The\u00a0deeeeep top tier1. Houston<\/p>\n
Last season:\u00a0<\/strong>35-5, national runner-up<\/p>\n Coach:\u00a0<\/strong>Kelvin Sampson (12th season)<\/p>\n Houston’s projected starting 5<\/p>\n Milos Uzan<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 11.4 PPG, 4.3 APG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Kingston Flemings<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n No. 15-ranked freshman<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Emanuel Sharp<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 12.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Joseph Tugler<\/p>\n<\/td>\n F<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 5.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Chris Cenac Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n F\/C<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n No. 6-ranked freshman<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Top bench players:<\/strong> Isiah Harwell (freshman, No. 12); Ramon Walker Jr. (2.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG); Jacob McFarland (redshirted last season); Mercy Miller (2.7 PPG); Chase McCarty (redshirted last season); Kordel Jefferson (1.0 PPG); Kalifa Sahko (7.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG at Sam Houston State)<\/p>\n Biggest losses:<\/strong> LJ Cryer (16.0 PPG, 2.0 APG); J\u2019Wan Roberts (10.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG); Ja\u2019Vier Francis (5.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG); Mylik Wilson (5.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG)<\/p>\n Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Houston has one of the best trios returning in college basketball, with three starters (Uzan, Sharp and Tugler) back from the team that was an eyelash away from winning the national title. The combination of Tugler\u2019s return with Sampson\u2019s coaching just about guarantees this will be one of the best defensive teams in the nation.<\/p>\n The unknown is Sampson leaning on multiple freshmen for the first time. Most likely, some combination of Cenac, Flemings and Harwell will take two of the final three starting spots, and the other will likely be the sixth man. Flemings has a maturity to his game and should fit in seamlessly. Cenac might be better at center and it could take some time to figure out how to play him with another big. Leaning on a freshman to play what might not be his best position is the one reason to question Houston as the Big 12 favorite.<\/p>\n It is difficult to win with freshmen at the high-major level unless they\u2019re one-and-done first-rounders. But there are enough veterans in important roles to ease the pressure, and Sampson has won the conference he\u2019s coached for four straight seasons. I\u2019d entertain an argument for someone else, but Sampson, his vets and his culture is the safest bet.<\/p>\n \n Jaden Bradley leads an Arizona team with a chance to make its first Final Four since 2001. (Chris Coduto \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2. Arizona<\/p>\n Last season:\u00a0<\/strong>24-13, Sweet 16<\/p>\n Coach:\u00a0<\/strong>Tommy Lloyd (fifth season)<\/p>\n Arizona’s projected starting 5<\/p>\n Jaden Bradley<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 12.1 PPG, 3.7 APG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Brayden Burries<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n No. 9-ranked freshman<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Anthony Dell’Orso<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 7.2 PPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Koa Peat<\/p>\n<\/td>\n F<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n No. 8-ranked freshman<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Motiejus Krivas<\/p>\n<\/td>\n C<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 7.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Top bench players:<\/strong> Tobe Awaka (8.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG); Ivan Kharchenkov (international); Dwayne Aristode (freshman, No. 23); Sidi Gueye (international); Evan Nelson (9.1 PPG, 2.9 APG at Harvard)<\/p>\n Biggest losses:<\/strong> Caleb Love (17.2 PPG, 3.4 APG); Henri Veesaar (9.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG); Carter Bryant (6.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG); KJ Lewis (10.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG); Trey Townsend (8.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG)<\/p>\n Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> I\u2019m much higher than consensus on Arizona because of the defensive potential. The Cats have great positional size and an elite rim protector in the 7-foot-2 Krivas. During the 2023-24 season, when Krivas was healthy, Arizona held opponents to 91.3 points per 100 possessions and 36.6 percent shooting inside the arc when Krivas was on the floor, per CBB Analytics. If those were season-long numbers, Arizona would have had the third-best defense in college basketball and by far the best 2-point defense. It should dominate the paint and control the boards.<\/p>\n In predicting a great season for the Cats, the one leap you have to make is that this team, which is leaning on some young scorers, will be elite offensively.<\/p>\n Arizona has had a top-11 offense in each of Lloyd\u2019s four seasons as head coach, and in the three years before that, when Lloyd was helping run Gonzaga\u2019s offense, the Zags had a three-year run as the most efficient offense in college basketball.<\/p>\n Other reasons to believe: Bradley will be in his third year at point guard, Burries is one of the best scorers in the 2025 class, Kharchenkov is one of the best international wings coming over, and Peat, who averaged 12.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in the under-19 World Cup playing for Lloyd, is one of the most college-ready freshmen in the country. And with Awaka, Krivas, Peat and several huge wings, Arizona should be one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country. The biggest concern is 3-point shooting, but the Cats were average last year (33.8 percent) and still had the 11th-best offense nationally.<\/p>\n 3. Texas Tech<\/p>\n Last season:\u00a0<\/strong>28-9, Elite Eight<\/p>\n Coach:\u00a0<\/strong>Grant McCasland (third season)<\/p>\n Texas Tech’s projected starting 5<\/p>\n Christian Anderson<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n So.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 10.6 PPG, 2.2 APG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Tyeree Bryan<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 10.4 PPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Donovan Atwell<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 13.3 PPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n LeJuan Watts<\/p>\n<\/td>\n F<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 13.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n JT Toppin<\/p>\n<\/td>\n F<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 18.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Top bench players:<\/strong> Luke Bamgboye (3.8 PPG, 2.1 BPG at VCU); Josiah Moseley (1.9 PPG at Villanova); Jaylen Petty (freshman, NR)<\/p>\n Biggest losses:<\/strong> Darrion Williams (15.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG); Chance McMillian (14.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG); Elijah Hawkins (9.1 PPG, 6.5 APG); Kevin Overton (7.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG); Kerwin Walton (6.0 PPG); Federiko Federiko (5.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG)<\/p>\n Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Texas Tech has a clear vision of what it wants to be and how to pull it off. Last season, the Red Raiders relied on elite floor spacing and players who could score when given that space to build one of the best offenses in college basketball. McCasland doubled down by paying big money to retain Toppin, replacing Williams with another big wing who can pass and score in Watts and bringing in two 3-point snipers in Bryan and Atwell.<\/p>\n McCasland will also unleash Anderson as his primary guard. The sophomore was fantastic this summer at the U19s World Cup, averaging 17.3 points and 6.6 assists for the Germans, who won silver.<\/p>\n Anderson and Toppin should be one of the best duos in the country. Whether Texas Tech can be as good or even better than last year will depend on how good Watts is \u2014 McCasland is a big believer<\/a> \u2014 and if the defense can improve. To help there, McCasland brought in Bamgboye, who had the second-best block rate in college hoops last year. Depth could be a concern, but the roles are so defined and Toppin and Anderson are so good that it\u2019s hard to see this failing if the Red Raiders can stay healthy.<\/p>\n \n BYU landed a potential NBA Draft No. 1 pick in AJ Dybantsa. (Soobum Im \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n 4. BYU<\/p>\n Last season:\u00a0<\/strong>26-10, Sweet 16<\/p>\n Coach:\u00a0<\/strong>Kevin Young (second season)<\/p>\n BYU’s projected starting 5<\/p>\n Robert Wright III<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n So.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 11.5 PPG, 4.2 APG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Kennard Davis Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 16.3 PPG, 2.6 APG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Richie Saunders<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 16.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n AJ Dybantsa<\/p>\n<\/td>\n F<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n No. 1-ranked freshman<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Keba Keita<\/p>\n<\/td>\n C<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 7.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Top bench players:<\/strong> Xavier Staton (freshman, No. 37); Dawson Baker (7.5 PPG, 1.4 APG); Mihailo Boskovic (3.6 PPG); Nate Pickens (9.8 PPG at UC Riverside); Tyler Mrus (9.7 PPG at Idaho); Chamberlain Burgess (freshman, NR); Domique Diomande (redshirted at Washington)<\/p>\n Biggest losses:<\/strong> Egor Demin (10.6 PPG, 5.5 APG); Trevin Knell (9.2 PPG); Fousseyni Traore (8.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG); Dallin Hall (6.8 PPG, 4.2 APG); Kanon Catchings (7.2 PPG); Mawot Mag (5.9 PPG)<\/p>\n Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> BYU has the talent to win the league and a national championship if it all falls together perfectly. Saunders was a first-team All-Big 12 selection a year ago and you could make the argument he\u2019s the third-best talent on the roster behind Dybantsa and Wright. (Caveat: The Big 12 put 10 players on the first team. I don\u2019t love giving angry energy to things that don\u2019t really matter, but this is dumb.)<\/p>\n The Cougars raised the ceiling by spending to land Wright, who was one of the best freshmen guards in the country. You could make the argument that Hall might have been a better fit to run the offense, but Young decided to bet on talent.<\/p>\n This group does have more question marks than those above them. Young plays a style that encourages a heavy volume of 3-pointers. Wright and Dybantsa are mediocre 3-point shooters. Can they be efficient enough for the offense to be elite? Davis was the second-leading scorer on a mediocre Southern Illinois team. Can he level up?<\/p>\n Will Young\u2019s bench be as productive as it was a year ago? One reason the Cougars took off was BYU had one of the best bench units in college basketball and wore opponents down. Can the defense be better? The other teams in this tier are likely all top-30 defenses. BYU ranked 82nd in adjusted defense, and even after the Cougars got hot \u2014 starting on Feb. 11, when they won nine straight \u2014 they were only 76th in adjusted defense from that point forward, per Bart Torvik.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where Wright and Dybantsa could make a big difference. To be considered an elite team, that\u2019s where BYU needs to make a huge leap.<\/p>\n 5. Kansas<\/p>\n Last season:\u00a0<\/strong>21-13, first round<\/p>\n Coach:\u00a0<\/strong>Bill Self (23rd season)<\/p>\n Kansas’ projected starting 5<\/p>\n Darryn Peterson<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n No. 2-ranked freshman<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Melvin Council Jr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 14.6 PPG, 4.1 APG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Kohl Rosario<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Fr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Tre White<\/p>\n<\/td>\n G<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Sr.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 10.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Flory Bidunga<\/p>\n<\/td>\n F<\/p>\n<\/td>\n So.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 5.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Top bench players:<\/strong> Elmarko Jackson (medical redshirt); Jayden Dawson (13.9 PPG at Loyola Chicago); Paul Mbiya (international); Bryson Tiller (freshman, No. 85); Samis Calderon (freshman, NR); Jamari McDowell (redshirted)<\/p>\n Biggest losses:<\/strong> Hunter Dickinson (17.4 PPG, 10.0 RPG); Zeke Mayo (14.6 PPG); KJ Adams (9.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG); Dajuan Harris Jr. (9.2 PPG, 5.7 APG); Rylan Griffen (6.3 PPG); AJ Storr (6.1 PPG)<\/p>\n Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Kansas was preseason No. 1 in each of the last two years, despite a flawed roster. It was the media betting on Self\u2019s track record, falling for Dickinson as a star who could carry a title contender and overlooking the spacing issues that came with playing three non-shooters a majority of the minutes. Is it possible KU is now going too far in the other direction?<\/p>\n I\u2019m likely higher than consensus on Kansas when it comes to national rankings but right at consensus when it comes to the Big 12. It\u2019s not because of a belief that Self has lost it; it\u2019s more to do with how good the top of the league is this season.<\/p>\n Kansas winning the Big 12 would not be shocking. Peterson is that good, and Self made a concerted effort to learn from his roster-building mistakes.<\/p>\n Self wants to be able to dominate games with his defense. He took transfers who he believes can defend. Self likes guards who can get downhill and put pressure on the defense. He has three of them in Peterson, Council and Jackson.<\/p>\nPlayerPos.Yr.Last season statsLast season school<\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2187010043.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nPlayerPos.Yr.Last season statsLast season school<\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n PlayerPos.Yr.Last season statsLast season school<\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n \n \n \n \n \n <\/tr>\n
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