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NCAA Basketball: Kentucky, St. John's, Tennessee rises in updated way-too-early top 25 power ranking

Jan 31, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope prior to the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Kentucky won 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Jan 31, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope prior to the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Kentucky won 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
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14. Arkansas Razorbacks

2025-26 record: 28-9 (13-5 SEC)

Roster departures

  • Darius Acuff (23.5 ppg and 6.4 apg)
  • Meleek Thomas (15.6 ppg and 2.5 apg)
  • Trevon Brazile (13 ppg and 7.3 rpg)
  • DJ Wagner (7.4 ppg and 2.4 apg)
  • Malique Ewin (9.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg)
  • Karter Knox (8.1 ppg and 4.5 rpg)
  • Nick Pringle (4.6 ppg and 3.9 rpg)

Roster returnees 

  • Billy Richmond (11.2 ppg and 4.3 rpg)

Roster additions

  • Jeremiah Wilkinson (17.4 ppg and 1.7 apg at Georgia)
  • Cooper Bowser (13.8 ppg and 5.9 rpg at Furman)
  • Jordan Smith (5-star guard prospect)
  • Abdou Toure (5-star guard prospect)
  • Miikka Muurinen (5-star forward prospect)

There were two NBA Draft decisions that Arkansas had to wait until the deadline for. Thomas elected to stay in at the last minute, meaning that both he and Acuff are gone. The good news is that the Razorbacks brought in Smith, a top-5 incoming guard prospect and the next young star Coach John Calipari brings in. The other key guard is Wilkinson, who led Georgia in scoring and is a proven lead guard.

The guy who did come back is Richmond, who’ll have the wing to himself with Karter Knox gone to Louisville. Muurinen comes over after a year overseas and remains a highly-regarded frontcourt prospect. There’s not a ton of depth inside, but the backcourt alone gives them a top-10 ceiling at some point.

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