We have our national champion, crowned Monday night in Glendale, Arizona, in front of a massive crowd that witnessed the culmination of another tremendous college basketball season. Now the memories from this campaign will have to carry us through the sport's long, seven-month offseason.

Having a final ranking of the best teams in the country can help, and our college basketball staff has got you covered.

The final Bleacher Report Top 25 was voted on by staff writers Kerry Miller, C.J. Moore and Brian Pedersen, each of whom submitted a ballot. Teams were awarded points based on their rankings on each ballot, with 25 points for first place all the way down to one for 25th. The top 25 vote-getters made our final poll.

25. Cincinnati Bearcats

Final 2016-17 record: 30-6

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to UCLA in Round of 32

Star performers

Four Bearcats averaged double figures in scoring this season, including sophomore guard Jacob Evans, who led the team at 13.6 points per game. He was Cincinnati's top three-point shooter (41.8 percent) as well, with he and junior forward Gary Clark among the top players nationally in box plus/minus.

Why they're here

Cincinnati can't get past the first weekend of the NCAA tourney, losing in the first or second round each of the past five seasons.

23. (tie) Saint Mary's Gaels

Final 2016-17 record: 29-5

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Arizona in Round of 32

Star performers

Junior Jock Landale was arguably the biggest breakout player in the country in 2016-17. The 7'0” center went from 7.8 points per game last year to 16.9 points and 9.5 rebounds on 61.1 percent shooting. He led the nation in win shares per 40 minutes at .288, just ahead of South Carolina star Sindarius Thornwell.

Junior forward Calvin Hermanson was the only other player to average double-digit points for the Gaels, who, according to Ken Pomeroy, were one of just three schools in Division I to use the same starting lineup the entire season.

Why they're here

Take away three losses to West Coast Conference rival Gonzaga and the second-round defeat by Arizona, and Saint Mary's was nearly perfect. Their second-ranked scoring defense and efficient offensive attack were tough to deal with.

23. (tie) Iowa State Cyclones

Final 2016-17 record: 24-11

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Purdue in Round of 32

Star performers

Senior guard Monte Morris wrapped up a record-setting career with a tremendous final season, leading Iowa State in scoring (16.4) and assists (6.2) per game. He led the nation again in assist-to-turnover ratio, at 5.17-to-1, and for his career his rate was 4.65, the best in NCAA history.

Fellow senior guards Deonte Burton and Nazareth Mitrou-Long each averaged 15.1 points per game, while senior guard Matt Thomas scored 12.3 per game and shot 44.5 percent from three.

Why they're here

The Big 12 tournament champions came on strong late in the season but ran into a team with too much interior size in Purdue; otherwise, it could have earned its third Sweet 16 appearance in the past four seasons.

22. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Final 2016-17 record: 26-10

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to West Virginia in Round of 32

Star performers

Junior forward Bonzie Colson played much bigger in the post than his 6'5”, 226-pound frame would indicate, leading the ACC in rebounding (10.1 per game) while also serving as Notre Dame's top scorer at 17.8 points per game. He had 19 double-doubles while shooting 52.6 percent overall, 43.3 percent from three and 78.3 percent from the line, helping the Fighting Irish lead the nation in foul shooting at 80.0 percent.

Junior guard Matt Farrell's 5.4 assists per game tied for third in the ACC, and he and senior forward V.J. Beachem each hit more than 80 threes.

Why they're here

The Fighting Irish made the ACC title game after tying for second place during the regular season, but they fell a few rounds short of a third consecutive Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA tournament.

21. SMU Mustangs

Final 2016-17 record: 30-5

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to USC in first round

Star performers

Former Duke forward Semi Ojeleye was one of the most impactful transfers in college basketball this season. The junior led SMU in scoring at 18.9 points per game along with 6.8 rebounds. He shot 42.4 percent from three-point range, a rate similar to three of the Mustangs' other top scorers.

Ojeleye was tied for second nationally in win shares, at 7.7, while sophomore guard Shake Milton averaged 13.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game as SMU's floor leader.

Why they're here

SMU wasn't allowed in the NCAA tournament a year ago, but its return to the field didn't last long, falling as a No. 6 seed. That tarnished an otherwise impressive season that included winning the American Athletic Conference's regular-season and conference tourney titles.

20. Wichita State Shockers

Final 2016-17 record: 31-5

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Kentucky in Round of 32

Star performers

Wichita State's dominance in the Missouri Valley Conference and strong play outside of the league wasn't the product of star power, at least from a statistical standpoint. No player averaged more than sophomore forward Markis McDuffie's 11.5 points per game, with redshirt freshman guard Landry Shamet right behind him at 11.4. McDuffie and juniors Shaquille Morris and Darral Willis Jr. also paced the Shockers on the boards, with each pulling down more than five per game.

Why they're here

Massively underseeded at No. 10, the Shockers were given a raw deal having to face Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA tournament. But what they accomplished in blitzing through their league can't be completely ignored.

19. Michigan Wolverines

Final 2016-17 record: 26-12

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Oregon in Sweet 16

Star performers

Senior guard Derrick Walton Jr. put it all together in the postseason, averaging 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists in the NCAA tournament. For the year he led Michigan in scoring (15.5) and assists (4.9) while shooting 42.2 percent from three-point range.

No player logged more minutes in Division I in 2016-17 than senior guard Zak Irvin, who played in 1,345 of the Wolverines' 1,535 minutes on the court, during which he scored 13.0 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Why they're here

A question mark to make the postseason in late February, the Wolverines experienced a minor plane crash right before the Big Ten tourney and parlayed that into an amazing run. They won the conference tournament and then knocked off second-seeded Louisville to make their first Sweet 16 since 2014.

18. Wisconsin Badgers

Final 2016-17 record: 27-10

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Florida in Sweet 16

Star performers

The trio of seniors Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig and redshirt sophomore Ethan Happ combined for 42.5 points, 17.7 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, with Koenig's 39.5 percent shooting from three-point range rising to 43.8 percent (14-of-32) in the NCAA tourney. Happ ranked seventh nationally in player efficiency (31.5) and second in box plus/minus (15.9).

Why they're here

The Badgers were 21-3 at one point before going through a significant late-season slide, but they reversed course by taking out defending champ Villanova in the second round. Wisconsin reached the Sweet 16 for the fourth season in a row and sixth in the last seven years.

16. (tie) Xavier Musketeers

Final 2016-17 record: 24-14

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Gonzaga in Elite Eight

Star performers

Junior guard Trevon Bluiett averaged 18.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game with 91 three-pointers, taking on added responsibility when Xavier point guard Edmond Sumner tore his ACL in late January. Bluiett averaged 20.2 points in March.

Freshman guard Quentin Goodin, who took over for Sumner, averaged 5.3 assists in 17 games after entering the starting lineup.

Why they're here

An uneven regular season that included a six-game losing streak down the stretch was a distant memory after Xavier shocked Arizona in the Sweet 16 to make its first regional final since 2008.

16. (tie) Butler Bulldogs

Final 2016-17 record: 25-9

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to North Carolina in Sweet 16

Star performers

Junior forward Kelan Martin led the Bulldogs in scoring (16.0) and rebounds (5.8), doing so despite coming off the bench for Butler's final 11 games. Senior guard Tyler Lewis ranked second in Division I with a 4.15-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Guard Avery Woodson, a transfer from Memphis, was second nationally in turnover percentage (4.2).

Why they're here

In addition to its first Sweet 16 appearance since playing in back-to-back NCAA championship games in 2010 and 2011, Butler's season featured several significant victories. The Bulldogs beat defending national champ Villanova twice and also took down Arizona.

14. (tie) West Virginia Mountaineers

Final 2016-17 record: 28-9

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Gonzaga in Sweet 16

Star performers

On a team where 10 players logged at least 10 minutes per game, it was junior guard Jevon Carter who served as West Virginia's ironman, averaging 32.0 minutes in which he contributed 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game. His 72 three-pointers were nearly double any other Mountaineer.

Eight players averaged better than five points per game, and four had four or more rebounds per game. The Mountaineers led the nation in steals with 371, 45 more than any other team in Division I, with four players logging at least 40 swipes.

Why they're here

West Virginia's intense defensive pressure and extreme depth helped it tie for second in the Big 12, reach the conference title game and make its second Sweet 16 in three seasons. Along the way, coach Bob Huggins surpassed 800 career victories.

14. (tie) Purdue Boilermakers

Final 2016-17 record: 27-8

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Kansas in Sweet 16

Star performers

Sophomore forward Caleb Swanigan was a double-double machine, tallying an NCAA-leading 28 double-doubles. He averaged 12.5 rebounds per game, second-best in the country, along with 18.5 points and 3.0 assists while shooting 52.7 percent overall and 44.7 percent from three-point range.

Three other Purdue players averaged double-digit scoring, including junior wing Vince Edwards, who was one of five Boilermakers to shoot 40 percent or better from deep. As a team, Purdue ranked ninth in the country in three-point shooting at 40.3 percent.

Why they're here

The Boilermakers won the Big Ten regular-season title for the first time since 2010, the same year they made their last Sweet 16. Before running into a buzz saw and allowing 98 points to Kansas, they had allowed 80 or more per game just five times and only once since January.

13. Louisville Cardinals

Final 2016-17 record: 25-9

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Michigan in Round of 32

Star performers

Sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell had a breakthrough season with 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game, more than doubling his scoring from the year before. Junior guard Quentin Snider added 12.4 points and 4.1 assists per game, while sophomore wing Deng Adel scored 12.1.

Senior big man Mangok Mathiang was Louisville's top rebounder at 6.0 per game, but the Cardinals had six players with at least four boards per game.

Why they're here

The Cardinals self-imposed an NCAA tourney ban in 2015-16 in the wake of a still-ongoing NCAA investigation, preventing that team's seniors from a shot at playing in the postseason. A much younger group this time around got tripped up early after tying for second in the ACC.

12. Duke Blue Devils

Final 2016-17 record: 28-9

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to South Carolina in Round of 32

Star performers

Sophomore guard Luke Kennard averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 43.8 percent from three and 85.6 percent from the foul line, among the most efficient seasons in the country. His 7.2 win shares with fifth-most in Division I.

Forward Jayson Tatum averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds after his delayed start to 2016-17, one of three Duke freshmen whose injuries impacted their play and the team's performance. But that enabled senior forward Amile Jefferson to serve as a solidifying force on the inside with 10.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on 61.3 percent shooting.

Why they're here

Duke was the preseason No. 1 team but never lived up to its hype or potential because of injuries as well as a chaotic season for junior guard Grayson Allen. The second-round exit was only the third time in the past nine seasons the Blue Devils failed to make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament.

11. Baylor Bears

Final 2016-17 record: 27-8

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to South Carolina in Sweet 16

Star performers

Junior forward Johnathan Motley shot 52.2 percent while averaging a team-best 17.3 points and 9.9 assists per game, with his 126 offensive rebounds ranking in the top 10 in Division I. Junior guard Manu Lecomte, a transfer from Miami (Florida), shot 40.8 percent from three and led the Bears with 3.8 assists per game, one of three Baylor players to dish out three or more assists per night.

Junior college transfer Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. swatted 87 shots, his 10.5 percent block rate among the top 15 nationally.

Why they're here

After getting bounced in the first round of the previous two NCAA tourneys, Baylor shook off those disappointments to make its fourth Sweet 16 in the past eight years under coach Scott Drew. The 2016-17 season also included Baylor's first time being ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press in January.

10. Arizona Wildcats

Final 2016-17 record: 32-5

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Xavier in Sweet 16

Star performers

Freshman center Lauri Markkanen led Arizona in rebounding (7.2 per game) and three-pointers (69) while shooting 42.3 percent from outside, one of 12 players since 1993-94 with that combination. Sophomore guard Allonzo Trier, who missed the first 19 games due to suspension for using a performance-enhancing drug, scored a team-high 17.2 points per game and shot 39.1 percent from three-point range.

Four other Wildcats averaged at least 8.8 points per game, with five players chipping in two or more assists per contest. Junior guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright ranked 12th in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.1-to-1.

Why they're here

The Sweet 16 loss to Xavier kept Arizona from making a third Elite Eight in the past four seasons, but it did still reach the 30-win plateau for the seventh time in school history and fourth since 2010-11. All five of the Wildcats' losses were to teams that made the Sweet 16, with three getting to the Elite Eight and two reaching the Final Four.

9. Florida Gators

Final 2016-17 record: 27-9

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to South Carolina in Elite Eight

Star performers

Florida was among the most balanced offensive teams in the country this season, with no player averaging more than the 14.0 points per game contributed by sophomore guard KeVaughn Allen. He was one of eight Gators to score at least 6.2 per game, with senior Kasey Hill and junior Chris Chiozza the main facilitators at 4.4 and 3.8 assists per game, respectively.

Chiozza also served as the Gators' leader in drama, particularly with his running three-pointer at the buzzer to beat Wisconsin in the Elite Eight.

Forward Devin Robinson and center John Egbunu, both juniors, controlled the boards and enabled Florida to average more than 11 offensive rebounds per game. And everyone contributed to a team foul shooting rate of 72.9 percent, with the Gators going to the line nearly 24 times per game.

Why they're here

After missing the previous two NCAA tournaments, Florida earned its fifth trip to the Elite Eight in the past seven seasons. Second-year coach Mike White is well on his way to stepping out of the shadow of former Gators great Billy Donovan.

8. South Carolina Gamecocks

Final 2016-17 record: 26-11

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Gonzaga in Final Four

Star performers

SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell had a whale of a senior campaign, his 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game all tops on the Gamecocks. Save for assists, they were also all career highs, along with his 44.5 percent shooting rate and 39.5 percent efficiency from three-point range.

Wing PJ Dozier raised his game after an inconsistent freshman season, averaging 13.9 points per game, while sophomore forward Chris Silva managed to average in 10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in less than 21 minutes per game because of foul trouble.

Why they're here

The Gamecocks were arguably the biggest surprise of the NCAA tournament, making the Final Four as a No. 7 seed after having not won a tourney game in more than 40 years. Their tremendous defense (65.2 points allowed per gam) and Thornwell's play made a poor finish to the regular season a distant memory.

7. UCLA Bruins

Final 2016-17 record: 31-5

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Kentucky in Sweet 16

Star performers

Freshman point guard Lonzo Ball led the nation in assists per game (7.6) while averaging 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, shooting 55.1 percent overall and 41.2 percent from three-point range. Another frosh, forward TJ Leaf, was the Bruins' leading scorer (16.3 per game) and rebounder (8.2) and shot 61.7 percent from the field.

Senior guard Bryce Alford, son of UCLA coach Steve Alford, shot 43.0 percent from deep and drained 116 triples, with his 329 career three-pointers third-most in Pac-12 history. All told, six UCLA players averaged double-digit points for the nation's No. 2 scoring offense (89.8 points per game).

Why they're here

UCLA more than doubled its win total from the previous season, when it was 15-17 with only six Pac-12 victories. There were few teams more fun to watch with the ball in their hands than the Bruins, though their lack of defense often got in the way, like in the Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky. In that game, they allowed 1.27 points per possession, their third-worst effort of the season.

6. Villanova Wildcats

Final 2016-17 record: 32-4

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Wisconsin in Round of 32

Star performers

A trio of holdovers from Villanova's 2016 national title team led the way again this season, with seniors Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins and sophomore Jalen Brunson combining to average 46.5 points, 13.1 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 3.5 steals per game. Hart scored 18.7 per game, the highest rate for a Wildcat since Randy Foye averaged 20.5 in 2005-06.

Villanova had five players make at least 40 three-pointers while shooting 36 percent or better, but it was even better from the foul line and in overall shooting. The Wildcats ranked third nationally on free throws, at 79.0 percent, and their 49.5 percent field-goal rate was eighth-best.

Why they're here

The defending national champions experienced the same fate most such teams have in recent years. Other than the Florida teams that won consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007, no other defending champ has advanced beyond the Sweet 16 since 2002. Failing to get out of the first weekend of the NCAA tourney isn't enough to warrant dropping Villanova any lower, though, since it still had a tremendous season.

5. Kentucky Wildcats

Final 2016-17 record: 32-6

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to North Carolina in Elite Eight

Star performers

The freshman trio of guards Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox and forward Edrice "Bam" Adebayo paced the Wildcats in every statistical category by contributing 57.3 percent of the points, 35.8 percent of the rebounds and 48.5 percent of the assists. Monk's 19.8 points per game fell just short of the 20.0-point average Jamal Murray had in 2015-16 for the highest of any Kentucky player under coach John Calipari.

Sophomore guard Isaiah Briscoe averaged 12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists, the first Kentucky player since Rajon Rondo in 2005-06 to average 10/5/4. The Wildcats also had their most involved senior class of the Calipari era, with forward Derek Willis and guards Dominique Hawkins and Mychal Mulder combining to contribute more 16.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Why they're here

Kentucky lost to North Carolina by two in the South Region final, allowing the game-winning shot with two seconds left after making a thrilling comeback in the final minute. The Wildcats shook off some uneven moments during the regular season to make the Elite Eight for the sixth time in eight seasons under Calipari.

4. Kansas Jayhawks

Final 2016-17 record: 31-5

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to Oregon in Elite Eight

Star performers

Senior guard Frank Mason put together arguably the best individual season in Big 12 history. He's the first Big 12 player to average 20 points, four rebounds and five assists per game since the league was formed in in 1996, throwing in 47.1 percent efficiency on three-pointers for good measure.

Freshman wing Josh Jackson averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game on 51.3 percent shooting, and junior guard Devonte' Graham chipped in 13.4 points and 4.1 assists and drained a team-best 94 threes. Senior forward Landen Lucas was Kansas' top shooter (63.1 percent) and rebounder (8.3 per game).

Why they're here

The Jayhawks fell in the Elite Eight for the second year in a row despite being a No. 1 seed, with coach Bill Self dropping to 2-5 with Kansas in regional finals. Despite the disappointing finish, we can't ignore a 13th consecutive Big 12 regular-season title, the longest stretch of any power-conference team in NCAA history.

3. Oregon Ducks

Final 2016-17 record: 33-6

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to North Carolina in Final Four

Star performers

Junior wing Dillon Brooks started off slow while recovering from offseason foot surgery but rebounded to score a team-high 16.1 points per game that included game-winning shots to beat UCLA and California during Pac-12 play. He shot 40.1 percent from three-point range and 48.8 percent overall.

Sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey became Oregon's best player in March, averaging 23.3 points in eight games between the Pac-12 and NCAA tourneys with at least 20 points in each contest. He shot 42.3 percent from three with 88 triples.

Shot-blockers Jordan Bell and Chris Boucher combined to swat 166 balls, helping Oregon set a Pac-12 record with 248 for the season. Boucher's knee injury in the Pac-12 tourney was damaging, but team rebound leader Bell filled the void by averaging 12.6 points and 13.2 rebounds in the NCAA tournament.

Why they're here

After sharing the Pac-12 regular-season title with Arizona and then falling to the Wildcats in the conference tournament championship, the Ducks made their first Final Four since the inaugural event in 1939. Oregon was the last team standing from its conference's stacked top tier, knocking off Kansas in the Midwest Region final to get to the semifinals.

2. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Final 2016-17 record: 37-2

NCAA tournament performance: Lost to North Carolina in NCAA championship game

Star performers

Junior guard Nigel Williams-Goss, a Washington transfer, was Gonzaga's heart and soul all season. He led the team in scoring (16.8) and assists (4.7) and was their top foul shooter (86.7 percent), ramping things up late in the NCAA tournament.

The other transfers, senior guard Jordan Mathews (California) and junior forward Johnathan Williams (Missouri), were two of the other four Gonzaga players to average double figures. The others were big men Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins, a senior and freshman who split time in the paint and were each adept at scoring, rebounding, blocking and passing. Collins, often limited by foul trouble, averaged 10 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in just 17 minutes per game.

Gonzaga ranked second nationally in shooting thanks to strong accuracy from every player in its eight-man rotation, none of whom shot worse than Mathews' 40.4 percent.

Why they're here

The program's first title game appearance and Final Four trip mean Gonzaga can officially be considered one of the elites in college basketball. The Bulldogs showed they were worthy of a No. 1 seed after nearly going perfect during the regular season, coming close to being the first school without a college football team to win it all since Seton Hall in 1989.

1. North Carolina Tar Heels

Final 2016-17 record: 33-7

NCAA tournament performance: Beat Gonzaga in NCAA championship game

Star performers

Forward Justin Jackson had a breakout junior season in which he became more aggressive and less dependent on jump shots, though his 37 percent shooting from three-point range was much better than in his first two years. He averaged a team-best 18.3 points per game, the best for a UNC player since Tyler Hansbrough averaged 20.7 on the 2008-09 national championship team.

Juniors Joel Berry and Theo Pinson were the leaders. Each dished out more than three assists per game, and Berry added 38 percent three-point shooting, while senior big men Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks shot well and controlled the boards. They combined to average 24.3 points and 15.0 rebounds per game, helping the Tar Heels lead the nation in rebounding.

Why they're here

UNC managed to do one better than a year ago, when it lost to Villanova in the national final on a buzzer-beater. The Tar Heels' sixth championship moves them into third in NCAA history and for coach Roy Williams, it's his third title in 14 years, one more than the legendary Dean Smith had at UNC in 36 years on the job.

All statistics courtesy of Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com, unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.