Jeff BorzelloMyron Medcalf 94d

Men's college basketball tiers: Ranking 76 teams on NCAA tournament potential

Men's College Basketball, Alabama Crimson Tide, Arizona Wildcats, Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, Baylor Bears, Bradley Braves, BYU Cougars, Cincinnati Bearcats, Creighton Bluejays, Dayton Flyers, Drake Bulldogs, Duke Blue Devils, Florida Gators, Georgetown Hoyas, Georgia Bulldogs, Grand Canyon Lopes, Houston Cougars, Illinois Fighting Illini, Indiana Hoosiers, Iowa State Cyclones, Kansas State Wildcats, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, Liberty Flames, LSU Tigers, Marquette Golden Eagles, Maryland Terrapins, McNeese Cowboys, Michigan State Spartans, Michigan Wolverines, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Ole Miss Rebels, Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions, Pittsburgh Panthers, Princeton Tigers, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Saint Mary's Gaels, SMU Mustangs, St. Bonaventure Bonnies, St. John's Red Storm, Texas A&M Aggies, Texas Longhorns, UC San Diego Tritons, UCF Knights, UCLA Bruins, UConn Huskies, Utah State Aggies, West Virginia Mountaineers, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Xavier Musketeers, Wisconsin Badgers

In November, we attempted to sort through the layers of a college basketball landscape that includes 364 Division I teams. From national title contenders (the Kansas Jayhawks, Alabama Crimson Tide and UConn Huskies) to potential Cinderellas (the McNeese Cowboys and Bradley Braves, among others) and sleepers, Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf ranked 99 teams into 12 tiers.

Some of those early presumptions still seem valid, but so much has changed over the first two months of the 2024-25 season. Not one of those national title contenders remains in that tier -- and instead, a couple of SEC squads have taken their place, as the leaders of the strongest conference in the country right now.

With just more than two months remaining before the NCAA tournament, it felt like a good time to revisit our rankings. This is a snapshot of the current hierarchy in college basketball -- but just like last time, the following lists are subject to change.

Jump to:
The locks | Final Four contenders | Tourney threats | Potential game winners | Dangerous bubble teams | Too soon to tell | Comeback hopefuls | Two outliers | Cinderellas

^ Back to Top ^