NCAA Basketball: Preseason top 25 power rankings for 2023-24 season

Feb 4, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer (right) talks to center Kyle Filipowski(30) during the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 63-57. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

21 of 26

NCAA Basketball Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

6. UConn Huskies

2022-23 season record: 31-8 (13-7 Big East)

There were a lot of reasons why UConn went unranked in the preseason poll to having one of the more dominant runs to winning an NCAA Basketball national championship. A few of those pieces are gone, including star big man and leading scorer Adama Sanogo, NBA lottery pick shooting guard Jordan Hawkins, do-it-all big guard Andre Jackson, as well as rotation pieces such as Naheim Alleyne and Joey Calcaterra.

Yet between the returning players and newcomers, expect the Huskies to remain a Final Four contender. Big man Donovan Clingan is viewed as a consensus breakout star in the waiting now that the center position is his. And Alex Karaban quietly nearly averaged double figures while shooting 40% from deep as a freshman starter.

Senior guard Tristen Newton stabilizes the new-look backcourt after averaging around 10 ppg and 5.0 apg. Joining him is Rutgers transfer and veteran sharpshooter Cam Spencer, along with five-star freshman guard, Stephon Castle. Solomon Ball and Jayden Ross are two other four-star freshmen that should contribute.

If Clingan explodes as a sophomore, UConn will be in the top-10 this season and compete for a Big East title. But even if he underwhelms compared to the high expectations, there’s plenty of talent throughout the roster for them to not take a step back.

Home/NCAA Basketball News