The NCAA Tournament is right around the corner and it’s time to dive deeper into which teams can realistically contend for the national title! Although 68 make it into March Madness, we all know there are only 10-15 teams that have a legit shot at claiming the throne atop college basketball. We’re here to (hopefully) clear up that up by breaking down the current AP Top 25 and providing a thorough examination of each team. However, this is just a starting point for when Selection Sunday comes and the tournament gets underway soon enough. We are currently preparing The Ultimate Brackets Cheat Sheet in which you will get full breakdowns of all 68 teams, players to watch, potential bust schools, dark horses, first-round betting tips, futures and more! Obviously, the full sheet won't be ready until Selection Sunday (March 15), but be on the lookout for pre-order information and, in the meantime, enjoy the Top 25! 

(Rankings & records as of Monday, Feb. 24)

#1 Kansas (25-3 overall; 14-1 in Big 12)

  • Head Coach: Bill Self
  • Rankings: 1st in AP; 1st in Coaches; 1st in NET; 1st in KenPom 
  • Last Year’s Result: 2nd Round loss to Auburn as #4 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 26 vs. BYU; Nov. 27 vs. Dayton; Dec. 7 vs. Colorado; Feb. 12 at West Virginia; Feb. 22 at Baylor
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 5 vs. Duke; Dec. 21 at Villanova; Jan. 11 vs. Baylor
  • Key Players: Devon Dotson (sophomore guard); Udoka Azubuike (senior center); Marcus Garrett (junior guard)

Following a huge road win at Baylor over the weekend, it’s not surprising to see Kansas reclaim the #1 ranking over the rest of the college basketball field. All three of the Jayhawks’ losses this year have come against teams that could realistically be playing for the national title (Duke, Villanova and Baylor), and they own impressive non-conference wins over Dayton, BYU, and Colorado. Bill Self’s squad is always deservedly in the running to win it all, yet they haven’t done so since 2008, and haven’t made it back to the title game since 2012. This year’s team is led by two of the best at their respective positions as point guard Devon Dotson and center Udoka Azubuike can both take games over if needed. It was Azubuike who just did that against Baylor, but Dotson is certainly capable with his playmaking, scoring and passing abilities. Kansas will likely be a popular pick to go all the way in March Madness brackets. 

#2 Baylor (24-2 overall; 13-1 in Big 12)

  • Head Coach: Scott Drew
  • Rankings: 2nd in AP; 2nd in Coaches; 2nd in NET, 2nd in KenPom 
  • Last Year’s Result: 2nd Round loss to Gonzaga as #9 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Jan. 11 at Kansas; Nov. 24 vs. Villanova; Dec. 7 vs. Arizona; Dec. 10 vs. Butler
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 8 vs. Washington; Feb. 22 vs. Kansas
  • Key Players: Jared Butler (sophomore guard); MaCio Teague (junior guard); Freddie Gillespie (senior center)

After beginning the season ranked 16th in the AP preseason poll, Baylor finally jumped to the top of college basketball in mid-January following a road victory at Kansas and a string of impressive non-conference wins over Villanova, Arizona, and Butler. Last Saturday’s loss to Kansas moves them slightly down the rankings, but the Bears still have the third-best defense in the country to go along with the 21st-best offense (per KenPom). They win games by grinding out tough defensive-focused victories, and have run through the Big 12 conference pretty easily outside of this weekend’s close loss to the Jayhawks. Their strong defense is led by Freddie Gillespie, a dominant shot-blocking center, while their offensive production comes from versatile guard play led by Jared Butler, who’s on the Wooden Award Watch List. This team is definitely built to be able to go further in the tournament than their second Round exit from last year. 

#3 Gonzaga (27-2 overall; 13-1 in West Coast) 

  • Head Coach: Mark Few
  • Rankings: 3rd in AP; 4th in Coaches; 3rd in NET; 3rd in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Sweet 16 loss to Texas Tech as #1 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 28 vs. Oregon; Dec. 14 at Arizona; Jan. 18 vs. BYU; Feb. 8 at Saint Mary’s
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 29 vs. Michigan; Feb. 22 at BYU
  • Key Players: Filip Petrusev (sophomore center); Killian Tillie (senior forward); Drew Timme (freshman forward); Corey Kispert (junior forward)

Could this be the year when Gonzaga finally gets over the hump? Year in and year out, the Zags are one of the top teams in the country and this season is no different. Mark Few always seems to get the best out of his players despite never having top-tier recruits or athletes and playing with a bunch of guys that might struggle to fit in with major conference programs. The 2020 Zags should not be taken lightly though, and this team has as good of a chance to win it all as any past version. They are an interesting mix of senior experience (Killian Tillie), young up-and-coming talent (Drew Timme and Filip Petrusev) and unique transfer perspective (Admon Gilder and Ryan Woolridge). As with most Gonzaga teams in the past, this squad owns the best offense in the country (per KenPom) and is built on dominating teams with their versatile forwards who can both score on their own and pass exceptionally well for big men. It’s well-known at this point that the Zags are one of the best regular season teams but inevitably falter in the NCAA Tournament, but this year could be different.

#4 Dayton (25-2 overall; 14-0 in Atlantic 10)

  • Head Coach: Anthony Grant
  • Rankings: 4th in AP; 3rd in Coaches; 4th in NET; 6th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Missed NCAA Tournament
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 25 vs. Georgia; Nov. 26 vs. Virginia Tech; Dec. 8 vs. Saint Mary’s; Feb. 11 vs. Rhode Island
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 27 vs. Kansas; Dec. 21 vs. Colorado
  • Key Players: Obi Toppin (sophomore forward); Jalen Crutcher (junior guard); Trey Landers (senior guard)

Despite missing out on the Tournament altogether last season, Dayton is in the midst of a complete turnaround this year and could actually be a number one seed when the brackets come out. The Flyers are led by stud power forward Obi Toppin, who has played himself into the National Player of the Year conversation and will eventually be a first-team All-American and NBA Draft lottery pick by season’s end. He headlines a Dayton team that is second in the country in offensive efficiency per KenPom, and has rarely been tested in the Atlantic 10 conference. There’s no doubt of the talent of this team (and of Toppin), but it’s important to note that the A-10 is not as competitive as it’s been in recent years. The Flyers lost both of their toughest tests this year with non-conference losses to Kansas and Colorado. This team would definitely be a contrarian pick to win it all despite their high seeding. 

#5 San Diego State (26-1 overall; 15-1 in Mountain West)

  • Head Coach: Brian Dutcher
  • Rankings: 5th in AP; 5th in Coaches; 5th in NET; 5th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Missed NCAA Tournament
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 9 at BYU; Nov. 28 vs. Creighton; Nov. 29 vs. Iowa
  • Notable Losses: Feb. 22 vs. UNLV
  • Key Players: Malachi Flynn (junior guard); Yanni Wetzell (senior center); Matt Mitchell (junior forward)

San Diego State was the nation’s last remaining unbeaten team until this past weekend when the Aztecs surprisingly got upset by UNLV at home. People may discredit Brian Dutcher’s squad because they play in the easier Mountain West conference, but this team is actually really good if you haven’t watched them play yet. According to KenPom, the Aztecs own the seventh-best defense and tenth-best offense in the country and they have a few impressive non-conference Top 25 wins under their belt (BYU, Creighton and Iowa). This season has been a remarkable turnaround for a program that went 21-13 last year and missed out on the Tournament. The big difference has been the additions of transfers Malachi Flynn (Washington State) and Yanni Wetzell (Vanderbilt). Both guys have major conference experience and they won’t back down against opponents in the tournament who will want to prove that this year’s SDSU squad is a fluke. Much of the Aztecs’ success in the bracket could come down to which seed they receive from the selection committee, but the general public will surely be picking against them come March. 

#6 Florida State (24-4 overall; 14-3 in ACC)

  • Head Coach: Leonard Hamilton
  • Rankings: 6th in AP; 6th in Coaches; 12th in NET; 17th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Sweet 16 loss to Gonzaga as #4 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 10 at Florida; Nov. 30 vs. Purdue; Jan. 4 at Louisville; Jan. 15 vs. Virginia; Feb. 24 vs. Louisville
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 3 at Indiana; Jan. 28 at Virginia; Feb. 10 at Duke
  • Key Players: Trent Forrest (senior guard); Devin Vassell (sophomore guard); Patrick Williams (freshman forward)

Admittedly, Florida State has been a tough team to figure out this season, and it started from Day 1 when they lost their season opener against Pittsburgh. It also doesn’t help that the national rankings like them notably better than the advanced rankings do, as you’ll see above. Still, Leonard Hamilton’s team will be a tough out in the Tournament because they play dominant defense (16th in the country per KenPom) and run a deep rotation of lengthy, versatile guard-forward type players that all can step up offensively when needed. Trent Forrest and Devin Vassell are both some of the best two-way guards in the country who can play clamp-down defense against opposing scorers and create their own offense when their number is called. Plus, freshman big man Patrick Williams is generating a ton of NBA Draft buzz lately and he could be an X-factor come Tournament time. This team will be motivated to go further than their Sweet 16 appearance from a year ago and it may come down to how the bracket sets up for them depending on seeding. 

#7 Duke (23-4 overall; 13-3 in ACC)

  • Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski 
  • Rankings: 7th in AP; 7th in Coaches; 6th in NET; 4th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Elite Eight loss to Michigan State as #1 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 5 vs. Kansas; Dec. 3 at Michigan State; Feb. 10 vs. Florida State
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 26 vs. Stephen F. Austin; Jan. 18 vs. Louisville; Feb. 19 at NC State
  • Key Players: Tre Jones (sophomore guard); Vernon Carey (freshman center); Cassius Stanley (freshman guard)

Any Duke haters out there? Like it or not, Coach K’s team is one of the nation’s best yet again despite losing both Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett to the NBA Draft a year ago. The main holdover from last season, sophomore Tre Jones, is one of the best point guards in college basketball and he forms a dominant one-two punch with freshman center Vernon Carey Jr. Like most Duke teams recently though, this year’s version is a little top heavy because their bench depth isn’t as talented, which will make a deep Tournament run even more difficult. It’s tough to realistically quantify how good they are because the ACC is definitely not as competitive as it’s been lately and Duke has shown it can lose games they should’ve won easily, like against Stephen F. Austin and NC State. Still, we can never count out the Blue Devils when March hits as they’ve won two titles in the past decade and could easily make it back to the Final Four with either a number one or number two seed in the bracket and a top ten offense and defense, per KenPom.

#8 Kentucky (22-5 overall; 12-2 in SEC)

  • Head Coach: John Calipari
  • Rankings: 8th in AP; 9th in Coaches; 21st in NET; 26th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Elite Eight loss to Auburn as #2 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 5 vs. Michigan State; Dec. 28 vs. Louisville; Jan. 25 at Texas Tech; Feb. 18 at LSU; Feb. 22 vs. Florida
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 21 vs. Ohio State; Jan. 15 at South Carolina; Feb. 1 at Auburn
  • Key Players: Ashton Hagans (sophomore guard); Tyrese Maxey (freshman guard); Immanuel Quickley (sophomore guard); Nick Richards (junior center)

Although this is one of the lesser-talented Kentucky teams in recent memory, we can never count out Coach Cal’s young squads once March hits. Who remembers when Big Blue reached the title game as an 8-seed in 2014? Unlike in past years where Kentucky was loaded with one-and-done talent, this season’s version only has one stud freshman in combo guard Tyrese Maxey, and he may not even be the best player on the team. Sophomore point guard Ashton Hagans is the offensive floor general, and one of the best on-ball defenders in the country. Sophomore shooting guard Immanuel Quickley is the team’s leading scorer, and Junior center Nick Richards has molded into a terrific rim-protector and forms a nice pick-and-roll duo with Hagans. It’s interesting to see Kentucky be in less favor of the advanced ratings and getting a read on how good they are is tough because it’s a down year for the SEC. Still, this team could certainly make a run to the Final Four with their talented guard play and a starting five that rivals anyone in the country. 

#9 Maryland (22-5 overall; 12-4 in Big Ten)

  • Head Coach: Mark Turgeon 
  • Rankings: 7th in AP; 7th in Coaches; 7th in NET; 8th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: 2nd Round loss to LSU as #6 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 1 vs. Marquette; Jan. 7 vs. Ohio State; Jan. 30 vs. Iowa; Feb. 15 at Michigan State
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 10 at Penn State; Dec. 19 at Seton Hall; Jan. 10 at Iowa; Jan. 14 at Wisconsin; Feb. 23 at Ohio State
  • Key Players: Anthony Cowan (senior guard); Jalen Smith (sophomore center); Darryl Morsell (junior guard)

The Terps looked to be running away with the Big Ten regular season title with their recent nine-game conference winning streak before this weekend’s road loss to Ohio State. Still, it’s impressive to see Maryland have 12 Big Ten victories in what is by far the toughest conference in college basketball. KenPom rates Mark Turgeon’s team as having the tenth-best defense in the country and a top-30 offense as well. They are led by two studs in senior point guard Anthony Cowan and sophomore big man Jalen Smith, both of which could be all-Big Ten when the season ends. The only worry for Maryland come Tournament time is how much production and scoring they can get from their role players outside of Cowan and Smith. When those two guys struggle, the offense goes through some devastating scoring droughts that have cost them at times, like against Ohio State recently. Plus, the Terps don’t boast an impressive non-conference resume like many other top 10 teams, a factor that could make it tough for them to advance far in the bracket. 

#10 Creighton (22-6 overall; 11-4 in Big East)

  • Head Coach: Greg McDermott
  • Rankings: 10th in AP; 11th in Coaches; 9th in NET; 13th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Missed NCAA Tournament
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 29 vs. Texas Tech; Feb. 1 at Villanova; Feb. 12 at Seton Hall; Feb. 18 at Marquette; Feb. 23 vs. Butler
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 12 at Michigan; Nov. 28 vs. San Diego State; Jan. 4 at Butler; Jan. 7 vs. Villanova
  • Key Players: Marcus Zegarowski (sophomore guard); Ty-Shon Alexander (junior guard); Mitch Ballock (junior guard)

Creighton is one of those teams that has benefited a ton from playing in a tough conference. The Big East is a juggernaut this season and the Bluejays are gaining valuable tournament experience by playing against a slew of programs that will likely make it to March as well. When this team is clicking on all cylinders, there aren’t many better offenses in the country and KenPom appropriately has them as the sixth-best offense in college basketball. In conference play, they have a number of impressive road victories over Villanova, Seton Hall, Xavier and Marquette twice. It’s a little discouraging, though, to see them handedly lose their two toughest matchups of the year, against Michigan and San Diego State. Still, both those losses came in November and Creighton is now one of those teams that’s playing their best basketball at the right time. Led by a trio of talented guards, this team can light up the scoreboard with the best in the country and that could lead them deep into the tournament. 

#11 Louisville (23-6 overall; 14-4 in ACC)

  • Head Coach: Chris Mack
  • Rankings: 11th in AP; 10th in Coaches; 7th in NET; 12th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: 1st Round loss to Minnesota as #7 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 3 vs. Michigan; Jan. 18 at Duke; Feb. 8 vs. Virginia
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 10 vs. Texas Tech; Dec. 28 at Kentucky; Jan. 4 vs. Florida State; Feb. 24 at Florida State
  • Key Players: Jordan Nwora (junior forward); Dwayne Sutton (senior forward); David Johnson (freshman guard); Malik Williams (junior center)

Your guess is as good as any when it comes to how good this Louisville team really is. Before the season, they were many analysts’ pick to win it all, but inconsistent play in the below-average ACC has to be worrisome. Outside of a road win at Duke and non-conference victory vs. Michigan, the Cardinals have lost all of their other notable games (Texas Tech, Kentucky and Florida State) and recently dropped two games to teams that probably won’t be in the tournament (Georgia Tech and Clemson). Preseason ACC Player of the Year Jordan Nwora can look like the best player in the country at times, or he’ll be held to single-digit points and struggle mightily. However, Louisville could definitely take home the national title because of their experienced roster that boasts a ton of defensive length with the 11th-best offense in the nation, per KenPom. How this team fares in the upcoming ACC tournament may dictate how far they go in March. 

#12 Villanova (21-6 overall; 10-4 in Big East)

  • Head Coach: Jay Wright
  • Rankings: 12th in AP; 12th in Coaches; 11th in NET; 19th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: 2nd Round loss to Purdue as #6 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 21 vs. Kansas; Jan. 7 at Creighton; Jan. 21 vs. Butler; Feb. 12 vs. Marquette
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 13 at Ohio State; Nov. 24 vs. Baylor; Jan. 4 at Marquette; Feb. 1 vs. Creighton; Feb. 5 at Butler; Feb. 8 vs. Seton Hall
  • Key Players: Collin Gillespie (junior guard); Saddiq Bey (sophomore forward); Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (freshman center)

Villanova has been a March stalwart over the last decade and their two recent national championships are proof they can make a tournament run. Outside of an impressive win over Kansas back in December, which shouldn’t go overlooked, ‘Nova has lost a ton of meaningful games this season, including two losses to non-conference opponents Ohio State and Baylor. The Wildcats are benefiting, though, from playing in the tough Big East conference as every team has proven it can beat each other, whether on the road or at home. This team honestly may be a year away from making another Final Four appearance. Jay Wright has a ton of younger talent that’s shown flashes this season but have also played a little too inconsistently to string together consecutive wins against good teams. Still, two banners in the last four years is evidence enough that we can’t count them out. 

#13 Seton Hall (20-7 overall; 12-3 in Big East)

  • Head Coach: Kevin Willard
  • Rankings: 13th in AP; 13th in Coaches; 17th in NET; 20th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: 1st Round loss to Wofford as #10 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 19 vs. Maryland; Jan. 11 vs. Marquette; Jan. 15 at Butler; Feb. 8 at Villanova; Feb. 19 vs. Butler
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 14 vs. Michigan State; Nov. 27 vs. Oregon; Feb. 12 vs. Creighton
  • Key Players: Myles Powell (senior guard); Quincy McKnight (senior guard); Sandro Mamukelashvili (junior forward)

If you’ve followed college basketball at all this season, you definitely know about Myles Powell. If not, well, he’s one of the most dynamic scorers in the country and can both light it up from deep range and drive to the basket at will. Seton Hall would not be where they are today without the stellar play of their senior playmaker, and their tournament success will likely come down to how well Powell plays over the next month. Still, this team is now more complete with power forward Sandro Mamukelashvili back healthy and the rest of Powell’s supporting cast playing much better overall. Their signature victory came against Maryland back in December when they squeaked out the win despite Powell being out with a concussion. Outside of that victory, though, the Pirates lost all of their other notable non-conference games. Still, this team could be a darkhorse Final Four candidate if Powell is shooting lights out, which is more often than not. 

#14 Oregon (21-7 overall; 10-5 in Pac 12)

  • Head Coach: Dana Altman
  • Rankings: 14th in AP; 16th in Coaches; 20th in NET; 23rd in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Sweet 16 loss to Virginia as #12 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 22 vs. Houston; Nov. 27 vs. Seton Hall; Dec. 14 at Michigan; Feb. 14 vs. Colorado; Feb. 22 at Arizona
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 28 vs. Gonzaga; Jan. 2 at Colorado; Feb. 20 at Arizona State
  • Key Players: Payton Pritchard (senior guard); Chris Duarte (junior guard); Will Richardson (sophomore guard)

Oregon’s success undeniably depends on Payton Pritchard’s play. The senior point guard is one of the best players in the country and he has single-handedly won games for the Ducks this year with his offensive brilliance, like this past weekend’s road win at Arizona when he scored 38 points. As good as he is, though, Oregon can definitely struggle to win games when Pritchard is either not playing well or being double-teamed, like in a recent loss to Arizona State when he shot just 6-for-15 from the field and fouled out. The rest of Oregon’s supporting cast can be good at times but their play is too inconsistent to make up for games when Pritchard is limited. Dana Altman’s squad barely lost to Gonzaga earlier this season but it’s encouraging to see them lose by just one point in overtime. A few early-season non-conference wins over Houston, Seton Hall and Michigan are also good indicators that this team can make a run in the tournament, and they’ll certainly have to do so with Pritchard playing up to his potential. 

#15 Auburn (23-4 overall; 10-4 in SEC)

  • Head Coach: Bruce Pearl
  • Rankings: 15th in AP; 15th in Coaches; 28th in NET; 38th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Final Four loss to Virginia as #5 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 19 vs. NC State; Feb. 1 vs. Kentucky; Feb. 8 vs. LSU
  • Notable Losses: Jan. 15 at Alabama; Jan. 18 at Florida
  • Key Players: Samir Doughty (senior guard); Isaac Okoro (freshman forward); Austin Wiley (senior center); J’Von McCormick (senior guard)

A year after Auburn made an improbable run to the Final Four, the team still has the main core from last year’s squad and could easily get hot again in the tournament. The main difference between the 2019 version and this year is the wing forward position. First-round NBA Draft pick Chuma Okeke played a key role for Bruce Pearl a year ago, and now true freshman Issac Okoro largely determines the team’s success this season. Okoro has missed time lately with a hamstring injury and the Tigers consequently lost two games against sub-par SEC opponents. With him healthy, though, Okoro’s defense is stifling and he can single handedly shut down opposing team’s top scorers. It’s interesting to see that the advanced stats rankings have Auburn a lot lower than the AP voters do, and that could be telling come March when they face better competition than in the below-average SEC. It’s also a bit discouraging that this team doesn’t have any notable non-conference wins, which is more because of their soft early-season schedule than wins or losses. 

#16 Penn State (20-7 overall; 10-6 in Big Ten)

  • Head Coach: Pat Chambers
  • Rankings: 16th in AP; 14th in Coaches; 25th in NET; 21st in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Missed NCAA Tournament
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 10 vs. Maryland; Jan. 4 vs. Iowa; Jan. 18 vs. Ohio State; Feb. 4 at Michigan State
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 7 at Ohio State; Jan. 11 vs. Wisconsin; Jan. 15 at Minnesota; Feb. 18 vs. Illinois
  • Key Players: Lamar Stevens (senior forward); Myreon Jones (sophomore guard); Mike Watkins (senior center)

It’s been nine years since Penn State last reached the NCAA Tournament, but this year’s team is clearly one of the program’s best in over a decade and they are still fighting for a potential Big Ten regular season title. Much of the Nittany Lions’ success this season is due to Lamar Stevens’ improved play. The senior wing was the best player on a bad team last season but he’s now benefiting a ton from a better supporting cast around him. Stevens is a legit candidate to be the conference’s Player of the Year and he’ll have to be on his “A” game for Penn State to make a postseason run. This squad, playing in a tough Big Ten conference, has impressive wins over Maryland, Michigan State and Iowa, but they also have some ugly losses to Indiana and Illinois in the past month. They are the classic team that needs to get hot at the right time to have success come March. 

#17 BYU (23-7 overall; 12-3 in West Coast)

  • Head Coach: Mark Pope
  • Rankings: 17th in AP; 18th in Coaches; 14th in NET; 16th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Missed NCAA Tournament
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 15 at Houston; Feb. 1 vs. Saint Mary’s; Feb. 22 vs. Gonzaga
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 9 vs. San Diego State; Nov. 26 vs. Kansas; Jan. 9 at Saint Mary’s; Jan. 18 at Gonzaga
  • Key Players: Yoeli Childs (senior forward); TJ Haws (senior guard); Jake Toolson (senior guard)

BYU finally got its signature victory with a home upset over rival Gonzaga this past weekend. All season, the Cougars have been one of those teams that the advanced ratings liked more than the AP voters, but they are now getting their due respect in all rankings systems. This team is built on senior leadership led by Jake Toolson and TJ Haws in the backcourt, and stud center Yoeli Childs manning the paint. When all three are playing well, like they did against Gonzaga, they can compete with the best teams in the country. However, it’s worth noting that BYU is pretty unproven outside of that win against the Zags. Non-conference losses to San Diego State and Kansas don’t look that good when you consider the easier competition they regularly face in the Mountain West. Still, this is probably the best BYU squad we’ve seen since Jimmer Fredette was in town, and we all know his story. 

#18 Iowa (19-8 overall; 10-6 in Big Ten)

  • Head Coach: Fran McCaffery
  • Rankings: 18th in AP; 17th in Coaches; 27th in NET; 22nd in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: 2nd Round loss to Tennessee as #10 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 28 vs. Texas Tech; Dec. 21 vs. Cincinnati; Jan. 10 vs. Maryland; Jan. 17 vs. Michigan; Feb. 20 vs. Ohio State
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 29 vs. San Diego State; Dec. 6 at Michigan; Jan. 4 at Penn State; Jan. 30 at Maryland
  • Key Players: Luka Garza (junior center); Joe Wieskamp (sophomore forward); CJ Fredrick (freshman guard)

When it comes to Iowa this season, the team will likely live and die on the back of Luka Garza. The center has turned in an All-American campaign as he’s been one of the best offensive big men in the country, one that can both score easily in the paint with his 6-foot-11 frame and drain from three-point range. KenPom has the Hawkeyes as the fifth-best offense in college basketball, and Garza’s stellar play is the biggest reason for that. The big worry for this team, though, is an inconsistent defense that regularly allows teams to score at the same pace as them, which has mostly been proven detrimental when they’ve faced the better programs in the Big Ten. Still, they have three impressive home wins in conference against Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State, further showing us how good they can be when Garza is at his best. Tournament teams with better defenses (and big men) will surely focus on shutting down Garza and that will force his supporting cast to step up. That’s been a troubling task for Iowa this season and we’ll see if it costs them this next month. 

#19 Michigan (18-9 overall; 9-7 in Big Ten)

  • Head Coach: Juwan Howard
  • Rankings: 19th in AP; 22nd in Coaches; 22nd in NET; 10th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Sweet 16 loss to Texas Tech as #2 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 12 vs. Creighton; Nov. 29 vs. Gonzaga; Dec. 6 vs. Iowa; Feb. 8 vs. Michigan State
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 2 at Louisville; Dec. 14 vs. Oregon; Jan. 5 at Michigan State; Jan. 17 at Iowa; Feb. 4 vs. Ohio State
  • Key Players: Zavier Simpson (senior guard); Isaiah Livers (junior forward); Jon Teske (senior center); Franz Wagner (freshman forward)

If this college basketball season had a name, it could easily be called “The Curious Case of Michigan.” After starting the season unranked, the Wolverines vaulted to the top spot in the AP poll after they beat a slew of non-conference opponents in Creighton, Iowa State, UNC and Gonzaga all in the first month of the year. They then lost three of their next four games before going 2-6 to start Big Ten play. At that point, it looked like Michigan was the big pretenders of the early season as they eventually fell out of the national rankings. However, a recent five-game winning streak has them back in the mix, and maybe we should be paying more attention to their #10 ranking in KenPom. This team is benefiting from having Isaiah Livers back healthy, as it was his injury that cost them a ton of losses earlier. Plus, Michigan boasts one of the best passing point guards in the country in Zavier Simpson and a breakout candidate in Franz Wagner. Getting further than their Sweet 16 appearance from last season will require all three to be at their best, which is certainly possible as we’ve seen already this season. 

#20 West Virginia (19-9 overall; 7-8 in Big 12)

  • Head Coach: Bob Huggins
  • Rankings: 20th in AP; 19th in Coaches; 15th in NET; 7th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Missed NCAA Tournament
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 27 vs. Wichita State; Dec. 29 vs. Ohio State; Jan. 11 vs. Texas Tech
  • Notable Losses: Jan. 4 at Kansas; Jan. 29 at Texas Tech; Feb. 12 vs. Kansas; Feb. 15 at Baylor
  • Key Players: Derek Culver (sophomore forward); Oscar Tshiebwe (freshman forward)

If you like a basketball team that plays exhausting defense with ten players regularly seeing minutes, West Virginia is the squad for you. This year’s version of the Mountaineers are very atypical of most Bob Huggins-coaches teams, featuring a deep rotation without a clear star leading the way. The young frontcourt duo of Derek Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe can be as good as any in the country, but West Virginia is built on its carousel of underrated guards who play stifling on-ball defense on every possession. This unique style of play always makes it tough for teams to beat West Virginia in the regular season and especially in the tournament with less prep time. However, the lack of true stud scorer on offense has come back to bite them multiple times this season as they’ve recently lost five of six games in the Big 12. Still, KenPom loves this team (hence the number seven ranking) despite their sub-.500 record in conference. 

#21 Colorado (21-7 overall; 10-5 in Pac 12)

  • Head Coach: Tad Boyle
  • Rankings: 21st in AP; 20th in Coaches; 18th in NET; 24th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Missed NCAA Tournament
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 21 vs. Dayton; Jan. 2 vs. Oregon
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 7 at Kansas; Jan. 18 at Arizona; Feb. 13 at Oregon
  • Key Players: Tyler Bey (junior forward); McKinley Wright (junior guard)

Colorado will presumably make their first tournament appearance in four years and they’ll do so mostly on the backs of two stars. Tyler Bey is pound-for-pound one of the best power forwards in the country as he’s a dominant rebounder and post scorer despite being only 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds. Then there’s McKinley Wright, who is one of the best passers in the nation running the point. Yet, the Buffs struggle to get consistent production from the rest of the rotation outside of Bey and Wright, and that’s cost them when facing top-tier opponents. They do have two good wins over Dayton and Oregon this year, but Colorado has also shown it can lost to subpar teams in the easier Pac-12 conference. This team will need to lean heavily on its studs if it wants to advance deep into March. 

#22 Texas Tech (18-9 overall; 9-5 in Big 12)

  • Head Coach: Chris Beard
  • Rankings: 22nd in AP; 21st in Coaches; 16th in NET; 15th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: National Championship loss to Virginia as #3 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 10 vs. Louisville; Jan. 29 vs. West Virginia
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 28 vs. Iowa; Nov. 29 vs. Creighton; Jan. 7 vs. Baylor; Jan. 11 at West Virginia; Jan. 25 vs. Kentucky; Feb. 1 at Kansas
  • Key Players: Jahmi’us Ramsey (freshman guard); Davide Moretti (junior guard); Kyler Edwards (sophomore guard)

Who remembers when Texas Tech made a run to the national title game last year? Well do you recall they almost won that game if not for a late Virginia three-pointer? Still, this season’s team is completely different with only two holdovers from that 2019 squad, and they aren’t stars by any means (David Moretti and Kyler Edwards). Still, Texas Tech can compete with anyone in the country because of their seventh-best defense and an offense that’s second in the Big 12, per KenPom. It’s a bit discouraging, though, to see the Red Raiders fail to win most of their non-conference matchups against good competition. Outside of a win over Louisville back in December, Chris Beard’s team has losses to Creighton, Iowa and Kentucky, all of which were clearly a step above them. A strong defense can only take a team so far in the tournament and Texas Tech may struggle to find a consistent scorer to trust this month. 

#23 Ohio State (18-9 overall; 8-8 in Big Ten)

  • Head Coach: Chris Holtmann
  • Rankings: 23rd in AP; 23rd in Coaches; 19th in NET; 11th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: 2nd Round loss to Houston as #11 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 13 vs. Villanova; Dec. 7 vs. Penn State; Dec. 21 vs. Kentucky; Feb. 4 at Michigan; Feb. 23 vs. Maryland
  • Notable Losses: Dec. 29 vs. West Virginia; Jan. 7 at Maryland; Jan. 18 at Penn State; Feb. 20 at Iowa
  • Key Players: Kaleb Wesson (junior center); Andre Wesson (senior forward); Duane Washington (sophomore guard)

The Buckeyes are the classic case of a team that plays in the toughest conference in the country but has benefited from their non-conference resume. Wins over Villanova, Kentucky, and Cincinnati in the first couple months are certainly impressive feats, and their loss to West Virginia is viewed as a “good loss.” Still, it’s tough to ignore that Ohio State was below .500 in the Big Ten before a recent home win over Maryland, and they actually almost blew that one despite having a double-digit lead at one point. KenPom definitely favors Ohio State more so than the AP voters as they own a top 25 offense and defense per his ratings. This team has a bunch of unproven guards that basically act as filler around the perimeter to complement stud center Kaleb Wesson. He’s competed with the best big men in the Big Ten all season, but teams have started to figure them out offensively. 

#24 Michigan State (18-9 overall; 10-6 in Big Ten)

  • Head Coach: Tom Izzo
  • Rankings: 24th in AP; 24th in Coaches; 13th in NET; 8th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Final Four loss to Texas Tech as #2 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Nov. 14 at Seton Hall; Jan. 5 vs. Michigan
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 5 vs. Kentucky; Dec. 3 vs. Duke; Feb. 4 vs. Penn State; Feb. 8 at Michigan; Feb. 15 vs. Maryland
  • Key Players: Cassius Winston (senior guard); Xavier Tillman (junior center) 

If you’ve gotten used to seeing Michigan State near the top of the Top 25, let us introduce you to this year’s Spartans squad. They have two stars in point guard Cassius Winston and junior big man Xavier Tillman, but the supporting cast around them is likely a year away from making this team legit contenders. Of course a year from now will mean Winston has graduated, and that’s huge because the senior is so important to the success of this team. He’s one of the best point guards in the nation and he was dominant last season with MSU making a run to the Final Four. It’s definitely an odd year for Tom Izzo and Company because while they do have good wins over Seton Hall and Michigan, but it stops right there. When Sparty suffered two early-season losses to Kentucky and Duke, it seemed like this year’s team wouldn’t be as good as they’ve been in recent years. It’ll likely take a Big Ten tournament run to make us believers again, but like most Hall of Fame coaches, Tom Izzo has proven we can’t count out his teams in March. 

#25 Houston (21-7 overall; 11-4 in American Athletic)

  • Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson
  • Rankings: 25th in AP; NR in Coaches; 24th in NET; 18th in KenPom
  • Last Year’s Result: Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky as #3 Seed
  • Notable Wins: Dec. 25 vs. Washington; Jan. 18 at Wichita State; Feb. 9 vs. Wichita State
  • Notable Losses: Nov. 15 vs. BYU; Nov. 22 at Oregon; Feb. 1 at Cincinnati
  • Key Players: DeJon Jarreau (junior guard); Marcus Sasser (freshman guard); Quentin Grimes (sophomore guard); Caleb Mills (freshman guard)

Houston is the lone representative from the AAC in the top 25, and that’s not saying much. The conference is definitely one of the easiest in the country, especially with how poorly Memphis has played over the last couple months, and it’s not like Houston has been good in non-conference games to warrant any serious consideration come tournament time. They’ve lost both of their notable games against probable tournament teams from outside of the AAC (Oregon and BYU) and have lost two of three games in the past couple weeks. The Cougars are built on having their foursome of talented guards handle most of the offensive production, but this team is likely a year away. Freshmen Marcus Sasser and Caleb Mills have shown flashes and former transfers Quentin Grimes (Kansas) and DeJon Jarreu (UMass) can get it done as well. Still, they are all too inconsistent to string together consecutive wins in the tournament and could face an early exit come March.