October Madness

As you may have noticed, I am a huge fan of basketball previews. My excitement for the upcoming NBA season can be matched by how much I'm looking forward to the pending college hoops season. Five months from now, we'll all be filling out our office pools and trying to predict the 2010 national champion. To let you get a head start, I'm going to give you a sneak peak at what the table could look like while saturating your face with many names, facts, and things to look for to get you ready for the season.

MIDWEST REGIONAL -- St. Louis, MO
1. Purdue: My top overall team gets scoring from all five starters and plays the best defense in the Big Ten.
16. Quinnipiac/Nicholls State: The play-in game for the right to get emasculated by the Boilermakers will take place in Dayton, Ohio. It would be Quinnipiac's first tournament appearance and Nicholls State's first since 1998.

9. UCLA: UCLA lost basically all their stars from last year's team, but brings in a talented recruiting class that should play better as the year goes on.
8. Florida State: Toney Douglas's departure won't hurt as much as some might think, thanks to center Solomon Alabi and freshman guard Michael Snaer.

5. Oklahoma: Blake Griffin's departure will open the window for potential lottery pick Willie Warren to show his play-making skills for the Sooners.
12. Northern Iowa: Only a few years ago, the Missouri Valley Conference seemed poised to send multiple teams to the tournament every year. Alas, the Panthers are the only squad I see making it this year.

13. Buffalo: The MAC representatives are lead by senior guard Rodney Pierce and will have to beat out Akron and Kent State to make their first ever tournament appearance.
4. Connecticut: Now that Hasheem Thabeet has left to become the Grizzlies 13th man, the onus falls on point guard Kemba Walker to drive the UConn offense.

3. Tennessee: This team is loaded with scorers and experience in the form of forwards Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism and a back court of J.P. Prince and Scotty Hopson. The Final Four is a real possibility.
14. Long Beach State: Led by sophomores Larry Anderson and T.J. Robinson, this could be the 49ers' first of numerous consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament.

11. Nevada: The Wolfpack have talent and depth and the added advantage of hosting the WAC Tournament.
6. Notre Dame: Luke Harangody's swan song should lead to an impressive season for the Fighting Irish. Tyler Hansbrough's brother begins his first season in South Bend.

7. Washington: The second best team in a down Pac-10, Isaiah Thomas and freshman Abdul Gaddy will try to replace the scoring of departed Jon Brockmon and Justin Dentmon.
10. Maryland: Greivis Vasquez is one of the best point guards in the country and the Terrapins surround him with quality experience.

15. Morgan State: Led by potential MEAC player of the year Reggie Holmes, the Bears look to return to the Big Dance.
2. Villanova: Scottie Reynolds has the supporting cast to cement his legacy at Villanova with a Final Four run.

SOUTH REGIONAL -- Houston, TX
1. Kansas: Cole Aldrich's decision to return for his senior year means the Jayhawks will have a post presence in the middle of the country's most athletic squad.
16. UNC-Asheville: Two years removed from a losing season, the Bulldogs should challenge Radford for the Big South title.

9. Gonzaga: Austin Daye's entry into the draft hurts, but Matt Bouldin and Co. should have enough to win the WCC again.
8. Illinois: The Illini return their top three scorers from last season and should finish in the top four in a deep Big Ten.

5. Ole Miss: With high scoring Chris Warren and potential lottery pick Terrico White, the Rebels will have one of the best back courts in the country.
12. Penn State: Arguably snubbed from last year's dance, the defending NIT champs are led by explosive guard Talor Battle.

13. Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers return four starters from last year's second round team, including star guard A.J. Slaughter.
4. West Virginia: The inside-outside combo of Devin Ebanks and Da'Sean Butler spark a deep Mountaineer team that should be near the top of the Big East all season.

3. Georgetown: What the Hoyas lack in depth, they make up for in talent. Austin Freeman, Greg Monroe, Chris Wright, and freshman Hollis Thompson all could end up as first round draft picks some day.
14. Holy Cross: With defending league champ American University losing nearly all its starters, the Crusaders are in place to return to tournament under new coach Sean Kearney.

11. Oregon State: With some solid depth returning and a top 25 recruiting class, the Beavers could make their first tournament appearance in 20 years.
6. BYU: Jonathan Tavernari and Jimmer Fredette are the best duo of scorers in the Mountain West Conference.

7. South Carolina: Devan Downey could lead the SEC in scoring this dangerous Gamecocks team back to the tournament for the first time since 2004.
10. Cincinnati: Deonta Vaughn is joined by star freshman Lance Stephenson as Cincinnati tries to recreate its perennial success of the 1990s.

15. Western Carolina: A young team led by Dikembe Mutomobo's nephew, Harouna, they could rise to be the class of a now Stephen Curry-less Southern Conference.
2. Georgia Tech: With the addition of All-American Derrick Favors, the Yellow Jackets have as many weapons as anybody for coach Paul Hewitt.

EAST REGIONAL -- Syracuse, NY
1. Kentucky: John Calipari + return of Patrick Patterson + top recruits John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins = A possible championship run in Lexington.
16. Arkansas-Pine Bluff: The Golden Lions finished only 13-18 last year, but return all five starters for second-year coach George Ivory.

9. Minnesota: Lawrence Westbrook, Ralph Sampson III, Blake Hoffarber, and Royce White look to bring the Golden Gophers back to prominence.
8. Boston College: Al Skinner's team will be more balanced and experienced despite the departure of Tyrese Rice. The Eagles hold the record for most NCAA Tournament victories without a Final Four appearance.

5. Syracuse: Jim Boeheim lost a lot from last year's squad, but has the talent in place to step in and keep the victories rolling in Syracuse.
12. Xavier: Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford and touted sophomore Kenny Frease are the keys to Xavier making the Atlantic-10 a two-bid conference.

13. Weber State: The Wildcats return enough from last year's team that finished 15-1 in conference play to make the field of 65.
4. Ohio State: Despite not bringing in any new recruits, the Buckeyes have breakout forward Evan Turner and return talented wingman David Lighty from injury.

3. California: Mike Montgomery returns the deepest and most experienced team in the Pac-10. D.J. Seeley is a candidate for a breakout season.
14. Cornell: With three potential All-Ivy League players, the Big Red could run away with the title in the only conference that doesn't have a league tournament.

11. Memphis: Memphis will rebound from a terrible off-season, but in the meantime remains athletic enough to make the tournament behind Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp.
6. Alabama: Coach Anthony Grant should be able to coax results out of forward JaMychal Green's immense potential.

7. Seton Hall: High scoring guard Jeremy Hazell is joined by transfers Jeff Robinson (Memphis), Herb Pope (New Mexico State), and Keon Lawrence (Missouri).
10. Siena: The Saints set a school record for wins last year with 27 and could be following the examples of Gonzaga and Butler as a perennial contender from a mid-major conference.

15. Jacksonville: The first time the Dolphins made the NCAA Tournament in 1970, they made it all the way to the title game before falling to UCLA. They may not make it quite as far this time around.
2. Texas: Texas could have five or six double-digit scorers on a team with a nice blend of experience and youth.

WEST REGIONAL -- Salt Lake City, UT
1. North Carolina: Ed Davis could be a top five pick in next year's draft, and the Tar Heels have perhaps the best recruiting class in the country.
16. Morehead State: Forward Kenneth Faried and guard Maze Stallworth look to deliver back-to-back tournament appearances.

9. Oklahoma State: This team's fortunes could be decided by how well undersized sophomore Keiton Page develops in the wake of Byron Eaton's departure.
8. Michigan: Guard Manny Harris and forward DeShawn Sims give the Wolverines a "Fab Two" combination.

5. Butler: Gordan Heyward and Matt Howard will keep Butler relevant in the national picture.
12. Rutgers: Mike Rosario and Greg Echinique are stars, and could lead a surprising Scarlet Knight team from Piscataway to the NCAA tournament.

13. Hofstra: Charles Jenkins is the top returning scorer in the CAA and Cornelius Vines's scoring prowess discourages opponents from giving Jenkins too much attention.
4. Mississippi State: This is assuming freshman Renardo Sidney is ruled eligible and teams up with Jarvis Varnado and John Riek to give the Bulldogs one of the scariest front courts in the nation.

3. Vanderbilt: The Commodores add John Jenkins's shooting ability to a team that brings back four double-digit scorers.
14. Boston University: With Binghamton surrounded by scholarship controversy, the Terriers have the talent to surpass them in the America East.

11. Tulsa: Jerome Jordan is one of the best big men in the country. If you don't know him now, you will by March.
6. Louisville: The Cardinals lost two lottery picks in Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, but Samardo Samuels, Jerry Smith, and Edgar Sosa will prove that the cupboard is far from bare.

7. Duke: A down year by Duke standards, Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer will keep the Blue Devils relevant.
10. Dayton: With the top player in the A-10, Chris Wright, the Flyers should be the class of the league.

15. Oakland: Only a few years after becoming a Division I program, Oakland has quickly become a yearly contender in the Summit Conference.
2. Michigan State: The Spartans bring back almost everybody from a team that reached the national title game last year. Raymar Morgan and Kalin Lucas could bring them back to the same heights.

That about does it, although you should probably fill your bracket out in pencil rather than pen at this point. In case you were curious, my top teams that I have just barely missing out on the tournament are Virginia Tech, Kansas State, Florida, and Old Dominion, so if any of the teams above should falter, those guys are next in line.