Predicting College Basketball's Preseason Top 25

Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESS

The college football season may just be getting under way, but the 2012-13 college basketball season is just around the corner. Will your favorite team be ranked in the top 25?

There are still many things that need to happen before the college basketball season can take place, but teams are pretty set and we all have a pretty good idea of what teams will look like this season.

So, read on to see a prediction of the preseason top 25.

25. UNLV Rebels

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The UNLV Rebels picked up one of the best recruits in Anthony Bennett. Bennett is an absolute stud and will most likely be picked in the top 10 of the NBA draft next season.

To go along with Bennett, UNLV also has Mike Moser returning to the team. Moser averaged a double-double last season, with 14 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Expect him and Bennett to have monster seasons this year.

24. Minnesota Gophers

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The Minnesota Gophers didn't end the regular season last year on a good note, but they did manage to make it all the way to the championship game in the NIT.

Luckily for the Gophers, they will have their key pieces back in Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams. Unlike last season, Minnesota should actually make the NCAA tournament this time around. 

23. Missouri Tigers

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This year's Missouri Tigers will not look anything like the Missouri Tigers of last season. Missouri will be without Marcus Denmon, Kim English and Ricardo Ratliffe. However, Michael Dixon and Phil Pressey will be back.

The Tigers will also be playing in the SEC for the first time ever, which could either be good or bad since the conference consists of the defending national champions and all.

22. Texas Longhorns

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J'Covan Brown may not be returning, but Texas still has plenty of talent and should put up a fight in the Big 12 this season.

Myck Kabongo will be back, which is a huge plus for this Longhorns team. One thing is for sure: Texas will not lose 14 games this season like they did last year.

21. Creighton Blue Jays

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Creighton had the talent to make a serious run in the NCAA tournament last year, but they didn't.

Doug McDermott will be back again next season, which will do the Blue Jays wonders. Watch out for this high-scoring offense in 2012.

20. Gonzaga Bulldogs

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The Gonzaga Bulldogs always find themselves in the top 25 to start the season and this year will be no different.

This team must find a go-to guy, though, if they plan on doing anything special this season. A balanced attack just didn't get the job done last season.

19. Wisconsin Badgers

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Wisconsin will be without its best player this year in Jordan Taylor. The Badgers will have to find offense elsewhere, but who knows where this production will come from?

At least the Badgers can play mad D though.

18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish went on quite the streak last season, but don't expect the same thing out of them this year. That doesn't mean that they won't have a good season though.

The Big East is still the Big East, but it is looking down from recent years, which will help the Fighting Irish compete for the conference title.

17. Arizona Wildcats

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The Arizona Wildcats will bring in a very solid team this season, for the Pac-12 that is.

This conference was pretty pathetic last year, but they should be a little better in 2012. Expect the Wildcats to go dancing as well.

16. San Diego State Aztecs

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San Diego State has made quite the name for themselves in the regular season the past couple of years, but they haven't been able to capitalize in the NCAA tournament.

The Aztecs will once again have a great season, but their very short lineup will be a question all season long leading up to the Big Dance.

15. Memphis Tigers

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Ever since John Calipari left the Memphis Tigers, they have taken quite a hit. Memphis has put together pretty good teams since then, but they don't perform, which is a huge issue.

Will Barton left for the NBA, so the Tigers will have to make something out of themselves without him.

14. Baylor Bears

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Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller are no longer Baylor Bears. Ouch.

Pierre Jackson will have to carry the load for the Bears, but he did lead the team in scoring last season with 13.8 points per game.

13. North Carolina Tar Heels

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After losing just about its entire starting five, the North Carolina Tar Heels will be in rebuilding mode this year. However, they picked up some great recruits, like always, and will be a bit of a surprise this season. In a good way that is.

Not to mention, Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald will both be back from injury this year.

12. North Carolina State Wolfpack

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For the first time in awhile, the Wolfpack may just have a better team than the Tar Heels.

Lorenzo Brown was a beast in the dance last season, but he is prone to knee injuries. If he can stay healthy, the Wolfpack will challenge the big dogs in the ACC this year.

11. Syracuse Orange

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Syracuse was the best team in the nation for a great portion of last season, until Fab Melo became ineligible.

This season, the Orange will be without many starters from last year's team, but they should still be the team to beat in the Big East.

10. Duke Blue Devils

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Many people think that the Blue Devils will have somewhat of a disappointing season this year, but Duke will still have Seth Curry, Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly on the team.

Not to mention, incoming freshman Rasheed Sulaimon and Amile Jefferson.

9. Michigan Wolverines

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Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.—that is really all you have to say for this Michigan team.

The Wolverines are set up for a great season, but they will have to get past the Indiana Hoosiers if they plan on winning the Big Ten.

8. Michigan State Spartans

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Draymond Green was one of the best players to ever put on a Michigan State uniform and he is no longer on the team.

This is a huge loss for the Spartans, but Keith Appling has the talent to carry this team. Michigan State will be good as long as they have Tom Izzo coaching. So they have that going for them as well.

7. Florida Gators

Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESS

The Florida Gators have been an elite team for quite some time now. They have the talent to make the Final Four this season, but they need to learn to hold huge leads in the Elite Eight, which they have failed to do the past two seasons.

The big man Patric Young will be back, along with Florida's leading scorer from last season in Kenny Boynton.

Kentucky will be good once again this season, but the Gators are good enough to overtake them in the SEC.

6. Kansas Jayhawks

Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

Kansas lost their two best players from last year's team, but we are talking about the Kansas Jayhawks here, who have a good team year after year.

Jeff Withey came back for a reason and he will be one of the best big men in the game this season. Look out for redshirt freshman Ben McLemore as well, who should have a breakout season.

5. UCLA Bruins

Brian Spurlock

Shabazz Muhammad was one heck of a pickup by the UCLA Bruins. Muhammad will easily be one of the best players in the country this year and will be good enough to challenge Nerlens Noel for the Naismith.

Look for the Bruins to make a Final Four run this year.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

Ohio State will lose Jared Sullinger and William Buford, but Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas are still on the team.

Sullinger was amazing and all, but Thomas is good enough to lead this team to a Big Ten championship. However, the Big Ten will be one of the best conferences in the nation this year. 

3. Kentucky Wildcats

Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

The Kentucky Wildcats pretty much lost everyone from last season, but they had quite the recruiting class, picking up Nerlens Noel, Alex Poythress, Archie Goodwin and Willie Cauley.

Look for Kentucky's freshman to be just as good as last year's freshman.

2. Lousiville Cardinals

Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The Louisville Cardinals will return many players, including Peyton Siva, who may very well be the best point guard in the nation.

Siva led the Cardinals all the way to the Final Four last season and this team will have a good enough team to do the same in 2012.

1. Indiana Hoosiers

Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

Cody Zeller is a big reason why the Indiana Hoosiers were so good last season and he will be a big reason why Indiana will be so good this season.

The Hoosiers are back.

Indiana will have one of the best front courts in the game and they very easily could run the table this season. They're really that good.

 

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