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 24: Head coach Fran McCaffery of the Iowa Hawkeyes encourages his team during their game against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Fran McCaffery is still waiting to break through with his Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten. It seems as if his teams are always on the verge of contention, but fizzle near the end of each season. He’s hoping that 2019-20 is different with some key returnees.

Tyler Cook has decided to forgo his senior season for the NBA draft after nearly leaving a year ago and Nicholas Baer has exhausted his eligibility but those are the only two losses on a team that averaged 78 points per game.

Don’t sleep on this team with Luka Garza, Jordan Bohannon, Joe Wieskamp, Isaiah Moss and Ryan Kreiner back. This team can shoot the lights out and it never quits no matter what kind of deficit it faces — just ask Cincinnati and Tennessee. The Hawkeyes nearly reached the Sweet 16, but a monster comeback effort was all for naught vs. Tennessee.

Iowa is bringing in top-100 recruit, and coach’s son, Pat McCaffery along with three-star New York point guard Joe Toussaint.

Scoring won’t be a problem for the Hawkeyes in 2019-20, but if the defense can improve, we could be looking at a dark-horse Big Ten contender.