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Projecting where Arizona could be ranked in AP Top 25 released Monday

Arizona should be near the top 10 when the Associated Press releases its Top 25 on Monday.

By Alan Rubenstein

Dec 20, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd talks to guard Caleb Love (2) during the second half of the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Hall of Fame Series at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dec 20, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd talks to guard Caleb Love (2) during the second half of the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Hall of Fame Series at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Arizona should be near the top 10 when the Associated Press releases its preseason Top 25 on Monday. There is a lot of unknown with Arizona entering the 2024-25 season. Pac-12 Player of the Year Caleb Love is the only returning starter for Arizona as they embark on a new era in the Big XII.

James Fletcher III of On3 and John Fanta of Fox Sports each wrote articles on Sunday projecting the preseason AP Top 25. Arizona was picked fifth in the preseason Big XII media poll released last week. Kansas, Houston, Iowa State and Baylor were picked ahead of Arizona in the preseason Big XII media poll.

Fletcher III projects Arizona to be ranked 13th in the preseason AP Top 25. Fanta has Arizona ninth in his poll. With conference realignment the preseason projections are more difficult. Fletcher III gave a short synopsis for each of his top 10 teams. Fanta went deeper into his rankings, previewing all of the Top 25.

Fletcher III picked Alabama as his number one team and Fanta has Kansas top ranked. Kansas is the top ranked Big XII team by Fletcher and second nationally. Fletcher has Houston third nationally and Baylor seventh as his Big XII teams ranked ahead of Arizona.

Fanta began by highlighting his brief preview of Love mentioning that he is in consideration to be an All-American this season and that he led Arizona to a number two seed and 2024 West Regional Semifinal. Fanta continued by mentioning that Tommy Lloyd is 88-2o at Arizona but that the Wildcats have underachieved in March.

Fanta discussed the loss of Oumar Ballo putting the spotlight on Motiejus Kirvas. Fanta likes Oakland transfer Trey Townsend at power forward and the potential of wing Anthony Dell'Orso as a transfer from Campbell. The versatile skill set Dell'Orso brings on the wing should put him on NBA radars, per Fanta.

The move from the Pac 12 to the Big XII will create more high profile games during the regular season. Arizona will be in contention for a high seed, but in the Big XII, their win total should be lowered. The non-conference schedule is highlighted by a visit from Duke on November 22 and the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Consecutive games versus Baylor and Houston in February and the final game of the regular season at Kansas on March 8 are the most high-profile Big XII games for Arizona this season. Lloyd quickly made up for the loss of four starters through the transfer portal and with Jaden Bradley and K.J. Lewis returning.

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