INDIVIDUAL TEAM SUMMARIES AND SCHEDULES FOR 2005-06 SEASON
(2005-06 SEASON)

For select teams, I have made comments as the season progresses.

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AIR FORCE FALCONS
Colorado Springs, Colorado

[OFFICIAL] Air Force Men's Basketball Website

Jan 2
In light of UNLV's poor preseason, make the Falcons the trackable team for their conference. Three starters return from last year's winning squad -- (cNick Welch is out for the season with a foot injury) -- led by gAntoint Hood; gMatt McCraw and fJacob Burtschi are also back; fDan Nwaelele was a strong sub last season who will step up to start this year. New coach Jeff Bzdelik has an experienced team to work with, which has helped ease the transition.

In the downgraded Mountain West, no one in particular is a strong favorite. Utah and New Mexico lost last year's superstars; the Falcons and San Diego State return the most intact rosters from a year ago.

Two wins over ACC teams, Miami(Florida) and Georgia Tech, is a great preseason. In league play, some of the tougher games are on the road first, but a veteran squad can handle that.

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

[OFFICIAL] Alabama Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#19)
fChuck Davis and gRonald Steele return to form the core of Crimson Tide; fJermareo Davidson is a solid presence in the paint. Scoring from the perimeter will be a big question mark for coach Mark Gottfried, though; it's not ideal to look to freshmen, tAlonzo Gee and tRichard Hendrix, as mainstays in your offensive scheme.

In a rebuilding year for the SEC, the Tide will contend with LSU and Arkansas in the West, and Kentucky in the East for overall supremacy.

It's a tough draw even making it to New York in the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (Duke, UCLA, Memphis, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Temple) but they're favored to do at least that. Winning at Oklahoma won't happen, but beating N.C. State at home will. In league play, a tough 8-day stretch in January will make or break their regular season.

Nov 21
The home loss to Memphis showed how thin the backcourt situation is for the Tide. Ronald Steele was overwhelmed by the full-court pressure and had little to no help handling the ball and making good decisions.
Dec 12
Back-to-back losses have the Tide reeling and in need of regrouping. Defending the 3 has been a particular weak spot, but offensive efficiency is just as lacking. gRonald Steele isn't able to do it by himself and he's not getting enough help at the moment.
Jan 9: (untracked)
A dismal preseason was bad enough, but now the Tide is already behind in the standings in conference play. Time to be untracked until they prove themselves worthy. On top of that, senior cChuck Davis tore his ACL against Mississippi and his college career is over.
Feb 6: (retracked)
Midway through the regular season, the Tide has regrouped as a new unit and established itself as a league power.
Feb 20
The win over Tennessee was first rate. Look for the Tide to be the kind of team that makes a surprise run in the postseason because their record and the loss of cChuck Davis will make teams overlook them.
ARIZONA WILDCATS
Tucson, Arizona

[OFFICIAL] Arizona Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#7)
Three starters and several key reserves return from last year's squad that was an overtime jumper away from the Final Four. tHassan Adams leads the way and gMustafa Shakur must step up to lead in the backcourt; fIvan Radenovic, tJawann McClellan, tChris Rodgers all fill in well as role players; fIsaiah Fox can be a factor as well. Freshman tMarcus Williams and gJ.P. Prince (brother of Tayshaun Prince) figure to be contributors right from the start. Coach Lute Olson is as good as it gets at molding a roster into a cohesive unit with its own identity. No reason to expect the Wildcats to skip a beat.

In the strong Pac-10, the Wildcats are the favorite with Washington, Stanford, UCLA and Oregon battling it out for second place.

Nov 28: (#9)
The trip to MAUI was a rough one. Point guard play is the biggest issue resulting in the terrible field goal percentage. Things were better at home in the payback game against Virginia, but let's hope that's not a one-time thing. So far gChris Rodgers has been the most consistent performer (on both ends of the court).
Dec 5: (#22)
There's no quick fix, apparently. Point guar play, shot selection and field goal percentage continue to haunt the 'Cats (although in this case, the bad start was due to player suspensions from the starting lineup forcing UofA to play catch-up all game long against Houston.
Dec 27: (#25)
It wasn't easy, but the overtime win against Western Kentucky to take the FIESTA BOWL crown does count for more than a showcase. There are still plenty of problems, most of which can be traced to a failure at point guard. With most everyone struggling with something this season, don't count the Wildcats out just yet. fHassan Adams and gChris Rodgers have been pretty consistent performers in the big games.
Jan 2: (#17)
The thrilling double-overtime win at Washington immediately resurrects what had been a mediocre preseason campaign. Will and determination were as much the keys to victory as anything. Forget the stats.
Jan 16
The 'Cats offensive ineptitude has caught up with them, with two bad performances in the state of Oregon. Fortunately, no one else is running away with the conference race, though.
Jan 23
Lack of cohesion on the court must somewhere -- how about lack of cohesion off the court. tChris Rodgers has been dismissed from the team.
Mar 7
fHassan Adams has been suspended (at least for the duration of the conference tourney) after being arrested on DUI charges.
BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES
Boston, Massachusetts

[OFFICIAL] Boston College Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#4)
Four starters return from last year's NCAA splash squad. fCraig Smith and fJared Dudley are the best forward tandem in the nation. gLouis Hinnant and tSean Marshall also return from a veteran team that plays tough every night. There's not much experienced depth after that, however, and no new players are expected to make an immediate impact. Playing in a new league is a big incentive for coach Al Skinner's team.

In the so-so ACC, the Eagles will go head-to-head with Duke right away for the title; Wake Forest, N.C. State and Maryland will push those two from behind as spoilers.

The LAS VEGAS THANKSGIVING (Oklahoma State) crown is theirs for the taking. They're not officially part of the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE, so the JIMMY V game (Michigan State) is a substitute, one of the best matchups in all the preseason. A side trip to Holy Cross won't be as easy as you might think. In league play, they don't get to visit Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke, so their big rival will more likely be Wake Forest.

Nov 28: (#15)
You'd like to see more decisive wins at this stage -- especially against Drake -- but a win is a win; give them full credit for coming out victorious in the LAS VEGAS THANKSGIVING bracket. Rebounding remains a concern, but outside shooting may be finding an answer in freshman gTyrese Rice.
Dec 12: (#15)
The big games are slipping away from the Eagles because they aren't getting enough easy baskets on the perimeter and in transition. gTyrese Rice is still a work in progress. Nothing wrong with their competitive heart, though.
Dec 27: (#21)
The return of cSean Williams from suspension will help shore up the rebounding issues the Eagles face, but it doesn't do anything for the poor outside shooting. Can you have an overemphasis on scoring in the paint? The short answer is yes. Three-the-hard-way doesn't win the race in the long run in this era.
Jan 16
The move to the ACC hasn't gone nearly as smoothly as the Eagles expected. Inferior guards has been the main cause. You have to be more than a one-dimensional pound-it-in-the-paint team in this era. Once BC gets behind, it doesn't have enough outside firepower to shoot itself back into the game.
BUCKNELL BISON
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

[OFFICIAL] Bucknell Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#13)
Five returning starters and a summer trip abroad to Great Britain point to even better things to come this year. But how can the Bison improve on a season when they won at Pittsburgh during the regular season and upset Kansas in the NCAA tournament? Don't overstate their case, but the least optimistic thing you can say is that they're certainly among a select few teams that are poised to hit the ground running from the very start of the new season. gKevin Bettencourt, bCharles Lee and cChris McNaughton are the main men. Just repeating last year's wondrous season would be something special.

Inside the Patriot League [OFFICIAL], Holy Cross remains the only team truly capable of rising to the Bison's level.

Winning at Duke is a stretch, but at Syracuse and home against Villanova are real possibilities. They're the favorites to be Unwelcome Guest victors of CABLE CAR. In league play, getting Holy Cross at home first only makes them even more solid favorites.

Nov 21
A Sweet 16-ranked team should have been able to do more than escape on the road against lowly Rider. Now, a road win at Syracuse would more than make up for that.
Nov 28: (#18)
Forget margin of victory. A road win at Syracuse is huge for a program at this level. We know it's no fluke -- they pulled off the same thing last year at Pittsburgh. Don't forget what an accomplished, veteran squad this is.
Dec 12: (#22)
No, the Wildcats are just that good. cChris McNaughton was able to score well on the inside against Villanova, but bCharles Lee and gKevin Bettencourt had it tough against the best backcourt cadre in the country.
Feb 20
The Bison showed off their great defensive capabilities in the BRACKET BUSTER game at Northern Iowa; unfortunately, they also showed just how badly they can struggle to get an easy basket on offense. (This from a team that supposedly has 50+ sets in its offensive playbook -- how about "Get open; bury the jump shot"?)
Feb 27
Hats off to the Bison for being the first team to ever go undefeated in the Patriot League.
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
Berkeley, California

[OFFICIAL] California Men's Basketball Website

Dec 5
It's the return of fLeon Powe (and no other reason) that makes the Golden Bears a trackable team. Much like Indiana and cMarco Killingsworth, it's a star watch. The team may not go far, but check the box scores for the individual performance of this All-America player. fRichard Midgley and fRod Benson are capable players, and ex-Kansas transfer gOmar Wilkes (son of Keith/Jamaal Wilkes) could be reasons for optimism.

In the strong Pac-10, Arizona is the favorite with Washington, Stanford, UCLA and Oregon all pushing hard for second place; the Bears are only expected to spoil.

Winning the GOLDEN BEAR CLASSIC was a foregone conclusion. Winning on the road against Kansas will be a real test. In league play, if they can still one or two of the early tough road games, the middle season stretch of big games at home could put them right in the thick of things.

Jan 2: (#24)
Now that all the pieces are together, we finally get to see what this Cal team is made of. So far so good. It wasn't even cLeon Powe in particular who led the way in the big road win at UCLA.
CHARLOTTE 49ERS
Charlotte, North Carolina

[OFFICIAL] Charlotte Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Losing two star players isn't normally a formula for optimism, but I do have good news: fCurtis Withers is still around, and this year's Atlantic 10 is an easier league than last year's Conference USA (although it is tougher than this year's Atlantic 10). Ex-Oklahoma transfer gDe'Angelo Alexander will be a fine addition.

In the Atlantic 10, the newcomer 49ers will immediately contend for the title with George Washington, with Temple, Xavier and St. Joseph's not far behind.

They're the favorites to be Unwelcome Guest winners at the BCA INVITATIONAL (at Wyoming). Beating Indiana at home will be tougher this year; winning at Wake Forest isn't in the cards. In league play, three of five tough games are at home ... not bad.

Jan 2: (untracked)
The disappointing preseason no longer warrants tracking this team. George Washington is clearly the standard bearer for the conference (and other teams are more formidable contenders than the 49ers at this point).
Feb 6: (retracked)
Midway through conference play, the 49ers are at least very much in the mix in the standings. That justifies retracking them (even if the remain no factor on a national level).
CINCINNATI BEARCATS
Cincinnnati, Ohio

[OFFICIAL] Cincinnati Men's Basketball Website

Dec 27
Beating LSU to earn a share of the LAS VEGAS CHRISTMAS crown (with Northern Iowa), avenging their earlier home loss to Dayton along the way, makes the Bearcats trackable. The off-season ousting of coach Bob Huggins hasn't completely ruined the prospects for the season -- interim coach Andy Kennedy has the team focused on the only thing they can control: their own performances. tJames White has the talent to dominate (if not always the will to do so for a full 40 minutes); undersized 6-6 cEric Hicks works hard in the paint along with fArmein Kirkland and JuCo transfer fCedric McGownan; freshman gDevan Downey is already pushing hard to run the point ahead of gJihad Muhammad.

In the supersized Big East, Connecticut will battle with newcomer Louisville and Villanova for the top spot, with Syracuse, Georgetown, the Bearcats and West Virginia right behind them ready to spoil.

Surviving in OT against Murray State and earning a split with Dayton were face-saving; sharing the LAS VEGAS crown was as much as could be expected with the way it was set up; losing to Memphis, even at home, wasn't too much of a surprise. In league play, more rough road games early is a tough welcome to a new conference.

Jan 9: (#25)
The road win at Marquette wasn't huge, but was yet another solid performance (especially cEric Hicks' triple-double). The Bearcats are plugging right along without much fanfare or attention. This could be a week for some noise-making.
Jan 16
The Bearcats were already undersized and overachieving as it was. Losing tArmein Kirkland to a knee injury makes a difficult season nearly impossible. Don't fault coach Andy Kennedy if UC's begins to slide; he's done a very fine job with the situation he inherited.
Jan 30: (untracked)
It's time to face facts that the Bearcats are no longer trackable.
Feb 20: (retracked)
Andy Kennedy has done it twice this season: just getting the Bearcats to be competitive in this tough league after losing their legendary coach was one thing; then, after injuries have decimated a squad that was already overachieving as it was, he's gotten them to regroup yet again and still be a factor in conference play.
Mar 27
Just when they needed them most, gJihad Muhammad and tJames White were ruled ineligible for the South Carolina game by the NCAA. Coach Andy Kennedy is headed south as the new coach of Mississippi. Another former Bob Huggins assistant, Mike Cronin (Murray State) is slated to be the new Cincinnati coach. "Thanks, Andy. There's the door." What a sorry, classless way to treat a guy who did a Grade A, classy job this season as "interim" coach.
CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
Storrs, Connecticut

[OFFICIAL] Connecticut Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#6)
Four starters return (on paper) from last year's NCAA splash squad. gMarcus Williams and freshman gA.J. Price have been suspended indefinitely due to off court legal problems. Even so, there is plenty of talent on the roster. fRudy Gay is poised for a breakout season, cJosh Boone is solid in the paint, tRashad Anderson and bDenham Brown can take control of games, fEd Nelson and cHilton Armstrong provide quality minutes underneath off the bench. Coach Jim Calhoun's system is to push the pace at all costs (even if the currently available personnel would be better off going station-to-station).

In the supersized Big East, the Huskies will battle with newcomer Louisville and Villanova for the top spot, with Syracuse, Georgetown, Cincinnati and West Virginia right behind them ready to spoil.

Winning the MAUI INVITATIONAL (Michigan State, Arizona, Gonzaga, Maryland, Kansas, Arkansas) is the top prize of the preseason -- it might be too much to ask so early in the season. LSU and Indiana on the road should be wins, but they'll take their toll. In league play, they have full home-and-home series against their top three rivals. This is the toughest schedule in all of college basketball.

Nov 28: (#1)
Make no mistake: when your point guard has zero assists all is not right with the world; but remember that freshman gCraig Austrie is only a temporary substitute until gMarcus Williams will return in January. And still they were able to turn back Arizona and edge Gonzaga on bDenham Brown's game-winner. The roster is loaded with talent; they get to the foul line; they're doing it without much use of three-pointer so far. They won MAUI at less than their best.
Jan 2: (#2)
fRudy Gay's ankle injury doesn't appear to be serious. In the meantime, cHilton Armstrong has stepped it up and become a first-line performer.
Jan 9: (#3)
gMarcus Williams has been reinstated to the team. He wasn't an immediate difference-maker against Marquette or LSU, but he will be in the long run.
Feb 27: (#1)
It took awhile, but the Huskies are finally in first place in the league (and they're still only tied with Villanova). No one in the nation has more talent on their roster than this group.
DAVIDSON WILDCATS
Davidson, North Carolina

[OFFICIAL] Davidson Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Last year's undefeated run through the conference regular season ended in disappointment when the Wildcats failed to advance to the NCAAs. Three starters return, including gBrendan Winters, with something to prove (and a fifth straight division title won't suffice).

In the Southern Conference, the Wildcats are the favorite in the South ahead of Furman and Georgia Southern, and overall over UNC-Greensboro, Appalachian State and Chattanooga from the North.

Wins against Duke, Syracuse, North Carolina, Charlotte and Missouri won't happen; St. Joseph's, IL-Chicago and Massachusetts are their best bet. In league play, most of the tough games are on the road early -- not ideal, but a veteran squad can handle it.

DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Durham, North Carolina

[OFFICIAL] Duke Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#3)
On paper, Duke always looks like The Team To Beat practically every season. In practice, it's difficult to tell which Duke team will fall short -- usually it's the one that can't score easy baskets. gJ.J. Redick can spot up for the three as well as anyone in the country, and he's improved his scoring off the drive quite a lot. Down low, cShelden Williams is a force defensively and a workhorse on offense. gSean Dockery at point guard may not be the ideal solution, so the reins might be turned over to a freshman, gGreg Paulus -- that's never ideal. Freshman fJosh McRoberts has a "Can't Miss" label on him. tLee Melchionni and bDeMarcus Nelson were good in spots last year. Coach Mike Krzyzewski's team will certainly be in the hunt for a Final Four spot.

In the so-so ACC, the Blue Devils will battle with newcomer Boston College for the top spot; Wake Forest, N.C. State and Maryland will all play spoiler after that.

Winning the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (Alabama, UCLA, Memphis, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Temple) shouldn't be a problem. Neither should winning at Indiana (ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE). Playing Texas at home-away-from-home is one of the biggest matchups of the preseason ... and no sure thing at all. Home cooking should be enough to hold off a great Bucknell team. In league play, there are only a couple of tough games from Duke's perspective.

Nov 28: (#3)
They way they weren't able to separate from 3-3 Drexel until the second half is a worry. They were fortunate that Memphis wasn't quite ready to win a game this big in the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF final. Few people will be able to shut down gJ.J. Redick like tRodney Carney was able to do, so that's not a real concern; being outrebounded by more athletic frontcourt and 'tweener players is, though. Best news is the ready-for-prime-time toughness shown by freshman gGreg Paulus. fJosh McRoberts is certainly not the best freshman in the country, but he's at least starting to show signs of some game.
Dec 5: (#5)
Only gSean Dockery's three-point prayer at the buzzer rescued the Blue Devils from a bad conference loss at home against Virginia Tech. Duke led 74-63 before an uncharacteristic collapse of miscues and bad decisions almost let it slip away -- the bad news is that it was the veterans who were making the mistakes.
Dec 12: (#1)
No, it wasn't really #1 vs #2, but it was the best win of the season so far when the Blue Devils blew away Texas. They reaffirmed the point that if you can't stop gJ.J. Redick (or at least slow him down), you've got a real problem on you hands. The extreme margin of victory says more about the Longhorns' youth and inexperience than it does about Duke. Basically, this Duke team is more vulnerable to upset from a bunch of no-name guards than from a powerhouse elite juggernaut.
Jan 9: (#1)
bDeMarcus Nelson is back on the court.
Jan 16: (#1)
No sooner do the Blue Devils get bDeMarcus Nelson back than he injures his leg a second time. Yikes. Things on the court have been going smoothly (but this isn't a deep team).
Jan 23: (#2)
More than just a squeak road loss, the upset by Georgetown did expose that lesser individual athleticism of the Blue Devil players. Granted, it takes a spread offense to isolate that because of Duke's normal help in the team concept, but that weakness is there. Virginia Tech did exploit something real, and N.C. State nearly pulled it off as well.
Feb 20: (#1)
While gJ.J. Redick make's his case for Player of the Year -- [he's 1A and Gonzaga's fAdam Morrison is 1B] -- the Blue Devils keep rolling along without as much fanfare as you might expect. They're having an exceptional year.
Feb 27: (#2)
Nothing terribly wrong with anything the Blue Devils are doing. (gJ.J. Redick has run out of career records he's likely to set.) A better team is having a better year in a better league up to the north is all.
FLORIDA GATORS
Gainesville, Florida

[OFFICIAL] Florida Men's Basketball Website

Nov 21: (#11)
Things are ahead of schedule for the Gators, who have played solid basketball in the COACHES VS CANCER CLASSIC despite their youth. gTaurean Green, tCorey Brewer, cAl Horford, cJoaquin Noah, gLee Humphrey and fAdrian Moss were all supporting castmembers last year; together, they form a more balanced approach than the three-star system a year ago. Freshmen gWalter Hodge and gDavid Huertas may also step in and contribute.

In the rebuilding SEC, the Gators will chase Kentucky in the East, but will be in the thick of things for second place overall with Alabama, LSU and maybe even Arkansas from the West.

Success in COACHES VS CANCER has already been assured. The "Florida State Title" game at Miami(Florida) shouldn't be too much to pull off. In league play, the toughest road games don't come until the very end of the season -- a perfect schedule for a young talented squad.

Feb 27: (#16)
Failing to come through in close games is now becoming a habit for the Gators. There isn't really a go-to scorer off the dribble they can turn to in crunch time. Hitting the big jump shot doesn't always work. tCorey Brewer could be the guy, but the team is too balanced to feel like one man should take them there.
GEORGE WASHINGTON COLONIALS
Washington, District of Columbia

[OFFICIAL] George Washington Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Four starters return from last year's NCAA squad, including fPops Mensah-Bonsu, gJ.R. Pinnock and tMike Hall. The Colonials push the pace at all costs and that works up to a point. Come December, ex-LSU transfer fRegis Koundjia is eligible and there will be some serious talent in the front court.

In the now single-division 14-team Atlantic 10, newcomer Charlotte will immediately contend for the conference title with the Colonials, with Temple, Xavier and St. Joseph's not far behind.

The BB&T CLASSIC is a one-off grudge match this year -- no reason they can't win it in front of a split crowd; winning at NC State might be a taller order. In league play, four of their six big games are on the road. Ouch!

Nov 28
fPops Mensah-Bonsu has to sit out the first three games of the year as a suspension from the NCAA regarding his flirtation with the NBA in the off-season.
Dec 5
fPops' return is a cause for celebration ... and just in time for the State Title game with Maryland in the BB&T CLASSIC.
Dec 12: (#13)
The Colonials beat Maryland in the split-crowd BB&T CLASSIC game with better guardplay. The win legitimizes the blowout margins over no-names.
Jan 2: (#19)
Hopefully, it was just the holiday layoff that contributed to the lackluster performance against N.C. State; the Colonials didn't look like they had much of a plan of attack. Meanwhile, fRegis Koundjia is now eligible, so GW is at full strength from here on out.
Feb 27: (#10)
fPops Mensah-Bonsu's knee injury should only sideline him for a couple of weeks. The Colonials need to finish strong to earn a high seed for the NCAA tournament -- (they have a shot at being as high as an overseeded #2 due to their stellar won-loss record).
GEORGETOWN HOYAS
Washington, District of Columbia

[OFFICIAL] Georgetown Men's Basketball Website

Jan 23: (#25)
The monumental upset of previously unbeaten Duke vaults the Hoyas from off the radar straight into rankability. The best set of athletes running the spread offense finally have a worthy result. fBrandon Bowman has taken a back seat to fJeff Green, cRoy Hibbert and gAshanti Cook in coach John Thompson III's new scheme, but he returned to prominence in a big way against the Blue Devils. Whether this is a one-time splash or whether it spurs GU onto a strong finish remains to be seen.

In the supersized Big East, Connecticut will battle with newcomer Louisville and Villanova for the top spot, with Syracuse, the Hoyas, Cincinnati and West Virginia right behind them ready to spoil.

Twice an Unwelcome Guest (winning the HISPANIC CLASSIC at Oregon, and the SUN BOWL at UTEP) is quite a coup; winning at Illinois wasn't likely; upsetting undefeated Duke was a shocker from nowhere. In league play, playing the roughest teams on the road doesn't help.

GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Athens, Georgia

[OFFICIAL] Georgia Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
One quality recruit, gMike Mercer, isn't enough to lift the Bulldogs out of the mess of the aftermath of the Jim Harrick era. gLevi Stukes, gSundiata Gaines and gChanning Toney get one more backcourt running mate -- that's nowhere near enough help. Coach Dennis Felton's squad might at least be watchable this season, but that's as much as there is to look forward to.

The Dawgs will again be no factor whatsoever in the SEC race.

A third-place finish at PARADISE JAM (Wisconsin, Old Dominion) would be an accomplishment. Don't look for a road win at Western Kentucky or Nevada, but a home win over young rival Georgia Tech could happen. A loss to Georgia State would be bad, but it won't happen. The league schedule is irrelevant to this squad that has no shot to make a mark.

Nov 28
The victory on the road at Western Kentucky is a real win. It's still going to be a long season, but the "Georgia State Title" is an attainable goal.
GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS
Atlanta, Georgia

[OFFICIAL] Georgia State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
The move up to a stronger league figures to make for a rough season for a team without any first-rate returning players. Experienced backcourt guards, gBoyd Copeland, gMalcolm Manier, gHerman Favors and gD'Andre McGrew won't scare anybody at this level. The front court of fJustin Bilingslea, cDeven Dickerson and JuCo transfer tLance Perique is even less impressive. The death last year of teammate tTikoyo Barnett will unite the squad to perservere for the long haul.

In the strong Colonial, Old Dominion is the favorite, among a host of strong contenders -- none of which are the Panthers, alas.

Don't expect much as far as results: no way over Kentucky, Alabama or Charlotte; probably not against Georgia or LA-Lafayette. In league play, the schedule is irrelevant for an overmatched squad.

Nov 28
The rout of Delaware was quite nice. Even in defeat against a nationally prominent Charlotte team, the Panthers held their own. The deep (if diminutive) backcourt has enough talent to cause problems and the frontcourt tandem of fJustin Billingslea and cDeven Dickerson has made effective contributions.
GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS/RAMBLIN' WRECK
Atlanta, Georgia

[OFFICIAL] Georgia Tech Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#1)
No starters return from last year's NCAA splash season. Sophomores fRa'Sean Dickey, gAnthony Morrow, fJeremis Smith, gMario West, gZam Fredrick and senior cTheodis Tarver were nothing more than role playing subs a season ago; now they're the whole show. Paul Hewitt's uptempo style doesn't need supreme skill, just all out hustle; but that will only go so far against the elite competition with which they'll be faced.

In a so-so year for the ACC, Duke and newcomer Boston College are the favorites, Wake Forest, N.C. State and Maryland will spoil; the Yellow Jackets will be no factor whatsoever.

No way they can win at Michigan State. Winning at Georgia might not be so easy, frankly. In league play, they have full home-and-home matchups with the top five teams. Yikes.

Nov 21
The NCAA handed Tech a two-year probation for playing several ineligible players in multiple sports. The basketball Jackets weren't necessarily headed for the postseason, anyway. In a way, this takes the pressure off a little bit.
Nov 28
Yikes. The collapse at home against lowly Illinois-Chicago marks a descent into less than mediocrity. The two players with any kind of real experience/talent, fRa'Sean Dickey and tAnthony Morrow, don't appear to have the make-up to be the leaders that the team needs them to be.
Jan 9
The home win over Boston College is a big morale-builder. The Jackets have been playing better defense lately, and fJeremis Smith and tAnthony Morrow have been consistent producers this season.
Feb 13
If only the win over N.C. State was more than a one-time fluke. Maybe the Jackets can still get it together enough to spoil in the conference tourney and make a run in the NIT, but that's all that's feasible at this point.
GONZAGA BULLDOGS
Spokane, Washington

[OFFICIAL] Gonzaga Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#9)
Four starters return from last year's team that had its best showing in the regular season, but disappointingly failed to make it even to the Sweet 16 in the NCAAs. fAdam Morrison is one of the best pure forwards in the country; cJ.P. Batista is a strong low-post scorer; gDerek Raivio handled the pressure of being the sole first-rate backcourt player last year; tErroll Knight is more valuable on defense than offense; fSean Mallon needs to shed the "potential" label that's been placed on his head the past two years. Coach Mark Few could use more easy offense on the perimeter, but the status quo is still awfully tough.

In the WCC, the 'Zags are heavy favorites as the likes of St. Mary's lost a lot from last year's squad.

The MAUI INVITATIONAL crown just might happen. Wins at Washington, against Oklahoma State, at Memphis and against Stanford are all more likely than not. In league play, the race could be over early with a road win at St. Mary's.

Nov 28: (#4)
Wow! If not for Connecticut's game-winning jumper in the MAUI final, we might have been talking #1 team in the nation! The thrilling triple-overtime win against Michigan State was a great game all around, but especially for fAdam Morrison, who is probably already the season winner of M.O.P.O.G.O.Y. (Most Outstanding Player Of the Game Of the Year). His 43-point burst against MSU was intense from the opening tap until the finishing buzzer three hours later. Don't forget the emergence of freshman gJeremy Pargo as an important cog taking some of the pressure off of gDerek Raivio in the backcourt. In-season success two years running; post-season success has been a few years, though.
Dec 5: (#6)
gDerek Raivio injured his hip on a bad fall in the first half and sat out the second half against Washington; a couple of miscues late in the game were all that made the difference between winning and losing. fAdam Morrison's second 43-point performance of the year was all in regulation this time. Offensively, the 'Zags are great; but it's starting to appear that shootouts are their specialty moreso than blowouts. In the long run, you'll wind up on the short end of those endplay games (as has already happened twice).
Dec 12: (#7)
Without gDerek Raivio (who's still out a bruised lower back), the offense wasn't nearly as efficient against the young Replacement Players at Oklahoma State. fAdam's Morrison's lucky 3pt bank shot saved the day, but it was a game that OSU led for most of the way, even in Seattle.
Dec 19: (#7)
gDerek Raivio is back on the court -- and none too soon, as the Bulldogs trailed for much of the game against Virginia before a 21-6 run to close the game made it look like a solid win. Basket-trading is fine in the early preseason of MAUI, and Memphis will certainly be glad to go up-and-down as fast as they want, and it may even be good enough to coast through the WCC; but come March, the 'Zags will have to play some serious shutdown defense if they want to avoid another high-profile preseason that leads to an early-round exit. Their gaudy won-loss record and newsclippings may give them a false sense that this is truly a Final Four team. At the moment, that's a mirage.
Jan 9: (#9)
The road game at St. Mary's was the toughest on the conference schedule, so the Bulldogs may have already wrapped up the regular season race before it even got started (especially if they follow that up with a win at Santa Clara). In fact, with only a home game with Stanford left out of conference, the 'Zags shouldn't lose again until the NCAA tournament.
Feb 13: (#11)
Clutch performances in close games will earn fAdam Morrison Player of the Year honors, but it's not ideally what you want him to even have to be doing against teams that should be put away, especially at home.
Feb 20: (#10)
fAdam Morrison keeps turning in special performances that just will not be denied. Call him Player of the Year (1B) [to Player of the Year (1A), gJ.J. Redick of Duke].
HOUSTON COUGARS
Houston, Texas

[OFFICIAL] Houston Men's Basketball Website

Dec 5: (#18)
Two squeak wins over ranked opponents take the Cougars from untracked straight into the Top 20. Don't expect them to stay, but don't expect too many losses, either. gLanny Smith and gBrian Latham are the returning stars, but it was JuCo transfer gOliver Lafayette who lit up Arizona almost single-handedly. Coach Tom Penders has always loved for his teams to push the pace and that's par for the course in this day and age.

In downgraded Conference USA, Memphis is the big favorite; the Cougars and UAB should push for second ahead of all the ex-WAC newcomers to the league.

The road win at LSU and at home over Arizona were both unexpected; so why not a win at UNLV as well? In league play, the two big games are both on the road -- not the best schedule.

Dec 19
The Cougars' brief stay in the rankings is likely over for the year. The only way for them to return would be a long win streak and a big win at Memphis in March. They way they play games so close to the wire, neither of those things is very likely. Second place in the conference and a paper argument for an NCAA bid are attainable goals, though.
Jan 23
Coach Tom Penders collapsed during the game with UAB after a spell brought on by dehydration. He returned in the second half to coach the remainder of the game after doctors proclaimed him fit to do so.
Feb 6: (untracked)
A couple of preseason squeakers over name teams is no longer reason enough to track the Cougars.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Champaign, Illinois

[OFFICIAL] Illinois Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#11)
gDee Brown was supposed to leave for the NBA like the rest of last year's stars; but a broken ankle over the summer derailed his plans, so he's back in college for his senior year. cJames Augustine is back as well. That's the good news; the bad news is that most everyone else who was a big contributor in last year's stellar season is gone. No matter. It's The System, stupid. Coach Bruce Weber has proven his ability to get high-intensity performance from most any roster put in front of him. They won't make another run at undefeated perfection, but they'll still be plenty tough. Redshirt fBrian Randle figures to be the key addition.

In the strong Big 10, Michigan State is the favorite; the Illini, Wisconsin and Iowa headline a grab bag of teams that will fight it out for second place.

A win on SOUTH PADRE ISLAND (Wichita State, Kent State) is a no-brainer. The Year After Clash at North Carolina in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE should be a win against a completely new bunch of Heels. BRAGGIN' RIGHTS (Missouri) should be theirs for the taking. In league play, they only play Wisconsin once, but it's on the road.

Nov 28: (#16)
It hasn't been The Dee Brown Show that we might have expected out of this bunch -- but that's a good thing. They were lucky to escape at the buzzer against Wichita State in the SOUTH PADRE semifinal. But this season that's seems to be par for the course for even the upper elite teams.
Dec 5: (#12)
The Illini are finding ways to survive, but both squeak wins this past week could easily have been squeak losses. cJames Augustine is more of a consistent factor, but so far gDee Brown hasn't been a superstar without his backcourt mates from a year ago. This is still a good team, just not a dominant one anymore.
Feb 13: (#15)
Something is suddenly very wrong with the Illini. That crips, efficient ball movement on offense that yields great looks and easy baskets has been harder and harder to come by. League teams are having a much easier time defending this team this time around and the individual talent level is becoming more of a factor than it was earlier in the season. gDee Brown isn't even going to be first-team All-America this year.
INDIANA HOOSIERS
Bloomington, Indiana

[OFFICIAL] Indiana Men's Basketball Website

Dec 5
The impressive performance by cMarco Killingsworth alone against Duke in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE is enough to make the Hoosiers a trackable team. Rankable, they're not ... at least not until fD.J. White gets back on the court after an injury. gMarshall Strickland has been a solid outside threat (despite a poor showing against Duke). The return of gA.J. Ratliff should also give them a more balanced attack. gLewis Monroe (the other ex-Auburn transfer along with Killingsworth) has been decent so far at the point.

In the strong Big 10, Michigan State is the favorite; Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa headline a grab bag of teams that will fight it out for second place; the Hoosiers look like spoilers at this point.

Even at home, beating Duke in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE wasn't a likely scenario; beating Kentucky is more of a possibility if the team is at full strength of front; winning at Charlotte is tough but doable; beating Connecticut even at home isn't very probable. In league play, winning the early home games is a must because of some tough early road trips.

Dec 12: (#21)
In-state rival enthusiasm was the demise of the Hoosiers on the road against Indiana State (and a rash of turnovers). An even bigger rivalry from IU's perspective fueled their rout of Kentucky. More consistent production on the perimeter from the likes of gA.J. Ratliff and gMarshall Strickland, and more poise at the point from pLewis Monroe, to compliment the star turns in the post from cMarco Killingsworth could have Indiana streaking towards something pretty special.
Dec 27: (#10)
The return of fD.J. White could be the final piece of the puzzle. tRobert Vaden has emerged as a perfect all-purpose player for a team with a great point-blank post attack and multiple threats from three-point land. fWhite and cMarco Killingsworth must work out how to play together without taking away from the other's game, but too many options is the kind of problem you want to have. The sky's the limit for this squad, but it all rests on the quality of the IU D.
Jan 9: (#8)
fD.J. White has injured his left foot again. It will be at least a month before he can return (if at all -- he may be headed for a medical redshirt at this point). Yikes.
Feb 13
The Hoosiers seem to have hit a wall. Granted, the tough league schedule was bound to get to some team, but this one had so much individual talent that you didn't see it coming. When cMarco Killingsworth isn't on (or is on the bench with fouls), they seem to fade into nothing for no good reason. Rebounding an interior defense were always a problem even when he was at his best.
Feb 20
The resignation of coach Mike Davis (effective at the end of the season) ruins any postseason expectations that might have existed for the Hoosiers. This was a Top-10 team at the start of conference play, but the pressure of following Bob Knight has proved too much for him to handle and the team suffered from his fragility. Yeah, they want one of their own, but why implode now instead of holding it together until after the season is over?
IONA GAELS
New Rochelle, New York

[OFFICIAL] Iona Men's Basketball Website

Nov 28: (#20)
The shocking Unwelcome Guest victory -- by a blowout margin, no less -- over Iowa State might rank as the biggest surprise of the season so far. Not only did they outwork the Cyclones on the boards (where they were vulnerable), but the Gaels' backcourt outplayed ISU's vaunted backcourt (one of the nation's best). gSteve Burtt and gRicky Soliver have gotten this season off to a rolicking success. Who knows what can happen from here?

In the lightly regarded Metro Atlantic [OFFICIAL], the Gaels are the favorites among a host of rebuilding teams.

A win against Kentucky in Louisville is too much to ask; a win against Seton Hall in East Rutherford isn't. A loss in the BRACKET BUSTER game probably would negate the great Unwelcome Guest crown because of the weak strength of the conference schedule. In league play, four of the last five are on the road so it will be a tough home stretch.

Dec 27
Beating Kentucky wasn't the pipe dream that it might have seemed. gBurtt and gSoliver both shoot poorly and didn't do enough to involve the rest of their teammates. The flirtation with the national spotlight is over now. The remaining task is to disappear into the shadow of conference play, make no slip-ups that will hurt your power rating (like losing in BRACKET BUSTER) and still have to win the conference tournament regardless.
Jan 9
The blowout home loss to Manhattan was a shocker to the Gaels' system. They've lost control of the regular season race -- and no matter how well the preseason went, they're in a one-bid league -- and if they don't get it back, they could be in tons of trouble. RPI and strength-of-schedule won't help them if they're not even in control of their own conference.
IOWA HAWKEYES
Iowa City, Iowa

[OFFICIAL] Iowa Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#25)
Four starters return and some key reserves return from last year's NCAA squad. bAdam Haluska, fGreg Brunner and gJeff Horner form the core of a talented offensive squad; gMike Henderson is capable controlling things to let the others operate without the ball; cErek Hansen is a tall-but-skinny shotblocker underneath the basket; fDoug Thomas is more athlete than player. Coach Steve Alford has a lot to work with here. Unfortunately, they were as poor defensively last year as they were fun to watch offensively. That has to change.

In the strong Big 10, Michigan State is the favorite; Illinois, Wisconsin and the Hawkeyes highlight a grab bag of teams in the running for second place.

Winning the GUARDIANS CLASSIC (Texas, Kentucky, West Virginia) is too much to expect. The showcase HAWKEYE CHALLENGE is a formality. Beating N.C. State (ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE) at home should happen. Winning the "Iowa State Title" (Iowa State, Northern Iowa) won't be easy. In league play, they've got a full home-and-home with the five toughest teams -- that hurts.

Nov 28: (#11)
A neutral-site win over Kentucky is a milestone for these kids. They nearly beat Texas two years in a row as well (and were led this year's game for most of the second half). Poor shooting in both games ultimately did them in the second time out. This year's squad is tougher than last year's, though. Big things are still to come.
Dec 5: (#13)
The ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE match-up with N.C. State was an ugly affair. Still, a win is a win. The Hawkeyes are just not quite dominant so they really have to work for the victory every time out. Blue-collar bruiser fGreg Brunner is the poster boy.
Dec 12: (#20)
gJeff Horner's knee injury (in the second half against Northern Iowa) spelled doom for the Hawkeyes' "Iowa State Title" hopes. Horner will be out at least a couple of weeks, but will hopefully be ready for conference play. If the injury lingers or hampers his productivity, the season could unravel right before their eyes. Sound familiar?
Jan 2: (#13)
gJeff Horner is back on the court, which is very good news. The Hawkeyes have been less than dominant in his absence, but they didn't lose any games.
Jan 23: (#21)
After gamely fighting tooth-and-nail every time out, the Hawkeyes finally gave out and were blown away on the road at Michigan State. This bunch has been overachieving all season -- they're individually slow and can't shoot to save their lives. Strength of schedule is the saving grace for them, but a convincing win or two would be even better.
Feb 6: (#10)
With gJeff Horner fully healthy again (and no longer playing with a knee brace), the Hawkeyes put together two very nice performances. After trailing for most of the first half at Purdue, they found their stride and played some dominant hoops. Then, they followed that up with a drubbing of the hottest team in the league.
Feb 27: (#19)
The overachieving Hawkeyes couldn't hang onto the lead in the Big 10 race. The defense was always there, but they can struggle offensively to get easy shots -- bAdam Haluska has focused so much on being a lockdown defender that his offense has suffered greatly and he's no longer a consistent contributor. It's not too late to fix it for the postseason run, but their fate in the regular season race is no longer solely in their own control.
IOWA STATE CYCLONES
Ames, Iowa

[OFFICIAL] Iowa State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#15)
One of the best backcourts in the nation, bCurtis Stinson and gWill Blalock, returns from last year's NCAA splash team. In addition, fRahshon Clark and gTasheed Carr add to the talent on the perimeter. There's no much returning strength under the basket, but never forget: in college basketball, It's A Guard's World, After All.

In the solid Big 12, Texas is the favorite, Oklahoma is a solid second choice, with the Cyclones and Texas Tech set to spoil.

The CYCLONE CHALLENGE is just a normal two-day showcase spread over three days due to Thanksgiving. Winning the RAINBOW CLASSIC (at Hawaii, Oregon St) will actually be easier than the "Iowa State Title" (Northern Iowa, Iowa). In league play, the easier "North Division" schedule is as good as it will ever be with Kansas rebuilding and Texas only once at home.

Nov 28
Yikes. Not only were they outrebounded underneath (where you know they're vulnerable), but Iona's backcourt outplayed them as well. Maybe the Gaels are just that good, but what's clear is that Stinson and Blalock can't do it alone.
Dec 12
Maybe winning the "Iowa State Title" will revive the Cyclones' season, which had gotten off to a very shaky start. fRahshon Clark must show up and be a physical presence in the paint every time out if this is really going to be a team that goes somewhere.
Dec 27
Winning the RAINBOW CLASSIC is a great resume builder. This team is going to need all the help it can get to receive a bid to the NCAA tournament. There's almost nothing to them beyond scoring points off of turnovers. For a team led by its fine backcourt, they don't shoot well from the perimeter at all.
Jan 30: (untracked)
It just really never came together for this team this year. It was all about the backcourt -- and they didn't even shoot well from three-point range even at that. Time to bail.
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Lawrence, Kansas

[OFFICIAL] Kansas Men's Basketball Website

Jan 9
Even though it really says more about the Wildcats than the Jayhawks, KU's rout of Kentucky finally makes them trackable at least. The Replacement Players have struggled to establish their team chemistry, but there has been steady improvement. fBandon Rush is the burgeoning star for a team is features sophomores cSasha Kaun, gRussell Robinson and cC.J. Giles, freshmen tJulian Wright, gMario Chalmers and tMicah Downs and a couple of seniors gJeff Hawkins and fChristian Moody. The preseason was all over the map for coach Bill Self.

In the solid Big 12, Texas is the favorite, Oklahoma is a solid second choice, with Iowa State and Texas Tech set to spoil; the Jayhawks may yet be more than local color this season.

So early in the season, the poor showing in MAUI was to be expected; losing at home to Nevada and away to St. Joseph's was a little disappointing; beating Cal was the turning point and routing Kentucky was excellent. In league play, the "North Division" schedule always bails out the Jayhawks and, on top of that, some of the easier games come first -- just what the doctor ordered for young pups.

Feb 6: (#22)
The herky-jerky Jayhawks have scrapped their way into second place in the league. The offense is rarely smooth, but their physical defense keeps them in the game until some shots fall or their individual talent can make some plays. Not pretty, but effective.
Feb 20: (#18)
Don't look now, but the Jayhawks are tied for first place (and they're playing better ball at the moment than Texas is). If the offense continues to smooth out, this could be a dangerous team in the postseason.
KENNESAW STATE FIGHTING OWLS
Kennesaw, Georgia

[OFFICIAL] Kennesaw State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
The Owls make the jump up from Division II. They won the D-II national championship in 2004, so they're as well prepared to move up as anyone could be. Still, there's little expectation that they'll make an immediate impact. gGolden Ingle (a transfer with D-I experience at Western Kentucky) and gRonnell Wooten are the centerpiece of the attack.

In the downgraded Atlantic Sun, it's Gardner-Webb and league tournament host East Tennessee State who are the favorites; the Owls are just happy to be there.

Don't expect any splash in the TOP OF THE WORLD CLASSIC (Denver, Illinois-Chicago, Southern Mississippi) or the FURMAN INVITATIONAL.

Feb 27
In its first year in Division I, Kennesaw State is ineligible for postseason play. The Owls had an inspiring start in league play, but all those close victories started to turn into runaway losses by the end. A respectable debut, for sure.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES
Kent, Ohio

[OFFICIAL] Kent State Men's Basketball Website

Feb 6
The Golden Flashes appear to be a more trackable team than Ohio this competitive league. gDeAndre Haynes is the main man; fKevin Warzynski and gJay Youngblood also help out for coach Jim Christian.

In the MAC, Ohio is the favorite in the East ahead of Akron and overall, well ahead of Ball State in the West.

Winning SOUTH PADRE (Illinois) was never going to happen; winning ST. MARY'S could have. Road wins at Southern Illinois and Syracuse have been pulled by other this year (but not KSU). In league play, so many tough teams make it difficult all the way through, but their finish is especially rough.

KENTUCKY WILDCATS
Lexington, Kentucky

[OFFICIAL] Kentucky Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#20)
Lots of talented bit players are fine if there's a "glue guy" to bind them together. gRajon Rondo, gPatrick Sparks, cRandolph Morris (if the NCAA clears him to play this season after declaring for the NBA draft) and more talent on the bench are enough to make a formidable team. Coach Tubby Smith has his work cut out for him making them more than just an amorphous group of hustlers, though.

The good news is that it's a rebuilding year all around the SEC, so the Wildcats are the clear favorites in the East and will battle Alabama, LSU and Arkansas for overall supremacy.

Winning the GUARDIANS CLASSIC (Texas, Iowa, West Virginia) is doable but not expected. A split in the Bluegrass Quaternity games would be par for the course. In league play, getting Alabama at home early helps a little bit.

Nov 28: (#13)
Their perimeter talent allowed them to handle West Virginia's gimmick offense better than others have been able to do. gRajon Rondo's enormous hands are the key to the rebounding prowess of a slightly built 6-1 point guard. When the game can be played at a pace where gPatrick Sparks' pace, the Wildcats are in good shape.
Dec 5: (#20)
Young UNC -- actually, it was the veteran forwards who did most of the damage -- exposed the 'Cats weakness up front. And there are better frontcourts than the Tar Heels feature out there waiting in the wings.
Dec 12
Pure height was enough to beat back lowly Georgia State, but that was nowhere good enough against Indiana. bRajon Rondo is the only player who shows up every game; even gPatrick Sparks can have long spells where a quicker guard can shut him down.
Dec 19: (#17)
gRajon Rondo's one-man show was good enough to pace the 'Cats to a big home win over Louisville. That's a feel-good win, but the deeper issues of some consistent help for him from somewhere remains a problem. The good news is that the NCAA cleared cRandolph Morris to return to the team in January. They've actually been OK in the post with the likes of cShagari Alleyne and cLukasz Obrzut, so Morris' return may not be the dramatic boost people are expecting. A bigger help would be the emergence of fRekalin Sims, fBobby Perry, fSheray Thomas or even bJoe Crawford as a consistent 'tweener to play off of Rondo's playmaking.
Jan 9
Losing on the road at Kansas isn't disastrous; losing by 27 points (after you've already lost by 24 points to Indiana) is. cRandolph Morris can't get back on the court fast enough for Tubby Smith. He won't be the savior, but his return will give them the opportunity to refocus on a fresh start.
LOUISIANA STATE TIGERS/BAYOU BENGALS
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

[OFFICIAL] LSU Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Three starters return, led by sophomore fGlen "Big Baby" Davis; gDarrel Mitchell is also back; gTack Minor is ineligible until December. Freshmen fTasmin Mitchell and fMagnum Rolle expect to have immediate impact. It may be January at the earliest before coach John Brady's young Tigers even begins to gel, but they'll be in the thick of things on talent alone from the start.

In a rebuilding year all around in the SEC, the Tigers will contend with Alabama and Arkansas in the West, and Kentucky in the East for overall supremacy.

A LAS VEGAS CHRISTMAS (Northern Iowa, Cincinnati) title is certainly possible. Winning at West Virginia or Ohio State are possible talent-wise but not likely youth-wise; winning at Connecticut won't happen. In league play, getting Alabama at home first and Kentucky at home are a plus.

Nov 28: (#19)
Perimeter defense is a great area in which to excel. The Tigers hounded West Virginia into 15-for-45 shooting at home -- that's some feat against a team whose gimmick offense has given the super elite teams all they could handle. Rebounding is a strength, but turnovers and too many jump shots (resulting in too few free throw attempts) is a weakness. Freshman tTasmin Mitchell has shown signs he might be their third SEC Rookie of the Year in a row.
Dec 27
It was supposed to be coming-out week for the Tigers with the return of gTack Minor and an expected win in LAS VEGAS, but it didn't happen. The team leads the nation in rebounding, so there are things to feel good about. Some help in the backcourt for gDarrel Mitchell could take the squad to the next level.
Jan 2
No sooner does gTack Minor become eligible than he injures his knee and has to have surgery. Poor guard play (especially from freshman pBen Voogd) turned a 73-58 lead into a 76-78 loss. Weak. They will have to do the best they can until he can get up to speed to provide some real help for gDarrel Mitchell.
Jan 16: (#21)
Surving against two pressing teams is a very good sign for the Tigers' vulnerable backcourt. Nothing's wrong with the frontcourt where guys are taking turns making spectacular plays.
LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Louisville, Kentucky

[OFFICIAL] Louisville Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#5)
Lots of talent departed, but plenty of talent remains from last year's Final Four squad. gTaquan Dean most go from support player to The Man in the back court; fJuan Palacios must be The Man, Period instead of "potentially" The Man in the front court. ex-Kansas transfer David Padgett, redshirt fBrian Johnson and freshman fTerrence Williams should all be major contributors right away for coach Rick Pitino. Dean doesn't have much proven help on the perimeter, but it's The System, stupid.

In the supersized Big East, Connecticut, the Cardinals and Villanova will fight it out for the top spot, with Syracuse, Georgetown, Cincinnati and West Virginia right behind ready to spoil.

The COLONIAL CLASSIC is a four-team showcase spread over three days; the MINARDI CLASSIC is a traditional two-day showcase. Winning at Kentucky is never easy but it should happen; beating Miami(FL) in the ORANGE BOWL CLASSIC might actually be a more difficult matchup. The new league is rough, but this is a program on the rise ready for the next challenge.

Dec 5: (#9)
The debut of fDavid Padgett means the on-court pieces are in place. Now we still need a worthy opponent before we can truly assess this year's Cardinals. We'll probably have to wait one more week until the Kentucky game.
Dec 19: (#23)
The Cardinals proved not to be ready for a real game in their poor performance against Kentucky. bTaquan Dean needs help in the backcourt and much more poise in controlling his team. UL is still in basket-trader mode, throwing up wild shots without a care assuming there'll always be another possession. UK has advanced beyond that level and easily outplayed them. Running up the score on scrub teams won't fix what ails this bunch.
Jan 16: (#23)
gTaquan Dean's sore ankle was a big factor in the Cardinals' loss to Pittsburgh. He had no quickness to enable him to defend of make much happen for the team on offense. Even at full strength, they need more than just him in the backcourt as it is. Too much of that game was guys looking for their own shot because there was no direction on the floor. The transition into the Big East hasn't gone nearly as smoothly as they expected.
Jan 30
Not only have the Cardinal not been the invading force in the new league that was expected, but they might not even earn a spot in the postseason conference tournament. Yikes!
Feb 27
With cDavid Padgett out the rest of the season with a knee injury, a disappointing season is now hopeless.
MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

[OFFICIAL] Marquette Men's Basketball Website

Jan 9
The monumental win over Connecticut in their Big East debut -- capped by tSteve Novak's magnificent 41 point/16 rebound effort -- makes the Golden Eagles trackable at the least. Coach Tom Crean still gets performance out of seemingly less and less leftover talent. tSteve Novak is more than just a tall standstill jump shooter from three-point land; freshman gDominic James has been solid; fRyan Amoroso has had his moments; freshman bWesley Matthews comes in with big expectations.

In the supersized Big East, Connecticut will battle with newcomer Louisville and Villanova for the top spot, with Syracuse, Georgetown, Cincinnati and West Virginia right behind them ready to spoil; the Golden Eagles don't figure to do more than spoil.

Losing the BLUE AND GOLD (supposed-to-be) showcase was a disappointment; winning the GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT made up for it in a big way. Losing at state-rival Wisconsin was expected; losing at Nebraksa wasn't inevitable; beating Connecticut is beyond any kind of reasonable expectation. In league play, every game is tough (but no one will be tougher than the first hurdle they've already climbed).

Feb 20: (#24)
Two big wins at home over slumping Georgetown and still-solid Pittsburgh have the Golden Eagles turning a corner. A third contributor after Novak and James would be a welcome sight, but take what you can get for the moment.
MARYLAND TERRAPINS
College Park, Maryland

[OFFICIAL] Maryland Men's Basketball Website

Nov 28: (#25)
Normally, you'd need a signature win in order to break into the rankings, but it's a quirk in the schedule that allows the Terps to squeeze in. They were only able to knock off Arkansas of minor note in MAUI, and point guard play is a major issue; but the roster clearly has lots of individual talent. tChris McCray and tD.J. Strawberry are off to the strongest starts so far. tNik Caner-Medley should be the key, but he hasn't played that way yet. Athletes tMike Jones, fJames Gist, fTravis Garrison and fEkene Ibekwe all help make Maryland formidable defenders as a team; but the offensive flow hasn't been smooth. If Caner-Medley can't be the point-forward they need him to be, then some of the athletes might need to sit in favor of some poise at the point from someone who doesn't need to score ... gSterling Ledbetter, maybe?

In a so-so year for the ACC, Duke and Boston College are the favorites, Wake Forest, N.C. State and the Terrapins will fight it out to spoil after that.

The performance in MAUI was probably a disappointment (if not necessarily an underachievement). Beating depleted Minnesota in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE should happen; beating full strength George Washington in the BB&T CLASSIC may not be so easy. In league play, if they can steal one or two big home wins, the second half is almost cruise control.

Dec 12: (#14)
Superior guardplay was the Terrapins' demise against local rival George Washington in the BB&T CLASSIC. Against Boston College, whose strength is inside the paint, UM had just enough to escape at home with a big conference victory.
Jan 23: (#22)
Just as the team seemed to be turning a corner, there's plenty of bad news. First, fTravis Garrison was dimissed from the team; then, tChris McCray was declared academically ineligible. Yikes.
MEMPHIS TIGERS
Memphis, Tennessee

[OFFICIAL] Memphis Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
gDarius Washington and tRodney Carney should form a dynamic axis around which to construct a fine team. Trouble is, that should have been true last year yet team chemistry was a mess even as those two were individual standouts. The same could happen again this year; or they could get it together under coach John Calipari's direction and be a force to be reckoned with. gJeremy Hunt is returning from knee surgery last year so his effectiveness is a big question mark. Freshman fShawne Williams could flourish as the third or fourth option. 6-9 cJoey Dorsey isn't big enough to dominate inside, but if he can just stay positive and not overreach, he can be a stabilizing force the freelancers can play off of.

In downgraded Conference USA, the Tigers are the big favorites; Houston and UAB should push for second ahead of all the ex-WAC newcomers to the league.

Making it to New York in the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (Duke, Alabama, UCLA, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Temple) is a reasonable expectation; winning it isn't. A win at Cincinnati is can-do; home wins over Gonzaga and Texas are can-don't. In league play, one early home game against UAB and then a tough final week is a pretty good schedule.

Nov 21: (#12)
The road win at Alabama was very nice. There appears to be more depth and maybe a bit more poise in this season's version of the Tigers. Let's see if they can keep it up in New York.
Nov 28: (#8)
Oh my! The Tigers' free-wheeling style of play has an appeal that should make them this year's darlings (in the mold of Michigan's Fab Five of the early '90s) -- giving Duke all it could handle only to come up short in the closing moments because of inexperience and lack of poise; it's eerily similar to the way those previous Bad Boys were introduced to us in the fall of '91. tRodney Carney was more impressive in his ability to shut down J.J. Redick than any of his stylish treys or dunks off the dribble. tShawne Williams is ready-for-prime-time right out of the box. And remember, gDarius Washington wasn't 100% physically for these games. Stay tuned.
Dec 27: (#5)
gDarius Washington has played sparingly while resting a bruised thigh. He may not be 100% for the upcoming showdown matchups with big-name opponents.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (OF FLORIDA) HURRICANES
Miami, Florida

[OFFICIAL] Miami(Florida) Men's Basketball Website

Jan 16: (#24)
The reutrn of gAnthony Harris from injury has finally allowed the three-guard offense of bGuillermo Diaz, bRobert Hite and gHarris to blossom (as evidenced by their two wins over Maryland and North Carolina. The question has always been for coach Frank Haith whether they can get enough reboumding from fAnthony King, fRaymond Hicks and fGary Hamilton. There aren't a lot of fabulous guards out there in the entire country, so these three can take things even further than they did last year.

In the so-so ACC, Duke will battle with newcomer Boston College for the top spot; Wake Forest, N.C. State and Maryland will all play spoiler after that; the Hurricanes may not make much noise.

The loss to Air Force in the BCA CLASSIC was disappointing; the rout losses at Temple and Michigan (ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE), and Louisville (ORANGE BOWL) were embarrassing; they played Florida tough before losing. In league play, they can make hay while other teams are still finding themselves.

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Ann Arbor, Michigan

[OFFICIAL] Michigan Men's Basketball Website

Jan 30: (#15)
Two home wins against ranked teams (Michigan State and Wisconsin) and a share of the lead in the conference race mean the Big Six is now the Big Seven. gDion Harris and gDaniel Horton are talented backcourt players in charge of talented frontcourt of fCourtney Sims, tLester Abram, fGraham Brown, fBrent Petway and fChris Hunter. But much like LSU, there's not enough flow to make things completely click. Scoring guards that aren't quite true point guards have been the bane of coach Tommy Amaker's existence.

In the strong Big 10, Michigan State is the favorite; Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa head a strong grab bag of teams all fighting for second place.

Miami(Florida) and UCLA were both winnable preseason games (but only one came true). In league play, starting out with two rough games on the road first made things difficult (but they've hung in there so far).

Feb 13
A rough skid has knocked the Wolverines off the pace in the league race. There's little room for error since no one loses at home.
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
East Lansing, Michigan

[OFFICIAL] Michigan State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PREASEASON (#2)
Four starters return from last year's Final Four squad, but that's it as far as returning experience. gShannon Brown and gMaurice Ager are explosive scorers from the perimeter and on the break; cPaul Davis finished strong in the postseason; gDrew Neitzel provided steady guidance from the point allowing the others to work off the ball. The depth that allowed the non-stop running game to flourish isn't there this year, but coach Tom Izzo will still find a way to make it work. Redshirt freshman fMarquise Gray is expected to help out underneath on the boards.

In the strong Big 10, the Spartans are the favorites; Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa head a strong grab bag of teams all fighting for second place.

Winning the MAUI INVITAITONAL (Connecticut, Arizona, Gonzaga, Maryland, Kansas, Arkansas) is the grand prize of the preseason -- the Spartans have a great chance to take it. Beating young Georgia Tech (ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE) should be no problem. Beating Boston College (JIMMY V CLASSIC) on a neutral court will be as stiff a challenge as anything in Hawaii -- but the slight edge is MSU's. In league play, two huge road games come right off the bat -- an experienced squad can handle that and take immediate control of the race.

Nov 21: (#18)
In the big picture, the trouncing at the hands of Hawaii isn't the end of the world. But it does speak to the lack of quality depth of this year's Spartans who can ill afford for two of their three stars to fail to deliver due to lack of conditioning.
Nov 28: (#5)
Forget the aberation at Hawaii. The Spartans' performance in MAUI more than erased any meaningfulness from that result. cPaul Davis has been better than ever this year; gMaurice Ager was beyond category in the shootout with Gonzaga, nearly matching Adam Morrison shot for shot. gShannon Brown has been a solid third option, but the only trouble thing is that there's a big dip after that.
Dec 5: (#23)
So far it appears that the Spartans can really score ... but can they really defend? No way should young Georgia Tech have been allowed to stay that close to them in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE game; and Arkansas-Little Rock kept the margin within single digits.
Dec 12: (#12)
No team in the country is without weaknesses. Boston College has a great inside game, but easy baskets that the Spartans were able to get were the difference in their win in the JIMMY V CLASSIC. The individual mathcup with the opponent is key for whether this team looks Top-10 or unranked.
Jan 9: (#23)
Right now, the Spartans are the least of the Big Six in the Big Ten. They haven't ever established any consistent production beyond Ager, Davis and Brown and conference opponents know how to shut those guys down. Two tough road games is a bad way to start league play, but it's not fatal. This is still a very good squad.
MURRAY STATE RACERS
Murray, Kentucky

[OFFICIAL] Murray State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Everybody is back from last year's squad that had a strong season. gTrey Pearson and gKeith Jennifer lead the way for the Racers.

In the Ohio Valley, the Racers will once again be in a tight race with veteran squads at Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech.

Wins at Cincinnati and Tennessee are probably out of reach, but beating Southern Illinois and Rice might not be. Their BRACKET BUSTER game may prove to be their strongest win of the season. In league play, the December game with Eastern Kentucky is a big advantage.

NEVADA WOLF PACK
Reno, Nevada

[OFFICIAL] Nevada Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#14)
cNick Fazekas is one of the nation's best big men, with skills on the perimeter as well as underneath the basket. He's got lots of help returning in tMo Charlo, gRamon Sessions and cChad Bell. The Wolf Pack is big -- they can go 6-11 7-0 7-1 on the baseline if they want to. 6-5 gMarcelus Kemp returns from injury last year and could be a key outside shooter to stretch defenses. Coach Mark Fox has lots to look forward to this season.

Inside the revamped WAC, the Wolf Pack is an overwhelming favorite; Hawaii and newcomer Utah State should be solid contenders for second place.

Wins at UNLV, Pacific, UCLA and St. Mary's can all happen. The BRACKET BUSTER home game might wind up being a must win if they can't come through on the road in the preseason, though. In league play, an early win on the road at Hawaii could make things easy on themselves.

Nov 28: (#24)
gMarcus Kemp has emerged as a first-tier contributor -- that's huge. For a team that sports three 7-footers on its roster, rebounding should not be an issue yet it's a bit of a worry at the moment.
Dec 5: (#17)
The close wins on the road against UNLV, Kansas and Pacific all indicate this is a team that knows how to focus and execute down the stretch even in the most hostile of environments. That clutch free throw shooting is going to stand them in good stead all season long.
Dec 12: (#23)
UCLA's superior perimeter game proved decisive in the JOHN WOODEN CLASSIC. cNick Fazekas was fine, but the Wolf Pack simply doesn't get a lot of free points off of three-pointers or in transition. If they get behind, it's a long, methodical effort to get back in the game.
Jan 9
Losing in overtime at Hawaii isn't a bad result ... but a win would have been a great one. bMarcus Kemp's production is a big help.
Feb 20: (#25)
The rout of Akron in BRACKET BUSTER on top of the buzzer-beater escape over Louisiana Tech to take back first place in the conference race has the Wolf Pack finally returning to the rankings. gKyle Shiloh's perimeter scoring has been a key to shoring up the offense.
NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

[OFFICIAL] North Carolina Men's Basketball Website

Dec 5: (#15)
Well, whaddaya know? Even when they're bad, the Tar Heels are still pretty good. The Replacement Players have made their first mark: a decent fight against Illinois at home in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE, and then a surprise win (led by the "veterans" tReyshawn Terry and fDavid Noel) on the road at Rupp Arena against Kentucky. Freshmen cTyler Hansbrough, pBobby Frasor and gMarcus Ginyard were starters from Day One and fDanny Green has been a solid reserve. Sophomore gQuentin Thomas and junior gWes Miller are also in the rotation. Coach Roy Williams has enough talent for this to be a decent squad (as it has already proven), but don't expect greatness every time out. This team will be up and down.

In a so-so year for the ACC, Duke and Boston College are the favorites, Wake Forest, N.C. State and Maryland will fight it out to spoil after that; the Tar Heels won't be more than spoilers this year.

An early split with Illinois and Kentucky is a pleasant surprise; beating Davidson isn't a walkover and neither will be Arizona. In league play, a good start at home in big games will go a long way towards making everyone believers (including themselves).

Dec 27
The road loss to unheralded USC costs the Tar Heels their ranking. These Replacement Players were running ahead of schedule, anyway. Only fDavid Noel and cTyler Hansbrough are consistent contributors at this point. In particular, the play at point guard from pBobby Frasor has been spotty; more athletic opponents have given him trouble.
Jan 9: (#18)
Not only was beating N.C. State a good win in terms of ranking and league standings, the Tar Heels are now in the running with N.C. State and Wake Forest for the coveted second slot in the Greensboro Pod in the NCAA tournament. That's a very inviting road to the Sweet 16.
Feb 6: (#21)
The Tar Heels have strung together some very consistent play of late. They're still a bit of a risk, relying on a freshman postman as their best player and a freshman point guard as well, but the system still works.
Feb 27: (#13)
The Tar Heels are peaking at the right time. The huge win over N.C. State sets them up to receive the second Greensboro pod slot (and an inviting home-cooked path through to the Sweet 16). Roy Williams has created depth by giving lots of players lots of minutes through the year, and the early ugliness has turned into late beauty.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK
Raleigh, North Carolina

[OFFICIAL] North Carolina State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#16)
It's the Year After (tJulius Hodge) for the Wolfpack. You can't say that they underachieved last year making the Sweet 16, so it's hard to use the Rule that says the team will advance further the next year as a more balanced team without the single focus on a superstar talent. In principle, though, things should be fine. Coach Herb Sendek has a nice array of talent to work with in cAndrew Brackman, fIlian Evtimov, fCameron Bennerman, gEngin Atsur and gTony Bethel; and tGavin Grant can be a poor man's Hodge in a pinch. The spread offense is tough for traditional defenses to deal with.

In a so-so year for the ACC, Duke and Boston College are the favorites, Wake Forest, the Wolfpack and Maryland will fight it out to spoil after that.

The HISPANIC COLLEGE FUND SOUTH is a four-team showcase spread over three days -- no problem. Beating Notre Dame at the JOHN WOODEN TRADITION should happen; beating Iowa in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE might not. Beating Alabama on the road isn't likely; beating George Washington at home is. In league play, only playing Duke once does help a little bit.

Nov 21: (#10)
Yes, the HISPANIC SOUTH win was just a showcase, but what it did show was that the Year After should be just fine. Gavin Grant has stepped in nicely to somewhat fill the shoes of Julius Hodge, and everyone else has stepped up individually as well. That's exactly what you want to see.
Dec 27: (#17)
Taken alone, beating Alabama even on the road isn't a signature win, but the Wolfpack has been more than solid every time out. The spread offense gives teams lots of matchup problems and NCSU is leading the nation in field goal percentage defense at this point. A worrisome stat is how few times they are getting to the free throw line. Relying so heavily on all of those threes from deep can be a Fool's Paradise. They don't have the one guy who'll compliment things by driving the paint (like tJulius Hodge did last year).
Jan 9: (#19)
Losing to North Carolina was huge. The Wolfpack, UNC and Wake Forest are all in contention for the coveted second slot in the Greensboro Pod in the NCAAs (an easy path to the Sweet 16). Right now, it's UNC that's in the lead thanks to that big win.
Feb 27: (#22)
The loss to North Carolina was a devastating blow. It means that the Wolfpack can no longer expect to receive the second Greensboro pod slot in the NCAA tournament. Now everything will have to be done the hard way. This team has lots of ability (and maybe it's better off on the road rather than in front of the second-guessing homefolk, anyway, but still. Plan A would have been nice.
NORTHERN IOWA PANTHERS
Cedar Falls, Iowa

[OFFICIAL] Northern Iowa Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#23)
All five starters return from last year's NCAA squad. Leading the way is gBen Jacobson,one of the best individual talents in all of the country. gErik Crawford is a good two-way guard and fGrant Stout is a solid frontcourt player. 6-6 cEric Coleman doesn't have a lot of size but is still effective inside. Expectations are huge for a team poised for the best season in school history.

In the solid MVC, the Panthers are the favorites, but traditional conference powers Creighton, Southern Illinois and Missouri State are right behind waiting for them to slip up.

Winning the "Iowa State Title" (Iowa, Iowa State) will be a dog fight. It may be easier to win the LAS VEGAS CHRISTMAS (LSU, Cincinnati) title. In league play, the schedule is a bit easier in the first half than it is in the second half.

Dec 12
A key injury to their opponent was a decisive factor in the Panther's in-state win over Iowa. In their two big games so far, though, they're not getting to the free throw line enough.
Dec 27
The road victory at LSU was the best single win of the tournament, but it only earned them a share of the LAS VEGAS [CHRISTMAS] crown (along with Cincinnati, whom they never played). Ball control is a big key as the Panthers don't turn it over much, but they also don't rebound much, either. Still, if they can make it to an endplay with the lead, their experienced perimeter players can execute down the stretch and hit their free throws.
Feb 20
The win over Bucknell was a gift -- the Bison won that game twice but gave it away three times and the Panthers were finally able to take them up on their offer. The emotional victory should still propel the team forward, not backward.
NORTHWESTERN STATE DEMONS
Natchitoches, Louisiana

[OFFICIAL] Northwestern State Men's Basketball Website

Dec 27
The solid showing in the RAINBOW CLASSIC validates their earlier road win against the Replacement Players at Oklahoma State. This is a veteran team with five returning starters led by shooter gJermaine Wallace and passer pTyronn Mitchell. Height is a problem since they are 6-7 across the baseline, but depth is a big plus with lots of players used to getting minutes and contributing for coach Mike McConathy.

Inside the competitve Southland [OFFICIAL], the Demons are the favorites, but they'll be pushed by the likes of Sam Houston State, Lamar and Southeast Louisiana.

Winning at Oklahoma State was a surprise, as was the fine showing in the RAINBOW CLASSIC. In league play, back-to-back showdowns in mid-January will set the tone for the regular season.

OHIO UNIVERSITY BOBCATS
Athens, Ohio

[OFFICIAL] Ohio Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Last year's end-of-season run to the NCAA tournament has the Bobcats expecting big things for this season. Plenty of talent returns in the likes of fLeon Williams, tMychal Green, gJeremy Fears and gSonny Troutman. Add in Boston College transfer fJohnnie Jackson and there's lots of room for optimism.

In the MAC, the Bobcats are the favorites in the East ahead of Akron and overall, well ahead of Ball State in the West.

Don't expect an upset of Kentucky, but the game should be close; a win at Cincinnati isn't out of the question, though. In league play, getting Akron and Kent State at home first is a bonus.

Feb 6: (untracked)
It's clear that the Bobcats are not the trackable team for this conference. Try Kent State instead.
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Columbus, Ohio

[OFFICIAL] Ohio State Men's Basketball Website

Dec 27
Solid play, including the road win at Iowa State have earned trackability for the Buckeyes. This is a good team with the added incentive of postseason play this year. cTerence Dials is tough inside (when they go to him), bJ.J Sulinger rebounds well above his size, gJe'Kel Foster is a consistent performer, big things are expected from transfer gRon Lewis (ex-Bowling Green) and JuCo transfer gSylvester Mayes. Coach Thad Matta did wonders his first time out last season; this season could be even better.

In the tough Big 10, Michigan State is the favorite, with Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin among a grab bag of teams (including the Buckeyes) nipping at their heels for second place.

Winning at Iowa State was the highlight of the preseason, along with beating Virginia Tech (ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE); beating LSU at home would make it perfect. In league play, a tough early schedule could knock them out of contention before they get started.

Jan 2: (#23)
Although it was mostly a gift from their opponent, the comeback win over LSU does validate the Buckeyes' undefeated record. No single player is a standout besides cTerence Dials (when they remember to feed him).
Feb 13: (#12)
The Buckeyes' best quality is their consistency of effort. They post every time out without failure. Don't forget the extra motivation they have this year after missing out on postseason play last year.
Feb 27: (#6)
The Buckeyes are one of the few teams who have yet to turn in a poor performance (even in defeat). Two more big wins this past week have vaulted them into sole possession of first place in the league race (with the softest remaining schedule of any of the contenders to boot).
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Norman, Oklahoma

[OFFICIAL] Oklahoma Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#10)
A solid nucleus returns from last year's NCAA splash team. cKevin Bookout, fTaj Gray and gTerell Everett are a strong trio; gDavid Godbold is a capable reserve, and ex-UC Riverside transfer tNate Carter and JuCo transfer gMichael Neal should provide some outside balance to a formidable inside attack. Coach Kelvin Sampson has every reason to be optimistic about this year's squad.

In the solid Big 12, Texas is the favorite, the Sooners should finish a strong second, with Iowa State and Texas Tech pushing to spoil after that.

A win at Villanova will be tough to pull off (but not impossible). Wins over West Virginia and Alabama in front of home-state crowds shouldn't be a problem. In league play, all the big games are at home first. Nice.

Dec 5: (#11)
So Villanova is great in the backcourt and the Sooners are good in the frontcourt. Um, yeah. We knew that. OU executed pretty well on the road against a very good opponent ... but so did they. Perimeter defense might be an issue if this were any other team they were playing.
Jan 30: (#20)
The solid home win over Texas at least shows that the Sooners are in the mix. The emergence of gMichael Neal on the perimeter has helped to balance the inside games of fTaj Gray and cKevin Bookout, while the all-around game of tTerrell Everett continues to blossom.
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
Stillwater, Oklahoma

[OFFICIAL] Oklahoma State Men's Basketball Website

Dec 27: (#24)
The Replacement Players have arrived. After playing solidly against Boston College in the final of the LAS VEGAS [THANKSGIVING] INVITATIONAL and nearly winning on the road against Gonzaga, the Cowboys were able to put it together completely in front of a home crowd against surprising Tennessee in the ALL-COLLEGE CLASSIC. gJamesOn Curry is the lone holdover from last year, but at least he's the point guard; JuCo transfer fMario Boggan, freshman pByron Eaton and fDavid Monds have developed into solid contributors as the season wore on; hopefully, fMarcus Dove's back injury against UT won't be a long-term problem. Is this the year coach Eddie Sutton finally calls it quits and turns the reins over to associate head coach Sean Sutton?

In the solid Big 12, Texas is the favorite, Oklahoma should finish a strong second, with Iowa State and Texas Tech pushing to spoil after that; the Cowboys may yet be more than observers.

Finishing second in the LAS VEGAS THANKSGIVING INVITATIONAL (Boston College) was par for the course for a young team; losing to Northwestern State was a bogey; taking Gonzaga to the wire in SEATTLE and beating Tennessee (ALL-COLLEGE CLASSIC) were birdies; a road win at UAB won't be all that easy. In league play, a couple of early road games could have people counting them out but the big close at the end of February could have them on a roll.

Feb 6: (untracked)
The Cowboys could never turn the corner this season. Time to face facts and discontinue tracking them.
Feb 20
The rout of Texas is really more of a statement of softness in the Longhorns than anything solid in the Cowboys. Still, with the adversity of losing coach Eddie Sutton for the rest of the season (on medical leave after suffering injuries in an alcohol-related car accident), at least the team has chosen to rally rather than fold.
OLD DOMINION MONARCHS
Norfolk, Virginia

[OFFICIAL] Old Dominion Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
cAlex Loughton is only the beginning of the story; the Monarchs also have fine players in fArnaud Dahi and gIsaiah Hunter returning from last year's NCAA squad. 6-9 Loughton is as good a player as there is out there at the mid-major level.

In the strong Colonial, the Monarchs are the favorites ahead of several contenders for second place.

A win at PARADISE JAM (Wisconsin, Georgia) could definitely happen. Wins over DePaul and UAB can, too. In league play, most of the tough games are at home first ... that always helps.

Dec 12
A squeak win at home over George Mason (in a game that they trailed most of the way) and a blowout loss on the road at Drexel are hardly the way to begin defense of the conference title. In particular, it has been fArnaud Dahi and not cAlex Loughton who has been leading the way in these big games. That should be the other way around; and there also needs to be a significant step-up from gIsaiah Hunter on the perimeter as well. Not good.
ORAL ROBERTS GOLDEN EAGLES
Tulsa, Oklahoma

[OFFICIAL] Oral Roberts Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Last year's buzzer-beater loss in the conference tournament final prevented the Golden Eagles from earning their rightful place in the NCAAs. Three starters return, most importantly fCaleb Green and gKen Tutt; pJonathan Bluitt is also back to direct the offense. New talent up front and out top could make them even more solid this time around.

In the low rated Mid-Continent [OFFICIAL], the Golden Eagles are the clear favorites with Valparaiso and IUPUI waiting in the wings if something goes awry.

Don't expect a splash at GREAT ALASKA (South Carolina, Southern Illinois, Marquette), nor an upset at Oklahoma or Minnesota. A win (or two) over Utah State and their BRACKET BUSTER opponent, and an NCAA berth will likely be the highlights of the season.

Nov 28
They weren't able to come away with the GREAT ALASKA crown, but it was still a good trip. fCaleb Green had a solid tournament. There are still plenty of solid wins available on the preseason schedule.
Jan 16
The rout loss to Valparaiso makes it clear that the Golden Eagles aren't the trackable team for their league.
UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC TIGERS
Stockton, California

[OFFICIAL] Pacific Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Only one starter returns from last year's splash team, but fChristian Maraker is a great one to build around.

In the downgraded Big West, the Tigers will have a hard time holding off Cal State-Fullerton for the conference title.

An Unwelcome Guest win at the HISPANIC COLLEGE FUND WEST (Oregon) is a possibility, a win over Nevada and in BRACKET BUSTER as well. In league play, meeting CSF at home first helps and then having both CSN games at the end is actually a good thing for a restructured team.

Nov 28
Elvis may have left the building as far as national prominence for the Tigers. Winning at Oregon in the HISPANIC-WEST bracket was a tall order, but a 20-point blowout doesn't sit well. Winning on the road at Santa Clara shouldn't have been an insurmountable task.
Jan 9
Losing to 2-11 UC-Riverside at home is a terrible loss. "Nothing you can do when a guy hits seven three-pointers," right? He didn't do that against anybody else.
PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

[OFFICIAL] Pittsburgh Men's Basketball Website

Jan 2: (#18)
With only two returning starters, the Panthers were full of question marks in the preseason. A soft schedule also made it tough to tell their true worth. The solid win over Wisconsin validates that this is a trackable team at the very least. bCarl Krauser is still the focal point; gAntonio Graves returns as to gRonald Ramon, cAaron Gray and fLevon Kendell. Freshman fSam Young brings lots of upside and has fit well into the already established framework for coach Jamie Dixon.

In the supersized Big East, the Huskies will battle with newcomer Louisville and Villanova for the top spot, with Syracuse, Georgetown, Cincinnati and West Virginia right behind them ready to spoil; the Panthers could be right in there mixing it up with everyone.

Winning at South Carolina and at home against Wisconsin were no gimmies. In league play, there are no days off in the Mother of All Conferences.

Jan 16: (#7)
The win at Louisville showed a lot of toughness on the road against a talented team. The Panthers' depth was very much in evidence. This is much more than just bCarl Krauser and the Nobodies.
Jan 23: (#9)
Going undefeated was unrealistic in the first place, especially in this league. More troubling from the St. John's loss was the poor shooting and the lack of anyone else stepping up besides bCarl Krauser and cAaron Gray. When the chips were down, things degenerated into individuals trying to do it on their own rather than the team collectively working for a good shot. That can be fixed, but it does need to be addressed.
PRINCETON TIGERS
Princeton, New Jersey

[OFFICIAL] Princeton Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Joe Scott's return last year to his alma mater as head count was hardly the triumph many people were expecting. fLuke Owings is the leading veteran, fNoah Savage and gScott Greenman have experience, but it's the center position that drives the Tiger offense; cHarrison Schaen (back after a year's hiatus) is the key to any success this season.

In the Ivy League, it's Penn that's the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champ; in fact, the Tigers will do well to be second place ahead of Harvard and Cornell.

Any win in the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (Duke, Alabama, UCLA, Memphis, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Temple) would be progress. Don't expect any upsets at Wake Forest or Stanford (PETE NEWELL); Temple should have always been a rival over the years due to the defensive style comparison -- this year the Tigers are quite outmanned. Wyoming, Rutgers, Rice and Davidson might be the biggest wins of the season. In league play, meeting Penn away first doesn't help.

Nov 28
Ugh. With two double-digits losses at home already, it looks like the Tigers are going to be taking a long, hard look at losing basketball.
Jan 2
Objectively, this is the least trackable team around; but for sentimental reasons we must still follow the Tigers and document just how bad this season will turn out to be.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS
Carbondale, Illinois

[OFFICIAL] Southern Illinois Men's Basketball Website

Jan 16
gJamal Tatum and gTony Young lead the way for a team that should be in a rebuilding year for coach Chris Lowery. Guess again. Good things are happening this year, thank you.

In the solid MVC, Northern Iowa is the favorite, but traditional conference powers Creighton, the Salukis and Missouri State are right behind waiting for them to slip up.

The poor showing at GREAT ALASKA was a disappointment; winning at Murray State was the highlight of the preseason. In league play, so many teams are evenly matched that the schedule isn't much of a factor.

STANFORD CARDINAL
Palo Alto, California

[OFFICIAL] Stanford Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#18)
Three starters return from last year's NCAA squad. gChris Hernandez runs a steady ship, tDan Grunfeld scores well off the dribble, and fMatt Haryasz is effective in the paint. Team quickness and depth are a problem, though. Sophomore cPeter Prowitt is expected to help underneath and gTim Morris or freshman gMitch Johnson may help out in the backcourt. This is a team people love to love more than their results actually warrant.

In the strong Pac-10, Arizona is the favorite with Washington, the Cardinal, UCLA and Oregon all pushing hard for second place.

There should be no problem winning the one-off LAS VEGAS SHOWDOWN (Virginia Tech) and PETE NEWELL CHALLENGE (Princeton) games. Winning at Gonzaga is more than can be hoped for in a game that will go a long way towards seeding teams from the West. In league play, every weekend brings a tough matchup but a veteran squad should handle it well.

Nov 21: (#24)
Losing when Matt Haryasz sat out isn't such a shock; losing at home ... badly ... is. There isn't a lot of quality depth after the Big Three. Still, don't judge them until they're at full strength.
Dec 5
A couple of road losses against such lightly regarded opponents is a major cause for concern.
Jan 2
Officially, the Cardinal isn't a trackable team; but sentimental reasons mean you must follow through the bad times as well as the good. Too slow afoot defensively is the biggest problem.
SYRACUSE ORANGE
Syracuse, New York

[OFFICIAL] Syracuse Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#21)
gGerry McNamara is the only significant returning player from last year's NCAA team, but he'll do. All he does is win. He's switched back and forth between shooting guard and point guard throughout his career and this season will be more of the same. The problem for coach Jim Boeheim is everybody else. fTerrence Roberts must go from role player to go-to guy up front; freshman gEric Devendorf can help tremendously if he's ready to go from Day One. Even so, that's still not enough offensive talent for expectations to get too high.

In the supersized Big East, Connecticut, newcomer Louisville and Villanova are the favorites, with the Orange, Georgetown, Cincinnati and West Virginia fighting to be more than spoilers.

Winning the COACHES VS CANCER (Wake Forest, Texas Tech, Florida) won't be easy even in front of a home-state crowd. Home cooking will aid wins over tough Bucknell and Davidson. In league play, the superstuffed schedule is no picnic any way you look at it; the one good thing is only get Louisville once, at home.

Nov 14: (#21)
It's way early, but so far Gerry McNamara isn't getting enough in the backcourt from Louie McCroskey. The 0-for-10 performance against Cornell snapped GMac's streak of 53 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer.
Nov 21: (#21)
McNamara was just fine running the point in New York; and the 2-3 zone did its magic against Texas Tech; give credit to Florida for a well balanced attack and strong-willed performance. The 'Cuse is all right.
Nov 28
The home loss to Bucknell marks the end of rankability for the Orange. Making your best scorer run the point has lots of drawbacks no matter how capable a job he might be doing.
Jan 16: (#20)
The rout of Cincinnati had more to do with injuries and UC's lack of size, but it's still a very solid performance by the Orange. Having gGerry McNamara run the point isn't ideal, but they've seemingly pulled it off much more successfully than Wake Forest has been able to do with gJustin Gray.
Mar 13
What pGerry McNamara did in the Big East tournament is the stuff of legend. First, go back to the 39-point loss to a DePaul team going nowhere just one week prior. Then, apparently, the local Syracuse paper wrote an article saying he was "overrated" as a player (quoting unnamed Big East assistant coaches who agreed). This kid is a HERO. 65 busloads of people from his hometown (Scranton, PA) drove up to see his final home game at the Carrier Dome. This team was on the outside looking in for an NCAA at-large berth at that point. No matter. He hits the game-winning three-pointer to beat Cincinnati. Afterwards, coach Jim Boeheim launches into a profanity-laced tirade in the postgame press conference about the local newspaper article, defending his player in no uncertain terms: "We wouldn't have won 10 fucking games this year without Gerry McNamara. It's the biggest piece of bullshit I've heard in 30 years." (Wouldn't you love for someone to defend you so strongly for everyone to hear just once?) McNamara is an emotional kid -- he was clearly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support on Senior Day. He sat next to his coach and hung his head as he sang his praises. Next night, he hits the game-tying three-pointer to send the game into overtime and adds three more free throws to help defeat #1 Connecticut. Next night, when he sits in the first half, you see just what Boeheim was talking about as his teammates played horrible-looking ball and the team trailed by 15 (21-36) at halftime. No matter, back he comes; hits another big three-pointer late and then makes a beautiful assist on the game-winning basket to defeat Georgetown. Finally, in the championship game, the team starts so well (bolting out to a 15-point lead) that late heroics aren't there, but the team survives to beat Pittsburgh to win the Big East crown an earn an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. "Tournament MVP" doesn't do justice to what this guy pulled off. He's one of those players who, when he's on, it makes you better. No wonder so many people love him.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
Knoxville, Tennessee

[OFFICIAL] Tennessee Men's Basketball Website

Dec 19: (#10)
The rout win at (undermanned) Texas is more than enough to legitimize the undefeated start. New coach Bruce Pearl (ex-Wisconsin Milwaukee)'s pressing style can yield overachieving results from players who buy in. If he can take Horizon League talent to a Sweet 16, there's no reason he can't take SEC talent to the Elite Eight and beyond. A Top-10 road win is already ahead of schedule. gChris Lofton and pC.J. Watson are a fine backcourt; fAndre Patterson and cMajor Wingate have been ordinary in a more traditional sytle.

It's a rebuilding year all around the SEC, so Kentucky is the clear favorite in the East and will battle Alabama, LSU and Arkansas for overall supremacy. The upstart Vols may prove to be more than spoilers if the scramble style works in conference play.

The road win at Texas was unexpected; now a road win at Oklahoma State seems like no problem; winning at Memphis in the "Tennessee State Title" game is to much to ask. In league play, getting both Alabama and LSU on the road doesn't help; the big early home game with Florida is a must.

Dec 27
It's not that the performance against Oklahoma State in the ALL-COLLEGE CLASSIC was so bad -- it was 66-67 with 9 minutes left -- but any loss was going to burst the bubble of overpraise the Volunteers got for beating Texas so badly. This is a good team, but it's probably not legitimately rankable.
Jan 23: (#19)
Coming away with a split from such a tough week isn't half bad. The Vols gave Memphis a pretty good game on the road in what should turn into a great rivalry the next few years. Florida was had a working margin for much of that game, but UTn dug deep and turned it around in the late stages. Very nice. They've competed as equals now with three of the best teams in the entire country.
TEXAS LONGHORNS
Austin, Texas

[OFFICIAL] Texas Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#1)
Three star players return who are as good as anyone in the league from last year's NCAA squad. Sophomore gDaniel Gibson had a baptism of fire when fP.J. Tucker became ineligible for academic reasons and cLaMarcus Aldridge went down with a hip injury; both of them are back now so the sky's the limit. Also returning are veterans fBrad Buckman and gKenton Paulino, as well as sophomore fMike Williams. For once, coach Rick Barnes has a solid roster but not one that's so loaded he has to shuttle players in and out to keep everyone happy. Less should mean more this year with a better chance to develop a team personality and consistent chemistry.

In the solid Big 12, the Longhorns are the favorites, Oklahoma is a strong second choice, while Iowa State and Texas Tech will be right there ready to spoil.

Winning the GUARDIANS CLASSIC (Kentucky, Iowa, West Virginia) will be a big crown ... it should be theirs. Beating Duke in their home-away-from-home in East Rutherford is probably the biggest game of the entire preseason ... and it can happen. Winning at Memphis will be a tough task; beating Villanova at home won't be a cake walk, either ... but they're the favorite in both of those games as well. In league play, the tough road games come early and the big home games come late; that shouldn't be a problem for a veteran squad.

Nov 28: (#2)
They were lucky as hell not to lose to West Virginia in the GUARDIANS semifinal, and they trailed for most of the second half in the final against Iowa. Still, so far this season none of the super elite have been able to cruise untouched by lesser opponents. Aldridge is flourishing, Gibson is less than perfect as the scoring point guard but it's more good than bad.
Dec 12: (#9)
More dismaying than losing big to Duke is the way the Longhorns basically quit in the second half. They weren't willing to be anything more than basket-traders in this game and that was nowhere near good enough against a team the calibre of the Blue Devils. fBrad Buckman sat out the second half with an injury, but that doesn't explain much. Defensively, UT was hapless to stop gJ.J. Redick bombing away from three-point land and didn't fare much better against cShelden Williams in the paint. This team was rated too high based on what it had actually achieved on the court. The potential to be that good is there, but you have to earn it. They didn't even come close in this one.
Dec 19: (#13)
The second straight rout loss -- at home, no less -- is a cause for concern. Yes, fBrad Buckman has been out for the worst of it, but he's not that much of a difference-maker by himself. Yes, gDaniel Gibson missed essentially the entire game against Tennessee. You can explain away the margin of defeat. The defensive weakness that has been exposed is a worry. But the biggest concern of all is Gibson's concussion. That's a serious injury that can have lingering effects throughout the season; they will have to be very careful with him the rest of the way.
Jan 2: (#12)
fBrad Buckman is back on the court. Now the Longhorns have no excuse for the level of play they deliver in big games.
Jan 9: (#5)
The win at Memphis was a welcome relief -- the first elite performance of the season for this squad with big expectations. fP.J. Tucker has assumed his rightful spot as leader of this team -- forget how talented Aldridge and Gibson are; this is P.J.'s team.
Jan 16: (#2)
It wasn't pretty, but a home win over Villanova coupled with last week's road win at Memphis does finally fit the credential of a #1-seed for the tournament. We know, though, that these Longhorns are very thin. Lose one player to injury or foul trouble and they become very vulnerable.
Jan 30: (#7)
The road loss to Oklahoma shows that the Longhorns still lack something in terms of being a true Final Four-calibre team. They are great at pouring it on in a rout when things are clicking, but once again they were unable to make any stops when they needed them. All O and no D is not a championship formula.
Feb 20: (#5)
The one-time emotion from Oklahoma State (playing without their head coach for the rest of the season) is one thing, but a 21-point loss is another thing altogether. That's not the stuff of a #1 seed. Tough D isn't the strong suit of these finess athletes. The Longhorns have fallen back into a first-place tie with Kansas (and the Jayhawks are playing better ball at the moment).
Feb 27: (#3)
You'd rather see them play with this kind of intensity and focus every time out, but if not, at least it's nice to know that that switch is there when they turn it on. The rout of Kansas regained the lead in the regular season race in a big way.
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Lubbock, Texas

[OFFICIAL] Texas Tech Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#24)
Three starters return from last year's Sweet 16 team. Leading the way is gJarrius Jackson and gMartin Zeno. It's The System, stupid. Coach Bob Knight keeps finding ways to turn nondescript talent into effective lead players. No reason to think he can't keep doing it.

In the solid Big 12, Texas is the favorite, Oklahoma is a strong second choice, while Iowa State and the Red Raiders will be right there ready to spoil.

Winning COACHES VS CANCER (Wake Forest, Syracuse, Florida) won't be easy but it's possible. Winning at UNLV can certainly happen. In league play, a tough two weeks the second half of January will make or break their season.

Nov 21
Two long scoring droughts in New York -- 1-for-19 against Syracuse, and 0-for-18 against Wake Forest -- are more than a cause for concern. This team isn't about individual talent, so if they can't get the system down, they could be in trouble.
Jan 2: (untracked)
The dismal preseason left too many questions to make this team still worth tracking. Other teams in the league have stepped up earlier than expected as well.
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM BLAZERS
Birmingham, Alabama

[OFFICIAL] UAB Men's Basketball Website

Jan 2
A solid preseason makes the Cougars trackable in their own right. fDemario Eddins is the key; gMarvett McDonald and gSqueaky Johnson also help out. Pressure still can hound teams that aren't solid in the backcourt. Coach Mike Anderson keeps on making it happen with no-name players.

In downgraded Conference USA, Memphis is the big favorite; Houston and the Blazers should push for second ahead of all the ex-WAC newcomers to the league.

The home loss to Western Kentucky was a disappointment; solid performances on the raod at Nebraska, DePaul and Minnesota were encouraging; two home blowouts over Old Dominion and Oklahoma State are what makes it worth paying attention to this squad. One more out-of-conference win over VCU would be quite nice. In league play, the second week of January is where it's at.

Jan 9
Just when things were coming together, senior fDemario Eddins ruptured his achilles tendon in the VCU game and his collegiate career is over.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES BRUINS
Los Angeles, California

[OFFICIAL] UCLA Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Four starters return from last year's NCAA team, including the sophomore backcourt of gJordan Farmar and gArron Afflalo. In addition, tCedric Bozeman is back after missing all of last year with an injury. The guards are scorers more than shooters and there's no first-rate post presence, but there's plenty of talent up and down this roster. Big things will happen sooner rather than later for this still-young squad. Coach Ben Howland has a lot to work with now.

In the strong Pac-10, Arizona is the favorite with Washington, Stanford, the Bruins and Oregon right behind pushing for second place.

Making it to New York for the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (Duke, Alabama, Memphis, WI-Milwaukee, Temple) shouldn't be a problem but winning it all is a stretch. Nevada's tall lineup might cause problems in the WOODEN CLASSIC. In league play, every weekend brings one tough matchup so there's no rest for the weary.

Nov 28
The bottom line is that this team is just too soft. There's no physical presence in the frontcourt and the 'tweener scoring in the paint is really a big point guard, tCedric Bozeman. Away from the friendly confines of Pauley Pavilion, the Bruins were much more ordinary.
Dec 12: (#17)
Superior guardplay was the difference in holding off Nevada in the JOHN WOODEN CLASSIC. Few top teams are that inept in the backcourt, however; so don't overestimate just how good the Bruins are. gJordan Farmar had a very solid, mistake-free game; but that won't always be the case.
Jan 2: (#25)
No sooner do the Bruins get fJosh Shipp back than tCedric Bozeman separates his shoulder. The home loss to California was unexpected and now the path to the regular season title is a lot more difficult.
Jan 16: (#16)
Yikes. Now fJosh Shipp is done for the season with yet another injury.
Feb 20: (#20)
The Bruins are stumbling towards the finish line (thanks to injuries) -- they've fallen back into a first-place tie with California. Yikes.
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA AT LAS VEGAS RUNNIN' REBELS
Las Vegas, Nevada

[OFFICIAL] UNLV Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
The Rebels lost a lot of talent from last year's NIT squad, but the truth is that the rebuilding phase began before the season ended. Coach Lon Kruger benched his stars in favor of bench players and actually got better results. This year, all that's left is those former bench players. gMichael Umeh and fLouis Amundson are about all there is to build around. Newcomer JuCo transfer gWendell White will help.

In the downgraded Mountain West, no one in particular is a strong favorite. Utah and New Mexico lost last year's superstars; Air Force and San Diego State return the most intact rosters from a year ago; the Rebels have as good as shot as any one of those teams to take the title.

Beating Nevada, Oklahoma State, Minnesota or Texas Tech in the preseason would be an upset, home or away. In league play, A couple of tough road games at the start could put them behind the eight ball.

Nov 28
Losing the "Nevada State Title" game to Nevada hurts more than people will acknowledge. Baby steps for this bunch.
Jan 2: (untracked)
The preseason was more down than up. A better team to track for the Mountain West is Air Force.
VALPARAISO CRUSADERS
Valparaiso, Indiana

[OFFICIAL] Valparaiso Men's Basketball Website

Jan 16
The rout of Oral Roberts (and the more solid preseason) make the Crusaders the trackable team for their league. fDan Oppland and tRon Howard lead the way for coach Homer Drew.

In the low rated Mid-Continent [OFFICIAL], Oral Roberts is the clear favorite with the Crusaders and IUPUI waiting in the wings if something goes awry.

Winning at Charlotte was a highlight; winning at Iowa (HAWKEYE CHALLENGE), Marquette or Duke weren't likely to happen, anyway. In league play, getting the big games at home first does help.

Jan 30: (untracked)
The truth is, there's no trackable team from this conference.
VILLANOVA WILDCATS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

[OFFICIAL] Villanova Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#8)
All five starters are back (on paper, anyway) from last year's Sweet 16 squad. The great back court is intact: gAllan Ray, tRandy Foye, gMike Nardi and gKyle Lowry all contribute to the three-guard attack. The frontcourt attack may or may not even set foot on the floor. fCurtis Sumpter injured his knee in preseason practice and is out indefinitely. cJason Fraser is perpetually on the mend, this time from wrist surgery and knee surgery. If everyone gets healthy by season's end, this roster has Final Four potential; even with only the perimeter attack, they could still make a run for another Sweet 16.

In the supersized Big East, Connecticut, the Wildcats and Louisville will battle for the top spot, with Syracuse, Georgetown, Cincinnati and West Virginia right behind ready to spoil.

A split with Texas and Oklahoma would be great. Escaping at Bucknell would be better. In The Palestra, the BIG 5 games (Temple, Penn, St. Joseph's, La Salle) will be trouble but they should win it. In league play, full home-and-home against the top three teams is a tough schedule.

Dec 5: (#3)
gRandy Foye put on a spectacular performance against Oklahoma. The four-guard lineup is the best backcourt in the country. Unfortunately, OU was able to show that the interior is pretty attackable. Some healthy bodies in the paint would go a long waya.
Dec 12: (#2)
Going to Bucknell and hammering a solid team like that in their own place is mighty impressive. Giving up tons of points in the paint against a quality big man is still a bit of a worry, though. Still, "Guards Rule" college basketball and this the best cadre of backcourt players anywhere in the country.
Feb 20: (#2)
The huge win over Connecticut likely sealed the deal for the Wildcats to return to the same site for their Pod games in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. (That's almost a free pass into the Sweet 16.) Oh, yeah: they're also in first place in the conference race! No rest for the weary, though; they have to beat UConn yet again this week -- this time on the road.
WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

[OFFICIAL] Wake Forest Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#12)
Two key starters and several experienced reserves return from last year's NCAA splash team. cEric Williams is a strong a post player as there is anywhere in the nation; gJustin Gray must now be The Man in the backcourt after being part of a three-guard offense last year. tTrent Strickland, cChris Ellis and cKyle Visser give the Demon Deacons plenty of depth in the front court. The question mark is on the perimeter where Gray must go from shooter to passer, or else a freshman must take over the reins of a Top-25 team. Yikes. Coach Skip Prosser has shown he knows how to get it done. Believe.

In a so-so year for the ACC, Duke and Boston College will battle for the top spot, while the Demon Deacons, N.C. State and Maryland will push them from below.

Winning COACHES VS CANCER (Syracuse, Florida, Texas Tech) would be big. Beating Wisconsin in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE should also be in the cards, as well as beating Charlotte in February. In league play, only one game against North Carolina is a bad thing this year. Two brutal games against Boston College will be beautiful.

Nov 14: (#20)
It's way early, but Justin Gray needs some more help on the perimeter after his conversion to point guard. On a positive note, Trent Strickland has blossomed with his new starting role.
Nov 21: (#22)
Having Gray run the point is not the solution. The Deacons must make a change or else they're bound to have to scrap for every win just like they did in New York.
Dec 5: (#14)
Turnovers are still a problem, but the win over Wisconsin shows that gJustin Gray is getting his points now. gHarvey Hale and gMichael Drum are trying to hold down the point position with middling results. Still, a win is a win.
Jan 30: (untracked)
It's a shame that this much talent could never quite gets its act together. And it's not like the league is having a fabulous year overall, either. Ugh.
WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Seattle, Washington

[OFFICIAL] Washington Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#17)
Two starters are back from last year's Sweet 16 team. tBrandon Roy, tBobby Jones and tMike Jensen can all score inside or step out and hit the three; fJamaal Williams is strictly an inside player. The Huskies don't have the depth they had last year to shuttle in and out interchangeable 'tweeners to make up for their lack of height, though. Freshman fJon Brockman will be counted on to supply some more post presence and ex-Florida transfer gRyan Appleby should provide stability out top to allow the 'tweeners to spend more time in the paint as well.

In the solid Pac-10, Arizona is the favorite, with the Huskies, Stanford, UCLA and Oregon right there for second place.

Winning the BCA CLASSIC (Miami(Florida)) should be no problem. The in-state showdown with Gonzaga will be atos-up even at home. In league play, it's important to win the December Arizona home game or else the rest of the season will be uphill.

Nov 21: (#9)
The good news is that there's still enough depth to play the same style as last year. Jon Brockman has already made a mark on the college basketball landscape.
Dec 5: (#2)
The magnificent shootout with Gonzaga validated the no-name routs on the early schedule. Even with all the losses from last year, there is still quite a lot of offensive talent on the roster. Defensive stops aren't quite bread-and-butter, but they're athletic enough to buckle down at crunch time.
Dec 27: (#4)
tMike Jensen is back in the lineup to provide even more depth of interchangeable 'tweeners.
Jan 9: (#22)
Losing at home in double-overtime to Arizona is one thing, but losing at home to Washington State is another thing altogether. That's a bad loss that may have taken the Huskies out of contention for the conference race.
Feb 6
The wheels have come off for the Huskies off late. They aren't getting true point guard production out of pJohn Dentmon so the ball is being handled mostly by tBrandon Roy, which has its plusses and minuses. A little clampdown D would be nice as well.
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
Morgantown, West Virginia

[OFFICIAL] West Virginia Men's Basketball Website

Nov 28
bMike Gansey and cKevin Pittsnogle return, along with tJohannes Herber and gPatrick Beilein, from last year's surprise Elite Eight squad. The strong showing in the GUARDIANS CLASSIC is proof that they're no one-year fluke. The spread offense gives opposing teams lots of trouble because it opens up the lane and isolates individual defenders' weaknesses. Multiple players can handle the ball, move without it and shoot from downtown ... including the 6-11 Pittsnogle. They'll be a tough out all season long.

In the supersized Big East, Connecticut, Louisville and Villanova will fight for the top spot, with Syracuse, Georgetown, the Mountaineers and Cincinnati all right there ready to spoil.

Despite three losses, it was a successful week at the GUARDIANS CLASSIC. Losing at home to LSU at home hurt, though. Beating Oklahoma and UCLA in front of their own fans would make up for it. In league play, one early road game is tough and all the rest are stacked up at season's end -- a veteran squad can handle that.

Dec 27: (#16)
The convincing win on the road against Oklahoma in the ALL-COLLEGE CLASSIC returns the Mountaineers to the rankings. Their execution in the spread offense was outstanding and was a real problem for the interior-oriented Sooners. This team even gets to the free throw line from out of that perimeter attack.
Jan 9: (#12)
There is no quit in the Mountaineers. Villanova was up 15 early in the second half and appeared to be headed towards another rout over WVU like the one last year, but this time they came all the way back and stole a huge win.
Jan 23: (#4)
Don't look now, but the Mountaineers just whipped the Pac-10 leader on the road, have gone to the wire with two Final Four contenders (including a come-from-way-behind road win), and are in first place (undefeated) in the toughest conference in the land. That better be good enough for Top-5 credentials. gMike Gansey has become a bona fide All-American out of the shadow of "you've been [Kevin] Pittsnogled".
Jan 30: (#9)
Forget the in-state rivalry factor. There's no excuse for a Top-5 team to lose to a team that's 8-10 like the Mountaineers just did at the hands of Marshall. Also, things have degenerated into a two-man show. That's not a good sign.
Feb 20: (#14)
Teams are starting to be able to consistently exploit the Mountaineers in the paint. 6-11 Kevin Pittsnogle needs to be a much more significant rebounder than he is. Also, no third consistent scorer has ever arisen.
WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS
Bowling Green, Kentucky

[OFFICIAL] Western Kentucky Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
bAnthony Winchester and tCourtney Lee form a versatile backcourt tandem that can score inside and outside. Florida State transfer tBenson Callier should fit right in. The death last spring of teammate Danny Rumph and a summer trip abroad to Spain should bond the team even closer than usual this season.

In the Sun Belt, the Hilltoppers' backcourt attack makes them the favorites in the East (and overall) ahead of Denver's frontcourt prowess in the West.

A home win over Pacific is a possibility; an Unwelcome Guest victory in the FIESTA BOWL CLASSIC (at Arizona) isn't. Winning the BRACKET BUSTER game is a must. In league play, the one matchup with Denver is on the road. Oops.

Nov 28
What seemed like a promising start came crashing down with a home loss to Georgia. 28 turnovers and a one-man show just will not cut it.
Dec 27
Almost doesn't quite do it. A moral victory against struggling Arizona means nothing in the long run. The Hilltoppers are in a league that will only receive one bid to the NCAA tournament, so any results that go towards building their power rating (like winning their BRACKET BUSTER game) only affect where they'd be seeded. Winning the conference tournament is everything, like it or not.
WINTHROP EAGLES
Rock Hill, South Carolina

[OFFICIAL] Winthrop Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Everyone is back from last year's squad that had one of the strongest seasons in school history. tJames Shuler and tTorrell Martin can score from inside and outside, pChris Gaynor handles the point solidly. The Eagles are great defensively and have good size up front as well. Coach Gregg Marshall's team has a shot at a splash upside at season's end.

In the Big South [OFFICIAL], the Eagles are the overwhelming favorites to repeat as champs, with no one a close pick for second place.

An Unwelcome Guest BLUE AND GOLD (at Marquette) win is a bit of a reach, as well as road wins at Alabama, South Carolina, Auburn and Memphis. Home wins over East Carolina, Portland and BRACKET BUSTER are more likely. In league play, the schedule isn't a factor for such a veteran squad.

Nov 21: (#25)
Winning the BLUE AND GOLD CLASSIC at Marquette was great. This veteran squad is ready for a higher level of challenges than this program has ever seen.
WISCONSIN BADGERS
Madison, Wisconsin

[OFFICIAL] Wisconsin Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON (#22)
Only one starter returns from last year's Elite 8 squad, but it's The System, stupid. tAlando Tucker is a great all-around talent; gKammron Taylor blossomed as a solid contributor last season. After that, there isn't much experience left over. For most programs, that's a big problem, but coach Bo Ryan has been able to win year after year with new players who learn to step up and be counted on. cBrian Butch should improve on his "potential" label; freshmen fMarcus Landry, tJoe Krabbenhoft and fKevin Gullickson may be factors sooner rather than later.

In the tough Big 10, Michigan State is the favorite, with Illinois, Iowa and the Badgers among a grab bag of teams nipping at their heels for second place.

A win in the PARADISE JAM (Old Dominion) should happen. Winning the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE game (at Wake Forest) will be tough to pull off. The "Wisconsin State Title" (Marquette, WI-Milwaukee, WI-Green Bay) should also be theirs. Winning at Pittsburgh is probably too much to expect. In league play, two of the biggest games come right away at home -- it's feast or famine in a three-day stretch.

Nov 28: (#22)
Winning PARADISE JAM is great, but the squeak win in the final (even against a solid team like Old Dominion) is less than what you hope for but you'll still take it. A win is a win is a win. bKammron Taylor's emergence as a first-tier contributor is good to see.
Dec 5: (#19)
The Badgers played well even in defeat at the hands of Wake Forest in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE. fBrian Butch was a pleasant surprise helping with the scoring load.
Jan 9: (#7)
Conference play always seems to heal the Badgers. Their home court advantage kicks in and so doesn't their focus. This team can degenerate into a one-man show (fAlando Tucker, who is struggling mightily on free throws), but they still manage to be formidable.
Jan 23: (#17)
Um. How does the league-leader on one of the premier conferences in the land -- a team with one of the most formidable home court advantages in the entire nation -- turn in such a lousy performance and lose at home to a Provisional Division-I school like 8-9 {North Dakota State}? For starters, how about having your two star players shoot 8-for-42 with no assists between them. Yikes.
Feb 6
The Badgers' limited offense is catching up to them. (And injuries haven't helped, either.) fAlando Tucker and gKammron Taylor can have very bad shooting nights and they don't particularly share the ball very well as it is.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT MILWAUKEE PANTHERS
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

[OFFICIAL] Wisconsin-Milwaukee Men's Basketball Website

Nov 7: PRESEASON
Despite losing their best player and their coach from last year's team, the Panthers still have four returning starters. fJoah Tucker leads the way with gBoo Davis and fAdrian Tigert still around to help out. After Bruce Pearl left to take over at Tennessee, new head coach Rob Jeter inherited a squad that's in good shape.

In a down year for the Horizon League, the Panthers are still the favorites ahead of the likes of Detroit and Loyola(Illinois).

Advancing in the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF (Duke, Alabama, UCLA, Memphis, Temple) will be tough. Winning at Wisconsin isn't likely; Hawaii and Illinois-Chicago are more possible; BRACKET BUSTER could be a big game for this team. In league play, the schedule is pretty neutral.

XAVIER MUSKETEERS
Cincinnati, Ohio

[OFFICIAL] Xavier Men's Basketball Website

Jan 16: (#25)
The preseason was difficult to judge because there were no name wins. Even the road win at Charlotte probably doesn't mean as much as you want to believe. gStanley Burrell, fBrian Thornton, fJustin Doellman and fJustin Cage lead the way for this experienced (and deep) team, which has all five starters back for coach Sean Miller.

In the Atlantic 10, newcomer Charlotte will immediately contend for the title with George Washington, with Temple, the Musketeers, and St. Joseph's not far behind.

A road win at Illinois wasn't to be expected, anyway. A win in the CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT (at home) should be. In league play, winning at Charlotte was huge, getting George Washington at home is also a bonus.

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