Athlon Sports' College Basketball Top 25 for 2021-22
After meeting in last season's national title game, both Gonzaga and defending champion Baylor rank among the top contenders once again
Grace Hollars/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports
The 2021-22 college basketball season is quickly approaching and has the potential to usher in a new group of collegiate powers.
Traditional blue-bloods like Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, and North Carolina are once again outside of the top five, leaving Kansas as one of the few familiar names atop the rankings.
Of course, No. 1 Gonzaga is quickly cementing itself as one of the best programs in college basketball, and UCLA is quickly returning to its spot atop the sport after a surprise Final Four run in 2021. But with impressive new coaches, Michigan and Texas could be joining these ranks as well.
The Bulldogs, Bruins, Jayhawks, and Longhorns project as NCAA Tournament No. 1 seeds, but don't sleep on defending champion Baylor, which has to overcome the loss of its top four scorers. And with Purdue returning a pair of All-Americans, there is no shortage of contenders.
1. Gonzaga
2020-21 Record: 31-1 (15-0 WCC)
Top Player: F Drew Timme (19.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.3 apg)
2. UCLA
2020-21 Record: 22-10 (13-6 Pac-12)
Top Player: G Johnny Juzang (16.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
3. Kansas
2020-21 Record: 21-9 (12-6 Big 12)
Key Player: F David McCormack (13.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
4. Texas
2020-21 Record: 19-8 (11-6 Big 12)
Key Player: G Andrew Jones (14.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 apg)
5. Michigan
2020-21 Record: 23-5 (14-3 Big Ten)
Key Player: C Hunter Dickinson (14.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
6. Duke
2020-21 Record: 13-11 (14-6 ACC)
Key Player: G Wendell Moore Jr. (9.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.7 apg)
7. Villanova
2020-21 Record: 18-7 (11-4 Big East)
Key Player: G Collin Gillespie (14.0 ppg, 4.6 apg, 3.3 rpg)
8. Baylor
2020-21 Record: 28-2 (13-5 Big 12)
Key Player: G Matthew Mayer (8.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 apg)
9. Kentucky
2020-21 Record: 9-16 (8-9 SEC)
Key Player: F Keion Brooks Jr. (10.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.6 apg)
10. Arkansas
2020-21 Record: 25-7 (13-4 SEC)
Key Player: G JD Notae (12.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg)
11. Purdue
2020-21 Record: 18-10 (13-6 Big Ten)
Key Player: F Trevion Williams (15.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.3 apg)
12. North Carolina
2020-21 Record: 18-11 (15-1 ACC)
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Top Player: Caleb Love (10.5 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.6 rpg)
13. Oregon
2020-21 Record: 21-7 (14-4 Pac-12)
Key Player: G Will Richardson (11.3 ppg, 3.9 apg, 3.4 rpg)
14. Ohio State
2020-21 Record: 21-10 (15-5 Big Ten)
Key Player: F E.J. Liddell (16.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 apg)
15. Illinois
2020-21 Record: 24-7 (16-4 Big Ten)
Key Player: C Kofi Cockburn (17.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
16. Houston
2020-21 Record: 28-4 (14-3 AAC)
Key Player: G Marcus Sasser (13.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.2 apg)
17. Florida State
2020-21 Record: 18-7 (11-4 ACC)
Key Player: G Anthony Polite (10.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.8 apg)
18. Tennessee
2020-21 Record: 18-9 (10-7 SEC)
Key Player: F John Fulkerson (9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.7 apg)
19. Maryland
2020-21 Record: 17-14 (19-11 Big Ten)
Key Player: G Erick Ayala (15.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.2 apg)
20. Alabama
2020-21 Record: 26-7 (16-2 SEC)
Key Player: G Jaden Shackelford (14.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg)
21. Connecticut
2020-21 Record: 15-8 (11-6 Big East)
Top Player: G RJ Cole (12.2 ppg, 4.3 apg, 3.0 rpg)
22. USC
2020-21 Record: 25-8 (15-5 Pac-12)
Top Player: F Isaiah Mobley (9.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.6 apg)
23. Virginia Tech
2020-21 Record: 15-7 (9-4 ACC)
Key Player: F Keve Aluma (15.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.2 apg)
24. Michigan State
2020-21 Record: 15-13 (9-11 Big Ten)
Key Player: F Joey Hauser (9.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.4 apg)
25. Auburn
2020-21 Record: 13-14 (7-11 SEC)
Key Player: G Allen Flannigan (14.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.9 apg)
