NCAA Basketball: Takeaways from 2021-22 AP top 25 preseason poll
Who got snubbed?
1. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State basketball was one of the bigger snubs in the AP Preseason Poll but they were a squad that received the most votes (87) so coming in at No. 26 isn’t all that bad. The Spartans stumbled into the play-in stage of last year’s NCAA Tournament before things came to an early halt.
Northeastern transfer Tyson Walker should change the fortune of the Michigan State basketball backcourt, which struggled in 2020-21, while head coach Tom Izzo will look to one of his nine returners to step up in a big way for the Spartans. They should still be a competitive bunch that should contend for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Look for them to be a ranked squad after Week 1.
2. USC Trojans
USC basketball didn’t get much love from the AP vote in this year’s preseason poll after making a run to last year’s Elite Eight under head coach Andy Enfield. They should be on an upward trajectory with three starters back and the addition of Boogie Ellis (Memphis).
The Trojans are a squad that should contend for the Pac-12 basketball title and should expect to make back-to-back tournament appearances for the first time since 2010. They’ve got plenty of experience on their roster after going 15-5 this past season in conference action.
3. Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech basketball finds themselves on the outside looking in, receiving 26 votes, and coming in at the No. 30 spot in the poll, so to speak. They return four starters from last year’s squad, add Storm Murphy (Wofford) and add some size in the frontcourt. They should have some depth, a word Mike Young hasn’t been able to use yet in his tenure as head coach.
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They’ll get their first test of a ranked opponent on Nov. 24 when they face Memphis, who’s ranked No. 12 in the preseason AP Poll. So, they’ll get a chance to prove their stature as a team that belongs in the Top 25.