SportsRecap
No. 13 Minnesota Eliminates No. 4 UCLA To Join Oklahoma In Final Four
Minnesota takes down UCLA to join Oklahoma in NCAA Gymnastics Final Four!
Yahoo Sports1 min read
Sports
College basketball rankings: Arizona rises in way-too-early Top 25 And 1 after landing two transfer guards
TL;DR
Arizona's basketball team has improved its roster by adding two transfer guards, Derek Dixon from North Carolina and JJ Mandaquit from Washington. Both players, top-75 recruits with three years of eligibility, are expected to strengthen the Wildcats' backcourt for the upcoming season.
CBS Sports Graphic
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd added two guards from the portal on Monday -- namely North Carolina transfer Derek Dixon and Washington transfer JJ Mandaquit -- in his latest efforts to reload the Wildcats for another Final Four run.
Both players were top-75 recruits in the Class of 2025 and will enter next season with three years of eligibility remaining. Alongside five-star guard Caleb Holt and four-star guard Cameron Holmes, they'll form a backcourt that should be great again despite losing Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley, key reserve Anthony Dell'Orso and likely lottery pick Brayden Burries.
Arizona's current roster construction suggests it could potentially start this way:
**G:**Derek Dixon
G:Â Caleb Holt
F:Â Cameron Holmes
F:Â Ivan Karchenkov
F:Â Motiejus Krivas
The Wildcats are up to No. 8 in Version 5 of the 2026-27 CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 college basketball rankings, where Michigan remains No. 1 based on a projection that the Wolverines will return three of their top five scorers -- Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney -- from a team that won the 2026 NCAA Tournament and finished 37-3. That core is expected to combine with a recruiting class highlighted by Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella, five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. and four-star freshmen Quinn Costello and Lincoln Cosby to create a roster that, on paper at least, seems capable of going back-to-back.
Are we sure Johnson is returning to Michigan? Or that Aday Mara is definitely leaving?
No, not yet.
Neither potential first-round pick has publicly announced their intentions -- but, to be clear, the projection here is that Mara leaves and Johnson stays. If either does the opposite, or both do the same, the Top 25 And 1 will adjust accordingly, just like always. But, for now, that's the projection that has Michigan No. 1.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Biggest Movers
2 Arizona
2 N. Carolina
| Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | team logo Michigan | This ranking is based on the Wolverines returning three of the top five scorers -- specifically Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney -- from a team that finished 37-3 and won the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospect Brandon McCoy Jr., Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella, and four-star prospects Lincoln Cosby, Quinn Costello and Joseph Hartman. | -- | 37-3 |
| 2 | team logo Florida | This ranking is based on the Gators returning five of the top seven scorers -- specifically Alex Condon, Boogie Fland, Reuben Chinyelu, Urban Klavsar and Isaiah Brown -- from a team that finished 27-8 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen and 7-foot center Jones Lay. | -- | 27-8 |
| 3 | team logo Illinois | This ranking is based on the Illini returning six of the top nine scorers -- specifically Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovich, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, Jake Davis and Brandon Lee -- from a team that finished 28-9 and advanced to the 2026 Final Four. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks, four-star prospects Quintin Coleman and Lucas Morillo and three-star prospects Ethan Brown and Landon Davis. |
Q&A
Who are the new transfer guards joining Arizona's basketball team?
The new transfer guards are Derek Dixon from North Carolina and JJ Mandaquit from Washington.
What impact will the new transfers have on Arizona's basketball roster?
The transfers are expected to enhance the backcourt, helping to reload the team for a potential Final Four run.
How many years of eligibility do the new Arizona transfers have?
Both Derek Dixon and JJ Mandaquit have three years of eligibility remaining.
What notable players did Arizona lose from last season's roster?
Arizona lost Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley, key reserve Anthony Dell'Orso, and likely lottery pick Brayden Burries.