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NCAA basketball power rankings: Way-too-early Top 10 for 2022-2023

By Mike Phillips

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 17: Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the Kentucky Wildcats against the Saint Mary's Gaels during the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 17, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 17: Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the Kentucky Wildcats against the Saint Mary's Gaels during the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 17, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MARCH 24: Kerr Kriisa #25 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the second half against the Houston Cougars in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 Round at AT&T Center on March 24, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – MARCH 24: Kerr Kriisa #25 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the second half against the Houston Cougars in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 Round at AT&T Center on March 24, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

8. 2022-23 NCAA Power Rankings – Arizona Wildcats

The Pac-12 champions were a complete surprise this season after Tommy Lloyd took over a program in shambles and quickly built it into a legitimate Final Four contender. A late-season injury to point guard Kerr Kriisa threw a carefully constructed rotation into chaos, leading to a near-upset bid by TCU before the Wildcats were picked off by Houston in the Sweet 16.

The big losses for Arizona are Bennedict Mathurin and Christian Koloko, who are heading off to the NBA in this exercise as projected first-round picks. Kriisa should be a leader for the Wildcats as a junior, joining Azoulas Tubelis, Dalen Terry, Pelle Larsson and Oumar Bello to form an all-returnee starting lineup.

The only major commitment that Lloyd has secured on the recruiting front thus far is four-star center Dylan Anderson, who will help fill Kaloko’s shoes as part of a rotation down low. There are no other active recruits with five-star potential considering Arizona right now, leaving the transfer portal as a likely source to import talent for the Wildcats.

Expect Lloyd to be active in the portal as he seeks a scoring wing to help replace Mathurin along with depth on the interior. Even if Arizona strikes out in the portal, which is highly unlikely, there is enough talent here for the Wildcats to contend for the Pac-12 crown once again.