College Basketball Rankings: 10 Unranked Teams That Will Make 2012 Tournament

The preseason Top 25 is out, and one of the obvious questions it raises is, which teams are missing? Inevitably, some of the tournament’s most successful squads won’t be found in the first round of rankings.

One of last year’s tournament surprises was the Florida State Seminoles, whose impenetrable defense carried them to a Sweet 16 finish. Star forward Chris Singleton may be gone, but Bernard James and the ‘Noles are still a potent defensive unit with a great chance to return to March Madness.

Here is a look at FSU and the rest of the top unranked teams who will earn NCAA bids next spring.

10. Wichita State

Wichita State had one of the country’s deepest rotations a year ago, and while leading scorer J.T. Durley is gone, most of the key contributors return.

The NIT champs will lean on combo guard Toure’ Murry (9.4 points, 3.4 assists per game) and 7'0" center Garrett Stutz.

With so much experience, the Shockers have a great shot at winning the Missouri Valley title that eluded them in 2010-11.

Even if they have to contend for an at-large bid, though, Wichita State—which faces fellow mid-major contenders UAB, UNLV and Utah State on their pre-conference schedule—has the talent to impress the committee.

9. Florida State

The loss of NBA-bound Chris Singleton is a blow to FSU, but the Seminoles’ vaunted defense is still going to be a substantial factor on the national stage.

This time around, the focus will be in the middle, where senior center Bernard James (5.9 rebounds, 2.4 blocks a game) will be among the nation’s top individual defenders as he takes over Singleton’s leadership role.

With Derwin Kitchen also gone, junior guard Michael Snaer will be under a lot of pressure to keep the offense functioning.

If the team can cut down the turnovers it commits, though, the turnovers it forces should be more than enough to send them on another trip to the NCAA Tournment.

8. Northwestern

The Wildcats’ absence from the Top 25 is slightly less surprising than the sun rising in the east. After all, Northwestern has never appeared in the NCAA tournament in more than 70 years of trying.

This season, however, senior John Shurna (16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds per game) gives the perennial doormats a chance to turn things around.

If Shurna and 6’11” classmate Luka Mirkovic can lead the Wildcats to their third straight 20-win season, an NCAA bid should be in the cards come March.

7. Villanova

Villanova would be easy to overlook under any circumstances after their collapse at the end of last season. Even more discouraging, the Wildcats lose the combined 30 points a game that Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes supplied in 2010-11.

For all that, Villanova has enough talent returning to play its way back into the tournament this March.

Point guard Maalik Wayns, out of Fisher’s shadow, will be one of the country’s best, and punishing center Mouphtaou Yarou (8.4 points, 6.9 rebounds per game) will anchor the inside in the physical Big East.

6. St. Mary’s

Despite a strong 25-8 finish, St. Mary’s was relegated to the NIT last spring when it couldn’t get past recurring nemesis Gonzaga in the conference tournament. Star guard Mickey McConnell is gone, but the rest of the Gaels’ key players are back for another go-round.

McConnell’s replacement, Australian guard Matthew Dellavedova, has already established himself as a top-notch floor leader.

With Dellavedova likely to improve on his 13.3 points and 5.2 assists a night, the experienced Gaels will have a great chance at an at-large bid this time around.

5. Washington

The Huskies may not match last year’s dazzling 83.5 points a game in the absence of star PG Isaiah Thomas, but this is still going to be an offense to be reckoned with.

Sophomore Terrence Ross looks to be ready for his turn in the spotlight after scoring 8.0 points a night in limited action last year.

Ross will be joined in the backcourt by a healthy Abdul Gaddy and talented freshman Tony Wroten, the star of a deep recruiting class.

If 7'0" Aziz N’Diaye can cushion the loss of standout PF Matthew Bryan-Amaning, the Huskies will have more than enough perimeter talent to contend in the Pac-12.

4. Virginia Commonwealth

Last March’s Cinderella heroes suffered heavy graduation losses, but the Rams are still going to be a dangerous team in 2011-12. In the first place, Shaka Smart’s high-intensity press is a great equalizer against teams with more individual talent but less depth.

In the second place, not all of VCU’s individual talent is gone. 6’6” senior Bradford Burgess is one of the country’s top shooting guards, and big men D.J. Haley and Juvonte Reddic will provide an inside presence to complement Burgess’ three-point marksmanship.

3. Mississippi State

The SEC’s biggest surprise team this season could be the talent-rich Bulldogs. It all starts at point guard, where Dee Bost—15.3 points and 6.2 assists per game in half a season last year—has a chance to be the conference’s best at the position.

Bost will have plenty of help from massive PF Renardo Sidney, who averaged 14.2 points and 7.6 boards a night. With that kind of star power, it’ll be a disappointment if Mississippi State misses the big dance.

2. Minnesota

Despite their unremarkable 2010-11 season, the Golden Gophers enter this year with a frontcourt that has the potential to be the best in the Big Ten.

The heart of the team is conference rebounding leader Trevor Mbakwe (13.9 points, 10.5 boards a game), but the bruising senior is far from alone.

SF Rodney Williams is a superior athlete who looks to be set for a breakout season, while senior center Ralph Sampson III (5.4 rebounds, 2.0 blocks per game) has much of his illustrious father’s defensive acumen.

If the green backcourt can hold up its end of the bargain, Minnesota will surprise a lot of conference opponents this season.

1. Miami

Perhaps the most surprising team left out of the Top 25 is an experienced Miami squad that returns four of its five leading scorers. That group includes hulking center Reggie Johnson (6’10”, 303 lbs), who averaged 11.9 points and 9.4 rebounds last year.

Johnson has plenty of perimeter support from high-scoring guards Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott. The Hurricanes may not challenge Duke and North Carolina atop the ACC, but they should have more than enough weapons to earn an at-large berth.