NCAA Men's Basketball 25 Hard: Preseason

A lot has already happened in college athletics over the past few years, with money, the transfer portal, NIL, and courthouses all playing a major role in the NCAA’s big time makeover. However, there is a legitimate case for this past offseason to be unquestionably the craziest offseason in the history of college basketball. 

If you have not learned the word “injunction” or understand what a “TRO” is, you are likely in the dark (and perhaps not alone in that camp). There are rosters with less than five players on them (at the time of this writing, LSU) and rosters with several players who may or may not be deemed eligible by the time the season tips off (too many schools to name). There are schools who have brought back fifth years and schools who have attempted to bring back G-League players. Money is being thrown at recruits more extravagantly than ever. The reigning national champion coach now coaches the Dallas Mavericks. 

Somehow, in between all of this nonsense, there will be basketball. The season tips off on November 1st with Villanova and Notre Dame squaring off in Rome, followed by the usual five months of chaos on the court. There will still be upsets, there will still be great home crowd environments, and there will still be great basketball played. The courts, lawsuits, and lawyers will (hopefully) subside by the time November hits. After all, the talent pool in college hoops is deeper and more experienced than ever. 

Even during the most chaotic era in the history of the NCAA, there will still be basketball. In an effort to get us back on track, it is time to look at the 25 teams in America who will bring us back to basics.

**A full written column with capsules on each ranked team will publish in mid-October of 2026**

Sean Murawski is a writer for his own personal sports website, smsports.net. He publishes weekly columns and rankings on men’s college basketball, as well as coverage columns for the MLB.