NCAA – After a successful offseason, the Jayhawks are unsurprisingly considered the best team in the country heading into this new college season.
About three weeks before the start of the 2023/24 NCAA season, the Associated Press unveiled this Monday the first version of its Top 25, this ranking published annually at this time of year, and updated every Monday from the season based on the results of the past week. Although it is of course far from being an exact science, this ranking, resulting from the votes of around sixty sports journalists in the United States, nevertheless allows us to give a first idea of the forces present for the university campaign. future.
And this season, for the fourth time under the Bill Self era (started in 2003), it’s Kansas who inherited first place. Quite unanimously, since the Jayhawks received 46 votes for first place, out of 65 possible. Logical, after a high quality offseason: Hunter Dickinson et Nick Timberlake arrived in Lawrence from Michigan and Townson, while three starters from last season are back (Kevin McCullar Jr, Dajuan Harris Jr. et KJ Adams) and that three “freshmen” come to densify the rotation (Elmarko Jackson, Johnny Furphy et Jamari McDowell). On paper, the 2022 champions actually present the best squad in the country.
In the rest of the Top 5, also logical choices: Duke is second, followed by Purdue, Michigan State et Marquette. Four teams who experienced a fairly calm off-season, and therefore benefit from good squad continuity after last season and seem very well equipped to go in search of the national title in April 2024.
Note also that the four teams qualified for the “Final Four” of the last “March Madness” are also present: the reigning champion UConn in sixth position, but also Florida Atlantic (#10), Miami (#13) and the finalist San Diego State (#17). Here too, it makes sense since these programs have either ideally replaced their departures (UConn and Miami) or kept their major players (Florida Atlantic and San Diego State).
Finally, a quick update on the other historic programs on the university circuit: Kentucky
(#16) is still around like every season.
Number one in the rankings last year before experiencing a nightmare season, North Carolina (#19) is also present, after a convincing offseason. Same thing for Villanova (#22), who missed his 2022/23 season but seems in a position to bounce back after a restructuring of his squad.
The complete Top 25:
1 – Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12)
2 – Duke Blue Devils (ACC)
3 – Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten)
4 – Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten)
5 – Marquette Golden Eagles (Big East)
6 – UConn Huskies (Big East)
7 – Houston Cougars (Big 12)
8 – Creighton Bluejays (Big East)
9 – Tennessee Volunteers (SEC)
10 – Florida Atlantic Owls (AAC)
11 – Gonzaga Bulldogs (WCC)
12 – Arizona Wildcats (Pac-12)
13 – Miami Hurricanes (ACC)
14 – Arkansas Razorbacks (SEC)
15 – Texas A&M Aggies (SEC)
16 – Kentucky Wildcats (SEC)
17 – San Diego State Aztecs (MWC)
18 – Texas Longhorns (Big 12)
19 – North Carolina Tar Heels (ACC)
20 – Baylor Bears (Big 12)
21 – USC Trojans (Pac-12)
22 – Villanova Wildcats (Big East)
23 – Saint Mary’s Gaels (WCC)
24 – Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC)
25 – Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten)
2023-10-16 19:15:19
#Kansas #leader #Top #season #Basket #USA
