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

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

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) /

4 of 10

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 11: Ryan Kalkbrenner #11 of the Creighton Bluejays reacts in the second half of the game against the Providence Friars during the 2022 Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

7. 2022-23 NCAA Power Rankings – Creighton Bluejays

The Big East has been ruled by Villanova for years but there should be a new top dog next season. The Creighton Bluejays nearly unseated the Wildcats in 2020, entering the Big East Tournament as the top seed before the pandemic wiped out the NCAA Tournament, but the talent that Greg McDermott has at his disposal next season is elite.

McDermott’s team made a run to the Round of 32 and pushed Kansas to the brink without their two best players, Ryan Nembhard and Ryan Kalkbrenner, both of whom suffered season-ending injuries prior to that game. Both players should be back next season, giving Creighton an excellent talent base to start from.

Nembhard and Kalbrenner are complemented by fellow returners Shereef Mitchell and Arthur Kaluma, which is an excellent starting unit with offensive firepower. The 2022-23 recruiting class currently has two members, headlined by four-star power forward Jason Green, while fellow four-star forward Aidan Shaw is also still considering the Bluejays.

The transfer portal can also be an asset for Creighton, which would really use another perimeter scorer to help create more spacing for McDermott’s offense. If that player finds his way to Omaha the Bluejays could be a sleeper Final Four threat.