National preview (Part Eight)

By Ross Lancaster Sports Central Columnist

The time has come for the final edition of this eight-part series previewing the college basketball season that is already upon us.

NCAA Tournament Teams

ACC (6): Duke, Maryland*, Virginia*, North Carolina*, Wake Forest* Big East (6): Boston College, Syracuse*, Georgetown*, Connecticut*, Notre Dame*, Miami*

Big Ten (5): Illinois, Iowa*, Indiana*, Michigan State*, Purdue*, Michigan*

Big 12 (6): Missouri, Kansas*, Oklahoma St.*, Oklahoma*, Texas*, Colorado*

Pac-10 (5): UCLA, Stanford*, Arizona*, USC*, California*

SEC (6): Kentucky, Florida*, Alabama*, Tennessee*, Ole Miss*, Auburn*

CUSA (3): Memphis, Cincinnati*, Charlotte*

A10 (3): St. Joseph's, Temple*, Xavier*

MWC (3): Wyoming, Utah*, New Mexico*

WAC: Fresno State
Horizon: Butler
MAC: Kent St.
WCC: Gonzaga
Sun Belt: Western Kentucky
Colonial Athletic: UNC Wilmington
Missouri Valley: Southwest Missouri State
America East: Boston University
Atlantic Sun (formerly TAAC): Georgia State
Big Sky: Eastern Washington
Big South: Winthrop
Big West: Utah State
Ivy: Princeton
Metro Atlantic: Iona
Mid-Continent: Valparaiso
Mid-Eastern: South Carolina State
Ohio Valley: Tennessee Tech
Northeast: Monmouth
Patriot: Holy Cross
Southern: College of Charleston
Southland: Northwestern State
Southwestern Athletic: Alabama State

*indicates at-large team

Here is my Top 25. (Note: this is strictly a preseason poll, and games already played from the November 8th do not count.)

1. Duke
2. Illinois
3. Maryland
4. Kentucky
5. Florida
6. UCLA
7. Missouri
8. Kansas
9. St. Joseph's
10. Virginia
11. Iowa
12. Boston College
13. Stanford
14. Alabama
15. Indiana
16. Syracuse
17. Michigan State
18. Memphis
19. Temple
20. Xavier
21. Georgetown
22. Fresno State
23. Arizona
24. USC
25. North Carolina

Here are the sixteen teams I expect to be "Top Seeds" in this spring's NCAA Tournament, broken down by projected tournament region:

East
1. Duke
2. Florida
3. St. Joseph's
4. Indiana

South
1. Kentucky
2. Maryland
3. Iowa
4. Stanford

Midwest
1. Illinois
2. Missouri
3. Virginia
4. Alabama

West
1. UCLA
2. Kansas
3. Boston College
4. Memphis

Here are the predicted National Awards:

All-America First-Team G Frank Williams, Illinois G Jason Williams, Duke C Reggie Evans, Iowa F Tayshaun Prince, Kentucky F Kareem Rush, Missouri

National Coach of the Year: Phil Martelli, St. Joseph's National Player of the Year: Jason Williams, Duke Dajaun Wagner, Memphis

This concludes the college basketball preview series. These eight articles are just the start of my college basketball writing this season. As for the champ this season in college basketball, the pick is the Blue Devils one more time, with a win over Illinois in the Championship Game in Atlanta.

Here is a rundown of all the parts of the preview:

Part One: Big East. Part Two: Big 10. Part Three: Big 12. Part Four: Mid-Majors. Part Five: Pac-10. Part Six: SEC. Part Seven: ACC.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.