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NCAA Basketball: Preseason top 25 mid-major power rankings for 2022-23 season

By Tristan Freeman

Mar 3, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Matt Bradley (3) looks on during the second half against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs guard Matt Bradley (3) looks on during the second half against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Yuri Collins Saint Louis Billikens (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Yuri Collins Saint Louis Billikens (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

2. Saint Louis Billikens

2021-22 record: 23-12 (12-6 in Atlantic 10)

Not many mid-major teams can lose a 17 ppg scoring guard for an entire season and still win 20+ games but the Billikens were able to do that, thanks to the emergence of sharpshooting guard Gibson Jimerson. He took advantage of the extra minutes and ended up leading the team with 16.3 ppg on 42% shooting from three-point range.

Jimerson will have to share the backcourt with Javonte Perkins, the elite scorer who couldn’t play last year. The 6’6 wing is back and is one of the best A-10 players when healthy. That’s more potential assists for Yuri Collins, who led all of NCAA Basketball with 7.9 apg last season, including a program-record 19 assists in a single game against Boston College.

Collins has plenty of scoring talent to work with, including Missouri transfer Javon Pickett, JUCO transfer Sincere Parker, and returning role players, Fred Thatch Jr. and Terrence Hargrove, Jr. Starting center Francis Okoro is back after an effective past season, joined by Temple transfer forward Jake Forrester. Look for the Billikens to maximize its offense by using plenty of small lineups for Collins to pick apart defenses throughout the season.

Already a good offense, the return of Perkins combined with one of the best pure passers in NCAA Basketball in Collins gives Saint Louis not only a ton of potential overall but easily the best roster in the Coach Travis Ford era. Making the NCAA Tournament may not be what satisfies the fanbase this year, it may have to be a run to the second weekend.

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