Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Updated 2018-19 Preseason top-25 after first NBA deadline

By Tristan Freeman

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 18: Malik Dunbar
SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 18: Malik Dunbar /
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AMES, IA – JANUARY 24: Kamau Stokes (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
AMES, IA – JANUARY 24: Kamau Stokes (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

Teams 10-6

10. Kansas State Wildcats – Previous rank (12)

9. Tennessee Volunteers – Previous rank (10)

8. Nevada Wolf Pack – Previous rank (9)

7. Kentucky Wildcats – Previous rank (5)

6. Gonzaga Bulldogs – Previous rank (8)

With Auburn taking a tumble, it looks like Tennessee and Kentucky will be the preseason SEC favorites. The Vols are squarely set while the Wildcats are once again going through some roster reshuffling.

All three of their projected draft picks are gone, as well as Sacha Killeya-Jones electing to transfer. It’ll be important to watch the other bigs, as all of them except for Nick Richards are still in the draft right now. Another might be leaving now that top-15 recruit EJ Montgomery is coming to town next season.

Nevada is in uncertain waters as well. Their top three guys are also still in the draft, and those decisions will be the difference between the preseason top-10 or a team that won’t even be the favorite to win to the Mountain West next year.

Gonzaga was much more fortunate, with both Rui Hachimura and Killian Tillie coming back for next year. Each of them would’ve been a first-round pick if the process went well enough, so their returns have solidified them as a Final Four contender.

As for Kansas State, they hit double-gold this off-season. Not only are none of their key players even testing the draft waters, but they also picked up Austin Trice, one of the top Junior College big men out there. It shores up one of the few weaknesses the Wildcats had.

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