“I have to re-recruit my entire roster every offseason.”
It’s been a common refrain among college basketball coaches since the introduction of the NCAA’s one-time transfer waiver, which grants players immediate eligibility at another school if it’s their first time transferring. Waivers have been consistently granted for second-time transfers this offseason, too. With roster retention and program continuity having become an ongoing process, we wanted to take a look at which schools did the best job of keeping their players out of the portal and maintaining continuity from last season.
Why is roster retention and continuity important? Look at last season’s Final Four. National champion Kansas had only one player who was not in the program during the 2020-21 season — Arizona State transfer Remy Martin — play more than three minutes in the title game. North Carolina’s run to the championship game was sparked by a core of returnees from the previous season, in addition to Oklahoma transfer Brady Manek. Villanova was as experienced as any team in the field, with its entire rotation spending multiple years in the program. Duke was the lone outlier, with three freshmen and one transfer among its top seven.
Ranking roster continuity isn’t an exact science, of course. At least on paper, some teams improved despite seeing their rosters ravaged by departures, whether to the NBA draft or transfer portal. But given that most coaches generally identify maintaining production and minutes continuity as a goal, we were curious about which programs best achieved those objectives.
We went through each of the top six leagues, as well as every other team that was in the hunt for the NCAA tournament down the stretch last season (and threw in a couple of other notables as well) to devise our national Retention Rankings Top 20. Beyond that is a conference-by-conference ranking for the top six leagues, and a look at a couple of dozen other notables with a robust returning core:
Top 20
1. TCU Horned Frogs: Jamie Dixon has all five starters back from the team that took Arizona to the brink in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The lone loss was reserve guard Francisco Farabello, an excellent outside shooter, but the Horned Frogs bring back everyone else.
2. Virginia Cavaliers: It was a down season for Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers, which now return their top six scorers, bring in four four-star recruits and an impact transfer. To Bennett’s credit, zero key players jumped ship via the portal. Four players did transfer, but none of the four averaged more than 2.1 points or was a major part of the rotation for the majority of the season.
3. Dayton Flyers: The Flyers had the youngest rotation in college basketball last season, with six of their top seven players having freshman eligibility. Yet none of them opted to enter the transfer portal and explore other options. Moreover, of the three players to transfer out of the program, only one played minutes in March — and that was 21 minutes over six games.
4. North Carolina Tar Heels: On paper, the Tar Heels had some key portal departures — Dawson Garcia, Kerwin Walton and Anthony Harris all opted to enter the portal. But Garcia left the team midway through the season to deal with a family matter at home. Harris didn’t play after Jan. 8. And Walton played five minutes total in six NCAA tournament games. So in reality, Hubert Davis kept as many players as he could from the team that made the title-game run. Brady Manek was the lone starter to leave.
5. Gonzaga Bulldogs: It was a fantastic offseason for the Bulldogs, not only with the return of Drew Timme, Julian Strawther and Rasir Bolton, but from a rotation continuity perspective as well. Two walk-ons from Mark Few’s team hit the portal, but the Zags kept hold of former five-star guards Nolan Hickman and Hunter Sallis despite neither player starting as a freshman.
6. Saint Louis Billikens: There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the Billikens this offseason, and Travis Ford received a boost when Yuri Collins withdrew his name from the portal. Jordan Nesbitt and four others departed. Their top five scorers are back.
7. Indiana Hoosiers: Departing Parker Stewart was the team’s best 3-point shooter, but among other departures, Rob Phinisee lost his starting job last season and neither Khristian Lander nor Michael Durr had a consistent role. Mike Woodson’s team is expected to take a leap.
8. Wyoming Cowboys: When Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike announced they were returning for another season, it was time for the Cowboys to run it back — and nearly every key player came back for the ride. Four players entered the portal, but none of the four were factors for Jeff Linder’s program. Drake Jeffries, a double-figure scorer and starter, is the only noteworthy exit.
9. Stanford Cardinal: The Cardinal lost double-figure scorer Jaiden Delaire to the portal, while reserves Noah Taitz and Lukas Kisunas also left. Nearly everyone else is back for Jerod Haase, including Spencer Jones and Harrison Ingram.
10. Cincinnati Bearcats: Wes Miller had a strong offseason in the portal, losing only one total start from last season to transfer. Mike Saunders played a consistent role and Abdul Ado was a senior starter, but the Bearcats bring back four starters.
11. UAB Blazers: The Blazers are going to be one of the best mid-major teams in the country next season, with Andy Kennedy bringing in five impact transfers and returning four of their top six scorers, including star guard Jordan Walker. There wasn’t too much portal attrition, with nobody averaging more than 4.6 points transferring out.
12. Tennessee Volunteers: Kennedy Chandler left early for the NBA, while John Fulkerson was out of eligibility. Three players also transferred: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield started games down the stretch for the Volunteers, while Justin Powell and Victor Bailey Jr. saw their roles diminish dramatically late in the season. At least experienced rotation players return for Rick Barnes.
13. Texas A&M Aggies: The Aggies made a strong run late in the season, just missing the NCAA tournament and eventually losing in the NIT title game. Hassan Diarra was the lone key portal departure, since Marcus Williams left before the end of the season, although leading scorer Quenton Jackson is also gone. Overall, six of Buzz Williams’ top nine producers return.
14. San Diego State Aztecs: Perhaps no program benefited more from the NCAA giving players an extra year of eligibility than the Aztecs, with four key players — including star Matt Bradley — opting to come back. And only two players departed Brian Dutcher’s program this offseason: Chad Baker-Mazara, who was dismissed in January, and backup guard Keith Dinwiddie, who initially took time away from the team in January to deal with a family matter.
15. Boston College Eagles: Earl Grant has some promising talent on the roster, and the lone key contributor to hit the portal was Brevin Galloway. Four of the Eagles’ top five scorers remained with the program.
16. Utah Utes: It’s going to take some time for Craig Smith to get it going with the Utes, and he managed to keep much of his rotation together. David Jenkins Jr. and Both Gach were the notable departures, but five of the Utes’ top seven scorers are back.
17. Creighton Bluejays: One of this offseason’s darlings, Creighton is expected to take a massive step forward next season. Part of that is the addition of star transfer Baylor Scheierman, part of that is the return of four players who started at least 13 games last season — and part is they lost only seldom-used Modestas Kancleris to the portal. Double-figure scorers Ryan Hawkins and Alex O’Connell used up their eligibility.
18. Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Steve Pikiell is looking to get to his third straight NCAA tournament, although the departures of Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker will make that more challenging. That said, there is a lot of experience returning to the rotation after zero players opted to enter the portal. Three starters are back, as well as four other players who saw minutes in the NCAA tournament.
19. Baylor Bears: An offseason after losing four starters off a national championship team, Scott Drew once again saw several players walk out the door. James Akinjo was out of eligibility, Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan left early for the NBA draft, and Matthew Mayer hit the portal late in the process. But at least three starters will be back.
20. Oklahoma State Cowboys: The Cowboys had a difficult season due to their NCAA tournament ban, but Mike Boynton brings back his top two scorers and six rotation players overall from last season. Four players entered the portal after the season, while part-time starter Bryce Williams also left.
Conference-by-conference
ACC
1. Virginia, 2. North Carolina, 3. Boston College (see national top 20 above)
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The Irish ultimately finished just one game from a share of the ACC regular-season title, and while two key seniors departed and Blake Wesley went to the NBA, the rest of the rotation came back. Only two players entered the portal, Elijah Taylor and Elijah Morgan, and they played a combined nine games last season.
5. Miami Hurricanes: Not a single player from the Hurricanes entered the portal, whether a scholarship player or walk-on. Isaiah Wong came the closest, with his agent famously saying the star guard would transfer if he didn’t get a better name, image and likeness deal. Wong announced the next day he would be returning to the Hurricanes. Jim Larranaga did lose a few key players from his Elite Eight team, including starting guards Kameron McGusty and Charlie Moore and big man Sam Waardenburg.
6. Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies lost some size in John Ojiako and David N’Guessan, but the biggest portal loss was perimeter shooter Nahiem Alleyne. Keve Aluma also left to pursue his professional options after back-to-back big seasons inside.
7. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Michael Devoe and Jordan Usher will be difficult to replace after they moved on with their careers, but the portal didn’t crush the Yellow Jackets. Khalid Moore and Bubba Parham, who spent last season injured, were the biggest hits.
8. Clemson Tigers: Brad Brownell saw his starting backcourt depart, with Nick Honor and Al-Amir Dawes leaving via the portal and David Collins running out of eligibility. PJ Hall‘s injury is also a concern.
9. NC State Wolfpack: One bright spot is that Terquavion Smith, arguably the best NBA draft prospect returning to college, opted to stick around in Raleigh. Kevin Keatts did lose Dereon Seabron early to the NBA, and also saw Manny Bates and Cam Hayes enter the portal.
10. Pittsburgh Panthers: The Panthers looked to reinvent their roster this offseason, so the portal wasn’t all bad for Jeff Capel. Losing Femi Odukale and one other starter will hurt, but Capel kept hold of John Hugley on the interior.
11. Florida State Seminoles: After going to the second weekend of the past three NCAA tournaments, going .500 in the ACC and missing the dance completely came as a surprise for the Seminoles. A slew of players left in the offseason to begin their post-college lives, including six who started double-figure games last season. Only Quincy Ballard, who averaged 0.9 points, entered the portal.
12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: The Demon Deacons stumbled down the stretch and missed the NCAA tournament, then saw stars Alondes Williams and Jake LaRavia leave for the NBA draft and three other key players depart the program. In terms of the transfer portal, Steve Forbes kept most of the rest of the rotation, with only Carter Whitt opting to leave via transfer.
13. Syracuse Orange: After missing the NCAA tournament, the Orange also saw three of their top four scorers leave — but only one rotation player entered the portal, backup big Frank Anselem. Buddy Boeheim, Cole Swider and Jimmy Boeheim will be the big losses.
14. Louisville Cardinals: The Cardinals had something of an exodus following the coaching change, with four rotation players choosing to enter the portal. Noah Locke was the biggest name, while three seniors also departed.
15. Duke Blue Devils: The Blue Devils had five players leave early for the NBA draft and had two seniors on the roster. So there wasn’t much more to lose, but Joey Baker also hit the portal after being a consistent role player for the past three seasons. When the dust settled, only Jeremy Roach and seldom-used Jaylen Blakes returned from last season.
Big East
1. Creighton (see national top 20 above)
2. Villanova Wildcats: The Wildcats had to bid farewell to longtime program staples Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels after their fifth seasons, but Jay Wright’s final Final Four team only lost Bryan Antoine to the portal, an understandable decision for a player who was a former five-star recruit but has struggled with injuries during his time with the Wildcats. A slew of back-end rotation players will look for increased roles under new head coach Kyle Neptune.
3. Seton Hall Pirates: Breakout player Jared Rhoden and veteran starter Myles Cale were both seniors, while the oft-injured Bryce Aiken also moved on. Five players entered the transfer portal from the Pirates, but none of the five were factors last season. Brandon Weston and Ryan Conway redshirted, while Jonnivius Smith, Jahari Long and Tyler Powell scored a combined 20 points. Shaheen Holloway had to reload after taking over for Kevin Willard, but he did a good job of keeping some key players in the program.
4. Xavier Musketeers: Senior starters Paul Scruggs and Nate Johnson both used up their eligibility, while Dwon Odom was one of two scholarship players to leave via transfer. Odom played well down the stretch of the season and left a point guard vacancy.
5. St. John’s Red Storm: In the spring of 2021, the Red Storm were one of the busiest teams in the portal. Lots of comings and goings. This spring, they did lose star Julian Champagnie to the NBA and signed big-time transfers David Jones and Andre Curbelo — but they lost just nine total minutes to the portal.
6. Marquette Golden Eagles: Justin Lewis left early for the NBA draft after a breakout campaign, while Darryl Morsell had no eligibility left. In terms of the portal, Shaka Smart lost only Greg Elliott.
7. UConn Huskies: Four of the Huskies’ top five scorers moved on with their careers, including R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin. They also lost four scholarship players to the portal, but none of the four was much of a factor down the stretch of the season.
8. Providence Friars: Ed Cooley lost five senior starters from the Big East champions and was forced to reload via the portal. He landed five players who should make an immediate impact and kept together most of his remaining rotation. Three players did enter the portal, but Brycen Goodine, who played 13 minutes total in the month of March, was the biggest loss of the trio.
9. Butler Bulldogs: Bryce Golden was the lone transfer departure from the Bulldogs, but four other players who started at least 10 games used up their eligibility. Simas Lukosius’ decision to withdraw his name was a boost for Butler, though.
10. DePaul Blue Demons: David Jones leaving via the portal was a blow for Tony Stubblefield, especially when he went to conference rival St. John’s. All-conference guard Javon Freeman-Liberty and double-figure scorer Brandon Johnson also left.
11. Georgetown Hoyas: Is losing a bunch of players from an 0-19 Big East team the worst thing in the world? We’ll find out. Aminu Mohammed went to the NBA, while Donald Carey and Collin Holloway were the top departures via the portal.
Big Ten
1. Indiana, 2. Rutgers (see national top 20 above)
3. Iowa Hawkeyes: The departures of Keegan Murray and Jordan Bohannon are going to be difficult to overcome, especially top-10 pick Murray, but Fran McCaffery kept most of the rest of the roster intact. Joe Toussaint and Austin Ash were the only two players to enter the portal (Josh Ogundele did, but ultimately returned). Toussaint lost his starting job midway through the season, and Ash played six minutes in March.
4. Penn State Nittany Lions: Sam Sessoms was the only key portal departure for the Nittany Lions, after averaging nearly 12 points per game last season, while double-figure scorer John Harrar and a couple of rotation players also left.
5. Michigan State Spartans: Julius Marble was the only noteworthy portal entrant for the Spartans, despite rumors surrounding other players. But the team’s top three scorers are also gone in seniors Gabe Brown and Marcus Bingham and early-entry Max Christie. Joey Hauser opted to come back for another season, though.
6. Maryland Terrapins: James Graham III left early in the season, while Qudus Wahab departed College Park just one year after arriving from Georgetown. The starting backcourt of Fatts Russell and Eric Ayala is also gone for new coach Kevin Willard.
7. Wisconsin Badgers: Johnny Davis is an enormous loss, and Brad Davison was a program staple for what felt like a decade, but Greg Gard didn’t lose too much else. Ben Carlson showed flashes last season, but couldn’t carve out a role, while Lorne Bowman fell out of the rotation late in the season, and Matthew Mors redshirted as a freshman.
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers: Fred Hoiberg spent a little less time in the portal merry-go-round this offseason, losing a few back-end rotation players and bringing in a trio of transfers. But the high-scoring perimeter duo of Bryce McGowens and Alonzo Verge Jr. left Lincoln.
9. Purdue Boilermakers: In isolation, Isaiah Thompson and Eric Hunter Jr. leaving isn’t a headline-grabbing scenario for Matt Painter. But it did leave the Boilermakers without a proven point guard. Lottery pick Jaden Ivey and starters Trevion Williams and Sasha Stefanovic all left West Lafayette, too.
10. Northwestern Wildcats: The Wildcats finished 7-13 in the Big Ten, then lost Pete Nance and Ryan Young to the portal. Chris Collins enters a key season with a revamped frontcourt.
11. Michigan Wolverines: Juwan Howard didn’t have great luck with the early-entry process, seeing Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate depart, and he lost a couple of players to the portal in Frankie Collins and Brandon Johns Jr. Senior guards Eli Brooks and Devante’ Jones are also gone. Hunter Dickinson opted to return to Ann Arbor, however.
12. Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes lost nine rotation players from last season, including All-American E.J. Liddell and first-round pick Malaki Branham. Seven of the nine players were to the NBA or graduation, with Justin Ahrens and Meechie Johnson Jr. the portal departures.
13. Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Golden Gophers really struggled in Ben Johnson’s first season at the helm and lost most of an experienced roster — only three players return. On the plus side, only Abdoulaye Thiam hit the portal, and they kept hold of leading scorer Jamison Battle.
14. Illinois Fighting Illini: It was an offseason of change in Champaign, with Kofi Cockburn, Alfonso Plummer and Trent Frazier all moving on — and Andre Curbelo and Jacob Grandison entering the portal. The Fighting Illini bring in a ton of intriguing newcomers, though.
Big 12
1. TCU, 2. Baylor, 3. Oklahoma State (see national top 20 above)
4. Texas Longhorns: When Chris Beard brought in an influx of transfers last offseason, there was inevitably going to be some attrition. Top-50 recruit Jaylon Tyson departed midseason, while Courtney Ramey, Tre Mitchell and Devin Askew also hit the portal. Andrew Jones and Jase Fabres were seniors.
5. Kansas Jayhawks: The national champions had an older roster with four seniors and also saw Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun leave for the NBA draft. But the Jayhawks didn’t lose anyone unexpectedly, with zero players entering the portal. Bill Self kept hold of several role players despite also bringing in a highly ranked recruiting class and Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar. The likes of Bobby Pettiford and K.J. Adams could have gone elsewhere, but stuck around to fight for an increased role.
6. Oklahoma Sooners: Three double-figure scorers leave a team that made a late run at the NCAA tournament, with Umoja Gibson and Elijah Harkless hitting the transfer portal.
7. Iowa State Cyclones: T.J. Otzelberger had three players enter the portal before the season even started, and then had another four leave after the season. Tyrese Hunter was the key transfer, but leading scorer Izaiah Brockington leaves another huge hole in the backcourt.
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders: Mark Adams turned over his roster last spring to great effect, and he’ll hope to do it again. But replacing Terrence Shannon Jr., and Kevin McCullar after both players opted to hit the portal won’t be easy. Leading scorer Bryson Williams and six other rotation players are also gone.
9. Kansas State Wildcats: Following the coaching change in Manhattan, the Wildcats saw the majority of their roster hit the portal. Nijel Pack was the biggest departure. Only two rotation players return, Markquis Nowell and Ismael Massoud.
10. West Virginia Mountaineers: Sean McNeil and Jalen Bridges were the noteworthy portal departures for Bob Huggins, while Isaiah Cottrell also transferred out of the program. Leading scorer Taz Sherman and four other players also left, leaving just one player who averaged more than two points per game.
Pac-12
1. Stanford, 2. Utah (see national top 20 above)
3. UCLA Bruins: Mick Cronin will have plenty of talent on his roster next season, but the Bruins lost three players with eligibility remaining — Johnny Juzang, Jules Bernard, Peyton Watson — to the NBA draft, while also seeing two seniors depart and one player transfer. Stars Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell are back in Westwood, though.
4. Arizona Wildcats: Another Pac-12 program that was crushed by the NBA draft, Arizona saw Bennedict Mathurin, Christian Koloko and Dalen Terry all leave early for the pros. Tommy Lloyd nonetheless did a solid job avoiding much portal attrition, with seldom-used Kim Aiken and Shane Nowell the only players leaving via transfer.
5. USC Trojans: Bringing in three top-40 prospects, there was always likely to be some roster churn for the Trojans. Max Agbonkpolo and Ethan Anderson were the key figures to depart via the portal, but Isaiah Mobley left for the NBA, and Chevez Goodwin moved on.
6. Oregon Ducks: Dana Altman is no stranger to portal wars. The Ducks added Jermaine Couisnard and Keeshawn Barthelemy to replace four transfer departures, including De’Vion Harmon, Eric Williams Jr. and Franck Kepnang. Second-leading scorer Jacob Young also left, but the surprise return of Will Richardson was a boost.
7. Colorado Buffaloes: Keeshawn Barthelemy ended up transferring and going to conference rival Oregon. Jabari Walker left early for the NBA draft. Second-leading scorer Evan Battey is also gone, while Elijah Parquet entered the portal.
8. Washington State Cougars: Despite winning 22 games and reaching the NIT Final Four, Washington State lost key guards Tyrell Roberts and Noah Williams to transfer, while Efe Abogidi entered the portal before signing with the G League Ignite. Leading scorer Michael Flowers is also gone.
9. Arizona State Sun Devils: Seven players from the Sun Devils entered their names into the portal, but only two saw meaningful minutes: key starters Jay Heath and Jalen Graham. Double-figure scorers Marreon Jackson and Kimani Lawrence moved on after using up their eligibility.
10. Washington Huskies: Mike Hopkins entered the offseason needing a big campaign, and went to work in the portal. On the other side, however, he lost four starters, including top two scorers Terrell Brown Jr., and Emmitt Matthews Jr., The latter was a portal departure.
11. California Golden Bears: It’s been a difficult three seasons in Berkeley for Mark Fox, and he lost his top three scorers from last season. One was to the portal: Andre Kelly.
12. Oregon State Beavers: Wayne Tinkle lost his top five scorers from a team that went 1-19 in the Pac-12 last season. His top two players — Jarod Lucas and Dashawn Davis — were among the portalers.
SEC
1. Tennessee, 2. Texas A&M (see national top 20 above)
3. Kentucky Wildcats: John Calipari was able to keep unanimous Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe in Lexington for another season, which was a huge win. Starting forward Keion Brooks Jr. and reserve forwards Bryce Hopkins and Dontaie Allen departed via the portal, while TyTy Washington Jr. (and practice player Shaedon Sharpe) went pro and Kellan Grady and Davion Mintz were seniors.
4. Georgia Bulldogs: On paper, the Bulldogs were decimated by the portal, with 10 players entering their names. It could have been a lot worse, though, as Kario Oquendo returned to Athens to play for new coach Mike White. In the end, three of their top four scorers returned.
5. Vanderbilt Commodores: The Commodores lost six players to the portal from a surprising 19-win team, although that group only started a combined five games. Scotty Pippen Jr. going to the NBA will hurt much more, but Jerry Stackhouse brings back six contributors.
6. Auburn Tigers: Only three players left the Tigers — but top-three pick Jabari Smith and Defensive Player of the Year Walker Kessler were among them. It wouldn’t have been a huge surprise to see a couple of Tigers hit the portal, given the number of rotation players coming back and the addition of three immediate impact newcomers. But only Devan Cambridge opted to transfer.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide: The list of names leaving Tuscaloosa for the portal was long (seven), however, Juwan Gary and James Rojas were the only ones who played consistent roles for Nate Oats. But seniors Jaden Shackelford and Keon Ellis are gone, and JD Davison left early for the NBA draft.
8. Florida Gators: Given the coaching change in Gainesville, the Gators fared well in the retention department. Tyree Appleby left the program via transfer, as did Keyontae Johnson, although his status remains unclear. Phlandrous Fleming Jr., is another double-figure scorer leaving.
9. Ole Miss Rebels: Jarkel Joiner was the headliner of a six-man portal group, although Luis Rodriguez and Austin Crowley also started plenty of games. Matthew Murrell is the top returnee, with Daeshun Ruffin recovering from a late-season torn ACL.
10. Mississippi State Bulldogs: Chris Jans arrived in Starkville and turned over much of the roster, with six players entering the portal. On the plus side, Shakeel Moore and D.J. Jeffries opted to return despite initially exploring their transfer options. Leading scorer Iverson Molinar and former North Carolina transfer Garrison Brooks are among the departures.
11. Missouri Tigers: This is yet another SEC program undergoing a roster overhaul following a coaching change. With eight entering the portal, only two key rotation players return from last season. Dennis Gates did find some success in the portal, but it will take time.
12. South Carolina Gamecocks: And here is another coaching change in the SEC. The Gamecocks had eight players enter the portal, including five of their top six scorers. Lamont Paris faces an uphill battle in year one. Chico Carter Jr. is the leading returning scorer at 4.2 points.
13. Arkansas Razorbacks: Eric Musselman is no stranger to roster attrition and the portal. Only two players return from last season, with several using up their eligibility or going pro — and four back-end rotation players going into the portal. All five starters are gone, with Davonte Davis the top returnee.
14. LSU Tigers: The Tigers had 11 players in the portal at one point, although three — Adam Miller, Mwani Wilkinson, Justice Williams — opted to return to Baton Rouge. Brandon Murray, Xavier Pinson, Efton Reid, Eric Gaines and Alex Fudge were all top-50-level transfers out of the program. Tari Eason and Darius Days went pro.
Other 2021-22 notables
1. Dayton, 2. Gonzaga, 3. Saint Louis, 4. Wyoming, 5. Cincinnati, 6. UAB, 7. San Diego State (see national top 20 above)
8. Houston Cougars: Kelvin Sampson saw only Robbie Armbrester enter the portal, a seldom-used freshman who played fewer than four minutes per game and saw one minute in the NCAA tournament. Four double-figure scoring seniors did depart, but Sampson replenished the talent with two high-level recruits and the healthy return of Marcus Sasser.
9. Saint Mary’s Gaels: Randy Bennett had one of his best teams last season, and while the Gaels lose their top two scorers, there are enough key players back in Moraga, California, to compete behind Gonzaga in the WCC. Jabe Mullins saw his role decrease as the season progressed, while Judah Brown barely played late in the season. And those were the only two key transfers. Five of their top eight are back.
10. Boise State Broncos: Emmanuel Akot was the only noteworthy transfer from Leon Rice’s program, although the double-figure scorer and matchup problem isn’t easy to replace, and leading scorer Abu Kigab also is gone.
11. Colorado State Rams: First-round pick David Roddy leaving early for the NBA draft is the biggest hit, but Niko Medved also saw three players who started at least 15 games enter the portal.
12. North Texas Mean Green: The Mean Green were upset in the Conference USA tournament and missed the NCAA tournament, but Grant McCasland still has some key players back. Thomas Bell was a senior, and Mardrez McBride transferred. Leading scorer Tylor Perry and double-figure scorer Abou Ousmane are back.
13. Davidson Wildcats: Michael Jones was the surprise departure for the Wildcats, who had already seen stars Hyunjung Lee and Luka Brajkovic graduate. New coach Matt McKillop does have leading scorer Foster Loyer back though.
14. San Francisco Dons: The Dons were one of the few programs featuring a coaching change to have a semblance of roster continuity. Part of that stems from replacing Todd Golden with associate head coach Chris Gerlufsen. Second-leading scorer Khalil Shabazz entered the portal then withdrew his name, leaving just backup big man Dzmitry Ryuny — who didn’t play after Feb. 10 — to transfer. But four starters, including star guard Jamaree Bouyea, all exited.
15. VCU Rams: Mike Rhoades lost a trio of regulars from last season to the portal, including starting forward Hason Ward and reserves Marcus Tsohonis and Mikeal Brown-Jones, while double-figure scorers Vince Williams Jr. and KeShawn Curry also are gone.
16. Loyola Chicago Ramblers: Drew Valentine had a very experienced team last season, which explains the graduation-related departure of leading scorer Lucas Williamson and six rotation players. The rest of the roster stayed mostly intact, with the Ramblers losing just 11 total points to the portal this spring, all from freshman Ty Johnson. One-time Indiana transfer Damezi Anderson redshirted last season before leaving.
17. BYU Cougars: After missing the NCAA tournament then losing guards Alex Barcello and Te’Jon Lucas, Mark Pope also saw rotation players Seneca Knight and Caleb Lohner depart via the portal. Five of the Cougars’ top seven players are gone.
18. Memphis Tigers: Rumors swirled around much of the roster at different points in the season, and six players ultimately entered the portal — including onetime No. 1 recruit Emoni Bates — while Jalen Duren and Josh Minott entered the NBA draft early.
19. UCF Knights: The Knights will look to gain some stability before entering the Big 12 next summer. Darin Green Jr. was the key departure, although six players hit the portal and two other double-figure scorers graduated.
20. SMU Mustangs: The Mustangs lost arguably the best transfer in the country in Kendric Davis — the AAC Player of the Year — as well as double-figure scorer Emmanuel Bandoumel to the portal. Starters Marcus Weathers and Michael Weathers also departed.
21. Murray State Racers: The 31-win Racers saw three starters — including OVC Player of the Year KJ Williams — leave to follow Matt McMahon to LSU.
22. Saint Peter’s Peacocks: The NCAA tournament darlings were understandably crushed by the transfer portal after Shaheen Holloway left for Seton Hall. The Peacocks’ top six scorers all left via transfer.
23. Tulane Green Wave: Ron Hunter’s team won 10 games in the AAC last season, and it returns all three of its stars: Jalen Cook, Jaylen Forbes and Kevin Cross. Only DeVon Baker entered the portal.
24. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers: Jamarion Sharp and Jairus Hamilton withdrew their names from the portal, while Rick Stansbury also kept hold of Dayvion McKnight. Camron Justice was the key departure.