Of the six preseason Top 25 teams who missed the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Arkansas is ranked first

Fayetteville, Arkansas – Despite starting this season in the AP Top 25, Arkansas only has one scholarship player returning from a team that finished one game below.500 the previous season.

Take that as evidence of how new coach John Calipari added freshmen and transfers to his roster.

Arkansas was one of the more active teams in the transfer portal and recruited three recruits ranked in the top 30. As a result, Arkansas is ranked No. 16 in the country going into the season, which is the highest preseason rating for any team that did not make it to the NCAA Tournament the previous year.

“We’re unbeaten right now, and they’re a little up in here, and I’m like, ‘Dudes, calm down,'” Calipari remarked during the media days for the Southeastern Conference. I make an effort to explain that I don’t own a magic wand. I’m not a magician. I don’t do that. Usually, it takes me a few years to get the culture just right.

After coach Eric Musselman left for Southern California, a large portion of Arkansas’ squad left, leaving forward Trevon Brazile as the only scholarship player from the 16–17 team to remain. During the previous season, Brazile averaged 8.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

However, there are many newbies with a track record of success.

Adou Thiero, Zvonimir Ivisic, Kareem Watkins, and D.J. Wagner accompanied Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas. Additionally, Calipari signed Florida Atlantic’s Johnell Davis and Tennessee’s Jonas Aidoo.

Davis averaged 18.2 points per game last season and started for FAU in the 2023 Final Four. Last season, Aidoo was selected to the Associated Press first team all-SEC with 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Billy Richmond, Karter Knox, and Boogie Fland are in charge of the freshman class. At Kentucky, everyone had intended to play for Calipari.

Several programs made significant roster changes this summer, including Arkansas. Six teams in the preseason AP Top 25 missed the NCAA Tournament last year, demonstrating how rapidly programs can retool now that players can transfer without missing a season. This season, some ought to be excellent enough to attract bids:

Indiana No. 17

Indiana became active in the transfer portal and signed players like Luke Goode (Illinois), Myles Rice (Washington State), Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford), and Oumar Ballo (previously at Arizona) after finishing 19-14 and rejecting an NIT bid the previous season. Ballo, a 7-footer, spent the previous two seasons on the first team of the Pac-12. Rice was named the Pac-12’s top freshman. Three players who recorded double-figure scoring averages—Malik Reneau (15.4), Mackenzie Mgbako (12.2), and Trey Galloway (10.6)—are also returning to the Hoosiers.

Cincinnati No. 20

Cincinnati, which finished 22-15 and lost to Indiana State in the NIT quarterfinals, brings back its top three scorers. Guards Simas Lukosius (11.8), Day Day Thomas (10.4), and Dan Skillings Jr. (12.9 points per game) are among the bunch. Seven-footer Aziz Bandaogo led the squad with 1.7 blocks and 7.4 rebounds. C.J. Fredrick Jr., a guard who started ten games the previous season, is also returning to the Bearcats. Dillon Mitchell, who finished the previous season with 9.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for Texas, is one of the transfer additions.

UCLA No. 22

UCLA dropped to 16-17 last season after reaching the Final Four in 2021 and lost in the Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2023. Four starters from that squad are back at UCLA, including top scorer Dylan Andrews (12.9 points per game) and top rebounder Lazar Stefanovic (6.1). After a season in which he averaged 12.1 points per game, Sebastian Mack is back. Six transfers who scored more than nine points per game the previous season were also added by UCLA: Dominick Harris (14.3 at Loyola Marymount), Kobe Johnson (10.9 at Southern California), Tyler Bilodeau (14.3 at Oregon State), Skyy Clark (13.2 at Louisville), Eric Dailey Jr. (9.3 at Oklahoma State), and William Kyle (13.1 at South Dakota State).

Mississippi No. 24

After finishing 12-21 the year before coach Chris Beard took over, Ole Miss finished 20-12 in his first season. The Rebels now hope to advance further by securing their first bid to the NCAA since 2019. Three of the Rebels’ top four scorers—Jaemyn Brakefield (12.9), Jaylen Murray (13.8), and Matthew Murrell (16.2)—are back. Sean Pedulla, who averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds, comes from Virginia Tech. Other transfers include Davon Barnes (13.5 ppg at Sam Houston State), Dre Davis (15.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg at Seton Hall), Mikeal Brown-Jones (18.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg at UNC-Greensboro), and Malik Dia (16.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg at Belmont).

Rutgers No. 25

Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, the son of former NBA guard Ron Harper, are two of Rutgers’ most acclaimed freshmen. Bailey was ranked second and Harper third in his class according to a composite ranking of recruiting websites created by 247Sports. From a squad that finished 15–17 the previous season, the Scarlet Knights bring back two of their top three scorers: center Clifford Omoruyi (10.4) and guard Jeremiah Williams (12.2). With 2.9 blocks per game, Omoruyi was third among all Division I players.

St. John’s

Despite not being in the Top 25, St. John’s had the second-highest number of votes of any unranked team. The Red Storm are still expected to be superior even though St. John’s only brings back one double-figure scorer (RJ Luis) from the squad that finished 20-13 and rejected an NIT bid in its debut season under Rick Pitino. After averaging 15.7 points, 7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.2 steals in the previous season, Kadary Richmond transferred from Big East opponent Seton Hall. Last season, Utah transfer Deivon Smith had five triple-doubles and was sixth in Division I with 7.1 assists per game. In a preseason charity exhibition victory over Rutgers, Zuby Ejiofor, who finished the previous season with just 4.3 points per game, scored 27 points. For the first time since 2019, St. John’s is submitting an NCAA bid.