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BASKETBALL TOP 25 PREVIEW
|
Rk. |
Team |
Last Yr. |
Conf. |
Key player |
Comment |
|
1. |
Duke |
27-6 |
ACC |
Shelden Williams |
Krzyzewski has tools for his fourth national title |
|
2. |
Michigan State |
26-7 |
Big Ten |
Paul Davis |
Spartans return four starters from Final Four team |
|
3. |
Connecticut |
23-8 |
Big East |
Rudy Gay |
Despite offseason issues, UConn still class of
league |
|
4. |
Louisville |
33-5 |
Big East |
Taquan Dean |
Watch out when David Padgett gets healthy for Cards |
|
5. |
Texas |
20-11 |
Big 12 |
Daniel Gibson |
Frontcourt (and Gibson) could be ticket to
Indianapolis |
|
6. |
Villanova |
24-8 |
Big East |
Allan Ray |
Still good enough to contend after loss of Curtis
Sumpter |
|
7. |
Kentucky |
28-6 |
SEC |
Rajon Rondo |
Randolph Morris' eligibility the only question mark
|
|
8. |
Boston College |
25-5 |
ACC |
Craig Smith |
Eagles will be formidable in ACC debut season |
|
9. |
Oklahoma |
25-8 |
Big 12 |
Taj Gray |
Sooners will give Longhorns a run for Big 12 title
|
|
10. |
Arizona |
30-7 |
Pac-10 |
Hassan Adams |
Wildcats still tough after losing Frye, Stoudamire |
|
11. |
Memphis |
22-16 |
Conf. USA |
Darius Washington |
Tigers should mop up in the new C-USA |
|
12. |
Gonzaga |
26-5 |
West Coast |
Adam Morrison |
Best team -- and player (Morrison) -- in West? |
|
13. |
Stanford |
18-13 |
Pac-10 |
Chris Hernandez |
Dan Grunfeld returns after late-season torn ACL |
|
14. |
West Virginia |
24-11 |
Big East |
Mike Gansey |
Mountaineers are 3-point shooting terrors |
|
15. |
UCLA |
18-11 |
Pac-10 |
Jordan Farmer |
Return to glory? Howland's Bruins return four
starters |
|
16. |
Iowa |
21-12 |
Big Ten |
Jeff Horner |
Veteran Hawkeyes have the look of a Sweet 16 team
|
|
17. |
Illinois |
37-2 |
Big Ten |
Dee Brown |
Illini won't return to Final Four, but will
challenge in league |
|
18. |
Syracuse |
27-7 |
Big East |
Gerry McNamara |
Orange still smarting from NCAA loss to Vermont |
|
19. |
Alabama |
24-8 |
SEC |
Ronald Steele |
Sweet 16 potential if team shows enough consistency |
|
20. |
Indiana |
15-14 |
Big Ten |
D.J. White |
Watch Auburn transfers Marco Killingsworth, Lewis
Monroe |
|
21. |
Nevada |
25-7 |
WAC |
Nick Fazekas |
By March, nobody will want to face the Wolf Pack |
|
22. |
Texas Tech |
22-11 |
Big 12 |
Jarrius Jackson |
Bobby Knight has Red Raiders on the upswing |
|
23. |
Wake Forest |
27-6 |
ACC |
Justin Gray |
Chris Paul is gone, but plenty of talent remains |
|
24. |
Iowa State |
19-12 |
Big 12 |
Curtis Stinson |
Will Blalock, Stinson form one of nation's top
backcourts |
|
25. |
Miami |
16-13 |
ACC |
Guillermo Diaz |
Hurricanes should move from NIT to NCAA Tournament |
THE DANDY
DOZEN
Here are 12 of the nation's best players:
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Yr. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
|
Hassan Adams |
Arizona |
SF |
Sr. |
6-4 |
220 |
•Maybe Lute Olson's most dynamic player ever
|
Dee Brown |
Illinois |
PG |
Sr. |
6-0 |
185 |
•Big Ten player of year on terrific 37-2 team
|
JamesOn Curry |
Oklahoma St. |
SG |
So. |
6-3 |
190 |
•Has potential for Big 12 player of year
|
Paul Davis |
Michigan St. |
C |
Sr. |
6-11 |
270 |
•Came on strong in the NCAA Tournament
|
Taquan Dean |
Louisville |
SG |
Sr. |
6-3 |
185 |
•His toughness, leadership needed in Big East
|
Rudy Gay |
Connecticut |
SF |
So. |
6-9 |
220 |
•Might be best talent Big East has to offer
|
Daniel Gibson |
Texas |
PG |
So. |
6-2 |
190 |
•T.J. Ford redux? (Longhorns in Final Four?)
|
Adam Morrison |
Gonzaga |
SF |
Jr. |
6-8 |
205 |
•Arguably, he's the best player in the West
|
J.J. Redick |
Duke |
SG |
Sr. |
6-4 |
190 |
•Opponents hate him, but you've got to love that touch
|
Craig Smith |
Boston College |
PF |
Sr. |
6-7 |
250 |
•ACC foes will find out about him -- rather quickly
|
Curtis Stinson |
Iowa State |
SG |
Jr. |
6-3 |
215 |
•Strong in body, strong in spirit for Cyclones
|
Shelden Williams |
Duke |
PF |
Sr. |
6-9 |
250 |
•Probably the best all-around player in the country
Micah Kushner
is a Mass Communications student at the University
of South Florida in Tampa and a regular contributor to
Outsports.com He is a member of the Tampa Mojo, which
participate in the Suncoast Softball League. After
graduation, he plans on pursuing a career in Sports
Broadcasting.
|
