As the saying goes, what matters isn’t where you start, but where you end up. This holds particularly true for preseason rankings, which rely solely on potential, as none of these teams have faced off in competitive games yet.

This means that when the men’s basketball season wraps up next April, the final coaches’ poll will likely look quite different from the current preseason rankings.

However, this doesn’t stop us from having fun predicting which teams, despite not making the initial top 25, could end up making a name for themselves by season’s end.

Texas Tech

With five teams in the top nine of the preseason rankings, the competition will be intense in the Big 12. This rigorous play should prepare the Red Raiders well for a postseason run. Their success, under head coach Grant McCasland and prior coaches Mark Adams and Chris Beard, has been built on a robust defense. This year will be no different, as they also have enough scoring options, including returning player Darrion Williams, along with transfers JT Toppin from New Mexico and Elijah Hawkins from Minnesota, to secure victories.

Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights did receive some recognition, finishing second among teams that also received votes. The excitement surrounding Rutgers largely stems from the signing of two top-five recruits. Dylan Harper, brother of former standout Ron Harper Jr., appears ready to step in and take on the point guard role. Meanwhile, Ace Bailey, an athletic swingman ranked just below Duke’s Cooper Flagg by many recruiting websites, could be impactful. Alongside Jeremiah Williams, who averaged 12.2 points despite an injury-plagued season, the Scarlet Knights may create an upset in a more unpredictable Big Ten this year.

Xavier

It may be tempting to dismiss the Musketeers due to last year’s underwhelming 16-18 record, but injury issues greatly affected their performance. If the squad can stay healthy, they possess the talent to contend for second place behind Connecticut in the Big East. Their success hinges on the return of Zach Freemantle, who has missed nearly two seasons and will anchor the center position, supplemented by perimeter support from returning starter Dayvion McKnight. Head coach Sean Miller has also recruited numerous transfers, including Ryan Conwell from Indiana State, Dante Maddox from Toledo, and Marcus Foster from Furman, which adds depth to the team.

Wake Forest

In truth, nearly every ACC team outside of Duke and North Carolina might have been included on this snub list. Although skepticism about the Demon Deacons is understandable—given they haven’t made an NCAA tournament appearance since 2017—they may have the right components to break that streak under their fifth-year coach Steve Forbes. The optimism is fueled by Hunter Sallis, who averaged 18.0 points and was evaluated for the NBA draft, but chose to return to Winston-Salem. They also benefit from the return of backcourt player Cam Hildreth, who played much of last season with a broken wrist yet still scored 13.8 points per game, along with center Efton Reid III, who averaged 9.6 points and 7.9 rebounds.

Boise State

The Mountain West sent six teams to the tournament last year and had two teams ranked leading up to Selection Sunday. This season begins without any teams from the league in the preseason rankings, which appears to be an obvious oversight for a conference that showcased high-caliber squads. The Broncos have been identified as favorites for the league title, largely thanks to Tyson Degenhart and O’Mar Stanley. Degenhart is recognized as the preseason player of the year in the conference, contributing 16.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. He, along with Stanley and San Jose State transfer Alvaro Cardenas, have high expectations, while another portal addition, Javan Buchanan, who previously played for NAIA institution Indiana Wesleyan, could provide an offensive boost.