NCAA Basketball: Top 10 teams most likely to win 1st title in 2022-23

8. Auburn Tigers

Highest NCAAT finish: Final Four in 2019

The Tigers had a great chance to win it all entering last season’s NCAA Tournament but an early exit to Miami in the second round wasted freshman phenom Jabari Smith’s lone year. Yet they may still be a title contender without him. They replaced Walker Kessler with Morehead State center transfer Johni Broome and add five-star freshman forward Yohan Traore in the frontcourt.

Auburn also returns the starting backcourt of KD Johnson and Wendell Green, who while are inefficient shooters are good defenders and at times, explosive playmakers. If these two can take another step, the team will still be a real threat to make a deep run under Bruce Pearl.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

Highest NCAAT finish: Elite 8 in 2010

This is a roster that’s flying under the radar as a contender to make a run in the Big Dance. Leading scorer Kennedy Chandler is gone but his backup, 5’9 bulldog guard Zakai Zeigler, is more than capable of taking over. And he has some great scorers on the perimeter next to him, including sharpshooter Santiago Vescovi and 17 ppg Indiana State transfer Tyreke Key. They’re also a typically strong defensive unit under head coach Rick Barnes and that should remain strong this season.

It’ll come down to the frontcourt, including five-star freshman forward Julian Phillips and junior forward Olivier Nkamhoua, a breakout candidate for the Vols. If these two are double-digit scorers and provide production and overall balance inside, they’ll have plenty of weapons to be a problem come March.