NCAA Basketball: Who should be the No. 1 team to start the 2023-24 season?

One of the sure signs that we’re close to the start of NCAA Basketball is the annual release of the AP preseason top-25 poll. It’s the ranking everyone uses when talking about matches, as well as identifying the early teams to beat. Of course, it’s not always a given those who are ranked will ultimately be good the following year.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the perfect example of that. After returning four starters from a team that went to the national title game the season prior, the Heels were given the preseason No. 1 spot for 2022-23. It didn’t work out, with UNC becoming the first team ever in the AP poll era to not make the NCAA Tournament or any postseason.

On the flip side, the UConn Huskies weren’t ranked at all. But they ended up being the best team in NCAA Basketball, dominating the Big Dance throughout to win another national championship. But the AP poll still did get plenty of other teams right, which is why it’s important to note whenever it comes out each Monday.

With the release set for today, the big question is which team will be the No. 1 team? Throughout the offseason, there have been a few programs that have gotten No. 1 picks. From ours a couple of weeks ago, the Purdue Boilermakers got the nod.

Overall, there are five specific programs that have warranted talk of being the No. 1 preseason team. But who has the best case overall on paper? Here’s a look at the pros and cons (or strengths and weaknesses) of each of the five teams.