Early Projection: Top 25 NCAA TeamsBy: Adi Joseph

	Tyler Hansbrough

1. North Carolina
2. Pittsburgh
3. Michigan State
4. Duke
5. Connecticut
6. Gonzaga
7. Notre Dame
8. UCLA
9. Texas
10. Tennessee
11. Oklahoma
12. Purdue
13. Syracuse
14. Baylor
15. Arizona State
16. Louisville
17. Memphis
18. Wake Forest
19. Wisconsin
20. Marquette
21. Miami
22. Villanova
23. USC
24. West Virginia
25. Florida

Team Analysis

1. North Carolina Tar Heels

There are no excuses. This should be the year of the Tar Heel. Nearly everyone
returns from a Final Four team, including national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough.
And the recruiting class should more than solve any front court depth issues.
This team may legitimately have the best front court, back court, bench, starting
lineup and overall player in the nation. That’s why you will see North Carolina
atop every preseason poll.

PG: Ty Lawson / SG: Wayne Ellington / SF: Marcus Ginyard / PF: Deon Thompson /
C: Tyler Hansbrough / 6th Man: Danny Green

2. Pittsburgh Panthers

Whether or not swingman Mike Cook is granted an extra year of eligibility, the
Panthers are dangerous. This may be the best team in Pitt history, as they are
loaded at every position and primed to make a serious run toward the Final Four.
Sam Young and DeJuan Blair more than proved themselves down low last season, and
toughness has never been an issue for the Jamie Dixon/Ben Howland-era Panthers.
The name to look out for, especially if Cook doesn’t return, is Gilbert Brown,
who has the potential to provide a legitimate No. 2 scoring threat behind Young.

PG: Levance Fields / SG: Bradley Wannamaker / SF: Gilbert Brown / PF: Sam Young
/ C: DeJuan Blair / 6th Man: Tyrell Biggs

	Coach Izzo & Raymar Morgan

3. Michigan State Spartans

Full disclosure: I am a card-carrying member of the Church of Tom Izzo. The man
is an absolute genius. This year, he’s got a squad flooded with potential, led
by Raymar Morgan, who should be the absolute frontrunner for Big Ten Player of
the Year. The team also has the depth and size necessary to make a deep run. Nothing
should hold back the deepest team in the country. It’s a beautiful thing when
a basketball team has a legitimate replacement for every player on the court,
something only Michigan State can say this year.

PG: Kalin Lucas / SG: Chris Allen / SF: Raymar Morgan / PF: Marquise Gray / C:
Goran Suton / 6th Man: Durrell Summers

4. Duke Blue Devils

Even without a true big man, the Blue Devils should contend for a national title.
Gerald Henderson is back to wreck shop and he and Kyle Singler give the Blue Devils
perhaps the best forward duo in the nation. This is one of those prototypical
Duke teams. You’ll love to hate them, and they won’t stop winning the entire time.
Paulus at full health should finally be able to correctly play the villain role
and show why he was such a highly-regarded recruit. And newcomer Elliot Williams
should step into the hole left by DeMarcus Nelson.

PG: Greg Paulus / SG: Elliot Williams / SF: Gerald Henderson / PF: Kyle Singler
/ C: Lance Thomas / 6th Man: Jon Scheyer

5. Connecticut Huskies

A couple losses have hurt the Huskies. But few recruit and reload quite like Jim
Calhoun. The shocking return of Hasheem Thabeet means this team could scrape the
sky, especially if swingman Stanley Robinson comes back to school for the spring,
as rumored. A.J. Price is a consummate point guard, and he’s backed up by two
others (Craig Austrie and freshman Kemba Walker) who can all play
both guard spots.

PG: A.J. Price / SG: Jerome Dyson / SF: Nate Miles / PF: Jeff Adrien / C: Hasheem
Thabeet / 6th Man: Kemba Walker

6. Gonzaga Bulldogs

After having his heart stopped by an alleged Austin Daye ACL injury, Mark Few
can breathe again. And breathe easy at that. He’s got perhaps the most talented
squad he’s ever coached in front of him now. Daye should be a star, as should
junior Matt Bouldin. And Jeremy Pargo is the kind of gutsy point guard whose presence
can take a team a long way in March. A full season for Josh Heytvelt will be big as well.

PG: Jeremy Pargo / SG: Matt Bouldin / SF: Micah Downs / PF: Austin Daye / C: Josh
Heytvelt / 6th Man: Stephen Gray

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Luke Harangody was named Big East Player of the Year. And no one noticed. The
Fighting Irish have put together two very talented teams the last two years, but
this year they seem poised to finally do something with it all. Tory Jackson and
Kyle McAlarney are perfect foils in the backcourt, with Jackson providing explosive
playmaking and McAlarney hoisting threes and scoring with smooth effectiveness.
And ’Gody should be terrific, of course.

PG: Tory Jackson / SG: Kyle McAlarney / SF: Zach Hillesland / PF: Luke Harangody
/ C: Luke Zeller / 6th Man: Ryan Ayers

	Jrue Holiday

8. UCLA Bruins

The Bruins were the only team in the NCAA with enough returning and incoming talent
to have even appeared as a challenge for UNC, had everyone returned. Even with
some huge losses, including top-5 picks Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, the
Bruins should be in good shape to make a run at yet another conference title and
a fourth straight Final Four. It won’t be as easy this time around, but with the
top recruiting class in the country including standout Jrue Holiday and Darren
Collison leading the way, who knows?

PG: Darren Collison / SG: Jrue Holliday / SF: Josh Shipp / PF: James Keefe / C:
J’Mison Morgan / 6th Man: Malcolm Lee

9. Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns have produced a top-10 pick each of the last three years (LaMarcus
Aldridge, Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin). This year, that guy could be Damion
James. The forward is part of a very balanced squad that also features sophomore
swingman Gary Johnson, who should be ready to bounce back from the health problems
he suffered through last year. Forward Connor Atchley could also be primed to
break out this year.

PG: Justin Mason / SG: A.J. Abrams / SF: Damion James / PF: Connor Atchley / C: Gary Johnson / 6th Man: J’Covan Brown

10. Tennessee Volunteers

With Ramar Smith and Duke Crews back, the Volunteers would have made a serious
push for the No. 2 spot on these preseason rankings. Without them, Tennessee is
still a truly elite-level club. They have a number of versatile wings that help
make up for a true floor general, and should once again run over their SEC competition.

PG: J.P. Prince / SG: Josh Tabb / SF: Scotty Hopson / PF: Tyler Smith / C: Wayne
Chism / 6th Man: Brian Williams

	Blake Griffin

11. Oklahoma Sooners

Blake Griffin might be the most talented player in the NCAA this year. And that
alone makes Oklahoma a worthwhile team to look at as a contender. The Sooners
also add star freshman Willie Warren and return numerous key parts, including
Tony Crocker and Blake’s brother, Taylor Griffin.

PG: Austin Johnson / SG: Willie Warren / SF: Tony Crocker / PF: Taylor Griffin
/ C: Blake Griffin / 6th Man: Ryan Wright

12. Purdue Boilermakers

In one of the biggest surprise stories of last season, the Boilermakers took a very young team all the way to upper ranks of the Big Ten and even won an NCAA Tournament game. Matt Painter is a talented young coach and stars E’Twaun Moore and Robbie Hummel, along with a strong returning cast, should pave this team’s way right back to near the top of the conference.

PG: Chris Kramer / SG: E’Twaun Moore / SF: Keaton Grant / PF: Robbie Hummel /
C: JaJuan Johnson / 6th Man: Nemanja Calasan

13. Syracuse Orange

This team has the talent to really, really go places. The returns of Eric Devendorf
and Andy Rautins more than make up for the loss of first-rounder Donte Greene.
Jonny Flynn is one of the top five point guards in America. He’s got some Chris
Paul in him. And Paul Harris and Arinze Onuaku are too strong for their own good.

PG: Jonny Flynn / SG: Eric Devedorf / SF: Paul Harris / PF: Rick Jackson / C:
Arinze Onuaku / 6th Man: Andy Rautins

14. Baylor Bears

Surprised? Yes, Scott Drew has pulled a team out from one of the most controversial
scandals in the history of college sports and made them a legitimate threat in
the Big 12. Baylor has all the talent, and freshman Anthony Jones should really
add to that. Kevin Rogers is the best player you might not have heard of. If that’s
not enough, Baylor appears set to add #1 high school senior John Wall next season.

PG: Curtis Jerrells / SG: Henry Dugat / SF: LaceDarius Dunn / PF: Kevin Rogers
/ C: Josh Lomers / 6th Man: Tweety Carter

	James Harden

15. Arizona State Sun Devils

James Harden is the man. He can do anything he wants on a basketball court, which
is why I believe he should be a top-3 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Until then,
he and Jeff Pendergraph can lead the Sun Devils into a position where they can
actually push UCLA for conference supremacy. Oh, what a difference two years
makes.

PG: Derrick Glasser / SG: Ty Abbott / SF: James Harden / PF: Rihards Kuksiks /
C: Jeff Pendergraph / 6th Man: Jerren Shipp

16. Louisville Cardinals

Admittedly, I’m an annual Rick Pitino skeptic. This year, I’m giving him a little,
but not too much, leeway. Samardo Samuels is an animal and Terrence Williams and
Earl Clark are do-everything types that often are found on really good teams.
Jerry Smith is another quality role player. But the group doesn’t seem to fit
together. Who knows? This is one of those teams that could win the NCAA championship
or the NIT championship.

PG: Edgar Sosa / SG: Jerry Smith / SF: Terrence Williams / PF: Earl Clark / C:
Samardo Samuels / 6th Man: Terrence Jennings

17. Memphis Tigers

The truth of the matter is that this Memphis team is seriously weaker than the
past several. But in Conference USA, expect another season of complete domination
from the Tigers. Tyreke Evans could prove to be one of the top scoring freshmen
in the country on an otherwise defensive-oriented team.

PG: Willie Kemp / SG: Tyreke Evans / SF: Antonio Anderson / PF: Robert Dozier
/ C: Shawn Taggart / 6th Man: Doneal Mack

	Jeff Teague

18. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

This is so much more than a feel-good pick. After proving to be two of the best
freshmen in the country last season, Jeff Teague and James Johnson will be joined
by arguably the nation’s top recruiting class. The only concern: Al Farouq-Aminu
and Johnson clashing a little too much. But players that talented figure it out.

PG: Ishmael Smith / SG: Jeff Teague / SF: James Johnson / PF: Al Farouq-Aminu
/ C: Chas McFarland / 6th Man: L.D. Williams

19. Wisconsin Badgers

A quick glance at the roster might have one questioning this pick. But Bo Ryan
is one of the best coaches in America. So what’s he working with? A tough group
that surely will dedicate itself to the trudging, defensive game plan Ryan executes
every year. In Jon Leuer and Trevon Hughes, there may even be stars in the wings.

PG: Trevon Hughes / SG: Jason Bohannon / SF: Joe Krabbenhoft / PF: Marcus Landry
/ C: Greg Stiemsma / 6th Man: Jon Leuer

20. Marquette Golden Eagles

The coach has left the building, but nearly all the players stuck around. Tom
Crean was undeniably a mastermind of a coach, but he also watched an underachieving team the last two years. This is the last chance for the backcourt of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews to make a real impact. They’re too talented to not take that.

PG: Dominic James / SG: Jerel McNeal / SF: Wesley Matthews / PF: Lazar Haywood
/ C: Trevor Mbakwe / 6th Man: Maurice Aker

21. Miami Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are getting serious hype from serious sources. ESPN’s Andy Katz
ranks them No. 8 in the nation heading into the season. I’m not buying that much
stock, but the Hurricanes undeniably return quite a lot of talent. The point guard
position is still a bit shaky, though.

PG: Lance Hurdle / SG: Jack McClinton / SF: James Dews / PF: Brian Asbury / C:
Dwayne Collins / 6th Man: Jimmie Graham

22. Villanova Wildcats

Villanova is an oddball team filled with guards. It was nearly impossible deciphering
a starting lineup for this batch of players. But I am convinced that with Corey
Fisher and Scottie Reynolds handling the ball, the Wildcats should be poised for
a solid run in the exceptional Big East.

PG: Corey Fisher / SG: Scottie Reynolds / SF: Corey Stokes / PF: Dante Cunningham
/ C: Antonio Pena / 6th Man: Shane Clark

	Demar Derozan

23. USC Trojans

O.J. Mayo’s influence on the USC program was pretty major for a one year stint.
With that said, this team may be a little more balanced if Daniel Hackett and
Taj Gibson can take the steps both were expected to make last season this time
around. Freshman Demar DeRozan should be a force as well.

PG: Daniel Hackett / SG: Dwight Lewis / SF: Demar DeRozan / PF: Keith Wilkinson
/ C: Taj Gibson / 6th Man: Angelo Johnson

24. West Virginia Mountaineers

It’s tough not to think of Joe Alexander’s departure for NBA waters as an enormous
blow. With him, this West Virginia team looked like it was potentially Final Four
bound. But there is still a lot of talent to rally around, including glue guy
Alex Ruoff and heralded recruit Devin Ebanks.

PG: Joe Mazzula / SG: Alex Ruoff / SF: Devin Ebanks / PF: Da’Sean Butler / C:
Kevin Jones / 6th Man: Wellington Smith

25. Florida Gators

Now two years removed from their national championship days, the Gators have continued
their reloading process with another top-5 recruiting class, this time spearheaded
by forward Eloy Vargas and center Kenny Kadji. If those guys mesh with the already-existing
talent, led by Nick Calathes, this Gators team could be reminiscent of the 2005
one.

PG: Jai Lucas / SG: Nick Calathes / SF: Chandler Parsons / PF: Eloy Vargas / C:
Kenny Kadji / 6th Man: Walter Hodge

Sleepers:

	Patrick Mills

1. Washington Huskies – Starting with star forward Jon
Brockman, the Huskies are bringing back most key pieces from a team that underachieved
last season. The talent is there, but the discipline was questionable.
2. Kansas Jayhawks – Yeah, they lost almost everyone. But this is Kansas
we are talking about here, one of the greatest programs in college basketball
history. A deep recruiting class and burgeoning star Sherron Collins will keep
the Jayhawks afloat.
3. Saint Marys Gaels – One of the surprise stories of last season, the
Gaels will once again be led by Aussie guard Patrick Mills and hard-nosed forward
Diamon Simpson. That duo alone makes them a threat to Gonzaga’s WCC title.
4. Virginia Tech Hokies – This team is loaded with returnees and young
players. Their freshman class looked outstanding last season, and this year expect
even more from Jeff Allen and company. The loss of Deron Washington won’t hurt
too much.
5. Cincinnati Bearcats – It’s easy to look past the Bearcats and their
recent mediocrity, but this program is really starting to come together finally.
The Bob Huggins era is in the past now, and guard Deonta Vaughn and freshman Yancy
Gates are the present.

Overrated:

1. Arizona Wildcats – The loss of Brandon Jennings is going to hurt. Sure,
Nick Wise, Chase Budinger, Jamelle Horne, Jordan Hill and freshman Jeff Withey
is a nice starting lineup, but the Wildcats have no depth.
2. Kentucky Wildcats – Some are calling Kentucky a sleeper. Which, in itself,
sounds odd. But consider the importance of Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford, and
it’s tough to imagine too much out of this team, unless power forward Patrick Patterson recovers quickly from his ankle injury.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes – Freshman center B.J. Mullins is being called a
No. 1-pick type of player. But the problem is: who gets him the ball? The Buckeyes
will rely heavily on relatively unheralded freshman Anthony Crater at the point,
a recipe for disaster.
4. Virginia Commonwealth Rams – The return of star point guard Eric Maynor
makes VCU an easy pick in the CAA on paper. But I’m not convinced anyone else
on the team can step up, with the losses of Jamal Shuler and Michael Anderson.
5. The Atlantic 10 – Last season was good for the A10. They had strong
senior classes across the board and a very competitive league. But nearly every
team in the conference is weaker this year than last, especially defending champs
Xavier.