NCAA Basketball Preview 2023-2024

The slow march to the 2023-2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball season continues as the calendar rolls into October. While the excitement level continues to build for what looks to be another exciting college basketball season on the hardwood both fans and experts have a little longer wait for the season to tip off. With the season just a little under a month away the Kansas Jayhawks continue to headline the Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings 2023-2024 Preview list after a strong recruiting class along with a strong returning team.

The Jayhawks return a talented roster that includes Kevin McCullar Jr who many expected to enter the 2023 NBA Draft and make the jump to the professional level.

With McCullar Jr returning the Jayhawks also return Dajuan Harris Jr and K.J. Adams Jr while also adding talented big man transfer Hunter Dickinson from the Michigan Wolverines as well as Nick Timberlake from the Towson Tigers.

Joining the Jayhawks among the best teams in men’s college basketball entering the upcoming season includes the Duke Blue Devils, Purdue Boilermakers, UConn Huskies, and the Kentucky Wildcats. Here is a look at the Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings 2023-2024 Preview:

Honorable Mention

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Conference: WCC

Just missing the Top 10 NCAAB Teams 2023-2024 Rankings Preview list is the Gonzaga Bulldogs of the West Coast Conference (WCC).

After starting the previous two seasons ranked as high as number one in the country on the AP Men’s Top 25 Poll, the Bulldogs take a step back this season as they look to move on from the departure of several key players of the past few seasons including Drew Timme.

Nonetheless the Bulldogs were able to reload with former Creighton guard Ryan Nembhard who will be able to run the offense.

Additionally, the team also added a talented big man in Graham Ike who nearly averaged a double double last season at Wyoming while averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

Marquette Golden Eagles

Conference: Big East

Another talented NCAA men’s basketball team that should make a ton of noise during the upcoming 2023-24 NCAA season Is the Marquette Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles who are led by Shaka Smart are coming off one of the best seasons of their schools history while finishing ranked in the AP Top 10 while also taking home the Big East regular season and Big East tournament titles.

The Eagles will return a loaded roster that includes four returning members including talented guards Kam Jones and Tyler Kolek.

The combination combined to average 28 points per game to go along with 7.7 rebounds and nine assists per game. In addition, talented forward Oso Ighodaro returns for his sophomore season to help deliver a threat on both ends of the hardwood.

Top 10 College Basketball Team Rankings

10. Tennessee Volunteers

Conference: SEC

Coming in at number 10 on the 10 NCAAB Teams 2023-2024 Rankings Preview is the Tennessee Volunteers who should compete for the SEC title this season alongside the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Volunteers return Santiago Vescovi to a backcourt alongside Josiah-Jordan Davis and Zakai Zeigler are also welcoming in talented transfer Dalton Knecht who is coming off averaging 20 points per game last season.

However, their potential success may revolve around their two four-star recruits Cameron Carr and J.P Estrella who both currently rank among the Top 80 incoming recruits for the upcoming season.

9. North Carolina Tar Heels

Conference: ACC

Only time on the hardwood will determine how good the North Carolina Tar Heels will be during the upcoming season. Despite losing Caleb Love to the transfer portal the Tar Heels have depth and talent to compete this season.

With the return of Armando Bacot to the Tar Heels this season the team has one of the top big men in the country. Joining Bacot for the upcoming season includes R.J. Davis who elected to return this season after averaging 16.1 points per game and 5.1 rebounds last season.

The Tar Heels were also able to add multiple weapons in the transfer portal including Cormac Ryan from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Harrison Ingram from the Stanford Cardinals.

Each of these two weapons averaged double figures last year while incoming guard Elliott Cadeau delivers another double figure scoring option each night.

8. Arizona Wildcats

Conference: PAC 12

After a disappointing exit within the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament the Arizona Wildcats enter the 2023-2024 season with high expectations.

The Wildcats, despite losing some pieces, were active during the off-season landing Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley, and Keshad Johnson via the NCAA transfer portal.

The new incoming tandem will join the likes of Oumar Ballo to give the team a strong roster while also having the depth to compete within a difficult PAC 12 conference.

Bradley gives the Wildcats a young talented point guard to fill the void while Love arrives after posting a strong couple seasons with the North Carolina Tarheels including averaging 16.7 points per game last season.

In addition, the Wildcats added a strong incoming freshman class led by KJ Lewis who is currently ranked in the top 100 within the incoming freshman. 

7. USC Trojans

Conference: SEC

As of right now the big question is whether or not Bronny James will have the opportunity to return to the floor this season. James, who ranked as the 28th best recruit in the country, was expected to be a key contributor on the floor in his freshman season as well as the number two overall freshman Isaiah Collier.

With the addition of Collier with Boogie Ellis the Trojans have one of the top guard combinations in the country and the talent to compete during NCAA tournament time.

The Trojans also added talented three point specialist DJ Rodman to provide roster depth while Iaroslav Niagu and Oziyah Sellers added depth.

6. Michigan State Spartans

Conference: Big Ten

Hand Tom Izzo a talented team of returning starters and there is a good chance the Michigan State Spartans make a deep postseason run.

That may be the case with the 2023-2024 Spartans team who returns four of their talented members from last season rosters including Tyson Walker who averaged 14.8 points per game last season.

Joining Walker on the floor will include A.J. Hoggard, Jaden Aikens, and Malik Hall who all elected to return to East Lansing in hopes for a chance to win the National Championship.

Add in the fifth best recruiting class in the country led by 6 foot 10 center Xavier Brooks and the Spartans should be a team to compete within the Big Ten all season long.

5. Kentucky Wildcats

Conference: SEC

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 NCAAB Teams 2023-2024 Rankings Preview list is the Kentucky Wildcats. John Calipari and company has a long track record of landing the best players in the country and that will be the case this season after pulling in the top recruiting class in the country.

The Wildcats were able to land four five-star recruits including Justin Edwards the third overall ranked player in the country from Philadelphia as well as Aaron Bradshaw and DJ Wagner who also rank among the top 10 overall recruits this season.

In addition, the Wildcats also landed Tre Mitchell from Virginia to round out their starting roster. The success of the Wildcats however will start and finish with the success of the incoming freshman class.

4. UConn Huskies

Conference: Big East

Coming off winning the 2023 National Championship the UConn Huskies will look to continue that success this season while taking over the top spot within the Big East conference.

The task will be difficult for Dan Hurley this season after two talented players to the NBA in Andre Jackson and Adama Sanogo. Nonetheless the Huskies retooled landing cam Spencer from the Rutgers Scarlett Knights as well as top 10 incoming freshman Stephn Castle to anchor the roster.

In addition to Castle, the Huskies landed four other players ranked within the Top 100 recruits to go along with Tristen Newton who elected to return for a fifth year.

3. Duke Blue Devils

Conference: ACC

Year in and year out the Duke Blue Devils land and produce a talented men’s basketball team. That is the same expectation for the upcoming 2023-24 Duke Blue Devils roster that is led by Kyle Filipowski, Tyrese Proctor, Mark Mitchell, and Jeremy Roach.

The tandem all elected to return for an opportunity to make a deep run during the regular season as well as during the Men’s National Basketball tournament. While Filipowski had the potential to be a first rounder, his veteran presence and ability to score should help anchor the Blue Devils roster.

Meanwhile the Blue Devils recorded the second best recruiting class for the upcoming season while pulling in two four star recruits and two five star recruits including Jared McCain who ranks 14th among the incoming freshmen.

2. Purdue Boilermakers

Conference: Big Ten

As the 2022-2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball season was wrapping up the big news surrounding the Purdue Boilermakers was whether or not big man Zach Edey would return for his senior season or forgo it to enter the NBA.

In the end Edey elected to return to the Boilermakers making them an early favorite to make a deep run at the National Championship. While Edey returns a player who can average 22 points and 12 rebounds a game, it also adds another veteran leader to their team to help shape their entire roster.

While the Boilermakers return their entire starting rotation from last season, the team will also have talented incoming freshman forward Myles Colvin who adds another scoring threat.

1. Kansas Jayhawks

Conference: Big 12

The Kansas Jayhawks enter the upcoming 2023-2024 NCAA Men’s basketball season ranked among the best teams in the country. Despite losing multiple players to the NBA, the Jayhawks were as well rounded as any team in the country after building a deep roster around returning stars Dajuan Harris, K.J. Adams Jr., and Kevin McCullar Jr.

The team also has an impressive freshman class entering the depth field including Johnny Furphy, Jamari McDowell, and Elmarko Jackson. In addition, the Jayhawks added talented big man Hunter Dickinson from the Michigan Wolverines as well as Nick Timberlake and Parker Braun.

The trio of Adams Jr, McCullar Jr and Harris combined to average 30.2 points per game last season to go along with 13.8 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game. Meanwhile Dickinson will give the team another dominant scorer after averaging at least 18 points in each of the past two seasons.

How would you rank these college basketball teams for the 2023-2024 season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings.

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