NCAA Basketball: 5 takeaways from AP Preseason Top-25 for 2020-21

The AP has released its top-25 NCAA Basketball rankings for the 2020-21 season. What were the biggest takeaways?

In what has genuinely been the longest offseason for NCAA Basketball fans everywhere, the 2020-21 season is finally upon us. And one of the big moments we’ve all been waiting for is the AP preseason top-25, which gives us a benchmark to work with when discussing teams.

Featuring many NCAA Basketball experts, writers, and analysts, the Associated Press compiles their individual lists into a combined ranking. Last season, the Michigan State Spartans were picked as the No. 1 team in the preseason, while Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, and Louisville, rounded out the top-5 overall.

Unfortunately, we’ll never know how last season would’ve ended in the NCAA Tournament. But thanks to the hard work from the teams and coaching in terms of scheduling, we’re on track to start on November 25, just two weeks away.

History was made with this announcement, several teams claiming their highest-ever preseason ranking. While the usual suspects are all over the top-25, there are some programs high up there towards the top that aren’t usually there.

Gonzaga is No. 1, garnering 28 first-place votes. Baylor was right behind at No. 2 with 24 votes, with Villanova (No. 3 with 11 votes) and Virginia (No. 4 with 1 vote), and Iowa rounding out the top-5.

While there aren’t many natural disagreements, there is still plenty to take away from this, from both an individual, conference, and even a Bracketology standpoint. Here’s a look at five things that stood out to me the most.