NCAA Basketball: Power Ranking every team (362-1) for 2023-24 season
By Bryan Mauro
50. Iowa Hawkeyes – Last Season Ranking: 32
Conference: Big Ten
The roster is not going to be as good for the Hawkeyes this year and they look like a bottom tier team in the Big Ten. That will still put them on the bubble, and no one would be surprised if they made the NCAA tournament again. Ben Krikke is a transfer for Valparaiso, and he led the Missouri Valley in scoring at 19 points per game. Krikke shot 55 from the floor and was the most efficient player on the offensive side of the ball for Valpo last year. The big man showed that he can run the offense and be a point forward. He is a good passer and rebounder and is going to put up huge numbers in the Iowa offense. Krikke is going to end up a 2,000-point scorer in college and may finally get a chance to play in the NCAA tournament.
49. Cincinnati Bearcats – Last Season Ranking: 51
Conference: Big 12
Cincinnati has always been a historic basketball program and they have never had any trouble landing talent. They are the team I am least worried about transitioning to the Big 12 because they already have some power five talent on the roster and have tasted success in a major conference. Aziz Bandaogo was the WAC defensive player of the year and was a huge catalyst for his former team the Utah Valley Wolverines winning 28 games and an NIT Final Four appearance. The big man is going to have a huge role in the offense with Cincinnati and will help immensely on defense. His waiver was denied as a two-time transfer and he is still awaiting appeal from the NCAA.
48. Michigan Wolverines – Last Season Ranking: 24
Conference: Big Ten
The Wolverines don’t have much in the way of expectations this year, but they do have a talented roster than can make some noise and should qualify for a postseason again. Until Michigan proves otherwise, they open the season on the bubble. Olivier Nkamhoua is a traditional back to the basket center which is perfect for Michigan and the way they like to play. Michigan needs his experience; the Finnish big man makes winning plays and has been surrounded by winning his entire career. If nothing else, he is going to provide the Wolverines with his elite interior defense and rebounding.
47. Oklahoma Sooners – Last Season Ranking: 60
Conference: Big 12
This year Moser is hoping to have a winning record and slowly climb up the ranks to sneak into the tournament. Oklahoma has a large part of their roster arriving via the transfer portal and all these guys are going to make the Sooners better and should get them out of the Big 12 basement. Still a middle of the pack team who sits on the bubble for part of the year. Javian McCollum is a transfer from Siena where he averaged over 15 points per game. The point guard is a great passer too. He had 12 games where he recorded 5 or more assists. The shooting percentages are there, and he never misses from the foul line shooting about 89% last season. He is going to score and lead this offense, but can he lead Oklahoma to the tournament?
46. New Mexico Lobos – Last Season Ranking: 139
Conference: Mountain West
This year the Lobos are going to be just as good on the offensive end if not better. Jamal Mashburn Jr. followed coach Pitino from Minnesota and it has paid off for both parties. The guard led the Mountain West in scoring with 19 a game overall and 21 points in conference games. There is little doubt that Mashburn Jr. will lead New Mexico in scoring again this year and should be one of the favorites for conference Player of the Year.
45. Northwestern Wildcats – Last Season Ranking: 76
Conference: Big Ten
The Wildcats didn’t lose that much in the offseason, and they are going to make another run at the NCAA tournament this year. The Big Ten has a lot of bubble teams and Northwestern fits right in with the rest of the pack. Boo Buie returns for his final year of college after one of the best individual seasons in Northwestern history. Buie is the only player in Northwestern history to make at least 60 free throws and at least 125 free throws in the same season. He was the only player in the Big Ten to do that last year. Buie is going to have his name in the rafters at Welsch-Ryan after he calls it a career.
44. Texas Tech Red Raiders – Last Season Ranking: 22
Conference: Big 12
Grant McCasland heads to Lubbock from Denton, where he was the head coach and successfully rebuilt the North Texas basketball program. Coach McCasland consistently has one of the top three defenses in the country and is going to have enough offense to win games. His defense will work anywhere including the loaded Big 12. He is going to need to find scoring from somewhere to win though. It won’t be long before Texas Tech is back to competing in the NCAA tournament, and it could be as soon as this year.
43. Colorado Buffaloes – Last Season Ranking: 59
Conference: Pac-12
The Buffaloes return almost everyone from last season and added a huge transfer piece. Tristan Da Silva is one of the best players in the Pac 12 and he is one of the stars for this Colorado team. He is on pace for 1,000 points and he currently sits at 10th in the Colorado record book for career three-point percentage. He is a career 38% three-point shooter. The German big man was a first team all-conference selection a season ago and will be this year as well. Da Silva had a huge break out season as he saw his scoring average jump from 9.2 to 15.9 per game. The big man has still not reached his ceiling and now with some added capable front court help he is only going to get better. He is one of the best forwards in the NCAA.
42. Rutgers Scarlet Knights – Last Season Ranking: 46
Conference: Big Ten
The Scarlet Knights lost some talent last year but still have talent and are still going to beat some teams especially at the RAC. Cliff Omoruyi or Big Cliff as he is known around Piscataway had a huge season in 2022-2023. He was the first Rutgers player to be named as a preseason All conference team. At the completion of the season after averaging 13.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2 blocks earned him first team all defense and second team all-conference. Omoruyi gets the ball in the paint and usually dunks it. He had 73 dunks last year which was 41% of his makes. Big Cliff is an explosive athlete who has a chance to be the best to ever wear Rutgers colors.
41. Florida Gators – Last Season Ranking: 38
Conference: SEC
The roster construction heading into the 2023-2024 season is getting closer to what coach Golden wants and the Gators should be a lot better this year. If things go right this year and the players play up to their abilities Florida should be a bubble team this year and finish in the middle of the SEC. Walter Clayton Jr. spent the first two seasons of his career at Iona playing for Rick Pitino. The guard had a huge season last year as he was named the MAAC player of the year and MAAC first team all-conference. The guard averaged 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists per game last year. Throw in his ability to shoot the ball from deep at a 43% clip and that he was the best free throw shooter in the country at 95% and you have a player who is going to make a great case for SEC Newcomer of the Year and first team all-conference.