The 2021–22 college basketball season begins next week, and after a one-year hiatus, Sports Illustrated’s annual preseason ranking of every men’s Division I team is back.

College hoops often feels all-encompassing—it’s not uncommon to see the sport’s elite teams host even the weakest D-I competition in nonconference play, and every March, programs that the average fan knows nothing about get their chance on the biggest stage. It can be overwhelming to look at the sheer number of D-I teams (currently 358) and sort through expectations.