CBS Sports unveils updated Top 25 And 1 ahead of 2022-2023 season
CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish updated his preseason Top 25 And 1 following significant recruiting news regarding Arizona. The Wildcats added the No. 27 overall player (per the On3 Consensus) from the 2023 recruiting class, four-star point guard Kylan Boswell, who reclassified into the ’22 class to join Tommy Lloyd’s club this upcoming season.
That addition boosted ‘Zona up a few spots. But that wasn’t the only change. Check out below how the rest of the Top 25 And 1 shook out with rosters pretty much finalized ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Top 25 And 1
- Gonzaga
- North Carolina
- Houston
- Kentucky
- Duke
- Arkansas
- Baylor
- Kansas
- Tennessee
- UCLA
- Creighton
- Texas
- Auburn
- TCU
- Arizona
- Villanova
- Indiana
- Texas A&M
- Michigan
- Oregon
- Alabama
- Purdue
- Dayton
- Ohio State
- Michigan State
- Saint Louis
Analysis
A fairly standard group among the Top 10. Kentucky, Carolina, Duke and Kansas represent the four major blue blood powers — and it’s been a while since one of those programs started a season outside the top 10 of the preseason AP Poll. Gonzaga claimed their spot as No. 1 once again. Though they usually top the polls throughout the year, the ‘Zags still find ways to blow it in the postseason.
Houston ranks third, and rightfully so. There may not be five coaches in the country running more consistent programs than Kelvin Sampson. He lost his star player, Marcus Sasser, and sixth man, Tramon Mark, in December last season and still managed to win the AAC outright and make a run to the Elite Eight, upsetting one-seed Arizona in the process. With Sasser healthy, several key guys returning and their best recruit of the recruiting service era in Jarace Walker coming aboard, 2023 has a chance to be Sampson’s best club yet. Which is high praise considering how excellent the Cougars were the past five years.
Elsewhere, TCU splashed into the top-15. A somewhat surprising move, but deserved given the end of their season. The Horned Frogs gave Arizona everything they could handle and return most of their starting lineup, including All-Big 12 guard Mike Miles.
Texas A&M soared into the top-20 after a strong finish and SEC tourney title in 2022. Parrish may be a bit bullish on the Aggies considering they haven’t been ranked since Billy Kennedy was coach and they lost their leading scorer. However, Buzz Williams’ team can muck it up with the best of them, and boasts one of the more athletic and versatile lineups in the nation.
Lastly, Dayton and Saint Louis represent the A10. The Flyers return their top three scorers after a pair of down years following the Obi Toppin show in 2020. While the Billikens are annually rated highly in the preseason but have failed to deliver on expectations with their current core. That could change in 2023 though.