AP Drops Preseason Men’s Basketball Top 25

Division I men’s college basketball tips off on Monday, Nov. 7, and the Associated Press has dropped its preseason rankings with UNC on top. Some familiar names headline the top of the list, however, some unexpected teams sit in high spots. The SEC and the Big 12 have the highest number of teams on this list with five a piece.

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UNC on Top

North Carolina sits atop the preseason rankings after finishing second in 2022’s national tournament. UNC star big man Armando Bacot returns to the squad for his senior season. The Tar Heels are lead by Hubert Davis in his second season as head coach. In only his first season at the helm, he took North Carolina to the national championship game after sending Duke packing in the final four, what would be Coach K’s last game of his legendary coaching career.

UNC now holds the title for most times ranked number one in the preseason with ten different appearances.

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Last season’s defending champion Kansas Jayhawks come in at No. 5 in the preseason rankings. Head coach Bill Self said goodbye to five players on last season’s championship roster. With a new freshmen class, Self will look to lead the Jayhawks to another chip, something only seven teams in the history of the national tournament have done.

Preseason Questions

Many eyes will be on the Duke Blue Devils this season in their first year without Coach K. Jon Scheyer has some big shoes to fill in his first year as head coach and will attempt to keep Duke’s basketball dominance intact. He will work with a talented freshman class, ranked No. 1 on 247sports.

The Texas Longhorns are the biggest risers on this list, moving up 13 spots from 25 to 12. Last season, they began at the fifth spot in the rankings preseason.

The list’s biggest fall goes to Arizona, that now sits at 17 after finishing number two last year. It will look to get back to that spot this season with the help of Kylan Boswell, a five star point guard who reclassified to play with Arizona a year early.