NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early top 25 power rankings for 2023-24 season

2022-23 season record: 35-4 (18-2 CUSA)

Expected losses: Michael Forrest

There’s always a mid-major team that gets a spot in the top-25 WTE power rankings because they return everyone from a team that won 20+ games in the season prior. FAU fits that narrative but the difference between them and others is that they’re coming off a Final Four appearance.

The only player from the group that can’t return is Forrest, who averaged 8.2 ppg and had 11 points in the NCAA Tournament win over Tennessee. But guards Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin are set to return after each had major games in the Big Dance. Nick Boyd, Brian Greenlee, Jalen Gaffney, and Brandon Weatherspoon all started games at some point, while big man Vladislav Goldin was a double-digit scorer in the post.

The Owls dominated a Conference USA that had two other postseason champions, including Charlotte in the CBI and North Texas in the NIT. And with Coach Dusty May sticking around for another year, this team has all the pieces ready to make some more noise in their new home, the American Athletic Conference.

Florida Atlantic can shoot three-pointers, play defense, and has 6+ guys that can score 20 points in any given game. Their run in the NCAA Tournament was no fluke and the expectations should be that they don’t need an automatic bid to get back a year from now.