ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Villanova tops college basketball's Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2020-21
We're entering an offseason of uncertainty in college basketball. Not only is there trepidation on the part of potential NBA draft early-entrants and athletic directors looking into making coaching changes, but it's also impossible for coaches to go out and recruit the final players in the 2020 class. Moreover, we could see transfer eligibility rules changing in the near future.
In other words, rosters could look dramatically different a few months from now -- or there could be much less turnover than we're used to.
Either way, here's our first guess at the landscape of the 2020-21 season. We're going to constantly update this throughout the offseason as players declare for the draft and transfers and recruits make decisions. The most likely outcome in terms of early-entry players is factored into the rankings.
It's only 232 days until the 2020 Champions Classic ...
1. Villanova Wildcats
2. Creighton Bluejays
3. Gonzaga Bulldogs
4. Baylor Bears
5. Kentucky Wildcats
6. Duke Blue Devils
7. Iowa Hawkeyes
8. Virginia Cavaliers
9. Michigan State Spartans
10. Kansas Jayhawks
11. North Carolina Tar Heels
12. Texas Tech Red Raiders
13. Ohio State Buckeyes
Which Ohio State will show up next season? The one that started 11-1 and sat near the top of the rankings? Or the one that lost six of seven to drop to 2-6 in the Big Ten -- or the one that won nine of its last 12? I think it's something more like the third option, even though there are some personnel issues entering the offseason. One of those was addressed over the weekend, when Harvard graduate transfer Seth Towns -- our No. 1 transfer -- picked the hometown Buckeyes over Duke. Towns will add perimeter shooting, while California transfer Justice Sueing brings scoring punch after sitting out last season. C.J. Walker, Duane Washington and Luther Muhammad are all back in the backcourt. What happens up front? If Kaleb Wesson turns pro, coach Chris Holtmann could be short on interior options. If Wesson returns, Ohio State will rise several spots in the rankings.
14. Tennessee Volunteers
15. Wisconsin Badgers
16. Houston Cougars
17. San Diego State Aztecs
18. LSU Tigers
19. Michigan Wolverines
20. Arkansas Razorbacks
21. Colorado Buffaloes
22. Florida State Seminoles
23. Oregon Ducks
24. West Virginia Mountaineers
25. Richmond Spiders
Entire article: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...llege-basketball-way-too-early-top-25-2020-21
We're entering an offseason of uncertainty in college basketball. Not only is there trepidation on the part of potential NBA draft early-entrants and athletic directors looking into making coaching changes, but it's also impossible for coaches to go out and recruit the final players in the 2020 class. Moreover, we could see transfer eligibility rules changing in the near future.
In other words, rosters could look dramatically different a few months from now -- or there could be much less turnover than we're used to.
Either way, here's our first guess at the landscape of the 2020-21 season. We're going to constantly update this throughout the offseason as players declare for the draft and transfers and recruits make decisions. The most likely outcome in terms of early-entry players is factored into the rankings.
It's only 232 days until the 2020 Champions Classic ...
1. Villanova Wildcats
2. Creighton Bluejays
3. Gonzaga Bulldogs
4. Baylor Bears
5. Kentucky Wildcats
6. Duke Blue Devils
7. Iowa Hawkeyes
8. Virginia Cavaliers
9. Michigan State Spartans
10. Kansas Jayhawks
11. North Carolina Tar Heels
12. Texas Tech Red Raiders
13. Ohio State Buckeyes
Which Ohio State will show up next season? The one that started 11-1 and sat near the top of the rankings? Or the one that lost six of seven to drop to 2-6 in the Big Ten -- or the one that won nine of its last 12? I think it's something more like the third option, even though there are some personnel issues entering the offseason. One of those was addressed over the weekend, when Harvard graduate transfer Seth Towns -- our No. 1 transfer -- picked the hometown Buckeyes over Duke. Towns will add perimeter shooting, while California transfer Justice Sueing brings scoring punch after sitting out last season. C.J. Walker, Duane Washington and Luther Muhammad are all back in the backcourt. What happens up front? If Kaleb Wesson turns pro, coach Chris Holtmann could be short on interior options. If Wesson returns, Ohio State will rise several spots in the rankings.
14. Tennessee Volunteers
15. Wisconsin Badgers
16. Houston Cougars
17. San Diego State Aztecs
18. LSU Tigers
19. Michigan Wolverines
20. Arkansas Razorbacks
21. Colorado Buffaloes
22. Florida State Seminoles
23. Oregon Ducks
24. West Virginia Mountaineers
25. Richmond Spiders
Entire article: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...llege-basketball-way-too-early-top-25-2020-21