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Kentucky, Maryland top Blue Ribbon’s preseason top 25

John Calipari

John Calipari

AP

The Blue Ribbon Yearbook is annually one of the best college basketball preview publications on the market (full disclosure: I contributed about 18,000 words to this year’s edition). On Wednesday morning, Blue Ribbon announced their preseason top 25.

And the team at the top is one that you’ve become accustomed to seeing there: the Kentucky Wildcats.

Like has happened so many times in the past, Kentucky reloaded late in the recruiting cycle, bringing on Jamal Murray and Isaac Humphries when it seemed like their roster was set. With Skal Labissiere, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2015 and a potential No. 1 pick in 2016, also in the fold, it’s hard to quibble with the Wildcats being ranked there.

Maryland checks in at No. 2 with North Carolina slotting in at No. 4. The Tar Heels are a spot lower than expected as Blue Ribbon moved Virginia, the back-to-back ACC champs, up to No. 3. That is slightly surprising, as the Cavs lose Justin Anderson and Darion Atkins from a team that really struggled in Anderson’s absence last year.

Kansas rounds out Blue Ribbon’s top 25, and the only other real surprise in their preseason ranks is that Dayton slots in at No. 25. Beyond that, it’s hard to argue with them.

You can read through the full rankings here.