Travbowman's Week Pre-Season Ballot
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonzaga | Returning a ton of talent. Have one of the best coaches in the game. |
| 2 | Baylor | Took a pretty injured team to a 1 seed last year. Now bring back several pieces plus a really talented freshman class |
| 3 | Tennessee | This is the right combination of parts to have a special year in Knoxville |
| 4 | Kentucky | As long as they can figure out the 3 point shooting this team has the talent to go far |
| 5 | North Carolina | It's a very good team. I just don't know if it's national title good. |
| 6 | UCLA | It's a good combination of talent and experience |
| 7 | Houston | I worry about their 3 shooting but other than that they should be very strong |
| 8 | Kansas | Bill Self could bring in a roster of 13 walk ons and I'd still pencil them in for top 8 |
| 9 | Texas | The metrics really like them. I'm not quite sure what to think. |
| 10 | Arkansas | Very talented team, but lack experience |
| 11 | San Diego State | Should be their best team since 2020 got wrecked by Covid. |
| 12 | Arizona | I'm higher on them than most right now. Yes they lost a lot, but they had the same issues going into 2021-22 and look what happened |
| 13 | Creighton | They have the right combo of players, I just know McDermott is a great coach |
| 14 | Duke | Can't argue with the talent. Lack of experience at coach and on the roster is a worry though |
| 15 | Dayton | Everyone back from a team that beat last year's national champs on a neutral court |
| 16 | Virginia | Tony Bennett is a magician and I'm going to ignore last year for now |
| 17 | Indiana | Should be their best team in a long time but they still don't have a great backcourt |
| 18 | TCU | Great team who has to solve 3 shooting |
| 19 | Villanova | Question marks at head coach and best player injury is never a good start but I'll give them some benefit of the doubt |
| 20 | Auburn | Pearl is on a roll and roster turnover doesn't seem to matter |
| 21 | Virginia Tech | Love the way they shoot the 3 |
| 22 | Notre Dame | Sleeper team that will surprise people this year |
| 23 | Purdue | Edey could be an all American |
| 24 | Michigan | Down year in Ann Arbor should still be really solid |
| 25 | Alabama | Nate Oats has a style that works |
Overall Rationale
I want to balance metrics and experience, and I really value good coaching and three shooting