2021-22 Crowns Kansas Hoops as NCAA Champs

Congratulations to the University of Kansas Jayhawk Basketball Team and the University’s 4th National Championship. Congratulations to Coach Bill Self on his 2nd National Championship Season.

Great year for the Jayhawks! 2021-2022 NCAA Champions!

…and now, the “Way-too-early” Prognostications for the 2022-23 Season

Now that the 2022 season is officially completed, the 2023 season needs to start as soon as possible. That’s right, it’s Way-Too-Early rankings season! All of this will get thrown out the window over the next few weeks as the transfer portal heats up and players leave for pro careers, but it is interesting to see where the talking heads see Villanova next season given they’re losing 2 starters for the first time since 2019. Where too does the rest of the Big East shake out in these early rankings?

Here’s where Villanova was ranked in five of the future-facing polls:

ESPN: 13th
Stadium: 13th
Athletic: 14th
CBS: 15th
SI: 16th

Mid to Early teens is pretty respectful for a program losing two key players and possibly being without its three leading scorers. It says a lot about where Jay Wright has gotten this program, and the benefit of the doubt that he will have a new group of guys ready to step up as he has time and time again.

But there will be a new wrinkle next season, one Villanova hasn’t faced in a long time. In every single one of these polls, Creighton is ranked ahead of Villanova. In fact, three of the five polls have Creighton as a Top 10 team. For the first time since the 2013-14 season, Villanova may not be the Big East coaches pick to win the conference.

Looking around the rest of the Big East, UConn and Xavier each showed up in a poll, but only Nova and Creighton appear in all five.

Big East teams listed in the 10 various WTE Poll projections: We’ve got six teams projected in the various major polls. Marquette and Providence in 2 polls, UConn in three polls, and Xavier in seven of these polls. Both Villanova and Creighton are in all 10 polls thus far. Andy Katz and the NCAA finally published a WTE poll – April 8, 2022.

In other news…

Way-Too-Early Top 25s

College basketball rankings: Early top 25 for 2022-23 | Sports Illustrated
Arkansas and Kentucky lead our first look at next year, but there’s plenty of NCAA roster movement to come.

Arkansas Razorbacks are No. 1 in Way-Too-Early Top 25 college basketball rankings for 2022-23 | ESPN
Arkansas hasn’t won a national title or reached a Final Four in 25-plus years. The Razorbacks are ESPN’s early favorite to win the 2023 national championship.

College basketball rankings: UCLA is No. 1 over No. 2 UNC in never-too-early preseason 2022-23 Top 25 And 1 | CBSSports.com
The Bruins are the pick for the top team to start the 2022-23 season ahead of No. 2 North Carolina

Jeff Goodman’s Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25 for 2022-23 | Stadium
It’s already that time of the year.

UCLA, Kentucky, Arkansas lead Seth Davis’ way-too-early top 25 for 2022-23 | The Athletic
Defending national champion Kansas and young but extremely talented Duke also check into Davis’ top 10.