INDIVIDUAL TEAM SUMMARIES AND SCHEDULES FOR 2007-08 SEASON
(2007-08 SEASON)

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

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AKRON ZIPS
Akron, Ohio

Akron Men's Basketball Website

Feb 4: (tracked)
The Zips have been solid through the first half of conference play, certainly worth tracking. Three starters return from last year's regular season conference champs, led by fJeremiah Wood; gNick Dials and reserve gCedrick Middleton form capable support for oach Keith Dambrot's squad.

In the always competitive MAC, it's all about the "OH". Miami(Ohio), Ohio University, Kent State and the Zips all will vie for supremacy in the East Division (and overall). In the west, veteran Western Michigan should be able to hold off rising Central Michigan.

Not winning TOP OF THE WORLD (Colorado State, Portland State) was a disappointment; winning at Dayton and Winthrop would have been nice; winning at Austin Peay was small consolation. In league play, a road games at Western Michigan and Central Michigan make the schedule tougher than most.

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Alabama Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
It's all about the health of pRonald Steele's knees. At 100%, he's one of the top guards in the nation (but he was far less than 100% last year and the team struggled to a first-round loss in the NIT). Offseason surgery was meant to correct the problem, but until he's all the way back, don't expect too much. cRichard Hendrix, fAlonzo Gee and fMykal Riley make for a nice, athletic frontcourt; freshmen gSenario Hillman, gRico Pickett and fJustin Knox will eventually contribute a lot for veteran coach Mark Gottfried's squad. (In fact, after more surgery in August, Steele has decided to take a medical redshirt for this season.)

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; Kentucky and completely revamped Florida can only spoil. In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and the Crimson Tide (hoping their best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

Don't expect a road win at Texas A&M; home wins over Georgetown (BIG EAST-SEC) and Clemson won't be easy. SOUTH PADRE (Purdue, Iowa State, Missouri State, Texas Pan American) should be theirs for the taking. In league play, there are fewer easy games in the West Division but at least they get Tennessee and Florida at home.

Dec 24
Winning LAS VEGAS-THANKSGIVING in solid style is more like it (although the Tide nearly lost at home to Wofford right off the bat). They're not suddenly rankable, but it's the first significant achievement in a while without Ronald Steele.
Jan 21: (untracked)
There's nothing happening with the Tide that warrants individually tracking this team.
ALABAMA STATE HORNETS
Montgomery, Alabama

Alabama State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 26: (tracked)
The decent start (plus the winless opening of Grambling State) makes it more sensible to track this team as representative of this conference. bAndrew Hayles is the star; fRichard Lott is a solid second banana for young coach Lewis Jackson.

In the weak Southwestern Athletic , Grambling State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff have the best shot to unseat Mississippi Valley State and Jackson State, who are both rebuilding from last year; the Hornets may yet be contenders as well.

An Unwelcome Guest win at SMU TIP-OFF is beyond expectation for a SWAC team. That said, don't expect wins at Miami(Florida), UAB and Southern Mississippi. In league play, two big road games in early January will make or break the regular season.

Feb 4
The road rout of second place Southern sets the Hornets up to coast home to the regular season title.
AMERICAN EAGLES
Washington, District of Columbia

American Men's Basketball Website

Mar 3: (tracked)
In a topsy-turvy (read "soft") year for the league, it's the Eagles who've wound up with the #1-seed heading into the conference tournament. Only one starter returns, but at least he's the point guard, pDerrick Mercer. That's as good a place to start for still young coach Jeff Jones.

In a down year for the Patriot , even in rebuilding mode, Holy Cross and Bucknell should still be strong enough to stay ahead of Lehigh and improving Lafayette.

Winning at Georgetown, Dayton or Maryland wasn't going to happen, winning at home against Maryland(Baltimore County) was their best shot at making some preseason noise. In league play, the balanced schedule was pretty neutral.

ARIZONA WILDCATS
Tucson, Arizona

Arizona Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Only two starters return, led by stellar tChase Budinger; bJawann McClellan is a solid player; big things are expected from freshmen gJerryd Bayless and fJamelle Horne for Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson's revamped squad (including the hiring of assistant coach Kevin O'Neill [who was featured in the movie Hoop Dreams when he was the head coach at Marquette at the time]).

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. UCLA replaced its one star player loss with a Golden Child and is the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); Oregon and Washington State have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; Stanford (with all five starters back) and Washington return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; USC (with its own Golden Child), the Wildcats and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even Arizona State and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

Don't expect road wins at Kansas or Memphis (and Illinois, UNLV and Houston won't be a picnic, either); a home win over Texas A&M (BIG 12/PAC-10) will be tough to pull off (and San Diego State, Fresno State and Virginia won't be cakewalks). In league play, a full home-and-home schedule means nobody gets it easy.

Nov 12
Coach Lute Olson has requested an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. Kevin O'Neill will be interim coach until his return.
Dec 3: (#24)
pJerryd Bayless' coming out party brought the Wildcats back from a 20-point deficit against rough Texas A&M. A true point guard in the zone trumps all others in the college game.
Dec 10: (#19)
Lute Olson officially announced that his leave of absence will extend for the entire season. In the meantime, the team is in the perfectly capable hands of interim coach Kevin O'Neill.
Feb 4: MIDCONFERENCE (#13)
Forget the blowout at UCLA -- they're in their own stratosphere at the moment -- just take in the very nice road win at USC. The 'Cats have developed a nice combination of defensive ability to go with their offensive prowess. Kevin O'Neill has made his mark on this squad and there's a bright future at the end of this season.
Feb 11
The loss of pNic Wise (out with knee surgery) is a big blow. It changes the rotation and forces pJerryd Bayless to run the point more than he has. This wasn't a deep team as it was; this can't help.
ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
Tempe, Arizona

Arizona State Men's Basketball Website

Jan 14: (#20)
The early home wins in such a strong league warrant tracking (and even ranking, this week anyway) this team. Take five returning starters, add a GC recruit, a big-name transfer and a solid freshman class and add water. fJeff Pedenrgraph was already a star player; GC bJames Harden has met the lofty expectations; Duke transfer cEric Boateng hasn't; freshman gJamelle McMillan should also be a major contributor; gChristian Polk was a solid starter last year; gTy Abbott will fight for time as well for veteran coach Herb Sendek.

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. UCLA replaced its one star player loss with a Golden Child and is the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); Oregon and Washington State have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; Stanford (with all five starters back) and Washington return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; USC (with its own Golden Child), Arizona and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even the Sun Devils and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

Winning MAUI would have been a lot to ask for a club with such a new mix of talent; winning on the road at Nebraska (BIG 12/PAC-10) was a tough task as well; beating Xavier was a bigger win than anyone would have expected. In league play, three early home games is a great way to start.

Feb 11
The road win over Arizona stopped a five-game slide. By itself, it's not enough to secure an NCAA bid, but it's a start.
Feb 18
The Desperation Trail win over Stanford helps, the home loss to Cal hurts. The Sun Devils, Oregon and Cal are probably fighting it out for just one NCAA bid.
ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Arkansas Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Five starters are back from last year's NCAA tournament team. Higher expectations ushered the firing of coach Stan Heath; then, Dana Altman [Creighton] accepted the new head coaching job but changed his mind a day later; eventually, John Pelphrey (ex-South Alabama) took the job. gPatrick Beverley is a star; fCharles Thomas is solid offensively and cSteven Hill is a big-time shot-blocker; pGary Ervin and tSonny Weems round out a quality starting five; freshmen fMichael Sanchez and gNate Rakestraw figure to work into the mix sooner rather than later.

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; Kentucky and completely revamped Florida can only spoil. In the West, the Razorbacks (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping its best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

Winning PUERTO RICO (VCU, Houston, Providence) is very possible. Of the "Border War" games, at home against Missouri nd on the road at Oklahoma will be tough to pull off, at home against Missouri State and Oral Roberts should be doable. In league play, the West Division schedule has fewer easy games and they have to go away to Tennessee and Kentucky to boot.

Feb 4: MIDCONFERENCE (#25)
Two impressive home routs of Missisippi State and Florida have the Razorbacks back in the Top 25 for the first time all year. bSonny Weems and bPatrick Beverly (a tenacious rebounder at only 6-1) have become quite an explosive tandem in this stretch.
Mar 3
The Desperation Trail win over Vanderbilt helped the Razorbacks stay above The Gap in the standings. They'll need to maintain that (and hopefully make the semifinals in the conference tourney) in order to secure an NCAA bid.
AUSTIN PEAY GOVERNORS
Clarksville, Tennessee

Austin Peay Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Five starters return from last year's regular season champs, led by fDrake Reed, including tFernandez Lockett and gDerek Wright, for veteran coach Dave Loos.

In the OVC, the Governors are the heavy favorites to repeat; Eastern Kentucky, Murray State and Tennessee Tech still have enough horses returning to contend if they falter.

Don't expect road wins in SOUTH PADRE (Bradley, Utah State, Vanderbilt, Iowa). A "State Title" road win at megapoweer Memphis is out of the question. Home games against Akron and the home-and-home series with Belmont are possibilities. In league play, a big road game in December is a tough way to start, but a veteran squad should be able to handle it.

Jan 28: MIDCONFERENCE
Midway through conference play, the Governors have a two-game lead over Murray State, with Morehead State and SE Missouri State another game back tied for third. So far so good.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT
Thank you, Governors! You did the NCAA tournament a big favor by coming through with the automatic bid as the only team that really deserved it from this 1BC league. They should avoid the Play-In game, but a first-round date with, say state "rival" Tennessee could well be in their future.
BAYLOR BEARS
Waco, Texas

Baylor Men's Basketball Website

Dec 17: (#24)
Sometimes the best way to advance is to stand still while others around you are retreating. Such is the case for the solid-enough Bears. Their performance in the PARADISE JAM (beating Notre Dame and Winthrop) and having put a fine fight against tough Washington State make a case for ranking them (this week, anyway). All five starters return from last year's squad, led by fCurtis Jerrells, fKevin Rogers and bAaron Bruce; bHenry Dugat and returning reserve gTweety Carter are also key contributors; freshman gLaceDarius Dunn should be a factor right away as well for young coach Scott Drew.

It's a strong year for the Big 12. Even with the cloud of a key injury lurking, Kansas is the heavy favorite for the title (and a contender for the national crown); Texas (under "The Year After Rule") and Texas A&M still have plenty of talent left and will contend along with the young stars of Kansas State; veteran Missouri, retooling Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and rebuilding Oklahoma all are good enough to spoil; Nebraska, Iowa State, the Bears and Colorado aren't pushovers.

Winning PARADISE JAM (Notre Dame, Winthrop, Georgia Tech) was a great achievement. Even at home, beating Washington State was a big ask; beating Arkansas in Dallas is quite doable; winning on the road at South Carolina is within their reach. In league play, five brutal road games come at the front end of the schedule -- a veteran squad is more equipped to handle such, but that doesn't make it any easier.

Feb 18
A win over Texas would have been nice, but the loss at Oklahoma State probably did more damage. The Bears are most likely in a race with Oklahoma for just one NCAA bid (so Tuesday's game at Norman is huge).
BELMONT BRUINS
Nashville, Tennessee

Belmont Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (tracked)
A splash win at Alabama and a solid preseason all around are enough to make this the trackable team for this conference (rather than East Tennessee State. bJustin Ware and pAndy Wicke are the returning star backcourt for veteran coach Rick Byrd.

In the weak Atlantic Sun, East Tennessee State is the favorite to repeat as champs; the Bruins and Lipscomb still have the star power to make them spoilers; veteran Jacksonville may rise to contender status.

Winning at Cincinnati was nice, winning at Alabama was excellent; no shame in losing at Xavier; it would have been nice to split with Austin Peay. In league play, they get the big game at home first.

Feb 11
The home win over Jacksonville elevated the Bruins into first place, (but there's still a long way to go and the standings remain tightly bunched at the top).
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT
The Bruins are NCAA-bound for the third straight year and this may be the best team of the bunch.
BOISE STATE BRONCOS
Boise, Idaho

Boise State Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (tracked)
The squeak home win over BYU is the only thing between this entire league and a completely oblvious preseason. fMatt Nelson and fReggie Larry are a solid tandem up front; gAnthony Thomas provides support on the perimeter for young coach Greg Graham's team.

In the competitive WAC, New Mexico State, Utah State and Fresno State have returning talent and an influx of new talent to fight it out at the top; Nevada has one star left, and Hawaii and the Broncos have enough as well to spoil.

Winning at Washington State wasn't to be expected; neither was a home win over BYU -- but it happened! In league play, more tough games are on the road first.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three returning starters, led by gTyler Morris and gCorey Lowe, along with reserve gCarlos Strong, form a strong backcourt nucleus; cScott Brittain is back as well. A summer trip abroad (to Taiwan) only helps to cement the chemistry for veteran coach Dennis Wolff's squad.

In the receding America East , the veteran Terriers hope to move past Vermont and Albany, both of whom lost key players.

Don't expect wins at Pittsburgh, Massachusetts, George Washington or Holy Cross, or at home versus St. Joseph's; but a road win at Yale and a home win versus Manhattan are the possibilities for preseason notoriety. In league play, the big games come at home first, so things are set up as well as possible for them to take control of the race.

Dec 3
Enough is enough. It's been quite clear that this team isn't trackable. It's finally clear enough that Maryland(Baltimore County) is trackable enough to be the representative team from this conference.
BRADLEY BRAVES
Peoria, Illinois

Bradley Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three starters return, anchored by the great backcourt of assist man pDaniel Ruffin and three-point marksman gJeremy Crouch; fMatt Salley is back as well up front; plenty of new help has arrived: JuCo transfers fRashad Austin, cDavid Collins and tTheron Walker should contribute immediately; JuCo transfer gTyrone Cole-Scott along with freshmen cAnthony Thompson, cWill Egolf and gSam Maniscalco will be ready sooner rather than later for young coach Jim Les.

It's a rebuilding year for the mighty MVC. The Braves, Southern Illinois and Creighton should vie for the top spot; Wichita State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and Illinois State are all good enough to spoil.

Winning SOUTH PADRE (Utah State, Vanderbilt, Iowa) is within reach. Don't expect a home win against Michigan State or a road win at Butler; beating VCU and Iowa at home are doable. In league play, three of the toughest games don't come until late February -- that's helps a team with lots of new players.

Dec 31: (untracked)
Nothing happened in the preseason to warrant continued tracking of this team.
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY COUGARS
Provo, Utah

Brigham Young Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Only two starters return, but cTrent Plaisted and bLee Cummard are a solid nucleus; tJonathan Tavernari has experience; JuCo transfer pLamont Morgan is expected to be a major contributor; freshmen gJimmer Fredette and fChris Collinsworth will be factors as well sooner rather than later for young coach Dave Rose.

In the Mountain West, it's very much up for grabs. Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming have their stars back from losing teams; San Diego State, UNLV and the Cougars lost a lot from winning teams but also added new studs.

Winning LAS VEGAS-THX (North Carolina, Louisville) won't happen. Don't expect a home win at Michigan State; a road win at Wake Forest and a home win versus Lamar won't be as easy they think. In league play, two tough four-game stretches at the end of January and also February could wear them down.

Nov 26: (#8)
Not only did the Cougars edge heralded Louisville, but they pushed vaunted North Carolina to the limit in LAS VEGAS. cTrent Plaisted was unguardable and Jonathan Tavernari was relentless. BYU is tall and physically mature. (Remember, many of their players have been on two-year missions and some are 24- and 25-years old.) This squad has Final Four potential.
Dec 10: (#12)
A truly elite team should have been able to hold onto the lead in front of a friendly crowd, even against a quality opponent. The fact that the Cougars couldn't keep Michigan State at bay means they're just another "surprising talent" that is still a notch below "serious national contender". There are no more chances on their schedule to alter that perception (but maybe they'll sneak into the postseason still a bit underestimated).
Feb 18: (#22)
The payback rout of UNLV solidifies the Cougars' hold on first place. That's more like it. (And the road loss at Wake Forest doesn't look as bad now, either.) Onward and upward.
BUTLER BULLDOGS
Indianapolis, Indiana

Butler Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#21)
Last year's spectacular season (featuring the PRESEASON NIT title and a trip to the Sweet 16) was no fluke. Three starters return, including most importantly the outstanding backcourt combo of gA.J. Graves and bMike Green; tPete Campbell is back as well; expect transfer fAvery Jukes (ex-Alabama) to be a key contributor when he becomes eligible in December. Former assistant Brad Stevens takes over from Todd Lickliter (who left to take over at Iowa). It's not like this team "snuck up on people" after they won the PRE-NIT -- everybody knew who they were after that -- yet they continued to post impressive national victories with their ball control, hustling defense, and weaving perimeter attack. They won't suffer any letdown in that respect this year. This is The Real Thing.

In the Horizon, the Bulldogs are prohibitive favorites; newcomer Valparaiso is best suited to spoil.

Winning GREAT ALASKA (Gonzaga, Western Kentucky) is very possible. A road win at Southern Illinois is not out of the question; neither is beating Ohio State and Bradley at home; expect a win at JOHN WOODEN (Florida State). In league play, an early December road game with Wright State won't bother them, and getting newbie Valpo at home in January is just fine.

Nov 26: (#21)
Who says last year was a fluke? Not I. A second straight year winning a preseason tournament is sommething any program would readily take. The nucleus of bMike Green, pA.J. Graves, tPete Campbell and tJulian Betko have their system down so well that it makes it easier for newcomers to ease into it themselves and fit right in.
Dec 3: (#12)
The sublime second half against talented Ohio State might be as fine a moment as this crew has had.
Dec 10: (#15)
Whatever it is, Wright State still has the Bulldogs' number. Once again, they've given up control of the league race and will have to scrap as equals with the other contenders instead of fending off challengers from the top looking down. It's not such bad news for Butler itself, which will surely make the NCAA tournament with a reasonably solid conference season; the problem is that, like last year, they've already opened the door for the Horizon to field a second (and "undeserving") team. This league should be 1BC, but it's Butler's job to make sure it stays that way.
Jan 21
Their only two losses were endplays on the road (both of which go down as moral victories -- so they're still morally undefeated), but now they're two games out of first place before we've even gotten to the midconference point. The problem is that their perimeter weave with 'tweeners tPete Campbell, tJulian Betko and tDrew Streicher is more effective out of conference against traditional BCS post forwards than it is against undersized mid-major small forwards. (If they come through without winning either the regular season or the tournament title -- just like last year -- they will really mess with the NCAA draw [because none of these other teams, Cleveland State included, have really done enough to warrant an at-large bid). Get it together, boys, for the good of the country!
Feb 4: (#21)
Thanks to a four-game slump from Cleveland State, the Bulldogs went from two games out to two games up in two weeks time -- (and they had last week off!). With the regular season title firmly in control, they shouldn't have to worry about being on the bubble for an at-large bid. (But do everybody a favor and win the conference tourney and the automatic bid so this league stays 1BC!!!)
CALIFORNIA STATE AT FULLERTON TITANS
Fullerton, California

California State-Fullerton Men's Basketball Website

Mar 17
Despite being #3-seed, the Titans were tied for first place in the final standings (and rated as the best team, anyway) so they're a fine representative of the league. Three starters return from last year's winning squad, led by fScott Cutley; fFrank Robinson is a nice complement inside; gMarcus Crenshaw is a solid point; transfer gJosh Akognon (ex-Washington State) should be an instant star in the league; JuCo transfer pGreg Russell should also make an impact for young coach Bob Burton.

In the improving Big West, UC-Santa Barbara will battle the Titans and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo for league supremacy; Pacific and UC-Irvine should be right there ready to contend as well.

A road win at Arizona was too much to ask; playing SOS (at St Mary's) was a tough assignment; a home loss to Wright State was a disappointment. In league play, six road games out of seven are the toughest stretch in the schedule.

CALIFORNIA STATE AT NORTHRIDGE MATADORS
Northridge, California

California State-Northridge Men's Basketball Website

Jan 21
Surprise! It's the Matadors who've broken out of the gates as the league-leaders. Better track them, at least. Three starters return, led by fJonathan Heard; fCalvin Chitwood combines to make a solid frontcourt duo for coach Bob Braswell's squad.

In the improving Big West, UC-Santa Barbara will battle Cal State-Fullerton and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo for league supremacy; Pacific and UC-Irvine should be right there ready to contend as well. (The Matadors were not expected to even spoil.)

Losing at Gonzaga and Washington is understandable; the IR INVITAIONAL (Drake, Duquesne) was tougher than it seemed on paper; winning at Cleveland State was a bigger prize than it seemed on paper. In league play, a couple of tough road games right off the bat could make or break their season.

CLEMSON TIGERS
Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#24)
Four starters return from last year's successful season; cJames Mays is a winner; fTrevor Booker and gCliff Hammonds are solid contributors; super sixth-man fK.C. Rivers may start this time; freshman gDemontez Stitt may have to run the point; freshman fJerai Grant has a long way to go to live up to dad Harvey and uncle Horace; coach Oliver Purnell has every reason to expect big things again this year.

It's a down year for the ACC. North Carolina lost two starters (and added no one) but will still fight for the title with fortified Duke and rising N.C. State; the veteran Tigers will contend as well; Florida State and Maryland are only good enough to spoil.

SAN JUAN (DePaul, Mississippi) should be theirs for the taking. Home wins against young Purdue (ACC-BIG 10) and Charlotte won't be that easy, but a home win over in-state rival South Carolina should happen; road wins at Alabama and Mississippi State aren't in the cards. In league play, they only get Duke and Maryland once each, but both are on the road.

Dec 10: (#23)
6-for-7 on three-pointers (from freshman gTerrence Oglesby) -- that's exactly what this team needs: easy baskets from the outside to break open the lodero-style defensive struggles they thrive on. "The Man must continue."
Jan 8: (#25)
The Tigers played brilliantly on the road in routing improved Alabama, but they just couldn't break through the psychological barrier to defeat North Carolina in a fantastic, brutal contest. gTerrence Oglesby was 5/9 on threes against Alabama, but only 1/8 against UNC -- that could easily have made the difference in an overtime loss.
Feb 11
A 15-point lead in Chapel Hill with only the closing segment to go -- the Clemson program has never been that close before. Instead of the crown jewel victory of the season that would have instantly secured an NCAA bid, broken the curse, and propelled the Oliver Purnell era to a new level, ... it's one of the most crushing defeats in the entire series of futility. It took three weeks to recover their swagger after the first loss to UNC. They can't afford that this time. But how in the world do you pick yourself up after that disappointment?
CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS
Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland State Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (untracked)
This league doesn't warrant tracking four teams, Butler for sure, maybe Valparaiso, but at this point, swap in Wright State and out the Vikings.
Jan 21: (re-tracked)
Lo and behold, there's an undefeated league-leader in the Horizon with a two-game margin over the rest of the field. But it's not Butler. Surprise! It's the Vikings! There's a long way to go, but they've done a great job so far. Better track them, at least. Only two starters return, led by fJ'Nathan Bullock, from last year's disappointing season; ex-St. John's gCedric Jackson will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact for young coach Gary Waters.

In the Horizon, Butler is the prohibitive favorite; newcomer Valparaiso is best suited to spoil. (Not much was expected of the Vikings.)

A solid showing at GLENN WILKES (UAB, Florida State, Georgia Southern) was encouraging; losses at George Mason, against Ohio University and at Kent State were understandable; a home loss to Cal State-Northridge was tougher to accept. In league play, getting both Butler and Valparaiso at home first is a nice way to break out early (-- and they did).

Feb 4: (untracked)
It was never the quality of their play that warranted tracking this team, it was only the fact that they led Butler in the standings. Thanks to a four-game slide, that's no longer true; so no need to track this bunch anymore.
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HUSKIES
Storrs, Connecticut

Connecticut Men's Basketball Website

Jan 28: (#22)
The huge road win at Indiana -- shorthanded, no less -- has major implications for the postseason fortunes of both the Big East and the Big 10. The at-large cutoff on the former just slid down, with the cutoff on the former just went up (and it will stay up until some other intersectional result occurs to modify it). Five returning starters mean the team should be ready to hit the ground running; fJeff Adrien is the lead force up front; bJerome Dyson, cHasheem Thabeet and pA.J. Price all have plenty of experience and are ready for a strong season; freshman gDonnell Beverly may find some minutes sooner or later for Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, Marquette (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, the Huskies (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

Winning COLLEGE HOOPS/CVC (Memphis, Kentucky, Maryland) was never going to happen; losing to Gonzaga (HALL OF FAME) was a disappointment. In league play, two games against Notre Dame, Providence and Cincinnati is easier than many have it.

COPPIN STATE EAGLES
Baltimore, Maryland

Coppin State Men's Basketball Website

Mar 17
Well, how do you do? The Eagles have earned the distinction of being the first 20-game-losers to ever make it to the NCAAs. Hello, Play-In. (This is the reason it's a good idea to keep the Play-In game, by the way.) Five starters return from a middle-of-the-pack conference team, led by bTywain McKee; fRobert Pressey provides some inside help as well for long-time coach Ron "Fang" Mitchell.

In the weak Mid-Eastern Athletic , Hampton has the most solid nucleus returning as Delaware State and Florida A&M rebuild, and Morgan State and North Carolina A&T try to rise to contender status. (Not much was expected from the Eagles.)

Any out-of-conference win would have been a surprise -- so beating SE Missouri State is a bonus. In league play, five of the first seven on the road is a tough way to start.

CORNELL BIG RED
Ithaca, New York

Cornell Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (tracked)
It's faint praise, to be sure, but it looks like this is the team that ought to be the trackable representative for this league (not Yale). fRyan Wittman is the centerpiece; bLouis Dale and gAdam Gore (back after a year off for knee surgery) are the supporting case for coach Steve Donahue.

In the weak Ivy League, it's the Eli, Cornell and Columbia who have the veteran teams that should vie to finally put an end to the 19-year reign enjoyed by Penn and Princeton.

Losses at Syracuse and Ohio University were to be expected; a home win over Siena was a nice surprise. Don't expect anything other than humiliation at Duke. In league play, starting with three out of four games on the road isn't the best schedule.

Feb 4
It's early yet, but two convincing wins over what figured to be the toughest teams inside the league have the Big Red set up quite nicely, thank you.
Feb 11
Sweeping the brand-name conference powers is a big psychological breakthrough -- tangible proof they're the best team.
Mar 3
The Big Red has clinched the league title -- the first not to go to Penn or Princeton in 20 years. (The Gap is 3 games over second-place Brown.) Two more wins would make it an undefeated run to boot.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT
Why not do it all the way right, eh? They did: a perfect 14-0 regular season. Nice job.
CREIGHTON BLUEJAYS
Omaha, Nebraska

Creighton Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Yes, four starters are gone -- but the best news is the one who stayed: coach Dana Altman accepted the job at Arkansas but changed his mind one day later, so he's still in Omaha. fDane Watts is the lone returning starter and resever gJosh Dotzier is also back; lots of new talent (and a down year in the league overall) are the reasons for optimism: Louisville transfer fChad Millard, JuCo transfer gBooker Woodfox and freshmen gP'Allen Stinnett and cKenton Walker all figure to be immediate contributors; sophomore gCavel Witter and freshman gKaleb Korver (brother of Kyle and Klayton) will be ready sooner rather than later as well.

It's a rebuilding year for the mighty MVC. Bradley, Southern Illinois and the Bluejays should vie for the top spot; Wichita State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and Illinois State are all good enough to spoil.

A road win at Xavier is a bit much to expect; but home wins against St. Joseph's, Nebraska and DePaul are all doable. In league play, an easy start to the schedule is just what the doctor order for a team full of new players.

Feb 25
The road win over Oral Roberts in BRACKETBUSTERS (plus the overall great showing by the league) may well have positioned the Bluejays in the hunt for an at-large NCAA bid. Consider every game left a knockout round, though.
DAVIDSON WILDCATS
Davidson, North Carolina

Davidson Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#25)
Five starters return from last year's regular season and conference tournament champs. Uncharted waters await this season for a team led by All-America gStephen Curry. But this is no one-man team: pJason Richards was second in the nation in assists last year (7.3 apg); fThomas Sander and fBoris Meno are capable scorers in the paint. Only two things could derail the lofty expectations for veteran coach Bob McKillup's squad: 1) they aren't huge up front, and 2) they won't have the element of surprise this time around.

In the otherwise slight Southern Conference, the Wildcats are prohibitive favorites to dominate from start to finish in the South Division (and overall); only UNC-Greensboro in the West figures to even have a chance to spoil.

An ambitious non-conference schedule may be their undoing: no way do they pull off wins at JOHN WOODEN (UCLA), at North Carolina, Duke or N.C. State -- (Charlotte and Western Michigan should be wins, but will their confidence be shot?) In league play, an early game at Appalachian State and having to play UNC-Greensboro twice are slight worries, but not really.

Nov 12
The Wildcats played well against North Carolina. More troubling was the revelation that gStephen Curry will play the entire season with a sprained left wrist that will eventually need surgery.
Jan 21
The Wildcats couldn't break through against their ambitious preseason schedule. They've done the next best thing, though: thoroughly dominate inside the conference. Still, this is a 1BC league, so even an undefeated regular season title won't be enough to get them an at-large bid.
Jan 28: MIDCONFERENCE
Past the midway point in conference play, the Wildcats are still undefeated inside the league with a two-game lead. Appalachian State and Chattanooga are tied for second; UNC-Greensboro is another game back in fourth; and Georgia Southern is one more game back in fifth (but still above .500 on the league).
Feb 25
The comfortable road win at Winthrop in BRACKETBUSTERS should put the Wildcats firmly in the mix for an at-large bid. A loss in the conference tournament from this 1BC, however, would negate all the goodwill, anyway.
Mar 3: (#25)
The Wildcats completed a perfect 20-0 regular season to win the conference title by a Gap of seven games over second-place. My, oh my.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT (#25)
After you've gone 23-0 through a conference, what's next? Normally, a coach would move up to a higher profile job, or a school would move up to a more competitive league. Neither of those is likely to happen in this case, though. Bad news for the rest of the league until Bob McKillop decides to retire. Yes, he's got a special player this year, but (A) that kid is only a sophomore and isn't likely to bolt to the NBA early, and (B) McKillop has dominated this league before -- so it's not the kid, it's the coach.
DAYTON FLYERS
Dayton, Ohio

Dayton Men's Basketball Website

Dec 10: (#20)
Yet another tough road win, this time at Louisville, is more than enough reason to officially track (and rank, this week, anyway) this squad. Four starters return from last year's conference contenders, led by lead guard gBrian Roberts; fCharles Little is capable in support; freshman leaper fChris Wright is expected to contribute right away; gMickey Perry should help when he becomes eligible as well; tJimmy Binnie and fKurt Hueslman have already made a mark for young coach Brian Gregory's.

In the competitive Atlantic 10, St. Joseph's and Xavier appear to be the top of a bunch of teams; right behind as contenders are the Flyers, Rhode Island and Fordham; George Washington, St. Louis and Massachusetts could spoil as well.

Four out of five tough road games (East Tennessee State, Miami(Ohio), Holy Cross, Louiville - yes; George Mason - no) is great, frankly. Beating High Point at home was to be expected; so should Loyola(Maryland) and Akron; beating Pittsburgh, even at home, is a tall order. In league play, they've got a tough double-up group (Xavier, Rhode Island, St Louis), but at least St. Joseph's is at home.

Jan 14: (#11)
The overall strength of the league is makes every team seem even more prestigeous. Suddenly, being the A-10 leader actually carries some weight behind it.
DRAKE BULLDOGS
Des Moines, Iowa

Drake Men's Basketball Website

Jan 14: (#25)
The solid start in conference play must mean something. The league-leader deserves to be tracked at least (and ranked, at least for this week, anyway). With only one starter (gJosh Young) returning from a seventh place team and a new coach, there was no reason to have preseason expectations that Keno Davis' first squad would be this good, but here we are. tKlayton Korver is a good three-point threat (like his brothers before him); at least fJonathan Cox and gLeonard Houston have experience off the bench last year.

It's a rebuilding year for the mighty MVC. Bradley, Southern Illinois and Creighton should vie for the top spot; Wichita State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and Illinois State are all good enough to spoil.

No breakthrough wins in the preseason -- winning at St. Mary's was a lot to ask; but there were no bad losses, either. The "Iowa State Title" is always nice. In league play, with the league in flux, it's hard to pick where the tough games are.

Feb 18: (#24)
Forget the Desperation Trail loss at Southern Illinois. The Bulldogs' win over Norther Iowa clinches their first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title in 37 years. Congratulations, guys! (Can you say, "National Coach of the Year"? I knew you could!)
Feb 25: (#19)
Forget the squeak loss to Bradley. The solid road win at Butler in BRACKETBUSTERS more than makes up for it. With the right draw, this team could very well live up to the BB Sweet 16 tradition.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT (#19)
The Bulldogs won the MVC tournament final in impressive fashion over Illinois State. They're deliberate, efficient and everyone can shoot the three-pointer -- that can be tough to deal with if you don't have the patience.
DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Durham, North Carolina

Duke Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#17)
Four starters return from last year's awkward finish; bDeMarcus Nelson and gGreg Paulus are the backbone; gJon Scheyer adds depth; Golden Child tKyle Singler will make an immediate impact on the team, the league and the college landscape; freshmen gNolan Smith (son of the late Derek Smith, Louisville '80) and tTaylor King bolster what should be a potent perimeter/finesse attack for Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski's squad.

It's a down year for the ACC. North Carolina lost two starters (and added no one) but will still fight for the title with the fortified Blue Devils and rising N.C. State; veteran Clemson will contend as well; Florida State and Maryland are only good enough to spoil.

Winning MAUI (Marquette, Oklahoma State, Illinois) will be a tough task. Home wins over Davidson, New Mexico State, Wisconsin (ACC-BIG 10), Michigan and Princeton won't be a problem; a neutral-site win against Pittsburgh (AP) might be. In league play, they only get Clemson once (at home) and Florida State once (on the road). Having the conference tournament in Charlotte is big edge (not to mention a first-/second-round NCAA POD in Raleigh, and Regional Semis and Finals back in Charlotte).

Nov 26: (#7)
The Blue Devils have a better distribution of talent this year than last year (but there's still the issue of lack of individual quickness) that will catch up to them some way some how. bDeMarcus Nelson and bGerald Henderson should be better suited to come through when someone needs to make something from nothing than they were a year ago. Spot up three-point shooters are only as good as the playmaker who creates the opening for them.
Feb 11: (#2)
The road win at undermanned North Carolina was even bigger than usual. The Blue Devils now have a secure hold on the inside track to a postseason where they don't have to leave the state: ACC Tournament in Charlotte, first-/second-round NCAA Pod in Raleigh, NCAA Regional semis and finals back in Charlotte. That's a big advantage.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY BUCCANEERS
Johnson City, Tennessee

East Tennessee State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Only two starters return, but one of them is Conference Player of the Year bCourtney Pigram; tMike Smith and cAndrew Reed remain as well; and big things are expected from JuCo transfer tKevin Tiggs and the comeback of gTravis Strong from injury. It all points to a fine season for coach Murry Bartow's squad.

In the weak Atlantic Sun, the Buccaneers are the favorite to repeat as champs; Belmont and Lipscomb still have the star power to make them spoilers; veteran Jacksonville may rise to contender status.

RAINBOW (Georgia, Ohio University) doesn't have an overwhelming field. Don't expect wins at Syracuse or Dayton; but a road win at Chattanooga or a home win versus Appalachian State wouldn't be out of the question. In league play, the tougher "North Division" schedule is as tough as can be with three big road games in mid-January (but that also means the home stretch is mostly at home).

Dec 31: (untracked)
Nothing in the preseason warrants making this the trackable team for this conference, not when Belmont has already made a preseason splash.
FLORIDA GATORS
Gainesville, Florida

Florida Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
All five starters are gone from last year's two-time defending national champions; so why track them at all? A) Because Billy Donovan changed his mind about taking the head coaching job of the Orlando Magic in the NBA, and B) he pulled in the best recruiting class in the nation to start over from scratch. This is no "Fab Five" (or "Thad Five") that's expected to wind up in the Final Four, but they won't be cellar-dwellers. At least gWalter Hodge has been on the floor; either of freshmen pNick Calathes and gJai Lucas could wind up running the point; freshmen fChandler Parsons and fAlex Tyus figure to start immediately; freshman tAdam Allen will fit in either inside or outside as necessary.

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; Kentucky and the completely revamped Gators can only spoil. In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping its best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

A road win at Ohio State won't be easy; a win in the ORANGE BOWL (Temple) should be no problem; home wins against High Point and Florida State are a go. In league play, there are some easier games in the East Division schedule, but they must play Tennessee and Kentucky twice and they also have to travel to meet Arkansas and Alabama.

Nov 26
Florida State gave the Gators a reality check. This is College Basketball where the Big Boys play. It was never going to be all blowouts all the time.
Jan 28
The YounGuns are ready. The rout of Vanderbilt puts the Gators No. 2 in the overall league standings. If not for the down year of the league (and circumstances elsewhere this past week), they'd be ranked for such a feat.
FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS
Fresno, California

Fresno State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three returning starters, led by gKevin Bell and fHector Hernandez, are reason for optimism; gEddie Miller is a capable player as well; best of all, transfers fRekalin Sims (ex-Kentucky) and bBrian Harvey (ex-Louisville) should make an immediate impact for coach Steve Cleveland's squad.

In the competitive WAC, New Mexico State, Utah State and the Bulldogs have returning talent and an influx of new talent to fight it out at the top; Nevada has one star left, and Hawaii and Boise State have enough as well to spoil.

The WV CLASSIC (San Diego State) is more than just a three-day showcase. Don't expect road wins at Stanford or Arizona (but wins at UNLV and Sam Houston State are doable). In league play, there are tough games throughout the schedule.

Nov 12
Losing your own home "showcase" tourney certainly stings. San Diego State is a fine calibre opponent, though. The silver lining is that the other WAC powers New Mexico State and Utah State have also stumbled early out of the blocks.
Dec 31: (untracked)
It no longer warrants tracking this team as representative of this league, (try Boise State instead).
GEORGE MASON PATRIOTS
Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Five returning starters is reason for continued excitement; tFolarin Campbell and fWill Thomas are the leaders; gDre Smith, gJohn Vaughan, fDarryl Monroe and gJordan Carter are all experienced contributors for coach Jim Larranaga's squad.

In the Colonial, the Patriots are the favorites; VCU, Hofstra and Drexel still have individual stars who can spoil; rebuilt UNC-Wilmington is a dark horse contender as well.

Winning OS (N.C. State, Kansas State, Villanova) is a lot to ask; a home win over Dayton would be nice. In league play, the tough games are spaced out -- that's something.

Nov 26
The Patriots made a fine showing at the OS CLASSIC, knocking off talented-but-green Kansas State. cWill Thomas showcased his skill set against raw talent. GMU is playing well, just in time for a huge (but way too early) conference game with Drexel.
Feb 4
They don't lead in the standings, but the win over VCU sends a message as to who is really the best team in the league. fWill Thomas and tFolarin Campbell are having a fine senior seasons.
Feb 25
Yeah, you can't presume a road win for anyone; but other teams were able to win their road game in BRACKETBUSTERS. The Patriots couldn't and yet again lost when they had a workable lead early on. No at-large bid is coming their way, now. The only way into the NCAAs will be to win the conference tournament.
GEORGETOWN HOYAS
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#5)
Four starters return from last year's Final Four team, led by National Player of the Year candidate cRoy Hibbert; gJonathan Wallace is a terrific deep shooter and fDaJuan Summers figures to step up his scoring (after the departure of league PotY fJeff Green); gJessie Sapp runs a capable point; freshman fAustin Freeman and gChris Wright will factor immediately into the mix to give young coach John Thompson III's squad an even more versatile attack than a year ago.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, The Hoyas, Marquette (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

A road win at Memphis will be tough to pull off; a road win at Alabama (BIG EAST-SEC) is tough but doable. In league play, they get Louisville, Syracuse (and St. John's) twice plus road games at Marquette and Pittsburgh -- not the most favorable schedule.

Dec 24: (#10)
The loss at Memphis showed the main problem with this team: If you can force the tempo on them, the pace of the game will eliminate cRoy Hibbert from being a factor.
Feb 18: (#8)
The Desperation Trail loss at Syracuse means the Hoyas have fallen back into a first-place tie with Louisville -- (and the Cardinals beat them head-to-head in Round One. Frankly, a terrible call bailed them out against Villanova as it is, or they'd really be in trouble in the standings.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT (#9)
The Hoyas prevailed in a tight contest over Louisville to win the conference title and earn the top seed in the conference tournament. They'll probably need to win that, and get some help elsewhere (from the likes of Tennessee) in order to get to stay home as the #2-seed in the Charlotte Regional.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Athens, Georgia

Georgia Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return from last year's respectable campaign. gSundiata Gaines and fTakais Brown are the mainstays; gMike Mercer hopes to regain the form he had just before a knee injury ended his season; freshmen fJeremy Price and fChris Brown figure to contribute immediately; freshmen gZac Swansey and fJeremy Jacob will eventually make an impact for coach Dennis Felton's squad.

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; Kentucky and completely revamped Florida can only spoil. (The Bulldogs will be spoilers at best.) In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping its best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

RAINBOW (Ohio University, East Tennessee State) is there for the taking. Road wins at Gonzaga and Wisconsin won't happen; home wins against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest won't be easy (but home wins over East Tennessee State and Grambling won't be a problem). In league play, in addition to having to play Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida twice each, at least they get Arkansas and Alabama at home.

Nov 26
With both fTakais Brown and gMike Mercer now dismissed from the team, it's back to Square One for Dennis Felton's program. There is no nucleus of competitive talent, so this year is a washout at best. The task them becomes can Felton convince any quality players to come to Georgia under his direction when he really has no track record to recommend him. It will probably take a coaching change before any thoughts of a contending national program in Athens can be seriously entertained.
Jan 21
It's been a while since the Dogs did something worth paying attention to, but they had a solid week with two good home wins (over Alabama and Arkansas).
Mar 17
Will you look at what the Dawgs have done!? Can you believe it? It took an Act of God to move the SEC tournament from the "Thunderdome" over to the "Thrillerdome" and that probably helped. (When is the last time Kentucky played in front of only 100s of supporters?) Then, they had to play twice in one day! Throughout it all -- with bubble teams nationwide sending them negative vibes through their TV sets -- UGA found a way to earn an NCAA bid. Wow! Great job, guys!
GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY PANTHERS
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
The main reason for any optimism about this season is new coach Rod Barnes (ex-Mississippi). Returning players gLeonard Mendez and fRashad Chase aren't stars but they're all there is; reserves cDeven Dickerson, fJustin Billingslea and gTrae Goldston aren't consistent contributors; the only new face this year is tJihad Ali.

In the Colonial, George Mason has all five starters back; VCU, Hofstra and Drexel still have individual stars who can spoil; rebuilt UNC-Wilmington is a dark horse contender as well; (the Panthers will be no factor).

A win at Florida State is out of the question; so is a home win against Georgia Tech. In league play, they're in over their heads home or away this season.

Dec 10
A game effort against crosstown rival Georgia Tech is encouraging. For this season, the best we can hope for is the occasional splash here and there, though.
GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS / RAMBLIN' WRECK
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia Tech Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
The loss of "one-and-done" gJavaris Crittenton and tThaddeus Young is a big blow after last year's respectful season. fRa'Sean Dickey, fJeremis Smith, tAnthony Morrow and gLewis Clinch are capable veterans; fZach Peacock, fMouhammad Faye and fAlade Aminu provide depth on the front line; freshman gGani Lawal will contribute immediately; freshmen gMaruice Miller and gLance Storrs and transfer gMatt Causey will add depth to the perimeter attack for still-young coach Paul Hewitt's squad.

It's a down year for the ACC. North Carolina lost two starters (and added no one) but will still fight for the title with fortified Duke and rising N.C. State; veteran Clemson will contend as well; Florida State and Maryland are only good enough to spoil. (The Yellow Jackets figure to be no factor.)

Winning the PARADISE JAM (Notre Dame, Wichita State, Winthrop) isn't out of the question. Don't expect road wins at Indiana (ACC-BIG 10) or Vanderbilt, or a home win against Kansas. In league play, they only have to play North Carolina and Duke once each -- that helps.

Dec 24
fRa'Sean Dickey will redshirt the entire season rather than become eligible just for the rest of this year. Another blow, to be sure, but the bigger problem for the 'Jackets is ball-handling, which Dickey's return wouldn't have solved.
GONZAGA BULLDOGS / 'ZAGS
Spokane, Washington

Gonzaga Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#22)
The difference between "good" and "great" this season hinges on how committed fJosh Heytvelt's return is following last year's suspension after a drug arrest; pJeremy Pargo and gMatt Bouldin are a solid backcourt; tMicah Downs should florish getting to move out of the lane; JuCo transfer fIra Brown and freshman tAustin Daye should add depth in the frontcourt/wing for still-young coach Mark Few. Besides fHeytvelt's performance, the vulnerable aspects of this squad are backcourt depth and who will be the second solid rebounder.

In the otherwise weak WCC, the 'Zags are prohibitive favorites; St. Mary's will do well to even spoil.

Home crowds should give them a good shot at big wins against Tennessee and Washington State, but winning at Memphis is too much to ask; winning GREAT ALASKA (Butler, Western Kentucky) won't be easy, neither will a win at the HALL OF FAME (Connecticut); home wins against Utah, Georgia and Montana and on the road at ALL-COLLEGE (Oklahoma) are all to be expected and should cement their Top-25 status regardless of the outcome against the Top-10 opponents. In league play, playing St. Mary's on the road first is slightly tougher (but it shouldn't matter).

Nov 12: (#20)
A solid win over Montana is nice; but the prospect of being without fJosh Heytvelt for up to 6 weeks after foot surgery is a real downer. We may not get to see this team at full strength against any Grade-A opponents.
Dec 24
fJosh Heytvelt is finally back on the court. It may take a while for him to become a key contributor again (and even longer, if ever, for him to return to the lottery pick potential he was just beginning to show when he burst on the scene at the beginning of last season).
Mar 3: (#21)
Give the Zags credit. They faced the toughest challenge to league supremacy yet since they emerged on the national scene (back in 1999). Beating St. Mary's gained a split head-to-head and gave them a one-game lead in the standings with one game remaining.
GRAMBLING STATE TIGERS
Grambling, Louisiana

Grambling State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return, led by gAndre Ratliff and including fAnthony Williams, from last year's league contenders for coach Larry Wright.

In the weak Southwestern Athletic , the Tigers and Arkansas-Pine Bluff have the best shot to unseat Mississippi Valley State and Jackson State, who are both rebuilding from last year.

Don't expect road wins at Georgia, South Alabama, TCU, Houston or Colorado. In league play, tough road games in February will make or break their season.

Nov 26: (untracked)
A winless season so far (plus a creditable start for Alabama State means there's no further reason to track this team for this conference.
HAMPTON PIRATES
Hampton, Virginia

Hampton Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return, led by gRashad West, including fMike Freeman and fMatthew Pilgrim. JuCo transfer fDonte Harrison should help out as well for second-year coach Kevin Nickelberry's squad.

In the weak Mid-Eastern Athletic , the Pirates have the most solid nucleus returning as Delaware State and Florida A&M rebuild, and Morgan State and North Carolina A&T try to rise to contender status.

Even one win in CBE/GUARDIANS would be a stretch. Don't expect wins at home versus Holy Cross or VCU, or away at George Mason or Virginia. In league play, a couple of the toughest games come at home first, so they should be able to get off to a strong start.

Dec 3
Oh my! A solid win over VCU is quite impressive. The rout of Howard is nice to see as well. They're probably catching George Mason at the wrong time coming off a shocking loss, but we'll see.
Feb 4
The home loss to Morgan State means the Pirates have lost control of the regular season title race. Getting it back on the road (with no margin for error elsewhere) is a tough ask. In fact, there's no reason to track two teams from a conference this weak.
HIGH POINT PANTHERS
High Point, North Carolina

High Point Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four returning starters from last year's successful campaign mean there's plenty of optimism for this season. fArizona Reid leads the way; pMike Jefferson runs the show as well as anyone in the league; gEugene Harris and fJerald Mimms provide plenty of experience for coach Bart Lundy's squad.

In the otherwise weak Big South, the Panthers return enough horses to take over the void left by the major losses (players and coach) at Winthrop; Coastal Carolina and Liberty will try to spoil.

Don't expect wins at Florida, Dayton or Charlotte or against Utah (NIT TIP-OFF). In league play, the early home meeting with rebuilding Winthrop is the perfect scenario for a veteran squad to immediately claim control of this season's race.

Dec 3: (untracked)
The lousy start coupled with the decent opening from veteran Winthrop makes sense for this not to be the trackable team representing this conference.
HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS
Worcester, Massachusetts

Holy Cross Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three returning starters should ease the pain of the loss of star bKeith Simmons. cTim Clifford is now The Man; fAlex Vander Baan should provide some help up front as well for veteran coach Ralph Willard's squad.

In a down year for the Patriot , even in rebuilding mode, the Crusaders and Bucknell should still be strong enough to stay ahead of Lehigh and improving Lafayette.

Don't expect a win at Maryland; otherwise, Dayton and Hofstra at home are possibilities; wins versus Boston University, Yale and Sacred Heart as well as at Hampton are all doable. In league play, getting Bucknell at home first is a plus.

Dec 10
With only a squeak loss (albeit at home) to emerging Dayton on their record, it's time to give the Crusaders a shoutout for the high quality preseason they've put together.
Jan 21: (untracked)
The Crusaders have opened league play at 0-3 (while Lafayette is 3-0). Time for a swap as the officially tracked team for this conference.
HOUSTON COUGARS
Houston, Texas

, Houston Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return from last year's solid season, led by gRobert "Fluff" McKiver; tDion Dowell and gLanny Smith (returning from injury) help round out a capable perimeter attack; transfer cMarcus Cousin (ex-Seton Hall), JuCo transfers gDaShaun Williams and gKelvin Lewis should make immediate contributions; freshmen gBrockeith Pane and gZamal Nixon add depth outside for veteran coach Tom Penders' squad.

In the improved Conference USA, Memphis is even stronger this year than last (when it rolled through the league undefeated); UAB and the Cougars will contend for second place (and a trip to the postseason); Southern Mississippi, Marshall, Tulane, Central Florida and UTEP are all capable of spoiling second place.

Home wins against Kentucky and Arizona won't happen; winning the PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF (Arkansas, VCU, Houston) is too much to ask as well. In league play, they're be plenty of hype surrounding the January home showdown with (likely undefeated) Memphis, but they probably can't pull off the upset.

Dec 24
You don't get much love for being the umpteenth team to beat Kentucky this year; but the win did showcase that the Cougars just might have enough talent plus a hostile environment to a stumbling block on Memphis' pursuit of an undefeated season.
Feb 4
The Cougars probably had the best shot at knocking off Memphis with their intimidating home crowd, but it didn't really faze the Tigers. No matter. Finish strong and find a way to earn an at-large bid into the NCAAs.
Mar 3
pRobert McIver's 52p5a;17/34fg performance against Southern Mississippi is the top point-scoring output of the season nationwide. Hats off.
ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS
Normal, Illinois

Illinois State Men's Basketball Website

Mar 3
The Redbirds are probably the least publicized decent team around. Second-place should give them lots of cred, but it's a down year. No real noise out of conference, either. Win your way into the NCAAs is the only guarantee. Four starters return from last year's disappointing squad, led by bOsiris Eldridge and cLevi Dyer; fAnthony Slack is also a solid contributor; JuCo transfer gEmmanuel Holloway should make an immediate impact; JuCo transfer gSean Odzic and freshman gAlex Rubin should also be ready sooner rather than later for new coach Tim Jankovich.

It's a rebuilding year for the mighty MVC. Bradley, Southern Illinois and Creighton should vie for the top spot; Wichita State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and the Redbirds are all good enough to spoil.

Winning CHICAGO (Indiana, Xavier, Kent State) was always a long shot; beating Cincinnati will have to do for the preseason. In league play, the tougher games come on the road first.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY HOOSIERS
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#10)
Only one starter is back, but fD.J. White is an All-America candidate for Player of the Year; gArmon Bassett and gA.J. Ratliff are quality reserves; Golden Child gEric Gordon figures to make a big "one-and-done" mark on the college game; JuCo transfers gJamarcus Ellis and fDeAndre Thomas and freshman cEli Holman should all make immediate contributions; freshman fBrandon McGee will be ready sooner rather than later for veteran coach Tom Izzo's loaded roster.

In a down year for the Big 10, Michigan State (with all five starters back, including an All-America guard) and the Hoosiers (with an All-America forward plus a Golden Child guard) will fight for the title; reloaded Ohio State is also good enough to contend; Illinois, Wisconsin and new look Purdue are all ready to spoil.

CHICAGO (Xavier, Illinois State, Kent State) is theirs for the taking. Home wins against Bluegrass rival Kentucky, Connecticut and Georgia Tech (ACC-BIG 10) should happen; a road win at Southern Illinois won't be easy. In league play, an easy January should set them up for a great start. Having the conference tournament in Indianapolis is a big edge.

Dec 10: (#18)
It's really more of a commentary on how wrong things have gone at Kentucky that the Hoosiers were able to rout the Wildcats even with GC gEric Gordon sitting out with an injury. Hopefully, gJordan Crawford's breakthrough performance will be the first of many more to come.
Feb 4
Because of their nonconference wins were all over questionable opponents, and now the overall softness inside the league, it's tough to assess whether this is a good, great, or even just ordinarily decent team. The talent is there, but where are the big wins? Losing to Connecticut at home has made things bad for the entire league as far as getting postseason bids will go.
Feb 18: (#17)
Coach Kelvin Sampson is in loads of trouble with allegations of new NCAA violations that might cost him his job this week. In the standings, the squeak home loss to Wisconsin hurt and the home rout of Michigan State helped. Look what we have here: a showdown between arch-rivals, IU and Purdue, with first place on the line!
Feb 25: (#15)
Indiana and Kelvin Sampson negotiated his resignation in return for agreeing not to sue for wrongful termination. Assistant coach Dan Dakich (aka "The Man Who Shut Down Michael Jordan") will finish the season as interim coach. Meanwhile, six players (including fD.J. White) skipped Dakich's first practice in protest of Sampson's exit. But they eventually returned to the fold and played the Northwestern game. A season of promise now is completely uncertain.
Mar 3: (#17)
Granted, East Lansing is a tough place to play so cut them a little slack (i.e., don't drop them entirely from the rankings), but ... a 48-point turnaround home and away is too much to swallow. This could be a sign of the unravelling of the season after the Sampson debacle. How you respond to adversity says more about your character than how you handle success.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY-PURDUE UNIVERSITY AT INDIANAPOLIS JAGUARS
Indianapolis, Indiana

IUPUI Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
The return bGeorge Hill from injury is the biggest reason for optimism; in addition, bAustin Montgomery and gGary Patterson lead three returning starters for veteran coach Ron Hunter.

In the renamed and expanded Summit League (formerly the Mid-Continent) , the Jaguars will battle with reclassifying {North Dakota State}, retooling Oral Roberts and veteran Oakland for supremacy.

Don't expect wins at Marquette or even at home against Massachusetts. Winning a game or two at TOP OF THE WORLD (Akron, Oregon State, Colorado State) is possible. In league play, more tough games are at home the first half of the schedule, which should help them get a leg up in a tough race.

Jan 21: (untracked)
The loss at Oral Roberts makes that team the trackable squad for this 1BC league.
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Lawrence, Kansas

Kansas Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#2)
Four starters return from last year's regular season and conference champs and Elite Eight squad. bBrandon Rush's off-season knee surgery is the big question mark -- he's the best player on a loaded squad; with him at 100%, they're Final Four material; if not, they're still no less than Sweet 16. Sophomores fDarrell Arthur and gSherron Collins were great last year and figure to be even better this year; gMario Chalmers and gRussell Robinson are physical defenders; cSasha Kaun and fDarnell Jackson are veteran contributors as well; freshmen cCole Aldrich and gTyrel Reed will also demand playing time for coach Bill Self's fully stocked roster.

It's a strong year for the Big 12. Even with the cloud of a key injury lurking, the Jayhawks are the heavy favorite for the title (and a contender for the national crown); Texas (under "The Year After Rule") and Texas A&M still have plenty of talent left and will contend along with the young stars of Kansas State; veteran Missouri, retooling Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and rebuilding Oklahoma all are good enough to spoil; Nebraska, Iowa State, Baylor and Colorado aren't pushovers.

A road win at USC won't come that easily; a home win over Arizona (BIG 12/PAC-10) should happen; home wins over Miami(Ohio), Ohio University, Loyola(Maryland) and Yale should all be no problem. In league play, the easier "North Division" schedule is a given, but they're on the road at both Texas and Texas A&M.

Nov 19: (#2)
bBrandon Rush is back on court, but gSherrod Collins is out 6 weeks after having surgery on his foot. In the long run, the Jayhawks will be fine; but in the short run, some of the lustre is off of the matchups with Arizona and USC.
Nov 26: (#3)
They escaped in OT against Arizona, but the closeness of the game revealed how vulnerable they are without gSherrod Collins. There are practically no easy jump shots to be had to help open up the lane, and bBrandon Rush is ahead of schedule, but still clearly not 100%.
Dec 3: (#3)
The Jayhawks showed a lot of resilience taking what seemed like a knockout punch from talented USC early on (down 4-16 just two minutes in). Outside shooting is still the vulnerability, but bMario Chalmers came through in the clutch. That's what you want to see.
Dec 10: (#3)
gSherrod Collins is back now, so hopefully the Jayhawks can begin to find a smoothe offensive flow to complement their brutal physical defense.
KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Only two starters return and the big-name coach is gone, but there's every reason to expect a great season this year. fDavid Hoskins is a solid performer; fBill Walker showed his major talent in only six games last year before going down with a knee injury; Golden Child 6-10 fMichael Beasley has size, ball-handling and playmaking ability and three-point range on his shooting stroke to boot; JuCo transfer tAndre Gilbert and freshman gDominique Sutton should contribute immediately; freshmen fJamar Samuels, gJacob Pullen and gFred Brown will be ready sooner rather than later for new coach Frank Martin (who was promoted from assistant coach after Bob Huggins left to take over at his alma mater, West Virginia).

It's a strong year for the Big 12. Even with the cloud of a key injury lurking, Kansas is the heavy favorite for the title (and a contender for the national crown); Texas (under "The Year After Rule") and Texas A&M still have plenty of talent left and will contend along with the young stars of the Wildcats; veteran Missouri, retooling Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and rebuilding Oklahoma all are good enough to spoil; Nebraska, Iowa State, Baylor and Colorado aren't pushovers.

It may be too early in the season to expect a win at OS (N.C. State, George Mason, Villanova), or for a home win over Oregon (BIG 12/PAC-10) (and beating California won't be easy); a win against Notre Dame (JIMMY V) and on the road at Cincinnati will be tough but doable. In league play, the easier "North Division" schedule is even better since both Texas A&M and Texas are at home.

Dec 10
The win over California, highlighted by cBill Walker's standout performance, hopefully will mark a new stage of development for this young-but-talented roster. They'll likely only have the one year to get it right (with "one-and-done" ahead for cMichael Beasley for sure, if not Walker as well).
Jan 14: (#23)
The road win in conference play at Oklahoma is a great start. Maybe there's more to this team than a traveling showcase of a couple of GC draft picks. No matter what kind of numbers cMichael Beasley puts up, he can't seriously be in the running for Player of the Year unless his team is a real contender. So far, so good.
Jan 21: (#14)
It probably says more about what's wrong with tumbling Texas A&M, but a big-time rout of a ranked team (during a week when most everyone else had one good and one bad outing) suddenly vaults the Wildcats into the Top 15. If they can continue success in conference play, then all of cMichael Beasley's numbers may well lead to a second straight Big 12 Freshman Of the Year/Conference Player of the Year/National Player of the Year. Who'd have thought that could happen twice in a row?
Feb 4: (#12)
¡Ay, ay, ay! Just when they finally beat Kansas at home, for the first time in 25 years, gain control of the league race (especially since they get the tough TX teams at home while KU gets them on the road) . . . they give all their advantage right back by blowing a 15-point lead and losing in an endplay to a depleted Missouri squad. Yikes! Well, at least they've demonstrated that they can beat anyone in the country.
Mar 3
The wheels have really come off in the second half of conference play. In particular, tBill Walker has had some terrible performances. Compare this team to GC USC: will they close with a focused team effort, ... or will showcasing for pro scouts emerge as the team collapses?
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING OWLS
Kennesaw, Georgia

Kennesaw State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
pGolden Ingle and gBrent Ragsdale are gone, but fRonnell Wooten and fShaun Stegall are back; gAndre Morgan and fJon-Michael Nickerson must step up this season; and much is expected of transfer fJay Mitchell (ex-Texas Tech). Coach Tony Ingle has his work cut out for him in order to continue the steady progress so far in their on-going transition into full Division I status (which is still two years away).

In the weak Atlantic Sun, East Tennessee State is the favorite to repeat as champs; Belmont and Lipscomb still have the star power to make them spoilers; veteran Jacksonville may rise to contender status; the Owls will be no factor.

Don't look for road wins at Western Kentucky or Auburn; one win is all they can hope for at the DUEL IN THE DESERT (at UNLV, Minnesota); home wins versus Jacksonville State and Florida A&M might be it as far as preseason notoriety. The easier "South Division" schedule helps, as does having three of four tough games against "North Divison" foes be at home.

Mar 3
The Owls are ineligible for postseason play until the 2009-10 season, so that's it.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES
Kent, Ohio

Kent State Men's Basketball Website

Feb 4: (tracked)
Coming through the first half of conference play solidly warrants tracking this team. Four starters return, led by the solid nucleus of fMike Scott and pJordan Mincy; reserve fHaminn Quaintance is a key contributor for young coach Jim Christian's squad.

In the always competitive MAC, it's all about the "OH". Miami(Ohio), Ohio University, the Golden Flashes and Akron all will vie for supremacy in the East Division (and overall). In the west, veteran Western Michigan should be able to hold off rising Central Michigan.

Winning the CHICAGO INVITATIONAL (Xavier, Indiana, Illinois State) was a long shot; winning at North Carolina was never in the cards; beating George Mason, Cleveland State and Hampton at home were nice wins. In league play, a tough four-game stretch in January will make or break the regular season.

Feb 25: (#22)
The great road win at St. Mary's in BRACKETBUSTERS vaults the Golden Flashes into the rankings for the first time this year. Why not? They're in first place of a competitive league that has made noise from multiple members. gAl Fisher(28p4p6to) leads the way for this squad now.
Mar 3
The Desperation Trail loss at Bowling Green cost the Golden Flashes their national ranking. No matter. Focus on getting the top seed for the conference tournament and gaining that automatic NCAA bid.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WILDCATS
Lexington, Kentucky

Kentucky Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#15)
Having presided over the longest drought in between trips to the Final Four in the storied history of the school, Tubby Smith decided to resign (and take the job at Minnesota). New coach Billy Gillispie (ex-Texas A&M) is young, but has a great track record so far. Three starters are back, led by bJoe Crawford and gRamel Bradley; gJodie Meeks is poised for stardom; gDerrick Jasper is recovering from knee surgery; Golden Child fPatrick Patterson can make this team his right away; tAlex Legion will be needed immediately as well.

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; the Wildcats and completely revamped Florida can only spoil. In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping its best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

Winning the COLLEGE HOOPS/CVC (Memphis, Connecticut, Oklahoma) won't happen. A home win over North Carolina is a lot to ask, same for a road win at Bluegrass rival Indiana; home wins over Louisville and UAB won't come easy, either. In league play, in addition to the easier East Division schedule, they also get both Arkansas and Alabama at home.

Nov 12
Yikes. Couldn't pick a worse way to debut as head coach. Losing is one thing; getting down 14-0 from the start against a team that was 9-21 a year ago is beyond unacceptable. At least, they've gotten such ugliness out of the way early. (I wouldn't want to be Liberty.)
Dec 10
Not a good week to be Billy Gillispie. He's sitting at 3-4 while Texas A&M is 7-1 (and Minnesota is 6-1). It didn't seem that Tubby Smith left things in such disarray that they needed this much fixing, but adjusting to a new coach is sure to have a "break it down all the way before you rebuild it in your own mold from scratch" phase to it. Guess this is it for the Wildcats at the present time.
Jan 14
Maybe it only really says something about Vanderbilt, but the Wildcats' knocking the Commodores from the ranks of the unbeaten is the first real bit of good news all season -- and it's the second week of January. At this point, all you can do is forget the preseason and try and build on this win for conference play and see how far you can come by the end of the regular season.
Jan 21: (untracked)
End the torture and stop tracking this team individually.
Jan 28: (re-tracked)
"Just when I thought I was out, ..." Low and behold, the Wildcats have two big home wins over the league's best teams. Maybe they can get something together in time to be a factor for the conference tournament after all.
Mar 3
Just when they were on the cusp of becoming relevant, fPatrick Patterson went down (for the season) with a stress fracture in his ankle. Ugh.
LAFAYETTE LEOPARDS
Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette Men's Basketball Website

Jan 21: (tracked)
A 3-0 start in league play (combined with an 0-3 start by Holy Cross) makes more sense for this to be the trackable team for this league. Five returning starters and a trip to Italy should have this squad performing like a well oiled machine. tMatt Betley, pAndrew Brown and bBilal Abdullah form the core for coach Fran O'Hanlon.

In a down year for the Patriot , even in rebuilding mode, Holy Cross and Bucknell should still be strong enough to stay ahead of Lehigh and the improving Leopards.

Losing at home to Wagner hurt; Beating Maryland(Baltimore County) was nice; winning at Mt. St. Mary's was nice; it would have been nice to win at Robert Morris; winning at Pittsburgh and Mississippi State was never going to happen. In league play, two of three big games come at home first -- that helps.

Mar 3: (untracked)
The Leopards slumped from first place at the midconference break all the way to sixth place in a soft year for the league. It's American that wound up with the top seed.
LAMAR CARDINALS
Beaumont, Texas

Lamar Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Five returning starters, led by 7-1 cJames Davis and fLamar Sanders, are reasons for high expectations; gDarren Hopkins and tCurrye Todd are also key contributors; in addition, JuCo transfer gKenny Dawkins should provide an extra boost for second-year coach Steve Roccaforte's squad.

In the better-than-you-think Southland, the Cardinals and McNeese State in the East, and Texas-Arlington in the West all hope their veteran teams have enough to move ahead of the likes of last year's studs Northwestern State(East), and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi(West) and Sam Houston State(West), all of whom are retooling around star players despite key losses.

Don't expect wins at Mississippi, BYU or Texas Tech; home wins versus Wyoming, Oral Robets and Rice are possible. In league play, the easier East Division schedule helps.

Nov 26: (untracked)
No need to track a winless team, especially when Sam Houston State has started so well.
LOUISVILLE CARDINALS
Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#12)
Four starters return from last year's fine season; gEdgar Sosa, fTerrence Williams, cDavid Padgett and fJuan Palacios share the spotlight in the shuttle substitution system; fDerrick Caracter has the talent to be a major contributor but not the consistency of effort or commitment; bEarl Clark figures to have an expanded role; freshman f George Goode will have a tough time breaking into the mix for Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino's veteran squad.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, Marquette (all five starters) and the Cardinals will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

The LAS VEGAS-THX (North Carolina, BYU, Old Dominion) championship game should be one of the better preseason games. Winning at Bluegrass rival Kentucky is tough (but doable), winning at UNLV and at JOHN WOODEN (Purdue) should happen; winning at home against New Mexico State, BYU and Miami(Ohio) won't be a problem. In league play, they get Georgetown, Marquette (and Rutgers) twice but most of their toughest games come in the second half of the schedule -- a tough way to finish.

Nov 19: (#7)
The 'tweener performances from tTerence Williams are a great thing to see. A knee injury to fDavid Padgett (out for the season) and the unavailability of fJuan Palacios are not.
Jan 7
The return of cDavid Padgett to the court is nothing short of miraculous. Just his presence in the mix changes the chemistry of this team.
Feb 11: (#12)
Two big wins bring a return of big expectations for this club. It appears to be fully healthy, and building on this momentum could put them in the Final Four conversation sooner rather than later.
LOYOLA (OF MARYLAND) GREYHOUNDS
Baltimore, Maryland

Loyola (Maryland) Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four returning starters from a solid season have expectations high. bGerald Brown leads the way; gMarquis Sullivan and fOmari Isreal are solid contributors as well for coach Jimmy Patsos.

In the competitive Metro Atlantic, the rising Greyhounds will fight Siena, Manhattan and Rider for the top spot; retooling Niagara and Marist will be right there in case they falter.

Road wins at Kansas, Illinois, Seton Hall and Dayton aren't likely; home wins over Vermont and Penn are quite possible; an Unwelcome Guest win at the PHILLY CLASSIC is probably too much to ask. In league play, the schedule is full of tough games that are pretty well spread out.

Dec 31: (untracked)
Nothing in the regular season warrants tracking this team. Instead, follow Siena as the trackable representative of this conference.
MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#11)
All five starters are back from last year's fine season, led by the top-flight backcourt trio of pDominic James, bJerel McNeal and bWesley Matthews; fOusmane Barro helps out on the boards; transfer pMaurice Acker (ex-Ball State) will have a hard time getting minutes; freshman fTrevor Mbakwe should supply some needed frontcourt muscle; freshman gScott Christopherson may have to wait his turn on coach Tom Crean's veteran squad.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, the Golden Eagles (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

Winning MAUI (Duke, Illinois, Oklahoma St, Arizona State) should happen but it will be tough. A road win in the "State Title" game at Wisconsin is never easy. In league play, they get Louisville, Notre Dame (and Seton Hall) twice -- that's tougher than most have it.

Jan 21
pDominic James is trying to play through a wrist injury, but it finally showed in the two blowout losses at Louisville and Connecticut. 0-for-12 on three-pointers will not get it done for this guard-oriented squad.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY RETRIEVERS
Baltimore, Maryland

Maryland(Baltimore County) Men's Basketball Website

Dec 3
The terrible start by Boston University, coupled with the solid start by MDBC makes more sense for this to be the trackable team representing this league. bBrian Hodges is ready for his close-up; pJay Greene is a solid assist man; transfer bRay Barbosa (ex-James Madison) has already made a splash; transfers fCavell Johnson (ex-James Madison) and fDarryl Proctor (ex-Coppin State) are expected to contribute as well for young coach Randy Moore.

In the receding America East , veteran Boston University hopes to move past Vermont and Albany, both of whom lost key players. (The Retrievers may well turn out to be the favorites.)

Beating George Washington, La Salle and Richmond (all from the solid Atlantic 10) is quite a good start. Winning at Wichita State -- maybe, winning at West Virginia and Ohio State -- nope; beating Hampton at home won't be as easy as they may think. In league play, the tough games are pretty well distributed on the schedule.

Feb 4
Completing the sweep of Vermont gives the Retrievers a one-game lead in the conference standings. They still need to pay back SUNY-B, though.
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN
Amherst, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Men's Basketball Website

Jan 21: (#19)
It's the power of association. The overall reputation of the league makes each big conference win much more important nationally. Are the Minutemen really a rankable squad? (They are this week, anyway.) Only two starters return, versatile tGary Forbes and pChris Lowe, but freshman gGary Correia should be ready to make contributions sooner rather than later; and freshman fTrey Lang should add depth to the bench for still young coach Travis Ford's squad.

In the competitive Atlantic 10, St. Joseph's and Xavier appear to be the top of a bunch of teams; right behind as contenders are Dayton, Rhode Island and Fordham; George Washington, St. Louis and the Minutemen could spoil as well.

Road wins at Syracuse and Boston College and a home win over Houston were nice; the loss at Vanderbilt was forgivable, losses at Northern Iowa and IUPUI were not. In league play, five straight tough games right off the bat is a killer schedule.

MEMPHIS TIGERS
Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#3)
Five starters back from an Elite Eight season, plus a Golden Child point guard and a couple of other big-time recruits -- are you kidding? The sky's the limit for this squad, which has as good a chance as anyone in recent memory to complete an undefeated season. tChris Douglas-Roberts is a fluid scorer; fJoey Dorsey and fRobert Dozier are capable bangers in the paint; tAntonio Anderson is a smooth wing player as well; gWillie Kemp, gDoneal Mack and gAndre Allen may suffer the most in the rotation; freshman GC pDerrick Rose would make any team Top 25-calibre all by himself -- to add him to this roster is insane; transfer fShaw Taggart (ex-Iowa State) will get plenty of minutes up front and freshman gJeff Robinson will likely supplant the veteran wings. Can a team have too much talent? For sure, but no one is better suited to manage this roster than coach John Calipari who already has his guys used to shuttling in and out on a regular basis. What's not to love about this squad?

In the improved Conference USA, the Tigers are even stronger this year than last (when they rolled through the league undefeated); UAB and Houston will contend for second place (and a trip to the postseason); Southern Mississippi, Marshall, Tulane, Central Florida and UTEP are all capable of spoiling second place.

Winning COLLEGE HOOPS/CVC (Kentucky, Connecticut, Oklahoma) shouldn't be a problem. The few teams that could challenge them are all mostly home games -- look for wins against Georgetown, Gonzaga and Arizona. Beating USC (JIMMY V) in New York should happen, too. In league play, only a February date at UAB could stand between this team and an undefeated season. To add insult to injury, they host the conference tournament again this year.

Nov 19: (#3)
I suppose it's a good sign that the Tigers didn't really look all that great while winning the COLLEGE HOOPS/CVC CLASSIC. pDerrick Rose is a fine penetrator and distributor but his outside shooting isn't spectacular. I just hope they realize what potential is ahead of them and don't goof around and give away a "meaningless" game when things are aligning in their favor for a shot at an undefeated season.
Dec 10: (#4)
Will we look back at bDaniel Hackett's missed free throw at the end of regulation as the moment that saved the Tigers' undefeated season? Could be. All the elite games remaining will be played in the friendly confines of home.
Dec 24: (#3)
Beating Georgetown (going away, to boot) shows that it's no pipe dream to think the Tigers can achieve an undefeated season. The Hoyas were the strongest team on the schedule and they passed that test with flying colors.
Feb 4: (#1)
What was supposed to be their toughest test in conference hardly fazed the Tigers. Houston's home crowd provided little intimidation against an irresistible force such as this. Now, only Tennessee appears to be capbable of preventing the undefeated season.
Feb 18: (#1)
The Tigers looked very shaky on Desperation Trail against UAB. pDerrick Rose(6p3a;2/13fg) was choking the game away at the end with bad shots and turnovers before bChris Douglas-Roberts(32p7r;GWFT) saved the day with a game-winning three-point-play to pull out the win. They'd have to lose in the C-USA tournament to void their #1 seed for the NCAAs, but the undefeated season meets its crux in The Ultimate State Title game (and possibly the biggest college basketball game in the history of the state of Tennessee) when Tennessee comes a-callin' on Saturday.
Feb 25: (#2)
The Game of the Year, The Ultimate "State Title" Game, ?the biggest game in the state of Tennessee ever? However you slice it, the intensity of the Tennessee game did live up to the hype. Alas, there went the dreams of an undefeated season. (History thanks you, Vols!) Winning the national championship is still quite a nice "consolation prize" and well within reach.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT (#3)
Give the Tigers props for completing a perfect 16-0 undefeated season in conference play. That's never easy to do, no matter the league. (Only Davidson(SoCon) and Cornell(Ivy) were also able to do so this season.) Oh, by the way, absolutely no trouble the second time around against their closest competition, UAB.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (FLORIDA) HURRICANES
Miami, Florida

Miami(Florida) Men's Basketball Website

Dec 24: (#23)
I suppose there are enough bits and pieces to warrant tracking (and even ranking, this week, anyway) this team. Winning PUERTO RICO was a fine showing, and wins over Mississippi State, Morgan State and Alabama are nice as well. gJack McClinton returns to lead the way; tBrian Asbury and cDwayne Collins are solid contributors; cAnthony King has plenty of veteran experience; freshman gEdwin Rios will make an impact as well for young coach Frank Haith's squad.

It's a down year for the ACC. North Carolina lost two starters (and added no one) but will still fight for the title with the fortified Duke and rising N.C. State; veteran Clemson will contend as well; Florida State and Maryland are only good enough to spoil. (In fact, the Hurricanes will be spoilers at least, contenders at best.)

Winning PUERTO RICO already made a fine showing. Beating Winthrop (ORANGE BOWL) should be no problem. In league play, at least they only have to play North Carolina once, at home.

Feb 25
The signature win over Duke was great. But the pecking-order win over Maryland may have been even more important in terms of jockeying for position for an at-large bid. The league standings are so jumbled that it might be hard for a fourth team to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack.
MIAMI UNIVERSITY (OF OHIO) REDHAWKS
Oxford, Ohio

Miami(Ohio) Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three returning starters from last year's NCAA tournament team are reason enough for high expectations this season. cTim Pollitz is a strong force inside; tMichael Bramos is a capable wing player; newcomers fDwight McCombs, gRodney Haddix and tNick Winbush are expected to be major contributors for veteran coach Charlie Coles' squad.

In the always competitive MAC, it's all about the "OH". The Redhawks, Ohio University, Kent State and Akron all will vie for supremacy in the East Division (and overall). In the west, veteran Western Michigan should be able to hold off rising Central Michigan.

Don't expect wins at Kansas, Louisville, Illinois or Cincinnati; winning ANAHEIM (USC, Southern Illinois, South Alabama, Mississippi State) is a tall order; but a win at Wright State could be huge come tournament selection time. Home wins over Xavier and Dayton are asking a lot. In league play, three tough games right off the bat (including two on the road) could make or break their season.

Nov 26
The Redhawks had a fine showing at the ANAHEIM CLASSIC, giving talented USC all it could handle and taking the game to an endplay.
Jan 21: (untracked)
They got bonus points in the preseason thanks to a tough schedule, but they're just not getting it done inside the conference. There are better teams to track in this league (and it doesn't warrant tracking that many teams in the first place).
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#8)
All five starters back from last year's successful season is plenty of reason for high expectations this year. All-America gDrew Neitzel can play either guard spot; fRaymar Morgan and gTravis Walton are solid performers; cGoran Suton and fMarquise Gray provide intermittent support; freshmen gDurrell Summers, gKalin Lucas, gChris Allen and fAustin Thornton will push for playing time on coach Tom Izzo's loaded roster.

In a down year for the Big 10, the Spartans (with all five starters back, including an All-America guard) and Indiana (with an All-America forward plus a Golden Child guard) will fight for the title; reloaded Ohio State is also good enough to contend; Illinois, Wisconsin and new look Purdue are all ready to spoil.

Winning the CBE/GUARDIANS CLASSIC (UCLA, Maryland, Missouri) is a tall order. Home wins over Texas, N.C. State (ACC-BIG 10) and BYU should all happen; even a road win at Bradley isn't out of the question. In league play, most of the tougher games come late in the season -- a veteran squad should get a big jump on the rest of the field.

Nov 19: (#12)
The two comfortable laughers to start the official regular season have allayed the worry created from some ugly performances in preseason exhibitions.
Nov 26: (#24)
Pushing top-ranked UCLA to the limit is all well and good, but then to come home and struggle against the likes of Oakland puts it all to waste. A lot of times, it isn't about how well you can compete with the Big Boys above you, but how well you can stave off the Little Boys below you. This squad is looking like a prime candidate for a first-round snakebite exit.
Dec 10: (#10)
Coming back from being down in front of an unfriendly crowd earns much respect. Two solid road wins, over decent Bradley and strong BYU were great to see. fRaymar Morgan was a standout in both games.
Dec 24: (#4)
The solid win over Texas more than makes up for the squeak loss to UCLA. Hopefully, gKalin Lucas' performance will a regular contribution from this point forward.
Jan 14: (#14)
Here's that ugly form that displayed itself in the exhibition schedule (and it the tight win over lowly Oakland). Sometimes, there's no there there with this team. Then again, road games in conference play are always going to jump up and bite even the best of teams.
Feb 4: (#14)
And here it is again. The Spartans appear to be headed for a first-round upset loss in the NCAAs. You can see it coming.
Feb 25: (#20)
Give credit where credit is due. The Spartans paid back their two embarassing losses, so you can expunge them from the record. A big week this week could still reel in a chance to stay in the Detroit Region.
MISSISSIPPI REBELS
Oxford, Mississippi

Mississippi Men's Basketball Website

Dec 24: (#19)
Beating Clemson to win the SAN JUAN SHOOTOUT legitimizes their undefeated season. bDavid Huertas is the top returning player; cDwayne Curtis and fKenny Williams are solid contributors as well; much is expected from freshman fWesley Jones; freshmen bZach GRaham and fMalcolm White should make a mark as well for second-year coach Andy Kennedy.

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; Kentucky and completely revamped Florida can only spoil. In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping its best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil. (The Rebels may do more than just spoil.)

Winning SAN JUAN (Clemson, DePaul) already made the preseason; throuw in wins over South Alabama, Winthrop and New Mexico to boot. In league play, tough road games pepper the schedule.

Jan 14: (#19)
The Rebels looked very much The Real Thing in their endplay loss on the road at powerhouse Tennessee. Unfortunately, the nail-biter win over lowly LSU was a little worrisome. This squad is still new to what effort level it takes every time out when you make yourself a target by your own success.
Feb 28: (untracked)
Things really fell apart for this squad in the second half of league play. Seems like they should be better than this, but it is what it is.
MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS
Starkville, Mississippi

Mississippi State Men's Basketball Website

Jan 28: (#20)
The thorough domination of Mississippi more than makes up for the lackluster results from the preseason. The Bulldogs are undefeated and in first place overall in the SEC. bJamont Gordon and fCharles Rhodes are the only returning starters but they're a fine Tag Team to build around; ex-Louisville transfer fBrian Johnson, and freshmen tRavern Johnson and fKodi Augustus are expected to be immediate contributors for still young coach Rick Stansbury. (Shot-blocker cJarvis Varnado leads the nation and is a game-changer in the paint.)

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; Kentucky and completely revamped Florida can only spoil. In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping their best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; the Bulldogs and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

Home losses to Clemson and Miami(Florida) were a disappointment; winning Anaheim (Southern Illinois, USC, Miami(Ohio)) was a tall order; beating South Alabama (C CLASSIC) would have been nice. Only home wins over Missouri and Lafayette aren't much to show for the preseason. In league play, home games against Kentucky and Tennessee come before road games at Florida and Vanderbilt late -- that's nice.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY DELTA DEVILS
Itta Bena, Mississippi

Mississippi Valley State Men's Basketball Website

Mar 17
Even though they split head-to-head with regular season champ Alabama State, the Delta Devils were three games back in second place in conference play, so they're not exactly an even swap as represetntatives of the league. Two starters return from last year's regular season champs, led by bStanford Speech, for coach James Green.

In the weak Southwestern Athletic , Grambling State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff have the best shot to unseat the Delta Devils and Jackson State, who are both rebuilding from last year.

Couldn't expect wins in HISPANIC-WEST (at Washington State), or at Pittsburgh, Baylor, Creighton or Mississippi. Frankly, any out-of-conference win would have been a surprise -- an none came. In league play, the schedule is pretty neutral.

MONTANA GRIZZLIES
Missoula, Montana

Montana Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return from last year, led by cAndrew Strait, including fJordan Hasquet and gCameron Rundles, for second-year coach Wayne Tinkle's squad.

In the weak Big Sky , the Grizzlies should have enough to hold off what's left at Weber State and Portland State, as Northern Arizona must rebuild from a year ago.

More than one win at HISPANIC FUND-WEST (Washington State, Air Force) is too much to ask. Don't expect a road win at Gonzaga; home wins against Colorado State and Portland are the best chances for upsets. In league play, the tough road games are well spaced out, but two out of three road games come in the first half of the schedule.

Dec 31: (untracked)
This team did nothing to warrant being tracked as representative of this conference. (Better to follow Northern Arizona instead.)
MORGAN STATE BEARS
Baltimore, Maryland

Morgan State Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (untracked)
There's no reason to (even unofficially) track this team along with Hampton for this conference.
Jan 28: (re-tracked)
Oops! The win over Hampton puts the Bears in first place. Make this one the official team to track for this conference. (No need to track two teams from a league this weak.) Three starters return from a program on the upswing, led by bJamar Smith; bReggie Holmes and fBoubacar Coly are able backups; reserve gJerrel Green also returns for young coach Todd Bozeman's squad.

In the weak Mid-Eastern Athletic , Hampton has the most solid nucleus returning as Delaware State and Florida A&M rebuild, and the Bears and North Carolina A&T try to rise to contender status.

Winning at Connecticut (COLLEGE HOOPS/CVC), Miami(Florida) and Maryland was never going to happen; a win at CABLE CAR (at Santa Clara, Niagara) and winning at Maryland(Baltimore County) were better possibilities; beating American will have to suffice for preseason noise. In league play, some tougher are away the first time out.

MOUNT SAINT MARY'S MOUNTAINEERS
Emmitsburg, Maryland

Mount St. Mary's Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (untracked)
The home win over Winthrop aside, there's no reason to (even unofficially) track this team, in addition to Robert Morris, as representative of this league.
Mar 17
A road blowout of the regular season champ and convincing road win in the tournament final -- you can't say The Mount doesn't deserve its bid. (That probably won't keep them out of the Play-In game, though.) Three starters return from a disappointing season, led by pJeremy Goode, gChris Vann is a capable partner in the backcourt as well for young coach Milan Brown.

In the weak Northeast , Sacred Heart is the favorite ahead of rising Robert Morris and Wagner, as Central Connecticut State must rebuild after last year's championship season.

Wins at Oregon and Oklahoma weren't likely; a home win over Winthrop was quite nice; the home loss to American was a disappointment. In league play, the toughest games come at home first.

NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES
Las Cruces, New Mexico

New Mexico State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three starters return, led by the fine backcourt of bJustin Hawkins and gFred Pete; cHatila Passos is a solid presence in the paint; an influx of talented freshmen, led by fHerb Pope, including pJayDee Luster, fWendell McKines and gJahmar Young will provide plenty of depth for former assistant Marvin Menzies (the new head coach after Reggie Theus left to coach the Sacramento Kings in the NBA).

In the competitive WAC, the Aggies, Utah State and Fresno State have returning talent and an influx of new talent to fight it out at the top; Nevada has one star left, and Hawaii and Boise State have enough as well to spoil.

Winning LEGENDS (Tennessee, Texas) won't happen; LOU HENSON is just a two-day showcase. Road wins at Louisville and Duke won't happen; a road win at Ohio University should. In league play, there are plenty of tough games all through the schedule. Having the conference tournament at their place is a big edge.

Dec 10: (untracked)
Stumbling through at 4-7, losing your own showcase tournament to an Unwelcome Guest (North Texas), . . . things have just failed to come together in the preseason for this squad and they don't warrant being tracked any more.
NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

North Carolina Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#6)
Two key players are gone (fBrandon Wright and tReyshawn Terry) and no one was added, so why are things still looking so rosy? All-America fTyler Hansbrough is on a short list of candidates for National Player of the Year; sophomores gTy Lawson and gWayne Ellington opted not to follow their classmate Wright to the NBA just yet; fDeon Thompson appears ready to be a major factor up front after a summer of international competition; there's still plenty of fill-in depth from the likes of tDanny Green, fAlex Stephenson, gBobby Frasor, gMarcus Ginyard and gQuentin Thomas for Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams.

It's a down year for the ACC. The Tar Heels lost two starters (and added no one) but will still fight for the title with the fortified Duke and rising N.C. State; veteran Clemson will contend as well; Florida State and Maryland are only good enough to spoil.

The LAS VEGAS-THX (Louisville, BYU, Old Dominion) championship should be one of the best games of the preseason. Road wins at Kentucky and Ohio State (ACC-BIG 10) won't be easy; home wins against Davidson, Nevada and UC-Santa Barbara should be. In league play, they get Duke, N.C. State and Clemson twice each -- that's tougher than most. Having the conference tournament in Charlotte is big edge (not to mention a first-/second-round NCAA POD in Raleigh, and Regional Semis and Finals back in Charlotte).

Nov 26: (#1)
The Tar Heels showed some poise and toughness against a stiff challenge from physical BYU in the LAS VEGAS final, especially with the loss of pTy Lawson to an ankle injury early on in the contest. Once again, gWayne Ellington came through with a clutch three-point shot in the late-going to seal the win. That character is way better than any stats in a mindless blowout.
Dec 3: (#2)
gWayne Ellington hit yet another nail-in-the-coffin three-pointer to seal the win at Ohio State. pTy Lawson was back for the Kentucky game, but still needs to round back into full form.
Dec 31: (#)
Losing gBobby Frasor for the season (ACL) may wind up being a bigger blow than you might think. When gTy Lawson was out, Frasor was right there to step in without much loss of continuity. That's gone now. gQuentin Thomas may be a key player in a big game when Lawson has foul trouble.
Jan 7: (#1)
The Tar Heels survived in overtime on the road at Clemson in a brutal contest thanks to gWayne Ellington's clutch three-pointer (and the 33 points before that as well). But the Tigers were able to neutralize cTyler Hansbrough (12p14r) and when pTy Lawson(16p8a6r5to) sat for any length of time, Clemson pressed UNC and made them look quite vulnerable at the point. They got away with it here, but there's going to come a one-and-done postseason game where he's on the bench and the season will be on the line.
Jan 21: (#6)
The Tar Heels have been trying to give one away for a few games now and lowly Maryland finally accepted their offer. When push comes to shove, this can be a three-man team (cHansbrough, gEllington and pLawson) with shaky depth at the point and a total lack of defensive toughness. That can make for running up big offensive numbers in the regular season and a "shocking upset" in the postseason. We've seen it before in a Roy Williams team. The "run at all costs" style caught up to them this past week.
Feb 11: (#6)
pTy Lawson's ankle injury makes the Tar Heels a questionable commodity as far as Final Four contender is concerned. They got practically no fastbreak points against Duke. They were more than fortunate that Clemson couldn't close the deal and end THE STREAK. cTyler Hansbrough's 39p13r against the Tigers is a pretty good application for national Player of the Year.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT (#2)
Who'd have thunk that it would be the Tar Heel defense that would lead the way to the ACC title? UNC pitched a 10-0 shutout over the final 5+ minutes of the game to win at Duke. pTy Lawson(10p3a) played some effective minutes and when fDanny Green(18p1a7r7b) makes this a four-man attack, this becomes a team that can go all the way.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE BULLDOGS
Asheville, North Carolina

UNC-Asheville Men's Basketball Website

Feb 4: (tracked)
The rout win over Winthrop solidifies the Bulldogs' place atop the conference standings. Four returning starters provide a core experience, led by pK.J. Garland and bBryan Smithson; reserve 7-7 cKenny George is the ultimate matchup problem for the coach Eddie Biedenbach.

In the otherwise weak Big South, the Panthers return enough horses to take over the void left by the major losses (players and coach) at Winthrop; Coastal Carolina and Liberty will try to spoil.

Winning at Tennessee and North Carolina was never in the cards; winning at Virginia Tech didn't happen but winning at South Carolina did; a home loss to East Tennessee State was a disappointment. In league play, the two toughest games come at home first -- that should get them off to a great start.

Mar 3
"The King is dead! ... Long live the King!" Winning at Winthrop completes the sweep, and secures the regular season title for the Bulldogs. They'll likely have to do it one more time in order to get an NCAA bid. (Beyond that, don't expect any kind of first-round splash like the Eagles were able to pull off last year.)
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT
Ouch! Just when the Bulldogs couldn't be higher, that's just how low they must feel after being blown out at home in the conference tournament final. Give the veterans at Winthrop their due -- they know how to win when it matters most. Alas, at least a Silver NIT bid awaits.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#23)
The 'Pack is Back! Four starters return from last year's squad that got stronger as the year ended. fBrandon Costner, tGavin Grant and fBen McCauley are versatile players that provide plenty of matchup problems; gCourtney Fells is a solid performer as well; transfer fMarques Johnson (ex-Tennessee) adds depth up front; transfer gFarnold Degand (ex-Iowa State) may inherit the point; freshmen fJ.J. Hickson and fTracy Smith will make an immediate impact; freshman gJavier Gonzalez may be brought along more slowly for coach Sidney Lowe's loaded squad.

It's a down year for the ACC. North Carolina lost two starters (and added no one) but will still fight for the title with fortified Duke and the rising Wolfpack; veteran Clemson will contend as well; Florida State and Maryland are only good enough to spoil.

A win in the OS CLASSIC (Kansas State, George Mason, Villanova) would be a big prize. A road win at Michigan State (ACC-BIG 10) won't happen; a home win against Davidson will (but it won't be easy). In league play, they get North Carolina, Duke, Clemson and Florida State twice each -- that's rough. Having the conference tournament in Charlotte is big edge (not to mention a first-/second-round NCAA POD in Raleigh, and Regional Semis and Finals back in Charlotte).

Nov 19
Freshman fJ.J. Hickson is a strong force in the paint; but the loss of pEngin Atsur has made this a harder transition than expected. Getting everyone enough of the ball hasn't been accomplished (especially with regard to fBrandon Costner) so far this season. But a home loss to lightly regarded New Orleans is a disaster. That kind of thing on your resume could send them back to the NIT (or worse, to the CBI).
Nov 26
The Wolfpack got a fortuitous foul call that allowed them to win the title game against Villanova in the OS CLASSIC final. They're doing a better job of getting more people involved consistently besides post man cJ.J. Hickson. The big worry, though, is still the inability of tBrandon Costner to find a way to fit his game into this team's chemistry. Is he a spot-up shooter, or a point-forward? How well can he contribute without the ball in his hands?
Jan 21: (untracked)
For whatever reason, the whole is much less than the sum of the parts with this squad. Plenty of nice individual talent. "No point guard" only explains part of what's wrong. The chemistry doesn't work. No reason to further track this team individually (with so many others from this league that warrant attention).
NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (tracked)
A solid preseason (including a home win over Western Kentucky) is reason enough to make this the trackable team representing this conference (instead of struggling Montana). Returning reserve fKyle Landry is expected to be The Man this year; returning starters fRyan McCurdy and pJosh Wilson are capable support players for coach Mike Adras.

In the weak Big Sky , Montana should have enough to hold off what's left at Weber State and Portland State, as the Lumberjacks must rebuild from a year ago.

Winning at Kansas, Arizona and Utah State was always doubtful; winning at home against UNLV was a possibility; winning at home against Western Kentucky was a welcome reality. In league play, a couple of big games early on could make or break their regular season.

Feb 4: MIDCONFERENCE
The Lumberjacks are in quite a race with Portland State and Weber State. Who needs the distraction of a BRACKETBUSTERS game?
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
South Bend, Indiana

Notre Dame Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three starters (plus one former starter) return from last year's fine season, led by the bruising frontcourt duo of fRob Kurz and fLuke Harangody; pTory Jackson is a fine young point; versatile fZach Hillesland and cLuke Zeller have more talent than their stats imply; gKyle McAlarney is back after being suspended a year ago following a drug arrest; freshmen fTyrone Nash and gTyrone Proffitt figure to contribute sooner rather than later for veteran coach Mike Brey's squad.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, Marquette (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, the Irish, Villanova, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

Winning the PARADISE JAM (Wichita St, Georgia Tech, Winthrop) should happen. A win over Kansas State (JIMMY V) won't come easy. In league play, they get Marquette, (Connecticut and DePaul) twice -- that's easier than most of the elite teams have it.

Dec 10
A solid win over young-but-talented Kansas State is great to see. Not only did the bigs hold their own against the KSU front line, but the Irish backcourt was key in securing this win.
Jan 7: (#20)
The Irish had a great week, beating two good teams (West Virginia) and Connecticut). fLuke Harangody is having a monster year in the paint, and gKyle McAlarney went off big-time against UConn. If they can keep that Tag Team going (plus fRob Kurz and pTory Jackson capable seconds behind each of them), this team might actually make some postseason noise.
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY BUCKEYES
Columbus, Ohio

Ohio State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#20)
Can you lose great "one-and-done" players the calibre of cGreg Oden, pMike Conley Jr. and tDaequan Cook (not to mention gRon Lewis and fIvan Harris) and still be contenders? You can if you're coach Thad Matta, who has yet another stellar recruiting class coming in. Holdovers gJamar Butler and tDavid Lighty have plenty of talent that should blossom this year; fOthello Hunter and cMatt Terwillinger are capable support players; transfer cKyle Madsen (ex-Vanderbilt) and freshmen cKosta Koufos, fEvan Turner, gJon Diebler, cDallas Lauderdale and tEric Wallace will all fight for playing time; sophomore pP.J. Hill may get lost in the shuffle on this overstuffed roster.

In a down year for the Big 10, Michigan State (with all five starters back, including an All-America guard) and Indiana (with an All-America forward plus a Golden Child guard) will fight for the title; the reloaded Buckeyes are also good enough to contend; Illinois, Wisconsin and new look Purdue are all ready to spoil.

Winning the NIT TIP-OFF (Texas A&M, Syracuse, Washington, Utah, St. Joseph's, High Point) is a tall order. The big showdown with North Carolina (ACC-BIG 10) is a push even at home, a home win over Florida won't come easy; a road win at Tennessee is too much to ask, a road win at Butler will be harder than they think. In league play, the tough games are pretty well spread out.

Nov 26: (#15)
The title game notwithstanding, the Buckeyes looked great in the NIT SEASON TIP-OFF, especially against yonng-and-talented Syracuse. cKosta Koufos has an advanced finesse offensive game and pJamar Butler is a quietly effective point guard. The worry, though, is that tDavid Lighty is still looking to "break out" into the star that everyone expects him to be. Expect too much and it might never happen.
OHIO UNIVERSITY BOBCATS
Athens, Ohio

Ohio University Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three remaining starters (cLeon Williams, fJerome Tillman and gBubba Walter) have plenty of experience and a history of success. The backcourt will be green, as much will be expected from freshman gTommy Freeman. Coach Tim O'Shea should expect this veteran group to finish their careers on a strong note.

In the always competitive MAC, it's all about the "OH". Miami(Ohio), the Bobcats, Kent State and Akron all will vie for supremacy in the East Division (and overall). In the west, veteran Western Michigan should be able to hold off rising Central Michigan.

RAINBOW (Georgia, East Tennessee State, at Hawaii) is their for the taking. Don't expect wins at Kansas or Maryland; road wins at Temple, Holy Cross and Bucknell aren't out of the question, though; home wins against New Mexico State and Delaware will be harder than they seem. In league play, the schedule is pretty favorable with two of three tough East Division games at home first and both Western Michigan and Central Michigan from the West at home as well.

Feb 25
A home win (even over highly respected George Mason) in BRACKETBUSTERS is probably not enough to secure an at-large bid for the Bobcats. But it's a start. A strong finish to the regular season, and a run to the finals in the conference tournament could be just enough.
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Norman, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Men's Basketball Website

Jan 7: (#19)
The Sooners get swept into the rankings mostly on transitivity (and their overtime win at West Virginia). An influx of new talent on top of five returning starters is reason for optimism; freshman fBlake Griffin and JuCo transfer pOmar Leary are expected to be immediate contributors; cLongar Longar is a solid presence in the lane; fTaylor Griffin has the experience to lend support to his younger (better) brother for young coach Jeff Capel.

It's a strong year for the Big 12. Even with the cloud of a key injury lurking, Kansas is the heavy favorite for the title (and a contender for the national crown); Texas (under "The Year After Rule") and Texas A&M still have plenty of talent left and will contend along with the young stars of Kansas State; veteran Missouri, retooling Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and the rebuilding Sooners all are good enough to spoil; Nebraska, Iowa State, Baylor and Colorado aren't pushovers.

No shame losing to Memphis at COLLEGE HOOPS/CVC; a road loss at USC (BIG 12/PAC-10) is understandable; a home loss to Stephen F. Austin is not. Nice save of the preseason with a home wins over Arkansas and Gonzaga, and the big road win at West Virginia; beating Mount St. Mary's shouldn't be a problem. In league play, they've got the tougher "South Division" schedule, a road trip to Kansas, and three of the first four big games on the road -- that's a lot for a young team to handle.

Jan 21
Losing fBlake Griffin to a knee injured -- he's out 4 weeks after spraining his MCL in the Kansas game -- is a huge blow to such a young team with a thin roster. They'll just have to go into survival mode now for the duration of the regular season and hope for a bid to the CBI tournament at this point.
Jan 28:
Great news! fBlake Griffin is already back in action on the court!
ORAL ROBERTS GOLDEN EAGLES
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Oral Roberts Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (untracked)
Not really worth (even unofficially) tracking this team along with IUPUI just for this conference.
Jan 21: (re-tracked)
Guess again. It's the rebuilt Golden Eagles who are undefeated atop the league standings with a two-game gap over the rest of the pack. Three returning starters and trip to Canada make for nice early cohesion; cShawn King is the only name starter left from last year's conference champs; reserve fMarchello Vealy should be ready to step into a starring role for young coach Scott Sutton.

In the renamed and expanded Summit League (formerly the Mid-Continent) , IUPUI will battle with reclassifying {North Dakota State}, the Golden Eagles and veteran Oakland for supremacy.

Getting past Texas A&M (NIT TIP-OFF), Arkansas, Texas and Utah State on the road was never in the cards; beating Oklahoma State (in the coaches' brotherly showdown, no less) was great. In league play, three road games right off the bat isn't the ideal start.

OREGON DUCKS
Eugene, Oregon

Oregon Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#7)
Four starters return from last year's highly successful season; bBryce Taylor, fMaarty Leunen, tMalik Hairston and 5-6 gTajuan Porter take turns in the spotlight; freshman tDrew Viney will help ease the loss of star gAaron Brooks for coach Ernie Kent's talented squad.

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. UCLA replaced its one star player loss with a Golden Child and is the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); the Ducks and Washington State have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; Stanford (with all five starters back) and Washington return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; USC (with its own Golden Child), Arizona and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even Arizona State and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

The WV INVITATIONAL (Western Michigan) is just a three-day showcase; a road win at Kansas State will be tough (but doable); a home win against Utah should happen. In league play, a full home-and-home schedule is equally tough on everyone.

PITTSBURGH PANTHERS
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#13)
Only two starters return from last year's excellent season, led by pLevance Fields and bMike Cook; fSam Young should flourish with more required from him now; gRonald Ramon is a steady backcourt player; freshman DeJuan Blair will be asked to do a lot right away up front; JuCo transfer cCassin Diggs must provide needed rebounding (after the departure of cAaron Gray); freshman gBradley Wanamaker should contribute sooner rather than later for still-young coach Jamie Dixon's squad.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, Marquette (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, the Panthers, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

The HISPANIC FUND-EAST (St. Louis) is just a three-day showcase; a road win at Washington is a lot to ask; a neutral-site win against Duke (AP) won't come easy (but a home win over Boston University should). In league play, they get (Villanova, Cincinnati and West Virginia) twice -- that's the easiest schedule of any elite team -- but the second half features a lot of tough road games.

Dec 24: (#7)
The win over Duke was huge (with massive implications for both team and league in terms of seeding and at-large bids come March). Losing bMike Cook (knee) definitely hurts. The Panthers don't have all that much depth with experience to spare. The bench will have to step it up in a hurry.
Dec 31: (#9)
It just goes from bad to worse. Now pLevance Fields is out at least two months with a fractured left foot. We saw just how bad the Panthers can be with two starters gone with injury and another (cDeJuan Blair) sidelined with foul trouble. Dayton laid a humiliating loss on a team only one game removed from one of the best wins in the history of the program.
Jan 21: (#9)
The home crowd helped, to be sure, but a big win over Georgetown means this team isn't going away quietly at all. Give Jamie Dixon five bodies and he'll put a competitive team together. The road loss at Cincinnati would have hurt more if it hadn't been a week when so many other teams were one-up/one-down.
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
Portland, Oregon

Portland State Men's Basketball Website

Mar 3: (tracked)
Even with one game to go, the Vikings have clinched the regular season title. No need to track two teams from a league this week (so abandon Northern Arizona. Three starters return from last year's solid squad: pDupree Lucas, cScott Morrison and bDeonte Huff -- a nice nucleus for young coach Ken Bone.

In the weak Big Sky , Montana should have enough to hold off what's left at Weber State and the Vikings, as Northern Arizona must rebuild from a year ago.

Winning at UCLA, Washington State and Washington was never going to happen. TOP OF THE WORLD (Akron, IUPUI, Colorado State) was a real possibility. In league play, the balanced schedule is pretty neutral.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY TIGERS
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
New head coach Sydney Johnson '97 has nowhere to go but up after last year's bottom-feeder finish. Seniors fKyle Koncz (back from injury) and fNoah Savage are the veterans; sophomores cZach Finley, gMarcus Schroeder and gLincoln Gunn are returning starters; but none of the above will put much fear into opponosing hearts.

In the weak Ivy League, it's Yale, Cornell and Columbia who have the veteran teams that should vie to finally put an end to the 19-year reign enjoyed by the Tigers and Penn.

A single win at MAUI (Marquette, Duke) is too much to ask. Road games at Rutgers, Evansville and Penn State won't happen; Marshall, Monmouth and Lehigh are at least possible. A home win over Seton Hall won't be, but Central Connecticut State and Manhattan are doable. In league play, as easy a first weekend as you could ask for at least helps.

Nov 26
The experience in MAUI was too much for the rebuilding Tigers to handle. Let's hope they can shake off the stigma of a non-Division I loss to the likes of {Chaminade}.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue Men's Basketball Website

Jan 28: (tracked)
The win over Wisconsin (together with the overall weakness of the league) has the Boilermakers contenders for the regular season title, not just spoilers who'll peak at season's end. The future is here. Three returning starters, led by fGordon Watt and gChris Kramer, will be helped greatly by the infusion of several new talented players; freshmen fScott Martin, gE'Twaun Moore, cJaJuan Johnson and fRobbie Hummel all figure to get plenty of minutes right away; fNamanja Calasan should provide depth as well for young coach Matt Painter.

In a down year for the Big 10, Michigan State (with all five starters back, including an All-America guard) and Indiana (with an All-America forward plus a Golden Child guard) will fight for the title; reloaded Ohio State is also good enough to contend; Illinois, Wisconsin and the new look Boilermakers are all ready to spoil.

Winning at Clemson (ACC-BIG 10) would have been a tough order; beating Louisville (JOHN WOODEN TRADITION) was great; taking LAS VEGAS-CHRISTMAS (Alabama, Missouri State, Iowa State) could have happened, but didn't. In league play, two games against Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin is a tough schedule.

Feb 11: (#17)
The YounGuns are no fluke. A second win over Wisconsin, this time on the road, has elevated the Boilermakers into first place. Say no more!
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND RAMS
Kingston, Rhode Island

Rhode Island Men's Basketball Website

Dec 10: (#21)
Winning GLENN WILKES would have been enough to warrant tracking, but the loss to Boston College made them questionable again; but then, routing Providence and squeaky by on the road at Syracuse made it clear this is a team worth being officially tracked (and even ranked, this week, anyway). Four starters return from last year's conference contenders, led by gJimmy Baron (the coach's son) and tWill Daniels; cKahiem Seawright is a solid rebounder; bParfait Bitee is capable enough at point; JuCo transfer fJason Francis and freshman Marquis Jones should also contribute for veteran coach Jim Baron.

In the competitive Atlantic 10, St. Joseph's and Xavier appear to be the top of a bunch of teams; right behind as contenders are Dayton, the Rams and Fordham; George Washington, St. Louis and Massachusetts could spoil as well.

Winning GLENN WILKES (UAB, South Florida) was great; losing at Boston College wasn't unexpected; drubbing Providence and edging Syracuse on the road were. No reason to take ISLANDER (Georgia Southern). In league play, their double-up group (Dayton, Massachusetts and George Washington) is solid but Xavier, St. Joseph's and Charlotte are all home games -- not a bad trade-off.

Feb 25
Three losses is a disastrous week, no matter the opponents. The Rams might not even secure an at-large bid now even if they won out all the way through to the conference final.
RIDER BRONCS
Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Rider Men's Basketball Website

Feb 4: (tracked)
The road wins at Marist and Siena solidify the Broncs' place at the top of the conference standings. Four returning starters mean the team should be able to hit the ground running; cJason Thompson is headed for the NBA; gHarris Mansell and younger brother bRyan Thompson are solid support players as well for young coach Tommy Dempsey.

In the competitive Metro Atlantic, rising Loyola(Maryland) will fight Siena, Manhattan and the Broncs for the top spot; retooling Niagara and Marist will be right there in case they falter.

Winning OS (Kansas State, N.C. State) was too much to hope for. In league play, the schedule balances out the tough games pretty well.

Feb 25
In conference, things remain tight. Out of conference, the road win at Cal State-Northridge in BRACKETBUSTERS (along with the great performance by the league as a whole) really aided in the Broncs reputation. No matter, they're power rating simply isn't high enough to warrant an at-large bid no matter what.
ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY COLONIALS
Moon Township, Pennsylvania

Robert Morris Men's Basketball Website

Nov 26: (tracked)
The solid opening (plus the winless start of Sacred Heart) makes more sense to track this team as representative of this conference. Versatile tTony Lee is the main man; fA.J. Jackson and bJeremy Chappell are both solid contributors as well for first-year coach Mike Rice.

In the weak Northeast , Sacred Heart is the favorite ahead of the rising Colonials and Wagner, as Central Connecticut State must rebuild after last year's championship season.

A solid show in PHILLY was fine, thank you. Nothing in the preseason is beyond impossible. In league play, they don't have to play Wagner and they get both Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut State at home first -- that's pretty sweet.

Mar 3
They never could make any noise out of conference, but give the Colonials credit for holding off the competition to win the regular season title. Silver NIT bid in hand, let's trade it for an NCAA Golden Ticket.
SACRED HEART PIONEERS
Fairfield, Connecticut

Sacred Heart Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three starters return from last year's league contenders, fJoey Henley, gDrew Shubik and fBrice Brooks; also back are key reserves gChauncey Hardy, fRyon Howad, gLuke Granato and gRyan Litke for coach Dave Bike's deep, high-scoring squad.

In the weak Northeast , the Pioneers are the favorites ahead of rising Robert Morris and Wagner, as Central Connecticut State must rebuild after last year's championship season.

Don't expect a road win at Providence; a home win versus Holy Cross is their best shot to make some noise in the preseason. In league play, three out of four tough games are on the road first before a big finish with two at home at season's end; that's not the greatest schedule, but a veteran squad should be able to handle it better than most.

Nov 26: (untracked)
A winless season (plus a solid start by Robert Morris) means there's no further reason to track this team as the representative of this conference.
Feb 4: (re-tracked)
The Pioneers are right in the thick of the regular season race after all. Might as well keep an eye on them.
SAINT JOSEPH'S HAWKS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

St. Joseph's Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four returning starters, led by fAhmad Nivins, are reason enough for high expectations; fRob Ferguson and 6-10 tPat Calathes make a formidable frontcourt; transfer gTasheed Carr (ex-Iowa State) and freshman fIdris Hilliard will bolster coach Phil Martelli's talented squad. The key to the season is likely to be how well sophomore gDarrin Govens can direct the show.

In the competitive Atlantic 10, the Hawks and Xavier appear to be the top of a bunch of teams; right behind as contenders are Dayton, Rhode Island and Fordham; George Washington, St. Louis and Massachusetts could spoil as well. [In the Big Five, the Hawks and Villanova are far ahead of Temple, Penn and La Salle.]

Getting past Syracuse (NIT TIP-OFF) on the road is a tall order; beating Gonzaga at home won't happen; beating Holy Cross at home and Boston University on the road will; winning at Creighton won't be easy. In league play, having to play Xavier, Massachusetts and Temple twice is tougher than most.

SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS
Saint Louis, Missouri

St. Louis Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
The buzz here is all about the return to coaching by future Hall of Famer Rick Majerus (after a health hiatus). On court, four returning starters mean the cupboard isn't completely bare, either. gTommie Liddell and gKevin Lisch are a solid backcourt; JuCo fBarry Eberhardt and freshman gPaul Eckerle are expected to contribute as well.

In the competitive Atlantic 10, St. Joseph's and Xavier appear to be the top of a bunch of teams; right behind as contenders are Dayton, Rhode Island and Fordham; George Washington, the Billikens and Massachusetts could spoil as well.

Winning HISPANIC FUND-EAST (at Pittsburgh) is a tall order. A win at Boston College is a lot to ask as well; road wins at Kent State and Missouri State are possibilities; a home win against Southern Illinois will be tough. In league play, having to play twice against Dayton, George Washington and Massachusetts isn't as bad as some have it.

Jan 14: (untracked)
It's a waste of time tracking this team (just for curiosity's sake). Check in on Rick Majerus next season.
SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE GAELS
Moraga, California

St. Mary's Men's Basketball Website

Nov 26: (#22)
Outrunning Oregon is no small feat. The Gaels are legit. Let's see how they like the glare that prosperity brings. fDiamon Simpson is the returning star; cOmar Samhan is a veteran warrior in the paint; but it's freshman gPatrick Mills who has made this a team worth watching.

In the otherwise weak WCC, Gonzaga is still the favorite; the Gaels may actually do more than spoil.

Winning the showcase ST MARY'S means nothing; beating Oregon means everything. Handling Seton Hall at home won't be easy; taking the magic on the road at San Diego State (JOHN WOODEN) and Southern Illinois will be a big challenge. RAINBOW should be theirs, and SOS is another meaningless showcase. Winning at Texas - no; winning at Fresno - yes. It's an ambitious preseason schedule that may wind up doing more harm than good if they take a few lumps -- plus, BRACKETBUSTERS would probably only hurt them at this point. In league play, the only game that matters is Gonzaga and they get them at home first.

Dec 24
A solid performance to win the RAINBOW CLASSIC gives them something else on their resume besides a home-court victory over Oregon.
Feb 11: MIDCONFERENCE (#23)
The thrilling overtime win over Gonzaga probably earned both teams enough respect to secure an NCAA bid come March (assuming no third team intrudes and wins the conference tournament).
SAM HOUSTON STATE BEARKATS
Huntsville, Texas

Sam Houston State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 26: (tracked)
The more than solid start (plus the winless start by Lamar makes this the more logical team to track for this conference. fRyan Bright is the main man; returning starter gShamir McDaniel has opened the season well; newcomer bDeLuis Ramirez figures to make an immediate impact.

In the better-than-you-think Southland, Lamar and McNeese State in the East, and Texas-Arlington in the West all hope their veteran teams have enough to move ahead of the likes of last year's studs Northwestern State(East), and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi(West) and the Bearkats, all of whom are retooling around star players despite key losses.

Wins over Texas Tech and Fresno State already have made for a fine preseason; road wins at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, St. Louis and even San Diego State aren't out of the question now. In league play, two out of three tough East division games are on the road and the big West road games come late -- that's not the easiest schedule to negotiate.

Jan 28
It wasn't quite good enough to secure them first place just yet, but the squeak win over Stephen F. Austin the biggest win (in conference) of the season so far.
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO TOREROS
San Diego, California

San Diego Men's Basketball Website

Mar 10: Pretournament
Hats off to the Toreros. Yes, they were helped by the home crowd; but they beat two NCAA tournament teams on the way to the conference crown and they were third going in, anyway. If there's any "legitimate" way to earn yourself a bid that you weren't going to get otherwise, this is about as much as you could ask a team to do. Four starters return from last year's decent squad, led by fGyno Pomare; pBrandon Johnson and tChris Lewis provide capable support for first-year coach Bill Grier.

In the otherwise weak WCC, Gonzaga is the prohibitive favorite; St. Mary's will do well to even spoil.

Winning ANAHEIM (USC, Southern Illinois, Miami(Ohio), Mississippi State, South Alabama) was never going to happen. Winning at Kentucky was a shocker; winning at Boise State, New Mexico and Nevada were tough asks; winning at home against UNLV, San Diego State and Stephen F. Austin were possibilities. In league play, the balanced schedule is pretty neutral.

SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS
San Diego, California

San Diego State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
cMohammed Abukar and bBrandon Heath are gone; but three starters return, led by pRichie Williams; bLorrenzo Wade and fJerome Habel are both solid performers; transfer fRyan Amoroso (ex-Marquette), JuCo gKelvin Davis and freshman tBilly White are all expected to be instant contributors for veteran coach Steve Fisher.

In the Mountain West, it's very much up for grabs. Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming have their stars back from losing teams; the Aztecs, UNLV and BYU lost a lot from winning teams but also added new studs.

Don't expect a win at Arizona; an Unwelcome Guest win in the three-day WV CLASSIC (Fresno State) won't be that easy, neither will a road win at California or at home against Western Michigan. The JOHN WOODEN CLASSIC (St. Mary's) should be a win. In league play, two tough five-game stretches are as bad as it could get.

SIENA SAINTS
Albany, New York

Siena Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31
Through the preseason, track this team (instead of Loyola(Maryland)) as the representative of this conference. Three starters return from last year's league contender, led by bKenny Hasbrouck; fEdwin Ubiles and pRonald Moore are also key contributors; fAlex Franklin is back as well for seasoned coach Fran McCaffery.

In the competitive Metro Atlantic, rising Loyola(Maryland) will fight the Saints, Manhattan and Rider for the top spot; retooling Niagara and Marist will be right there in case they falter.

Wins over Stanford and Holy Cross balances losses at Syracuse and St. Joseph's (at home). Don't expect a win at Memphis. Even a road win at BRACKETBUSTERS won't be enough to earn at at-large bid from this 1BC conference. In league play, three tough road games come first.

Feb 11
A three-win week -- including a home-and-home sweep of Marist, and a road win at Rider -- have moved the Saints into a first-place tie. A ticket to the postseason (of some sort) should be in the offing, (but will it be gold, silver or bronze)?
Feb 25
cAlex Franklin(30p18r;13/16fg) exploded as the Saints blew out Boise State on the road in BRACKETBUSTERS. The performance of the entire league stands everyone in good stead. Still, their power rating just isn't strong enough to warrant an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. They'll have to win the conference tournament and get the automatic bid. If they do, look out, first-round splash victim.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS
Mobile, Alabama

South Alabama Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three returning starters from last year's regular season champs make for plenty of high expectations, despite the loss of coach John Pelphrey to Arkansas. New (and former) coach Ronnie Arrow comes back to Mobile, fresh off his success at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. (Arrow was also USA coach from 1987-94.) bDemetric Bennett leads the way on the court; gDaon Merritt runs the show.

In a strong year for the Sun Belt, both Western Kentucky and the Jaguars are expected to battle for supremacy in the East Division, the overall title, and for national recognition to boot. In the West, veteran squads at Arkansas State and Louisiana-Monroe will fight for the top (and maybe contend overall as well). Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State in the East, and New Orleans in the West have star players who may spoil things.

Wins at Vanderbilt and Mississippi and at home versus Mississippi State (C) won't happen. Winning ANAHEIM (USC, Southern Illinois, Miami(Ohio), Mississippi State) is too much to ask. In league play, the East Division schedule is tougher as well as having two of three tough West teams on the road. Hosting the conference tournament is a big edge.

Jan 8
The Jaguars got the early jump in the league race with their home win over Western Kentucky. The regular season title means a guaranteed NIT berth, so these league games matter again.
Feb 25
Completing the sweep of Western Kentucky should set the Jaguars up for the regular season title (provided there are no more slip-ups). Still, the weak out-of-conference schedule means there's no at-large bid awaiting. They'll have to win the conference tournament and see how the draw goes from there.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY SALUKIS
Carbondale, Illinois

Southern Illinois Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three starters are back, fRandal Falker, bruising tMatt Shaw and pBryan Mullins; much is expected (and will be needed) from freshman fCarlton Fay; freshman cNick Evans and JuCo transfer gBrandon Wood must also contribute sooner rather than later for young coach Chris Lowery's squad.

It's a rebuilding year for the mighty MVC. Bradley, the Salukis and Creighton should vie for the top spot; Wichita State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and Illinois State are all good enough to spoil.

Winning the ANAHEIM CLASSIC (USC, Miami(Ohio), South Alabama, Mississippi State) is a lot to ask; don't expect a home win against Indiana, but a home win against Butler should happen; winning at Western Michigan won't be as easy as they think; road wins at Charlotte and St. Louis should be in the offing. In league play, the biggest games are well spread out on the schedule.

Nov 26
The Salukis aren't accustomed to having a team pull away from them without looking back the way USC did. That game could be the signal that the GC Era means the end of the Rise of the Mid-Majors.
Feb 11: (untracked)
Only sentimentality (and the general weakness of the league) has kept this team trackable this long. They haven't had the same mojo all season long.
STANFORD CARDINAL
Stanford, California

Stanford Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
All five starters are back from last year's mediocre season; 7-0 fBrook Lopez is monstrously talented and tLawrence Hill ia a talented wing; gAnthony Goods scores well; 7-0 cRobin Lopez is a solid defender and bFred Washington helps out on the boards; transfer gDrew Hiller (ex-San Francisco) should improve the guardplay; freshman fJosh Owens will find it hard to break into the beefy frontline for coach Trent Johnson. (Unfortunately, fBrook Lopez is academically ineligible to play for the fall quarter.)

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. UCLA replaced its one star player loss with a Golden Child and is the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); Oregon and Washington State have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; the Cardinal (with all five starters back) and Washington return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; USC (with its own Golden Child), Arizona and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even Arizona State and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

The BTI-WEST (UC-Santa Barbara) is a cut above your average three-day showcase; a road win at Texas Tech (BIG 12/PAC-10) won't come easy, but a win at Colorado (BIG 12/PAC-10) might; home wins versus Fresno State and Yale should do. In league play, nobody gets it easy with a full home-and-home schedule.

Nov 19
Taking 31 three-point attempts and only 3 free-throws is completely backwards. No excuse for losing, even on the road, to a team like Siena.
Dec 24: (#21)
The return of cBrook Lopez to the squad makes this a legitimately rankable team.
Jan 21: (#15)
They're basically a one-man team and they're the beneficiary of bonus points just by virtue of being in the nation's best conference. Still, at some point, you have to give them credit for being able to beat good teams. Their defense of the paint is the best quality of this team.
Feb 4: MIDCONFERENCE (#7)
Alone in second place in the toughest conference in the country -- pretty sweet! gMitch Johnson and fLawrence Hill help out here and there, but some consistent contributions from one game to the next from somebody other than The Big Guy would be nice.
Mar 3: (#7)
Yes, the home crowd helped the comeback, but still give the Cardinal full credit for a solid win over a very strong opponent. Never mind the four-game Gap between Stanford and Washington State. Few teams play more solidly than the Cougars. It's a one-man team, but the support players really play off of him very well.
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE LUMBERJACKS
Nacogdoches, Texas

Stephen F. Austin Men's Basketball Website

Feb 28: (tracked)
They may not be in first place, but the rout win over Sam Houston State confirms that it's the Lumberjacks that are in fact the best team in this league. Four starters return from last year's so-so squad, led by bJosh Alexander; fMatt Kingsley is the other main contributor back for coach Danny Kaspar.

In the better-than-you-think Southland, Lamar and McNeese State in the East, and Texas-Arlington in the West all hope their veteran teams have enough to move ahead of the likes of last year's studs Northwestern State(East), and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi(West) and Sam Houston State(West), all of whom are retooling around star players despite key losses.

Winning at Oklahoma was a major breakthrough; the Unwelcome Guest win at SMU NEW YEAR's (at SMU) was nice as well; a win at Texas Tech wasn't to be expected. In league play, some of the toughest games are stacked early in the schedule.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY ORANGE
Syracuse, New York

Syracuse Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#18)
Only two starters return from last year's decent season, led by gEric Devendorf; bPaul Harris is naturally a power forward but isn't quite tall enough to pull it off at the major college level; Golden Children fDonte Green and gJonny Flynn could immediately make this their team; JuCo transfer Kristof Ongenaet figures to help on the boards (after last year's entire frontcourt graduated); freshmen fRick Jackson and gAntonio "Scoop" Jardine will be in the mix as well for Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim's young-but-talented squad.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, Marquette (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, the Orange, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

Winning the NIT TIP-OFF (Texas A&M, Ohio State, Washington, Utah, St. Joseph's, High Point) would be quite a feat. A road win at Virginia is doable; a home win over East Tennessee State is no problem. In league play, they get Georgetown, Villanova (and South Florida) twice; but most of their toughest games are at the end of the season -- a good thing for a young squad.

Dec 17
Losing gEric Devendorf (ACL) for the season is a huge blow. Now this is completely a GC team that no longer has the stability of a veteran upperclassman to provide a foundation for them to work off. They've got this one shot to get it right ('cause there's no way the trio of gJonny Flynn-tDonte Greene-fPaul Harris will return intact next year).
TEMPLE OWLS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple Men's Basketball Website

Feb 18: (untracked)
How can a team this bad overall be an upper-half contender if this conference is really all its cracked up to be? (Oh, yeah. It's that strength-vs-strength, weakness-vs-weakness scheduling system.)
Mar 17
Whaddaya know? The #2-seed came through and won the conference tournament. That seems normal enough. There's some good talent in this league, so maybe the Owls really are a deserving representative. bDionte Christmas and bMark Tyndale are holders from the John Chaney era; freshman fLavoy Allen should be ready to contribute sooner rather than later for veteran coach Fran Dunphy.

In the competitive Atlantic 10, St. Joseph's and Xavier appear to be the top of a bunch of teams; right behind as contenders are Dayton, Rhode Island and Fordham; George Washington, St. Louis and Massachusetts could spoil as well. (Not much was expected from the Owls.)

Winning PUERTO RICO (Miami(Florida), Providence, Arkansas, VCU, Houston) was never going to happen. Duke at home, and Florida on the road weren't realistic; beating Ohio University was nice; losing at Akron was tough. In league play, they get St. Joseph's, Charlotte and Fordham twice each -- not too bad.

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS
Knoxville, Tennessee

Tennessee Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#4)
Four starters return, including National Player of the Year candidate gChris Lofton; gJuJuan Smith scores well and gRamar Smith is a capable point; fWayne Chism and fDuke Crews are basic bangers in the paint; transfers fTyler Smith (ex-Iowa, immediately eligible this season by special approval due to his father's illness) and tJ.P. Prince (ex-Arizona) will make a big impact right away; freshman tCameron Tatum will also contribute sooner rather than later for coach Bruce Pearl's national title contenders.

It's a down year for the SEC. The Vols are the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and are prime contenders for the national championship; Kentucky and completely revamped Florida can only spoil. In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping its best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

Winning LEGENDS (Texas, New Mexico State, West Virginia) should happen. Road wins at Memphis, Gonzaga and Xavier won't come easy; home wins against Ohio State and Western Kentucky (SUN BELT) should happen. In league play, the East Division schedule has more easy games (not that they need it).

Jan 14: (#6)
The big win over tough Mississippi puts the Vols in the driver's seat early on in conference play. In a down year for the league, there aren't that many contenders who will be able to keep pace with UTn.
Jan 21: (#4)
Two solid wins (in a week when most everyone else was one-up/one-down) has the Vols suddenly in #1-seed territory. They probably don't really warrant that, but they've got a number of solid wins over quality opponents.
Jan 28: (#10)
The Vols were sure to get knocked down out of their #1-seeded perch -- but it shouldn't have been by the likes of lowly Kentucky. The good news, though, is that gChris Lofton is finally starting to come around and into the form he had last year.
Feb 25: (#1)
How does it feel to wake up and know you're #1 in the nation? Must be nice. The best thing is that the Vols can now secure a #1-seed for the NCAAs and get to stay in the Charlotte Regional (after a first-/second-round Pod in Birmingham). Not too bad. First things first, though. Finish strong and take the league title and tournament crown as you should.
Mar 3: (#4)
The vault to #1 was a little artificial, and the Vols came back down to earth the very next week. They're the best team in the league, still -- just not the best team in the nation.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LONGHORNS
Austin, Texas

Texas Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#14)
It's The Year After the great tKevin Durant graced the stage of college basketball and Austin. Despite losing the National Player of the Year, they could actually improve on last year's results (only the second round of the NCAA tournament). pD.J. Augustin is as good a point guard as there is in college; gA.J. Abrams is a fine backcourtmate shooting guard; fDamion James should (and must) increase his contribution in the paint this season; freshmen fClint Chapman and fAlexis Wangmene should provide added muscle down low; unfortunately, health issues figure to sideline highly regarded freshman fGary Johnson for veteran coach Rick Barnes' squad.

It's a strong year for the Big 12. Even with the cloud of a key injury lurking, Kansas is the heavy favorite for the title (and a contender for the national crown); the Longhorns (under "The Year After Rule") and Texas A&M still have plenty of talent left and will contend along with the young stars of Kansas State; veteran Missouri, retooling Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and rebuilding Oklahoma all are good enough to spoil; Nebraska, Iowa State, Baylor and Colorado aren't pushovers.

Winning LEGENDS (Tennessee, New Mexico State, West Virginia) is tough but possible. Don't expect road wins at UCLA or Michigan State; a home win over Wisconsin could be the best they get from the preseason. In league play, the tougher "South Division" schedule at least doesn't feature a road trip to Kansas.

Nov 26: (#5)
Wow! The Longhorns blitzed Tennessee, which loves the up-tempo style, and hardly looked challenged. (Maybe there's something to this "Year After Rule" after all!) pD.J. Augustin is as good as any of the GC guards at running a team. He understands it isn't all about him.
Dec 3: (#1)
Wow! You'd think that the Longhorns wouldn't be strong enough up front to even deal with UCLA, but speed kills. cConnor Atchley beat cKevin Love back down the court and the perimeter cadre of pD.J. Augustin, gJustin Mason and tDamion James was just too quick for the Bruins to do much about.
Dec 31: (#8)
The Longhorns' quickness was able to compensate for their lack of size when they had their big win at UCLA, but the past two games have been a different story. Michigan State's had enough agility of their own not to be overwhelmed (plus the Spartans had their own freshman point guard who was just as quick); and Wisconsin's sheer size enabled them to stay in the game and eventually win it on a buzzer-beater. This kind of struggle, even at home, is more in line with what was expected on paper for UTx before the season started. Which performance is "the real Texas"?
Feb 18: (#11)
The big home win over Kansas and the road win at Baylor have the Longhorns back in the conversation for the regular season title. (No more slip-ups like the Missouri game are allowed, though.) fGary Johnson is started to provide a little bit of frontcourt muscle, which they sorely need.
Feb 25: (#6)
Look-a here! Two rout wins at home (coupled with some Desperation Trail losses by their main rivals) and the Longhorns are sitting in first place in the conference standings!
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON MAVERICKS
Arlington, Texas

Texas-Arlington Men's Basketball Website

Mar 17
The Mavericks are a surprise participant in the NCAA tourney. The league has a pretty good recent history of performing well, however. Four starters return from a middle-of-the-pack conference team, led by fAnthony Vereen and pRog'er Guignard; fLarry Posey is also a key contributor for young coach Scott Cross.

In the better-than-you-think Southland, Lamar and McNeese State in the East, and the Mavericks in the West all hope their veteran teams have enough to move ahead of the likes of last year's studs Northwestern State(East), and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi(West) and Sam Houston State(West), all of whom are retooling around star players despite key losses.

Winning at Oklahoma State was a big ask; winning at Wichita State was nice. In league play, tough games on the road come late in the schedule.

TEXAS AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL AGGIES
College Station, Texas

Texas A&M Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#16)
The loss of gAcie Law IV (and fAntanas Kavaliauskas) and coach Billy Gillispie (who left to take over at Kentucky) are all reasons for downgraded expectations this year. The good news is that new head coach Mark Turgeon (ex-Wichita State) is a proven winner and has a load of old and new talent to work with. fJoseph Jones down low and gJosh Carter (who led the nation in three-point shooting percentage - .500) up high form a great inside-outside combo; gDominique Kirk is a solid defender; sophomore gDonald Sloan must step up and take over at the point; freshman 7-0 cDeAndre Jordan is of the highest calibre; freshman fDenzel Bowles should also be a solid contributor as well.

It's a strong year for the Big 12. Even with the cloud of a key injury lurking, Kansas is the heavy favorite for the title (and a contender for the national crown); Texas (under "The Year After Rule") and the Aggies still have plenty of talent left and will contend along with the young stars of Kansas State; veteran Missouri, retooling Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and rebuilding Oklahoma all are good enough to spoil; Nebraska, Iowa State, Baylor and Colorado aren't pushovers.

Winning the NIT TIP-OFF (Syracuse, Ohio State, Washington, Utah, St. Joseph's, High Point) is a tall order. A road win at Arizona won't happen; a home win versus Alabama should. In league play, the tougher "South Division" schedule doesn't feature a trip to Kansas (and the Jayhawks are last to boot).

Nov 26: (#6)
The sheer athletic ability of the Aggie big men is a scary thing to watch. They dominated two very good teams (with quite talented personnel of their own). And this squad can clearly get even better and more polished offensively by quite a lot. How quickly can it happen and can they keep the buzz from New York going?
Dec 3: (#11)
Blowing a 20-point lead on the road (as the Aggies did at Arizona) is the kind of thing you'd expect from a less experienced bunch. Still, as a "Year After" team, they still don't know whom to go to in the clutch. pDonald Sloan didn't show much leadership in the second half of this one.
Jan 21
Welcome to conference play on the road. Yikes. Two very ugly losses highlight the biggest problem this squad has: offensive execution. They're aren't smooth ball-handlers or passes or movers. They're very talented bodies with some good individual scoring capability but team offense is a big weakness. This is a major problem.
Feb 18
Losing at home to Oklahoma State is unacceptable. There's no danger of not getting into the NCAA tournament, but there's also no realistic shot at the regular season title. Just focus on getting better now so you'll be ready when the opportunity to succeed in the postseason comes around.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, PAN AMERICAN BRONCOS
Edinburg, Texas

Texas Pan American Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three returning guards from a 14-15 team makes this the best of the independents. gBrian Burrell has plenty of help on the perimeter from gDexter Shankle and gPaul Stoll -- but that's where the talent ends for second-year coach Tom Schuberth.

No other Independent figures to be remotely poised for a strong season: {Utah Valley State} lost four starters from a strong squad; Savannah State has three starters back from a weak one.

Third place at PC (Missouri State, UNC-Greensboro), second place at DR CLASSIC (Drake, Jackson State), and CENTRAL FLORIDA (Central Florida) and MONTANA STATE (Pepperdine, at Montana State) all are attainable; fifth place in LAS VEGAS-XMAS (Alabama, Missouri State, Purdue, Iowa State) is the best they can expect. Road wins at Pepperdine, Alabama, Tulsa and Missouri State won't happen. A home win over UNC-Greensboro will most likely be the highlight of the season.

Mar 3
There's no postseason for this Independent. A winning record will have to be their measure of success.
TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa Men's Basketball Website

Apr 8
The ultimate late bloomers. Success in the conference tournament and the inauguaral CBI title salvage an otherwise forgettable season. bBen Uzoh and gRod Earls were the returning stars; freshman gGlen Andrews was expected to be a contributor sooner rather than later; 7' cJerome Jordan wound up as the CBI tournament MVP for young coach Doug Wojcik.

In the improved Conference USA, Memphis is even stronger this year than last (when it rolled through the league undefeated); UAB and Houston will contend for second place (and a trip to the postseason); Southern Mississippi, Marshall, Tulane, Central Florida and UTEP are all capable of spoiling second place. (The Golden Hurricane wasn't expected to be a factor.)

Losses to Hampton (CBE) and crosstown rival Oral Roberts were disappointments; losing at Oklahoma was to be expected; a home win over Mississippi Valley was the highlight of the preseason. In league play, they got Memphis twice and had to play both UAB and Houston on the road -- that's rough.

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM BLAZERS
Birmingham, Alabama

UAB Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return from a disapointing season, but the reason for optimism is the huge influx of new talent. gPaul Delaney III is a great scoring guard who can pass when needed; fLawrence Kinnard is a solid frontcourt performer; fFrank Holmes will be hard pressed to maintain his starting spot; transfer tRobert Vaden (ex-Indiana) is a proven star; transfers fWalter Sharpe (ex-Mississippi State) and gChanning Toney (ex-Georgia) have plenty of experience against top-flight talent; JuCo transfer pEd Berrios will battle freshmen pTerrence Roderick and 5-7 pAaron Johnson for the right to run the show; freshman cKeenan Ellis will provide immediate help in the post. Coach Mike Davis has lots to work with now, and getting the veterans to mesh with more capable newcomers won't be an easy task -- but "too much talent" is a good problem to have.

In the improved Conference USA, Memphis is even stronger this year than last (when it rolled through the league undefeated); the Blazers and Houston will contend for second place (and a trip to the postseason); Southern Mississippi, Marshall, Tulane, Central Florida and UTEP are all capable of spoiling second place.

Winning GLENN WILKES (Florida State, Rhode Island) is quite doable, winning at Kentucky is not; home wins over Cincinnati and Old Dominion, and a road win at Wichita State should happen. In league play, some tricky spoiler games in the first half should actually stand them in good stead when they become Defenders of the Faith in their February home showdown to stop Memphis' undefeated season.

Nov 19
The GLENN WILKES tournament was a disaster. gRobert Vaden is having a nice season individually so far, but there needs to be a lot more balanced scoring if they want to go anywhwere. Worse, yet: pPaul Delaney tore his ACL and is out for the season.
Feb 18
The Blazers had a real shot -- up 77-70 with under three minutes left -- but they just didn't handle the endplay well enough. You've got to attack the basket to make sure you at least get free throws out of every possession (and you've got to knock down the free throws you do get -- UAB was 20-for-22 at the foul line, and still one more make from bRobert Vaden(27p5r) could have sealed the win. This ain't Horseshoes.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES BRUINS
Los Angeles, California

UCLA Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#1)
Four starters return from last year's second straight trip to the Final Four. bArron Afflalo is gone, but in his place comes Golden Child cKevin Love; pDarren Collison is a quick and talented two-way point guard; fJosh Shipp figures to be the new leading scorer; fLuc Richard Mbah a Moute is a good rebounder and defender; cLorenzo Mata-Real is capable in the post; freshman fChase Stanback will contribute sooner rather than later for veteran coach Ben Howland's loaded squad.

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. The Bruins replaced their one star player loss with a Golden Child and are the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); Oregon and Washington State have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; Stanford (with all five starters back) and Washington return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; USC (with its own Golden Child), Arizona and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even Arizona State and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

Winning the CBE/GUARDIANS CLASSIC (Michigan State, Maryland) should not be a problem. A road win at Michigan won't be a problem; neither will home wins versus Texas (BIG 12/PAC-10) and Yale, or at JOHN WOODEN (Davidson). In league play, everybody gets it equally tough with a full home-and-home schedule.

Nov 19: (#1)
Even with pDarren Collison missing a couple of games, things are off to a great start. cKevin Love is everything that was expected and more -- a strong presence in the paint with solid fundamentals. Who remembers when fast breaks used to start with outlet passes! He does, thankfully.
Nov 26: (#2)
Michigan State threw a lot of bodies at cKevin Love and he looked a bit slow and athletically wanting. Still, his skill set is so strong that he was able to come through anyway with a fine showing. The Bruins lack a "Go-to Guy" yet, but they demonstrated a lot of toughness closing the game with a 10-0 run to claim the CBE/GUARDIANS crown.
Dec 3: (#5)
Texas is the second team to be able to expose cKevin Love's physical vulnerabilities as cConnor Atchley just beat him back down the court on the break. Still, it was only pDarren Collison's first game back and the UTx perimeter cadre are as quick a bunch with the ball as anyone in college basketball.
Dec 10: (#6)
The return of gDarren Collison is great news. The fact that they had to scramble from being down by 18 points in the first half to Davidson is quite worrisome. Sophomore gRussell Westbrook did a decent job guarding DU's gStephon Curry and had a solid offensive game as well.
Jan 14: (#4)
As if the early roads didn't make it clear, the solid win over top-rival Washington State sends the clear statement that the Bruins are still The Team To Beat in the Pac-10.
Jan 21: (#5)
The Bruins would have tumbled even farther if it hadn't been a week when so many other teams were one-up/one-down. The home loss to USC was familiar. Quickness up front gave them problems and they couldn't guard anybody. (Thankfully, there are few teams around with as much individual talent as USC.)
Jan 28: (#4)
cKevin Love's two monstrous performances (26p18r at Oregon, and 16p21r at Oregon State) have suddenly put him in the Player of the Year conversation. (And what about 33p from gDarren Collison!?)
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT (#3)
Do we have another Duke on our hands? (No, not because of a winning tradition led by a Hall of Fame coach, because they won two games they were trailing throughout thanks to the benefit of clearly erroneous calls by the referees.) Against Stanford, give them credit for coming back to make it close, but no way did fLawrence Hill commit the foul that gave gDarren Collison(24p) two free throws to send the game into overtime. Against California, gJosh Shipp's shot from behind the basket and over the top of it wasn't legal, but the ref allowed his game-winner to count. Ay! Nevermind, they're deservedly the Pac-10 champs regardless and are in good form for the postseason.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS
Santa Barbara, California

UC-Santa Barbara Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return, led by fAlex Harris; fChris Devine is the second partner in a potent 1-2 punch in the paint; cIvan Elliott is effective as well. Coach Bob Williams has plenty of reasons to expect big things this season.

In the improving Big West, the Gauchos will battle Cal State-Fullerton and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo for league supremacy; Pacific and UC-Irvine should be right there ready to contend as well.

An Unwelcome Guest win at BTI-WEST (Stanford) isn't impossible. Don't expect a wins at North Carolina; a home win versus UNLV could be where they make their preseason mark. In league play, three tough road games in ten days in January will make or break the season for this veteran squad.

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA AT LAS VEGAS RUNNIN' REBELS
Las Vegas, Nevada

UNLV Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters are gone (including the coach's son, pKevin Kruger); gWink Adams is the lone holdover; the reason for optimism is the stellar newcomers, led by freshman cBeas Hamga; JuCo transfer gMareceo Rutledge should be a major contributor as well; JuCo cEmmanuel Adeife and pKendell Wallace should also be factors for veteran coach Lon Kruger.

In the Mountain West, it's very much up for grabs. Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming have their stars back from losing teams; San Diego State, the Runnin' Rebels and BYU lost a lot from winning teams but also added new studs.

Don't expect home wins over Louisville or Arizona; the "State Title" grudge match with Nevada should be theirs this year; a home win against Fresno State is no walkover; the DUEL IN THE DESERT (Minnesota) is a cut above a three-day showcase. In league play, the tough games are pretty well buffered in two- and three-game stretches. Having the conference tournament at their place is a big edge.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROJANS
Los Angeles, California

USC Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#19)
Only two starters return from last year's trip to the Sweet 16, led by cTaj Gibson; gDaniel Hackett is a solid player; Golden Child 6-5 bO.J. Mayo figures to have things all to himself as the instant leader of the team; freshmen fDavon Jerfferson and cMamadou Diarra should contribute immediately; freshmen gAngelo Johnson and tMarcus Simmons should make an impact sooner rathern than later for veteran coach Tim Floyd's talented-but-young roster.

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. UCLA replaced its one star player loss with a Golden Child and is the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); Oregon and Washington State have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; Stanford (with all five starters back) and Washington return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; the Trojans (with their own Golden Child), Arizona and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even Arizona State and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

Back-to-back games at home against Kansas and against Memphis (JIMMY V) will be brutal; winning ANAHEIM (Southern Illinois, Miami(Ohio), South Alabama, Mississippi State) won't come easy; a home game with Oklahoma (BIG 12/PAC-10) should be no problem. In league play, a full home-and-home schedule is equally tough on everybody.

Nov 12
Ouch. Your Golden Child scores 32p and you still lose by 15 at home to a team from the Atlantic Sun that was 13-17 last year? Yikes. I don't know what to say. Tim Floyd has his work cut out for him getting this bunch into some kind of disciplined shape.
Nov 26: (#12)
The Trojans' immense talent -- and not just from GC gO.J. Mayo -- revealed itself as they pulled away from tenacious Southern Illinois with an ease no one has been able to do. gMayo still seems to play as if he "knows he can win the game any time he wants". That's a very dangerous quality. It's reminiscent of Connecticut '04, which goofed around with losses that never should have happened, but then was able to turn the switch and roll when it actually mattered. Not a style to be emulated, though.
Dec 3: (#18)
The Trojans are too in love with their own individual talent. Yes, they were impressive bolting out to a 16-4 lead just two minutes into the game against Kansas, but way too many turnovers (and way too few assists) spelled doom. You wish that they were quick studies, too; because Tuesday's upcoming game may be the only thing standing between Memphis and an undefeated season.
Dec 10
bDaniel Hackett's missed free throw at the end of regulation against Memphis may hanut him for quite a long time.
Jan 7
With the Trojans already in an early hole in the league race, the worry is that ultimate-GC bO.J. Mayo may check out sooner rather than later from the team concept and begin "playing for the scouts" exclusively. We'll see what he's made of (and how much control coach Tim Floyd really has over him).
Jan 21: (#25)
Maybe this won't be a throw-away regular season for the Trojans after all. The impressive road win at UCLA confirms what this talented squad is capable of. Can they do it over the long haul of the regular season, or was this just a one-shot deal when everybody was hot? It gets no easier inside this league.
Feb 11
pDaniel Hackett's injury (back), suffered in the Arizona game, is a problem for the Trojans, who don't have a deep roster as it is.
UTAH UTES
Salt Lake City, Utah

Utah Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return from last year's disappointing season; 7-1 cLuke Neville is the ultimate centerpiece; gJohnnie Bryant and fShaun Green are fine support players; JuCo transfer gTyler Kepkay is expected to be a major contributor; freshmen gCarlon Brown and fMorgan Grim will be factors sooner rather than later for first-year coach Jim Boylen.

In the Mountain West, it's very much up for grabs. The Utes, New Mexico and Wyoming have their stars back from losing teams; San Diego State, UNLV and BYU lost a lot from winning teams but also added new studs.

Getting to New York in the NIT TIP-OFF (Texas A&M, Syracuse, Ohio State, Washington, St. Joseph's, High Point) would be an accomplishment by itself. Don't expect road wins at Oregon or Gonzaga; the "State Title" grudge match with Utah State will be tough even at home, but High Point shouldn't be a problem. In league play, the tough games are pretty well buffered by easy ones in between.

Feb 11
The home win over UNLV pulls the Rebels back to the pack. The Utes still have a lot of work cut out to be contenders more than spoilers.
Mar 3: (untracked)
It's quite late to still be making such decisions, but the Utes are well back in the standings below the second Gap.
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY AGGIES
Logan, Utah

Utah State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three returning starters, led by star tJaycee Carroll; fStephen DuCharme and gKris Clark are capable role players; best of all, transfer cBrayden Bell (ex-Ohio State) and JuCo transfer fGary Wilkinson should contribute immediately, along with JuCo gDeUndrae Spraggins, for veteran coach Stew Morrill's squad.

In the competitive WAC, New Mexico State, the Aggies and Fresno State have returning talent and an influx of new talent to fight it out at the top; Nevada has one star left, and Hawaii and Boise State have enough as well to spoil.

Winning SOUTH PADRE (Bradley, Vanderbilt, Iowa) is well within their grasp. The GF CLASSIC is just a showcase. A win in the "State Title" grudge match with Utah won't come easy. In league play, there are tough games all throughout the schedule.

Nov 19
The season could hardly have started worse. The one silver lining is that the other expected powers in the WAC are also off to bad starts themselves.
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY COMMODORES
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt Men's Basketball Website

Nov 26: (#16)
Winning SOUTH PADRE validates the fine start the Commodores have made. (Remember, the nucleus of this squad made it to the Sweet 16 last year.) Freshman GC cAndrew Ogilvy is the real thing, and bShan Foster already knows how to get it done; gAlex Gordon and fRoss Neltner have plenty of experience; freshman gKeegan Bell could be ready sooner rather than later for veteran coach Kevin Stallings.

It's a down year for the SEC. Tennessee is the heavy favorite in the East (and overall) and is a prime contender for the national championship; Kentucky and completely revamped Florida can only spoil; the Commodores may yet prove to be contenders after all. In the West, Arkansas (with everybody back) and Alabama (hoping their best player is fully healthy) will fight for the top spot; Mississippi State and Auburn (with five starters returning) may do more than spoil.

Winning SOUTH PADRE already makes the preseason. A home win over South Alabama shouldn't be a problem. In league play, some tough early road games could put them in a hole in the regular season race and having to travel to Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama doesn't help.

Dec 17
cAlan Metcalfe does a very nice job on the UNC secondary break play as the trailing center coming in to bury a top-of-the-key three-pointer.
Mar 3: (#20)
The home win over Tennessee (stealing their in-state thunder on top toppling of their #1 ranking) was mighty fine. But the loss at Arkansas means they can't take anything for granted.
VILLANOVA WILDCATS
Villanova, Pennsylvania

Villanova Men's Basketball Website

Jan 21: (#20)
Solid play inside a megaconference will earn you bonus points. Big City market means they're overexposed and the general perception of this squad is much greater than the reality. One good player and a supporting cast. There are lots of those teams out there across the country. (Still, gotta rank 'em, this week, anyway.) Two starters return, led by Left Behind pScottie Reynolds; fDante Cunningham is a solid support player; reserve fShane Clark has plenty of experience as well; and freshmen gCorey Fisher and gCorey Stokes should both be ready to contribute immediately. All that figures to make for a decent squad for still young coach Jay Wright.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, Marquette (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, the Wildcats, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well.

A strong showing in the OS CLASSIC (N.C. State, Kansas State, George Mason) was nice; a good comeback against LSU (BIG EAST/SEC); they should rule the BIG 5 with ease. In league play, 12 tough games (including Pittsburgh twice) is rough.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CAVALIERS / WAHOOS
Charlottesville, Virginia

Virginia Men's Basketball Website

Dec 3: (#23)
It's happened before that an early season win over Arizona makes the Cavaliers look impressive than is really the case. Once again, it's Arizona's subsequent accomplishments that sweep Virginia into the rankings ahead of them. Star guard pSean Singletary didn't jump to the NBA; bMamadi Diane also returns; freshman bJeff Jones (no relation to the former player and coach) has already been a key contributor; fAdrian Joseph and cRyan Pettinella are new starters for coach Dave Leitao.

It's a down year for the ACC. North Carolina lost two starters (and added no one) but will still fight for the title with fortified Duke and rising N.C. State; veteran Clemson will contend as well; Florida State and Maryland are only good enough to spoil. (The Cavaliers will do well to spoil.)

Losing to Seton Hall in the PHILLY final was a disappointment, especially after winning on the road at Arizona. Beating Syracuse and Hampton at home are doable; beating Xavier on the road is probably not. In league play, some tough early road games may put them behind in the race from the start.

Feb 4: (untracked)
Same as it ever was. Flashy preseason win (as usual, over Arizona) followed by one "disappointing" loss after another. pSean Singletary needs way more help than he has available to him.
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY RAMS
Richmond, Virginia

VCU Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three starters return from last year's highly successful season; pEric Maynor is one of the top guards in the country; fWil Fameni is a solid presence in the paint; reserves gJamal Shuler and fT.J. Gwynn must step up; a lot will be expected from freshmen gEd Nixon, fLarry Sanders and gJoey Rodriguez in order to keep things rolling. Coach Anthony Grant is still in Richmond since Billy Donovan eventually decided to stay at Florida.

In the Colonial, George Mason is the favorite; the Rams, Hofstra and Drexel still have individual stars who can spoil; rebuilt UNC-Wilmington is a dark horse contender as well.

Winning the PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF (Arkansas, Houston, Providence) is very possible. Road wins at Maryland and Bradley won't come easy. In league play, the tough games are spread out throughout the schedule. Having the conference tournament at their place is a big edge.

Jan 21
The Rams have assumed their rightful place atop the league standings. Still, this is going to be a 1BC year for the Colonial, so they have a long way to go towards securing an NCAA bid.VCU came through the midway point with a two-game lead. George Mason, UNC-Wilmington, William & Mary and Delaware were all tied for second place; Old Dominion was one more game back in sixth place (but still above .500). James Madison and Drexel were not in contention.
Jan 28: MIDCONFERENCE
At the midway point of conference play, the Rams have a two-game lead on the rest of the league. George Mason, UNC-Wilmington, William & Mary and Delaware are all tied for second place; Old Dominion is one more game back in sixth place (but still above .500). James Madison and Drexel aren't in contention.
Feb 25
The solid road win at Akron in BRACKETBUSTERS should secure an at-large bid for the Rams. (Now let's hope they don't become anti-spoilers and actually use it by failing to win the conference tournament).
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Seattle, Washington

Washington Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Four starters return from last year's disappointing season; fJon Brockman is an athletic power player; tQuincy Pondexter figures to step up his presence; pJustin Dentmon can score but struggles to run the show; gRyan Appleby is a capable deep shooter; transfer gTim Morris (ex-Stanford) is expected to lead from the start; freshmen fDarnell Gant, fMatthew Bryan-Amaning and fJustin Holiday should add depth to the frontcourt; sophomore gAdrian Oliver and freshman gVenoy Overton may eventually step in at the point for veteran coach Lorenzo Romar's loaded roster.

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. UCLA replaced its one star player loss with a Golden Child and is the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); Oregon and Washington State have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; Stanford (with all five starters back) and the Huskies return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; USC (with its own Golden Child), Arizona and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even Arizona State and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

Winning the NIT TIP-OFF (Texas A&M, Syracuse, Ohio State, Utah, St. Joseph's, High Point) is a tall order. Road wins at Oklahoma State and LSU won't come easy (but they're doable); a home win against Pittsburgh will be tough (but doable). In league play, everybody has it equally tough with a full home-and-home schedule.

Dec 10
The return of gRyan Appleby is great to see (and he made an immediate impact in the loss to Pittsburgh. Don't dwell on gJustin Dentmon's almost game-winner, dwell on the fact that this team doesn't defend well at all.
Feb 11
The desperation win over UCLA is nice, but it's a long way from securing them a ticket to any kind of postseason.
WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
Pullman, Washington

Washington State Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON (#9)
Four starters return from last year's surprising season, led by tKyle Weaver and gDerrick Low; tDaven Harmeling, fRobbie Cowgill and gTaylor Rochestie are all solid support players; freshmen gAbe Lodwick and gStephen Sauls figure to contribute sooner rather than later for second-year coach Tony Bennett's veteran squad.

The Pac-10 is hands-down the strongest league in the country. UCLA replaced its one star player loss with a Golden Child and is the heavy favorite (and on a short list of contenders for the national championship); Oregon and the Cougars have accomplished cores who will battle it out for second place; Stanford (with all five starters back) and Washington return strong rosters that will spoil at worst; USC (with its own Golden Child), Arizona and California replaced major losses with major talent and figure to spoil as well. (Even Arizona State and Oregon State each has an NBA draft-calibre star.)

The HISPANIC FUND-WEST (Montana) is a cut above your average three-day showcase. A road win at Gonzaga will be tough to pull off; winning at Baylor (BIG 12/PAC-10) shouldn't be. In league play, a full home-and-home schedule is equally tough on everyone (but starting out with three straight road games doesn't help).

Dec 10: (#7)
The stiffling defense they layed on Gonzaga (in its own gym, no less) was impressive. This year's team could be even better than last year.
Feb 11: (#10)
Despite the loss to UCLA, the home blowout of USC preserves their status as a Top-10 team. They'll be fine once they get out from under the rigors of this killer league.
Mar 3: (#13)
It probably says more about Stanford that they've opened up a four-game Gap over the Cougars. They played well in Palo Alto, but couldn't close the deal in hostile territory. No matter. The throttling of California shows there's nothing wrong with this squad.
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERS
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia Men's Basketball Website

Dec 10: (#25)
Playing Tennessee so close on neutral ground should have been a cue (but, at that point, it only cast doubt on the Vols); routing decent Winthrop was also nice; finally, the continuing blowouts of all non-elite comers makes this team at least trackable, for sure (and even rankable, for this week, anyway). Three starters return from last year's NIT champs, led by pAlex Ruoff; pDarris Nichols and fJoe Alexander are also veteran contributors; fDa'Sean Butler has plenty of experience as well; freshman gWill Thomas should be ready to contribute sooner rather than later; freshman gJonnie West (Jerry West's son) has the ultimate pedigree. Coach John Beilein left for Michigan, but the program has actually upgraded with the return of veteran coach Bob Huggins to his alma mater.

It's a strong year for the mega-Big East. With accomplished cores returning, Georgetown, Marquette (all five starters) and Louisville will fight it out for the top spot (as well as contend for the national championship); just below them, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Villanova, Providence, Connecticut (with all five starters back) and DePaul must mix in new talent with old; but any or all of them could blossom beyond spoiler status and contend for the league title as well. (The Mountaineers will spoil at the least and may well even contend at best after all.)

Winning LEGENDS (Tennessee, Texas, New Mexico State) was never going to happen, but solid wins over New Mexico State, Wintrhop and veteran Auburn are a fine showing. Beating Oklahoma and Maryland(Baltimore County) at home, and Marshall in their split-crowd "State Title' game shouldn't be a problem. In league play, four tough games right off the bat could bury them in the league race before things ever really get started.

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY HILLTOPPERS
Bowling Green, Kentucky

Western Kentucky Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Five returning starters from last year's second-place finishers have expectations sky high this time around. bCourtney Lee is one of the best big guards in the country; gTyrone Brazelton is a fine point guard giving his star the room to free-lance; big things are expected sooner rathern than later from freshman tStepffon Pettigrew (Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball"). It all looks great for young coach Darrin Horn.

In a strong year for the Sun Belt, both the Hilltoppers and South Alabama are expected to battle for supremacy in the East Division, the overall title, and for national recognition to boot. In the West, veteran squads at Arkansas State and Louisiana-Monroe will fight for the top (and maybe contend overall as well). Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State in the East, and New Orleans in the West have star players who may spoil things.

Don't expect road wins at Tennessee (SUN BELT) or Southern Illinois; winning GREAT ALASKA (Butler, Gonzaga) is a tall order; a home win against Nebraska would be a big boost to their tournament chances later on. In league play, the tougher East Division schedule as well as an extra game with Louisiana-Monroe make things tough, but this veteran squad should be able to take on all comers.

WINTHROP EAGLES
Rock Hill, South Carolina

Winthrop Men's Basketball Website

Dec 3: (tracked)
The decent start (coupled with the lousy opening from High Point) makes sense for this to be the trackable team from this conference. They lost their star player and head coach from last year's all-time best season, but there's still something solid left behind. pChris Gaynor and bMichael Jenkins still remain to form a quality backcourt; fTaj McCullough has plenty of experience in big games; more is expected from tMantoris Robinson this season; fAndy Buechert should contribute sooner rather than later for young coach Randy Peele.

In the otherwise weak Big South, High Point returns enough horses to take over the void left by the major losses (players and coach) of the Eagles; Coastal Carolina and Liberty will try to spoil.

The solid showing at PARADISE JAM was a pleasant surprise; the home loss to Missouri State was tough to take; the road loss at West Virginia was to be expected. Wins at Mississippi State, Mt. St. Mary's and Miami(Florida) (ORANGE BOWL) and Marshall won't come easy; even home wins over Akron and Old Dominion aren't locks. In league play, an early road game with High Point could mark the changing of the guard if they're not careful.

Feb 4: MIDCONFERENCE
The showdown with UNC-Asheville sho' didn't go the way they wanted it to. At least the return trip is at home, but they've also got to get some help from UNCA after their early loss to High Point.
Mar 3
Unable to gain a split at home against UNC-Asheville marks a turning point in league supremacy. Don't blame the new coach completely -- remember, they also lost their star player from a year ago. Still one last shot at the NCAAs in the conference tournament, but it doesn't look favorable from here.
Mar 10: PRETOURNAMENT
Wow! What a turnaround. There's something to be said for experience. The Eagles are headed back to the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight time (and eighth time in the last 10 years). bMichael Jenkins(33p) was spectacular as they blew out regular season champ UNC-Asheville at their place in the biggest game of the season.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BADGERS
Madison, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Men's Basketball Website

Dec 31: (#11)
The buzzer-beater win at Texas finally legitimizes the paper rating of the Badgers, who had previously only managed to beat up nobodies while losing both "name games" on their preseason schedule. It was their size that won the day against the smaller-but-quicker Longhorns. A major win, even more impressive with the absence of injured gTrevon Hughes. fBrian Butch has size and talent but is just below star status; bMichael Flowers is capable in support; fMarcus Landry is still a poor man's fAlando Tucker at best; freshmen fJon Leuer and fKeaton Nankivil should contribute sooner rather than later.

In a down year for the Big 10, Michigan State (with all five starters back, including an All-America guard) and Indiana (with an All-America forward plus a Golden Child guard) will fight for the title; reloaded Ohio State is also good enough to contend; Illinois, the Badgers and new look Purdue are all ready to spoil.

Winning AMERICA'S YOUTH was just a three-day showcase formality. Beating Georgia didn't count for much; beating Valparaiso probably counted more. Losing badly at Duke happens to lots of good teams; losing at home to Marquette shouldn't have happened; the road win at Texas made their entire rep. In league play, they don't face a quality team on the road until mid-February -- they should get off to a great start.

XAVIER MUSKETEERS
Cincinnati, Ohio

Xavier Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
Three starters return, including the backcourt of pDrew Lavender and bStanley Burrell; transfer tC.J. Anderson and JuCo cCharles Bronson should make up for the loss of talent from last year; fDerrick Brown and freshman gDante Jackson should add depth for young coach Sean Miller.

In the competitive Atlantic 10, St. Joseph's and the Musketeers appear to be the top of a bunch of teams; right behind as contenders are Dayton, Rhode Island and Fordham; George Washington, St. Louis and Massachusetts could spoil as well.

Beating Tennessee won't happen even at home; Beating Indiana (CHICAGO INVITATIONAL) will be a tall order even on neutral ground; winning at Miami(Ohio), Arizona State and Auburn will be tough; beating Kansas State, Virginia, Cincinnati and Creighton at home should be their best wins. In league play, having to play St. Joseph's, Dayton and George Washington twice isn't the best schedule.

Nov 26: (#11)
The rout of highly touted Indiana more than cancels out the squeak road loss to tough-as-nails Miami(Ohio). (Is it worth hoping that bStanley Burrell will "find his game" and be the frontline star that he's "supposed to be"?) This is well and truly pDrew Lavender's team now, and he's finding new material to work with and results are more than positive.
Jan 7: (#13)
The three-point barage the past week led to three absolute blowout victories. That's the kind of shooting that can take you to the Sweet 16 (and beyond if the hot streak keeps rolling). This team has plenty of talent and can really spread the floor thanks to such good shooting, ball-handling and passing from multiple players.
Jan 28: (#11)
Big wins over two of the strongest league contenders have the Musketeers firing on all cylinders. No other point guard this side of Texas' pD.J. Augustin means more to his team. Without him, they'd be quite a mess.
Feb 25: (#11)
Three big wins put the Musketeers in a dominant position in the league race. If they can win here on out, they might even be able to sneak into a #2-seed for the NCAAs.
YALE ELI / BULLDOGS
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale Men's Basketball Website

Nov 5: PRESEASON
gEric Flato leads four returning starters for what coach James Jones hopes will be the new "team to beat" inside the league. fRoss Morin and cMatt Kyle provide a physical presence in the paint, while tTravis Pinick helps out on the perimeter.

In the weak Ivy League, it's the Eli, Cornell and Columbia who have the veteran teams that should vie to finally put an end to the 19-year reign enjoyed by Penn and Princeton.

The preseason schedule is absolutely brutal. Forget wins, they'll be lucky to emerge with their psyches intact after road games at Massachusetts, Stanford, UCLA, Holy Cross and Kansas (not to mention home games against Vermont and Boston University). The home game with Sacred Heart is about the only bit of notoriety that seems realistic. In league play, five of the first six games at home is a welcome way to start (but six out of eight on the road to close things out is an unwelcome way to finish).

Dec 31: (untracked)
It looks like Cornell is the better team to track as representative for this league (faint praise that it is).
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