NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early top-25 mid-major rankings for 2021-22 season
2. St. Bonaventure Bonnies
2020-21 season record: 16-5 (11-4 in Atlantic 10)
The Bonnies didn’t have to worry about any extra years, as their entire starting lineup was classed as juniors. All of them are back after each averaging double figures in scoring. Star point guard Kyle Lofton led the team with 14.4 ppg and 5.5 apg, while Osun Osunniyi nearly averaged a double-double, while also winning the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Jaren Holmes, Jaden Adaway, and Dominick Welch are all 6’5 guards that can shoot and are interchangeable on both ends of the court. Each of them was double-figure contributors too. But the biggest change of note came from the bench. Nearly all of their reserves transferred out but I would argue that they upgraded overall.
Pittsburgh transfer forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly adds toughness and defense behind Osunniyi, while Linton Brown was one of the top JUCO transfer guards from this class. Add Quadry Adams and you have a core rotation that can compete with just about every single mid-major program in the country. With elite defense and scoring coming from everywhere, this should be a preseason top-25 team without question.
1. Gonzaga Bulldogs
2020-21 season record: 31-1 (15-0 in WCC)
Whether they’re a true “mid-major” or not, Gonzaga is one of the best teams in the country. Five-stars, top-100 recruits, transfers, you name it, this program is right up there with the blue bloods of the country. And expect that to remain the same next season, despite losing All-American and WCC Player of the Year Corey Kispert, as well as star guards Jalen Suggs and Joel Ayayi.
The returns of both Drew Timme and Andrew Nembhard in the starting lineup would already make the Bulldogs the team to beat in the WCC. Then add 16 ppg scoring transfer Rasir Bolton from Iowa State a top-3 recruiting class, led by No. 1 overall prospect Chet Holmgren, and now you have a team that could and should be preseason No. 1 in the country again.
Next. Ranking matchups for 2021 Big Ten/ACC Challenge. dark
Saying that Gonzaga is “loaded” would be under-selling them, as five-star freshman Hunter Sallis, top-30 point guard Nolan Hickman and forward Anton Watson, and Ben Gregg are considered afterthoughts on the roster right now. It’s incredible that on paper, this may be the most talented the WCC outside of Gonzaga has been ever. And still, if you had to bet whether or not the Bulldogs run the table again in the league, odds are really good that they will.