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NCAA basketball rankings Top 50 2021: Gonzage, UCLA vie for No. 1; Duke, Michigan, Kentucky in Top 10

By Mike Phillips

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 05: Drew Timme #2 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts during the first half in the National Championship game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Baylor Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 05, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 05: Drew Timme #2 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts during the first half in the National Championship game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Baylor Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 05, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – APRIL 03: Johnny Juzang #3 of the UCLA Bruins reacts in the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2021 NCAA Final Four semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 03, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – APRIL 03: Johnny Juzang #3 of the UCLA Bruins reacts in the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2021 NCAA Final Four semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 03, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

5. Texas Longhorns (Big 12)

Chris Beard’s move to Austin should supercharge the Longhorns, a program with a talented roster that has perennially underachieved under former head coach Shaka Smart. Five top transfers joined Beard with the Longhorns, giving Texas a solid talent base to make a push for the Big 12’s regular-season title.

4. Villanova Wildcats (Big East)

There are few teams in the country deeper than Villanova, which can run a rotation of 11 players without a significant dropoff. Jay Wright can mix and match with a wide variety of lineups as the Wildcats will give their opponents fits this season.

3. Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12)

One of the few blue bloods that didn’t have a bad season a year ago, Kansas brings back most of its roster while adding Arizona State transfer Remy Martin to the mix. Martin’s offensive firepower gives the Jayhawks the star power last year’s team didn’t have, elevating a solid group into the category of national title contenders.

2. UCLA Bruins (Pac-12)

Everything clicked for UCLA in the NCAA Tournament when the Bruins caught fire and advanced from the First Four to the Final Four before losing an epic game to Gonzaga. Johnny Juzang’s decision to return to school, along with the additions of Rutgers transfer Myles Johnson and five-star freshman Peyton Watson, makes UCLA the top power conference team this season and a worthy challenger to Gonzaga.

1. Gonzaga Bulldogs (West Coast Conference)

How do you follow up on a 31-1 campaign that saw a run at perfection come up short in the national title game? Mark Few will try to finish the job with a new-look roster loaded with talent in the frontcourt (returning star Drew Timme is joined by top freshman Chet Holmgren) and depth in the backcourt (freshman Nolan Hickman is the top candidate to start opposite Andrew Nembhard). Gonzaga could easily be the top overall seed again as they bid to cement their place among the blue bloods with a national championship.

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