NCAA Basketball: Power ranking all 364 teams for 2024-25 season
By Bryan Mauro
45. Kansas State Wildcats - Last Season Ranking: 30
Conference: Big 12
Kansas State struggled last year and did not meet its lofty expectations. The Wildcats had a lot of trouble scoring and many games with long droughts. Head coach Jerome Tang flipped the roster and loaded it with quality talent that he could win with. Kansas State is a sneaky pick to make a deep March run again. Dug McDaniel was a star in the Big 10 last season.
44. Texas Tech Red Raiders - Last Season Ranking: 44
Conference: Big 12
Year one of the Grant McCasland era was a success at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders made the NCAA tournament and finished near the top of the Big 12. Texas Tech has a good amount of talent returning this year and bolstered that in the transfer portal. There is nothing to say they won’t finish near the top again. Elijah Hawkins is the best passing point guard in the country.
43. Oklahoma Sooners - Last Season Ranking: 47
Conference: SEC
The Sooners started off 13-1 last year and closed the year 7-11 to miss the NCAA tournament and NIT entirely. Oklahoma struggled to win in the Big 12 last year, and now they head to a league that is just as good and may be better from top to bottom. The SEC is a new challenge and head coach Porter Moser is breaking in a new roster. Duke Miles averaged 18 a game for High Point last season.
42. Wisconsin Badgers - Last Season Ranking: 32
Conference: Big Ten
Wisconsin looked like a top 8 seed in the NCAA tournament through January. They struggled to win games in February and March and ended up as a 5 seed in the NCAA tournament, where they lost to James Madison. Wisconsin lost some big pieces in the transfer portal, and their depth has some question marks. They are a bubble team this year. John Blackwell will have a breakout year and turn into a star.
41. Pittsburgh Panthers - Last Season Ranking: 58
Conference: ACC
The Panthers finished in fourth place in the ACC last season, won 22 games, and had a top-15 draft pick in the NBA draft. Even with all that, Pittsburgh wasn’t invited to the NCAA tournament. Head coach Jeff Capel ended up declining an NIT invite. This year's Panthers lost their top two players, but they still returned a lot of production and will be a factor in the ACC. Jaland Lowe had a very impressive freshman year.
40. Oregon Ducks - Last Season Ranking: 40
Conference: Big 10
Oregon won the Pac-12 tournament to get into the NCAA tournament and then won a game. Head coach Dana Altman always has his team playing their best basketball at the end of the year. The Big 10 is a much deeper league, and the Ducks have a deep team heading into this season. Oregon will be competitive and could make some noise in their new league. Jackson Shelstad is ready for a follow-up to his breakout freshman season.
39. Michigan Wolverines - Last Season Ranking: 48
Conference: Big Ten
Michigan had high expectations last year and fell flat. The Wolverines were a mess and only won 8 games, which cost former head coach Juwan Howard his job. Michigan hired Dusty May, who turned around the Florida Atlantic program. There is a lot to like about the Wolverines this year, as they got a lot of high-quality transfers. If they all gel together, Michigan will be good. Vlad Goldin was a star at Florida Atlantic.
38. Rutgers Scarlet Knights - Last Season Ranking: 42
Conference: Big Ten
Rutgers had a tough year last year because they had a terrible time trying to score. They could play their normal defense and were a great rebounding team, but they were losing because they could not shoot the ball from deep and shot well under 40% from the floor. Heading into this season, and that likely won’t be a problem, the Scarlet Knights have a loaded freshman class and went out and got great transfers. Dylan Harper is one of two five-star freshmen.
37. San Diego State Aztecs - Last Season Ranking: 20
Conference: Mountain West
The Aztecs followed up their National Runner-Up appearance by making the Sweet 16, and given the way the program has performed over the last 10 years, that is not a surprise. San Diego State has a younger roster this year with a lot of freshman and unproven players. Even with all of that, we know they will play smothering defense, rebound well, and be efficient inside the arc. The Aztecs should still be a bubble team. Wayne McKinney III will be a star for the Aztecs.
36. Memphis Tigers - Last Season Ranking: 36
Conference: American Athletic
The Tigers struggled with depth and defense last year, which was why they didn’t meet their goals of getting to the NCAA tournament. It also didn’t help that they couldn’t beat the new teams that got added to the American Athletic, either. Head coach Penny Hardaway flipped the roster and only has one player returning who got significant minutes a season ago. PJ Haggerty had a huge season and averaged 21 points a game for Tulsa last year.
35. Saint Mary’s Gaels - Last Season Ranking: 25
Conference: West Coast
Saint Mary’s won the West Coast Conference outright last season, unseated Gonzaga at the top, and did it how they always do. The Gaels had two fantastic guards who did most of the scoring and a very physical center who was excellent in the post and anchored the defense. Saint Mary’s is one of the most physical teams in the country, and that won’t change even if their roster is not as good. Augustus Marciulionis may repeat as the conference player of the year.
34. Wake Forest Demon Deacons - Last Season Ranking: 66
Conference: ACC
The Demon Deacons were left out of the tournament last season, but just barely. Wake Forest dropped some key games towards the end of last year down the stretch that relegated them to the NIT. Head coach Steve Forbes is determined to make the tournament, which may be the year, given that most of the roster is back from last season. The Deacons acquired some great players in the transfer portal, which helps the depth. Hunter Sallis might just win the ACC Player of the Year.
33. Mississippi State Bulldogs - Last Season Ranking: 34
Conference: SEC
The SEC is deep every year, as evidenced by the Bulldogs' making the NCAA tournament with a losing record and finishing in the league's bottom half. Chris Jans loves his athletic big guys who can take over games, and he will almost always pair that with a flashy guard to make up the bulk of the scoring. Mississippi State will also defend and try to keep games in the low 70’s. Josh Hubbard will be an All-American this year.
32. Ohio State Buckeyes - Last Season Ranking: 62
Conference: Big Ten
The Buckeyes fired former coach Chris Holtmann last year, and interim coach Jake Diebler got Ohio State rolling. Ohio State played its way into the NIT at the end of the season and won two games in the event. Jake Diebler is the full-time coach now, and he has built a roster that will compete in the Big Ten and will likely be on the bubble most of the year. Bruce Thornton is arguably the best point guard in the league.
31. Clemson Tigers - Last Season Ranking: 51
Conference: ACC
The Tigers made the Elite Eight last year before they lost to Alabama. It was the best season Clemson has had since 1979-1980, when they also ended up in the Elite Eight. Head coach Brad Brownell enters the 2024-2025 season with lofty expectations, with a team expected to compete near the top of the ACC all year. The roster does look different this year, and a return trip to the tournament may be tough. Chase Hunter returns to lead the Clemson offense.