Saturday, October 28, 2006

Conference Rankings

With a dotted line, I've separated them teams into different tiers of which I see them finishing. For example, if there's a line above #3 and below #6, I could see the 6th place team finishing anywhere from 3rd to 6th because those teams are on a pretty equal playing field.

ACC

1. UNC - It's unanimous; UNC is primed to be a top 3 team in the nation.
2. Duke - They lost Redick, Shelden Williams, and Dockery to graduation. But this is Duke; their scars heal like Wolverine's.
3. Boston College - Losing Craig Smith won't hurt BC as bad as some people think. They can grab some monsterous wins.
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4. Georgia Tech - 4th place talent, but they could place between 3rd and 7th in the conference.
5. Florida State - Al Thornton can pick up the slack of fat-man Alexander Johnson in the paint and become a first team all-ACC'er.
6. Virginia - Strong backcourt but shaky frontcourt.
7. Maryland - Not sure what to think of this team. We'll see how they manage without crucial players Chris McCray and Caner-Medley, and see if DJ Strawberry stops playing like a fruit.
8. Virginia Tech - A bunch of decent players who should mount up and soar to greater heights!
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9. Wake Forest - Last years awful team lost its 2 best players, but I have faith in their Top 10 recruiting class.
10. Clemson - They might take down some big names, and be taken out by no-names.
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11. Miami (FL) - Depleted backcourt, lucky they're not last
12. NC State - With about a 4 player roster and a new coach, this mangled and inexperienced team will struggle violently.

Atlantic 10
1. Xavier - Experience and new big-impact players make Xavier the team to beat in the A-10 this year.
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2. Charlotte - With the loss of Curtis Withers, size and rebounding becomes a question for the 49ers. But with their sensational backcourt, they can be a major player if they only get a couple big guys to step it up
3. St Louis - There's no reason that the Billikens should take a step back this year; I think their stock is about steady.
4. UMASS - I originally had this team pegged as my ultra-sleeper. As more and more previews came out, I found I wasn't alone. Now I've turned on them. They'll take a step forward, sure, but this team is experienced only in mediocrity and they won't content for the best record in the A-10. However, they could make a run in the A-10 tourney...
5. George Washington - They lost a lot, yet somehow I feel bad ranking them this low. They could very well be a tourney team when all is said and done.
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6. Fordham - This is a good team that could take the league by surprise.
7. Dayton - They're tough inside, but they won't make a huge impact anywhere else.
8. St Joseph's - Another building year before the Hawks once again become the face of the A-10
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9. Temple - One less Mardy Collins and John Chaney = stuggles for Temple.
10. LaSalle - Their Batman and Robin have graduated. Now they will get crushed by the Joker's of the league.
11. Rhode Island - It's beyond my feeble mind how these last 4 teams will finish.
12. Duquesne - I'm not following the recovery of their players too closely, but they have a couple major impact players that could tear it up in the near future.
13. St Bonaventure - They were bad last year, and I don't see much of a turnaround
14. Richmond - They could be anywhere from 10-14.

BIG EAST
1. Georgetown - I think they'll run away with this conference. They boast one of the best frontcourts around, and they're ready to make an impact on this season
2. Pittsburgh - I'm not buying into all the Pittsburgh hype so much; I think they'll fight with Syracuse for this spot.
3. Syracuse - Without G-Mac, E-Dorf (or Eric Devendorf) has the green light to show off his excellent shot. Demetris Nichols and Darryl Watkins will step up in the frontcourt.
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4. UCONN - I can see why some are dropping UCONN to 6th and 7th, but this is still UCONN. AJ Price may be the best point guard in the nation, and their all-star recruiting class can step in.
5. Villanova - A weakened backcourt is going to slow down Villanova, but they're still a force to be reckoned with.
6. Marquette - People are getting carried away with Dominic James mania. They're going to need their shooters to step up for them to make an impact.
7. Louisville - It hurts to drop them this far, but after last year they just failed to live up to expectations, and their big time scorer is gone.
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8. St. John's - This defensive minded squad will be a minor surprise in the Big East this year.
9. DePaul - They need to stay consistent this year
10. Cincinnati - If the junior college players can step up, this scrappy team can compete for a tournament spot.
11. Providence - After a lot of thought, I've decided that Providence has the experience for a sleeper team, but doesn't really have Big East talent all around.
12. Notre Dame - The ghost of Chris Quinn haunts the Irish.
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13. West Virginia - Coming off a good NCAA tourney run, I don't think West Virginia will be ready for another one in a while.
14. Rutgers - The ghost of Quincy Douby leaves Rutgers hopeless...
15. Seton Hall - A few years away from doing anything...
16. South Florida - Recruits need to realize that this is a Big East school too.

BIG 10
1. Ohio State - I'm buying into all the Greg Oden hype. Also, I'm buying into the rest of Ohio State to hold down the fort until Oden debuts.
2. Wisconsin - A lot of talent, but they didn't prove much last year. The most disappointing of a season I can see them having is being 2nd in the weakened Big 10, though.
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3. Michigan - They have the athleticism and reason not to be the NIT team of years past. They could make a big splash this year.
4. Illinois - "In transition", although they are returning a load of talent. The loss of Dee Brown and James Augustine are rough, but outside than that, we have a well rounded team that could be the surprise of the Big 10.
5. Indiana - They're a wild card. D.J. White could disappoint if he doesn't immediately fill Killingsworth's shoes. They could finish anywhere from 3rd (which I doubt) to 7th, or even 8th behind hungry teams like Purdue and Penn State.
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6. Penn State - They're on their way up; while other teams rebuild, these guys are returning serious talent, including F Geary Claxton.
7. Michigan State - Izzo's most challenging coaching job yet. Minus their Big 3 and Matt Trannon from a mediocre MSU squad last year, it all depends on how fast the young guys are willing to step it up.
8. Iowa - They'll build around guard Adam Haluska, who's really all that remains from that surprising Iowa squad from a year ago.
9. Purdue - After being in shambles due to injuries last year, those guys are back. I can't rate them too high though, because they've proven nothing. This was a lousy team last year, and they're relying on 2 players to carry the responsibility
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10. Northwestern - A step back from the decent team that coach Bill Carmody was able to assemble.
11. Minnesota- Way too young, not ready to make any kind of noise except cries of despair and torture.

BIG 12
1. Kansas - They're so deep, talented, and athletic. After getting knocked out in the first round for the past 2 years, they are determined to step it up when March comes. Truly one of basketball's elite teams
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2. Texas A&M - A 12 seed who surprised last March, this year the expectations are high.
3. Texas - A championship team that got depleted by the NBA. Now they rely on freshman Kevin Durant to carry the load, as this young team has great talent but zero experience.
4. Oklahoma State - These rankings are based on how I think they'll do in the regular season. This team will face some inconsistencies, but come on strong at the end and be a team that can do some serious damage in the NCAA tournament.
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5. Kansas State - Bob Huggins. Cartier Martin. A guy with a long neck. These elements are what Kansas State has to work with this season.
6. Texas Tech - I liked this team a lot as a sleeper till they got rid of their star G Jarrius Jackson. I still like them, though, especially with the possibility that Jackson will return in time for conference play.
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7. Baylor - They'll be consistently good this year, and if a big named school has an off night, the Bears will pounce on the opportunity for a win.
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8. Oklahoma - A disappointing team last year is destroyed. If a young team from my bottom four develops really quickly, then Oklahoma could very well fall into their lower spot.
9. Missouri - I like Mike Anderson's philosophy, this will be a scrappy group of players who can steal some wins purely on effort.
10. Colorado - Richard Roby is their core, and outside of that core there is no one with any experience. If these players step up, Colorado will turn some heads. If not, they'll fall to 12th in a heartbeat.
11. Iowa State - They sucked last year, and their star guards are gone. Another young team that no one really knows what to think of.
12. Nebraska - I just don't like the looks of this young team. In 3 years they might make a small splash in the Big 12.

Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
1. Creighton - Nate Funk, after sitting out for last year's NIT season, is now the face of Creighton. I see them taking this conference's regular season crown with relative ease.
2. Southern Illinois - This team will be dangerous in the tournament. Returning their top 9 scores (top NINE freaking scorers) from last year's 11 seed team, I see them making a Sweet 16 run.
3. Wichita State - A shocker (lolz) from last year, this team can do damage again this year. Third is about right for them, though, after losing a couple key players to graduation.
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4. Missouri State - A screwjob; that's what it was when MO State's top 20 RPI couldn't get them into the NCAAs. This year it might be the same story; they won't take the conference, but they'll compete. Will that be enough though?
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5. Evansville - Absolutely underrated team. All 5 starters return from an improving squad, who's very well rounded and should surprise in the MVC.
6. Northern Iowa - They graduate their best player from a disappointing 05-06 club. I see them falling to the bottom half of the conference this year.
7. Drake - Bad luck last year with many losses by tiny margains. Now they're more experienced and ready to make a serious impact.
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8. Bradley - 8th looks ugly for last years Sweet 16 team, but the bottom half of the conference is pretty close-knit and they could finish anywhere from 5-10.
9. Illinois State - They're depending on a good recruiting class to put them over the edge.
10. Indiana State - They lost their one big scorer. This team will suffer.

PAC-10
1. Arizona - Lute's ready to take back the PAC, and he's got plenty of talent to do it. I'm expecting big years from Mustafa Shakur and Ivan Radenovic to complement Marcus Williams, to vault the Wildcats back into powerhouse status.
2. UCLA - Jordan Farmar doesn't replace himself. He was this team's MVP, and without him they might have a tough time.
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3. Oregon - Oregon has too much talent to have a losing record. With coach Ernie Kent in danger of losing his job, he'll need breakout seasons from his players. They can hang with anyone in the conference if they don't get al the bad breaks and miserable luck of seasons past.
4. USC - It hurts me to rank them this low, because I really like their talent. They'll have the ability to score like crazy, especially when Gabe Pruitt returns in December. They'll compete for the 3rd spot, and if Oregon fails to live up to my hype then USC will be the ones to fill in.
5. Washington - They return enough to be a solid Pac-10 team, and are hoping Spencer Hawes makes an instant impact. The young guy could feel a lot of pressure from the expectations of him having to step right in and lead them.
6. California - Even without Leon Powe, I like the looks of this team. Ayinde Ubaka will emerge as a star, and DeVon Hardin can fill Powe's spot well. They could compete for higher spots, and I don't see them finishing any lower than this.
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7. Stanford - Returning nobody that averaged more than 5 ppg from a half-decent Stanford team of last year, they'll be looking toward 2008.
8. Arizona State - I like their chances in coming years, and even right now they could surprise a few teams.
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9. Oregon State - The Beavers have a sweet sweet shooter in Sasa Cuic, and a solid returning frontcourt.
10. Washington State - New coach, loss of everyone over 10 ppg = Failing season for the Cougars.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Tony Top 66

  1. Florida - 1st SEC
  2. Kansas - 1st Big 12
  3. Georgetown - 1st Big East
  4. UNC - 1st ACC
  5. LSU - 2nd SEC
  6. Ohio State - 1st Big 10
  7. Arizona - 1st Pac 10
  8. Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
  9. Syracuse - 2nd Big East
  10. UCLA - 2nd Pac-10
  11. Memphis - 1st C-USA
  12. Texas - 2nd Big 12
  13. Texas A&M - 3rd Big 12
  14. Boston College - 2nd ACC
  15. UCONN - 3rd Big East
  16. Nevada - 1st WAC
  17. Oklahoma State - 4th Big 12
  18. Duke - 3rd ACC
  19. Pittsburgh - 4th Big East
  20. Tennessee - 3rd SEC
  21. Penn State - 3rd Big 10
  22. Xavier - 1st A-10
  23. Villanova - 5th Big East
  24. Alabama - 4th SEC
  25. Gonzaga - 1st WCC
  26. Marquette - 6th big East
  27. Louisville - 7th Big East
  28. Washington - 3rd Pac-10
  29. Kentucky - 5th SEC
  30. So Illinois - 1st MVC
  31. Illinois - 4th Big 10
  32. Creighton - 2nd MVC
  33. Hofstra - 1st CAA
  34. Georgia Tech - 4th ACC
  35. Wichita State - 3rd MVC
  36. Michigan State - 5th Big 10
  37. Indiana - 6th Big 10
  38. Mississippi St - 6th SEC
  39. USC - 4th Pac-10
  40. Michigan - 7th Big 10
  41. San Diego State - 1st MWC
  42. Kansas State - 5th Big 12
  43. Virginia - 5th ACC
  44. Rice - 2nd C-Usa
  45. Akron - 1st MAC
  46. Georgia - 7th SEC
  47. Florida State - 6th ACC
  48. Arkansas - 8th SEC
  49. Oregon - 5th Pac-10
  50. Texas Tech - 6th Big 12
  51. California - 6th Pac 10
  52. Maryland - 7th ACC
  53. Air Force - 2nd MWC
  54. Old Dominion - 2nd CAA
  55. Oklahoma - 7th Big 12
  56. Houston - 3rd C-Usa
  57. UMASS - 2nd A-10
  58. Fresno State - 2nd WAC
  59. Charlotte - 3rd A-10
  60. Western Michigan - 2nd MAC
  61. DePaul - 8th Big East
  62. Baylor - 8th Big 12
  63. St John's - 9th Big East
  64. St Louis - 4th A-10
  65. Bucknell - 1st Patriot
  66. George Washington - 5th A-10

Journalist's Word - With all of these bright teams, we are sure to have another great and exciting season of College Basketball.

Thank you and enjoy the season!
Tony Heyser

Monday, October 23, 2006

Pre-season Top 130

As if enough teams to fill up one NCAA tournament bracket wasn't enough, Matt Hamilton has DOUBLED the top 65 into a top 130, while also making some crucial changes around the top (and throwing in 9 other teams). This will be Matt's largest and maybe last pre-season ranking, and rankings will come weekly on Fridays after the start of the regular season.

List of edits made on November 3rd

  1. Kansas - 1st Big 12
  2. Florida - 1st SEC
  3. UNC - 1st ACC
  4. Arizona - 1st Pac-10
  5. Ohio St - 1st Big 10
  6. Georgetown - 1st Big East
  7. Duke - 2nd ACC
  8. LSU - 2nd SEC
  9. Pittsburgh - 2nd Big East
  10. UCLA - 2nd Pac-10
  11. Boston College - 3rd ACC
  12. Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
  13. Syracuse - 3rd Big East
  14. Alabama - 3rd SEC
  15. Texas A&M - 2nd Big 12
  16. Memphis - 1st C-USA
  17. UCONN - 4th Big East
  18. Nevada - 1st WAC
  19. Oklahoma St - 3th Big 12
  20. Creighton - 1st MVC
  21. Marquette - 6th Big East
  22. Texas - 4rd Big 12
  23. Georgia Tech- 4th ACC
  24. USC - 3rd Pac-10
  25. Kentucky - 4th SEC
  26. Villanova - 5th Big East
  27. So. Illinois - 2nd MVC
  28. Xavier - 1st A-10
  29. Michigan - 3rd Big 10
  30. San Diego St - 1st MWC
  31. Illinois - 4th Big 10
  32. Washington - 4th Pac-10
  33. Tennessee - 5th SEC
  34. Oregon - 5th Pac-10
  35. Texas Tech - 5th Big 12
  36. Wichita State - 3rd MVC
  37. Hofstra - 1st CAA
  38. Gonzaga - 1st WCC
  39. Louisville - 7th Big East
  40. Maryland - 5th ACC
  41. Indiana - 5th Big 10
  42. Florida St - 6th ACC
  43. Kansas St - 6th Big 12
  44. Virginia - 7th ACC
  45. Akron - 1st MAC
  46. Charlotte - 2nd A-10
  47. Air Force - 2nd MWC
  48. UMASS - 3rd A-10
  49. California - 6th Pac-10
  50. Houston - 2nd C-USA
  51. Penn State - 6th Big 10
  52. Winthrop - 1st Big South
  53. St Louis - 4th A-10
  54. Missouri State - 4th MVC
  55. Virginia Tech- 8th ACC
  56. Fresno State - 2nd WAC
  57. Baylor - 7th Big 12
  58. St John's - 8th Big East
  59. BYU - 3rd MWC
  60. DePaul - 9th Big East
  61. Michigan St - 7th Big 10
  62. Old Dominion - 2nd CAA
  63. Oklahoma - 8th Big 12
  64. Mississippi St - 6th SEC
  65. New Mexico St - 3rd WAC
  66. George Washington - 5th A-10
  67. Cincinnati - 10th Big East
  68. Bucknell - 1st Patriot
  69. George Mason - 3rd CAA
  70. Marist - 1st MAAC
  71. Stanford - 7th Pac-10
  72. Rice - 3rd C-USA
  73. Toledo - 2nd MAC
  74. Vanderbilt - 7th SEC
  75. Arkansas - 8th SEC
  76. New Mexico - 4th MWC
  77. Ohio - 3rd MAC
  78. Providence - 11th Big East
  79. Iowa - 8th Big 10
  80. Clemson - 9th ACC
  81. Arizona State - 8th Pac-10
  82. UAB - 4th C-USA
  83. Purdue - 9th Big 10
  84. Utah State - 4th WAC
  85. Missouri - 9th Big 12
  86. Georgia - 9th SEC
  87. Utah - 5th MWC
  88. Notre Dame - 12th Big East
  89. Long Beach State - 1st Big West
  90. South Carolina - 10th SEC
  91. Wake Forest - 10th ACC
  92. Loyola Maramount - 2nd WCC
  93. Pennsylvania - 1st Ivy
  94. Northern Illinois - 4th MAC
  95. Loyola Chicago - 1st Horizon
  96. Northern Iowa - 5th MVC
  97. UNLV - 6th MWC
  98. St Mary's - 3rd WCC
  99. West Virginia - 13th Big East
  100. UNC-Wilmington - 4th CAA
  101. Fordham - 6th A-10
  102. Hawaii - 5th WAC
  103. Northern Arizona - 1st Big Sky
  104. Cal St Fullerton - 2nd Big West
  105. Colorado - 10th Big 12
  106. Eastern Washington - 2nd Big Sky
  107. IUPUI - 1st Mid-Con
  108. San Francisco - 4th WCC
  109. Auburn - 11th SEC
  110. Drexel - 5th CAA
  111. Evansville - 6th MVC
  112. Western Kentucky - 1st Sun Belt
  113. Dayton - 7th A-10
  114. Rutgers - 14th Big East
  115. Vermont - 1st America East
  116. Iowa State - 11th Big 12
  117. Virginia Commonwealth - 6th CAA
  118. Drake - 7th MVC
  119. Tulsa - 5th C-USA
  120. Oral Roberts - 2nd Mid-Con
  121. Miami Ohio - 5th MAC
  122. Northwestern - 10th Big 10
  123. Western Michigan - 6th MAC
  124. Colorado State - 7th MWC
  125. Bradley - 8th MVC
  126. College of Charleston - 1st Southern
  127. Kent State - 7th MAC
  128. Butler - 2nd Horizon
  129. Albany - 2nd America East
  130. UTEP - 6th C-USA
  131. St. Joe's - 8th A-10
  132. Sam Houston State - 1st Southland
  133. Murray State - 1st OVC
  134. Temple - 9th A-10
  135. Boise State - 6th WAC
  136. Montana - 3rd Big Sky
  137. Holy Cross - 2nd Patriot
  138. Oregon State - 9th Pac-10
  139. Miami FL - 11th ACC
  140. Pacific - 3rd Big West

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Conference Rankings

ACC
1. UNC - It's unanimous; UNC is primed to be a top 3 team in the nation.
2. Duke - They lost Redick, Shelden Williams, and Dockery to graduation. But this is Duke; their scars heal like Wolverine's.
3. Boston College - Losing Craig Smith won't hurt BC as bad as some people think. They can grab some monsterous wins.
4. Georgia Tech - 4th place talent, but they could place between 3rd and 7th in the conference.
5. Florida State - Al Thornton can pick up the slack of fat-man Alexander Johnson in the paint and become a first team all-ACC'er.
6. Virginia - Strong backcourt but shaky frontcourt.
7. Maryland - Not sure what to think of this team. We'll see how they manage without crucial players Chris McCray and Caner-Medley, and see if DJ Strawberry stops playing like a fruit.
8. Virginia Tech - A bunch of decent players who should mount up and soar to greater heights!
9. Wake Forest - Last years awful team lost its 2 best players, but I have faith in their Top 10 recruiting class.
10. Clemson - They might take down some big names, and be taken out by no-names.
11. Miami (FL) - Depleted backcourt, lucky they're not last
12. NC State - With about a 4 player roster and a new coach, this mangled and inexperienced team will struggle violently.

Atlantic 10
1. Xavier - Experience and new big-impact players make Xavier the team to beat in the A-10 this year.
2. Charlotte - With the loss of Curtis Withers, size and rebounding becomes a question for the 49ers. But with their sensational backcourt, they can be a major player if they only get a couple big guys to step it up
3. St Louis - There's no reason that the Billikens should take a step back this year; I think their stock is about steady.
4. UMASS - I originally had this team pegged as my ultra-sleeper. As more and more previews came out, I found I wasn't alone. Now I've turned on them. They'll take a step forward, sure, but this team is experienced only in mediocrity and they won't content for the best record in the A-10. However, they could make a run in the A-10 tourney...
5. George Washington - They lost a lot, yet somehow I feel bad ranking them this low. They could very well be a tourney team when all is said and done.
6. Fordham - This is a good team that could take the league by surprise.
7. Dayton - They're tough inside, but they won't make a huge impact anywhere else.
8. St Joseph's - Another building year before the Hawks once again become the face of the A-10
9. Duquesne - I'm not following the recovery of their players too closely, but they have a couple major impact players that could tear it up in the near future.
10. Temple - One less Mardy Collins and John Chaney = stuggles for Temple.
11. Rhode Island - It's beyond my feeble mind how these last 4 teams will finish.
12. LaSalle - Their Batman and Robin have graduated. Now they will get crushed by the Joker's of the league.
13. St Bonaventure - They were bad last year, and I don't see much of a turnaround
14. Richmond - They could be anywhere from 10-14.

BIG EAST
1. Georgetown - I think they'll run away with this conference. They boast one of the best frontcourts around, and they're ready to make an impact on this season
2. Pittsburgh - I'm not buying into all the Pittsburgh hype so much; I think they'll fight with Syracuse for this spot.
3. Syracuse - Without G-Mac, E-Dorf (or Eric Devendorf) has the green light to show off his excellent shot. Demetris Nichols and Darryl Watkins will step up in the frontcourt.
4. UCONN - I can see why some are dropping UCONN to 6th and 7th, but this is still UCONN. AJ Price may be the best point guard in the nation, and their all-star recruiting class can step in.
5. Villanova - A weakened backcourt is going to slow down Villanova, but they're still a force to be reckoned with.
6. Marquette - People are getting carried away with Dominic James mania. They're going to need their shooters to step up for them to make an impact.
7. Louisville - It hurts to drop them this far, but after last year they just failed to live up to expectations, and their big time scorer is gone.
8. St. John's - This defensive minded squad will be a minor surprise in the Big East this year.
9. DePaul - They need to stay consistent this year
10. Cincinnati - If the junior college players can step up, this scrappy team can compete for a tournament spot.
11. Providence - After a lot of thought, I've decided that Providence has the experience for a sleeper team, but doesn't really have Big East talent all around.
12. Notre Dame - The ghost of Chris Quinn haunts the Irish.
13. West Virginia - Coming off a good NCAA tourney run, I don't think West Virginia will be ready for another one in a while.
14. Rutgers - The ghost of Quincy Douby leaves Rutgers hopeless...
15. Seton Hall - A few years away from doing anything...
16. South Florida - Recruits need to realize that this is a Big East school too.

BIG 10
1. Ohio State - I'm buying into all the Greg Oden hype. Also, I'm buying into the rest of Ohio State to hold down the fort until Oden debuts.
2. Wisconsin - A lot of talent, but they didn't prove much last year. The most disappointing of a season I can see them having is being 2nd in the weakened Big 10, though.
3. Michigan - They have the athleticism and reason not to be the NIT team of years past. They could make a big splash this year.
4. Illinois - "In transition", although they are returning a load of talent. The loss of Dee Brown and James Augustine are rough, but outside than that, we have a well rounded team that could be the surprise of the Big 10.
5. Indiana - They're a wild card. D.J. White could disappoint if he doesn't immediately fill Killingsworth's shoes. They could finish anywhere from 3rd (which I doubt) to 7th, or even 8th behind hungry teams like Purdue and Penn State.
6. Penn State - They're on their way up; while other teams rebuild, these guys are returning serious talent, including F Geary Claxton.
7. Michigan State - Izzo's most challenging coaching job yet. Minus their Big 3 and Matt Trannon from a mediocre MSU squad last year, it all depends on how fast the young guys are willing to step it up.
8. Iowa - They'll build around guard Adam Haluska, who's really all that remains from that surprising Iowa squad from a year ago.
9. Purdue - After being in shambles due to injuries last year, those guys are back. I can't rate them too high though, because they've proven nothing. This was a lousy team last year, and they're relying on 2 players to carry the responsibility
10. Northwestern - A step back from the decent team that coach Bill Carmody was able to assemble.
11. Minnesota- Way too young, not ready to make any kind of noise except cries of despair and torture.

Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
1. Creighton - Nate Funk, after sitting out for last year's NIT season, is now the face of Creighton. I see them taking this conference's regular season crown with relative ease.
2. Southern Illinois - This team will be dangerous in the tournament. Returning their top 9 scores (top NINE freaking scorers) from last year's 11 seed team, I see them making a Sweet 16 run.
3. Wichita State - A shocker (lolz) from last year, this team can do damage again this year. Third is about right for them, though, after losing a couple key players to graduation.
4. Missouri State - A screwjob; that's what it was when MO State's top 20 RPI couldn't get them into the NCAAs. This year it might be the same story; they won't take the conference, but they'll compete. Will that be enough though?
5. Evansville - Absolutely underrated team. All 5 starters return from an improving squad, who's very well rounded and should surprise in the MVC.
6. Northern Iowa - They graduate their best player from a disappointing 05-06 club. I see them falling to the bottom half of the conference this year.
7. Drake - Bad luck last year with many losses by tiny margains. Now they're more experienced and ready to make a serious impact.
8. Illinois State - They're depending on a good recruiting class to put them over the edge.
9. Bradley - 9 looks ugly for last years Sweet 16 team, but the bottom half of the conference is pretty close-knit and they could finish anywhere from 5-10.
10. Indiana State - They lost their one big scorer. This team will suffer.

PAC-10
1. Arizona - Lute's ready to take back the PAC, and he's got plenty of talent to do it. I'm expecting big years from Mustafa Shakur and Ivan Radenovic to complement Marcus Williams, to vault the Wildcats back into powerhouse status.
2. UCLA - Jordan Farmar doesn't replace himself. He was this team's MVP, and without him they might have a tough time.
3. Oregon - Oregon has too much talent to have a losing record. With coach Ernie Kent in danger of losing his job, he'll need breakout seasons from his players. They can hang with anyone in the conference if they don't get al the bad breaks and miserable luck of seasons past.
4. USC - It hurts me to rank them this low, because I really like their talent. They'll have the ability to score like crazy, especially when Gabe Pruitt returns in December. They'll compete for the 3rd spot, and if Oregon fails to live up to my hype then USC will be the ones to fill in.
5. Washington - They return enough to be a solid Pac-10 team, and are hoping Spencer Hawes makes an instant impact. The young guy could feel a lot of pressure from the expectations of him having to step right in and lead them.
6. California - Even without Leon Powe, I like the looks of this team. Ayinde Ubaka will emerge as a star, and DeVon Hardin can fill Powe's spot well. They could compete for higher spots, and I don't see them finishing any lower than this.
7. Stanford - Returning nobody that averaged more than 5 ppg from a half-decent Stanford team of last year, they'll be looking toward 2008.
8. Arizona State - I like their chances in coming years, and even right now they could surprise a few teams.
9. Oregon State - The Beavers have a sweet sweet shooter in Sasa Cuic, and a solid returning frontcourt.
10. Washington State - New coach, loss of everyone over 10 ppg = Failing season for the Cougars.
MATT HAMILTON PRESEASON TOP 65
last updated October 14

1. Kansas - 1st Big 12
2. Florida - 1st SEC
3. UNC - 1st ACC
4. Arizona - 1st Pac 10
5. LSU - 2nd SEC
6. Georgetown - 1st Big East
7. Ohio State - 1st Big 10
8. Alabama - 3rd SEC
9. Duke - 2nd ACC
10. UCLA - 2nd Pac 10
11. Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
12. Boston College - 3rd ACC
13. Pittsburgh - 2nd Big East
14. Syracuse - 3rd Big East
15. Texas A&M - 2nd Big 12
16. Nevada - 1st WAC
17. UCONN - 4th Big East
18. Oklahoma St. - 3rd Big 12
19. Villanova - 5th Big East
20. Texas - 4th Big 12
21. Creighton - 1st MVC
22. Memphis - 1st C-USA
23. USC - 3rd Pac 10
24. So. Illinois - 2nd MVC
25. Marquette - 6th Big East
26. Washington - 4th PAC 10
27. Kentucky - 4th SEC
28. Michigan - 3rd Big 10
29. Georgia Tech - 4th ACC
30. Tennessee - 5th SEC
31. Hofstra - 1st CAA
32. Wichita St - 3rd MVC
33. Louisville - 7th Big East
34. Texas Tech- 5th Big 12
35. Florida State - 5th ACC
36. Gonzaga - 1st WCC
37. Illinois - 4th Big 10
38. Xavier - 1st A-10
39. San Diego State - 1st MWC
40. Virginia - 6th ACC
41. Indiana - 5th Big 10
42. Kansas State - 6th Big 12
43. Akron - 1st MAC
44. Oregon - 5th Pac 10
45. Fresno St - 2nd WAC
46. Charlotte - 2nd A-10
47. Arkansas - 7th SEC
48. Houston - 2nd C-USA
49. Oklahoma - 7th Big 12
50. Penn St - 6th Big 10
51. Baylor - 8th Big 12
52. Maryland - 7th ACC
53. Michigan St. - 7th Big 10
54. St John's - 8th Big East
55. St Louis - 3rd A-10
56. New Mexico St - 3rd WAC
57. DePaul - 9th Big East
58. Missouri State - 4th MVC
59. UMASS - 4th A-10
60. Old Dominion - 2nd CAA
61. Providence - 10th Big East
62. Virginia Tech - 8th ACC
63. California - 6th Pac 10
64. Air Force - 2nd MWC
65. George Washington - 5th A-10

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