NCAA Basketball: Power Ranking every team (362-1) for 2023-24 season

90. UAB Blazers – Last Season Ranking: 54

Conference: American Athletic

The Blazers have a new roster with a lot of high quality talent from the JUCO ranks and some young talented kids from powerhouse programs who never got much of a chance to prove it. UAB is good enough to finish near the top of this league and push for another postseason appearance. Barry Dunning Jr. is a transfer from Arkansas who is ready to become a star. The guard was never going to get a fair chance at Arkansas and decided to transfer to a school where he will have a chance to step right in and start. Dunning Jr. could dominate and will be given every chance to do that with coach Kennedy. The former 4-star recruit doesn’t have much game film but what you see is a talented player, with explosive athleticism and the ability to score from everywhere.

89. Loyola Marymount Lions – Last Season Ranking: 147

Conference: West Coast

The roster gained what it lost, and the Lions are a team who has a lot of upside. Keli Leaupepe enters his final season of college basketball, and he is going to be everyone’s favorite player. The Australian forward looks like he could be a star football player as a linebacker. He also has the best hair in the NCAA as his mullet has become a signature look for the forward. As a basketball player he finished in the top 10 in the conference in rebounding and three-point shooting. He was top 15 in points scored. Leaupepe is a career 40% three-point shooter and shoots 47% from the floor. He is going to bring energy to the floor every time he steps on it. He will be a huge piece to the Lions this year.

88. North Texas Mean Green – Last Season Ranking: 68

Conference: American Athletic

The 2023-2024 season marks the first year for North Texas in the American. North Texas enters the season with a new roster. The roster doesn’t have many proven offensive pieces, but they are going to defend. Jason Edwards is a transfer from Dodge City Community College. Edwards was a JUCO All American and one of the leading scorers in the JUCO ranks. Edwards scored over 750 points and knocked down 96 threes. He is going to be a go to guy in the offense for coach Hodge.

87. Grand Canyon Antelopes – Last Season Ranking: 85

Conference: WAC

The 2023-2024 season is another season that Grand Canyon enters having expectations.  Rayshon Harrison came back to Grand Canyon after entering the NBA draft process in the offseason. His return may have been the biggest win for coach Drew. Harrison has played college basketball for three years and has already scored over 1,500 points. and it would be a huge surprise if he doesn’t win the league Player of the Year.

86. Washington State Cougars – Last Season Ranking: 66

Conference: Pac-12

The 2023-2024 season is looking like it may be the last season for the Cougars as a power five school. Washington State is a middle of the pack Pac-12 team and is a team that should make the NIT again. Isaac Jones had one of the best years by any big man last year, the problem is that he played at Idaho. Jones was the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, and it was well deserved. Jones is talented enough to dominate in the Pac-12 as well. Jones will be on the all-conference team this year.

85. West Virginia Mountaineers – Last Season Ranking: 70

Conference: Big 12

The Mountaineers look to be going into full on rebuild mode especially if coach Eilert does not get the job full time. Kerr Kriisa played the last three seasons at Arizona. Last season was his best season at Arizona when he led the Pac 12 in assists per game at just over five per game. It is the second year in a row he had led the league in assists. Kriisa is a great three point shooter, his 83 makes were good for 8th best in a season for a Wildcat. The point guard committed to West Virginia while Coach Huggins was still running the show and stayed on when coach Eilert got the job.

84. Duquesne Dukes – Last Season Ranking: 158

Conference: Atlantic 10

The Atlantic 10 is top heavy but Duquesne could do what no team since 1976-1977 has done and that is make the NCAA tournament. I will likely over rank the Dukes this year but the roster is to good to be taken lightly and they are the team this year who should surprise everyone. If the Dukes are on the schedule and you are a fan of a power five team, watch out. They are more than capable of beating anyone especially if they catch a team sleepwalking.

83. Liberty Flames – Last Season Ranking: 95

Conference: Conference USA

The Flames head into the Conference USA with an experienced roster. Most of the roster returns for coach McKay which means the defense is going to be good again and the offense will be good enough to win games in the Conference USA. At this point Liberty has done this enough to think they are going to finish near the top of the league and compete for an NCAA tournament. Kyle Rode is a versatile big man who locks down the paint, rebounds, and can pass. Coach McKay lets Rode take the ball up and start the offense. The big man took almost half of his attempts from deep and made almost 40% of them. He is going to see a much bigger share of the shots in the offense and could be looking at a huge season.

82. Washington Huskies – Last Season Ranking: 116

Conference: Pac-12

The Huskies enter the 2023-2024 season with a bolstered roster with the hopes of finally making it back to the NCAA tournament. Coach Hopkins secured the commitments of a lot of high major transfers who have succeed at their last schools. The transfer class has a ton of potential and should make Washington much better. I don’t know if the Huskies will finish higher than the middle of the pack in the Pac 12 but if they are not better, they will likely be looking for a new coach. Keion Brooks Jr. is back for one final go around in college basketball. The forward started his career at Kentucky and had a career year last season for the Huskies. Brooks Jr. finished third in the league with 17 points per game and top 10 in the league in rebounds with 6.7 a game.

81. UNLV Rebels – Last Season Ranking: 119

Conference: Mountain West

UNLV did lose their two top scorers and their top defensive big man, so coach Kruger went to the transfer portal. In the portal he was able to secure the commitments of 3 former power five producers who are going to be key pieces for the Rebels is 2023-2024. One of the returners is Luis Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a transfer from Ole Miss and last year the guard played a big role for UNLV. Rodriguez started almost every game he played in last year and showed his ability to get into the paint and rebound. He is not a great shooter from deep, but the big guard is efficient when he gets to the rim, and he is going to provide good defense for coach Kruger. Rodriguez averaged 11 points per game a season ago. Look for the defense to be the same and for the overall point total to increase a little bit. Rodriguez needs to be on the floor for UNLV to be successful.