The Bilas Index: The best 68 men’s basketball teams in 2025-26

Now that football takes a break from its weekly competition, those irrationally obsessed with the sadistic ground acquisition game can turn their attention spans toward the objectively beautiful, balletic, organic, improvisational and creative game of basketball — just as it heads toward the meat of conference play and into the NCAA tournament.

To the truly evolved, the preference for athletes who play both offense and defense continuously — without breaks or committee meetings between plays — is clear and unmistakable. We, the basketball literati and hoop-educated, understand that structured forces lining up on “both sides of the ball” while their commanders sit in booths overlooking the battlefield, barking orders at their subordinates in the trenches, is rather Neanderthal, yet we welcome all to our better and more civilized game.

Those of us who have been immersed in this beautiful game all along don’t need to be now reminded, as football fans do, that something more exciting, strategically complicated and satisfying has been occurring all the while. Basketball, after all, is the true metaphor for the best of American life: freedom with structure, individual achievement with the overall, common objective in mind, with skill, creativity and feel leading the way.

For those who missed the first portion of basketball season, we feel for you, for you have missed one of the best seasons in recent memory. Quality of play and scoring have never been higher, there is an unusual feeling of parity beyond the top tier of teams and, while the game is as old and experienced as it has been in a long, long time, the best players are teenagers. This freshman class is uber-talented at the top, and there is unprecedented depth of truly outstanding, team-leading rookies across the country.

We welcome all to the bandwagon that we ride all season long, without judgment. And for all of our new friends, I give you The Bilas Index, Volume II. This resource will provide you with all you need to catch yourself up on the game, and prepare yourself for a wild ride toward March, Champ Week and the NCAA tournament. As always, you’re welcome.

The Wolverines have everything a team needs to win a national championship. This squad has depth, size, shooting and an intimidating interior defense rated the best in the nation. Add in that Michigan has bludgeoned more good teams than any other, and it will be a surprise if this team is not playing in Indianapolis on the final weekend. No team is a sure thing, but Michigan is pretty close, sitting as the only team in the country ranked in the top 5 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

Like Michigan, Arizona might not be a sure thing — but the Wildcats are pretty damn close. Arizona is outstanding defensively, with a great paint-protecting defense. While the Wildcats are not a prolific 3-point shooting team, they dominate the paint and the offensive glass and get to the foul line. A key performer is Brayden Burries, a freshman guard who can really shoot it from deep. Look what it took to beat Arizona for the first time: a Big Monday game at Allen Fieldhouse. Even after they dropped a second matchup to Texas Tech, I think the Wildcats will be fine in the long run.

The Blue Devils have lost two games this season, both to quality teams against which Duke held double-digit leads. Against North Carolina, Duke got the shot it wanted late but missed a Cameron Boozer attempt at the rim, a scenario Jon Scheyer will sign up for again and again in similar circumstances. Some better late-game execution in big games is an area in which Duke can and will likely improve, but Duke has Boozer, the front-runner for national player of the year, and some excellent defensive players around him — this team is still legit.

The Cougars have a high ceiling and can get significantly better. The interesting difference from past Houston teams is this group needs to get better on the defensive end to match what so many take for granted: that Houston is better defensively than offensively. Right now, Houston is actually a better offensive team, and freshman Kingston Flemings is the Cougars’ best player. That 42-point outburst he had at Texas Tech was simply magnificent.

With Michigan and Arizona taking up so much oxygen in the “best team” debate, Iowa State isn’t discussed enough. This is a complete and balanced team that has a top-10 offense and defense and has lost only at Kansas and at Cincinnati. Joshua Jefferson is one of the most versatile and productive frontcourt players in the country, and if Cameron Boozer were not in the mix, Jefferson would be leading the discussion over player of the year. Milan Momcilovic might very well be the nation’s best shooter, and the fact that Tamin Lipsey is not mentioned first illustrates that the Cyclones have dudes.

If you can watch only one team’s offense this season, it would be a tough choice between Illinois and Saint Louis. Both run beautiful offenses, and the Illini spread out skilled players who can really shoot it. Illinois takes more than half of its shots from deep, and this team can really pound the offensive glass. While Kylan Boswell is out with injury, freshman Keaton Wagler (who had a 46-point game at Purdue) has proved to be an elite, lottery pick guard. Wagler reminds me of Tyrese Halliburton, despite not even ranking in the top 200 of his high school class. Amazing.

The Gators played an incredibly difficult early-season schedule, and they took some losses, all of them within two possessions. Guard play was the issue, including turnovers and perimeter shooting difficulties — no real surprise, given that it’s hardly easy to replace one of the best backcourts in SEC history. Yet throughout the early season, Florida made steady progress and seemed so close to being a legit contender. Well, this is a legit contender. The Gators are competing with Michigan and Arizona for the nation’s best frontcourt, and Thomas Haugh is the engine behind that quartet of behemoths.

In the Huskies’ back-to-back title seasons, the offense was elite from early season, and the Huskies’ defense matched it later. Of course, having Donovan Clingan was beyond helpful in that area. This year, UConn’s defense is excellent, but the offense is not quite as devastating. The schemes are still incredible and innovative, but the shooting is not quite as proficient, and ball security has been an issue relative to UConn’s title teams. Can UConn challenge for it all? Yes, but the Huskies need to stay on the improvement train over the next two months.

Let’s get this out of the way early: If the NCAA tournament were to be played in Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas would win the national championship. If you have been there, you know. If you simply watched the Jayhawks play Iowa State, BYU or Arizona in Lawrence, you know. Allen Fieldhouse is the best venue and home court in the game, period. And Jayhawks fans have a lot to cheer about with this team. Kansas is continuing to grow, and with or without Darryn Peterson, this team is a tough out. Peterson has been one of the most maddening cases I can recall in basketball. When he plays, he is magnificent. When he doesn’t, it makes you feel as if you are missing something special. Still, Melvin Council Jr., Tre White, Bryson Tiller and Flory Bidunga have all made major contributions in his shadow. Bidunga is establishing himself as, arguably, the nation’s most impactful defender, and Council’s speed and clutch play have been inspiring. Kansas has more growth ahead, but not much margin for error without Peterson.

I really enjoy watching Nebraska play basketball. The Cornhuskers play hard and together, and they can spread the court and really do an outstanding job on the defensive end. Incredibly, I was most impressed by the close loss to Michigan when Nebraska played short-handed without Rienk Mast and Braden Frager. With its only losses at Michigan and at home against Illinois, Nebraska has proved to be a legitimate second weekend team, if not beyond. My only concern is confidence. Nebraska went undefeated for so long, and sometimes it can be difficult to refocus after a team sees its own blood for the first time.

Though Purdue has not always looked the part of the No. 1 team, it would be a mistake to write off the Boilermakers as a threat for Indianapolis. This team can still score efficiently with anyone. The only questions are overall defense and athleticism. When watching Purdue take apart Texas Tech early in the season, imagining the beatdown the team would suffer at the hands of Iowa State seemed unthinkable. A three-game slide last month was jarring, too. But with Braden Smith (the nation’s best point guard) and Trey Kaufman-Renn (the best footwork of any big man in America), Purdue is still a worthy challenger.

Tom Izzo is winning without a great shooting team. The Spartans rebound, defend at a high level, and have a high degree of collective fight. But the ball doesn’t go through the net as expected, and turnover issues have been a challenge. And still Michigan State is competitive with anyone. Jeremy Fears Jr. has been dealing with some self-created scrutiny, but while we are looking for his missteps, we are also seeing elite point guard play from Fears, who leads the nation in assist rate. Imagine how many he’d have if Michigan State shot it a little better.

The biggest thing that makes one question Gonzaga is health. Losing Braden Huff to injury takes away one of the best big men in the country, and it puts more pressure on Graham Ike to score, rebound and defend the rim. Ike hardly ever gets an easy shot due to the defensive attention he receives, yet he continues to make those challenged shots. The loss to Portland was unusual because of Gonzaga’s usual machine-like efficiency and competitiveness over the years, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Bulldogs have another second weekend team. The only real concern: Gonzaga doesn’t get to the foul line as often as expected, and doesn’t convert at a high rate when it does.

The Commodores have some health issues with Duke Miles out after “clean up” surgery and Frankie Collins cleared to return but still not on the court. There is no real indication when Miles will return to full strength and whether Collins will be able to step in and roll. Two things that are certain: Tyler Tanner is having a fabulous sophomore season running the point, and Tyler Nickel is one of the nation’s most dangerous perimeter shooters. Vanderbilt’s ceiling will be determined by how well it can defend the paint going forward.

Hubert Davis made Derek Dixon, the freshman, his starting point guard, and the Tar Heels reeled off five straight wins, including an all-time thriller over Duke. Dixon is unafraid and can shoot it, and he clearly can operate under pressure. The pass he threw to Seth Trimble for the winning shot was gutsy — and I still don’t know how it got through the defense. Before his injury, Caleb Wilson was as productive and explosive as any player (let alone freshman) in the country, and Henri Veesaar has been a double-double machine. His performance in the second half against the Blue Devils was a major reason Carolina triumphed. Now, the key is sustaining that kind of effort for longer stretches of games.

Every time I watch the Vols play, they make you think they are not far off. Because they are not far off. Turnovers and late-game execution (especially against Kentucky, but not only against Kentucky) have cost Tennessee a few games, but Ja’Kobi Gillespie has been outstanding more often than not, although he has fallen victim to questionable decisions late, and Nate Ament is continuing to blossom. Ament has not had the headline 40-point game of some of his classmates, but his all-around skill and productivity suggest he will be, perhaps, more valuable in the long run.

The Charles Bediako experiment was curious. On one hand, I admire the Tide’s insistence that allowing similarly situated international pros and G League players but not Bediako could easily be characterized as an arbitrary distinction without a difference. Challenging the NCAA rule in court was fine. But usually, the player challenging the rule would not play until the case was decided, so as not to put the team in position to vacate games. Now that Bediako has been ruled ineligible, the selection committee has a problem. Do you discount Alabama’s games while Bediako was on the roster? Do you give Alabama’s opponents extra credit? If you seed Alabama differently, are you punishing the teams it plays, giving them a better opponent than the résumé suggests? Here is what I would do … nothing. If the NCAA wants to sanction Alabama, then do it after appropriate due process. The selection committee is not a star chamber. Just evaluate and seed the teams according to the games played. Pretty simple.

The Red Raiders are tough as nails. With JT Toppin and Christian Anderson, Texas Tech has one of the most potent scoring duos in the country, but there is not a ton of depth. A key has been the play of lefty shooter Donovan Atwell, who is one of the best catch-and-shoot marksmen in the country. Atwell and Anderson both shoot at a 44% clip, and have combined for more than 165 made 3s.

The national award watch lists are hardly a big deal, but if we are going to do it, how could Zuby Ejiofor be left off the list of forwards or centers? Ejiofor, who started his career at Kansas, is having a fantastic season for the Red Storm, and ranks among the best big men in the country. He should be on that list, and he is making a good case for Big East Player of the Year. Ejiofor is averaging more than 16 points on 54% shooting, and putting up great numbers on the glass, blocking shots and getting steals. His running mates, Dillon Mitchell and Bryce Hopkins, help form a formidable frontcourt. St. John’s has won 10 games in a row, including a win over UConn and Rick Pitino’s 900th win.

John Calipari is writing a memorable new chapter in Fayetteville. A year after he took his first team at Arkansas to the Sweet 16, he again has the talent to make a run in the NCAA tournament. The backcourt duo of Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas have combined to power one of the country’s top offenses, with Acuff playing a high-usage role from the outset. The two lead the Razorbacks in scoring, with Acuff averaging 21.2 points and Thomas 15.0. Acuff also shoots at a 50.3% clip and dishes out 6.3 assists.

Virginia fans could only hope Ryan Odom’s arrival would mark a new era — and so far, the returns are promising. Having inherited a program that was jolted by the unexpected retirement of Tony Bennett less than a month before last season — and missed the NCAA tournament for only the second time in 11 tries (excluding the COVID-19 year) — Odom has restored consistency in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers sit just below Duke in the ACC and are comfortably headed back to the Big Dance. Freshman Thijs De Ridder, from Belgium, has impressed, leading the Cavs in scoring (15.7 PPG) while shooting 51.5% from the field and grabbing 6.6 boards.

Expectations were high for BYU with AJ Dybantsa — the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 high school class and projected No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA draft — leading a team that made a Sweet 16 run last March. Dybantsa’s midrange game is spectacular and he can already make NBA-caliber shots. The loss of Richie Saunders to a season-ending ACL tear will require the Cougars to rely even more on Dybantsa and Robert Wright III, with Wright seemingly already answering the call with a career-high 39 points after Saunders’ early exit from Saturday’s overtime win against Colorado. But the key question before Saunders’ injury was depth. That’s even bigger now.

Louisville is a different team with Mikel Brown Jr. on the court. The Cardinals went 4-4 while the star freshman was sidelined because of a lower back injury between mid-December and mid-January. Before that? They were 9-1. And since his return? They’ve gone 6-1, with the lone loss coming at Duke. The projected NBA draft lottery pick is not only averaging 17.9 points and 5.1 assists, but he broke the ACC single-game scoring record that had been held by Cooper Flagg (42) with 45 points against NC State just last week.

Kevin Willard has Villanova on track to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since Jay Wright retired in 2022. The Wildcats are strong on both ends of the court, ranking near the top 30 nationally in offensive and defensive efficiency. And four of their five losses have come to teams currently in the AP Top 25. Senior Grand Canyon transfer Duke Brennan is having the best season of his career, averaging highs in points (12.4) and rebounds (10.6).

As is the case with the next team on this list, winning does matter, and Saint Louis has won 18 straight. The Billikens have the potential to be a legitimate threat in March with the fourth-best scoring offense (90.8 PPG) and second-best 3-point shooting offense (40.9%) nationally. And not only are they talented, but they’re deep. Five players are averaging double-digit points, led by Robbie “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” Avila, who followed Josh Schertz from Indiana State in 2024-25. They have all the ingredients to claim their first Atlantic 10 tournament crown since 2019.

My on-court view of the RedHawks is to rank them in the mid-40s of The Bilas Index. But, winning matters, especially when there is a goose egg on the right side of the record. And Miami is a good team that can shoot it, with quality shots and a very pleasing offense. The RedHawks are led by Brant Byers and Eian Elmer, the team’s two best shooters, but Miami is not among the best defensive teams. Clearly, the RedHawks know how to win and have won a good number of close games. Travis Steele has put forth the claim that Miami cannot schedule quality games to boost its résumé. Though that is not a major issue in evaluating the quality of a team, it is certainly an impediment to the at-large process. If and when Miami loses a game — or games — this will be adjusted accordingly. Until then, The Bilas Index will honor the goose egg.

Bucky McMillan brought the Bucky Ball style that defined his time at Samford with him to College Station. Texas A&M runs a high-tempo offense that relies on depth and efficient shot selection, with six players averaging double-digit points. Also akin to McMillan’s past teams, the Aggies shoot a high volume of 3s. They trail only Alabama in makes per game (11.5) within the SEC. Arguably most impressive is that McMillan has fostered the chemistry needed for his style of play with a roster entirely built with transfers and freshmen.

The early returns on this Kentucky team were not promising. The Wildcats opened the season 5-4 with lopsided losses to Michigan State and Gonzaga. And it hasn’t been all clear skies since — they scored only 55 points in a 25-point road loss at Vanderbilt on Jan. 27 — but they have righted the ship with a 12-4 response to their sputtering start. One clear difference has been the play of Otega Oweh. He averaged 13.7 points through those first nine games, but 18.8 in the 16 since. They’ll need him to maintain that with Kam Williams and Jayden Quaintance still out.

It’s not as if he hasn’t proved it over and over again, but Brad Brownell is one of the best coaches in the country. Clemson has an almost entirely new roster, yet Brownell has coached his players up to 20-4 heading into the second week of February. After watching Clemson early and analyzing the roster, there was no way to predict this level of success. It is a triumph of teaching, coaching and competitive will through Brownell. To me, the true measure of a great coach isn’t just how he does when he has the talent. Brownell can do it when he doesn’t. Amazing.

The Tigers have proved they can beat talented teams with wins against St. John’s, Arkansas and Florida. They have also proved they can’t stop efficient offenses such as Alabama, Vanderbilt and Arkansas — three of four straight opponents they’ve lost to. The contrast in their national offensive efficiency ranking (eighth) vs. defensive efficiency ranking (93rd) explains their plus-4.9 point differential (fourth worst in the SEC). Missing in Year 1 of the Steven Pearl era is his dad’s high-pressure defensive tactics.

It didn’t take long for Sean Miller to turn Texas into one of the most efficient offenses in the country, ranking top 10 nationally while shooting at a nearly 50% clip. The Longhorns have proved they can outduel other highly efficient offenses, beating Alabama and Vanderbilt back-to-back in January. They are led by Dailyn Swain, who followed Miller from Xavier and is having his best season yet, averaging career highs across the board: 17.6 points on 57.3% shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

Donovan Dent hasn’t had quite as much impact as I had hoped when I ranked UCLA No. 10 in my preseason rankings. He is averaging a career high 7.0 assists, good for top 10 in the country, but his shooting efficiency is the worst of his four seasons (41.3%). The difference in adjusted tempo at New Mexico (seventh nationally last season) and UCLA (310th this season) plays a role. It’s worth noting last season’s transfers, Tyler Bilodeau and Skyy Clark, have each improved in Year 2 with the Bruins after initial declines in Year 1. Bilodeau leads the team with 17.9 points and Clark is averaging 13.1, both certainly a result of Dent’s facilitation.

Georgia has the offensive firepower — the Bulldogs are top-10 nationally in scoring (90.3 PPG) and adjusted tempo. They are also at a potentially critical point in their season, having lost five of their past six games, and could use the return of leading scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson (17.1 PPG) from a shoulder injury that has kept him out the past two games.

Lamar Wilkerson has put the Hoosiers on his back during a recent six-game span, averaging 28.2 points, including his second 40-point game of the season. After struggling to log a résumé-building win, Indiana has beaten Purdue, UCLA and Wisconsin in this stretch. The Hoosiers lean heavily on the 3-ball and overall offensive efficiency, and no team has more Division I experience, according to KenPom.

Another year, another Randy Bennett defensive success story. The Gaels are top 25 nationally in defensive efficiency and top 10 in fewest points allowed per game (64.0). Their offense was overshadowed by Vanderbilt in November, and in the second half against Gonzaga in late January, but they’ve been able to keep pace in the West Coast Conference thanks to the improvement of former Arizona transfer Paulius Murauskas in Year 2 (12.1 to 19.2 PPG).

The Mustangs boast tons of experience and one of the best guard trios in the nation in Boopie Miller, Jaron Pierre Jr. and B.J. Edwards. They combine for more than 50 points per game and all three shoot better than 36% from deep. Andy Enfield has SMU primed for its first NCAA tourney bid in nine years and hopes to lead the Mustangs to their first NCAA victory since 1988.

Wisconsin proved its potential when it handed Michigan its first loss of the season in Ann Arbor on Jan. 10. Now back-to-back victories at Illinois (in overtime) and against Michigan State have been impactful reminders. The Badgers are top 20 nationally in offensive efficiency, and are led by a veteran backcourt duo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, who are averaging career highs in scoring with 20.6 PPG for Boyd and 19.0 PPG for Blackwell.

Miami is having its best season since Jim Larranaga coached the Hurricanes to their first Final Four in 2023. Now in the first season with Jai Lucas at the helm, their play has helped restore the overall quality of the ACC. They’re led by Indiana transfer Malik Reneau (20.1 PPG), Michigan transfer Tre Donaldson (15.8 PPG) and Shelton Henderson (14.5 PPG), the latter of whom decommitted from Duke to follow former Blue Devils assistant Lucas to Miami.

Year 1 of the Will Wade era has produced a top-25 team in scoring (85.0 PPG) and offensive efficiency. A transfer-powered roster has developed enough chemistry that four of the five players averaging double-digit points for the Wolfpack are also in their first seasons in Raleigh. They needed overtime for their only win against a ranked opponent (then-No. 18 Clemson) but also forced the extra five minutes against Kansas. They will be pressure-tested again with North Carolina up next.

Jerrod Calhoun runs good offenses. His Aggies are again among the nation’s leaders in effective field goal percentage. What is different about this season’s team — compared to last season’s that won 26 games — is defense. The Aggies give up below one point per possession and force turnovers at a 21% rate.

After starting the season 6-4 — albeit with two of those losses to Michigan and Arizona — the Aztecs have gone 12-2 in conference play, tied with Utah State atop the Mountain West. Miles Byrd has followed up on his breakout junior season with another impressive campaign. He’s averaging 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks.

Seton Hall has been led by its defense, giving up only 65.4 points per game (18th best in the country) with a top-12 defensive efficiency ranking nationally. The Pirates are fourth in a Big East dominated by UConn and St. John’s but have a shot at an at-large bid if they can upset either the Huskies or Red Storm. Last week’s win in a rematch with Butler, led by Adam Clark‘s 31 points, was a good place to start.

The Knights have cooled off since their 11-game win streak earlier this season but remain firmly in the bubble conversation. Their only ranked opponent remaining is BYU, so the Knights and leading scorer Riley Kugel (14.3 points per game on 40.9% shooting) have it all to play for.

The Huskies have struggled in the loaded Big Ten, going 5-10 in conference play with a three-game losing streak to ranked Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska followed by another to three unranked opponents this month. But when they hit, they hit: In a double-digit win at Northwestern, Hannes Steinbach recorded his 14th double-double, Zoom Diallo added 22 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Wesley Yates III had 21. Together, the three combined for 65 of the Huskies’ 76 points.

A knee injury kept Alijah Arenas from making his USC debut until January, but after scoring 30 total points while adjusting over his first four games, he broke out with a 29-point effort against Indiana — a performance he followed with two more 20-plus point performances. The Trojans struggled in Big Ten play before Arenas returned, but they’ll hope more big outings from Arenas will keep them climbing, especially as they await the return of leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara from a knee strain.

In the first season of the Phil Martelli Jr. era, VCU finds itself where it always does: near the top of the Atlantic 10, right on the NCAA tournament bubble. On a nine-game winning streak, the Rams have a huge matchup with A-10 leading Saint Louis later this week. Terrence Hill Jr. (14.7 PPG, 2.7 APG) and Lazar Djokovic (13.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG) lead the Rams.

Atop the Missouri Valley standings with eight- and nine-game win streaks behind them, the Bruins have ranked near the top of the effective FG% chart all season. They shoot better than 40% from 3-point range, led by Tyler Lundblade, who has averaged 16.1 points and an MVC-best 3.5 made 3s.

Just a half-game back in the WCC behind Gonzaga — which Santa Clara made life difficult for in the first half of last week’s matchup — the Broncos are making a real case for an at-large bid. They won nine straight earlier this month and have dropped only two games, including that matchup with the Bulldogs, since Christmas. All eyes will be on the rematch at Saint Mary’s later this month.

It has been tough sledding for Missouri against ranked opponents — losing to Kansas, Illinois, Georgia and Alabama — but an early win against Florida and a packed SEC schedule means coach Dennis Gates’ dreams of making his third NCAA tournament in four seasons are alive. Mark Mitchell, in his second year since transferring from Duke, has led the Tigers in points (17.2), rebounds (5.6) and assists (3.4).

Ohio State has had an up-and-down season — the Buckeyes have won back-to-back games only twice since November — but one thing that’s clear is Bruce Thornton has been a star. He’s averaging 19.6 points, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals, all team highs. A fourth-year senior with the program, he certainly has saved the best for last.

Though they’re being outshined in the MAC by a still undefeated Miami (Ohio), the preseason conference favorite Zips are still putting together a good season. They even own a longer home winning streak — 29 games, the nation’s best — than the RedHawks. In his fourth year with the program, Tavari Johnson leads the team in points (20.5) and assists (5.2).

No. 12 in adjusted tempo, offense has carried the Cowboys, who are top 30 in scoring (84.7 PPG). The problem has been the defense, which ranks bottom 30. Anthony Roy, a senior on his fourth team in four years, has been their top scorer. He had a season-high 30 in Oklahoma State’s upset of BYU, second only to A.J. Dybantsa’s 36.

Virginia Tech turned in some big wins, notably at Clemson last week, though a 6-7 record in the ACC has the Hokies squarely on the bubble. They are led by West Virginia transfer Amani Hansberry, who has eight double-doubles this season, and is averaging 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds.

The Mountaineers have held steady in the middle of a packed Big 12, with a win over Kansas but losses to Iowa State, Arizona, Texas Tech and Houston. A top-30 team in defensive efficiency, giving up the second-fewest points per game (63.8), West Virginia will need its defense to carry it to its first tournament since 2023.

TCU had a rough start to conference play, dropping games against ranked Kansas, Arizona and BYU. But with last week’s massive win over Iowa State to go with an early-season win against Florida, the Horned Frogs are trending in the right direction. David Punch has broken out in his sophomore season, leading the team in scoring (14.3 PPG).

Baylor’s biggest splash this season might have been signing James Nnaji, a 2023 NBA draft pick who never played in an official NBA game but joined the Bears midseason (and is averaging only 1.7 points despite the noise around his addition). Their roster completely turned over this season, so no one was sure how Scott Drew’s squad would gel. Baylor is a top-30 team in offensive efficiency but a 3-9 record in the Big 12 has it looking like an NCAA tournament long shot.

It’s crowded in the top half of the Mountain West, which is trending toward fewer than four bids for the first time since 2021. That means Steve Alford’s Wolf Pack will need to round into shape in time for the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Nevada is among the nation’s leaders in turnover percentage, and UTEP transfer Corey Camper Jr. has turned it up in conference play to average 19.2 points on 54% shooting (including 50% on 3s).

Eric Olen has done a tremendous job getting a completely new roster to gel — and he has done it with freshmen leading the way. Tomislav Buljan, a 6-foot-9, 250-pounder, has 11 double-doubles, and the 6-4 guard Jake Hall averages 17.0 points on 47% shooting from deep in conference play. The Lobos got a much-needed win in a tough environment (Grand Canyon) last week.

Tulsa has one of the most efficient offenses in the country. The Golden Hurricane rank top 10 in 3-point and free throw percentage, and they are very deep, with nine players averaging at least 14 minutes. Tylen Riley, in particular, was quite a find for head coach Eric Konkol. Riley averaged 7.5 points as a sophomore at Cal Baptist but is thriving in his first season at Tulsa (14.5 PPG, 4.0 APG).

This is not among James Jones’ best teams defensively, but the Bulldogs are super-efficient at the other end. The offensive attack runs through 6-foot-7, 240-pound senior Nick Townsend, who leads the team in points (17.2), rebounds (8.0), assists (4.2) and 3-point shooting (51.4%). If Yale survives Ivy Madness, it will once again prove formidable in the Big Dance.

Since beginning the season 12-1, the Tigers have played without their engine — star point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. — for all but three games because of a foot injury. As a result, they have faltered against an unrelenting SEC schedule, damaging their at-large candidacy. Their tournament hopes are dimmer with Thomas now ruled out for the season.

The Bulls are peaking at the right time. After a 6-5 start, they have won 11 of their past 14 games, with the three losses by a combined five points. Izaiyah Nelson is a double-double machine and the reason why USF grabs nearly 40% of its misses. The perimeter duo of Wes Enis and Joseph Pinion, who combine for nearly seven 3-pointers per game, provide an ideal complement.

Mark Madsen’s team is dangerous from beyond the arc, with four players making at least 40 3-pointers this season. That perimeter shooting was critical in their Golden Bears’ biggest wins against North Carolina, UCLA and at Miami. Life in the ACC has been a bit of a roller coaster, with five of their 12 conference games having been decided by one possession or in overtime.

Did you know Ebuka Okorie trails only A.J. Dybantsa and Carlos Boozer in points per game (22.5) among freshmen? He has scored 30-plus points five times, including 40 against Georgia Tech. The Cardinal have home wins against Louisville and North Carolina, and handed Saint Louis its only loss of the season. Losing Chisom Okpara for the season was a big blow, but Stanford’s ability to limit opponents from beyond the arc has helped it remain competitive in ACC play.

Ritchie McKay’s Flames are running away with Conference USA and have the nation’s third-longest win streak at 15, thanks to an efficient offense and elite turnover rate. Brett Decker Jr. is second in Division I in 3-point shooting (48.9%) on an impressive 86 makes, and Zach Cleveland leads the team in rebounds (8.0), assists (7.1) and blocks (1.4).

This season marks the 20th anniversary of George Mason’s Cinderella run to the Final Four. Head coach Tony Skinn was the second-leading scorer on that team, and he again has the Patriots in contention for the A-10’s automatic bid. As has been the case with Skinn’s teams in Fairfax, they prefer a grind-it-out style, and we know defense travels in March.

Since a 4-0 start in Missouri Valley Conference play, the Redbirds have scuffled to string wins together but are still in position to pose problems when Arch Madness rolls around. They are among the best in the country at holding opponents to one shot, though leading scorer and rebounder Chase Walker did suffer a hamstring injury last week, so they’ll await his status.

Bill Armstrong has picked up where Will Wade left off in Lake Charles, as the Cowboys are battling with Stephen F. Austin for Southland Conference supremacy. No team forces turnovers at a higher rate than McNeese, and that leads to 22 points per game off of those takeaways. A couple of starters from last season’s team that knocked off Clemson returned, but freshman Larry Johnson and Tulsa transfer Tyshawn Archie lead the team in scoring, combining for more than 30 per game.