Let’s talk college basketball, because these past few days have been buzzing with the sound of preseason hype, roster shakeups, and the AP Top 25 announcement. Purdue fans, this is historic—your Boilermakers will open the season at number one in the AP poll, and for the first time ever, they’ve snagged that top spot with 35 first-place votes. Braden Smith returns after an impressive season, and alongside All-Big Ten forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who averaged over 20 points per game, there’s genuine excitement in West Lafayette for a possible championship run. Matt Painter’s squad adds transfer Oscar Cluff and international prospect Omer Meyer to help form a lineup that’s already the talk of the country. According to NCAA.com, Purdue’s 24 wins and Sweet 16 appearance last season have set them up as the consensus team to beat.

Right behind Purdue, Houston sits at number two, marking its best preseason AP ranking since the late 1960s. After a narrow defeat to Florida in last season’s national title game—a nail-biter that ended 65 to 63—the Cougars look determined for redemption. Their roster depth is impressive, highlighted by stars Milos Uzan and JoJo Tugler, and head coach Kelvin Sampson has added blue-chip recruits like Chris Cenac and Kingston Flemings. Both the Houston Chronicle and CBS Sports believe the Cougars are built for another championship run.

And then there’s Florida, starting at number three. The Gators are coming off a national championship and they aren’t resting on their laurels. Returning leaders Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh join two exciting transfers: Boogie Fland from Arkansas and Xaivian Lee from Princeton. Bleacher Report notes it’s their highest preseason ranking since 2007—back when they repeated as national champions—so don’t count out a repeat if their chemistry clicks.

Beyond the top trio, other headlines include UConn at four, with preseason exhibitions already underway—Alex Karaban led the Huskies over Boston College in an early test up at Mohegan Sun. St. John’s rounds out the top five, and BYU is celebrating its highest preseason ranking ever, clocking in at number eight, a testament to Kevin Young’s energetic rebuild that’s got the fans in Provo fired up according to Deseret News.

If you’re watching roster moves, keep an eye on Florida’s transfer class and the buzz around freshmen like Isiah Harwell at Houston. Every expert—from ESPN to Sports Illustrated—agrees this season is loaded with talent and unpredictable matchups.

That wraps up this week’s college basketball rundown. Thanks for tuning in—be sure to subscribe so you never miss an update. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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