| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | Tier 1 - Favorites |
| 2 | Duke | |
| 3 | UConn | |
| 4 | Michigan | |
| 5 | Purdue | |
| 6 | Alabama | |
| 7 | Arizona | Tier 2 - Contenders |
| 8 | Kentucky | |
| 9 | Louisville | |
| 10 | Illinois | |
| 11 | St. John's | |
| 12 | UCLA | |
| 13 | BYU | Tier 3 - Potential Contenders |
| 14 | Texas Tech | |
| 15 | Florida | |
| 16 | Michigan State | |
| 17 | North Carolina | |
| 18 | Tennessee | |
| 19 | Wisconsin | |
| 20 | Iowa State | Tier 4 - Darkhorses |
| 21 | Creighton | |
| 22 | Gonzaga | |
| 23 | Kansas | |
| 24 | Arkansas | |
| 25 | NC State |