If it seems like a lot of the same names at the top of the 2018-19 Sporting News preseason top 25 rankings, it’s only because you’re looking at the front of the jersey.

The players in those uniforms are largely unfamiliar.

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National title contender Kansas reached the Final Four last season, but some of the key guys who will pursue a championship this year last played at Memphis and California. Kentucky has its usual complement of elite freshmen, plus a grad transfer from Stanford. Duke is taking another trip along the one-and-done trail. Villanova lost the majority of its title-winning team to the NBA, even though there wasn’t a single senior in the rotation.

All of this portends an unpredictable season, and yet here we are to try again to predict how it all turns out. With that said, here are Sporting News' updated preseason rankings for the 2018-19 college basketball season.

College basketball rankings:

SN's updated preseason Top 25 for 2018-19

25. Arizona Wildcats

Why they’re here: Most have punted this program toward the Pacific with the loss of Allonzo Trier, Rawle Alkins and All-American DeAndre Ayton to pro hoops, but too many are ignoring wings Brandon Randolph and Emmanuel Akot, who were elite recruits. Big man Chase Jeter has been waiting as a transfer for a chance to be a significant contributor. Coach Sean Miller attracted grad transfers Ryan Luther (to deepen the frontcourt) and Justin Coleman (for backcourt depth). Most importantly, he landed point guard Brandon Williams. This will be a better defensive team than last year’s — not a grand compliment, admittedly — and will at least be functional on offense.

24. West Virginia Mountaineers

Why they’re here: For all that is missing from the backcourt — and it’s a huge, Jevon Carter-sized hole — the frontcourt again will be an impenetrable mountain that starts with center Sagaba Konate. Coach Bob Huggins will need someone to at least function at point guard, but this could be his best defensive frontcourt since he coached a guy named Kenyon Martin back in Cincy.

23. Cincinnati Bearcats

Why they’re here: The Bearcats lost a ton from a team that enjoyed consecutive 30-win seasons as well as the dual 2018 championships in the American: NBA first-round pick Jacob Evans and the league’s player of the year, Gary Clark. The Bearcats will struggle to be as rugged on defense this year as they chase a ninth consecutive NCAA bid, but they could be more dynamic. Junior wing Jarron Cumberland will be eager for the opportunity to serve as No. 1 option. The absence of a player comfortable in that role was an issue lately.

22. Clemson Tigers

Why they’re here: The Tigers are never going to be mistaken for a Vegas magic show, especially not with versatile guard Gabe DeVoe finished after last year’s Sweet 16 run. But they’re big, well-coached and hard to play against for just about everyone they meet. They will miss DeVoe’s shooting, but a bigger obstacle than their middling 3-point attack is that their bigs haven’t finished effectively enough. Perhaps 7-0 freshman Trey Jemison can help in that department.

21. Maryland Terrapins

Why they’re here: Last year’s squad was lifted by the pleasant surprise of freshman Bruno Fernando, only to be ruined by injuries that started with the team’s most talented player (Justin Jackson) and continued on to ravage any hope for squad depth. The Terps often were competitive early in consequential games, only to wilt later. They will miss star wing Kevin Huerter, but point guard Anthony Cowan is a force at both ends. And Fernando could be one of the Big Ten’s breakout stars.

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20. LSU Tigers

Why they’re here: Sophomore guard Tremont Waters is the most exciting player that few college fans have seen, a situation that developed because last year’s Tigers were an NIT team. Waters’ brilliance will be given a much better stage now that LSU has added a big man, Naz Reid, to complement his talents.

19. Florida State Seminoles

Why they’re here: Maybe it’s just a function of having a 7-4 center, but last year’s Seminoles were a weird team. We do not say this to be mean. But a team that can reach the Elite Eight after losing seven times to non-tournament teams — well, what would you call that? They can be incredibly dynamic or impossibly big, depending on how they want to play it. Wing Terance Mann can be one of the ACC’s best players or the guy who didn’t make a shot in the NCAA Tournament opener. If this team can find a consistent look, it might not challenge for the league regular season title — but could say a lot about who does.

18. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Why they’re here: Coach Ben Howland has taken a while to build this team exactly as he wanted. He’d obviously have preferred to reach this stage sooner, and for Malik Newman to stick around longer than a year, but the lethal Weatherspoons — Quinndary and Nick — and versatile big Aric Holman almost got the Bulldogs to the tournament last season. It’ll happen this year, although they’ll have to navigate a loaded SEC to make it. They’ll also need to be more effective shooting the ball, which mostly will be a matter of improving offensive execution.

17. Syracuse Orange

Why they’re here: It probably would be nice if the Orange weren’t projected here strictly on the basis of them being matched against some flummoxed NCAA Tournament opponents who’ve never seen a zone quite like Jim Boeheim’s. The Orange should be top-15 good, not just Sweet 16-good. They have averaged 14 regular-season losses over the past four years, while winning 77 percent of their tournament games in that stretch. With Oshae Brissett and Tyus Battle both capable of ranking among the ACC’s best players, this would be a season when Cuse ought to excel from beginning to end.

16. Virginia Tech Hokies

Why they’re here: The man who persuaded Buzz Williams to leave Marquette for Blacksburg is Whit Babcock. Remember that name, because he might have pulled off the best hire in college basketball since Memphis made John Calipari a head coach again in 2000. Tech once seemed to have a limited ceiling as an ACC member because of its football orientation and lesser facilities, but Williams has the Hokies positioned to reach a third straight NCAA Tournament (which has never happened) and for a run at the program’s deepest advancement since 1967. And remember, Tech was coming off three consecutive losing seasons when Williams took over in 2014. Last year ended with three straight losses, but with Justin Robinson, Kerry Blackshear and Nickeil Alexander-Walker still around, that might have been the start of better days.

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15. Oregon Ducks

Why they’re here: For all he has accomplished as a college coach — building Creighton into a power, taking Oregon to the 2017 Final Four – Dana Altman hasn’t been in the position of trying to win big with elite freshmen at the forefront of the squad. The Ducks still have star guard Payton Pritchard, and no one is taking his place, but top recruits Louis King and Bol Bol must excel or this probably can’t work. When teams attract one-and-done talents and they don’t produce, it’s usually detrimental to everyone. This is not to say Altman won’t be great with the two frosh, only that many others who’ve tried to master this transition have struggled.

14. UCLA Bruins

Why they’re here: It’s easy to forget last year’s Bruins might not have been so disappointing had the trip to China not been such a disaster. They lost two key rotation players because of the shoplifting incident (and, no, neither was named Ball). UCLA needed big guys Cody Riley and Jalen Hill to fortify a smallish team, and this year they’ll have them, along with recruit Shareef O’Neal. All-American point guard Aaron Holiday will be missed, but sophomore Jaylen Hands got to play alongside him and should be ready to fill the position. Wing Kris Wilkes has the talent to be a star.

13. Kansas State Wildcats

Why they’re here: If you thought K-State’s run to the 2018 Elite Eight was a fluky product of a busted bracket, here come these Wildcats in an even more imposing package. They got to the regional final last year without much in the tournament from all-league center Dean Wade, then injured. He chose to return for his senior season, as did shooting guard Barry Brown, which means a combined 32.1 points per game remains in the attack. The Wildcats could be the greatest threat to the rival Jayhawks’ run of 14 consecutive Big 12 championships.

12. Michigan State Spartans

Why they’re here: The Spartans have a lot of good players, but when is the last time they didn’t have a star? From Draymond Green to Gary Harris to Denzel Valentine to Miles Bridges, throughout this decade there has been at least one player on the squad who could carry the team in challenging times. On this squad, there may be candidates for the job – shooting guard Josh Langford, point guard Cassius Winston, center Nick Ward — but no obvious answers. Michigan State needs someone to step forward from the crowd.

11. Auburn Tigers

Why they’re here: Although the team lost leading scorer Mustapha Heron to transfer, there might be reasons not to feel terribly about that. Heron wasn’t always a factor in the biggest games (9 of 25 from field in NCAA Tournament, 1 of 9 in the SEC regular-season clincher). Plus they get back big men Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy after each sat out last season on NCAA suspension. Last year’s Tigers were limited because they were almost always smaller than the opposition, but this time they can stand up for themselves under the boards.

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10. Michigan Wolverines

Key returnees: PF Isaiah Livers, SF Jordan Poole, SG Charles Matthews, PG Zavier Simpson, C Jon Teske.

Key additions: PF Brandon Johns, SF Ignas Brazdeikis, PG David DeJulius, C Colin Castleton

2018 finish: 33-8, NCAA runner-up

Why they’re here: The Wolverines aren’t getting a lot of love from other preseason rankings. Certainly they are going to have to find some scoring depth with Moe Wagner no longer around to carry the offense through tough stretches. But not a lot of teams are as capable from positions 1-4 as UM. Simpson became one of the best point guard defenders after taking over the team last season. Poole and Livers both have star quality; Matthews already has proved he is a high-teens scorer. The one starting-lineup concern is how to fit Teske with a team otherwise based on quickness and movement, but is there someone you’d want on that job other than John Beilein.

Strengths: On-ball defense, offensive versatility.

Weaknesses: Reliance on newcomers to provide depth.

9. Nevada Wolf Pack

Key returnees: SF Caleb Martin, SF Cody Martin, PF Jordan Caroline, PG Lindsey Drew.

Key additions: PF Jordan Brown

2018 finish: 29-8, NCAA Sweet 16

Why they’re here: Convincing this Nevada team it is beaten might be the toughest of all tasks this season. The Pack were down 30 at halftime in their Mountain West semifinal defeat and didn’t quit, which ought to have been a hint to Texas (which lost a 14-point second-half lead) and Cincinnati (whose lead stood at 22 points before Nevada rallied). Most of the players who made all that happen are back, with more size in the frontcourt in the form of 6-10 freshman Brown and grad transfer Trey Porter from Old Dominion. The Pack have four transfers who sat out last year and averaged double-figure scoring at their previous stops.

Strengths: Dynamic offense, depth, positional flexibility, comeback spirit.

Weaknesses: Interior defense, although that could be solved if the new bigs contribute.

8. Villanova Wildcats

Key returnees: PF Eric Paschall, SG Phil Booth, SF Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, PG/SG Collin Gillespie

Key additions: PG Jahvon Quinerly, PF Cole Swider

2018 finish: 36-4, NCAA champions

Why they’re here: Had Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman not played so wonderfully in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, Villanova probably would have been No. 1 on this list. If they hadn’t played so well, though, there’s a chance Villanova would not have won the 2018 championship, so it seems like a fair trade. This team still has two core players from last year’s championship, but it will be the newest Villanova has fielded since Ryan Arcidiacono arrived in 2012 and helped turn a 13-19 team into one that has reached six consecutive NCAAs and won two of them. Although Paschall and Booth will excel, and Cosby-Roundtree has a chance to be Jay Wright’s next surprise star, the Wildcats will be more dependent on a freshman — point guard Jahvon Quinerly — than at any time since Arch’s first year.

Strengths: Winning culture, perimeter shooting.

Weaknesses: Is there enough of an inside presence?

7. Tennessee Volunteers

Key returnees: SF Grant Williams, PF Admiral Schofield, SG Lamonte Turner, SG Jordan Bowden, PG Jordan Bone, C Kyle Alexander

2018 finish: 26-9, NCAA second round

Why they’re here: The Volunteers return nearly their entire rotation. The best way to do the accounting is to say they’ve got 90 percent of their scoring back, but that’s not the most accurate. Because what they mostly have back is 90 percent of the guys who smothered opponents and made their experience miserable. Tennessee had the No. 6 defense in Division I. The Vols could beat you by turning you over or by dragging you into a rock fight. Only once in the final nine games did the opposition top 66 points. The last four were all NCAA Tournament entrants, and they averaged 63.

Strengths: Defense. And more defense.

Weaknesses: Scoring is always a project, and it’s hard to win the biggest games like that.

6. North Carolina Tar Heels

Key returnees: PF Luke Maye, SF Cameron Johnson, SG Kenny Williams, C Sterling Manley, PF Garrison Brooks, PG Seventh Woods

Key additions: SF Nassir Little, SG Rechon Black, PG Coby White

2018 finish: 26-11, NCAA second round

Why they’re here: The addition of Little marks a return for North Carolina to recruiting among the heavyweights, after the NCAA investigation of the university’s academic issues made it a challenge for the Tar Heels to land top-10ish prospects. They did just fine in the interim, riding Joel Berry’s brilliant career to consecutive Final Fours, a national title and a 14-3 NCAA Tournament record. Replacing him will be a mountainous task, and the sooner the job finds its way to White’s hands, the better for the Heels. Here’s the honest truth about this roster: If the point guard situation gets sorted out, and if Manley or Brooks can become a legit big man alongside Maye, this team has a better shot at winning it all than four of five of the teams ranked ahead.

Strengths: Wide variety of scoring options, perimeter shooting

Weaknesses: No proven answer in the middle

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5. Virginia Cavaliers

Key returnees: SG Ty Jerome, PG Kyle Guy, SF De'Andre Hunter, C Jack Salt, PF Mamadi Diakite

Key addition: C Francisco Caffaro

2018 finish: 31-3, NCAA first round

Why they’re here: There are many who contend UVA’s loss in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament — as if we need to remind you, the Cavs became the first No. 1 seed ever to lose to a No. 16 — was the final proof that it’s impossible to make a Final Four run if you move at UVA’s pace. This was basically the slowest team in college basketball last season. But the Cavaliers were three spots from the bottom in 2016, when they held a 15-point deficit over Syracuse and succumbed to the Orange’s frantic press. That wasn’t an issue of style or speed. In the case of last year’s loss, it was mostly about believing too much in a system that wasn’t working on that night. That’s a lesson that UVA can learn from that disaster, because this is a starting five that’s good enough to win a national title.

Strengths: Defense, perimeter shooting

Weaknesses: Depth, schematic flexibility

4. Duke Blue Devils

Key returnees: PF Javin DeLaurier, C Marques Bolden, SG Alex O’Connell

Key additions: SF R.J. Barrett, PF Zion Williamson, SG Cam Reddish, PG Tre Jones

2018 finish: 29-8, Elite Eight

Why they’re here: It’s not out of the question that both Barrett and Williamson could be first-team All-Americans. They’re that gifted, and the rest of the field is that not. Barrett showed his ability to take command of an important game when he smacked the United States U-19 national team with 38 points in a semifinal victory for his Canada squad. Williamson is a force of nature, one of the most dynamic big men the game has seen. A guy his size simply shouldn’t be able to move like he does. The question is how he will be deployed — as a power forward or undersized center? — and with whom he will fit. The Blue Devils will need all four of their freshmen to be great, given the departure of players who scored 86 percent of last season’s points.

Strengths: Playmaking ability, positional size.

Weaknesses: Perimeter shooting, possibly defense.

3. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Key returnees: SG Zach Norvell, SF Rui Hachimura, C Killian Tillie, PG Josh Perkins, SG Corey Kispert

Key additions: PG Geno Crandall (tentative), PF Brandon Clarke, SF Jeremy Jones, PF Filip Petrusev

2018 finish: 32-5, Sweet 16

Why they’re here: Had the Bulldogs won the recruiting battle for point guard Brandon Williams, who instead chose Arizona, there’s a fair chance SN would have chosen the Zags as our No. 1 team. That’s no slight on Perkins, who has been a very good college player — he’s got 1,154 points on his way to possibly 1,500 for his career — and started on excellent teams at both backcourt spots. It’s just the Zags could use someone more dynamic at the position. Crandall ostensibly could give them at least another option there, but he still is working to graduate from North Dakota in order to transfer and join the team partway through preseason practice. No team has a more promising set of wings than Gonzaga does, with Norvell and Hachimura, each of whom functioned as an NCAA Tournament hero last March.

Strengths: Scoring ability, perimeter depth, experience.

Weaknesses: Backcourt quickness, which can be exploited by dynamic opponents.

2. Kansas Jayhawks

Key returnees: SG Lagerald Vick, C Udoka Azubuike, SF Marcus Garrett, PF Mitch Lightfoot, PF Silvio De Sousa

Key additions: PF Dedric Lawson, PG Charlie Moore, SF K.J. Lawson, PG/SG Quentin Grimes, PG/SG Devon Dotson, PF David McCormack

2018 finish: 31-8, Final Four

Why they’re here: Kansas has a more accomplished group of college players than anyone — but a lot of what has been accomplished occurred elsewhere. Dedric Lawson, now expected to be KU’s primary option, was a great player on middling teams at Memphis. Moore, who likely will get the first crack at point guard, was very good as a freshman on an NIT team at California. They’ve had a year to understand what coach Bill Self wants from them — to learn his schemes — so their transition to performing as Jayhawks will not be as drastic as, say, Travis’ at Kentucky. What’s separating KU from the top spot is a concern that Moore might not be equipped to provide what the Jayhawks are accustomed to receiving from their playmakers. They employed Frank Mason and Devonte’ Graham at the position over the past four years; both were first-team All-Americans.

Strengths: Physical power, frontcourt depth, multiple scoring options.

Weaknesses: Will the defense hold up at the point of attack?

1. Kentucky Wildcats

Key returnees: PF PJ Washington, C Nick Richards, PG Quade Green.

Key additions: PF Reid Travis, SG Tyler Herro, PG Immanuel Quickley, SF Keldon Johnson, PF EJ Montgomery, PG Ashton Hagans

2018 finish: 26-11, Sweet 16

Why they’re here: In a season that will not rank among the most talent-rich in modern college basketball history, UK certainly qualifies as loaded. The decision of former Pac-10 star Travis to join the Wildcats as a graduate transfer has given the team nine starting-quality players, which will cause some challenges for coach John Calipari in terms of building a style and rotation that works to maximize their abilities. One thing that was noticeable in the team’s playing trip to the Bahamas was how effective both Washington and Travis played in the high post. As the five talented freshmen develop, there is a chance for UK to be oppressive on defense.

Strengths: Depth, size, multiple ball-handlers.

Weaknesses: Shooting, experience.