IMO, Purdue's ceiling will likely run concurrent with how good Jacobson actually is, how healthy he can be and how well he fits with Renn. His injury a minute into his second game smothered their potential last year.
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Preseason AP Top 25 Poll
- Thread starter HooperScooper
- Start date
IMO, Purdue's ceiling will likely run concurrent with how good Jacobson actually is, how healthy he can be and how well he fits with Renn. His injury a minute into his second game smothered their potential last year.
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Matt Norlander has UConn at #6 in his preseason Top 100 and 1.
But I don't see a repeat of that performance. EvanMiya.com rates UConn with four "elite" 3-point shooters, matching Purdue, Oklahoma and Virginia for the most in college hoops. The best of them should be junior 2-man Solo Ball, who sank 99 of his 239 treys last season (41.4%) and is equipped to be one of the best give-you-a-boost shooters in the country. He'll be set up by Georgia transfer Silas Demary, a tough and big point guard who will ease the concerns UConn faced with its backcourt a season ago. Those two will play with freshman Braylon Mullins, who won't face the pressure of having to be as good as Liam McNeeley a season ago but should nevertheless find a nice role by league play. Alex Karaban's back for his senior season as well. Literally no team in the country has a player with his winning pedigree and the ups and downs to endear him to a crucial leadership role. Tarris Reed Jr. is also back and could grow into a top-10 big in the sport. I like the Huskies to take the Big East for the third time in four years.
www.cbssports.com
6. Connecticut
A high-profile regression to the mean played out in a turbulent, humbling five-month marathon for Dan Hurley's program in 2024-25. We were all reminded how hard it is for college basketball teams to stay elite, particularly with national championship aspirations, three years in a row. Connecticut went 24-11, earned a No. 8 seed and was knocked from the mountaintop. (For more on this, check out my column from earlier this week on Hurley and his atonement for bad behavior.)But I don't see a repeat of that performance. EvanMiya.com rates UConn with four "elite" 3-point shooters, matching Purdue, Oklahoma and Virginia for the most in college hoops. The best of them should be junior 2-man Solo Ball, who sank 99 of his 239 treys last season (41.4%) and is equipped to be one of the best give-you-a-boost shooters in the country. He'll be set up by Georgia transfer Silas Demary, a tough and big point guard who will ease the concerns UConn faced with its backcourt a season ago. Those two will play with freshman Braylon Mullins, who won't face the pressure of having to be as good as Liam McNeeley a season ago but should nevertheless find a nice role by league play. Alex Karaban's back for his senior season as well. Literally no team in the country has a player with his winning pedigree and the ups and downs to endear him to a crucial leadership role. Tarris Reed Jr. is also back and could grow into a top-10 big in the sport. I like the Huskies to take the Big East for the third time in four years.
College basketball rankings: Houston, Purdue, Kentucky, Duke and more headline 2025-26 Top 100 And 1 teams
You ready for the season? Not until you comb through Matt Norlander's annual, ultimate team ranking guide
www.cbssports.com
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Kansas at 7 is a sign he’s just striving to be differentMatt Norlander has UConn at #6 in his preseason Top 100 and 1.
6. Connecticut
A high-profile regression to the mean played out in a turbulent, humbling five-month marathon for Dan Hurley's program in 2024-25. We were all reminded how hard it is for college basketball teams to stay elite, particularly with national championship aspirations, three years in a row. Connecticut went 24-11, earned a No. 8 seed and was knocked from the mountaintop. (For more on this, check out my column from earlier this week on Hurley and his atonement for bad behavior.)
But I don't see a repeat of that performance. EvanMiya.com rates UConn with four "elite" 3-point shooters, matching Purdue, Oklahoma and Virginia for the most in college hoops. The best of them should be junior 2-man Solo Ball, who sank 99 of his 239 treys last season (41.4%) and is equipped to be one of the best give-you-a-boost shooters in the country. He'll be set up by Georgia transfer Silas Demary, a tough and big point guard who will ease the concerns UConn faced with its backcourt a season ago. Those two will play with freshman Braylon Mullins, who won't face the pressure of having to be as good as Liam McNeeley a season ago but should nevertheless find a nice role by league play. Alex Karaban's back for his senior season as well. Literally no team in the country has a player with his winning pedigree and the ups and downs to endear him to a crucial leadership role. Tarris Reed Jr. is also back and could grow into a top-10 big in the sport. I like the Huskies to take the Big East for the third time in four years.
College basketball rankings: Houston, Purdue, Kentucky, Duke and more headline 2025-26 Top 100 And 1 teams
You ready for the season? Not until you comb through Matt Norlander's annual, ultimate team ranking guide
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He actually likes UConn a lot. Has a pretty good relationship with Hurley. He grew up in CT and went to college in CT. Maybe he's doing the Donny Marshall thing where he doesn't want to look like a homer.
Waquoit
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I say that because, iirc, he was late to the party both championship years. But yes, I don't see any animosity at all.
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Went to WestConn and lives in Trumbull but thought he was from VT.
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Looks like you're right.
Checking in with Matt Norlander
CBS college hoops writer and podcaster spent formative years in Vermont
I got it from this:
Norlander is a Connecticut native who graduated from Western Connecticut State University with a major in journalism.
I guess depends if your definition of "native" is only 1 year of high school. Lol
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SI is ranking every team and they are down to 1 and 2. UConn and Houston will be their top 2 (I bet Houston will be their #1) as those are the only ones not released yet
Sports Illustrated’s Complete 2025–26 Men’s College Basketball Rankings From No. 365 to No. 1
Sports Illustrated’s Complete 2025–26 Men’s College Basketball Rankings From No. 365 to No. 1
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"...also, Tarris Reed Jr...." LOLMatt Norlander has UConn at #6 in his preseason Top 100 and 1.
6. Connecticut
A high-profile regression to the mean played out in a turbulent, humbling five-month marathon for Dan Hurley's program in 2024-25. We were all reminded how hard it is for college basketball teams to stay elite, particularly with national championship aspirations, three years in a row. Connecticut went 24-11, earned a No. 8 seed and was knocked from the mountaintop. (For more on this, check out my column from earlier this week on Hurley and his atonement for bad behavior.)
But I don't see a repeat of that performance. EvanMiya.com rates UConn with four "elite" 3-point shooters, matching Purdue, Oklahoma and Virginia for the most in college hoops. The best of them should be junior 2-man Solo Ball, who sank 99 of his 239 treys last season (41.4%) and is equipped to be one of the best give-you-a-boost shooters in the country. He'll be set up by Georgia transfer Silas Demary, a tough and big point guard who will ease the concerns UConn faced with its backcourt a season ago. Those two will play with freshman Braylon Mullins, who won't face the pressure of having to be as good as Liam McNeeley a season ago but should nevertheless find a nice role by league play. Alex Karaban's back for his senior season as well. Literally no team in the country has a player with his winning pedigree and the ups and downs to endear him to a crucial leadership role. Tarris Reed Jr. is also back and could grow into a top-10 big in the sport. I like the Huskies to take the Big East for the third time in four years.
College basketball rankings: Houston, Purdue, Kentucky, Duke and more headline 2025-26 Top 100 And 1 teams
You ready for the season? Not until you comb through Matt Norlander's annual, ultimate team ranking guide
I mean, I get it, he has to show consistency, but I don't know how anyone could have watched him put up 24 pts, 18 reb, and 6 blk against PC last year and not think he'll be a major factor. And that goes both ways, honestly. When he's on, he's the best player on the floor, and if you lose that to stupid fouls, or losing focus, that's just as important.
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Tarris Reed Jr. is also back and could grow into a top-10 big in the sport. I like the Huskies to take the Big East for the third time in four years.
What's wrong with that? Has he been a top 10 big in the sport already? I think you're trying way too hard not to like what he wrote. Lol
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All 4 of these teams won’t make the final four.
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F4
UConn
Kentucky
Duke
Houston
UConn
Kentucky
Duke
Houston
ctchamps
We are UConn!! 6 >>>1!
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I agree. Besides, it's good form to finish big.
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UConn revealed at #2:
2. Connecticut (No. 1 in Big East)
UConn has one of the most talented lineups in the country, with an argument to be made that the Huskies’ starting group features top-20 players at every position in the sport. As long as Silas Demary takes to the Huskies offense quickly, they should be absolutely lethal on that end of the floor. There are more concerns defensively, but if Dan Hurley can find some answers at that end UConn could end up celebrating another title next April.
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Kind of a click bait article. Predicting teams that can win 30 games.
www.espn.com
UConn Huskies
Dan Hurley's quest for a three-peat was derailed by a rough start to the 2024-25 season. Even then, his Huskies might have given Florida its toughest challenge on the way to winning the 2025 national title. Now, Alex Karaban returns for what feels like his 11th season, Solo Ball will continue his under-the-radar climb into the top guards in America conversation and Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. (13.5 PPG) joins the fold. A third 30-win campaign under Hurley seems imminent.
17 men's college basketball teams that could win 30 games in 2025-26
History says a 30-win season could lead to a national title (see: Florida). Which teams could achieve the feat this season?