NCAA Men's Basketball Retention Rankings Released; Where Are the Bears?
Baylor Bears men's basketball head coach Scott Drew knows how to win, regardless of whether or not he retains players or loses them to the NBA or transfer portal.
The Bears currently sit at No. 19 nationally in the latest polls, according to ESPN, when it comes to men's college hoops programs keeping a team together.
"An offseason after losing four starters off a national championship team, Scott Drew once again saw several players walk out the door," Jeff Borzello wrote in his ESPN Plus piece. "James Akinjo was out of eligibility, Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan left early for the NBA draft, and Matthew Mayer hit the portal late in the process. But at least three starters will be back."
Drew proved to doubters that the Bears could still compete last season after losing four starters from the 2021 squad, including Mark Vital, Jared Butler, MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell.
Below is a complete list of the top 20 men's college basketball programs based on retention rankings by ESPN.
No. 1: TCU Horned Frogs.
No. 2: Virginia Cavaliers.
No. 3: Dayton Flyers.
No. 4: North Carolina Tar Heels.
No. 5: Gonzaga Bulldogs.
No. 6: Saint Louis Billikens.
No. 7: Indiana Hoosiers.
No. 8: Wyoming Cowboys.
No. 9: Stanford Cardinal.
No. 10: Cincinnati Bearcats.
No. 11: UAB Blazers.
No. 12: Tennessee Volunteers.
No. 13: Texas A&M Aggies.
No. 14: San Diego State Aztecs.
No. 15: Boston College Eagles.
No. 16: Utah Utes.
No. 17: Creighton Bluejays.
No. 18: Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
No. 19: Baylor Bears.
No. 20: Oklahoma State Cowboys.
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Denton Ramsey has been a journalist for over 20 years with a decade of experience as a sports writer and editor for a plethora of newspapers throughout Texas and Alabama. Growing up in Houston and attending Baylor University, Ramsey is a die-hard sports fan with a true passion for writing. He may be reached via email at denton.itb@gmail.com