College Freakin' Hoops!: December 2006

1 - UCLA, UNC, Florida, Kansas
2 - Pittsburgh, Ohio St, Arizona, Wisconsin
3 - Duke, Texas A&M, Alabama, LSU
4 - Georgetown, Nevada, Memphis, Georgia Tech
5 - UCONN, Texas, Oklahoma St, Wichita St
6 - Tennessee, Oregon, Gonzaga, Washington
7 - Kentucky, Marquette, Syracuse, Maryland
8 - Air Force, Xavier, Butler, Boston College
9 - So Illinois, Michigan St, Indiana, Drexel
10 - Creighton, San Diego St, Notre Dame, Villanova
11 - Missouri St, Michigan, USC, Indiana
12 - Winthrop, Akron, DePaul, Clemson
13 - Western Kentucky, Marist, Florida State, UNLV
14 - LB State, Northern Arizona, Oral Roberts, Bucknell
15 - Belmont, Albany, Penn, Davidson
16 - Jackson St, Robert Morris, Sam Houston St, Samford, Delaware St

NEW IN THIS UPDATE

UNLV (13), DePaul (12), Clemson (12), Indiana (11), Drexel (9), Sam Houston St (16)

OUT - Virginia (11), Arkansas (11), Louisville (11), UMASS (12), Northwestern State (15)

Format :
Seed - Team

Analysis

1- North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Florida, UCLA

Consistently great teams here. They've all got at least one legitimate force in the paint to compliment their outside players, even if they go cold. I figure these guys will have the best overall records.

2 - Kansas, Ohio St, Duke, Arizona

If I was filling out my own bracket, the 2 seeds would be the best. Kansas has shown that they won't be consistent with their mass amounts of talent, but they'll be consistent enough to rake in a dominant record in the Big 12. Ohio St could very well be a one seed, I just figured that their young players might struggle with consistency, since they depend so much on the 3-ball. Zona is, as Dickie Vitale puts it, a scoring machine, and they could find themselves in the Final 4 as well.

3 - Wisconsin, Texas A&M, LSU, Georgetown

Strong frontcourts here. I'm still thinking G'Town will piece together a really good season after a few early losses. Wisconsin may be better than I give them credit for, but I think they'll drop a few surprising games in Big 10 play.

4 - Nevada, Wichita St, Alabama, Memphis

Wichita St should land somewhere between 4-6 seed, depending on how well they hold up against the Salukis and MO St. Bears of the world. Nevada and Alabama are my two strongest picks here, Memphis is a wild card. They could jump up to a 3 or fall down to 8-9.

5 - UCONN, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Texas

UCONN has quietly gotten off to a top 10 start, despite playing a weak slate of games. Syracuse could drop to 6, 7, 8...but I think they'll show up in Big East play. Texas should be better than Oklahoma St in Big 12 play. Georgia Tech, Maryland, and Boston College could all be in the race for this spot.

6 - Oregon, Boston College, Oklahoma St, Gonzaga

Oregon is for real this year. Boston College should be for real, but losses to Providence and Vermont make you question that. Oklahoma St is off to a blazing start but I think they'll cool off just a little bit. Gonzaga could go higher than this, but I don't think they'd drop lower.

7 - Maryland, Illinois, Marquette, Air Force

Marquette will drop some should-win games, and win some games where they're the underdog. Air Force will be consistenly great and take the MWC, while Illinois could struggle. Maryland has a lot of question marks, but overall they've made a good impression this year.

8 - Creighton, Kentucky, Xavier, Michigan
9 - So. Illinois, Washington, San Diego St, Butler
10 - Tennessee, Villanova, Florida St, Michigan St
11 - USC, Virginia, Louisville, Arkansas
12 - Akron, Notre Dame, Winthrop, UMASS
13 - Western Kentucky, Hofstra, Marist, Missouri St
14 - Bucknell, Oral Roberts, Long Beach St, Northern Arizona
15 - Albany, Northwestern State, Samford, Pennsylvania
16. Jackson St, Robert morris, Delaware State, Belmont, Davidson

Last 5 out - Indiana, Purdue, Mississippi St, Houston, California
Next 5 - St. John's, St Louis, Oklahoma, Clemson, UNLV