Risers and new entrants to our latest men's top 25

St. John's and UConn were two of the biggest storylines of the 2024-25 men's college basketball season.

Both programs rose up the rankings during the transfer cycle and settled in behind Purdue at the top of our latest iteration of the early top 25 (Version 4.0 , for those counting at home) For UConn , it was mostly about retention, with Alex Karaban's decision to forgo the NBA draft process and return to the Huskies a key factor in their rise.

Jon Scheyer brings in the nation's top-ranked recruiting class, which he might need to start multiple freshmen again next season .

John Calipari is absolutely loaded on the perimeter with the arrivals of transfers Jaland Lowe (Pitt), Kam Williams ( Tulane ) and Denzel Aberdeen .

Dusty May landed three potential starters for the next season in UAB , North Carolina and Illinois .

Wisconsin landed three potential starters in the transfer portal and landed three new recruits.

The Badgers lost two of the program's stalwarts from the past few years in Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth , as well as starter Jamiya Neal .

Brad Underwood's roster will have a heavy international feel to it next season .