NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early top-25 power rankings for 2021-22 season

17. St. Bonaventure Bonnies

There’s always a debate on how much to value a team that returns its entire starting lineup for the following year. But at a time where there’s so much turnover on everyone’s rosters, having continuity should be viewed as a positive.

That will be the case for the Bonnies, who currently is set to have its entire starting lineup back, all who are seniors. The reigning Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament champions did great despite going through pauses and cancelations and got a single-digit seed in the Big Dance.

They were a balanced lineup with five double-digit scorers, led by all-conference guard Kyle Lofton (14.4 ppg and 5.5 apg). Big man Osun Osunniyi nearly averaged a double-double as the center, while Jalen Adaway, Dominick Welch, and Jaren Holmes are guards who each put up at least 11 ppg and 6.0 rpg. This is a strong defensive unit with consistent scoring that won’t have any issues replicating success for the next season.

The only issue will be what kind of depth St. Bonaventure has off the bench after losing several players to the transfer portal. The good news for them is that they brought in Pittsburgh transfer forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly and Wake Forest guard Quadry Adams this offseason and should be able to land a couple more pieces.

Either way, this starting five has no weaknesses and should be the heavy favorite to win the Atlantic 10 in 2022. Only question will be is can they make a run in the NCAA Tournament this time around.