
• Timme is arguably the best post threat in the country while working in a system that really optimizes his offensive
strengths. Tough to double him in this system but he also kills most defenders in single coverage.

Weaknesses
• What happens when teams go at Timme on the defensive side of the ball. That’s been the issue with Gonzaga for his
time there, and the loss of Chet really hurts that. Lineup optionality could be limited against some better teams, but Reid
and Watson needing to be in also constrict the floor.
• Have struggled against teams that really bring the pressure defensively. Aggressive ball screens coverages, tough point
of attack defenders, and physically imposing centers have been the formula that could give Gonzaga issues again.
• Do the perimeter players have enough of an ability to self-generate paint touches to prevent the offense from stalling
against teams with centers that can defend Timme?
• Better post players with shooting around them could give this team issues.
• Are the pick and roll playmakers to the level that they have been in years past?
• I don’t know if their guards will be quite as good at juicing the pace as they have been in previous years.

Quick Summary
The notion of Gonzaga being perennially underrated is massively overblown. This is another reloaded roster that should
be amongst the most talented in the country. They are also led by Mark Few, a coach that tends to get a ton out of
teams with this construction, combining beautiful offense with breakneck pace. There are some concerns about
defensive versatility and ball screen coverage in space, but those concerns haven’t always limited Gonzaga. The
additions along with internal development should create for another great season for the Zags.
 1.3. Houston
KenPom: 7 | Barttorvik: 6 | Haslametrics: 7 | EvanMiya: 3

Coach: Kelvin Sampson

PG: Jamal Shead | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Marcus Sasser | Guard | 6’2”
SF: Tramon Mark | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Jarace Walker (4) | Forward | 6’8”
C: J’Wan Roberts | Big | 6’7”
B1: Terrance Arceneaux (14) | Wing | 6’7”
B2: Ramon Walker Jr. | Wing | 6’4”
B3: Mylik Wilson (Texas Tech) | Guard | 6’3”
B4: Reggie Chaney | Big | 6’8”
B5: Ja’Vier Francis | Forward | 6’8”

Strengths
• Team in which their culture is most felt by far on a play-to-play basis. Every player plays ridiculously hard on both ends
of the floor in a way I’ve ever seen from any other team before. Incredible to watch.
• Size and athleticism to go along with the motor everyone exhibits. Walker is the perfect addition to this team,
showcasing monster athleticism and length. Smaller players are all strong enough to play larger than their listed height.
• There is more shooting here than most Houston teams. Will mostly have 4 players out there that are a threat to shoot
on spot ups.
• There is more shot creation as well than on a usual Houston team. Sasser is one of the better shot creators and shot
makers in the country. Shead is an adept shot creator and ball handler. Walker should be able to create a lot as well.
• Walker should fit perfectly into their aggressive ball screen coverages. It’s almost impossible to score against Houston
out of ball screens with their scheme and size on the backline. Will be able to always have two bigger players out there
with some wings that provide secondary rim protection. Force tough skip passes better than any other team.
• Point of attack defense is very high-level. No real weaknesses on the roster. Sasser is likely to weak point, although is
not a liability.
• Plenty of defensive versatility. Forwards and wings can all switch and guards can hold up well enough, especially with
how well they double out of the post.
• Have the personnel to blitz the glass on both ends of the floor. Should be one of the better rebounding teams in the
country yet again.

Weaknesses
• Do they have enough shooting to consistently provide space to the offensive creators? This has always been a question
that has been somewhat solved by being so good at rebounding but creating more efficient first shots is key.
• Is there enough rim pressure here from the guard spots and will the offense become stagnant too often? Another
typical question with Houston, as this team may not have guards that are excellent playmakers.
• Chaney/Roberts/Francis is not nearly as strong of a center rotation as this team has had in the past. None are dynamic
options out of the low post or on the move as some previous players have been at the position.
• Somewhat reliant on two Freshman to succeed in Walker and Arceneaux. If either doesn’t hit then the depth could
potentially be an issue.
• Could not be as much size across the lineup as you would like considering the scheme. Wish there was a little rim
protection as well for primary options.

Quick Summary
How good the pieces were of last season’s team may be going underappreciated, but Houston has reloaded and is
potentially the most talented team of the Kelvin Sampson era. The return of Sasser and Mark along with the addition of
Walker and Arceneaux makes this team amongst the most talented in the country. Shot creation, rebounding,
athleticism, and defensive intensity are all boxes this team checks. With Sampson’s scheme being one which helps
Houston an incredible amount, there is good reason to believe this could be the best team in the country.
 1.4. Kentucky
KenPom: 1 | Barttorvik: 8 | Haslametrics: 4 | EvanMiya: 4

Coach: John Calipari

PG: Sahvir Wheeler | Guard | 5’9”
SG: Cason Wallace (6) | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Chris Livingston (21) | Forward | 6’6”
PF: Jacob Toppin | Forward | 6’9”
C: Oscar Tshiebwe | Big | 6’9”
B1: Antonio Reeves (Illinois St.) | Wing | 6’5”
B2: CJ Frederick | Guard | 6’3”
B3: Daimion Collins | Forward | 6’9”
B4: Lance Ware | Big | 6’9”
B5: Adou Thiero | Wing | 6’6”

Strengths
• One of the deepest teams in college basketball this season. They have 10-11 players that could potentially contribute
this year and would be worthy rotation players on almost any other team.
• A lot of athleticism throughout the roster, especially in the frontcourt. Collins and Toppin are two of the better vertical
athletes in the country relative to their size.
• Tshiebwe almost single-handedly makes them one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the country. Relentless
on the glass, gives this team a ton of extra possessions. Collins and Toppin playing more could make this a dominant
offensive rebounding group.
• Much more shooting on the team this season. Reeves and Frederick are proven shooters over a larger sample. Wallace
and Livingston should both be able to shoot it, plus in house improvement from Collins and Toppin.
• Some versatile scoring options on this team. There are movement shooters, pick and roll creators, isolation shot
creators, post threats, and ridiculous lob/cut threats.
• Defense should be much more aggressive with their personnel. Much better at the point of attack this season.
Injection of Wallace should make a huge impact, really bothersome starting backcourt defensively.
• Much more versatility defensively this season. Wallace can guard multiple spots, but Toppin and Collins should also be
very versatile on or off the ball. Bench has size and athleticism that should also translate well.
• Tons of secondary rim protection on this team this season. Should allow them to play much more aggressive on the
ball but should especially allow for more aggressive pick and roll coverages.
• Should be very difficult to get paint touches or open looks from the perimeter against this team, should force
opponents into a ton of tough 2s.

Weaknesses
• Shooting could be an issue in their starting group with Collins, Toppin, and Tshiebwe. Wheeler is also a non-shooter
from the perimeter. Collins and Toppin are definitely improved, but are they good enough to be guarded?
• I do have some worries about Wheeler with decision-making and shot selection at times. Definitely a fantastic
playmaker, but not sure if Kentucky needs his limitations.
• They have more self-creation, but generating good scoring opportunities out of isolation could be a slight concern
here.
• There will need to be a lot of experimentation with lineup combinations. Need to find the right balance of shooting
and defensive aptitude, certainly a give and take in many combinations.
• Teams that can space the floor more, especially with a stretch big, can give them some issues. Teams that also have 4
shooters on the floor can attack some of their coverages out of spread pick and roll.

Quick Summary
Kentucky has reloaded after a disappointing loss last season in the tournament. This might be the deepest roster in
college basketball, filled with talent up and down the rotation. Finding the right lineups will be a challenge, but too many
good lineups is not a bad issue to have. The offense/defense tradeoff in different lineups could be interesting, but
Kentucky might be talented enough that it can outplay teams on both ends in a variety of lineups. The shooting and
potential lineup issues concern me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the best team in the country. The talent is
there if the internal development is real.
 2.5. Tennessee
KenPom: 4 | Barttorvik: 3 | Haslametrics: 8 | EvanMiya: 5

Coach: Rick Barnes

PG: Zakai Zeigler | Guard | 5’9”
SG: Santiago Vescovi | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Josiah-Jordan James | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Julian Phillips (23) | Wing | 6’8”
C: Olivier Nkamhoua | Forward | 6’8”
B1: Tyreke Key (Indiana St) | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Uros Plavsic | Big | 7’0”
B3: Jonas Aidoo | Big | 6’11”
B4: Jahmai Mashack | Guard | 6’4”
B5: BJ Edwards (NR) | Guard | 6’3”

Strengths
• Will yet again have plenty of interior size with the rotation of Nkamhoua, Plavsic, and Aidoo. The rest of the roster is
also ffilled out with either bigger players or players that play much bigger than their listed heights.
• Should be very good at attacking out of ball screens with Zeigler and Vescovi. Both are strong playmakers that can
attack off the dribble, should cause some matchup troubles for some teams.
• Should have a solid amount of perimeter shooting to capitalize on the penetration from the guards.
• Will use the post effectively with their players, also very adept at making lay down passes on drives for the big men to
finish. Should be a good overall playmaking team.
• Will attack the offensive glass with their double big looks. Should mash smaller teams on the inside.
• Very strong point of attack defense. Will play very aggressively while bringing a ton of help in the gaps. The personnel
certainly allow them to execute this scheme very well. Zeigler and James are great perimeter defenders.
• The big men should do a good job of preventing shots at the rim and contesting anything that gets there. The
combination of point of attack defense, primary and secondary rim protection, and gap heavy scheme makes it very
difficult to get anything at the rim against this team.
• Athletic with plenty of ground coverage defensively. Do a good job of rotating and helping with their aggressive style
to not allow too many open looks form deep. Everything is difficult against this team.
• Could be some lineup versatility here. Had success last season with a smaller backcourt and James at the 4. There are
different combinations that can unlock smaller groups.

Weaknesses
• I’m not sure how often Barnes will default to James at the 4, which worked well last season. Needed to go to that
more out of necessity than by choice, but it could work well this season with Key or Phillips as potential options.
• Unsure about the depth on this team. Key missed last season and is transferring up, Phillips is relatively raw, and Aidoo
did not play much last season. Could be a worry especially in the frontcourt.
• Not as much talent to score on the interior or pass from the interior without Fulkerson. Gave the offense some
different looks.
• There is generally a lack of spacing in the Rick Barnes offense when they play with two big men. Makes it difficult to
consistently generate good shots.
• Can be over-reliant on the post to create looks despite not being very good at scoring out of those opportunities.

Quick Summary
Tennessee this season should be an interesting test case in the rigidity of Rick Barnes. In theory, there is a lot he could
do with this group. Last year, lineups with Zeigler and Chandler together with James at the 4 worked very well with the
added spacing. My concern is Barnes will default to his preferred style of play, running double big lineups that improve
the defense while hurting the offense. With a more modern coach I would be a bigger believer in this Tennessee team,
but I’m hesitant with the likelihood of the dominance of the two big lineups. More mixing and matching is what I would
prefer. I still believe in the talent of the starters, especially Zeigler/Vescovi/James. Barnes and the other players are the
less predictable factors, but there is an intriguing foundation here.
 2.6. Duke
KenPom: 15 | Barttorvik: 5 | Haslametrics: 9 | EvanMiya: 8

Coach: Jon Scheyer

PG: Jeremy Roach | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Dariq Whitehead (1) | Wing | 6’6”
SF: Mark Mitchell (39) | Wing | 6’8”
PF: Kyle Filipowski (16) | Forward | 6’11”
C: Dereck Lively (10) | Big | 7’1”
B1: Tyrese Proctor (23) | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Jacob Grandison (Illinois) | Wing | 6’6”
B3: Ryan Young (Northwestern) | Big | 6’10”
B4: Jaylen Blakes | Guard | 6’1”
B5: Jaden Schutt (43) | Guard | 6’5”

Strengths
• Arguably the best incoming Freshman class in the country. Really impressive mix of size and skill that leans towards
where modern basketball is heading.
• Can put out an impressive amount of shooters in certain lineups. Can potentially play with 8 of their 10 rotation
players that are capable positional shooters. Plenty of 5-out combinations they can run.
• Much more lineup versatility than previous Duke teams. Can seamlessly go from big to small depending on the
opponent ad situation.
• Solid amount of perimeter shot creation with Roach, Whitehead, and Proctor. All three have different strengths that
should be difficult for defenses to handle. Dynamic rotation with those players alongside a tough positional matchup for
opponents in Filipowski.
• Lively should be one of the better rim protectors in college basketball along with ability to move his feet in more
aggressive coverages. Impressive ground coverage and frame.
• A lot of plus size and a good number of wings on the team. NBA-level size here.
• Point of attack defense should be a strong suit of this team. Grandison is a really nice addition here, but the Freshman
should be able to step in as well and be positive.
• There is much more creativity to unlock with these pieces offensively. Can run more Delay actions and movement-
heavy sets with the excess of shooting and ball handling.

Weaknesses
• There’s definitely a reliance on multiple Freshman hitting higher-level outcomes for this team to be successful. I love
the class Duke brought in but historically not all high ranked players pan out.
• Lively should be a very good rim protector, but is there enough behind him to unlock more aggressive schemes? Is
Young off the bench going to provide enough at the rim? Secondary rim protection could be a potential weakness, which
would place a lot on Lively’s shoulders defensively in a similar way Mark Williams was relied upon so heavily last season.
• There should be a good amount of shooting, but is it shooting at a high enough level that defenses are over/under
rotating because of fear of the jumpers?
• Finding an offensive blend with this many players could be a challenge. Have to blend individual shot creation with the
diving of Lively and 5-out concepts. Could be more difficult with the younger roster, especially later in the season.
• Depth could be a concern if some of the players don’t hit on as high of a level as some think.

Quick Summary
With a new coach and overhauled roster, Duke should be interesting to monitor this season. Scheyer could blend more
modern concepts with the traditional Duke recruiting powerhouse, creating a much more interesting team. Expect to
see more 5-out sets, inverted actions, and taking advantage of the ball handling and shooting out there. The reliance on
Freshman always makes the Duke evaluation tricky, but the pieces all fit on paper and this could be the most talented
roster in college basketball.
 2.7. Texas
KenPom: 2 | Barttorvik: 7 | Haslametrics: 11 | EvanMiya: 10

Coach: Chris Beard

PG: Tyrese Hunter (Iowa St.) | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Marcus Carr | Guard | 6’2”
SF: Timmy Allen | Forward | 6’6”
PF: Dylan Disu | Forward | 6’9”
C: Christian Bishop | Big | 6’7”
B1: Dillon Mitchell (17) | Wing | 6’7”
B2: Arterio Morris (18) | Guard | 6’3”
B3: Sir’Jabari Rice (New Mexico St.) | Guard | 6’4”
B4: Brock Cunningham | Forward | 6’6”
B5: Rowan Brumbaugh (95) | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• A ton of skill on this team at a variety of positions. Interesting players that can handle the ball up and down the
rotation.
• Really impressive guard room with the players they brought in. Should be one of the better guard groups in the
country. Different players that can attack off the dribble, shoot it, and create shots for others.
• Good amount of shot creation on this team in general. Guards can all create with Allen also being a very god shot
creator.
• There are players that can get into the lane and draw a lot of fouls. Should generate a decent number of paint touches
and good number of kickouts.
• Offensive rebounding and finishing should be strengths of this team with their personnel and how they play.
• Should be able to execute the no-middle scheme very well with the personnel. Great defenders at the point of attack
throughout the lineup with smaller players allowing for tons of ground coverage.
• Aggressive at the point of attack. Players really buy in all over the floor diving for loose balls and taking charges. Very
difficult to run offense against this group.
• Force a ton of turnovers with their defensive activity.
• There is some versatility within the coverages they can play. Bishop is athletic enough to come out onto the floor and
even switch on ball screens. Disu can do some of the same.
• Do a great job of forcing opponents into tough 2s. Fly around and run shooters off the line but also protect the rim
with multiple bodies.

Weaknesses
• General offense is a concern, especially against better defenses. Beard is known for not having the prettiest offense in
the world. Offense last year did not do a good job of incorporating some of the players strengths.
• Shooting is a bit of a deficiency on this roster, which could really hurt the guard. Projected starting lineup has 3-4
below average shooters depending on how Mitchell and Hunter shoot it.
• Offense does not do a good job of generating a ton of good quality shots. A lot in the midrange. Not enough motion or
ball screens to really take advantage of the guard play last season.
• Over-aggression on defense can be an issue. Causes some open looks for opponents and a good number of fouls.
• Do not have a ton of size on their team and good but not elite athletically. Impacts them mostly on the defensive glass.

Quick Summary
In his second season Chris Beard has certainly done an admirable job of talent accumulation. The amount of skill,
athleticism, and versatility throughout the potential rotation is very exciting. We could actually be underrating this Texas
team after what we saw from last season with a slightly different construction. The defense should be excellent with the
personnel and scheme, but the offense is generally the concern with Chris Beard teams. The stuff they run is not as good
as it is with some other teams competing at this high of a level. Shooting in general is also a concern with this team.
More free-flowing actions and space would make this team more of a contender in my opinion, but the current
offensive scheme and personnel concerns place Texas just below that threshold for me.
 2.8. UNC
KenPom: 9 | Barttorvik: 4 | Haslametrics: 6 | EvanMiya: 2

Coach: Hubert Davis

PG: RJ Davis | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Caleb Love | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Leaky Black | Wing | 6’8”
PF: Pete Nance (Northwestern) | Big | 6’10”
C: Armando Bacot | Big | 6’10”
B1: Puff Johnson | Wing | 6’8”
B2: Dontrez Styles | Wing | 6’6”
B3: Seth Trimble (47) | Guard | 6’3”
B4: Jalen Washington (50) | Big | 6’9”
B5: D’Marco Dunn | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• Explosive backcourt in Davis and Love. Two players that can change the course of a game and force major coverage
adjustments from opponents with their ability to shoot it off the dribble.
• One of the better post threats in college basketball with Bacot. Can be used a little more as a hub as well with positive
passing ability.
• When perimeter shots are falling, the combination of the self-generated paint touches from Love and Davis with the
presence of Bacot is a tough offense to defend.
• They do have some size and lineup versatility with the addition of Nance and improvement expected from Johnson ad
Styles. Some lineup combinations with a little more spacing and footspeed with Nance at the 5.
• There are NBA level sets run often with Hubert Davis as the coach. Really plays well to the strengths of the players on
the team, especially the two guards when they’re hitting shots. Nance will add some different elements of Delay sets
and high/low actions.
• Bacot has improved enough defensively to move his feet well enough in ball screen coverages. The addition of Nance
and more minutes from bigger wings in Johnson and Styles should further improve the backline rotations.
• There are solid defensive lineup combinations here from the perspective of wings that can help out on some of the
deficiencies. There is optionality with size and length.
• Elite defensive rebounding group. Bacot is great there and the addition of Nance should further help with that.

Weaknesses
• Consistency has been and will continue to be a question for this team. Getting hot in March does not mean they were
one of the best teams last season. Shot making is not always predictive over a small sample.
• Point of attack defense is a concern for the backcourt. Davis and Love are not great in that area, with Bacot not being a
great rim protector to plug holes either.
• Shooting will not be as good from last season in terms of spot ups. Manek was elite off the catch in a variety of their
pet actions, so losing him will change how they run offense to some extent. Black and Bacot are non-shooters with the
bench all being questionable.
• A lot of their potential versatility either leads to a lot less space or one of their better players in Bacot being off the
floor. Part of the reason Nance is so good is because he can play the 5, but putting him next to Bacot limits some of his
advantages.
• Generating paint touches is an issue for this team at times.
• Could lack some depth again if the Freshman don’t pan out or there isn’t as much progression from the Sophomores.

Quick Summary
Making the championship game of the NCAA Tournament does not mean UNC was one of the two best teams from last
season. In fact, they were far from it. More objective predictive metrics pin them around the 15th best team from last
season. The 15th best team from last season swapping Brady Manek for Pete Nance and expecting some internal
development makes for an interesting team, but not quite a lock for a top tier team for me. The talent is certainly there
and I enjoy what Hubert Davis does on both ends of the floor, but I do still have some specific personnel and fit
concerns. I understand the widespread excitement, but I’ll be lower on UNC with them ranked just below the top tier
teams.
 2.9. Arizona
KenPom: 10 | Barttorvik: 13 | Haslametrics: 3 | EvanMiya: 9

Coach: Tommy Lloyd

PG: Kerr Kriisa | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Courtney Ramey (Texas) | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Pelle Larsson | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Azoulas Tubelis | Forward | 6’11”
C: Oumar Ballo | Big | 7’0”
B1: Cedric Henderson Jr. (Campbell) | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Adama Bal | Wing | 6’6”
B3: Kylan Boswell (26) | Guard | 6’1”
B4: Henri Veesaar (Real Madrid) | Big | 6’10”
B5: Dylan Andrews (83) | Big | 7’0”

Strengths
• A lot of size on this team, especially with the way they play in the frontcourt. Makes it difficult for teams without good
big men.
• Beautiful offensive system. Very read and react based under Lloyd, which is difficult to defend. Defenses have a hard
time anticipating what’s next because the players are making reads instead of going through sets. Very difficult to game
plan for.
• Excellent at generating looks inside despite the lack of space. Really good at generating post position and deep seals
around the rim, Tubelis especially thrives out of this.
• A lot of ball handling and plus decision-making on this team. Should fit really well into their flow offense. Kriisa,
Ramey, Larsson, and Henderson should all be able to handle the ball in a variety of actions.
• Should again be one of the better cutting teams in the country. Really great at reading the game in that regard.
• Should be difficult to deal with on the offensive glass with their double big looks.
• Lloyd does a very good job of weaponizing shooters with the actions they run. Kriisa benefitted a ton from this last
season.
• They get a ton out of transition. Really push the ball hard to get easy looks.
• Should be difficult to get good shots at the rim against this team with their interior size.
• They generally do a god job of forcing opponents into tougher 2s. Big men force shots further out while perimeter
players run opponents off the line.
• Can play some different coverages with Ballo on the backline and the different interesting wing options off the bench.

Weaknesses
• There are a lot of bets to make here talent-wise. Ballo and Larsson will need to step into larger roles. Henderson, Bal,
Boswell, and Veesaar are all major question marks in terms of impact next season.
• Point of attack defense is not nearly as strong as it was a year ago. There are some pieces that can be attacked on the
perimeter, especially with Tubelis.
• The shot creation will not be quite as good as it was last year with the departure of Mathurin and Terry. Late clock
situations could be a struggle.
• The bench is lighter, especially with the guards and the big men. Both spots are crucial to how this team plays.
• Playing with two big men a lot of the time can lead to some offensive struggle when playing against teams that help
more aggressively.

Quick Summary
In his first season with Arizona, Tommy Lloyd established the team as one of the best in the country. Arizona is not as
talented as last season, but many of the offensive concepts that made them so good will still be there. There is still
plenty of ball handling, shooting, and post play that should result in another very strong offensive unit. Defensively is
where I have more concerns, but there is still a strong foundational scheme that should make this team good. There are
a lot of questions personnel wise, but there are enough interesting bets here that I think some will hit.
 2.10. Creighton
KenPom: 22 | Barttorvik: 23 | Haslametrics: 32 | EvanMiya: 19

Coach: Greg McDermott

PG: Ryan Nembhard | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Trey Alexander | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Baylor Scheierman (S. Dakota St.) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Arthur Kaluma | Forward | 6’7”
C: Ryan Kalkbrenner | Big | 7’1”
B1: Francisco Farabello (TCU) | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Mason Miller | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Shareef Mitchell | Guard | 6’0”
B4: John Christofilis | Guard | 6’3”
B5: Fredrick King (NR) | Big | 6’10”

Strengths
• Impressive collection of positive pick and roll ball handlers. The combination of Nembhard, Alexander, and Scheierman
should be one of the best trios in the country in that regard. Fits perfectly within the McDermott offensive system,
which very heavily relies on off-ball motion combined with on-ball screening.
• Some of the better shot creation in the country. They have players that should take leaps forward this season with
Kaluma and Alexander. Kaluma should be a matchup issue for most teams that play slower or smaller fours.
• Increased shooting on the team this season with Scheierman and Farabello. Two players that will be weaponized off
the ball within Creighton’s system.
• Have some lineup versatility with the ability of Kaluma to be a smaller 5. Can throw out some insanely dangerous
offensive groups with that versatility.
• One of the better rim protectors in the country in Kalkbrenner is surrounded by positive defenders at the point of
attack. Creighton does an excellent job of contesting without fouling, playing a more conservative scheme that
emphasizes rim protection.
• There is some defensive versatility with the 1-4. Kaluma should open up options to do some switching with the guards
also being capable of playing bigger than their size.

Weaknesses
• Returning all the pieces from a team that wasn’t that great last year is generally not a great recipe for success.
• A lot of the higher ranking here is projection of development from younger players in Kaluma, Nembhard, and
Alexander. If one or two of those players don’t hit then this ranking will look bad.
• Shots need to go in at a higher rate in this system. There should be some positive regression in 3-point shooting, but
shots just didn’t go in at a high enough rate last season.
• There will need to be a balance of post touches and perimeter creation, with Kalkbrenner taking on too much
offensively last season for me.
• There is a balance of shot creation that needs to be thread here, with all four players on the perimeter being capable.
Attacking one at a time and playing off each other are subtle yet important differences.
• Bench will be an issue. This team is not very deep, especially at the center position. They may need to play some
smaller lineups out of necessity instead of choice.

Quick Summary
Returning most of a mediocre team from last season is not the most exciting proposal. However, Creighton is returning
young players with clear pathways for development. Add Baylor Scheierman to that mix and you have potentially the
best starting lineup in college basketball that really fits Greg McDermott’s style of play. The concern here is that we are
overrating what can be while ignoring what was last season. I am a little hesitant to be all in on Creighton for that
reason, as there is a player evaluation question that is difficult to answer here. I personally am very excited by this team
and buy the talent, but there is enough uncertainty with what this team actually is that I’m not all the way in yet.
 2.11. Arkansas
KenPom: 14 | Barttorvik: 16 | Haslametrics: 17 | EvanMiya: 30

Coach: Eric Musselman

PG: Nick Smith Jr. (2) | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Devo Davis | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Anthony Black (11) | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Jordan Walsh (8) | Forward | 6’7”
C: Trevon Brazile (Missouri) | Forward | 6’9”
B1: Ricky Council IV (Wichita St.) | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Jalen Graham (Arizona St.) | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Mahki Mitchell (Rhode Island) | Big | 6’9”
B4: Mahkel Mitchell (Rhode Island) | Big | 6’10”
B5: Kamani Johnson | Forward | 6’7”

Strengths
• Plus size up and down the lineup. NBA-level size and length on this team as well as plus athleticism across the board.
• Tons of lineup and scheme versatility here with the tools of the players on the roster. Can play a variety of defensive
coverages with different variations of smaller and bigger lineups. Can go small with Walsh at the 5 and Black at the 4 or
big with the Mitchell twins on the floor together, with plenty of options in between.
• Multiple ball handlers capable of taking on a high volume of pick and roll. Smith and Black could potentially be high-
level distributors out of ball screens while Council and Davis could be high-quality scorers out of those situations.
• General shot creation off the dribble without a ball screen is a plus on this team with Smith, Davis, and Council.
• Should be difficult to stop in transition. Have some grab and go players with plenty of athleticism on the wings.
• Have some different roll options at the center position with the capability of also paying in some Arkansas Delay sets.
• Point of attack defense is very good on this team. Should really bother opponents with length and quickness on that
end. Perfect personnel for the no-middle style.
• Should have plenty of rim protection and secondary rim protection. Mitchell’s should be able to play drop with
Graham and Brazile offering some level of versatility.
• Wings, forwards, and big men all being as athletic as they are will allow for a ton of different lineups and coverages to
play. Plenty of different lineup configurations are possible here.
• Tons of defensive versatility. Any ball screen coverage is really available here for this team.

Weaknesses
• Shooting could be an area of concern. Many of their best lineups could have three negative shooters on the floor.
Black and Walsh will be interesting from this perspective.
• Traditional rim protection may not be quite as strong with this team. They have versatile rim protectors, but as
primary rim protectors they lean more towards good instead of great.
• Bigger centers could give this team issues, post defense may not be a strong suit of this team. Defensive rebounding
could be another potential issue at times.
• Plenty of transfers and Freshman make up this team, making it difficult to bring together over the course of one
season. We’re also not sure how all of these pieces will play up in competition.

Quick Summary
This Arkansas team could not be more different from last season, making them incredibly difficult to evaluate. The
pieces look fantastic and exciting on paper, but who really knows how the transfers and Freshman will translate up to
the next level. There is a ton of uncertainty here, but I believe the ceiling is high for this team. Eric Musselman tends to
get a lot out of his teams as the season goes along, so don’t be surprised by an early season slump followed by
excellence in conference play. There are a lot of moving pieces in the evaluation, but this could potentially be one of the
more talented teams led by one of the better coaches in the country.
 3.12. UCLA
KenPom: 11 | Barttorvik: 9 | Haslametrics: 19 | EvanMiya: 16

Coach: Mick Cronin

PG: Tyger Campbell | Guard | 5’11”
SG: Amari Bailey (7) | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Jaylen Clark | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Jaime Jaquez | Forward | 6’7”
C: Adem Bona (18) | Big | 6’9”
B1: David Singleton | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Abramo Canka (Nevezis) | Wing | 6’6”
B3: Kenneth Nwuba | Big | 6’10”
B4: Mac Etienne | Big | 6’10”
B5: Dylan Andrews (55) | Guard | 6’3”

Strengths
• Team full of interchangeable and athletic pieces. A lot to possibly do on both ends with this roster.
• Plenty of plus ball handling at different spots. Campbell will be the offensive initiator and is a very strong playmaker.
Bailey and Jaquez are also going to be good playmakers as well.
• Some interesting areas of advantage creation. Jaquez does really well in the mid-post area with his faceup game. Bona
should be able to attack a lot of the traditional slower big men. Bailey and Campbell should do some self-creation off the
dribble.
• Should be a plus offensive rebounding team with their personnel. Jaquez and Clark are both good positional
rebounders.
• Point of attack defense should be excellent here. No weaknesses in that regard in the starting lineup. Will be very
difficult to run anything against this team with their pieces, should be one of the better on-ball defensive units in the
country.
• Tons of versatility with Bona. Can potentially switch with his ridiculous physical tools. Can also play at the level or play
in drop. Other pieces being so good defensively allow this. Should be excellent at defending ball screens.
• Smart defensive players as well. Jaquez and Clark are great intuitive defenders in help positions.
• Should do a very good job of preventing shots at the rim. Will be difficult to penetrate from the point of attack, but
also plenty of ground coverage to make up for mistakes. This should also make it difficult to get clean looks from beyond
the arc against them.

Weaknesses
• Offense lacks motion and imagination. Not enough consistent movement, sets are generally not great and spacing
concepts are lacking. Disappointing from a coaching standpoint on that end of the floor.
• Cronin doesn’t typically give Freshman a lot of patience but the team this season will be reliant on two Freshman
making immediate and meaningful contributions. Canka is another talented player that could also fit here.
• I have questions about the depth. Not sure how deep this team runs with pieces that are positive players. Center spot
is especially concerning for me.
• Shooting will be a deficiency on this team. Clark and Bona likely won’t shoot, Jaquez is limited, Bailey is a question, and
Campbell’s shooting last season could be unsustainable.
• They don’t have a ton of size throughout the lineup, which could be an issue against some bigger teams. Wish they
pushed the pace more to counter this.

Quick Summary
With UCLA being heavily reliant on Freshman to contribute this season, they will be a tough preseason evaluation. The
defensive pieces here should fit very well together. The amount of athleticism and excellent at the point of attack,
combined with this being Cronin’s stronger side of the ball, could potentially create for one of the better defenses in the
country. The side of the ball in which Cronin struggles more is offensively, where this team is also lacking excellent
pieces there. There is some interesting shot creation and playmaking here, but the lack of shooting and general lack of
offensive creativity from the coach’s side makes me concerned. There is talent here, but there is also variability with
how impactful the pieces will be. I have a lot of questions for this team, causing me to be slightly lower than most.
 3.13. Alabama
KenPom: 18| Barttorvik: 39 | Haslametrics: 22 | EvanMiya: 21

Coach: Nate Oats

PG: Jahvon Quinerly* | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Mark Sears (Ohio) | Guard | 6’1”
SF: Dominick Welch (St. Bonaventure) | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Brandon Miller (12) | Wing | 6’8”
C: Charles Bediako | Big | 7’0”
B1: Jaden Bradley (28) | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Nimari Burnett | Guard | 6’4”
B3: Noah Gurley | Forward | 6’8”
B4: Darius Miles | Wing | 6’6”
B5: Rylan Griffen (30) | Wing | 6’5”

Strengths
• One of the better offensive systems in college basketball in terms of maximizing space and intentionally hunting high
quality shots.
• Surplus of guards that can create shots out of the ball screen heavy system. Quinerly and Sears are both high-level ball
handlers that can shoot it off the dribble and get paint touches. The theory of Bradley is the same.
• Positive shooting regression should really help this team along with the adding shooting ability. One of the better
teams at generating catch and shoot opportunities, now with plus shooters in Sears and Welch added to the mix.
• Bediako is a good rim running big that fits within the system. Good finisher around the rim with solid touch and plus
length/athleticism.
• Good amount of lineup versatility on this team. Can easily go with Gurley at the 5 with Miller or Miles operating at the
4.
• Will really punish teams in transition. Really good at consistently attacking in the open floor with space.
• Should be able to get plenty of self-generated paint touches, which is a massive emphasis.
• Could have a bit more size and versatility defensively than last season. Should be able to execute the no-middle to a
better extent.
• Have some good rim protection with Bediako.

Weaknesses
• Point of attack defense could be an issue. Alabama will likely play smaller at the backcourt most of the time, which
could lead to more leaks than the system would like.
• Depth is reliant on two Freshman performing, which is historically not great despite both being very talented.
• There will be a blend of transfers and Freshman that have not seen the court together a lot. The Quinerly injury makes
things a lot more complicated in that respect as well.
• The lack of size in the backcourt and lack of general forward sized players could limit some of the defensive versatility
and secondary rim protection.
• Maybe wish there were a bit more playmaking overall with this team. Alabama does a great job of teaching reads but
one more high-level advantage creator would be very helpful.
• Some of the theory here does rely on shooting progression, which is expected but not guaranteed.

Quick Summary
There are a lot of challenges from an evaluation standpoint for this Alabama team. Nate Oats runs a fantastic system
that generates a ton of great looks at the rim and from deep, and in theory the shooting on this team should be
improved. The questions come from the actual plyers on the roster and how good they will be. Brandon Miller has
reportedly been fantastic this summer, but how will that translate to better competition? When will Jahvon Quinerly
come back from injury? How will the transfers translate? What about Jaden Bradley, who’s a Freshman point guard
coming off an injury? What about the development of Charles Bediako? There are far more questions than answers for
Alabama, but there is enough of a potential level of talent combined with the scheme that this team might have a very
high ceiling. However, the wide range of outcomes makes me hesitant to have this team higher.
 3.14. Illinois
KenPom: 33 | Barttorvik: 15 | Haslametrics: 27 | EvanMiya: 28

Coach: Brad Underwood

PG: Skyy Clark (29) | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Terrence Shannon Jr. (Texas Tech) | Wing | 6’6”
SF: RJ Melendez | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Matthew Mayer (Baylor) | Wing | 6’9”
C: Coleman Hawkins | Forward | 6’10”
B1: Ty Rodgers (31) | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Luke Goode | Wing | 6’7”
B3: Dain Dainja (Baylor) | Big | 6’9”
B4: Jayden Epps (84) | Guard | 6’2”
B5: Sincere Harris (91) | Guard | 6’3”

Strengths
• Arguably the best and deepest wing room in college basketball. Having 5 potential rotation players being true wings
between 6’6” and 6’9” is incredibly unique for college basketball and opens up a realm of possibilities for Underwood.
• Tons of size and athleticism on this team. There should be plenty of defensive and lineup versatility to unlock with this
group.
• There is plenty of plus shooting on this team despite the size advantages they will have. There are plenty of 5 out
lineup combinations that make sense with this team, especially if Dainja shoots it.
• Should be an impressive team in transition. Wings and shooting are generally a good formula for that.
• There should be a lot of versatility and spacing within the actions and general offense. Delay sets could be utilized to
get wings going downhill while both Hawkins and Dainja can attack slower footed players in space potentially.
• There is some advantage creation and shot making here with Clark, Shannon, and Mayer. All operate in different ways,
which could be a complimentary aspect of the pairing.
• Could be a unique switching defensive team with more pack line techniques. Pack line is what they used last season,
and could be really effective with the amount of ground coverage on the roster.
• This team has the pieces to really juice the defensive pressure with dynamic point of attack defenders and size to
cover on the back line.

Weaknesses
• General offensive decision-making is a question I have with this team. There will be a lot put on the shoulders of a
Freshman guard. A lot also relies on Mayer and Shannon, both of whom are players that aren’t necessarily consistently
plus decision-makers.
• Dainja hasn’t played much recently, so he’s a bit of a question mark if he’s the starting center. Do wonder if he has the
lateral mobility or primary rim protection to unlock as much as he could defensively.
• Bench is full of Freshman. If they don’t hit the way I think one or two of them will, then there could be a depth issue
here.
• Will be a completely new system with new pieces, could be pitfalls for finding the optimal system as well as
communicating that with the players.
• There could be somewhat of an issue with consistently being able to self-generate paint touches

Quick Summary
I am very interested to see how Brad Underwood’s transformed roster and playstyle will work. Balancing my excitement
for modern Illinois basketball with the talent on this roster has been tough for me in my evaluation. The wing-heavy
approach appeals to me personally, but is the actual talent level good enough to make this team a contender? A lot of
the evaluation here also relies on how good Freshman Skyy Clark will be, which is not a simple question to answer. The
modernity and versatility of this team excites, but the actual pieces could have some fit and scalability issues. This
should be one of the more interesting teams in the country to monitor.
 3.15. San Diego State
KenPom: 19 | Barttorvik: 14 | Haslametrics: 16 | EvanMiya: 33

Coach: Brian Dutcher

PG: Darrion Trammell (Seattle) | Guard | 5’10”
SG: Lamont Butler | Guard | 6’2”
SF: Matt Bradley | Wing | 6’4”
PF: Jaedon LeDee (TCU) | Forward | 6’9”
C: Nathan Mensah | Big | 6’10”
B1: Adam Seiko | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Keshad Johnson | Forward | 6’7”
B3: Aguek Arop | Wing | 6’6”
B4: Micah Parrish (Oakland) | Wing | 6’5”
B5: Elijah Saunders (NR) | Forward | 6’8”

Strengths
• Dutcher is one of the better coaches in college basketball for recruiting for and teaching his defense scheme. Heavy
ball pressure with a lot of switching, pack line style defense. Consistently one of the better defenses in the country and is
bringing back to cogs to an upper tier defense from last season.
• Should be one of the better teams in executing defensive scheme. Point of attack defense will be excellent, transfer
additions make sense to add size and length. Trammell might be he one weak point at the point of attack, but other than
that they are excellent.
• Plenty of versatility defensively to execute on switches. Again, Trammell might be the weak point here, but the rest of
the team can switch up and down the lineup.
• Mensah is one of the better rim protecting centers in the country. Often plays drop, but can be versatile within
different coverages. Really tough to score on him at the rim and covers a lot of ground.
• Fantastic team in pick and roll defense. Excellent in their drop coverage with guards that can get over screens and
Mensah as the drop big. Can also switch very effectively.
• They bring the pressure defensively, making every action difficult. Driving lanes are hard to find, teams without good
guards will get demolished by this defense.
• Bradley is one of the most talented shot makers in the country, with the addition of Trammell really adding another
much needed element of shot making.
• There is more shooting on this roster before, being able to put out lineups with more shooters with
Seiko/Trammell/Bradley.

Weaknesses
• Offense will still be the issue for this team. Generating efficient shots on a consistent basis has been tough for them,
especially with losing Pulliam. Trammell will be leaned on to bring much more shot creation and playmaking.
• There are some non-shooters and non-threats on offense that spend time in the rotation because of their defensive
capabilities. Really makes it more difficult for the better offensive players to operate.
• Will struggle to get much self-generated in the paint. Not necessarily Bradley’s strongsuit and others aren’t necessarily
breaking down defenses off the dribble. This is where Trammell might help.
• Tough to generate offense without being better out of ball screens. Again, Trammell will help here but the general
spacing will still be lacking.

Quick Summary
Brian Dutcher and San Diego State always bring defensive excellence with their personnel and pack line, but the
offensive side of the ball is what held this team back last season. To accommodate for that issue, they have brought in
Darrion Trammell, a smaller guard who can really hit shots. Will he be enough to give San Diego State a good enough
offense for contention? I personally don’t think so, but I also wouldn’t rule it outside the realm of possibilities. I expect
another defensively excellent season, but the offensive question marks are still there with a similar roster. It’s often the
tradeoff Dutcher is willing to make to create such a strong defense.
 3.16. Kansas
KenPom: 8 | Barttorvik: 10 | Haslametrics: 5 | EvanMiya: 7

Coach: Bill Self

PG: Dajuan Harris | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Kevin McCullar (Texas Tech) | Wing | 6’6”
SF: Gradey Dick (22) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Jalen Wilson | Forward | 6’8”
C: Ernest Udeh Jr. (58) | Big | 6’10”
B1: Joseph Yesufu | Guard | 6’0”
B2: MJ Rice (38) | Wing | 6’5”
B3: KJ Adams | Forward | 6’7”
B4: Zach Clemence | Forward | 6’10”
B5: Bobby Pettiford | Guard | 6’1”

Strengths
• Should be able to play a lot of different types of lineups. Can run more 5-out concepts with the personnel this season
along with athletically shifted groups or smaller backcourts. This is a deep team with a lot of potential talent.
• Shooting and versatility at the 5 spot with Clemence could open more popping options and driving angles offensively.
Should be an interesting wrinkle into what Kansas likes to run with Self.
• A lot of players that can attack the rim on this team. Wilson and McCullar can really do that, and the pairing with
spacers such as Clemence and Dick should help. The guard trio of Harris, Pettiford, and Yesufu can all drive as well.
• The collective playmaking and ball moving of this group is exciting. Tons of plus decision-making and quick ball movers
on this team. Connective tissue is really there.
• Should be very strong defensively at the point of attack. Harris and McCullar is a monster defensive backcourt, with
the backup guards also being a plus in that area. Should be difficult to initiate offense against this team.
• Could play a variety of different coverages with Clemence and potentially the Freshman centers in Udeh and Ejiofor.
Plenty of plus athleticism at the 5 spot should serve them well.
• Some lineup versatility with potential double guard looks, Adams at the 5, and interchangeable wings and forwards.
• Combination of versatility, rim protection, and point of attack defense should create a team that’s very good in pick
and roll coverages. Should be able to run multiple different coverages very well.

Weaknesses
• Somewhat nervous about individual shot creation. Self’s offense doesn’t require this as we saw last season, but the
offense could get slowed down by better defensive groups.
• There are a lot of shooters that might be questionable here. McCullar and Wilson don’t have fantastic track records,
Adams and Harris are non-shooters, and Clemence is somewhat unproven. Shots will have to fall for this to work.
• More reliant on Freshman and internal development than last season. Multiple of Dick, Rice, Udeh, or Ejiofor will have
to hit for this team to reach its highest-level outcomes. I’m personally not as high on the group as others.
• Might be a little undersized at the center position and will be playing with less experienced players there. Something
to monitor will be the post defense, rim protection, positioning, and rebounding.

Quick Summary
Despite winning the national championship last season, I have plenty of questions about this Kansas team. With 4 of the
starters gone, Self will be injecting plenty of new players onto the roster this season. There is still plenty of reason to be
excited about this Kansas team. They are filled with plus decision-makers, good ball handlers, plenty of defense,
versatility, and potentially more spacing. There are a lot of questions on the roster, but Self is betting with a lot of bets.
Dick, Clemence, Rice, Pettiford, Adams, Rice, Udeh, and Ejiofor are all gambles to some extent. Self just needs a few of
those to be successful to build another strong team. There is plenty of uncertainty here and availability bias is something
to look out for after the national championship, but the pieces and coach are good enough for Kansas to rank here for
me.
 3.17. Oregon
KenPom: 29 | Barttorvik: 36 | Haslametrics: 44 | EvanMiya: 35

Coach: Dana Altman

PG: Will Richardson | Guard | 6’5”
SG: Jermaine Couisnard (S Carolina) | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Quincy Guerrier | Forward | 6’8”
PF: Kel’el Ware (12) | Big | 7’0”
C: N’Faly Dante | Big | 6’11”
B1: Keeshawn Barthelemy (Colorado) | Guard | 6’2”
B2: Rivaldo Soares | Wing | 6’6”
B3: Tyronne Williams (JUCO) | Guard | 6’5”
B4: Nate Bittle | Big | 7’0”
B5: Brennan Rigsby (JUCO) | Guard | 6’3”

Strengths
• NBA level size and length on this team. Can throw out double big lineups that mirrors where some professional teams
are going with more size and athleticism on the floor at the same time.
• Multiple ball handlers and shot creators on this team that can fit into the motion-heavy 4 out offense. Richardson is
the best creator of the group, but Barthelemy and Couisnard should be helpful as well.
• More post matchups to hunt than before. Dante can attack mismatches as well as Ware. Bittle could do some of this as
well if he gets into the rotation.
• Really impressive group of roll men to go along with pick and roll ball handlers. Spread ball screens should produce
very good results for this team.
• Richardson is a matchup issue that will be difficult for teams to solve, especially with more threatening players around.
• Despite the size on this team, there should still be a good amount of shooting. Only Dante is a true non-shooter.
• Combination of spacing, athleticism, and ball handling should open up plenty of looks around the rim.
• Double big combinations should be great at protecting the rim. Ware should excel as a rim protector while Dante is
good as well. This model will allow for more aggression at the point of attack defensively and a variety of coverages.
• Tons of defensive versatility here with the two big men or with lineups featuring just one. Plenty of athleticism and
size on this team to allow different coverages and matchups.
• Point of attack defense should be much improved this season. Weaknesses are gone in that department.
• Tons of lineup versatility and a potentially deep bench. Can play big heavy or wing heavy and still have an excess of
size, shooting, and athleticism to functionally use.

Weaknesses
• Slightly concerned about the point of attack advantage creation from other places besides Richardson. Some of the
evaluation there is estimating the translation of Couisnard and Barthelemy.
• The shooting should be good but is it good enough to force defenders into making tough decisions? Will Couisnard,
Guerrier, Ware, and Soares shoot well enough to really be respected from deep?
• I wonder about the overall playmaking and decision-making on this team. It was an issue last season and could be an
issue again.
• A lot of the theory of this team falls apart if Ware isn’t quite as good as advertised. He is potentially better suited to be
a pro.
• Is the top tier talent on this team outside of Richardson good enough to boost them into contention?

Quick Summary
After struggling with consistency throughout last season, Oregon has reloaded the roster and looks to be in the mix
again this year. This team has more size and interchangeable parts than many other teams in the country, which makes
them very interesting. The mega-big lineup with Guerrier/Ware/Dante in the frontcourt intrigues the most, as the size
and shooting of those groups could give a massive competitive advantage. Oregon has constructed a team of size, talent,
and athleticism, but how the pieces fit together and how good the pieces actually are can both be questioned. I’m
higher on the pieces themselves as well as how they fit on the court with Dana Altman at the helm. I think there is good
upside here that many others don’t seem to see.
 3.18. UConn
KenPom: 27 | Barttorvik: 61 | Haslametrics: 29 | EvanMiya: 34

Coach: Dan Hurley

PG: Tristen Newton (East Carolina) | Guard | 6’5”
SG: Jordan Hawkins | Wing | 6’5”
SF: Nahiem Alleyne (Virgnia Tech) | Wing | 6’4”
PF: Andre Jackson | Forward | 6’6”
C: Adama Sanogo | Big | 6’9”
B1: Hassan Diarra (Texas A&M) | Guard | 6’2”
B2: Samson Johnson | Forward | 6’10”
B3: Donovan Clingan (54) | Big | 7’1”
B4: Joey Calcaterra (San Diego) | Guard | 6’3”
B5: Alex Karaban (NR) | Forward | 6’7”

Strengths
• Plenty of length and athleticism from the 1-4 positions. Have good size in the backcourt and athleticism on the wings
and frontline easily makes up for the lack of traditional size.
• More shooting on this team than previously, especially if Jackson continues his trajectory of improvement. Will be able
to throw out four capable shooters around a good post big.
• Plenty of ball handling on this team to run more actions involving Sanogo as a roller or hub. Newon, Hawkins, and
Jackson can all handle the ball in a variety of actions.
• Sanogo is a good post big that can operate from a variety of areas on the floor. Uses strength and agility well, good
footwork. UConn does a good job with their false motion to get him in useful positions.
• Should be a very good team with drive and kicks with the amount of shooting, athleticism, and ball handling that will
be on the floor.
• Point of attack defense should be great with this team. 1-4 can all really guard at the point of attack and they’re all
interchangeable pieces. Should be really difficult for opposing teams to run their primary actions against this team,
especially with how they bring ball pressure.
• Should be a solid rim protecting team with Sanogo and the other options flying around the back line such as Jackson.
• Pick and roll defense should be excellent. They play at the level of the screen with Sanogo, could mix in drop with
Clingan. Athleticism and ground coverage shines in this area.
• They do a really good job of preventing easy looks from deep. Tons of ground coverage combined with a scheme that
doesn’t bring a ton of unnecessary help.

Weaknesses
• Sanogo holds back some of their potential defensive versatility. Could do much more switching if it weren’t for his size
and lateral movement limitations.
• Sanogo can be a little bit of a black hole offensively while also not being a ultra-efficient post scorer. Getting him to
operate more as a facilitator while also increasing the efficiency a little will be very important for the offense.
• There is a real lack of depth with this team. Could be an even bigger issue if some of the transfers aren’t as successful
or if Clingan isn’t ready in year 1.
• Their scheme defensively can give up too many shots at the rim at times, being overly aggressive on the ball without
bringing enough help. Can also lead to fouls with this.
• Team is reliant on integrating transfers and players stepping into larger roles.

Quick Summary
UConn lost a lot of pieces from last season’s successful team, but the fit could be cleaner this season. Surrounding a
good post center with shooting and ball handling is generally a good college basketball formula, and this team is doing it
with much more length and defensive versatility. Sanogo is an interesting swing piece here, as he limits the defense but
helps boost the offense. That type of center does not always translate well to better competition, but the surrounding
pieces give more hope to UConn doing that. A challenge of the evaluation is how Andre Jackson and Jordan Hawkins will
play in expanded roles. I’m intrigued by that duo and am higher on many of the other pieces, and think the fit could
potentially boost this UConn team further than others think.
 3.19. Dayton
KenPom: 24 | Barttorvik: 35 | Haslametrics: 28 | EvanMiya: 11

Coach: Anthony Grant

PG: Malachi Smith | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Kobe Elvis | Guard | 6’2”
SF: R.J. Blakney | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Toumani Camara | Forward | 6’8”
C: DaRon Holmes II | Big | 6’10”
B1: Koby Brea | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Mustafa Amzil | Forward | 6’10”
B3: Mike Sharavjamts (56) | Wing | 6’7”
B4: Zimi Nwokeji | Forward | 6’7”
B5: Tyrone Baker (Georgia) | Forward | 6’9”

Strengths
• Good size and athleticism, especially for a mid-major team.
• Continuity with almost all of their players returning from last season along with expected development from most of
the players. Most of the returning rotation pieces were Freshmen last season.
• Apply a lot of pressure on the rim from the perimeter and interior. Holmes is a good finisher in traffic and strong
vertical spacer. Camara and Holmes are both capable of operating on the block, with some continuity sets allowing them
to do such. Smith at the guard spot does an excellent job of generating paint touches.
• Strong playmaking group overall that operates very well out of ball screens. Holmes and Camara are both good rollers
with Smith and Elvis both being good playmakers. Grant does a good job with set design to allow these players to use
their strengths.
• Should be strong on the offensive glass with their size and athleticism.
• Do a good job of using shooters in Elvis and Brea to open up opportunities for others. Smith and Blakney are also solid
shooters.
• Holes should be one of the better rim protectors in the country this season. Moves well for his size, allowing him to
cover ground and play multiple coverages. Camara as a secondary rim protector is a luxury.
• Very strong point of attack defense. No obvious weak points in their projected rotation with Smith and the wings being
very good. Forwards are also versatile in this regard. Allows them to bring pressure higher up the floor.
• Should be difficult to generate good shots or run consistent offense against this team. Another year of experience
should also make rotations and communication better.

Weaknesses
• Overall shooting can be a concern. Forwards in Camara, Holmes, and Amzil are either poor shooters or non-shooters.
Will likely not shoot a ton as a team overall, which could limit their rim pressure strength.
• Projection is reliant on improvement from a lot of places. Development is not always upward and linear, and
projecting this team high relies on a lot of development from younger players.
• Decision-making and consistency need to improve. This was expected last season from a younger team, but still needs
to get better coming into this season.
• Wonder if the shot creation is good enough from their backcourt to really scale against higher level competition.

Quick Summary
Dayton was a talented team last season that just barely missed the NCAA Tournament because of how rough they were
to open the season. With a year of experience under their belts, all of the young players on this team can reasonably be
expected to perform at a higher level. There is a lot of talent here but actualizing the talent and finding out how much
these players have improved are the questions to answer here. Anthony Grant does nice stuff as a coach with set design
and defensive principles, so the ceiling for Dayton is potentially high if the players take a leap this season. The two main
candidates will be DaRon Holmes II and Malachi Smith. This is a difficult evaluation because there is so much unknown
here, but I am very intrigued by the potential talent level.
 3.20. Florida
KenPom: 35 | Barttorvik: 26 | Haslametrics: 30 | EvanMiya: 26

Coach: Todd Golden

PG: Kyle Lofton (St. Bonaventure) | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Will Richard (Belmont) | Wing | 6’5”
SF: Kowacie Reeves | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Alex Fudge (LSU) | Forward | 6’8”
C: Colin Castleton | Big | 6’11”
B1: Myreon Jones | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Trey Bonham (VMI) | Guard | 6’0”
B3: CJ Felder | Forward | 6’7”
B4: Jason Jitoboh | Big | 6’11”
B5: Riley Kugel (71) | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• Tons of size and length on this team that is incredibly functional. Some interesting potential lineup combinations for
Golden to experiment with.
• Lofton and Castleton could be a dominant pick and roll pairing. Lofton is an excellent decision-maker out of ball
screens while Castleton is a skilled big with really good touch and footwork. Very difficult duo.
• There is some more shot creation and ball handling on this team from the perimeter. Lofton will take on the
responsibilities as a lead man, but Jones/Richard/Bonham are more than capable of creating offense off the dribble. This
should fit well into Golden’s system.
• Should be an effective team in transition. Multiple players that can lead the break and plenty of potential finishing and
shooting on the wings.
• One of the more analytically inclined coaches in the country, currently somewhat of a market inefficiency in terms of
coaches that use analytics well to their advantage and can communicate strategy to the players.
• Impressive defensive unit in terms of point of attack capability. Tons of length and players that can really pressure and
move their feet on the perimeter. Should fit really well into Golden’s no-middle scheme along with emphasis on taking
away 3-pointers.
• Great rim protection on this team. Combination of Castleton as the primary rim protector with Fudge as the secondary
rim protector is a fantastic duo that opens up avenues for different coverages. Could easily play more aggressive in every
area with those two on the back line.
• Versatile defensively with their wings, can do a lot of switching on the perimeter and hold up. They also have a ton of
ground coverage.

Weaknesses
• A collection of players that can be somewhat questionable as shooters. Fudge will have to improve,
Richard/Lofton/Jones could all become more consistent in that area.
• Could be a little too reliant on Lofton to handle the ball if others don’t take a step forward offensively. Something o
watch for is how well Richard/Bonham transfer up in terms of on-ball usage.
• Plenty of players transferring down from lower levels will be relied on to carry more minutes, and if one can’t hold up
then depth will be an issue.
• Is there enough shot creation ability without a screen? I think all the players can operate in some secondary action and
attack closeouts, but is there enough ability to create the initial advantage? Maybe Castleton is good enough in the post
to do that consistently instead of reliance on the perimeter.

Quick Summary
A new coach and a new-look roster is always a difficult evaluation. Former San Francisco head coach Todd Golden has
taken over while adding exciting transfers. How everything will come together is the question, but it seems like the
talent on this team is not represented in many preseason rankings. I think Golden is a good coach and has brought in a
talented roster with monster defensive personnel. There could be a widespread misevaluation on this team, although I
understand why some have questions about them. I personally think Florida is widely underrated.
 3.21. Texas Tech
KenPom: 17 | Barttorvik: 27 | Haslametrics: 14 | EvanMiya: 32

Coach: Mark Adams

PG: De’Vion Harmon (Oregon) | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Kerwin Walton (UNC) | Wing | 6’5”
SF: Jaylon Tyson (Texas) | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Kevin Obanor | Forward | 6’8”
C: Fardaws Aimaq* (Utah Valley) | Big | 6’11”
B1: Daniel Batcho | Big | 6’11”
B2: D’Maurian Williams (G-Webb) | Wing | 6’5”
B3: Elijah Fisher (26) | Forward | 6’7”
B4: Richard Isaacs (76) | Guard | 6’2”
B5: Lamar Washington (NR) | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• Another roster full of interchangeable parts that Adams can swap in and out to adhere to time and score.
• More shooting on this team than last season with additions of Harmon, Williams, and Walton. Clearly a firm objective
of the offseason to space the floor more.
• Should do a good job of generating shots at the rim. Driving lanes may be available more often with the increased
shooting. Aimaq and Obanor should be threats down low who can also space the floor. 5-out concepts should be more
effective in this area.
• Should be able to get out in transition often and be effective.
• Should be incredible defensively yet again at flying around and preventing any kind of paint touches. Were ridiculous
with that last season and should be strong again with the same coach at the helm in Adams.
• Might go away from switching everything, but the strong no-middle should still be in place and be effective. They dare
everything to go baseline and bring a ton of help on drives, forcing the tough skip pass. They take teams completely out
of their offense.
• Very aggressive at the point of attack defensively with the personnel to execute without getting burned. The new
players should hold up very well within this scheme. They will force a lot of turnovers.
• Very good in the post defensively with timely doubles and early help.
• Rim protection is good with their bigger players, but the smaller player provide untraditional rim protection with the
threat of the charge.
• Interchangeable pieces in the lineup with a coach that’s willing to experiment.

Weaknesses
• Shot creation will be a concern here. Multiple players can run ball screens but not sure how much creation there is off
the dribble. Everyone can attack a slanted defense, but who’s slanting the defense in the first place?
• Question marks all over the roster in terms of production for next season. Aimaq, Tyson, Walton, Fisher, and Isaacs are
all up in the air in terms of performance. Most will be needed for the style of play to work.
• Aimaq may force Adams to alter the scheme to some extent. He likely won’t switch, which was the base coverage last
season.
• Style of play will give up a lot of opponent 3s and will e susceptible to talented quick guards with plus playmaking
ability.

Quick Summary
Texas Tech was my favorite team to watch in college basketball last season with their style of play. The hyper-aggressive
no-middle was a joy to watch, creating an insane defense that was incredibly difficult to play against. The style might be
slightly different this season with some different pieces but expect the same aggressive no-middle that was so effective.
I don’t expect the defense to be at the level it was last year, and I have some offensive concerns in terms of creation.
The roster this year is interesting with a ton of question marks, so I’m not exactly sure what to think. A lot of the
evaluation hangs on the transfers and Freshman, making this a difficult one. I personally wouldn’t bet against Mark
Adams, but it’s hard to be more in on this team with all their questions.
 3.22. Indiana
KenPom: 12 | Barttorvik: 11 | Haslametrics: 18 | EvanMiya: 17

Coach: Mike Woodson

PG: Xavier Johnson | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Jalen Hood-Schifino (27) | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Miller Kopp | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Race Thompson | Forward | 6’8”
C: Trayce Jackson-Davis | Big | 6’9”
B1: Malik Reneau (25) | Big | 6’8”
B2: Tamar Bates | Guard | 6’5”
B3: Jordan Geronimo | Forward | 6’6”
B4: Trey Galloway | Wing | 6’4”
B5: Anthony Leal | Wing | 6’5”

Strengths
• Returning the core of a solid team from last season along with talented Freshman and expected internal development.
Should have an easier time integrating players into the core than most teams.
• Good amount of size across potential lineups with some interesting options of versatility. Can bludgeon teams inside
with Jackson-Davis and Reneau or can opt to go smaller and more athletic with Geronimo at the 4.
• Began to integrate more empty side actions within the flow of their offense last season, should be able to expand that
with more ball handlers this year. More of Bates and addition of Hood-Schifino should open stuff up.
• Two good post players in Jackson-Davis and Thompson, with Reneau also potentially being a great post player.
Jackson-Davis is much more efficient to this point, but Thompson is a solid option against smaller players.
• Have some different post players that could force doubles, which is where their offense generally looks best.
• They protect the rim really well defensively while also preventing a lot of shots from there. They help aggressively
within the pack line and Jackson-Davis is a good rim protector. Geronimo and Thompson provide some nice secondary
rim protection as well.
• Plus point of attack defense from the guard positions. Johnson is excellent and Hood-Schifino projects to be very good.

Weaknesses
• Offense was very stagnant and had very poor spacing last season. Not sure how much that will change with the
continued two big approach without much shooting around them. Really difficult for this team to generate good shots
on a consistent basis.
• Shooting could still be a major issue. Hood-Schifino’s biggest question is shooting, Reneau won’t shoot it, Bates is
inconsistent, Johnson was over his head last season, and Thompson is a non-threat. Only above average shooter in the
rotation is Kopp, but he limits them in other ways.
• There could be a lack of perimeter shot creation without a step forward from Bates. Shot making is lacking on this
team as well.
• They struggle with opponents that can match their interior size. Offense will really stall if opponents have two players
to defend Jackson-Davis and Thompson.
• Ball screens are an issue on both ends of the floor. Spacing prevents them from operating out of them too often.
Defensively, will run some different coverages but Jackson-Davis could be better there.

Quick Summary
After sneaking into the tournament last season, Indiana has become a trendy pick to vastly improve this year. I’m
intrigued by the Freshmen and still think Tamar Bates is interesting, but I don’t think these players solve their issues
from last season. The pack line defense worked exceptionally well for Woodson, but the offense was never able to figure
itself out. There were schematic and personnel issues at play here, but the inside-out offense with little motion and no
space just wasn’t able to generate good shots on a consistent basis. Woodson figured some stuff out later in the season,
so a continuance of that would raise my expectation for this team. I’m still concerned about the shooting and shot
creation, but the talent is potentially good enough for this team that they can overcome some fit issues with good
enough scheming offensively. There is some interesting upside here, but whether or not Woodson can find the right
lineup combinations and offensive schemes is the question I have.
 3.23. Auburn
KenPom: 15 | Barttorvik: 22 | Haslametrics: 12 | EvanMiya: 15

Coach: Bruce Pearl

PG: Wendell Green | Guard | 5’11”
SG: KD Johnson | Guard | 6’0”
SF: Chance Westry (33) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Yohan Traore (19) | Forward | 6’10”
C: Johni Broome (Morehead St) | Big | 6’10”
B1: Allen Flanigan | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Zep Jasper | Guard | 6’1”
B3: Dylan Cardwell | Big | 6’11”
B4: Jaylin Williams | Forward | 6’8”
B5: Chris Moore | Forward | 6’6”

Strengths
• Deep and athletic team that fits the style of play with Bruce Pearl.
• Multiple guards that can handle the ball and create shots. Should operate well out of ball screens with Jasper, Green,
Johnson, and Westry. Can run a variety of actions with those players.
• A lot of slashing on this team. Players really attack from the perimeter and can get paint touches without an action or a
screen.
• They have interior threats in Broome and Traore that fit well into a lot of heir primary Flex actions. Broome especially
should get a lot of good looks on the interior out of this.
• Should be able to play 4 out with 4 plays that can handle the ball if Traore is more ready to play immediately. Can
potentially be a matchup issue for teams with more stationary 4s.
• Really dangerous team in transition, especially when they’re forcing turnovers. Plenty of ability to get to the rim while
going in transition, tons of speed on this team.
• Rim protection should be good again this season with Broome and Traore. Broome should take the Kessler role in drop
coverage and get a lot of blocks.
• Good point of attack defense on this team that does have some versatility. Jasper is the best of the group, but other
guards can navigate screens, apply heavy pressure, and do more switching than their size indicates.
• Best when applying heavy ball pressure. Do a good job of rotating and helping while also speeding up opponents and
forcing mistakes or bad shots.

Weaknesses
• Shooting will be another major question for this team. Jasper, Flanigan, Traore, and Johnson are all questionable
shooters. Some have a much quicker trigger than you would like.
• Heavy ball pressure forces this team into a lot of bad decisions. Their backcourt struggles with pressure and length
from opponents.
• I have questions about the consistency of playmaking. Green is a good playmaker, but outside of that the overall
decision-making and level of playmaking is questionable.
• Offense can really stagnate against teams more concerned with packing the paint and preventing shots at the rim.
Stagnation and player movement is a question in general as well.
• Over-aggression on defense can lead to open shots, backdoor cuts, and fouls. Balancing the aggression with the
negatives that can bring will be a challenge.

Quick Summary
Auburn is replacing the best 4/5 combination in college basketball with another talented pairing, but I’m uncertain how
this team will look overall. Expect the same defensive intensity and furious style of play with a returning backcourt and
much of the same rotation. The rotation players on this team could be somewhat underrated at this point because of
questionable narratives and focus on the frontcourt. This is still a talented team despite losing the two best players, but
there are a lot of questions for a roster that certainly got worse. Auburn still might be very good, but this is a tough
evaluation with seemingly much lower upside than last season.
 3.24. Florida State
KenPom: 65 | Barttorvik: 72 | Haslametrics: 54 | EvanMiya: 59

Coach: Leonard Hamilton

PG: Caleb Mills | Guard | 6’5”
SG: Jalen Warley | Guard | 6’6”
SF: Matthew Cleveland | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Cam’Ron Fletcher | Forward | 6’7”
C: Naheem McLeod | Big | 7’4”
B1: Darin Green (UCF) | Guard | 6’5”
B2: Baba Miller (Real Madrid) | Forward | 6’11”
B3: De’Ante Green (48) | Forward | 6’10”
B4: Chandler Jackson (87) | Guard | 6’5”
B5: Cameron Corhen (91) | 6’9” | Big

Strengths
• Ridiculous amount of size, length, and athleticism throughout the lineup. All of the tools are functional with the way
this team plays.
• Always one of the deepest teams in the country. Can play their style for extended periods because they go 12 or more
players deep. Insane amount of depth and buy-in throughout the lineup.
• Plenty of players that can leverage their athleticism to get paint touches. Functional wings that can handle the ball are
plentiful on this roster.
• There is some added shooting here this season with the addition of Green. Some expected progression from players
with better priors can also help this team.
• Improved level of shot creation with expected improvements of the Sophomore class. Warley and Cleveland should
step into larger roles in that department. Mills should also continue to be a good shot creator.
• Should be able to really hurt teams on the offensive glass with their size and athleticism.
• Defending this team in transition will be difficult, especially with the number of turnovers they force.
• Tons of switchable and versatile pieces defensively. Life should be really difficult for opponents trying to run their
offense.
• Should be able to wall off the rim. Really good primary rim protection with a ton of secondary rim protectors.
• Point of attack defense is strong for this team at multiple spots up and down the rotation.
• Ground coverage is insane defensively with this group.

Weaknesses
• Wish there were more shot creation or general playmaking on this team. Lacking in those departments with Mills not
being the strongest overall primary. Maybe Warley can step up more into that role.
• Shooting could be an issue here. Not the most reliable shooters and will often likely be playing with multiple non-
shooters on the floor as a sacrifice for length and defense.
• Defensive rebounding can be an issue at times with their switching, as are teams with great shot creators.
Manipulating matchups is not incredibly difficult, although there are few weaknesses defensively on this team.
• Unsure of how some of the pieces will fit deeper in the rotation, Hamilton can be a little too happy to go deep into his
bench at times.
• Inconsistency could continue to be an issue with this team with the players they are bringing back as well as some
reliance on transfers and Freshman.

Quick Summary
I perennially tend to overrated Florida State, as Leonard Hamilton consistently builds rosters full of the types of players I
tend to be higher on. Long, athletic players that can do a lot of different things on both ends are exciting. This Florida
State team has also supplemented those players with more talent around them with Darin Green, Jalen Warley, and
Caleb Mills. This team will have the typical advantage creation and shooting concerns, but I do believe the upside is
there. Baba Miller is one of the more interesting players in college basketball, and there could be potential development
from the Freshman of last year. The current Freshman are also a roll of the dice in terms of their evaluation. There are a
lot of questions here, but the scheme and personnel are exciting enough that I see this more as a play on potential
instead of an outright overrate.
 3.25. Villanova
KenPom: 20 | Barttorvik: 17 | Haslametrics: 10 | EvanMiya: 14

Coach: Kyle Neptune

PG: Mark Armstrong (37) | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Caleb Daniels | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Cam Whitmore (5) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Brandon Slater | Wing | 6’7”
C: Eric Dixon | Big | 6’8”
B1: Jordan Longino | Guard | 6’5”
B2: Trey Patterson | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Chris Arcidiacano | Guard | 6’5”
B4: Nnanna Njoku | Big | 6’9”
B5: Justin Moore* | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• A roster full of players that have developed through the Villanova system. Means they will still be excellent
fundamentally with the typical Jay Wright principles.
• Ball handling and plus decision-making at every position in their starting group. Should be able to continue a lot of
their offensive concepts with spacing, movement, and ball screens.
• More potential advantage creation on this team with Whitmore. Can be a matchup issue with his athleticism,
especially if the shot is further along. Can also attack in the mid-post or block with Dixon.
• Should have a good number of players that can attack a closeout and make good decisions. More athletic than
previous teams.
• Should still be good at attacking in the post from a variety of positions. Daniels is good at this as a guard.
• A group of excellent point of attack defenders that can really switch. Slater, Daniels, and Whitmore should be very
good in this area. They can all switch onto players bigger and smaller than them.
• Gap heavy pack line team that has the personnel to execute. A lot of ground coverage on this roster with the added
length and athleticism from previous iterations of this team.
• Will be able to play multiple coverages. Dixon can hold up in a switch well enough but can also play more at the level
with the ground coverage and secondary rim protection of this team.
• They do a very good job of bringing help early and contesting with verticality. Protect the rim without fouling.

Weaknesses
• Moving on from arguably the best coach in college basketball is certainly a challenge. Neptune is more of an unknown
and doesn’t have as much coaching experience, will certainly be a downgrade.
• I have questions about the shooting in the frontcourt for this roster. Whitmore/Slater/Dixon are all questionable.
• The bench does not seem to be great and the overall team will depend on some players stepping into larger roles.
Whitmore, Longino, Patterson, Armstrong, Njoku are all major questions and tough evaluations.
• I don’t expect Moore to play next season with when the Achilles injury occurred, and he likely would’ve been the best
player.
• Size could be a concern for this team. Small across the positional spectrum, could hurt them in a variety of areas.
• Somewhat concerned about consistency of advantage creation from the perimeter.

Quick Summary
Villanova is in a strange spot after losing arguably the best coach in college basketball and potentially their 3 best players
from last season. I’m not exactly sure what to make of new coach Kyle Neptune or this roster, but I fully expect many of
the same player development and concepts to remain the same. This team is more athletically gifted than previous
teams while still maintaining a lot of that defensive aptitude that helped them last season. This could be a very strong
defensive unit. Offensively is where I have concerns, particularly with shooting and consistent advantage creation. The
overall lineup also has a ton of questions with how good the players will actually be next season. Player development
and Justin Moore’s health will massively swing next season for an interesting Villanova team.
 4.26. TCU
KenPom: 16 | Barttorvik: 12 | Haslametrics: 39 | EvanMiya: 24

Coach: Jamie Dixon

PG: Mike Miles Jr. | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Damion Baugh | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Chuck O’Bannon | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Emmanuel Miller | Forward | 6’7”
C: Eddie Lampkin | Big | 6’11”
B1: Micah Peavy | Wing | 6’7”
B2: Rondel Walker (Oklahoma St) | Wing | 6’4”
B3: Xavier Cork | Big | 6’9”
B4: JaKobe Coles | Forward | 6’7”
B5: Shahada Wells | Guard | 6’0”

Strengths
• Very athletic team with plenty of size up and down the lineup. Really functional athleticism that accentuates their
scheme.
• Continuity of being made up of almost entirely returning players. Essentially returning the team form last season
except swapping Farabello for Walker.
• Ridiculous offensive rebounding team. Rebounding the offensive boards at a higher rate than any other team last
season. Lampkin, Cork, Miller, Peavy, and O’Bannon are all very good offensive rebounders. Lampkin is one of the best in
the country.
• Miles is a very good lead guard who is capable of creating a significant amount of offense. Good shot maker, gets to his
spots often, and can create for others.
• Do a solid job of leveraging their athleticism to generate a lot of paint touches. Athletic players that can handle the ball
outside of Miles are Baugh, Peavy, and Walker.
• There is some shot creation ability here in a vacuum with their personnel.
• Really strong point of attack defense from every spot in the rotation. No real weaknesses on this team in that regard.
• Excellent at defending ball screens. Guards do a great job of getting physical and fighting through screens, Lampkin s
solid enough in drop.
• Capable of switching 1-4 with the physicality and athleticism of the guards. That plus aggression causes some issues for
opponents.

Weaknesses
• Shooting is a major issue for this team. Losing their best shooter in the transfer portal does not help with that. Could
potentially only have two capable shooters in their rotation this season with Miles and O’Bannon.
• Severe lack of shooting impacts every other part of their offensive game. They struggle to maximize the utility of Miles
because there’s no space and Lampkin isn’t a vertical spacer. The drive and kick is not very impactful because of where
the ball kicks out to. Driving angles are more difficult to find.
• Lampkin has some limitations as a rim protector and defender in ball screen coverages. He does limit the potential
versatility of the defense and can get attacked to some extent, although everyone else is so good they generally cover
for his limitations.
• Turnovers were a major issue for this team last season. Somewhat also stems from the shooting, but poor decision-
making and lack of playmaking at times is what hurt as well.

Quick Summary
There seems to be a widespread misevaluation of how good TCU was throughout last season. The thought of this group
bringing back most of the pieces does not excite me the way it does for other people. There is some availability bias here
with the final memory of TCU being their epic 2nd round game against powerhouse Arizona. TCU was not terribly good
throughout the season, as they were a bubble team until a late season push got them comfortably into the tournament.
TCU should be very strong defensively and great on the glass again, but their issue is spacing and shot creation. They did
not fix their shooting issues from last season, as they were one of the worst shooting teams amongst at-large
tournament teams. It’s a major deficiency that holds them back for me.
 4.27. Iowa
KenPom: 23 | Barttorvik: 31 | Haslametrics: 15 | EvanMiya: 12

Coach: Fran McCaffrey

PG: Tony Perkins | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Ahron Ulis | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Patrick McCaffrey | Forward | 6’9”
PF: Kris Murray | Forward | 6’8”
C: Filip Rebraca | Big | 6’9”
B1: Payton Sandfort | Wing | 6’7”
B2: Connor McCaffrey | Guard | 6’5”
B3: Josh Ogundele | Big | 6’11”
B4: Riley Mulvey | Big | 6’11”
B5: Dasonte Bowen (NR) | Guard | 6’3”

Strengths
• Gain a competitive advantage in their conference by being different than any other team. Play a much more modern
style of pace and space basketball that hurts the particular teams they play and many others in the sport.
• Will push the pace and get good results out of that. Have plenty of players that can run the floor and are good
finishers, pushing the pace helps them generate much easier looks consistently.
• Multiple players that can handle the ball from different areas of the floor. Starting lineup will have 4 players that can
handle the ball on the perimeter around a solid post big.
• Spacing concepts and fast pace allow for a lot of paint touches. They do a very good job of generating shots at the rim
with their space and use of screening actions within their motion-based offense.
• Can post a variety of players and attack mismatches that way. Makes them dangerous along with their perimeter
matchup attacking.
• Should be a good offensive rebounding team, another way to generate good rim attempts.
• Smaller lineups with Murray at the 5 should be available this season again, which is incredibly dangerous offensively.
Sandfort or Connor McCaffrey should be able to slide into groups that allow Murray to play the 5.
• Smaller lineups give plenty of defensive versatility as well. They switch and help well enough that they don’t get killed
with those groups, juicing the point of attack defense and ground coverage.
• Generally do a solid job of rotating and contesting shots at the rim within their scheme. They don’t have a great
primary but collectively help as a unit.

Weaknesses
• General shooting and shot creation could be an issue. Who is creating the initial advantages to work off of without
Keegan Murray? This is where questionable shooting could hurt them more with a lineup of below average shooters.
• Rim protection and point of attack defense are compounding issues. Rim protection is good as a group, but the
individual pieces are not great. Point of attack defense being a struggle makes this a difficult weakness to have.
• Smaller lineups can lead to issues in terms of defensive rebounding and defending the post.
• Unsure of how well the ball handlers can initiate offense out of ball screens consistently or handle pressure.
• Rebraca is a center that teams can exploit in ball screens.
• Bench is concerning with the lack of general talent and lack of bets on potential talent.

Quick Summary
Iowa is losing one of the best players in college basketball from their team last season, so how much does that affect
them? Iowa was an incredibly tricky evaluation last season after the full sample of the entire season, so a preseason
prediction is incredibly difficult here. A lot of the evaluation depends on your thoughts of Kris Murray, who many believe
will break out into a star this season. I’m a little lower on Murray myself, plus I’m concerned about the general talent on
the roster. The reason I still have Iowa relatively high is because of a belief in scheme and style of play giving Iowa a
distinct advantage, disproportionately so in the Big Ten. The pace and space exploits the weaknesses of many teams in
their conference, and the style of play is enough of a competitive advantage for me that I think Iowa could be more than
the sum of it’s parts.
 4.28. Virginia
KenPom: 5 | Barttorvik: 18 | Haslametrics: 13 | EvanMiya: 18

Coach: Tony Bennett

PG: Kihei Clark | Guard | 5’10”
SG: Reece Beekman | Guard | 6’2”
SF: Armaan Franklin | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Jayden Gardner | Forward | 6’6”
C: Kadin Shedrick | Big | 6’11”
B1: Ben Vander Plas (Ohio) | Forward | 6’8”
B2: Francisco Caffaro | Big | 7’1”
B3: Isaac Traudt (63) | Forward | 6’10”
B4: Isaac McKneely (66) | Guard | 6’4”
B5: Leon Bond (70) | Guard | 6’5”

Strengths
• Good amount of roster continuity from last season. Starters are back from last season. In an offense where you need
to take time to learn reads and cuts.
• Gardner operates well in the mover-blocker offense as a screener that can also score a lot in the midrange. Unique
matchup mismatch with a throwback style of play. Has the strength and skill to really be effective in that area.
• Should have some shooting progression this season. Beekman has continued to improve, Franklin should shoot it much
better, and Vander Plas is an excellent shooter that will be effective within the offense.
• Clark is a good guard to lead the offense. Good playmaker and ball handler. Plenty of plus decision-makers as well with
the group. Beekman, Franklin, Gardner, and Vander Plas should all fit well into the motion and read heavy offense.
• Slower offensive pace increases the variability of the team. Players are very willing to be patient and look for good
shots.
• A lot of plus defensive players at the point of attack. Beekman is one of the better point of attack defenders in the
country. Clark and Franklin are also strong defenders on the perimeter.
• Shedrick is a nice rim protector within their defensive scheme. Helps to fill gaps and covers ground well.
• Pack line defense makes it very tough for opponents to get good looks at the rim. They do a really good job of slowing
opponents down and forcing them into tough shots.

Weaknesses
• Shot creation is a concern with this team. Not sure if there is enough quality shot creation on this team outside of
Gardner.
• Shooting could still be a concern, especially in the backcourt. Beekman and Clark are both questionable shooters,
which is a concern within their offensive system
• Bench could be an issue with that team. Three Freshman are going to need to potentially play for a team that generally
needs more time for players to develop into the system. All three Freshmen are interesting bets, but unsure if they will
be ready to contribute.
• Returning all of the players from a team last season that was not very good is not always a great formula. Relying on
improvement through Vander Plas, shooting improvement, and internal player development.
• Their players operate in areas of the floor that aren’t necessarily the most efficient. Gardner works a lot in the
midrange, team isn’t great at shooting 3s and don’t generate a ton of rim pressure.

Quick Summary
Virginia is a popular pick for improvement this season after having a mediocre year with mostly similar pieces. I generally
don’t place a lot of belief in teams improving, but Virginia also happens to have arguably the best coach in college
basketball with Tony Bennett. They also have an offensive system that needs time for players to fit into along with
potential internal development. While I will not be as high on this team as some others as I’m still concerned about the
overall talent level, shot creation, and shooting, I do expect this team to be better than they were last season.
 4.29. Michigan
KenPom: 26 | Barttorvik: 38 | Haslametrics: 24 | EvanMiya: 29

Coach: Juwan Howard

PG: Jaelin Llewellyn (Princeton) | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Kobe Bufkin | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Jett Howard (13) | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Terrance Williams | Forward | 6’7”
C: Hunter Dickinson | Big | 7’1”
B1: Tarris Reed (42) | Big | 6’10”
B2: Joey Baker (Duke) | Wing | 6’6”
B3: Youssef Khayat (Lebanon) | Wing | 6’8”
B4: Dug McDaniel (61) | Guard | 5’11”
B5: Isaiah Barnes | Forward | 6’7”

Strengths
• Howard does a very good job running high-level sets that puts his players in a position to succeed. Really promotes
Dickinson’s ability plus uses ball and player movement well.
• Dickinson is an offensive matchup issue that causes a lot of problems for teams. He’s very talented scoring in the post
but is also a plus passer. His expansion of the perimeter shot has made him an even more dynamic weapon.
• Howard has done a good job in game planning in the past and is willing to try some unique strategies. Some work and
some do not, but this gives a competitive advantage.
• A lot of plus playmaking on this team. Llewellyn/Dickinson two-man game should be interesting, especially if Dickinson
is even better as a pop option this season.
• There could be more perimeter shot creation this season with the expanded role of Bufkin and injection of Jett
Howard.
• There is more shooting on this team this season. Could be a lot more effective in 5-out Delay looks and what general
spacing around Dickinson. A dominant post player surrounding by shooting is generally a good recipe.
• Interchangeable wing pieces should help boost the point of attack defense. Howard, Williams, Baker, and Khayat
should all be in the plus category defensively and bring size to the table.
• Generally do a good job of preventing shots at the rim. Will do some switching and will help in the gaps. More wings
this season should further help with that.

Weaknesses
• Dickinson has held this team back defensively in the past. Very immobile on the perimeter but not a very good rim
protector either. Difficult to find defensive coverages that will hide his weaknesses, especially without great secondary
rim protection on this team.
• Point of attack defense in the backcourt could be better for what this team is. That combined with Dickinson will put a
lot of pressure on the wings.
• Very reliant on Freshman, transfers, and internal development. A lot of personnel questions with this team. Will Bufkin
and Williams step into expanded roles? How good will Llewellyn be after playing in the Ivy League? Will any of the 4
Freshman be high impact players? Could potentially lack depth without more of these players hitting than expected.
• Worried about the overall rim protection on this team with the limitations of Dickinson and less secondary rim
protection. Will have to win with excellent positioning.

Quick Summary
Michigan was not helped by the NBA Draft, when Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate both decided late in the process to
enter the Draft when they were both 50/50 entrants. The team this season should still remain in an excellent place
offensively. Ther could be more perimeter shot creation and more space than last year. If Dickinson continues to
develop from the outside, he will be even tougher to deal with. Two-man games and more shooting/creation could lead
to this being one of the better offenses in the country. The defense is a major concern for me despite how well Howard
generally schemes. Dickinson without great backcourt defenders or secondary rim protection is not a recipe for success.
The general roster also has a lot of potential variabilities in on-court impact for next season. There are a lot of questions
here, but the offense and general potential talent is interesting.
 4.30. Virginia Tech
KenPom: 21 | Barttorvik: 25 | Haslametrics: 40 | EvanMiya: 23

Coach: Mike Young

PG: Sean Pedulla | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Hunter Cattoor | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Darius Maddox | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Justyn Mutts | Forward | 6’7”
C: Grant Basile (Wright St) | Forward | 6’9”
B1: Rodney Rice (46) | Guard | 6’4”
B2: John Camden (Memphis) | Big | 6’8”
B3: Mylyjael Poteat (Rice) | Big | 6’9”
B4: MJ Collins (NR) | Guard | 6’4”
B5: Patrick Wessler (NR) | Big | 7’0”

Strengths
• In general, they have one of the tougher offensive systems to defend against with their reads out of their concepts and
alignments. Young does an excellent job with the offense teaching the more random style of play, making it impossible
for the defense to know what’s coming next.
• Great shooting team. Cattoor is one of the better shooters in the country with his ability off movement with volume.
Maddox and Pedulla are also both excellent shooters. Creative with how the get the shooters open as well. Addition of
Basile at the 5 should provide even more shooting than last season.
• Mutts and Basile should be able to both score and pass out of the post. The duo should be incredibly dynamic in that
regard, especially with the amount of shooting running around them.
• Fantastic team overall with cutting, ball movement, and passing. Makes the offensive concepts even more dangerous.
One of the more advanced teams in college basketball in this regard.
• Should be good at attacking out of ball screens. Do an excellent job of spacing the floor, plus have two big men that
can space and pass. Really good out of empty side actions.
• Generally do a good job defensively of executing their scheme. General level of feel on offense translates to defense as
well.
• Mutts is one of the better defensive players in the country and allows for more versatility. Will help cover for Basile
and point of attack defense as well as opening up more diverse ball screen coverages.

Weaknesses
• Defense is a potential concern with the weaknesses at the point of attack as well as replacing Aluma with Basile. Rim
protection as well as versatility should be worse without great defenders at the point of attack.
• Individual shot creation could be an issue in late clock situations, although the general offense doesn’t call for much
self-creation.
• Being undersized helps in some areas but hurts in other. Could take away from defending the post and defensive
rebounding.
• Team could struggle with more athletic and physically imposing opponents. Have struggled in the past with heavy ball
pressure.
• Bench could be an issue again this season. Unsure of how Rice will be in his first season and transfers are unproven.
Will need some production from the bench at some point, although it may be at below replacement level.

Quick Summary
After an up and down season, Virginia Tech made a late push into March Madness by winning the ACC Tournament in
impressive fashion. Virginia Tech has always been one of my favorite teams because of their offensive concepts under
Mike Young, one of the most underappreciated coaches in college basketball. Their offense is built around excellent
shooting, a lot of player movement, and plus passing and scoring from the post. Young strings everything together in a
beautifully random style that’s incredibly difficult to gameplan for. Defensively is where I have my concerns with this
team, plus I’m incredibly concerned about potential lack of depth. Virginia Tech has enough here that I think they will be
good enough offensively, but I understand why many are lower on this group overall.
 4.31. Texas A&M
KenPom: 45 | Barttorvik: 19 | Haslametrics: 58 | EvanMiya: 25

Coach: Buzz Williams

PG: Wade Taylor IV | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Tyrece Radford | Guard | 6’2”
SF: Manny Obaseki | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Henry Coleman | Forward | 6’8”
C: Julius Marble II (Michigan St) | Big | 6’9”
B1: Dexter Dennis (Wichita St) | Wing | 6’5”
B2: Andre Gordon | Guard | 6’2”
B3: Jalen Johnson (Miss. St) | Forward | 6’6”
B4: Andersson Garcia (Miss. St) | Forward | 6’7”
B5: KK Robinson (Arkansas) | Guard | 6’0”

Strengths
• Tons of athleticism on this team. Could be one of the more athletic groups in the country, which really fits into how
they play.
• They space the floor well, run some good sets, and really attack the paint. They get a ridiculous amount of paint
touches, leading to plenty of shots at the rim and a good amount of drive and kick opportunities.
• Will get out in transition and really push the ball. Get a lot of shots at the rim that way as well, but speed shines in this
area.
• Have players that can self-generate paint touches with Taylor, Radford, and Obaseki. Radford is probably the best out
of this group.
• Coleman is capable of attacking a lot of matchups against more traditional centers offensively. Is used a lot around the
elbows and top of key to attack slower centers off the dribble.
• Excellent playing out of their pack line defensive concepts. Incredibly aggressive on the ball defensively while bringing
a ton of help from one pass away. Players rotate and fly around, forces a ton of turnovers.
• Impressive ground coverage overall, allows them to play within their style. Also have great point of attack defense
that’s versatile.
• There is some coverage versatility with Coleman and the other players. Coleman mostly plays at the level but can
switch in a pinch. 1-4 switches very well generally.
• More lineup versatility this season with the addition of Marble. Can play with bigger groups that can do a better job of
defensive rebounding and can have more of a post presence on offense.

Weaknesses
• Can be a little over aggressive on defense at times. Results in a lot of fouls and occasional open shots from distance.
• Can struggle against some of the better post players in the country. Coleman is only 6’8”, so it’s difficult for him to hold
up in some of those matchups.
• Generally play with much smaller lineups, which hurts them on the defensive glass. Their best units will likely not be
very good with defensive rebounding.
• Shooting will continue to be an issue with this team. Obaseki is not a very good shooter and Taylor is inconsistent.
• Wish there were more of a true lead ball handler on this team. They will get out of control with their own pace and
turnovers can be an issue.

Quick Summary
Texas A&M is returning most of a team that barely missed the Tournament last season. With many of the players being
younger and having in-season improvement, I do think there will be some development with the core of this team. Texas
A&M is interesting because of their smaller lineups and versatility. The added athleticism allows them to play against a
lot of different teams and styles, but it does also have drawbacks in some areas as well. The style of play makes this
team unique and interesting, but I’m not sure if they have the top line talent to be higher for me in these rankings. The
best chance is for substantial internal development, which is unlikely but certain not unseen before.
 4.32. Xavier
KenPom: 38 | Barttorvik: 20 | Haslametrics: 25 | EvanMiya: 31

Coach: Sean Miller

PG: Souley Boum (UTEP) | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Adam Kunkel | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Colby Jones | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Zach Freemantle | Forward | 6’9”
C: Jack Nunge | Big | 7’0”
B1: Jerome Hunter | Forward | 6’8”
B2: KyKy Tandy | Guard | 6’2”
B3: Cesare Edwards | Big | 6’9”
B4: Kam Craft (69) | Guard | 6’5”
B5: Desmond Claude (81) | Guard | 6’5”

Strengths
• Diverse ball handling on this team. Boum and Jones can both handle a significant offensive load while both big men are
skilled relative to their position. Can potentially create for some interesting actions and matchup advantages.
• Should be able to get a good number of shots at the rim with their personnel. Freemantle and Nunge are both good
down low while providing just enough stretch to play next to each other for the most part. Boum and Jones also get to
the rim.
• The movement shooting from Kunkel and pop option from Nunge create for some interesting shooters that a more
advanced offensive coach can use well.
• Should work well out of ball screens with Jones and Boum. Both are excellent out of those actions while providing plus
scoring and facilitating. Both big men can catch and make good decisions on the move.
• Played with Jones at the 4 down the stretch of last season, which was incredibly effective. Matchup nightmare in that
spot while juicing the spacing for everyone else.
• Fit of the team should make more sense this season. More shooting and ball movers along with a season of playing
together should help make this team better.
• Should be able to punish smaller teams in the post with the two skilled big men.
• Nunge is a strong rim protector while Freemantle also provides a decent amount of rim protection. Having two rim
protectors does allow for some added defensive versatility.
• Should do a good job on the defensive glass with their backcourt.

Weaknesses
• Shooting could be a concern yet again with this team. Multiple limited shooters will almost always be on the floor
while the post and driving angles will be crucial to the success of the offense.
• Who can be inserted into the lineup to push Jones to the 4? The most successful looks from last season will be difficult
to find unless there is a strong return from Tandy or one of the Freshmen pop.
• Bench could be weak with a lot of unknowns there.
• Self-creation is somewhat reliant on the translation of Boum. If Boum doesn’t hit the roster becomes much more
questionable.
• Point of attack defense might be substandard with the backcourt of Kunkel and Boum.

Quick Summary
After strangely imploding during the second half of last season, the biggest change Xavier made in the offseason is with
the coach. Replacing Travis Steele with Sean Miller is theoretically an upgrade, although evaluating that with the
construction of the roster is difficult. There are a lot of questions here from a roster standpoint. Even though the fit of
the pieces makes more sense, the talent is not as good as it was last year. How will Souley Boum look? Will one of the
interesting Freshman emerge? Will KyKy Tandy come back and be better? Will Colby Jones finally step into being a legit
top tier player? Will Freemantle and Nunge work better? These are all questions we’ll have to answer, but as of right
now I might be a little more skeptical than others when it comes to this Xavier team.
 4.33. Oklahoma
KenPom: 28 | Barttorvik: 33 | Haslametrics: 26 | EvanMiya: 46

Coach: Porter Moser

PG: Grant Sherfield (Nevada) | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Joe Bamisile (GW) | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Jalen Hill | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Jacob Groves | Forward | 6’9”
C: Tanner Groves | Big | 6’10”
B1: C.J. Noland | Wing | 6’2”
B2: Bijan Cortes | Guard | 6’3”
B3: Milos Uzan (73) | Guard | 6’4”
B4: Otega Oweh (81) | Wing | 6’6”
B5: Sam Godwin (Wofford) | Forward | 6’9”

Strengths
• Should do a very good job of spacing the floor and getting to the rim. Porter Moser’s offensive concepts generate a
good number of paint touches. Having a stretch big like Tanner Groves really helps with this, and Jacob Groves off the
bench provides some of the same.
• Some solid shot creation with Sherfield and Bamisile. Both can handle the ball and create shots at all three levels.
Sherfield is more of a playmaker and Bamisile is more of a scorer but should be an effective offensive backcourt duo.
• Ball screens should work effectively with Groves ability to roll or pop and multiple different ball handlers. Groves
shooting makes it difficult to play more conservative coverages. Can also run 5-out looks with him, which stretches more
traditional centers.
• Number of players that can handle the ball and attack is impressive. Hill and Noland do a good job of maintaining and
exploiting advantages that are created from the other players.
• Should be a good amount of playmaking here with Cortes and Sherfield. Turnover rate from last year should decrease.
• Good point of attack defense. Moser’s scheme forces opponents into a lot of unwanted isolations, and this team has
the personnel to defend and execute.
• Players are trusted to defend their matchup with switching and denials off the ball. Scheme works well for getting
opponents out of their offense.
• They do a good job of defending ball screens despite not having the best centers for that. Play a more aggressive
coverages with timely rotations on the backline.
• Decent amount of defensive versatility 1-4. Hill is switchable and should get most of the toughest assignments. Noland
plays much bigger than his listed size and should be able to switch as well.

Weaknesses
• Reliant on transfers and internal development to be as good as they were last season. Unsure of how good Bamisile
will be at this level, and Noland and Cortes need to develop to be in a bigger role.
• May need one of the Freshmen to contribute to fill out the rotation. Overall lineup would be fairly thin if one doesn’t
develop.
• Groves is not as great at the traditional big man stuff. Could struggle to defend in the post some against better players
inside and defensive rebounding could be an issue overall.
• Not a ton of size overall on this team. They lack wings and wing depth or overly big centers.
• Defensive scheme can lead to more shots in the paint and better looks for the best isolation players in college
basketball.

Quick Summary
Oklahoma was a better team than people realized in Porter Moser’s first season as the head coach. They didn’t get a lot
of tournament buzz despite being highly ranked in the predictive metrics. Moser is an excellent coach and has brought in
some new talent for this season’s team. Sherfield is one of the better transfers in college basketball and playing with the
space of Oklahoma should be really helpful. The defensive scheme also adds value, forcing opponents out of their
offense and into isolations. This team may not have the top tier talent, but with strong personnel and good coaching I’d
expect them to be good on both ends of the floor.
 4.34. Oklahoma State
KenPom: 30 | Barttorvik: 34 | Haslametrics: 37 | EvanMiya: 42

Coach: Mike Boynton

PG: John-Michael Wright (High Point) | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Avery Anderson III | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Bryce Thompson | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Kalib Boone | Forward | 6’9”
C: Moussa Cisse | Big | 7’1”
B1: Caleb Asberry (Texas St) | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Tyreek Smith | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Quion Williams | Guard | 6’4”
B4: Woody Newton | Forward | 6’9”
B5: Chris Harris | Guard | 6’2”

Strengths
• Tons of size, length, and athleticism. Works functionally well within their scheme defensively.
• Added shooting and ball handling to a team that desperately needed it last season. Wright will be the point guard that
this team has needed, and Asberry is another good option there.
• Much more shot creation on this team with the new guards. Anderson is a strong shot creator and tough shot maker.
Wright and Asberry will provide much more shot creation off the dribble and Thompson could potentially take another
step forward.
• Could have more spacing this season to run more ball screens. Big men in Cisse, Boone, and Smith should be solid rim
runners and lob threats with more space and more ball handlers out there.
• Should be good again getting point on the offensive glass and in the paint. Big men are very active down low and
guards can generate some paint touches. They also get a lot in transition, which is helpful.
• Should be one of the better rim protecting teams in the country again. They swarm shooters around the rim. Cisse is
one of the best rim protecting big men in the country and the scheme allows him to shine.
• Point of attack defense is strong and scheme makes it very difficult to get good looks. Heavy gap presence with players
that are good at flying around.
• Size and length helps them defend shots all over the floor. Good ground coverage and athleticism makes it harder to
create and maintain consistent advantages.
• Aggression defensively forces a lot of turnovers. Leads to positive feedback loops with how good they are in transition.

Weaknesses
• General spacing and shooting could still be a concern. They certainly have more shooters out there, but there could be
three below average shooters on the floor at most times.
• A lot of the projection relies on the two mid-major transfers to immediately contribute. They will be asked to play big
roles on a much better team. They are the pieces that fill the major weaknesses from last season’s roster.
• May not be much depth on this team overall. Certainly concerned about the overall rotation.
• Still wonder if there is enough offensive firepower to really compete against the better teams.
• Their defensive scheme tends to give up a lot of good looks from beyond the arc, could hurt them against certain
teams.

Quick Summary
Oklahoma State was quietly very good last season. They could have been a tournament team if they did not have a
postseason ban in place. Oklahoma State was one of the better defensive teams in the country under Mike Boynton.
While they are losing some of the excellent point of attack defenders that helped make the defense so good, their bread
and butter was rim protection. Moussa Cisse and their overall scheme will come back, meaning they will likely have
another elite defense. The offense held this team back last season, although they have added two transfers in John-
Michael Wright and Caleb Asberry that should help in that regard. Oklahoma State could be going into the next season
very underrated because of their postseason ban last year.
 4.35. Notre Dame
KenPom: 43 | Barttorvik: 28 | Haslametrics: 43 | EvanMiya: 61

Coach: Mike Brey

PG: J.J. Starling (24) | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Marcus Hammond (Niagara) | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Cormac Ryan | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Dane Goodwin | Wing | 6’6”
C: Nate Laszewski | Big | 6’10”
B1: Trey Wertz | Guard | 6’5”
B2: Ven-Allen Lubin (67) | Forward | 6’8”
B3: J.R. Konieczny | Wing | 6’6”
B4: Tony Sanders Jr. | Forward | 6’7”
B5: Dom Campbell (NR) | Forward | 6’8”

Strengths
• One of the tougher motion offenses to prepare for in college basketball. Tons of different reads, cuts and off-ball
screens that the players get very good at making in the flow of the offense. Really need to guard them for the length of
the possession, puts a ton of pressure on defenses.
• Off-ball screens do a great job of getting their shooters quality looks. Some of the better shooting in the country with
Goodwin, Ryan, Laszewski, and Hammond. Offense should be very difficult to defend against with 5 shooters in the
starting lineup.
• Starling should be the replacement to Blake Wesley, providing a change of pace to the offense and a little more on-ball
creation and creativity. Will be able o break free from the offense and attack off the dribble when needed.
• Should be able to get to the rim consistently by attacking closeouts and playing out of screening options. Spacing
should really help in this regard and players are very adept at attacking the closeouts their shooting creates. Should be a
very strong drive and kick team.
• Should be a very good team in terms of decision making. Should rarely turn the ball over despite the ball movement.
• Point of attack defense on this team is strong. Should be able to easily switch from 1-4.
• Team generally does a very good job of keeping opponents out of the lane. Will bring help aggressively from one pass
away while also keeping many actions out of the middle of the floor. Scheme helps to hide some defensive weaknesses.
• They do good at winning the battles on the defensive glass ad with fouling.
• Will not allow opponents to get anything in transition. Willing to punt on the offensive glass for this.

Weaknesses
• Rim protection is going to be poor. No real secondary rim protectors while they also have a weak primary rim
protector in Laszewski. Will be a real issue for them.
• Will not be good at defending in the post, especially against teams that have two options to post up.
• Will be somewhat reliant on a Freshman in Starling to carry some offensive load that has been lost from Wesley’s
departure. Not always a great bet to make.
• There is not going to be a ton of depth on this team. Could only go 7 deep again, with two of those players being
Freshmen and one being a mid-major transfer.
• Offense could potentially struggle to some extent with heavy ball pressure, strong point of attack defense, and heavy
switching.

Quick Summary
Notre Dame is returning many of their best players from a good team last season while also being coached by one of the
better coaches in the country in Mike Brey. I wonder if they’re going somewhat underrated this preseason. Their motion
offense creates a lot of problems for opponents, and this season they are going to be able to play a true 5-out style.
They should be one of the better shooting teams in the country while still potentially having the same offensive
dynamism with Starling in place of Wesley. Defensively, they do a good job of executing their scheme and have solid
enough personnel to do so. The rim protection and depth issues are real, but these are similar issues to what they
experienced last year. I’d expect another good season from this Notre Dame team.
 4.36. Purdue
KenPom: 25 | Barttorvik: 32 | Haslametrics: 20 | EvanMiya: 20

Coach: Matt Painter

PG: David Jenkins Jr. (Utah) | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Brandon Newman | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Ethan Morton | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Mason Gillis | Forward | 6’6”
C: Zach Edey | Big | 7’4”
B1: Caleb Furst | Forward | 6’8”
B2: Trey Kaufman-Renn | Forward | 6’8”
B3: Brian Waddell | Forward | 6’7”
B4: Fletcher Loyer (100) | Guard | 6’3”
B5: Braden Smith | Guard | 5’10”

Strengths
• Matt Painter has one of the deepest and arguably most impressive playbook in college basketball. The number of sets
and counters they execute out of a variety of alignments is incredibly difficult to gameplan for. Set design is a
competitive advantage here.
• Edey is one of the biggest players in college basketball, which gives him a major matchup advantage against most
teams. Draws a ton of fouls as well. Deep position is something Painter’s offense does a great job of generating, which
disproportionately has helped Edey become a dominant offensive player.
• Good number of players that can both shoot and put the ball on the floor. Ability of Jenkins, Newman, Morton, and
Kaufman-Renn to collectively handle the ball and maintain advantages will be important. Should bode well offensively.
• Much more lineup versatility than last season. Can go smaller or bigger seamlessly. Furst or Kaufman-Renn can slide
down to the 5 while either can also play at the 4 and slide Gillis to the 3. Can maybe even run some 5-out concepts with
Edey on the bench.
• Defense at the point of attack should be much improved this season. Newman, Morton, and Gillis is a solid group.
• More defensive versatility this season. Edey will likely be playing drop but can do some switching or more aggressive
coverage when he goes to the bench.
• A scheme built more around Edey should do a better job of protecting the rim. Edey is a good rim protector when in
position, so keeping him near the rim will be important. Don’t be surprised if there is more zone mixed in.
• Rebounding on both sides of the floor should be a major strength with how this team is built. Edey is a great
rebounder, but the other forwards should also provide a lot of utility here.

Weaknesses
• Guard play is severely lacking. Playmaking and perimeter advantage creation could both be issues. It may not be as
worrisome as some think within the offensive but will still hurt them against better defenses and late clock scenarios.
• Edey has serious limitations in ball screens defense that consistently got exploited last season. He’s just too big to
move his feet on the perimeter but also not great at defending in drop coverage yet. Will really need to improve here.
• Have struggled with ball pressure in the past and will likely continue with that with their guard situation. Teams that
do an excellent job of getting opponents out of their sets give them trouble. Should be easier to do that this season.
• Big men that can space the floor or teams that can run 5-out concepts will likely give Edey trouble defensively.
• There is a lack of depth and reliance on players from last season to take a step forward. One or two players being
below expectation could really hurt the rotation.

Quick Summary
After losing their two best players from last season, best shooter, and entire point guard room, Purdue basketball is
bound to likely take a step back this season. They still have a very good player to build around in Zach Edey and an
excellent coach in Matt Painter. Painter runs an offense that is one of the most difficult to defend and gameplan for, but
the defense is what killed this team last season. I’d expect the defense to take a step forward with added personnel and
versatility, but the offense will likely take a step back. There are limitations of the personnel and questions about the
players that make me skeptical of Purdue this season, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see an outperformance of
expectations if some things go right.
 4.37. Saint Mary’s
KenPom: 47 | Barttorvik: 63 | Haslametrics: 46 | EvanMiya: 37

Coach: Randy Bennett

PG: Aidan Mahaney (NR) | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Logan Johnson | Guard | 6’2”
SF: Alex Ducas | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Kyle Bowen | Forward | 6’8”
C: Mitchell Saxon | Big | 6’10”
B1: Augustus Marciulionis | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Mason Forbes (Harvard) | Forward | 6’8”
B3: Leemet Bockler | Forward | 6’7”
B4: Chris Howell | Guard | 6’5”
B5: Harry Wessels (NR) | Big | 7’1”

Strengths
• Always one of the best teams in the country in terms of execution of scheme on both ends of the floor. High IQ players
and one of the best coaches in college basketball.
• One of the better offensive systems in the country at generating open looks from 3. Ridiculous amount of open catch
and shoots. Really good movement and excellent spacing along with a big that can post and score. Ducas and Bowen are
excellent fits for the system and spacing.
• Saxon should emerge as a strong post threat that can also pass. Very good size and footwork, should fit right into the
Tass role.
• Multiple players that can handle the ball and make reads. Players should be very good on and of the ball.
• Slow and methodical offense looks for good shots and allows for them to play a lighter rotation.
• Excellent at forcing opponents into isolations offensively. They don’t bring a ton of help, hard show on ball screens,
and keep their man in front. Johnson is an excellent defender with very good surrounding wings as well.
• Generally protect the rim very well with verticality techniques. Saxon should be a solid rim protector with the wings
being good secondary options in help position. Very good rotationally as a team without fouling.
• Positioning in general forces a lot of tougher 2s. Very difficult to get any good looks from deep or at the rim against
this team.
• Do a great job of getting back defensively in transition. Rarely allow any transition points as a team.
• Excellent defensive rounding group. They do an incredible job as a team on the defensive glass.

Weaknesses
• Point guard play with the loss of Kuhse will be a major question. Marciulionis did not play a ton of minutes and
Mahaney is interesting but entering a system that rarely plays Freshmen.
• Lack of bench play is a concern. They don’t rely on the bench much but were still certainly deeper last season.
• Slower style of play can occasionally leave some points on the table and makes it more difficult to score easily in
transition.
• Not a very athletic team overall. Could potentially struggle against more physically imposing opponents.
• Late clock situations can get difficult with this team. System doesn’t necessarily require individual creators, but late in
the clock this is needed.
• Can counter some of their player by running them off the line, going under screens, and forcing tougher shots. Making
them make plays and getting them out of the offensive blender causes some issues.

Quick Summary
Saint Mary’s is consistently an incredible overall engine as a team. Randy Bennett is one of the better coaches in college
basketball, building a scheme on both ends of the floor that makes his teams far greater than the sum of its parts. The
movement and reads offensively generate a ton of quality looks while the scheme defensively consistently forces
isolations and tough 2s. While this team has lost some talent from last year, they still have many of the main pieces that
made them so great. The guard spot is my biggest question, as losing their best and most creative offensive engine will
be difficult to replace. The bench will also be a major concern heading into the season. The system and players have
some limitations, but overall it makes this team interesting.
 4.38. Michigan State
KenPom: 31 | Barttorvik: 24 | Haslametrics: 33 | EvanMiya: 13

Coach: Tom Izzo

PG: A.J. Hoggard | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Tyson Walker | Guard | 6’0”
SF: Joey Hauser | Forward | 6’9”
PF: Malik Hall | Forward | 6’8”
C: Mady Sissoko | Big | 6’9”
B1: Jaden Aikens* | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Pierre Brooks | Wing | 6’6”
B3: Jaxon Kohler (60) | Big | 6’9”
B4: Trejuan Holloman (79) | Guard | 6’2”
B5: Carson Cooper (NR) | Big | 6’11”

Strengths
• Three guard lineup could potentially cause some serious matchup issues for opponents. Three dynamic players that
can attack off the dribble and out of ball screens on the ball should make for an interesting offensive scheme.
• Should have a good amount of shooting on the floor at all times with this roster. 4 players should be able to be plus
shooters at their position in the starting group.
• Can attack in different areas of the floor. Hall in the post should be a good change of pace and combined with the
guards and shooting should result in some matchup issues. Multiple ways fir this team to attack mismatches.
• Should be able to execute the roll/replace and other Izzo favorites very well offensively.
• Scoring in the paint should be a strength of this team. The guards plus Hall should be able to generate paint touches.
• Playmaking on this team is a major plus. Three guards with Hoggard being an exceptional playmaker. Forwards can
pass as well.
• Should be able to juice the pace and get easy looks that way with a smaller team.
• Point of attack defense should be solid with the players they have.
• Ground coverage and coverage versatility should be interesting defensively. Smaller and quicker groups should give
advantages here as well as with ball screen navigation.
• Interesting bench options that could contribute defensively such as Sissoko and Brooks. Could add more size and
length to the group.

Weaknesses
• Team does not match the coach at all. Izzo generally coaches bigger and more physical teams, so this could be an
awkward paring that he struggles to scheme around.
• Lack of size will hurt them in a variety of areas. Interior defense and rebounding on both ends could be a struggle for
this team.
• Hoggard generally needs the ball in his hands more, which could limit the advantages of playing multiple ball handlers
at the same time. Would be easier if Hoggard was a better shooter.
• Rim protection will be a struggle for this team, as will defending in ball screens.
• Unsure about the level of talent on the bench. Betting on internal development and lower ranked Freshmen
succeeding.
• Could have a good amount of play creation with a lack of play finishing with this team.

Quick Summary
This is a strange Michigan State roster construction that in no way invokes typical Michigan State basketball. Tom Izzo’s
reluctance to use the transfer portal to make the team better has hurt the roster this season, as they are lacking depth
and pieces needed to make the team fit better together within his style of play. The strange construction could still
benefit the team in some ways, especially offensively. The three guards together could be very interesting and there
could be a ton of space on the floor. It could also give them a competitive advantage, similar to what happened to Iowa
last season. There are tradeoffs to this, especially defensively where the interior defense could be a major issue. I’m
intrigued by the construction of this team but have major questions on the talent and how to pieces actually fit.
 4.39. Memphis
KenPom: 34 | Barttorvik: 29 | Haslametrics: 45 | EvanMiya: 22

Coach: Penny Hardaway

PG: Kendric Davis (SMU) | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Elijah McCadden (Georgia Sou.) | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Keonte Kennedy (UTSA) | Guard | 6’5”
PF: DeAndre Williams | Forward | 6’9”
C: Malcolm Dandridge | Big | 6’9”
B1: Alex Lomax | Guard | 6’0”
B2: Damaria Franklin (UIC) | Guard | 6’3”
B3: Koa Akobundu-Ehiogu (UTA) | Big | 6’9”
B4: Chandler Lawson | Forward | 6’7”
B5: Jayden Hardaway | Wing | 6’5”

Strengths
• There is a ton of size and athleticism on this roster. Williams, McCadden, and others are plus athletes with size that will
fit into the system. Koa Akobundu-Ehiogu is one of the best vertical athletes on the planet.
• Memphis finally has a point guard on their roster with Kendric Davis. Davis is one of the best players in college
basketball, being a monster shot creator that can break the scheme of many opposing defenses with his quickness and
ability to consistently get into the paint.
• Davis, Williams and a combination of the other transfers should give this team much more consistent shot creation.
• The injection of Davis should help their team with the perennial turnover issue they’ve been having while also adding
much more playmaking.
• This team should do a great job in transition. They will really push the pace, and Davis and the other transfers will help
them do that. They will by flying up and down the court.
• Will get a lot of offensive rebounds with the players they have. Will really attack the offensive glass and help to juice
their halfcourt offense in that way.
• They have the personnel to really execute their defensive scheme. They are aggressive and will throw a lot of different
coverages. Not afraid to give different pressing looks.
• Generally do a good job with rim protection. Williams, Dandridge, and Kao should provide that for this team.
• Will get a lot of steals, which gives them positive feedback loops with their ability to get out in transition.

Weaknesses
• Worried about the shooting and overall offensive execution. This is an area Hardaway has struggled with as a coach.
The shooting is a concern overall with the players they have brought in, and I do have some questions about just giving
the keys to Kendric Davis.
• They are relying on a lot of mid-major transfers to boost this team. I know Davis is good, but the other four players
that will be expected to contribute are major question marks.
• The defense will not be as good as last season without Duren holding down the paint. How much will this impact their
overall defense?
• Their aggressive defense can be a detriment at times with how often they foul and the defensive rebounding concerns
that come with that.
• There have been questions with Penny Hardaway managing personalities and new players, which this team is full of.

Quick Summary
Memphis struggled out of the gate last season, but played much better down the stretch and earned their way into the
second round of the NCAA Tournament. This team will be very different. They have lost players to the transfer portal
and NBA, and have replaced those pieces through the transfer portal. Kendric Davis was one of the better players to
transfer, and should juice the shot creation and ball handling on this team. Memphis has brought in other transfers in
McCadden, Kennedy, and Franklin that should also provide more athleticism and ball handling. They also have DeAndre
Williams back, providing defensive versatility and some shot creation. This team has some talented pieces, but I’m
uncertain of how they fit together. The defense should be good with their aggression and athleticism, but the offense
will be questionable. This will be an interesting challenge for Penny Hardaway, but there is talent here. Memphis should
be a contender to make the tournament yet again.
 4.40. UAB
KenPom: 52| Barttorvik: 44 | Haslametrics: 47 | EvanMiya: 43

Coach: Andy Kennedy

PG: Jelly Walker | Guard | 5’11”
SG: Eric Gaines (LSU) | Guard | 6’2”
SF: Ledarrius Brewer (ETSU) | Wing | 6’5”
PF: KJ Buffen | Forward | 6’7”
C: Trey Jemison | Big | 7’0”
B1: Tavin Lovan | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Ty Brewer (ETSU)| Forward | 6’9”
B3: Javian Davis (Mississippi St) | Forward | 6’9”
B4: Tyler Bertram (Binghamton) | Guard | 6’3”
B5: Tony Toney | Guard | 6’2”

Strengths
• Plenty of size and athleticism for a mid-major school. Gaines, Brewer, and Buffen filling out the starting lineup is a
great athletic trio that will be difficult for other teams to match. Plenty of athleticism off the bench as well.
• There is some lineup versatility here with Buffen potential being able to take some minutes at the 5. They can also play
some of their athletic forwards off the bench at the 5 and play some different defensive schemes with their overall
aggression.
• Walker is a ridiculous matchup nightmare, especially for how many college teams like to play. The pickup point has to
be 30-35 feet from the rim and you need to be at the level of every screen. Creates tons of advantages whenever he has
the ball with his shooting and playmaking.
• They should be good at getting paint touches and finishing around the rim. Players are capable of attacking off Walker,
but Gaines and Brewer should also be able to create some.
• They do a very good job of using sets that weaponize their shooters. Brewer should step into the Ertel role of coming
off Floppy action with Walker, something UAB thrived with last season.
• Transition attack should be very dangerous with Gaines and Buffen flanked by shooters in Walker and Brewer.
• Aggressive defensively with ability to force turnovers is something Gaines will fit right in to. Should take the Quan
Jackson role very nicely and could dominate defensively.
• Jemison is good at preventing shots at the rim when in drop, and Buffen provides some secondary rim protection.
• There is some scheme versatility with them being able to play multiple defensive coverages. Will also throw in some
different zone looks and full court pressure.

Weaknesses
• Shooting is an issue outside of Brewer and Walker. Not a ton f space for other players to operate and allows some
teams to get away with more aggressive ball screen coverages.
• Teams with athleticism at all spots and more versatile defense do much better against their offense.
• Size, length, and pressure can bother Walker to some extent. Cutting the head off the snake so to speak.
• Depth could be an issue depending on how well the transfers translate.
• Somewhat reliant on tough shot making to really propel their offense to elite levels.
• Stretch big men or guards that can really shoot it off the dribble give them some issues defensively with Jemison, but
the versatile forwards off the bench could help with that.

Quick Summary
UAB made the tournament last season and has reloaded coming into next season with an impressive core for a mid-
major program. This team has a ton of athleticism that’s functional to their style of play. The space Jelly Walker will open
for others will allow players like Eric Gaines to make much more of an offensive impact. This tea should also make plays
defensively with the athleticism. They also have impressive size for a mid-major team. Walker is a walking scheme
breaker, which gives UAB a chance on any given night. My concern is with overall talent level throughout the roster
along with some weaknesses when playing up in competition. I think UAB has elements that make them primed for
upsets plus they have a high baseline of talent, but I’m not sure if the upper tier outcomes are there.
 4.41. Ohio State
KenPom: 32 | Barttorvik: 67 | Haslametrics: 21 | EvanMiya: 48

Coach: Chris Holtmann

PG: Sean McNeil (West Virginia) | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Isaac Likekele (Oklahoma St) | Wing | 6’5”
SF: Tanner Holden (Wright St) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Justice Sueing | Wing | 6’7”
C: Zed Key | Big | 6’8”
B1: Eugene Brown | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Brice Sensabaugh (45) | Guard | 6’5”
B3: Bruce Thronton (52) | Guard | 6’1”
B4: Felix Okpara (57) | Big | 6’11”
B5: Roddy Gayle (65) | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• Plenty of different looks this team can give opponents with their wings. Much more wing heavy with this team than
previous roster constructions.
• Should do well at scoring out of the post with Key surrounded by either shooters or good cutters. The perimeter
players that are non-shooters can cut, especially with Holden.
• Good amount of feel overall with this team offensively. Different players can handle the ball and initiate sets. Should
lead to some interesting sets from Holtmann.
• Some solid shot-making on this team with McNeil and Holden. This should be a team that can score at all three levels
with the perimeter shot-makers and interior presence of Key.
• Should be able to put pressure on the rim in numerous ways. Key in the post, Holden on cuts, Likekele on drives are all
viable options for generating rim pressure. Could be difficult to deal with the different options.
• Versatility defensively with the players and size they have. A lot of wings to work with plus a few bets with the
Freshman.
• Should have much more ground coverage and better point of attack defense to execute their scheme. Will help in the
gaps and drop middle ball screens. Screen navigation and overall help should be better this season.
• Four bets on interesting Freshman that could contribute this season. Sensabaugh is the most interesting to me, but
one will likely hit with that many interesting players.

Weaknesses
• Shot creation from the perimeter is going to be an issue for this team. They will rely on the post and set design to
generate more openings, they don’t have a reliable shot creator or even a pick and roll engine.
• Wish there were more shooting around Key. Holden is not a great shooter and Likekele is not a shooter either. Teams
will be able to help more off of those two players.
• Rim protection could be an issue with the limitations of Key. Is limited in size and athleticism, which is not great
without secondary rim protection around him. This is where Liddell was incredibly useful.
• Will be somewhat reliant on a Freshman to come in and contribute as well as two players that missed last season from
injury.
• The roster does not have a true lead ball handler. Could struggle to generate consistent offense and well as deal with
ball pressure.

Quick Summary
Ohio State is a tough evaluation because there are so many moving parts here. They lost their two best players, brought
in 3 transfers that could start, and have 4 incoming Freshman that could potentially contribute. Giving a feasible ranking
out of that is nearly impossible. I am intrigued by the pieces, although I’m not sure how they fit together. Is there
enough shooting around Key? How will they create shots? Will they hold up defensively with better perimeter but worse
interior? There is real talent here with genuine upside, but I’m concerned about the fit.
 5.42. Miami
KenPom: 42 | Barttorvik: 21 | Haslametrics: 41 | EvanMiya: 69

Coach: Jim Larranaga

PG: Nijel Pack (Kansas St) | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Isaiah Wong | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Jordan Miller | Forward | 6’7”
PF: Anthony Walker | Forward | 6’9”
C: Norchad Omier (Arkansas St) | Big | 6’7”
B1: Harlond Beverley | Wing | 6’5”
B2: Bensley Joseph | Guard | 6’1”
B3: Wooga Poplar | Wing | 6’5”
B4: A.J. Casey (75) | Forward | 6’8”
B5: Jakai Robinson | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• One of the better offensive shot creation backcourts in the country with Pack and Wong. Both are devasting in
different ways, Pack more of a monster pull-up threat and Wong a threat to get to the rim while also having the pull-up.
Should be difficult to defend those two.
• Should have much better threats to roll to the rim and finish. Will be better out of the dunker with Miller and Omier,
allowing for gravity from the two guards to be parlayed into shots at the rim.
• Size should allow them to be much better on the offensive glass. Big and athletic frontcourt could be difficult to stop in
that area.
• They have some lineup versatility with the wings and guards off the bench. Can still get to some of their groups that
more closely resemble 5-out from last season with Beverley, Joseph, or Poplar replacing Omier.
• Should be effective in transition with the two guards along with athletic frontcourt players that will run the floor hard.
• Should be much improved defensively with this unit. Athletic and long in the frontcourt with versatility and multiple
players that can provide rim protection.
• Wong and Miller as two wing defenders is a really strong duo at the point of attack. Should be able to cause issues for
some of the better perimeter players in college basketball.
• Omier and Miller together on the floor provide a good amount of versatility defensively in terms of defending ball
screens. Should be much more effective in that area this season.
• Should do much better on the defensive glass with Omier being a great rebounder.

Weaknesses
• Opposite problem from last season, where they will really lack shooting. Could be playing with 3 below average
positional shooters within their starting groups, which will really be an issue for Wong’s rim pressure.
• Not nearly as much shot creation or playmaking from last year’s team. Losing McGusty and Moore really hurts their
offensive creation.
• Unsure of how some of the players will translate to an expanded role. A lot will be on the shoulders of Omier to
translate to ACC basketball. Players off the bench will also need to show a lot of improvement. Depth could be an issue.
• Will be a completely different style of play this season with new pieces. Could take some time to bring it together.

Quick Summary
Miami is a very difficult evaluation because they are completely different from last season. Last year, Miami was able to
make a run in the tournament because of their unique 5-out style paired with offensive shot creation from 3 levels.
Losing Waardenberg, Moore, and McGusty from that team and replacing them with completely different players makes
this team unrecognizable. I expect the defense to be much better but the offense to be much easier to stop. Larranaga
generally does a very good job of adjusting his team scheme around his personnel. This is a group with some talent, but
I’m just not sure how the pieces fit together.
 5.43. Iowa State
KenPom: 62 | Barttorvik: 48 | Haslametrics: 49 | EvanMiya: 66

Coach: T.J. Otzelberger

PG: Jaren Holmes (St. Bonaventure) | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Caleb Grill | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Gabe Kalscheur | Wing | 6’4”
PF: Aljaz Kunc | Forward | 6’8”
C: Osun Osunniyi (St.Bonaventure) | Big | 6’10”
B1: Hason Ward (VCU) | Big | 6’9”
B2: Tre King (EKU) | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Robert Jones | Big | 6’9”
B4: Demarion Watson (NR) | Forward | 6’6”
B5: Eli King (NR) | Guard | 6’3”

Strengths
• They have added even more length and athleticism through the portal this season. Should help Otzelberger continue
to implement his defensive scheme.
• Jaren Holmes should be able to help this team offensively. He is a tough shot maker that can apply a decent amount of
rim pressure. Should be able to fill the hole left by Brockington’s departure. Tre King can also play with the ball in his
hands.
• There could be some regression to the mean here with the shooting. I’d expect Kalscheur to shoot the ball much
better from deep next season, and Grill should shoot it better as well. That will help to solve some of their offensive
issues.
• No-middle defensive scheme was taught incredibly well by Otzelberger. The team instantly became one of the better
defenses in college basketball last season out of nowhere, and much of that had to do with the coaching job.
• Osunniyi and Ward are one of the better rim protecting duos in college basketball. I’d expect them to spend some time
on the floor together and shut off the rim.
• They switch all actions defensively and have the personnel to do that. They are switchable at every spot and have tons
of ground coverage and extra rim protection.
• No-middle combined with their aggression helps to force a lot of turnovers. That allows for positive feedback loops in
transition, helping with their offensive issues.
• Defense is committed to their scheme. They really fly around and cover a ton of ground. It’s very impressive to watch
them play and generally gets opponents out of their offenses.

Weaknesses
• Shooting is going to be an overall concern again. While I’d expect some of their players to shoot it better and the
additions will help, they will likely be playing at least two non-shooters on the floor at all times. This will hurt their
overall spacing, which won’t help with their other offensive issues.
• Shot creation and rim pressure is going to be a major issue. Holmes will really be the only shot creator on the team,
which is a downgrade from last season.
• Not sure how the team will generate good shots on a consistent basis. Will be a major issue for them again.
• Not a ton of depth at the guard spot. Do they have another point guard that’s reliable besides Holmes?

Quick Summary
Iowa State came out of nowhere last season to make the NCAA Tournament. They went from two wins the prior season
to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in their first year with T.J. Otzelberger. This was done with a variety of transfers and elite
no-middle defense. Iowa State was a top 5 defense last season, and they should be around there again this year.
Osunniyi is one of the best defenders in college basketball. Hason Ward also provides a ton of rim protection. The other
pieces should fit well into the scheme, and they will retain their scheme and coach. While the elite defense is enough to
get Iowa State into tournament discussions, the offense will likely be an issue again. KenPom had Iowa State ranked
171st in defense last season. The shooting should be better, but the shot creation will be worse without Tyrese Hunter
and Izaiah Brockington. Maybe Otzelberger can find a way to scheme up more offense, but that side of the ball will be a
major concern yet again. The defense is enough to get them into the range of realistic tournament teams, but the
offense holds them back for me.
 5.44. Marquette
KenPom: 76 | Barttorvik: 70 | Haslametrics: 75 | EvanMiya: 53

Coach: Shaka Smart

PG: Tyler Kolek | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Kameron Jones | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Zach Wrightsil (Loyola-NO) | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Olivier-Maxence Prosper | Forward | 6’8”
C: Oso Ighodaro | Big | 6’9”
B1: Stevie Mitchell | Guard | 6’2”
B2: David Joplin | Forward | 6’7”
B3: Emarion Ellis | Guard | 6’5”
B4: Sean Jones (NR) | Guard | 5’10”
B5: Chase Ross (NR) | Guard | 6’4”

Strengths
• Athleticism and versatility with this team. Wrighstil, Prosper, and Ighodaro is an athletic and versatile frontcourt that
can do plenty of different things. Joplin off the bench also fits in with those players.
• Ball screen heavy offense with one of the best passers in college basketball with Kolek. They do a good job of
incorporating spread ball screens, Kolek is incredible at reading the backside and making creative decisions.
• Good roll men that can also make plays with a dribble or two. Really good finishers at the rim with positive length and
athleticism. There are some nice sets they can run with both on the floor together.
• Get a ton of points in transition. Have multiple players that can handle the ball in the open floor along with two
quicker big men that run the floor hard. Great way to get easy points.
• Offense does a good job of generating shots from the perimeter with spread ball screens, spacing concepts, and drive
and kicks.
• Will mix in a variety of aggressive defensive coverages. They will press and ¾ court press with their length and
athleticism, can run these with Prosper at the top and really bother opposing offenses.
• Having Prosper and Ighodaro will allow them to play well in their aggressive ball screen coverages. Both are athletic
enough to play up to touch while they will also have a rim protector on the back line. Wrightsil should help there as well.
• Very strong perimeter defense overall with this team. Helps them to really pressure opponents and get into passing
lanes.

Weaknesses
• Overall shot creation outside of ball screens can be an issue. Kolek I pass first and other players may not be
consistently efficient creators of offense.
• Wish Kolek was more of a scoring or shooting threat for how often he’s in ball screens, would really accentuate his
passing.
• May struggle with bigger players in the post and on the defensive glass. Centers are rangy and athletic but not
necessarily bulky.
• They can be overaggressive on defense, leading to opponents getting more shots at the rim than they should.
• Bench could be an issue. Unproven players coming off the bench, could lead to drop-offs or a shortened rotation.

Quick Summary
Under Shaka Smart for his first season with Marquette, the Golden Eagles made the tournament and lost in the first
round to UNC. Smart implemented many of the same principles he had coaching at Texas, which is an incredibly ball
screen heavy offense pared with an aggressive defense. The personnel on this team fit that mold on both ends of the
floor. Kolek is one of the better pick and roll creators in the country and Jones cold thrive in an expanded role. Prosper
and Ighodaro are excellent roll men as well. Defensively, the frontcourt provides versatility and length to execute
Smart’s defensive coverages. They should be strong at the point of attack as well. I’m not certain about the overall talent
level on this team and the lack of depth concerns me, but I think they could be a solid team contending for the
tournament next season.
 5.45. Wyoming
KenPom: 64 | Barttorvik: 46 | Haslametrics: 69 | EvanMiya: 75

Coach: Jeff Linder

PG: Xavier DuSell | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Hunter Maldonado | Wing | 6’7”
SF: Brendan Wenzel | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Jeremiah Oden | Forward | 6’8”
C: Graham Ike | Big | 6’9”
B1: Ethan Anderson (USC) | Guard | 6’1”
B2: Max Agbonkpolo (USC) | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Jake Kyman (UCLA) | Wing | 6’7”
B4: Hunter Thompson | Big | 6’10”
B5: Kenny Foster | Guard | 6’5”

Strengths
• One of the most unique styles in college basketball. They post up more than any other team in college basketball but
get there in a variety of ways. Ike and Maldonado are the two options that they use in the post.
• They do a great job of forcing the matchups they want in the post and placing shooters in advantageous positions.
There is a theory to what they do.
• Post ups create a ton of good looks from deep. Maldonado is excellent at passing out of the post and Ike is above
average. DuSell and Kyman should operate well.
• They do a good job out of ball screens as well once they get into them. Ike operates well as a versatile roll man.
• Really good at finishing around the rim. Maldonado and Ike are incredibly efficient if they get too deep. Also generate
rim pressure through cutting, which is where Agbonkpolo should help.
• Will play with much more size than a typical mid-major. They have size up and down the lineup.
• Generate a lot of free throws with their style of play.
• Should have more athleticism with this version of the team. Should help their point of attack defense.
• Much more depth this season than they had last year.

Weaknesses
• Still unsure of how scalable their offense is. Teams that have more size and can defend Maldonado and Ike in the post
can really neutralize their offense.
• Very reliant on post touches to generate offense. If you can defend them well enough and don’t bring doubles their
shooting can be neutralized as well.
• Wish there was more shooting here. Losing Drake Jeffries won’t help with that. Will be playing multiple non-shooters
often, which is not great for their style.
• Not great at defending in ball screens. Ike does not do a great job there.
• Wish there were a little more individual creation outside of the post touches. Those tend to be easier to scheme
against.

Quick Summary
Wyoming was a surprise last season with how well they performed. They ended up making the tournament as an at-
large bid after an excellent season. They are bringing back the core pieces of their team while adding a few Pac 12
transfers to the mix. The team runs around Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike. These two combine to post up more
than any other team in the country. The unique style of play can be very difficult to defend if you don’t have the
personnel to do so. One of the issues with Wyoming is that better teams tend to defend them much better because they
have more athleticism and size. The high-major transfers will give this team much needed depth and athleticism. They
also have a good amount of size for a mid-major team. The scalability of Wyoming is still going to be a concern. The
shooting could also be better for their style of play. I think Wyoming has a better roster than they had last season and
could potentially make another run to the tournament. From then on it will be all about matchups.
 5.46. Saint Louis
KenPom: 39 | Barttorvik: 41 | Haslametrics: 35 | EvanMiya: 40

Coach: Travis Ford

PG: Yuri Collins | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Gibson Jimerson | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Javon Pickett (Missouri) | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Javonte Perkins | Wing | 6’6”
C: Francis Okoro | Big | 6’9”
B1: Fred Thatch Jr. | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Terrence Hargrove Jr. | Guard | 6’4”
B3: Sincere Parker (JUCO) | Guard | 6’5”
B4: Jake Forrester | Big | 6’9”
B5: Mouhamadou Cisse (NR) | Big | 7’0”

Quick Summary
This is a very talented mid-major basketball team. With the return of Javonte Perkins and Javon Pickett transferring from
Missouri, this should be an impressive offensive unit. Yuri Collins is one of the better point guards in the country, picking
apart defenses with his handle and playmaking despite his size. Jimerson is a lights out movement shooter that opens up
a lot for the offense. Injecting shot creation from Perkins should make this offense difficult to stop. They have playmakers
and offensive threats from a variety of spots on the floor, and playing mostly with 4 smaller players should make them a
matchup problem. My worry for this team is on the defensive side of the ball. Francis Okoro should be solid there, but can
he be the anchor of a team that does not have a ton of interior size? Is their overall defense good enough to make up for
the fact that they lack size in general? I also don’t love the bench for this team, especially with their depth in the frontcourt.
They run small throughout their rotation, and backup center could be an issue for them this season. Many people are high
on this team to make a leap this season. I’m interested in what they will look like, but I definitely see the upside here.

5.47. USC
KenPom: 36 | Barttorvik: 40 | Haslametrics: 42 | EvanMiya: 38

Coach: Andy Enfield

PG: Boogie Ellis | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Reese Dixon-Waters | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Drew Peterson | Wing | 6’9”
PF: Kijani Wright (44) | Forward | 6’9”
C: Vincent Iwuchukwu (47) | Big | 7’0”
B1: Tre White (17) | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Joshua Morgan | Big | 6’11”
B3: Malik Thomas | Guard | 6’4”
B4: Kobe Johnson | Wing | 6’6”
B5: Harrison Hornery | Forward | 6’9”

Quick Summary
USC was a strange team last season. They consistently played one of the bigger lineups in the country, which gave them
strengths and weaknesses on both ends. They could run into the same issue this season, although they might be doing it
with worse big men. Kijani Wright and Vincent Iwuchukwu are interesting Freshmen, but a scheme that will be
dependent on two non-elite center prospects is concerning to me. There is still a lot of talent on this team. Boogie Ellis
and Drew Peterson in the backcourt is a nice shot creation duo. Tre White off the bench is likely the best prospect on
this team and an interesting one and done candidate. There is room for upside here, but I’m uncertain of how the pieces
will fit together. I do think that if they can figure out how to play 4-out more often then that could raise the ceiling of
this team. They just struggle to consistently create shots and defend on the perimeter once they get to higher leverage
matchups. Against better teams their size is not as much as an advantage. USC has talent, but the fit and interactive
ability of the talent is my concern here.
 5.48. LSU
KenPom: 40 | Barttorvik: 65 | Haslametrics: 23 | EvanMiya: 41

Coach: Matt McMahon

PG: Justice Hill (Murray St) | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Cam Hayes (NC State) | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Adam Miller | Guard | 6’3”
PF: Mwani Wilkinson | Wing | 6’5”
C: KJ Williams (Murray St) | Forward | 6’10”
B1: Tyrell Ward (34) | Wing | 6’7”
B2: Justice Williams | Wing | 6’4”
B3: Trae Hannibal (Murray St) | Guard | 6’2”
B4: Jalen Reed (72) | Forward | 6’10”
B5: Kendal Coleman (NW St) | Forward | 6’8”

Quick Summary
Is… LSU even going to be eligible for the tournament this season? Former coach Will Wade was known to have violated
NCAA regulations and was fired shortly before the tournament last season. LSU added coach Matt McMahon from
Murray State after he did an incredible job with that program. McMahon brought over the best players from his Murray
State team and kept an impressive amount of LSU players from transferring. LSU is still not nearly as talented as they
were last season, but they have some pieces. Juice Hill and KJ Williams should be able to play at this level. The return of
Adam Miller is an interesting element and Tyrell Ward is an under-discussed Freshman for whatever reason. McMahon
has built a nice roster and there is talent here that could fit into what McMahon was doing with Murray State, but it’s
difficult to win the tournament this season if they may not be eligible. There are also plenty of questions for how these
pieces will fit, although there can be some interesting 5-out and high pace offense here with plenty of defensive
versatility. This team could be good enough to make the tournament if they are eligible.

5.49. Ole Miss

KenPom: 49 | Barttorvik: 43 | Haslametrics: 63 | EvanMiya: 71
Coach: Kermit Davis
PG: Daeshuan Ruffin | Guard | 5’9” B1: Josh Mballa (Buffalo) | Forward | 6’7”
SG: Tye Fagan | Guard | 6’3” B2: Jayveous McKinnis (Jackson St) | Forward | 6’7”
SF: Matthew Murrell | Wing | 6’4” B3: Myles Burns (Loyola-NO) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Jaemyn Brakefield | Forward | 6’8” B4: Malique Ewin (77) | Big | 6’10”
C: Theo Akwuba (Louisiana) | Big | 6’11” B5: T.J. Caldwell (97) | Guard | 6’4”

Quick Summary
This is a talented roster that Kerit Davis has put together. Their ceiling begins with the health of Daeshaun Ruffin, who is
the primary ball handler for this team but is coming off an ACL injury. Ruffin is an electric shot creator, constantly putting
pressure on the defense with his quickness and handle. Offensively, Matthew Murrell will also be a large part of the
equation. Murrell has been a breakout candidate for a while now, but this season he should get more opportunities to
flash his athleticism, shooting, and creation. How much talented player Jaemyn Brakefield can add to the offensive mix is
another important question to answer. This team has also added clear size and length in the transfer portal. Theo
Akwuba, Jayveous McKinnis, Josh Mballa, and Myles Burns have all won Defensive Player of the Year awards in their
respective conferences. How that will translate to the SEC level is an obvious question, but taking that many shots at
defensive difference makers is a great bet to make. I’m cautiously optimistic about this team. Assuming Rufifn can look
similar to where he was pre-injury, Ole Miss can be a sleeper team to make the tournament as an at-large.
 5.50. St. John’s
KenPom: 37 | Barttorvik: 47 | Haslametrics: 50 | EvanMiya: 36

Coach: Mike Anderson

PG: Andre Curbelo (Illinois) | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Posh Alexander | Guard | 6’0”
SF: Montez Mathis | Wing | 6’4”
PF: David Jones (DePaul) | Wing | 6’6”
C: Joel Soriano | Big | 6’11”
B1: Dylan Addae-Wusu | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Rafael Pinzon | Guard | 6’6”
B3: O’Mar Stanley | Forward | 6’8”
B4: Eashia Nyiwe | Big | 6’10”
B5: AJ Storr (92) | Guard | 6’5”

Quick Summary
St. John’s was probably better than people realize last season and added some interesting pieces from the transfer
portal. Andre Curbelo has had an up and down career thus far, but he’s incredible when playing well. Curbelo can be a
game breaking offensive option, creating a ton of advantages for himself and his teammates with his creativity and
quickness. The problem with him is that he often is doing more harm with his style of play. David Jones is the other big
transfer, a strong wing from DePaul that does a bit of everything. He can play on and off the ball and is very versatile
defensively. The shot would hopefully be better, but Jones fits nicely on this team. St. John’s loses two important players
in Champagnie and Wheeler, but may be just as talented this season. Posh Alexander and Curbelo might be the most
annoying backcourt in the country with Alexander being one of the best point of attack defenders in college basketball.
The other returners will provide a good amount of baseline size and skill. The transfers also fit perfectly into the up-
tempo style of play. There are few teams if any that play faster than St. John’s. I’d expect this to be a very good offensive
team, but I do still wonder what the defense looks like with similar personnel. Still, this team could certainly contend for
the tournament and surprise some teams with a unique style of play.

5.51. Seton Hall

KenPom: 48 | Barttorvik: 55 | Haslametrics: 31 | EvanMiya: 63
Coach: Shaheen Holloway
PG: Al-Amir Dawes (Clemson) | Guard | 6’2” B1: Jamir Harris | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Kadary Richmond | Guard | 6’6” B2: Alexis Yetna | Forward | 6’8”
SF: Dre Davis (Louisville) | Wing | 6’6” B3: Femi Odukale (Pittsburgh) | Guard | 6’5”
PF: KC Ndefo (St. Peters) | Forward | 6’7” B4: Tray Jackson | Big | 6’10”
C: Tyrese Samuel | Big | 6’10” B5: Jaquan Sanders (NR) | Guard | 6’3”

Quick Summary
After a somewhat disappointing end to last season, Seton Hall has hired March Madness phenom Shaheen Holloway to
lead Seton Hall into its next era. Holloway has reshaped the roster and is hoping to make another tournament next
season. Where Saint Peter’s was excellent under Holloway was defensively. They would play aggressively at the point of
attack and collapse against drives. Saint Peter’s was actually one of the better teams in the country defensively, and
Seton Hall will likely be good defensively next season as well. Ndefo comes over with Holloway. Kadary Richmond is one
of the best perimeter defenders in the country. They have size and defensive aptitude around the rest of their rotation
with Samuel, Davis, Yetna, Odukale, and Jackson. This team has the personnel to really execute how Holloway teams
want to defend. Offense is where I have some concerns. I’m not sure if Dawes, Richmond, and Harris can string together
enough shot creation to lead to efficient offense. Holloway is known for excellent set design, but this team lacks elite
shooting to really execute some of the sets he had so much success with. I think the defense here is going to be very
strong, but the offense is a major concern of mine. Can Seton Hall make it back to the tournament? I think so, but the
offense may hold them back from being a higher seed or a deeper run.
 5.52. Maryland
KenPom: 56 | Barttorvik: 50 | Haslametrics: 48 | EvanMiya: 55

Coach: Kevin Willard

PG: Jahmir Young (Charlotte) | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Donald Carey (Georgetown) | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Hakim Hart | Wing | 6’8”
PF: Donte Scott | Forward | 6’8”
C: Julian Reese | Big | 6’9”
B1: Ian Martinez | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Jahari Long (Seton Hall) | Guard | 6’5”
B3: Ike Cornish | Wing | 6’6”
B4: Patrick Emilien (St. Francis BKN) | Forward | 6’7”
B5: Pavlo Dziuba | Forward | 6’8”

Quick Summary
Can Maryland get back to the NCAA Tournament this season? This is a team that I think may be going underdiscussed
going into the season. Maryland added some talent over the offseason, as well as making an upgrade at coach. The
biggest long-term move is adding Kevin Willard from Seton Hall, who has a good record as a head coach and should
make this team much better in the coming years. This season, Maryland has added some shot creation to go along with
their impressive frontcourt. Jahmir Young will be a major swing piece. Young was a great player at Charlotte, being an
impressive and efficient scorer. Young’s shooting could make life much easier for everyone on Maryland. Maryland also
has a good frontcourt. Hart and Scott is a really strong wing/forward group, bringing a ton of versatility to both ends of
the floor. Julian Reese going into his second season is interesting as a skilled big with some movement ability. I’m
definitely worried about the bench and overall shot creation with this team. I’m not sure if I love how reliant they may
be on Donald Carey and I don’t know who the backup center is. I still think there is talent here and this team could
surprise some people.

5.53. Stanford
KenPom: 58 | Barttorvik: 37 | Haslametrics: 53 | EvanMiya: 45

Coach: Jerod Haase

PG: Isa Silva | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Michael Jones (Davidson) | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Harrison Ingram | Wing | 6’8”
PF: Spencer Jones | Forward | 6’7”
C: James Keefe | Forward | 6’9”
B1: Michael O’Connell | Guard | 6’2”
B2: Brandon Angel | Forward | 6’8”
B3: Maxime Raynaud | Big | 7’1”
B4: Max Murrell | Forward | 6’9”
B5: Jaylen Thompson (NR) | Forward | 6’7”

Quick Summary
Stanford is a team that many expect to take a step forward this season. They are returning a majority of their pieces
from last season, with many expected to take a leap. Harrison Ingram is the most important piece of the puzzle, as he
can potentially vault himself into the first round of the NBA Draft. Ingram has size and is an excellent playmaker and ball
handler. He is capable of driving offense for this team while being a serious matchup problem for opponents. Maxime
Raynaud is a massive player that has skill who should be better heading into his Sophomore season. Isa Silva could add
more ball handling to the backcourt in his second year. This team has plenty of ball handling and a good amount of
shooting. Michael Jones from Davidson is one of the best shooters in the country. They should also be solid defensively.
They have a lot of plus team defenders with Ingram, Jones, and Raynaud. They also have a lot of size, which should make
the lives of opponents difficult. I’m still concerned about how high the overall talent level on this team is and if they are
going to consistently and efficiently create shots. This team is returning a lot of players from a team that wasn’t very
good last season, which is not always a great recipe for success. There is serious reason for optimism here, but there are
also a ton of questions. There are may different ways this season can go for Stanford.
 5.54. Arizona State
KenPom: 75 | Barttorvik: 51 | Haslametrics: 71 | EvanMiya: 67

Coach: Bobby Hurley

PG: D.J. Horne | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Frankie Collins (Michigan) | Guard | 6’1”
SF: Desmond Cambridge (Nevada) | Wing | 6’4”
PF: Marcus Bagley | Wing | 6’8”
C: Warren Washington (Nevada) | Big | 7’0”
B1: Luther Muhammed | Guard | 6’3”
B2: Devan Cambridge (Auburn) | Forward | 6’6”
B3: Alonzo Gaffney | Forward | 6’9”
B4: Jamiya Neal | Wing | 6’6”
B5: Austin Nunez (85) | Guard | 6’2”

Quick Summary
This Arizona State team is… really talented? Arizona State perennially underperforms expectations, so being high on
them makes me a little nervous. But on paper, they have a ton of talent here. The backcourt of D.J. Horne and Frankie
Collins gives them a ton of shot creation. Desmond Cambridge is also another player that will provide that. Warren
Washington will give them interior size and Marcus Bagley is a versatile wing defender. There is real athleticism on this
team as well with Bagley and the Cambridge brothers. This could potentially be a very strong two-way team that finds its
way into the tournament as an at-large bid. They have the shot creation, size, athleticism, and depth needed to be good
this season. My concern is how the pieces fit together. There are a lot of different transfers and players that will need
the ball. There are also players coming from suboptimal situations. Blending different lineup combinations and
personalities will be a difficult problem to solve for Bobby Hurley. I am cautiously optimistic about this Arizona State
team, but I do think there is a ton of potential here. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the tournament or even
ranked for a period of time. There is that much talent here.

5.55. Furman
KenPom: 69 | Barttorvik: 73 | Haslametrics: 81 | EvanMiya: 47

Coach: Bob Richey

PG: Carter Whitt (Wake Forest) | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Mike Bothwell | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Marcus Foster | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Jalen Slawson | Forward | 6’7”
C: Garrett Hein | Forward | 6’9”
B1: Joe Anderson | Guard | 6’0”
B2: JP Pegues | Guard | 6’1”
B3: Tyrese Hughey | Forward | 6’6”
B4: Jonny Lawrence | Big | 6’10”
B5: Alex Williams | Forward | 6’5”

Quick Summary
Furman is one of my favorite teams in the nation. They almost made the tournament, but unfortunately lost their
conference tournament on a buzzer beater from Chattanooga. Furman is one of the better 5-out teams in college
basketball. Jalen Slawson’s ability to play the 5 defensively at his size and space the floor offensively with the ability to
handle the ball s well creates incredibly difficult matchup issues for opponents. The 5-out spacing combines with tons of
shooting. Few teams in the country shoot 3s at a higher rate than Furman. Even though they lost Alex Hunter and Conley
Garrison, they should still have plenty of shooting around Slawson. The one area I’m concerned about is with how they
can get to Slawson at the 5 as consistently with some of their pieces leaving. They are also willing to make the trade off
between offense and defense. They struggle with preventing shots at the rim with generally weak point of attack
defense. They can also be a bit reliant on shooting, often not capitalizing on that by getting to the rim enough. Furman
has limitations with their style of play, but ultimately it raises their ceiling. Slawson opens up a ton and Bothwell is an
awesome guard to have. Whitt as a high-major transfer should also help. I’d expect this to be a great offensive team
again.
 5.56. VCU
KenPom: 94 | Barttorvik: 74 | Haslametrics: 55 | EvanMiya: 51

Coach: Mike Rhoades

PG: Adrian Baldwin Jr. | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Jayden Nunn | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Jamir Watkins | Forward | 6’7”
PF: Brandon Johns Jr. (Michigan) | Forward | 6’8”
C: Jalen DeLoach | Forward | 6’9”
B1: Zeb Jackson (Michigan) | Guard | 6’5”
B2: Alphonzo Billups (NR) | Forward | 6’7”
B3: David Shriver (Hartford) | Wing | 6’6”
B4: Nick Kern | Wing | 6’6”
B5: Christian Fermin (NR) | Big | 6’10”

Quick Summary
Havoc lives here! VCU is one of the more fun teams to watch in the country because of their Havoc defense. The Havoc
defense is an incredibly aggressive pressing scheme that speeds up opponents into forcing turnovers and tough shots.
The aggression of the havoc is not just fun to watch, but it is actually functionally excellent. VCU has been top 15 in
defense per KenPom in 3 of the last 4 seasons, and they have been top 50 in defense 10 of the last 11 seasons. Despite
possibly having worse defensive personnel than last season, I’d be surprised if this was not an excellent defense yet
again. Offense has always been the concern with these teams. With a full season of Ace Baldwin, improvement from
Jayden Nunn, and an injection of Michigan transfers in Zeb Jacson and Brandon Johns Jr. along with the return from
Jamir Watkins, this could be an improved offensive team as well. With shooting being the biggest concern for this team
last year, hopefully the new pieces can help with that. The offense will ultimately be the swing piece between VCU being
a fun and competitive team and a legitimate tournament team. Time will tell to see how much better the offense will be
from last season and if the defense can continue to be quite as excellent.

5.57. North Texas

KenPom: 67 | Barttorvik: 58 | Haslametrics: 73 | EvanMiya: 77

Coach: Grant McCasland

PG: Tylor Perry | Guard | 5’11”
SG: Rubin Jones | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Tyree Eady (N Dakota St) | Guard | 6’5”
PF: Jayden Martinez (NH) | Forward | 6’7”
C: Abou Ousmane | Big | 6’10”
B1: Aaron Scott | Forward | 6’7”
B2: Kai Huntsberry (Mary) | Guard | 6’1”
B3: Moulaye Sissoko (Dayton) | Big | 6’9”
B4: Matthew Stone | Guard | 6’4”
B5: Chrisdon Morgan (NR) | Forward | 6’8”

Quick Summary
North Texas has perennially been a competitive mid-major program since Grant McCasland took over. North Texas has
been exceeding expectations year over year with a slow and methodical style of play along elite no-middle defense. Last
season, the North Texas defense was almost an amoeba, with players flying around, covering ground, and defending all
over the floor. North Texas does an excellent job of slowing down opponents and forcing them into difficult jumpers.
While they are losing some of their better defensive players from the team last season, their successful scheme will
return. Expect North Texas to be a very good defense yet again, with Ousmane providing more rim protection and Scott
being able to step into a small ball 5 role. Offensively, North Texas plays an incredibly slow style of play. With Tylor Perry
being one of the better mid-major players, they could be better offensively with the paired increase in shooting with
Martinez and Eady. An elite defensive team that could take a step forward offensively should make North Texas even
better than they were last season. I still do have concerns about what the offense looks like against high-major teams. Is
their quite enough shot creation here to truly compete? Without getting much in transition to account for this, I’m
concerned. However, their style does lead to some variability with a limited number of possessions for each team. North
Texas should compete for an NCAA Tournament this season as one of the better mid-major teams in college basketball.
 5.58. BYU
KenPom: 44 | Barttorvik: 83 | Haslametrics: 59 | EvanMiya: 27

Coach: Mark Pope

PG: Rudi Williams (Coastal Carolina) | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Spencer Johnson | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Jaxson Robinson (Arkansas) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Gideon George | Forward | 6’6”
C: Fousseyni Traore | Big | 6’7”
B1: Tevin Knell | Guard | 6’5”
B2: Atiki Ally Atiki | Big | 6’11”
B3: Noah Waterman (Detroit) | Forward | 6’11”
B4: Trey Stewart | Guard | 6’2”
B5: Dallin Hall | Guard | 6’3”

Quick Summary
After a strange up and down season last year and the departure of Alex Barcello, it’s difficult to rank this BYU squad
heading into next year. A lot of the evaluation comes down to “can Rudi Williams lead efficient offense” and “is Jaxson
Robinson actually really good”. This BYU team should be good yet again defensively, featuring length and versatility
outlined by untraditional center Fousseyni Traore. Traore is undersized, but built like the Hulk and has arms that stretch
across the court. His size can be an issue at times, but he provides a lot as the anchor of the defense. The size and
versatility of the surrounding pieces should combine to create a good defense yet again. The offense might be a
concern. I am just unsure of how helpful Rudi Williams will be, especially since this team lacks another point guard to fit
into their continuity ball screen system. Who is going to be running these ball screens and creating shots if Rudi Williams
is not quite as good as people expect. Is the shooting there at a high enough level to finish the looks that this team will
get? I have some concerns about this BYU team, but there is definitely a good amount of talent here. I’d expect them to
potentially compete for an at-large tourney bid.

5.59. Rutgers
KenPom: 50 | Barttorvik: 56 | Haslametrics: 56 | EvanMiya: 58

Coach: Steve Pikiell

PG: Cam Spencer (Loyola MD) | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Paul Mulcahy | Wing | 6’6”
SF: Caleb McConnell | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Aundre Hyatt | Wing | 6’6”
C: Cliff Omoruyi | Big | 6’11”
B1: Mawot Mag | Forward | 6’7”
B2: Dean Reiber | Big | 6’10”
B3: Jalen Miller | Guard | 6’2”
B4: Derek Simpson (NR) | Guard | 6’2”
B5: Antwone Woolfork (NR) | Forward | 6’7”

Quick Summary
Rutgers had an incredibly strange path to the NCAA Tournament last season. After losing plenty of weird games early in
the season, they turned it on during conference play and pushed their way into the back end of March Madness. There
is some reasonable questioning of how good they were last season. Predictive metrics had them far outside tournament
contention, and Rutgers does not necessarily have the best roster. After losing their best player in Ron Harper Jr. and
another one of their best scorers in Geo Baker, this team has taken a significant step back in talent. Rutgers actually has
impressive defensive personnel. Caleb McConnell is one of the better defensive players in the country on the perimeter.
Aundre Hyatt and Paul Mulcahy are good on the wing. Cliff Omoruyi is a good and mobile rim protector. They could
potentially improve from where they were last year defensively. The concern is that the offense could fall off a cliff. Get
ready for a lot of Mulcahy post touches. Cam Spencer was brought in to help here, and if his scoring can translate it
would be huge for Rutgers. I’m just uncertain of that happening. Rutgers offensive struggles could really hold them back
this season, although the defense could be good enough to make them reasonably competitive.
 5.60. Loyola Chicago
KenPom: 59 | Barttorvik: 54 | Haslametrics: 60 | EvanMiya: 56

Coach: Drew Valentine

PG: Braden Norris | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Marquis Kennedy | Guard | 6’1”
SF: Saint Thomas | Forward | 6’7”
PF: Philip Alston (Cal Penn) | Wing | 6’6”
C: Bryce Golden (Butler) | Big | 6’9”
B1: Sheldon Edwards (Valpo) | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Jacob Hutson | Big | 6’10”
B3: Jeameril Wilson (Lehigh) | Forward | 6’7”
B4: Tom Welch | Forward | 6’8”
B5: Ben Schwieger (NR) | Wing | 6’5”

Quick Summary
Loyola Chicago has been one of the better mid-major programs the past few years, which has earned them a place in the
Atlantic 10 this upcoming season. Where the Ramblers have made their mark is on the defensive side of the ball. They
were excellent there last season, but will they be able to maintain that with their loss of personnel? Losing Lucas
Williamson, Aher Uguak, and Chris Knight will hurt the defensive personnel. Loyola Chicago has always done an excellent
job with their defensive scheme, forcing a ton of tough 2s by forcing opponents to heavily play in isolation. An excess of
switching and denials makes it difficult for opponents, but how effective will this be with weaker defensive personnel?
The offense will also be a question this season. The shooting may take a step back without Schweiger, Williamson, and
Hall. The sets are generally creative, but the shooting is what had really elevated them. Can Golden step into a bigger
role as a passing hub? Can Sheldon Edwards translate some of his scoring? Will we finally see the Saint Thomas
breakout? There are a lot of questions here on both ends, but the coaching and scheme should remain consistently
good. This will be a much larger test for Drew Valentine.

5.61. Missouri
KenPom: 41 | Barttorvik: 49 | Haslametrics: 61 | EvanMiya: 89

Coach: Dennis Gates

PG: Nick Honor (Clemson) | Guard | 5’10”
SG: Sean East (JUCO) | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Isiaih Mosley (Missouri St) | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Noah Carter (UNI) | Forward | 6’6”
C: Kobe Brown | Forward | 6’8”
B1: D’Moi Hodge (Cleveland St) | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Tre Gomillion (Cleveland St) | Guard | 6’4”
B3: Mohammed Diarra (JUCO) | Big | 6’11”
B4: DeAndre Gholston (Milwaukee) | Guard | 6’5”
B5: Ronnie DeGray III | Forward | 6’6”

Quick Summary
In the first season of the Dennis Gates era, this Missouri team is incredibly talented and should be in tournament
contention. Isiaih Mosley is the big piece here, being one of the best individual scorers in the country. Mosley is quietly
one of the best offensive players in the country, being a ridiculous shooter and shot creator for a wing. He’s arguably the
best player that transferred during the offseason. The other pieces added are also very impressive. Noah Carter is a
really interesting player, having an incredibly high level of feel and skill. Sean East is one of the better JUCO transfers and
could provide a lot offensively as well. Nick Honor was a starter for a high-major team in Clemson and will be an
important piece as a guard. Hodge and Gomillion are the two pieces Gates brings over from Cleveland State, both of
which are great two-way players and have each been Defensive Player of the Year in the Horizon. My question is how
the pieces will fit together. They don’t have a traditional center unless Diarra is ready right away, and there are a lot of
perimeter defense questions across the rotation. The Cleveland State transfers may be more important than people
think, but their translation will be a question. I also question how the pieces will interact with each other, as there is a
good amount of individual scoring but not a ton of playmaking. I think Missouri could be really good offensively,
especially if they commit to Brown at the 5. The worry for me is the overall fit and defensive ability. There is real upside
here, and I would not be surprised to see this team in the tournament.
 5.62. Drake
KenPom: 79 | Barttorvik: 57 | Haslametrics: 84 | EvanMiya: 49

Coach: Darian DeVries

PG: Roman Penn | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Garrett Sturtz | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Sardaar Calhoun (Texas Tech) | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Tucker DeVries | Wing | 6’7”
C: Darnell Brodie | Big | 6’10”
B1: D.J. Wilkins | Guard | 6’2”
B2: Eric Norweather (Truman St) | Big | 6’9”
B3: Nate Ferguson | Forward | 6’8”
B4: Okay Djamgouz | Wing | 6’5”
B5: Issa Samake | Forward | 6’8”

Quick Summary
I’m a sucker for Drake basketball. Drake has been a competitive team the past few seasons and could be gearing up for a
real run this year. Drake plays a beautiful brand of basketball offensively, featuring a bunch of ball handlers that operate
out of a variety of ball screens and dribble drives. Defensively, Drake plays aggressively with a hard-nosed style. Drake
also has a star player this season in Tucker DeVries, who could emerge as one of the better players in college basketball
and an NBA prospect. Drake is also returning all but 2 of their main rotation players and are adding Sardaar Calhoun, a
nice wing piece that fits perfectly with this team. Drake is talented from 1-5. Roman Penn is a strong point guard with
Garrett Sturtz being a key role player. D.J. Wilkins is an all-defensive level player in the conference that plays much
bigger than his size. Brodie is a massive body that can hang with tougher matchups. What makes me think Drake can
scale to be incredibly competitive against the best teams in the country is DeVries at the 5 lineups. DeVries is a Swiss
army knife on the court, and he can be placed at the 5 and torture opponents with Wilkins sliding into the lineup. This
team has talent and versatility that could make them a potential Cinderella candidate come March. I do have some
concerns about the overall defense and depth, but with Loyola-Chicago moving out of the conference it could finally be
time for Drake to win Arch Madness.

5.63. Washington State

KenPom: 71 | Barttorvik: 69 | Haslametrics: 86 | EvanMiya: 79

Coach: Kyle Smith

PG: Justin Powell (Tennessee) | Guard | 6’6”
SG: TJ Bamba | Guard | 6’5”
SF: DJ Rodman | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Andrej Jakimovski | Forward | 6’8”
C: Mouhamed Gueye | Forward | 6’11”
B1: Jabe Mullins (St. Mary’s) | Guard | 6’6”
B2: Adrame Diongue (49) | Big | 7’0”
B3: Dishon Jackson | Big | 6’10”
B4: Myles Rice | Guard | 6’2”
B5: Kymany Houinsou (France) | Wing | 6’6”

Quick Summary
Washington State was likely better than people realized last season, as they were a team the predictive metrics liked
more than other people because of their competitive losses against good opponents. The Washington State team that
was under the radar last season has also lost a lot of their best players. Washington State lost four starters from their
team last season. They are going to be relying on internal development and transfers to compete for the tournament
again. Mouhamed Gueye is an intriguing player that could be much more well known nationally, showing versatile
defense and a solid skill level offensively. They also have Justin Powell, an oversized ball handler that can really shoot
and pass. The problem with Powell is that he just wasn’t great last season. This should be a good defensive team.
Bamba. Rodman, and Gueye should give a nice defensive baseline. They have some capable shooters, but I’m concerned
about the overall offense. Do they have enough shot creation to win games? Powell, Mullins, and others will likely be
overtasked with the shot creation on this team. While I am intrigued by the talent, the shot creation is too poor to rank
this team higher in my opinion.
 6.64. Cincinnati
KenPom: 51 | Barttorvik: 53 | Haslametrics: 51 | EvanMiya: 50

Coach: Wes Miller

PG: David DeJulius | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Rob Phinisee (Indiana) | Guard | 6’1”
SF: Landers Nolley II (Memphis) | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Jeremiah Davenport | Forward | 6’7”
C: Viktor Lakhim | Big | 6’11”
B1: Mika Adams-Woods | Guard | 6’3”
B2: John Newman III | Guard | 6’5”
B3: Ody Oguama | Big | 6’9”
B4: Kalu Ezikpe (Old Dominion) | Big | 6’8”
B5: Daniel Skillings (86) | Guard | 6’5”

Quick Summary
Cincinnati has begun to turn their program around under Wes Miller, but just how good they will be heading into his
second season is a major question mark. This team will likely be built on the back of its defensive aptitude. They have
size and length, getting players from the portal that fit what Miller wants to do defensively. Nolley will bring a lot as a
wing defender and Phinisee will be their best point of attack option. They also have good wing and front court size now.
The defense is going to bring pressure at the point of attack, collapse on any drives, and rotate around well to shooters.
Cincinnati makes it difficult to play against them. While I think the defense will be good, I have concerns about the
offense. DeJulius is more of a scorer than distributor, the shooting is lackluster, and the decision-making overall might
not be great. I’m not sure who is consistently creating for others here, and against better teams or more aggressive
defenses I can see this Cincinnati team stalling. I still like the talent here and think the defense is good. The offense could
have some upside with their personnel, but that will be the area to watch heading into the season.

6.65. Providence
KenPom: 57 | Barttorvik: 68 | Haslametrics: 62 | EvanMiya: 83

Coach: Ed Cooley
PG: Jared Bynum | Guard | 5’10” B1: Corey Floyd Jr. (UConn) | Guard | 6’4”
SG: Devin Carter (South Carolina) | Guard | 6’3” B2: Clifton Moore (La Salle) | Big | 6’10”
SF: Noah Locke (Louisville) | Guard | 6’3” B3: Alyn Breed | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Bryce Hopkins (Kentucky) | Forward | 6’6” B4: Rafael Castro (NR) | Big | 6’9”
C: Ed Croswell | Big | 6’8” B5: Jayden Pierre (NR) | Guard | 6’1”

Quick Summary
The evaluation of Providence last season led to massive disagreement. Providence won their fair share of close games,
which is not necessarily very predictive. This led to massive discrepancies with how the predictive models viewed
Providence and how traditional college basketball analysts viewed Providence. I was much closer to where the
predictive models had them which was not necessarily high. While I have questions about how good Providence was last
season, they are a completely different team this year. Nate Watson, Al Durham, Noah Horchler, Justin Minaya, and AJ
Reeves were 5 of Providence’s 6 best players and have all left. Replacing them are lesser proven transfers from a variety
of programs. Do you believe in the Bryce Hopkins and Devin Carter potential breakouts? Can Noah Locke get back on
track? Is Corey Floyd going to perform at where the recruit rankings had him? These are questions I don’t have the
answer to, but this appears to be a much less talented roster than they had last year. Last year Providence
outperformed expectations to an unbelievable extent, so I won’t rule anything out with this team and Ed Cooley. No
matter what you think of them, Cooley and the players did an excellent job. I’d bet against them being nearly as good
this season, but anything is possible with Providence.
 6.66. Tulane
KenPom: 63 | Barttorvik: 42 | Haslametrics: 72 | EvanMiya: 97

Coach: Ron Hunter

PG: Jalen Cook | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Sion James | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Jadan Coleman | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Jaylen Forbes | Wing | 6’5”
C: Kevin Cross | Forward | 6’8”
B1: Tylan Pope | Forward | 6’6”
B2: Collin Holloway (Georgetown) | Forward | 6’6”
B3: R.J. McGee | Guard | 6’5”
B4: Nobal Davis | Forward | 6’9”
B5: Tre’ Williams (Oregon St) | Wing | 6’6”

Quick Summary
Tulane is a difficult evaluation. Normally I’d be lower on a solid team returning all of their pieces and expecting massive
improvement, Tulane has a fun roster construction that could lead to better results next season. Tulane is unique in the
fact that they play small with plenty of impressive shot creators. There is constantly a ton of space on the floor because
of the 5-out shooting and spacing, plus the shot creation trio of Cook/Forbes/Cross creates for an offensive unit capable
of damage against better teams. Their offense and spacing could make them dangerous against better teams in the
tournament if they were to get there. The unique style of play gives them more upside than other teams of similar talent
levels. The issue is their lack of size makes them perform poorly at the big man stuff, such as rebounding and rim
protection. The defense could continue to be an issue again, even though they are good at the point of attack and with
preventing shots around the rim. Overall, I’d expect improvement from Tulane but the defense could hold them back
from being a tournament team.

6.67. San Francisco

KenPom: 101 | Barttorvik: 87 | Haslametrics: 66 | EvanMiya: 52

Coach: Chris Gurlufsen

PG: Tyrell Roberts (Washington St) | Guard | 5’11”
SG: Khalil Shabazz | Guard | 6’0”
SF: Julian Rishwain | Wing | 6’5”
PF: Josh Kunen | Forward | 6’8”
C: Toni Rocak (UCSD) | Forward | 6’8”
B1: Marcus Williams (Texas A&M) | Guard | 6’2”
B2: Zane Meeks | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Volodymyr Markovetskyy | Big | 7’1”
B4: Saga Gigiberia (Georgia Tech) | Big | 7’2”
B5: Ndewedo Newbury | Forward | 6’7”

Quick Summary
San Francisco was one of the pleasant surprise teams of last season, making the NCAA tournament with an at-large bid
after an incredibly successful season. As a reward, coach Todd Golden got offered a job at Florida to become their head
coach. Add in the departure of star player Jamaree Bouyea, All-WCC member Yauhen Massalski, starter Patrick Tape,
and starter Gabe Stefanini. San Francisco is losing a ton from their team last season. They still return Khalil Shabazz, and
excellent shot maker and tough two-way presence. Julian Rishwain and Josh Kunen are also sneaky breakout candidates,
both having interesting skillsets for their respective positions. San Francisco has also added through the portal. Rocak
will help to fill the hole in the roster left by Massalski, although just how good he will be at higher levels is still a fair
question to ask. Tyrell Roberts in undersized, although an impressive shooter. Marcus Williams is the player that bring
the upside here despite his disappointing stop at Texas A&M. His ability to create for others will be much needed on this
roster. San Francisco has been able to scheme their way to a good defense previously, although I am concerned about
Rocak as an anchor or the inexperienced Gigiberia being relied on much. Offensively, there is talent, but the question is
how it all ties together. There is talent on this team, although they do have plenty of obvious holes.
 6.68. Western Kentucky
KenPom: 99 | Barttorvik: 115 | Haslametrics: 113 | EvanMiya: 62

Coach: Rick Stansburry

PG: Dayvion McKnight | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Luke Frampton | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Emmanuel Akot (Boise St) | Wing | 6’8”
PF: Jairus Hamilton | Forward | 6’8”
C: Jamarion Sharp | Big | 7’5”
B1: Dontaie Allen (Kentucky) | Wing | 6’6”
B2: Khristian Lander (Indiana) | Guard | 6’3”
B3: Jordan Rawls (Georgia St) | Guard | 6’2”
B4: Tyrone Marshall (JUCO) | Forward | 6’7”
B5: Fallou Diagne (JUCO) | Big | 6’11”

Quick Summary
Western Kentucky is a strange team. They’ve gotten some hype as a contender to improve and make the tournament
with an at-large bid this season. They’ve certainly improved their roster, but they were also not very good last season
with a similar core. Despite having a mobile 7’5” rim protector, the team wasn’t very good defensively last season.
Despite having some good offensive players, they actually were not very good offensively as a team last season. There
may have been some shooting luck factors here, but Western Kentucky not being very good last year makes me nervous.
They fixed their depth issue with very strong transfers, and they should have much better perimeter defense overall
with Akot. They could also have more overall shooting with the transfers, especially with Allen. McKnight provides a lot
on offense and Sharp provides a lot on defense, especially with the zone looks Stansburry likes to throw out. I do think
this team has talent and Stansburry is a good coach, but thinking about how much better they will be from last season
makes me a little nervous.

6.69. Wisconsin
KenPom: 55 | Barttorvik: 62 | Haslametrics: 38 | EvanMiya: 39

Coach: Greg Gard

PG: Chucky Hepburn | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Max Klesmit (Wofford) | Guard | 6’3”
SF: Jordan Davis | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Tyler Wahl | Forward | 6’9”
C: Steven Crowl | Big | 7’0”
B1: Kamari McGee (Green Bay) | Guard | 6’0”
B2: Carter Gilmore | Forward | 6’7”
B3: Jahcobi Neath | Guard | 6’4”
B4: Markus Ilver | Forward | 6’8”
B5: Connor Essegian (NR) | Guard | 6’4”

Quick Summary
There are two important questions to be answered here when looking at Wisconsin this upcoming season: How good
were they last year and how much did Jonathan Davis and Brad Davison impact their success? This first question may be
the more difficult one. Wisconsin won a high number of close games, which led to them being potentially overrated by
the general public. Wisconsin was outside the top 30 in many of the predictive measures, which is where I would lean
when evaluating how good they were last year. With that established, we also have to look at their losses. Johnny Davis
would have been my pick for National Player of the Year. Davis was an incredibly effective offensive engine that also
consistently guarded the best opponent on the perimeter. Losing him is massive, as few players impacted their team as
much as he did. Brad Davison is another massive loss here, as a staple of Wisconsin basketball for years. Replacing their
production is going to be a major struggle offensively. How much will Chucky Hepburn and Tyler Wahl step forward? Can
a transfer or player outside the rotation make a big impact? Without the shot creation of Davis, I struggle to see how
this offense is going to be nearly as good as it was last season. I’d also expect a defensive fall off. There is still some level
of talent here, but Wisconsin has lost a lot.
 6.70. Wake Forest
KenPom: 80 | Barttorvik: 86 | Haslametrics: 70 | EvanMiya: 102

Coach: Steve Forbes

PG: Daivien Williamson | Guard | 6’1”
SG: Tyree Appleby (Florida) | Guard | 6’1”
SF: Damari Monsanto | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Andrew Carr (Delaware) | Forward | 6’9”
C: Davion Bradford (Kansas St) | Big | 7’0”
B1: Jao Ituka (Marist) | Guard | 6’1”
B2: Cameron Hildreth | Guard | 6’4”
B3: Robert McCray | Guard | 6’4”
B4: Matthew Marsh | Big | 7’1”
B5: Bobi Klitman (NR) | Forward | 6’9”

Quick Summary
Wake Forest was one of the surprisingly good teams last season before barely missing the tournament. Their success
was on the back of incredible finds in the transfer portal, picking up two future NBA players in Alondes Williams and Jake
LaRavia. While those two seemingly came out of nowhere to have incredible season, the odds of Steve Forbes repeating
that this year are minimal. Jao Ituka might have the most upside of any transfer this upcoming season, being a good
athlete and providing a ton of rim pressure despite his size. Andrew Carr could also be interesting, being a skilled
forward with plus movement skills. People also seem to like Freshman Bobi Klintman, although I’d be surprised if he
contributed this season. Wake Forest will have size and shooting again this season, but they will not be able to play the
5-out lineups they could easily get to last season. There will also now be shot creation questions without Alondes
Williams. They will be reliant on transfers translating rather quickly and will need some internal development as well.
This is not an overly talented team on paper, but they do have interest yet again with their size and shooting. I’d still be
surprised if Wake Forest was nearly as good as they were last season.

6.71. West Virginia

KenPom: 73 | Barttorvik: 30 | Haslametrics: 64 | EvanMiya: 72

Coach: Bob Huggins

PG: Kedrian Johnson | Guard | 6’3”
SG: Erik Stevenson (South Carlina) | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Emmitt Matthews Jr. (Washington) | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Tre Mitchell (Texas) | Forward | 6’9”
C: Jimmy Bell (JUCO) | Big | 6’10”
B1: Joe Toussaint (Iowa) | Guard | 6’0”
B2: Patrick Suemnick (JUCO) | Forward | 6’9”
B3: Jose Perez (Manhattan) | Guard | 6’5”
B4: Mohamed Wague (JUCO) | Big | 6’10”
B5: Kobe Johnson | Guard | 6’3”

Quick Summary
West Virginia is one of the most confusing teams to get a read on before the season. Beyond the strange Jose Perez
transfer situation, there are a bunch of players on this roster that we don’t know a ton about. Three JUCO transfers
potentially in the rotation? The talented Tre Mitchell, who left Texas 2/3 of the way through the season last year
without explanation? Erik Stevenson, onto his fourth school? Joe Toussaint, the athletic rim pressure guard that can’t
shoot? Emmitt Matthews coming back to West Virginia after a year at Washington? Bob Huggins, one of the best
coaches in college basketball that struggled to find continuity with his roster last season and has put together a
lackluster group heading into this year? This team definitely has some talent, length, and athleticism. They could have
some shot creation here as well and can fit more into what a Huggins team wants to do defensively. The pieces are just
weird and one of their better players may not be able to play this season after transferring a week before the start of
the season. This situation makes no sense, this team is impossible to predict, but there is some fun upside here.
 6.72. Colorado State
KenPom: 97 | Barttorvik: 96 | Haslametrics: 80 | EvanMiya: 98

Coach: Niko Medved

PG: Isaiah Stevens* | Guard | 6’0”
SG: Josiah Strong (Illinois St) | Guard | 6’3”
SF: John Tonje | Guard | 6’5”
PF: Partick Cartier (Hillsdale) | Forward | 6’8”
C: James Moors | Big | 6’10”
B1: Jalen Lake | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Isaiah Rivera | Guard | 6’5”
B3: Baylor Hebb | Guard | 6’2”
B4: Joe Palmer (Augsburg) | Guard | 6’4”
B5: Tavi Jackson (NR) | Guard | 6’2”

Quick Summary
Colorado State lost a lot from last season. They finally were able to break through and make the tournament, but that
led to the departure of David Roddy. Two more starters in Kendle Moore and Dischon Thomas have also left. Losing one
of the better players in the country obviously makes Colorado State a worse team. They added some pieces in the
transfer portal, but they are not nearly as talented as they were last year. This should still be a very good offense. Isaiah
Stevens is one of the better point guards in the country. Jalen Lake and John Tonje are interesting shot creators. There
should be a lot of space to operate here. They should fly up and down the court, have a lot of spacing, and a good
amount of perimeter shot creation and ball handling. Defense will be a major struggle. They could be solid at the point
of attack and will prevent rim attempts with their gap presence, but the overall rim protection will be an issue. I’m also
quite concerned about the overall depth here. There is some offensive talent and Niko Medved is a fantastic offensive
coach. They should be difficult to deal with on that end, but the roster also has a lot of deficiencies overall.

6.73. Penn State

KenPom: 46 | Barttorvik: 82 | Haslametrics: 34 | EvanMiya: 65

Coach: Micah Shrewsberry

PG: Camren Wynter (Drexel) | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Myles Dread | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Jalen Pickett | Guard | 6’4”
PF: Seth Lundy | Wing | 6’6”
C: Kebba Nije (100) | Big | 6’10”
B1: Andrew Funk (Bucknell) | Guard | 6’5”
B2: Michael Henn (Denver) | Forward | 6’8”
B3: Dallion Johnson | Guard | 6’3”
B4: Caleb Dorsey | Forward | 6’7”
B5: Jameel Brown (NR) | Guard | 6’4”

Quick Summary
Entering Shrewsbury’s second season as a head coach, Penn State could be a sneaky team to improve and make a run at
a tournament bid. They have returning shot creation with Pickett and Lundy. Jalen Pickett is quietly on of the better
guards in the conference here. They also added guards in Wynter and Funk that should really help bolster their offensive
performance. This team is deeper and more versatile than it has been in the past. They will play 4 out with 4 guard-like
players on the perimeter, but they also have solid positional size. Wynter plays bigger than his listed height, and they
should be able to do some switching on the perimeter. This team also has a good amount of shooting around a rim
running, athletic big. The question is if Freshman Nije will be quite ready enough to contribute at this level in this
conference. Penn State had a good defense last season, doing a great job of preventing shots at the rim in their more
conservative scheme. The question is if they will be able to get enough offense to get to the tournament. That’s what
they chased in the transfer portal, but they also lost some shot creation from last season. This team could be sneaky, but
there are still plenty of questions to be answered.
 6.74. Butler
KenPom: 130 | Barttorvik: 110 | Haslametrics: 84 | EvanMiya: 106

Coach: Thad Matta

PG: Chuck Harris | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Eric Hunter Jr. (Purdue) | Guard | 6’4”
SF: Simas Lukosius | Wing | 6’6”
PF: Ali Ali (Akron) | Wing | 6’8”
C: Manny Bates (NC State) | Big | 6’11”
B1: Jayden Taylor | Guard | 6’4”
B2: Myles Tate | Guard | 6’0”
B3: Jalen Thomas (Georgia St) | Big | 6’10”
B4: D.J. Hughes | Wing | 6’6”
B5: Myles Wilmouth | Forward | 6’9”

Quick Summary
In the first season of the Thad Matta era, Matta has put together a talented roster that could surprise this season. They
are going to be reliant on transfers and internal development, but there are plenty of interesting bets being made here.
Chuck Harris is still the main piece of this team, being a talented shot creator that could thrive in a more expanded on-
ball role. Lukosius could also look improved, as he got much better last season as the year went on. Manny Bates might
be the most interesting transfer. He did not play last season, but was an excellent rim protector as NC State’s starting
center two years ago. Ali Ali could be a diamond in the rough from Akron, being an oversized wing that can really hit
shots. Eric Hunter Jr. will bring perimeter defense to a team that needs to improve on that end. Players such as Myles
Tate and Jayden Taylor could also do more in expanded roles. This team has talent and the construction of the roster
makes sense, but I’m still unsure of what to actually think of this team. There are a lot of new pieces from different
places. There’s a very wide variety of potential outcomes here.

6.75. Boise State

KenPom: 71 | Barttorvik: 69 | Haslametrics: 86 | EvanMiya: 78

Coach: Leon Rice

PG: Marcus Shaver Jr. | Guard | 6’2”
SG: Max Rice | Guard | 6’5”
SF: Chibuzo Agbo (Texas Tech) | Wing | 6’7”
PF: Tyson Degenhart | Forward | 6’7”
C: Lukas Milner | Big | 6’10”
B1: Naje Smith | Forward | 6’7”
B2: Pavle Kuzmanovic | Guard | 6’5”
B3: Sandraque NgaNga (99) | Big | 6’10”
B4: RJ Keene | Wing | 6’6”
B5: Kobe Young | Wing | 6’6”

Quick Summary
Boise State was one of the most pleasant surprises in the country last season, earning a spot in the tournament as an 8
seed before losing to Memphis in the first round. While last seasons Boise State team was great, they are losing a lot of
what made them so good. They had an excellent defense built off of size and versatility. Kigab has graduated and Akot
has transferred, giving them two fewer big wing defenders. Armus was an underrated piece on both sides of the ball,
and he is also no longer on the team. Boise State will be relying on new players to step into bigger roles. Tyson
Degenhart could be that guy after a great Freshman season that has put him on some NBA radars. Marcus Shaver is
back, who was the best shot creator on last years team. Agbo could be a versatile replacement for the wings, although
he has not played a ton thus far. Shooter Max Rice is also back. Boise State still has size and talent, but the pieces will
look different this season. The defense will likely not be as good, but maybe the spacing on offense will be improved. Id’
expect Boise State to take a step back, but maybe not as far as some are predicting.