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NCAA Basketball: Takeaways from 2021-22 AP top 25 preseason poll

By Jerran Anderson

Apr 3, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Tyger Campbell (10) greets Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) before their game in the national semifinals of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Tyger Campbell (10) greets Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) before their game in the national semifinals of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball St. Bonaventure Bonnies guard Jalen Adaway Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Basketball St. Bonaventure Bonnies guard Jalen Adaway Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /

Biggest surprises

No. 8 Baylor Bears

After winning the national title, Baylor basketball finds themselves ranked No. 8 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. Their ranking is a surprise, but not necessarily in a good way in this case. The Bears find themselves behind Gonzaga (No. 1) and UCLA (No. 2) in the early season voting with the departures of Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, and Davion Mitchell.

Baylor basketball should surprise some folks with the return of Flo Thamba and the additions of Kendall Brown, Langston Love, and James Akinjo (Arizona). Akinjo will be a player that should keep the same backcourt pedigree with Brown and Love in tow. They’ll have Big 12 basketball on its head once again in 2021-22.

No. 23 St. Bonaventure Bonnies

Things are looking up for St. Bonaventure basketball as they enter the 2021-22 season ranked as the No. 24 team in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The Bonnies return all five starters from a season ago including college basketball’s most underrated backcourt in Kyle Lofton (14.4 ppg, 5.5 apg, 3.5 rpg) and Jaren Holmes (13.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.0 apg).

Head coach Mark Schmidt is a name that’s on the rise in coaching circles and has St. Bonaventure basketball as an early favorite to win the Atlantic 10 basketball crown this year. Big man Osun Osunniyi (10.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.9 bpg) leads the way at defensive anchor while they’ll add some depth in 6-foot-8 forward Karim Coulibaly (Pittsburgh) and Quadry Adams (Wake Forest). They’ll look to repeat as Atlantic 10 regular-season and conference tournament champions in 2021-22.

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