The NCAA gave November 25, 2020, as the opening day for the pushed back Men’s college basketball season. That mean’s it’s time to start thinking about who’s going to be the team to beat!

Several sports media organizations have been releasing power rankings from their insiders. That makes it a perfect time to slip in a Top-Ten list based on what we know now. Yes, things can change – so we may have to take a second look at this just before the season starts.

Hopefully, NCAA basketball teams will be able to maintain a safe playing environment and the season can go on as planned. The PGA, NASCAR, NBA, MLB, and NCAA Football have set the example with only a few hiccups.

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1: Gonzaga Bulldogs

Gonzaga seems to be the favorite across the board heading into the season and here’s why. Strong returning players with several who withdrew from the draft and are now set to return. Mark Few also had a strong recruiting class. Gonzaga will once again have a deep bench as well.

2: Baylor Bears

Baylor also has several returning players and like Gonzaga, a few pulled back from the NBA draft. The Bears should be as strong on defense as ever ranking seventh nationally in scoring defense last season. Baylor will once again be solid with their starters as well as their bench.

3: Villanova Wildcats

Villanova returns the core of its team minus Saddiq Bey who was the Julius Erving forward of the year last season. But Jay Wright has brought in plenty of talent and hopes to have several players that nursed injuries last season ready for more minutes. If that happens, look for high-scores from the Wildcats.

4: Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia comes into the season with a veteran team that can build on last year’s impressive defense – always a hallmark of coach Tony Bennett. Overall recruiting was ok but solid transfers should help improve the offense quickly.

5: Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas and Baylor will battle in the Big-12 but both teams will be upfront nationally all season long. Several bigtime starters are gone but the Jayhawks are loaded with a nice combination of returning players, transfers, and recruits. This bench will be able to score some points.

6: Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin should have another well-balanced team put together by Coach Greg Gard this season with plenty of scoring from starters and the bench. The Badgers may not be as flashy as other offensive teams but they play a game that is quick and steady focused on high-percentage shots.

7: Michigan State Spartans

Coach Tom Izzo has brought in some transfers to fill a few spots – and, overall the Spartans return a solid roster despite losing several key scorers. That being said, they still will have strong scoring capabilities and plenty of quickness.

8: Duke Blue Devils

Duke lost some key names on the roster but Mike Krzyzewski has a recruiting class with several names off of the ESPN top recruit list. He returns veteran players in several key leadership roles as well. Offensively, the Blue Devils will need several players to step up their numbers.

9: Kentucky Wildcats

I may have Kentucky too high on this list as Tennessee could have easily been listed higher. But, this is a top-ten. John Calipari has a few key veteran players returning and a strong transfer list – with more coming if things pan out and permission is granted. Plus, all of his recruits were solid top-40 players according to ESPN.

10: Tennessee Volunteers

Rick Barnes has a solid number of veterans returning and has made some great scores when it comes to transfers and recruiting. The Volunteers should be stronger than last season and a better overall scoring team this year. There is a lot of buzz with the Vols now focused on improved rebounding and speed.

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North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels will bounce back this season with a packed recruiting class and more seasoned veterans.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Coach Chris Beard has worked the transfer list once again this off-season. Add that to his returning players – many of which were prior transfers – and they should be good.

Florida State Seminoles

A nice combination of veterans, transfers, and recruits once again. Look for the Seminoles to work their way up the list and the ACC.