Men's March Madness projections 2025: NCAA Tournament odds to advance to Final Four
The Athletic has live coverage of the Men's Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament games
Editor's note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.
Welcome to The Athletic's 2025 Men's NCAA Tournament projections, where you'll find every team's chances of advancing through each weekend of March Madness and cutting down the nets in San Antonio on April 7. These projections are based on 200,000 simulations of the 68-team bracket, which factors in a team's projected strength as well as its path to the national title. All projections are rounded to the nearest whole number. You can read more about the model at the bottom of the page. The projections will be updated after the completion of every tournament game.
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; Jacob Kupferman, Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
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New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Four years into NIL, coaches, agents reveal heartache and frustration of students' big money chase
In late December, University of Miami hoops coach Jim Larranaga retired two months into the season. There was no scandal behind it, no family reasons given. Larranaga — who has taken two teams to the Final Four, most recently in 2023 — told The Post thisweek: 'It's not that I don't love coaching anymore or wanted to step down. I felt like I was no longer the right guy for the job.' More specifically, not the right guy in this brave new world where NIL — the NCAA right that lets college athletes profit off their name, image and likeness — combined with the freedom of movement the transfer portal provides young athletes, has essentially made college athletes free agents every year. Advertisement 12 Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava caused an uproar in April when he held out for more money — but ended up transferring to UCLA for a pay cut. AP 12 Iamaleava had a reported $8 million deal at UT. AP As the first class who were freshman under NIL privileges, which were instated July 1, 2021, are now ready to graduate, the college sports landscape is a chaotic one. Not only did it change the status quo for coaches and athletes, it's taken dynamite to the whole system. 'When NIL hit and the transfer portal opened up at the same time, what I found immediately frustrating was that players and their view of the college experience was going to be completely changed,' Larranaga, 75, said. Advertisement The Queens native, who is currently writing a book on leadership and will be teaching at Miami, made it clear he's not critical of athletes wanting to capitalize on a short window and make money. 'But to build a program as a coach, you're losing the normal continuity,' he said of the now-yearly roster turnover. 'I had 10 new guys and they weren't that interested in a new system or developing skills that could be put to use. They were basically trying out for their next job. 12 Miami coach Jim Larranaga ended his coaching career in December and said he was frustrated with NIL culture. Getty Images Advertisement 'The culture changed. Not my culture, but the players had a different view.' Followers of college hoops will likely cite Larranaga's age and say he was already heading toward the end of his career. But only two months earlier, University of Virginia coach Tony Bennett also shocked the basketball world by calling it quits at 56. It underscored the tumult. On his way out, he expressed similar sentiments as Larranaga. Bennett was critical not of student athletes being compensated — but of NIL's lawlessness. 12 College hoopers Hanna and Haley Cavinder were immediately high earners after the implementation of NIL. Getty Images for Sports Illustrated Advertisement 'The game, and college athletics, is not in a healthy spot,' he said at the time. That was obvious this spring, when University of Tennessee sophomore redshirt quarterback Nico Iamaleava was a no-show at practice — because he was holding out in a high-stakes game for a better NIL deal than the reported $8 million one he had at UT. After a high-profile game of chicken that angered the school's rabid fan base, Tennessee removed Iamaleava from the roster and he transferred to UCLA for a reported pay cut of $500K a year. A few executives and experts told The Post the Iamaleava situation is a 'cautionary tale' on how to not conduct business. Sports attorney Mit Winter said the very public battle between a powerful institution and an individual player has 'galvanized' coaches to prevent a repeat. 12 Caitlin Clark became the first college athlete to sign a deal with State Farm. State Farm When NIL was enacted, it was a given that some athletes would be treated like influencers — netting deals with businesses and brands. We saw athletes like LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne and twin hoopers Haley and Hanna Cavinder, who transferred to the University of Miami, become early star earners. That led to NIL collectives — aka third parties — essentially paying them a salary for playing their sport. 'I don't think people envisioned that every school would [create] a new entity called an 'NIL collective' … just to pool money to pay athletes. It spread a lot quicker than people had expected,' said Winter, adding that it caught the NCAA, conferences and many schools flat-footed. As a result, college sports has truly shifted into a pay-to-play system with few rules in place, no transparency — and a whole lot of financial and cultural whiplash. Players, unencumbered bytransfer rules, can now hop around each year hunting for the best deals. Advertisement 12 Former UVA coach Tony Bennett shocked the college basketball world when he retired this year and said college sports was 'not in a healthy spot.' Getty Images It's also widened the gap between the schools that are the haves and have-nots. After leaping from Seton Hall, basketball star Kadary Richmond finished his collegiate career last season at conference rival St. John's where, coach Rick Pitino revealed on Vice's 'Pitino: Red Storm Rising' docu-series, 'He wanted to play for me. But we paid him a lot of money.' Richmond's NIL deal was reportedly in the high six figures. Texas quarterback Arch Manning is atop the NIL food chain with a valuation of $6.5 million, while Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, who declared for the NBA draft, had a reported valuation of $4.8. Dunne was valued at $4.1 million. And while NIL has led to greater player agency, allowing athletes to create generational wealth for themselves, it's also created a lot of uncertainty, Advertisement 12 ESPN analyst and former New Mexico coach Fran Fraschilla (left) said it's almost impossible to know what NIL will do to college sports longterm. Travis Bell 'I've talked to some of the smartest people in college athletics and it scares me when they say, 'Hey, I have been in this business 40 years and I have no idea where this all ends up,'' ESPN analyst and former New Mexico coach Fran Franschilla told The Post. 'I think they might have the answer but they have no clue. 'It's a new system. It's a very transactional business right now,' Fraschilla said. One frequent criticism of the current NIL system is the lack of transparency. Many sources said no one truly knows how much money collectives have, nor what players are worth. Advertisement 'What was a challenge for us was to talk to an agent and not know the true market value of a player,' said Larranaga. 'An agent could tell you, 'OK, to be involved with this player would cost you a million dollars' … [But] no one knows what other schools are offering. And so you're guessing and dealing with your own budget.' 12 Coach Jim Larranaga celebrated with his players as the clinched the Final Four in 2023. Getty Images Murky deals aside, Fraschilla said NIL and the transfer portal have altered not only the coach-player relationship, but also, in some cases, the power structure. 'I had a referee recently text me. He said, 'I did games this year where I could tell the coach was afraid to yell at the players because he was worried the kid might get mad and transfer,'' said Fraschilla, adding that money and the reshuffling of players every year has impacted team chemistry. Advertisement 'There are teams that, when you watch games, you think, 'How the hell are they losing with all that talent?' And you find out one guy is jealous of another guy because he's getting more money,' said Fraschilla. On the other hand, agent Daniel Poneman, the founder of Weave, one of the top agencies in college hoops, said the monetary incentive has only made athletes want to play harder — and, many times, led to more professional dealings between coach and player. 12 St. John's coach Rick Pitino admitted the program paid a lot of money to lure Kadary Richmond from conference rival Seton Hall. Getty Images However, not up for debate is the danger of handing large infusions of cash to young people with little financial acumen. While not many are reportedly making millions, there are significant payouts that come with few if any guardrails. 'I had one client and I told him how to save for taxes. Tax season came and it was all gone. It turns out, he had been playing online blackjack,' said one executive. That's where people like Michael Haddix Jr. come in. Haddix, who taught financial literacy for the NBA G league and NFL teams, founded Scout, a fintech platform that helps athletes automate pesky things like tax withholding. He works with top schools like Louisville, Mississippi State and Iowa. 'I've heard examples where players were going through money and not paying their taxes and jumping into the transfer portal, asking the new coaches for an advance so they can clean up their financial mess,' Haddix said, adding that coaches and ADs tell him they worry about athletes ending up in severe trouble with the IRS. 12 In 2021, Paige Bueckers was the first college basketball player to sign with Gatorade. Gatorade Over the summer, Poneman's agency will be trying to stave off this kind of scenario by hosting clients in Scottsdale for a two-week offseason training. 'It's like a boot camp, where we're bringing in tax experts, financial advisors and spiritual teachers,' said Poneman. 'We're saying, look, the money you're making is not for you to go crazy and buy bottle service on your college campus,' Poneman said. 'This is to put in your Roth IRA and into a diversified portfolio. This is life-changing money if you allow it to change your life positively.' There's less emphasis on graduation, not to mention traditional alma-mater relationships, but players are staying in college longer for the paycheck. 'I don't hear the term graduation rate anymore. No one is talking about getting degrees now. They're just figuring out how much money those kids can make,' lamented Fraschilla. 12 Haley Cavinder (left) transferred from Fresno State to the University of Miami to Texas Christian University — only to return to Miami. Getty Images 12 The Cavinders started playing at Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Arizona. Now they each have more than 1 million Instagram followers and a combined 4.6 million fans on TikTok. Haley & Hanna Cavinder / Instagram And one positive is the incredible boost NIL has provided to women's hoops by driving interest to the sport's big stars. In 2021, former UConn star and current Dallas Wings rookie Paige Beuckers became the first college basketball player to sign with Gatorade. Two years later, Caitlin Clark was the first collegiate athlete to notch a deal with State Farm. And changes are coming. On July 1, the NCAA House Settlement — the result of a class-action lawsuit brought against the NCAA and the country's five biggest conferences — is expected to go into effect, kicking off a flurry of new modifications. Among them: awarding $2.7 billion in backpay to athletes, allowing schools to directly pay athletes instead of compensating them through a third-party collective, revenue sharing and instituting what is, essentially, a salary cap of $20.5 per school over the next year. But as the new rules settle, Winter expects new legal issues, including inevitable Title IX lawsuits — 'Because, as of now, schools [are] paying like 90% of [their] dollars to male athletes,' he said. Winter said some athletic directors favor a collective bargaining structure that mimics the NBA and NFL. 'If college sports is really going to be professional,' Larranaga said, 'let's come up with good rules and let's figure it out.'
Yahoo
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- Yahoo
The best reactions to PSG's Champions League triumph 📲
The best reactions to PSG's Champions League triumph 📲 When we talk about a historic victory, we inevitably talk about historic tweets. It can be said that fans from all over the world have been particularly creative in celebrating this Parisian title. Here is a selection of the best tweets after the final whistle. Also read: - Former PSG players pay tribute to the club 🥹 Advertisement - The jab from the Mayor of Marseille and the local press at PSG after the C1 victory - Haaland, Rio Ferdinand… Désiré Doué shocked everyone and benefited Rennes This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here. 📸 Justin Setterfield - 2025 Getty Images
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Updated Big Ten basketball power rankings for 2025-26 season after NBA draft decisions
AI-assisted summary Several key Big Ten basketball players, including Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg and Wisconsin's John Blackwell, withdrew from the NBA draft and will return to school. Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser will remain in the NBA draft, dealing a blow to the Nittany Lions. With rosters finalized, USA TODAY projects Purdue as the top Big Ten team for the 2025-26 season, followed by Michigan and UCLA. Wisconsin is projected to finish fourth in the Big Ten due to Blackwell's return and the addition of San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd. The college basketball offseason reached a significant milestone this week, as the NBA draft early-entry candidates were forced to decide whether to stay in the draft or return to college. That date saw several of the Big Ten's projected top players return to school, including Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, Wisconsin guard John Blackwell and Oregon center Nate Bittle. Lendeborg headlines that group after joining Michigan this offseason as the top-ranked player in the transfer portal. He, Blackwell and Bittle all project as 2026 draft prospects, assuming they continue their respective trajectories through the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, one notable player to remain in the draft is Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser. The former Northern Illinois transfer led the Big Ten in blocks (2.3) last season and would've been a frontrunner for 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year had he returned. His departure is a major blow to a Penn State program that is reeling, now entering year three under Mike Rhoades. With rosters now finalized after a busy transfer window and those NBA draft decisions, here are our latest Big Ten power rankings for the 2025-26 season. 18. Penn State Nittany Lions 2024-25 Record: 16-15 (6-14 Big Ten) Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle Notable Departures: Ace Baldwin Jr. (graduation), Puff Johnson (portal), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (draft) Notable Additions: Josh Reed (Cincinnati), Kayden Mingo (high school), Mason Blackwood (high school) Konan Niederhauser's departure is crushing for Penn State's chances this season. Not only will his 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game be challenging to replicate, but his sheer presence on the court affected opposing game plans. Talents like that are hard to come by, especially at center. An NCAA Tournament berth would be a major surprise for the Nittany Lions this season. Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire 17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2024-25 Record: 15-17 (8-12 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Ace Bailey (draft), Dylan Harper (draft), Lathan Sommerville (portal), Jeremiah Williams (portal) Notable Additions: Baye Fall (Kansas State), Darren Buchanan (George Washington), Lino Mark (high school), Chris Nwuli (high school), Harun Zrno (international) Rutgers went 15-17 with two top-three NBA draft prospects in the lineup. With those two now gone, how can we expect the team to suddenly improve dramatically? 16. Washington Huskies 2024-25 Record: 13-18 (4-16 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Great Osobor (graduation), Tyler Harris (portal), Wilhelm Breidenbach (portal), Mekhi Mason (portal) Notable Additions: Wesley Yates III (USC), Bryson Tucker (Indiana), Jacob Ognacevic (Lipscomb), Lathan Sommerville (Rutgers), Quimari Peterson (East Tennessee State) Washington is the last team in this ranking's bottom tier. The Huskies struggled in their first year in the Big Ten, even with top transfer Great Osobor leading the way. Sprinkle has won wherever he's been, so expect some improvement in 2025-26. It still may not be enough to reach the conference tournament. Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire 15. Minnesota Golden Gophers 2024-25 Record: 15-17 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Dawson Garcia (graduation), Lu'Cye Patterson (graduation), Mike Mitchell Jr. (graduation), Femi Odukale (portal), Parker Fox (graduation) Notable Additions: Bobby Durkin (Davidson), Langston Reynolds (Northern Colorado), B.J. Omot (Cal), Jalen Crooker-Johnson (Colorado State), Chansey Willis Jr. (Western Michigan) Minnesota has newfound hope with Niko Medved at the helm. While the former Colorado State coach has an impressive track record of success, Minnesota has proven as a challenging place to win, especially with Wisconsin dominating recruiting in the state. Medved would do well to get the Gophers to the conference tournament in his first year. 14. Nebraska Cornhuskers 2024-25 Record: 21-14 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brice Williams (graduation), Juwan Gary (graduation), Andrew Morgan (graduation), Rollie Worster (graduation) Notable Additions: Pryce Sandford (Iowa), Kendall Blue (St. Thomas), Jamarques Lawrence (Rhode Island) Nebraska was flying high midway through the 2024-25 season. It had just reached its first NCAA Tournament in 10 years and was positioned for another postseason run. Then, the team lost its last five games and six of its last seven. While it went on to win the College Basketball Crown (postseason tournament), Nebraska's end-of-year stretch clouds its 2025-26 expectations. The major question is who carries the scoring load with Brice Williams (20.4 points per game) and Juwan Gary (14.6 points per game) both gone. Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire 13. Northwestern Wildcats 2024-25 Record: 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brooks Barnhizer (graduation), Ty Berry (graduation), Matthew Nicholson (graduation), Jalen Leach (graduation) Notable Additions: Jayden Reed (USF), Max Green (Holy Cross) Collins returns All-Big Ten forward Nick Martinelli to lead his 2025-26 team. The Wildcats battled significant injuries last season and were much better than their final record shows. While the team's ceiling is far from a conference contender, it has a stable floor around 20 wins per season. 12. Indiana Hoosiers 2024-25 Record: 19-13 (10-10 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Malik Reneau (portal), Oumar Ballo (draft), Mackenzie Mgbako (portal), Myles Rice (portal), Luke Goode (graduation), Trey Galloway (graduation), Bryson Tucker (portal), Anthony Leal (graduation) Notable Additions: Tucker DeVries (West Virginia), Reed Bailey (Davidson), Lamar Wilkerson (Sam Houston), Conor Enright (DePaul), Tayton Conerway (Troy), Nick Dorn (Elon) Indiana is a major wild card in 2025. Darian DeVries reshaped the roster after taking over as head coach. His additions were headlined by his son, Tucker, one of the portal's top-20 players. While many significant questions exist, DeVries' coaching pedigree suggests an NCAA Tournament berth as a possibility. 11. Iowa Hawkeyes 2024-25 Record: 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Everyone Notable Additions: Bennett Stirtz (Drake), Brendan Hausen (Kansas State), Tavion Banks (Drake), Alvaro Folgueiras (Robert Morris), Cam Manyawu (Drake), Isaia Howard (Drake) Iowa could be one of the Big Ten's most exciting teams in 2025. New head coach Ben McCollum takes over the program, bringing with him a five-star transfer prospect and All-Conference-caliber player in Bennett Stirtz. The Hawkeyes may be a few years away from fully rounding into form, but Stirtz's presence should ensure the team is competitive from Day 1. Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire 10. Maryland Terrapins 2024-25 Record: 27-9 (14-6 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Deriq Queen (draft), Julian Reese (portal), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (portal), Rodney Rice (portal), Selton Miguel (graduation), DeShawn Harris-Smith (portal), Notable Additions: Myles Rice (Indiana), Pharrel Payne (Texas A&M), Darius Adams (high school), Solomon Washington (Texas A&M), Isaiah Watts (Washington State), Elijah Saunders (Virginia), David Coit (Kansas) Buzz Williams takes over Maryland with a clean sheet, as nearly the team's entire rotation left for the NBA or the portal after the 2024-25 season. Rice (10.1 points per game at Indiana last season) and Payne (10.4 ppg at Texas A&M) will be key to the Terrapins' early performance. 9. USC Trojans 2024-25 Record: 17-18 (7-13 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Desmond Claude (portal), Wesley Yates (portal), Chibuzo Agbo (graduation), Saint Thomas (portal), Rashaun Agee (portal), Josh Cohen (graduation) Notable Additions: Rodney Rice (Maryland), Chad Baker-Mazara (Auburn), Alijah Arenas (high school), Ezra Ausar (Utah), Jacob Cofie (Virginia), Jerry Easter (high school), Gabe Dynes (Yale), Amarion Dickerson (Robert Morris) USC disappointed last season in year one under Eric Musselman. While expectations should drop following that campaign, the team excelled in the portal this offseason, headlined by Rice and Baker-Mazara. The Trojans have an intriguing combination of experience and young talent. They project as a classic high-ceiling, low-floor team. Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire 8. Oregon Ducks 2024-25 Record: 25-10 (12-8 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Brandon Angel (graduation), T.J. Bamba (graduation), Keeshawn Barthelemy (graduation), Jadrian Tracey (portal) Notable Additions: T.K. Simpkins (Elon), Miles Goodman (Penn State), Devon Pryor (Texas) Dana Altman deserves the benefit of the doubt, as the Ducks haven't won fewer than 20 games during any year of his tenure (since 2010-11). The 2024-25 team was so-so by Altman's standards, though it still won 25 games and finished near the Big Ten's top group. Center Nate Bittle withdrawing from the draft is major news for the team's 2025-26 chances. He'll enter the year as arguably the Big Ten's best center and its preseason favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire 7. Ohio State Buckeyes 2024-25 Record: 17-15 (9-11 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Micah Parrish (graduation), Meechie Johnson (portal), Evan Mahaffey (portal), Aaron Bradshaw (portal), Sean Stewart (portal) Notable Additions: Gabe Cupps (Indiana), Brandon Noel (Wright State), Christoph Tilly (Santa Clara), A'mare Bynum (high school) Ohio State received a major boost as veteran guard Bruce Thornton withdrew from the NBA draft this week. After averaging 17.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024-25, he'll enter 2025-26 with hopes of a first-team All-Conference breakthrough. The Buckeyes were better last season than their 17-15 record indicates. A positive regression in close games should at least make them an NCAA Tournament team. Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire 6. Illinois Fighting Illini 2024-25 Record: 22-13 (12-8 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Kasparas Jakucionis (draft), Will Riley (draft), Morez Johnson (portal), Carey Booth (portal) Notable Additions: Andrej Stojakovic (Cal), Zvonimir Ivisic (Arkansas), Brandon Lee (high school), Keaton Wagler (high school), David Mirkovic (international), Mihailo Petrovic (international) Brad Underwood reloaded the roster yet again this offseason. The Illini lost leading contributors Jakucionis, Riley and Johnson, all of whom were freshmen last season. Stojakovic (17.9 points, 4.7 rebounds per game at Cal last season) was a major transfer recruiting win. He should claim the team's No. 1 role on an offense that seems to excel regardless of the personnel. 5. Michigan State Spartans 2024-25 Record: 30-7 (17-3 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Jaden Akins (graduation), Frankie Fidler (graduation), Szymon Zapala (graduation), Tre Holloman (portal), Jase Richardson (draft), Xavier Booker (portal) Notable Additions: Kaleb Glenn (FAU), Jordan Scott (high school), Cam Ward (high school), Trey Fort (Samford) Michigan State surprised many with its Big Ten title run last season. The team then lost many of its primary contributors from that team, headlined by star freshman Jase Richardson. Since Tom Izzo is still on the sideline, expect the Spartans to again compete for a title. Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire 4. Wisconsin Badgers 2024-25 Record: 27-10 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: John Tonje (graduation), Max Klesmit (graduation), Steven Crowl (graduation), Kamari McGee (graduation), Carter Gilmore (graduation), Xavier Amos (portal) Notable Additions: Andrew Rohde (Virginia), Austin Rapp (Portland), Nick Boyd (San Diego State), Braeden Carrington (Tulsa), Zach Kinziger (high school) Wisconsin is a major winner from the early-entry deadline, as star guard John Blackwell returned to the program. The team could have one of the better starting units in the conference, headlined by Blackwell, Nolan Winter and San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd. There remains a question off the bench after the transfer departure of forward Xavier Amos. For more, here is our latest projection of Wisconsin's roster and rotation. 3. UCLA Bruins 2024-25 Record: 23-11 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Sebastian Mack (portal), Kobe Johnson (graduation), Aday Mara (transfer), Dylan Andrews (portal), William Kyle (portal), Lazar Stefanovic (graduation) Notable Additions: Donovan Dent (New Mexico), Xavier Booker (Michigan State), Jamar Brown (Kansas City) UCLA landed one of the transfer portal's top players in Dent. While the team saw several top players depart, including center Aday Mara, it projects as a Big Ten contender this season. All it has to do is overcome significant travel disadvantages, which coach Mike Cronin likes to mention. Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire 2. Michigan Wolverines 2024-25 Record: 27-10 (14-6 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Vlad Goldin (graduation), Danny Wolf (draft), Tre Donaldson (portal), Will Tschetter (graduation), Nimari Burnett (graduation), Sam Walters (portal), Rubin Jones (graduation) Notable Additions: Aday Mara (UCLA), Morez Johnson (Illinois), Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB) Michigan officially added top-ranked transfer Yaxel Lendeborg to its roster this week, as the former UAB forward withdrew from the draft. Dusty May surprised everyone with a breakthrough 27-win season in 2024-25. That total could improve even further with another year of continuity and a terrific transfer class on the court. Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire 1. Purdue Boilermakers 2024-25 Record: 24-12 (13-7 Big Ten) Notable Departures: Caleb Furst (graduation), Cam Heide (portal), Myles Colvin (portal) Notable Additions: Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State) This ranking is pretty simple. Purdue has the two best players in the Big Ten entering 2025-26 in forward Trey Kaufman-Renn and guard Braden Smith. The team has also been the conference's best over the last decade. 2025-26 looks like another top-end Matt Painter team, assuming center Oscar Cluff is the impact addition many believe him to be. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
