Early top 25 for 2017-18 college basketball: Post-early entry deadline

By Chris Stone | May 30, 2017

March 16, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Allonzo Trier (35) dunks to score a basket against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks during the first half of the first round of the NCAA tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

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March 16, 2017; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Scottie Lindsey (20) reacts after forward Gavin Skelly (44) scores a basket and draws the foul against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

23. Northwestern Wildcats

Notable departures: Sanjay Lumpkin, Nathan Taphorn
Notable returnees: Isiah Brown, Vic Law, Scottie Lindsey, Bryant McIntosh, Dererk Pardon, Gavin Skelly
Notable newcomers: Anthony Gaines

The Northwestern Wildcats made the first NCAA Tournament in program history last season and in 2017-18, they should be on track to repeat the feat. Northwestern returns its top five scorers from the 2016-17 squad and six of the eight players who averaged more than 10.0 minutes per game. Once again, Scottie Lindsey and Bryant McIntosh will lead the Wildcats’ offensive attack. Both players averaged better than 14.0 points per game last season. Meanwhile, rising junior Vic Law will continue to play the 3-and-D role on the wing. At 6-foot-7, Law has terrific size for that role and he made 40.0 percent of his 3-pointers last season.

As a team, Northwestern needs to make another jump forward in just about every aspect. They were good, but not great, on both ends of the floor last season as they relied on a grinding tempo and solid shot defense to stifle teams. However, if 3-point variance, for instance, swings the wrong way in 2017-18, it could be a rougher year for the Wildcats. They’ll need to find more efficient scoring both inside and outside the arc to weather those types of storms.

Northwestern will only add one player to its roster this season. Anthony Gaines is a top 200 recruit out of New Hampshire who figures to play a bit role at most during his freshman campaign.