College basketball rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 for 2019-20

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks with Cassius Winston #5 in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 22: Jarron Cumberland #34 of the Cincinnati Bearcats reacts during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Iowa surprised everyone and bounced Cincinnati in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but that will only motivate this team to return and get back to contending for an American Athletic Conference title.

Jarron Cumberland should be back since he doesn’t have much of a draft stock heading into his senior year, but would likely be an undrafted free agent if he did declare. He led the team with 18.8 points per game and shot 40 percent from the field and 39 percent from beyond the arc. He was the only Bearcat who averaged in double figures.

That should change with Keith Williams back for his junior year as well as Tre Scott as a senior. Both were on the verge of double-digit averages but fell just fractions of a point short.

Justin Jenifer and Cane Broome are gone, but those are the only two players departing from a relatively deep team.

The Bearcats are replacing them with the nation’s No. 162 overall recruit in Samari Curtis from nearby Xenia, Ohio. Expect another strong team returning in 2019-20.