This week marked the opening of what should be another brilliant season of NCAA Basketball. What has begun is five months of exciting on-court action, with intense rivalries, highly anticipated matchups, and a fantastic NCAA Tournament in March. We’re a long way away from even thinking about the postseason; we’re just starting to get to know these teams, after all.
With the current atmosphere in collegiate athletics, teams are leaning heavily on the Transfer Portal in this new age of NIL deals. Entire rotations were redone in the offseason, while even the most prominent programs have seen significant changes. Many recognizable stars from last season return, though some find themselves in different cities and states, while many new faces are ready to make their mark on this sport.
It’s impossible to have a firm grasp on the best teams in the nation after less than a week, especially when many of those teams have only played home games against much weaker opposition. Holiday tournaments and other more anticipated matchups are coming in the weeks ahead, though we’re definitely still seeing how some of these teams gel together, especially the ones reconstructed with the Portal in recent months.
Despite any uncertainty, we’re taking our first crack at the in-season Top 25 rankings. It’s important to keep in mind that there’s no telling which of these teams will rise or sink in the coming weeks; we just don’t know a ton about all of them. Some teams have showcased fantastic skill while others have struggled, though six days’ worth of games is nowhere near enough to judge a team. Let’s get right into what we know and where we’ve put the initial batch of teams.