College Basketball Analyst Moves Purdue Into No. 1 Spot in Preseason Rankings
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A change has been made at the top of Jon Rothstein's top-45 teams entering the 2025-26 college basketball season. The popular hoops analyst has bumped Purdue into the No. 1 spot for the upcoming year, overtaking Houston.
For weeks, the Boilermakers were locked into the No. 2 spot with the Cougars sitting atop the rankings. It was a surprising decision to drop Houston and move Purdue into the No. 1 ranking, as star Milos Uzan decided to withdraw his name from the NBA Draft and return to Houston for another season.
However, there was another significant announcement that may have led Rothstein to make a change. Former Creighton guard Pop Isaacs, who had previously committed to Houston, signed to play at Texas A&M for the 2025-26 season, per On3.
Houston was a No. 1 seed in last year's NCAA Tournament, reaching the National Championship Game and falling to Florida. The Cougars and Boilermakers played in the Sweet 16, with Purdue falling short of an upset in a 62-60 loss.
Purdue returns its "Big Three" of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer. The Boilermakers also brings back guards CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris, center Daniel Jacobsen and forward Raleigh Burgess.
Additionally, coach Matt Painter and his staff brought in Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State) and Liam Murphy (North Florida) from the transfer portal. The Boilers are also welcoming in recruits Antione West Jr. and Omer Mayer for the 2025-26 season.
Preseason rankings don't mean anything, but it's another nod to the talent and experience Purdue will put on the court for the upcoming season. The Boilers will likely be the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten and reach their second Final Four in three seasons.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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