2. Purdue Boilermakers
Last year was supposed to be a down year for the Purdue Boilermakers. While their 2024-24 season certainly had its ups and downs, a Sweet 16 finish is not something that would qualify as a “down” year. While Purdue surprisingly lost some depth pieces to the transfer portal, the lingering question in West Lafayette holds at the time of publication: Will Braden Smith and Trey Kauffman-Renn return?
Supplementing the duo with the terrorizing double-double threat Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State and of course, sharpshooter Fletcher Loyer. The Boilermakers will be among the top teams in the country next season.
1. Houston Cougars
Despite the bitter ending on Monday night, the Houston Cougars will enter the 2025-26 season as the No. 1 team in college basketball next season. Kelvin Sampson will welcome in a star-studded recruiting class led by a trio of NBA-level stars in Kingston Flemings, Isaiah Harwell, and Chris Cenac Jr. While it is TBD if Milos Uzan will return, Emanuel Sharp, Joseph Tugler and Terrance Arceneaux will likely return, paving the way for the Cougars to be the team to beat next November.