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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DES MOINES, IA – MARCH 21: The Louisville Cardinals take on the Minnesota Gophers in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Wells Fargo Arena on March 21, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /

Chris Mack’s Louisville team imploded near the end of the season, but that shouldn’t make anyone forget that the Cardinals were red-hot in the middle of ACC play.

The Cardinals lost eight of the final 12 games of the regular season and were promptly bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Minnesota. No one knew what to expect of the program after Rick Pitino’s departure, but Mack did a solid job and he has Louisville trending back in the right direction.

Sure, the Cardinals are potentially losing Jordan Nwora and Steven Enoch to the NBA draft, but both have left the door open for possible returns. They are testing the waters and looking for feedback, but if they both return, this team could be higher than No. 20.

Louisville has also reeled in the No. 8 recruiting class in the country with a whopping five four-stars and a three-star replacing a number of departing seniors, namely Christen Cunningham.

Key returning players Dwayne Sutton, Malik Williams and Ryan McMahon lead the way and this team will be scary no matter the pending NBA draft decisions.