The 2023-24 college basketball season gets underway Monday. For the first time in more than seven months, we’ll have real games that count.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that the schedule stinks.
Have you looked at it yet? Twenty-one of the 25 teams in the preseason AP Top 25 poll are in action on Monday, but exactly zero of them will be matched against another ranked team. Furthermore, only one game involving a ranked team — No. 21 USC vs. Kansas State — has a point spread under 15, and the average point spread in Monday games featuring a ranked team is … 26. So, barring a big surprise, there shouldn’t be much movement, if any, when I publish Tuesday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings.
Yes, the daily Top 25 And 1 is back!
Per usual, I’ll update these rankings every morning of the season until the Monday after Selection Sunday. If you’ve been following the Top 25 And 1 throughout the offseason, you likely know that Kansas is starting at No. 1, Purdue is starting at No. 2 and Duke is starting at No. 3. Those three schools have represented the top three in the Top 25 And 1 since June, and it’s worth noting that the Jayhawks, Boilermakers and Blue Devils are co-favorites to win the national title, according to oddsmakers, which means if things go as planned, either Duke’s Jon Scheyer or Purdue’s Matt Painter will win their first national championship in April, or Kansas’ Bill Self will secure what would be his third.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Biggest Movers
|
Rk |
Teams |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|
Kansas returns three starters from a team that won the Big 12 and adds heralded transfers Hunter Dickinson and Nick Timberlake, plus five-star prospect Elmarko Jackson. The Jayhawks open the season Monday against North Carolina Central. | — | 0-0 |
2 |
|
Purdue returns six of the top seven scorers — among them reigning CBS Sports National Player of the Year Zach Edey — from a team that won the Big Ten regular-season title and conference tournament. The Boilermakers open the season Monday against Samford. | — | 0-0 |
3 |
|
Duke returns the top four scorers – including possible breakout star Tyrese Proctor – from a team that went 10-1 in its final 11 games and won the ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils open the season Monday against Dartmouth. | — | 0-0 |
4 |
|
FAU returns all five starters – among them leading scorer Johnell Davis – from a team that won the Conference USA regular-season title and league tournament before advancing to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. The Owls open the season Wednesday against Loyola Chicago. | — | 0-0 |
5 |
|
Michigan State returns five of the top six scorers – everybody except Joey Hauser – from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and adds a top-five recruiting class headlined by five-star big Xavier Booker. The Spartans open the season Monday against James Madison. | — | 0-0 |
6 |
|
Marquette returns eight of the top nine scorers – among them reigning Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek – from a team that won the Big East regular-season title and conference tournament. The Golden Eagles open the season Monday against Northern Illinois. | — | 0-0 |
7 |
|
Houston returns five of the top eight scorers from a team that was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and adds heralded transfer LJ Cryer, who averaged 15.0 points per game at Baylor last season. The Cougars open the season Monday against ULM. | — | 0-0 |
8 |
|
UConn returns three of the top five scorers – including presumed breakout star Donovan Clingan – from a team that won the national championship and adds a top-five recruiting class headlined by five-star guard Stephon Castle. The Huskies open Monday against Northern Arizona. | — | 0-0 |
9 |
|
Creighton returns the top three scorers – among them preseason All-American Ryan Kalkbrenner – from a team that advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays open the season Tuesday against Florida A&M. | — | 0-0 |
10 |
|
Miami returns three starters – most notably Norchad Omier, who averaged a double-double last season – from a team that advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes open the season Monday against NJIT. | — | 0-0 |
11 |
|
Arkansas returns four of the top eight scorers from a team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and adds heralded transfers Tramon Mark and Khalif Battle, plus five-star freshmen Baye Fall and Layden Blocker. The Razorbacks open the season Monday against Alcorn State. | — | 0-0 |
12 |
|
USC returns four of the top seven scorers – most notably leading scorer Boogie Ellis – from a team that finished tied for second in the Pac-12 and adds a top-five recruiting class highlighted by Isaiah Collier, who is the highest-ranked prospect to enter college. The Trojans open the season Monday against Kansas State. | — | 0-0 |
13 |
|
San Diego State returns four of the top six scorers from a team that won the Mountain West regular season title and conference tournament before advancing to the championship game of the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs open the season Monday against Cal State Fullerton. | — | 0-0 |
14 |
|
Tennessee returns three of the top four scorers – including leading scorer Santiago Vescovi – from a team that made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Volunteers open the season Monday against Tennessee Tech. | — | 0-0 |
15 |
|
Texas A&M returns four starters — among them Wade Taylor IV, the SEC’s preseason Player of the Year — from a team that won 25 games and finished 15-3 in the league. The Aggies open the season Monday against Texas A&M Commerce. | — | 0-0 |
16 |
|
Kentucky returns double-digit scorer Antonio Reeves from a team that earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament and adds the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class highlighted by possible lottery picks Justin Edwards and DJ Wagner. The Wildcats open the season Monday against New Mexico State. | — | 0-0 |
17 |
|
Arizona returns two of the top four scorers – including Oumar Ballo, the reigning Pac-12 Most Improved Player – from a team that won the Pac-12 Tournament before securing a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats open the season Monday against Morgan State. | — | 0-0 |
18 |
|
Baylor returns three of the top six scorers – most notably double-digit scorer Jalen Bridges – from a team that earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears open the season Tuesday against Auburn. | — | 0-0 |
19 |
|
Gonzaga returns three of the top seven scorers – among them Anton Watson, who averaged 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds last season – from a team that advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and adds prominent transfers Ryan Nembhard, Graham Ike and Steel Venters. The Zags open the season Friday against Yale. | — | 0-0 |
20 |
|
Texas returns two of the top five scorers from a team that secured a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and adds Max Abmas, an All-American talent who scored 2,562 points in four years at Oral Roberts. The Longhorns open the season Monday against Incarnate Word. | — | 0-0 |
21 |
|
Saint Mary’s returns four of the top five scorers – among them All-American candidate Aidan Mahaney – from a team that shared the WCC regular-season title with Gonzaga. The Gaels open the season Monday against Stanislaus State. | — | 0-0 |
22 |
|
North Carolina returns two of the top three scorers – including All-American Armando Bacot – from a team that spent much of the season ranked in the top 30 at KenPom, and adds prominent transfers Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan. The Tar Heels open the season Monday against Radford. | — | 0-0 |
23 |
|
Illinois returns three of the top four scorers – among them Terrence Shannon and Coleman Hawkins – from a team that secured a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Illini open the season Monday against Eastern Illinois. | — | 0-0 |
24 |
|
Villanova returns two of the top three scorers – including leading scorer Eric Dixon – from a team that won six of its final eight Big East games. The Wildcats open the season Monday against American. | — | 0-0 |
25 |
|
St. John’s returns Joel Soriano and adds notable transfers Daniss Jenkins, Jordan Dingle. RJ Luis and Glenn Taylor under first-year coach Rick Pitino. The Red Storm open the season Tuesday against Stony Brook. | — | 0-0 |
26 |
|
Alabama returns three rotation pieces – among them Mark Sears – from a team that won the SEC regular-season title and conference tournament before securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide open the season Monday against Morehead State. | — | 0-0 |
