8. Arkansas Razorbacks
“Weird” is the best word to describe Arkansas’ 2024-2025 campaign. After starting at a 0-5 hole in SEC play, Arkansas finished the regular season 8-5 and marched all the way to the Sweet 16.
While Calipari will likely lose Boogie Fland and Adou Thiero to the NBA in addition to Johnell Davis, Arkansas will welcome a highly-touted recruiting class led by Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas and may return key pieces in DJ Wagner, Karter Knox, Billy Richmond and Trevon Brazile. If all, or most, return, this is a top 10 team on paper.
7. Louisville Cardinals
Nobody has torn through the transfer portal and gotten off to a hotter start than Louisville’s Pat Kelsey. Kelsey has added three highly-coveted transfer portal targets: Ryan Conwell (Xavier), Adrian Wooley (Kennesaw State) and Isaac McKneely (Virginia). That’s about as strong of a backcourt as one can get, right?
And that’s not even including incoming five-star PG Mikel Brown Jr. In addition, J'Vonne Hadley and forward Kasean Pryor can return next year. The Cardinals are suddenly looking to be one of college basketball’s top teams in 2025-26.