6. Wisconsin Badgers
All signs point to a John Blackwell return, who averaged 15.8 PPG and 5.1 RPG last season for Bucky. The Badgers lose three of their five starters but with Blackwell (tentatively) and Nolan Winter returning, Gard has a strong nucleus to build around.
Nick Boyd -- who was a part of FAU’s 2023 Final Four run -- and played under the top defenses in the country last season at San Diego State slots in the backcourt. His versatility is something that is intriguing to monitor. In addition, Wisconsin welcomes Andrew Rohde, who shot 41.3% from three at Virginia. Austin Rapp was among the top freshmen in the WCC at Portland last season and brings immediate perimeter pop on the wings. The pieces simply fit, fast-tracking the Badgers near the top of the Big Ten in 2025-26.
5. Michigan State Spartans
Jeremy Fears will lead the backcourt after averaging 7.2 PPG and 5.4 APG last season as a sophomore. Tom Izzo was selective in the transfer portal, landing FAU transfer Kaleb Glenn and Trey Fort from Samford. Glenn shot 41% from three last season, adding much-needed perimeter pop for the Spartans. Trey Fort is another underrated haul and can get hot from deep in a hurry.
Carson Kooper and Jaxon Kohler will lead the frontcourt. Losing Holloman and Booker hurts their ceiling but there is still plenty to like in East Lansing. While Michigan State may not be on the level of last year’s Elite Eight team talent-wise, second-weekend upside and a top-five finish inside the Big Ten is still the expectation in East Lansing.