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

By Tristan Freeman

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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NCAA Basketball
NCAA Basketball Gonzaga Bulldogs (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Gonzaga at No. 1

Despite the incredible success of both Dayton and San Diego State last season, mid-majors were all but missing in the top-25. Among those listed in the “receiving votes” section, Richmond, Saint Louis, San Diego State, BYU, Loyola-Chicago, UNC-Greensboro, and Northern Iowa were the smaller schools that got a mention.

There may not be the quantity but at least there’s quality, with the Gonzaga Bulldogs being at the very top for the first time in school history. It’s an amazing accomplishment 20 years in the making for Mark Few, who took a program that was at the same level as the rest of the WCC and turned them into a perennial Final Four and national championship contender.

Throughout most of the offseason, it was a consensus three-team race between Gonzaga, Baylor, and Villanova for the top spot. But once respective leading scorers Filip Petrusev (Gonzaga) and Saddiq Bey (Villanova) opted to leave early, it looked as if the Bears would have the upper hand. Instead, by just one point overall, the Bulldogs get the distinction of being the team to beat to start out the season.

Even without Petrusev, Gonzaga has riches of talent. They got their first-ever five-star freshman to join in point guard Jalen Suggs, one of four players (Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert, and Drew Timme), on respective preseason award watchlist, for various positions. They’ll have former top-50 forward prospect, Anton Watson, back from injury, while also landing guard transfer Aaron Cook this offseason as well.

This has been the No. 1 scoring offense for two years in a row and it could very well be three if everything clicks. There just aren’t any real weaknesses on this roster and between experience and overall talent, Gonzaga Basketball may have an even better team than the one who went to the national championship game in 2017. That will be the expectation for this squad, thanks to their now No. 1 overall ranking.

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