Arkansas
Way-Too-Early Top 25: Ranking College Basketball’s Best for 2026-27
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the transfer portal reshaping rosters overnight and elite freshmen arriving every summer, projecting the next college basketball season has become an exercise in controlled chaos.
Still, a handful of programs have positioned themselves early as national title contenders through roster continuity, program consistency and coaching stability.
Arkansas will once again be in the mix, but its true preseason forecast will come once the portal is mostly wrapped up. Coach John Calipari knows what type of player he needs to add for his team to advance past the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and probably won’t sleep a whole lot until he signs at least one major contributor in the paint.
No. 1 seed Michigan had a stellar run in its second season under coach Dusty May, who competes for a national championship against No. 2 seed UConn Monday night. He goes up against two-time championship coach Dan Hurley, who is looking to join elite company by winning his third trophy with the Huskies.
Which teams are best equipped already for next season? Here’s an early look at who can make a run in 2026-27.
1. Michigan
The Wolverines absolutely make sense regardless of if they win a national title Monday night. May added a commitment from 5-star guard Brandon McCoy Saturday who projects to be a lead guard at the next level.
Key big man Yaxel Lendeborg will be a huge loss after being a critical piece to Michigan’s championship game run. Power forward Morez Johnson should return after averaging over 13 points and seven rebounds per game.
Another likely returnee is Trey McKenney, who played well as a freshman averaging 11 points and 44% shooting in the month of March.
1B. UConn
Whether Hurley’s bid for a third title falls short, his brilliant coaching in the NCAA Tournament is worth keeping the Huskies near the top of all college basketball rankings.
Veterans such as Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed are seeing their eligibility expire while freshman Braylon Mullins could opt to enter the NBA Draft.
Veteran guard Silas Demary has been a nice addition from Georgia out of the portal this season and will likely return as the Huskies’ starting point guard.
3. Duke
The Blue Devils are set to lose the Boozer twins, but have signed capable replacements in true freshmen Cameron Williams and Deron Rippey, Jr.
Coach Jon Scheyer’s group will continue to run the ACC until anyone else decides to be up for the challenge. If he can find a way to keep Patrick Ngongba around for next season as his key big man, then there’s no reason to count out Duke as national title favorites once again.
4. Michigan State
No one will ever doubt coach Tom Izzo’s ability to assemble a championship contender and he did just that with Coen Carr, Jeremy Fears and company this season.
With a top high school recruiting class and a couple of key portal additions on the perimeter, the Spartans will be Big Ten title contenders and earn a Top 4 NCAA Tournament seed.
5. Illinois
Coach Brad Underwood has made the Fightin’ Illini a raging success and nearly led his team to the promised land this season.
He discovered freshman wing Keaton Wagler before anyone else, and became a household name and potential lottery pick after arriving to school as aTop 150 prospect.
Lightning might not strike twice next year, but he’ll probably have another solid team built for a deep NCAA Tournament run. Sharpshooter Andrej Stojakovic and forward David Mirkovic are both expected to return after playing key roles in Illinois’ first Final Four run in two decades.
6. Arizona
The Wildcats were no match for Michigan in the Final Four and are likely going to lose key freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries to the NBA Draft. Keeping veteran big man Mo Krivas and key wing Ivan Kharchenkov in the rotation is key.
Adding McDonald’s All-American MVP Caleb Holt won’t hurt either as the next great freshman for the Wildcats.
7. Arkansas
Coach John Calipari knows his biggest assignment will be adding a big man or two to round out his rotation. He has a three 5-star freshmen in Jordan Smith, Jr. (No. 2 ranked prospect, JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure coming in with potential key returnee Billy Richmond to potentially lockdown the perimeter.
Arkansas fans are hungry to see their team get back to the Final Four and have been inching closer each of the previous five seasons.
8. Purdue
The Boilermakers are set to lose All-American guard Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn which will be hard to come back from for any team.
However, Matt Painter continues to reload with guys who often fly under the radar or lesser known on the recruiting trail out of high school. His next team may not be as talented, or veteran laden but should be fixtures in the Big Ten no matter what the offseason brings.
9. St. John’s
The Red Storm will find it tough to replace versatile big man Zury Ejifor, but if anyone can do so it’s hall of fame coach Rick Pitino. His team has been close to breaking into national title contention over the previous two seasons.
Pitino’s combination of Ian Jackson, Dylan Darling and Ruben Prey can give St. John’s a boost next season.
10. Alabama
Nate Oats has the Crimson Tide at a level never before seen in Tuscaloosa with at least a Sweet 16 or better finish in each of the previous four seasons.
Star guard Labaron Philon is probably headed to the league as a mid-first round prospect which leaves a gaping hole in Alabama’s rotation for next season.
Top 20 freshman guard Qadyden Samuels is potentially a solid replacement with a complete offensive skillset as a three-level scorer. If his length translates well to college, he can be an exceptional perimeter defender.
Oats will need to find a way to keep key big men such as Amari Allen and Aiden Sherrell around or pick up a couple out of the transfer portal to stay near the top of the SEC.
11. Iowa State
The Cyclones were on the verge of a breakthrough before falling short in the Sweet 16. Losing All-American Joshua Jefferson early in the tournament sidelined any hopes of coach T.J. Otzelberger leading his team to its first Final Four since 1944.
Iowa State will probably make a strong run in the portal to replace other key contributors. But one thing is sure that this program has staying power on the national scene.
12. Kansas
Each passing year it seems that the biggest question is whether or not coach Bill Self will return for another year.
He is, at least this year, but even with his exceptional recruiting skills and a deep portal budget, it seems like a slight nosedive has taken place since winning the national title in 2022.
Star freshman Darryn Peterson’s one-and-done stay in Lawrence certainly didn’t live up to the hype. Big man Flory Bidunga is currently evaluating his options, which shouldn’t give anyone a reason to rank the Jayhawks higher.
13. Iowa Hawkeyes
14. Gonzaga Bulldogs
15. Florida Gators
16. North Carolina Tar Heels
17. Louisville Cardinals
18. Wisconsin Badgers
19. Nebraska Cornhuskers
20. Houston Cougars
21. Providence Friars
22. St. Louis Billekins
23. Texas Longhorns
24. Auburn Tigers
25. LSU Tigers
HOGS FEED:
A World War II veteran who worked for the City of Tulsa was finally laid to rest Monday after his remains went unidentified for nearly 80 years.
Floyd Harper, 22, was one of several City of Tulsa workers killed when a city barge overturned on the Arkansas River on Feb. 10, 1949. His remains were not identified at the time, and his family spent decades without answers.
His daughter, Linda Schrader, never got the chance to know him. She was two months old when he died.
“He died in the Arkansas River when I was exactly two months old,” Schrader said. “So I knew absolutely nothing about any of this wonderful stuff.”
Harper’s wife and family were left guessing what happened to him. According to Schrader, her mother never stopped looking.
“They said that she used to walk the banks of the Arkansas River for years, trying to find something of him where he died,” Schrader said.
Eventually, Schrader’s mother remarried, and the family began to accept they’d never get a chance to say goodbye. That changed last summer.
Tulsa Police Homicide Detective Brandon Watkins looked into human remains the department had discovered along the river in 1985. Using genealogy research, he tracked down Schrader, who now lives in Boise, Idaho. He flew out himself to administer a DNA test.
It was a match.
“We wanted to know who those human remains belong to. That’s important,” Watkins said. “Families deserve to have this moment.”
For Schrader, the confirmation set off a whirlwind. She discovered she had 29 first cousins she never knew, and attended a family reunion.
“I was just blown away with finding out I had 29 first cousins. And all of this going on. It’s just — it’s been insane,” she said.
For Watkins, solving the case stands as a career milestone.
“It’s one of the most rewarding things I think I’ve done in my career, is be part of this,” he said. “And I’m real happy for his family.”
Monday, after a gun salute and 77 years of wondering, Harper was finally laid to rest alongside other family members. Schrader said she’s grateful she can spend the rest of her life knowing how her father’s story ends.
“I’m just so happy he gets to be with his momma now,” she said.
Timeline: Floyd Harper’s 77-year journey home
Feb. 10, 1949 — Floyd Harper, a WWII veteran and City of Tulsa worker, dies when a city barge overturns on the Arkansas River. He is 22 years old. His daughter Linda is two months old.
1949–1985 — Harper’s family, including his wife, searches for answers. His remains are never found. Linda’s mother remarries; the family moves.
1985 — Human remains are discovered along the Arkansas River. Tulsa Police preserve them but are unable to make an identification at the time.
Summer 2025 — TPD Homicide Detective Brandon Watkins reopens the case, conducts genealogy research, and locates Linda Schrader in Idaho. He flies out personally to collect a DNA sample.
Mid-2025 — DNA results confirm the remains belong to Floyd Harper.
April 27, 2026 — Floyd Harper is laid to rest alongside family members in Skiatook, 77 years after his death. An honor guard renders a gun salute.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.– Arkansas senior LHP Robyn Herron and senior OF Reagan Johnson were selected as provisional picks in the 2026 AUSL College Draft and have been named to the league’s reserve athlete pool, the organization announced Sunday evening.
AUSL provisional picks in the 2026 College Draft were selected to allow teams to secure the draft picks’ rights and give teams added flexibility. The AUSL Reserve Pool is an opportunity for players to potentially be called up, compete, and earn full-time roster spots. For example, Reserve Pool athletes will be utilized at the start of the season when select AUSL players compete overseas in the Japan Diamond League.
Herron is among the all-time Arkansas greats in the circle with 111 career appearances, 73 starts, 52 wins and a 2.18 ERA while registering 554 strikeouts and limiting opposing hitters to a program-record .180 batting average. She has also registered 16 10+ strikeout games in her Arkansas career, which is tied for Mary Haff (2018-2022) as the most in program history. This season, Herron is 14-4 with a 1.99 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 91.1 innings pitched. She currently ranks among the top pitchers nationally in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (14th, 4.45), saves (15th, 4), and strikeouts per seven innings (5th, 11.0).
Johnson is the all-time Arkansas career hits leader with 272, while her 68 career stolen bases are the third-most in program history. She has posted a .331 batting average this season with 48 hits, four doubles, a triple, and 14 RBI while drawing 27 walks, scoring 50 runs, and stealing 18 bases. Defensively, Johnson is among the best center fielders the game has seen during her four years on The Hill with a .988 career fielding percentage. She is on a 122-game errorless streak dating back to April 6, 2024, which is the longest errorless streak by an Arkansas outfielder on record (since at least 2001).
In addition to Herron and Johnson’s provisional selections, Dakota Kennedy previously received an AUSL Golden Ticket on April 6. The 2026 AUSL College Draft is set for Monday, May 4, at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
No. 6/9 Arkansas (39-9, 13-8 SEC) will wrap up the regular season with a three-game series at Texas (April 30-May 2). Thursday’s contest will be at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network, while Friday and Saturday’s first pitch times are set for 2 p.m. and noon on SEC Network+.
For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
JONESBORO, Ark. (KLFY)– Home runs by Cason Campbell and Evan Griffis highlighted a seven-run outburst through the middle three innings and helped Arkansas State rally for an 8-3 victory
over Louisiana in the final game of a three-game Sun Belt Conference series on Sunday at
Slayton Family Field at Tomlinson Stadium.
Dylan Farley (7-1) scattered three hits over 5.1 innings and combined with two relievers to help
A-State (26-17, 10-11 SBC) avoid a three-game sweep at home.
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Louisiana (25-18, 9-12 SBC) trailed 1-0 after the Red Wolves scored an unearned run in the first
inning before Mark Collins lined a two-run homer down the left-field line in the third. The
Ragin’ Cajuns added an unearned run in the fourth, capitalizing on the Red Wolves’ second
error of the inning and third of the game.
Drew Markle lined a two-out single to right field and scored when Collins hit a dribbler just past
the plate, and an A-State throw sailed past Campbell at first and into right field.
Arkansas State, which scored two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth and two in the sixth, tied
the game at 3-3 in the bottom half of the inning as Lane Walton hit an RBI single to right before
Patrick Engskov scored on a fielder’s choice.
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The Red Wolves took the lead for good when Ashton Quiller’s RBI grounder to second scored
Kaden Amundson before Campbell followed two pitches later with a two-run homer to center.
Griffis added a two-run homer in the sixth for the Red Wolves to cap the seven-run rally.
JR Tollett (4-3) took the loss in relief for Louisiana after surrendering four runs in 1.2 innings.
Ty Roman tossed 3.1 innings in a starting role for the Ragin’ Cajuns while freshman Hayden
Pearson tossed a season-high 3.0 innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Collins and Markle combined for four of Louisiana’s six hits in the game. Rigoberto Hernandez
added a third-inning double for Louisiana before Griffin Hebert reached on a pinch-hit single in
the ninth.
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Louisiana will open a six-game homestand beginning on Tuesday when it hosts in-state
opponent Southern University in a 6 p.m. contest at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
The Ragin’ Cajuns will host another in-state foe – Nicholls – on Wednesday at 6 p.m., before
opening a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Georgia State on Friday.
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