The landscape for next year's college basketball season became a bit clearer Sunday night when the NBA's early-entry deadline passed.

Forty-five players have announced their intention to forgo their remaining college eligibility and declare for the draft. A handful of other top prospects have opted to delay NBA riches another year and return to school to try to improve their stock.

Here's a look at which programs were hardest hit and which will begin next season in better than expected shape:

FIVE BIGGEST WINNERS:

1. Maryland: Both freshman point guard Melo Trimble and junior forward Jake Layman probably would have been second-round selections had they entered the NBA draft. Their decision to return to school instead cements the Terrapins as a preseason top five team and one of the leading contenders to win the Big Ten next season. Maryland will have perhaps the Big Ten's best frontcourt next season with McDonald's All-American Diamond Stone at center, coveted Georgia Tech transfer Robert Carter at power forward and Layman sliding down to his more natural small forward position. The Terps will miss the scoring, distributing and leadership of Dez Wells in the backcourt, but Trimble should be one of the nation's best scoring guards as a sophomore and Dion Wiley and Jared Nickens should absorb much of Wells' playing time.

2. Wichita State: Not long after Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall agreed to lucrative contract extension, the Shockers received more good news. Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker, stars of Wichita State's 30-win Sweet 16 team, both decided to return for their senior seasons. Retaining one of the nation's premier backcourt duos solidifies the Shockers as a preseason top 15 team with a chance to be even better than they were last year if the supporting cast around VanVleet and Baker proves reliable. The third perimeter player alongside VanVleet and Baker will likely either be defensive stopper Zach Brown or Kansas transfer Conner Frankamp, neither of whom are quite as versatile as graduating senior Tekele Cotton was. Undersized senior Evan Wessell will be pushed by several younger players at power forward and Shaq Morris is probably the heir apparent to Darius Carter at center.

3. Gonzaga: One of this past season's elite frontcourts will return intact next year. Kyle Wiltjer, Przemek Karnowski and Domantas Sabonis all flirted with the idea of turning pro before opting to return to school, a decision that ensures Gonzaga will be in the preseason top 15 and gives the Zags hope of reaching their first Final Four. Even though Sabonis had a chance to be a first-round pick had he left Gonzaga after his freshman season, it was Wiltjer who most strongly considered declaring for the draft. The skilled 6-foot-9 forward already has spent four years in college and was coming off a season in which he averaged 16.8 points and 6.2 rebounds, shot 46.6 percent from behind the arc and earned All-American consideration. Wiltjer ultimately announced he was returning to school last week because concerns about his poor defense made it possible he would not be drafted.

4. Providence: Had Kris Dunn chosen to declare for the NBA draft, Providence would have entered next season in rebuilding mode after losing its top four scorers from a 22-win NCAA tournament team. The Friars instead will retain their star point guard one more season, giving them a likely preseason All-American to build around and making them a threat to finish in the upper echelon of the Big East. Dunn's decision to return to school was among the most surprising of any player given his draft stock and his injury history (two previous right shoulder surgeries). He might have gone as high as the late lottery in this draft after a season in which he averaged 15.6 points, 7.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds. Dunn can solidify himself as a lottery pick next season if he cuts down his turnovers and improves his jump shot, but he also could hurt his stock if he plateaus or suffers an injury.

5. Oklahoma: The Sooners would have contended for an NCAA tournament bid had Buddy Hield turned pro, but they have a chance to accomplish something far more memorable now that the reigning Big 12 player of the year has announced he'll be back for his senior season. They will likely begin next season in the top 10 in the polls thanks to the return of four starters from last season's 24-win Sweet 16 team. They also figure to be squarely in the Big 12 title chase along with perennial favorite Kansas and potential preseason top 5 Iowa State. The catalyst for Oklahoma will be Hield, one of the highest-scoring guards in the Big 12 both of the past two seasons. The 6-foot-4 native of the Bahamas averaged 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds as a junior, impressing NBA scouts enough that he had a chance to be a late first-round pick had he opted to enter the draft.

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