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Yeah, we're on the bandwagon. It was to be expected, as three of us wrote for the Maple Street Press Jayhawk Tip-Off Annual over the summer. I even went there. But it's been a long time since I got so mad at a post-season KU loss that I kicked over the beer-can pyramid my roomate was building, so I think I'm better able to dispassionately explore my thoughts regarding THE MOST AWESOMEST TEAM IN THE UNIVERSE.

#1 Kansas Jayhawks 

Location: Lawrence, KS 

Conference: Big Twelve

2008-09 Record: 27-8 (14-2)

NCAA Postseason: Beat North Dakota State (sad face) and Dayton, lost to Michigan State in Sweet 16.

Head Coach: Bill Self (6th Season)

Losses: Graduation - 6'10" C Matt Kleinman (0.4 ppg), 6'0" G Brennan Bechard (0.1 ppg). 

Key Returnees: 5'11" Senior G Sherron Collins (18.9 ppg, 4.9 apg, 1.1 spg), 6'11" Junior C Cole Aldrich (14.9 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.7 bpg), 6'3" Sophomore G Tyshawn Taylor (9.7 ppg, 3.0 apg), 6'8" Sophomore F Marcus Morris (7.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg), 6'9" Sophomore F Markieff Morris (4.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg), 6'3" Junior G Tyrel Reed (6.5 ppg, 38.9% from three), 6'3" Junior G Brady Morningstar (6.5 ppg, 2.6 apg, 42% from three - suspended for Fall semester). 

Additions: 6'6" G Xavier Henry (Oklahoma City, OK), 6'4" G C.J. Henry (Oklahoma City, OK), 7'0" C Jeff Withey (Arizona transfer), 6'2" G Elijah Johnson (Las Vegas, NV), 6'9" F Thomas Robinson (Washington, D.C.)

The Skinny: Casual hoops fans might wonder why everyone's so excited about this team. KU's uninspired loss to Michigan State in the NCAA's was their second to that same team in one season. They beat outgunned mid-majors to get to the Sweet 16 in the first place. They lost to Syracuse and UMass just down the road in Kansas City, and got blown out in true roadies in East Lansing and Tucson. What's so special about that?

Well, after losing the entire starting roster from the 2008 National Championship squad, they weren't even supposed to be that good. Sherron Collins was in his first year as starting point guard, and Cole Aldrich had played a total of one good game the prior season. Everyone else was either a role player, a bench jockey, or a freshman. But the baby Jays hit their stride in conference play, losing at Missouri and at Texas Tech (I know, whaaaa?) to take the regular-season crown. Collins and Aldrich proved themselves to be superior players on both ends of the floor, and the rookies showed flashes of who they could be after a little seasoning.

Which brings us to this year. With Collins deciding to stay in school, only walk-ons had to walk-off the roster. Two bench riders transferred out, leaving most of the recruiting class of '08 intact. Then the opportunistic recruiting of Bill Self brought in Jeff Withey from the chaotic Arizona mess, and brothers Xavier and C.J. Henry from the chaotic Memphis mess. That, on top of the stellar signings of point guard Johnson and aggressive big man Robinson.

So, taking stock: Kansas has NBA-quality talent at PG and C. Tyshawn Taylor is a versatile SG who can really soar when he's not busy punching football players and bragging about it on Facebook. Marcus Morris surprised many by playing out of position at PF, outplaying his 6'9" twin brother. With Robinson arriving to spell (and push) Markieff, the 6'8" Marcus should see more time at SF, where he can create serious mismatches with his height and shooting range. Xavier Henry is considered to be a potential one-and-done player, and he will likely start as a third guard/undersized 3. Elijah Johnson will back up Collins, and Tyrel Reed will return as the team's official AWJS. Morningstar seemed primed to fill that role, but a drunk driving arrest earlier this semester led Self to suspend the role player for the rest of 2009.

Jeff Withey is still a bit of a cypher to KU fans, who will have to wait until December to see the big man who originally committed to Lute Olsen at Arizona. Transfer rules require him to sit out until then, and the recent announcement that he had suffered a stress fracture in his right knee adds some concern to that timetable. Legitimate backups for Collins and Aldrich would be a magnificent luxury for the team, as both star players were forced to play 30+ minutes per game just to keep the team on track last season.

All of the pieces are there. Anything less than a Championship will be a bitter disappointment for Collins and Aldrich, and anything less than a Final Four berth is a travesty. Count on Bill Self and his coaching staff (including Danny Manning) to see this one through.

Bloggers Say:

"The Favorites: Texas, Kansas

Not only in the league, but possibly the country. Neither team will ever step on the floor and have less talent than the team they're playing. Both returned nearly their entire rosters (AJ Abrams being the major exception) and both brought in a ton of new talent to fill the holes they were missing a year ago, each recruiting class including at least one possible lottery pick this year and next. Texas has more talent on the wings, Kansas has the advantage at the point and on the inside, but you can't go wrong with either. The tipping point may be Bill Self over Rick Barnes, but you're really just picking nits at this point and I won't be surprised if we see them three times - February 8th in Austin, March 13th in Kansas City, and April 3rd or 5th in Indy."

- Oread Boom Kings

"So, here it begins. The Season of Expectations. This team is good. There's no denying that. This team is the best in the country. There's some denying that, but not enough to supplant the overwhelming national opinion that it is. This team is going to win the National Championship. Serious denial going on here, but still, we're the favorite. The favorite. If someone held a gun to your head, and told you to pick a team to win the NCAA title this year, with a correct pick saving your life and an incorrect one ending it, the majority of people would pick Kansas. That's some powerful stuff."

- Rock Chalk Talk

Maple Street Press Jayhawk Tip-Off Says:

"On paper, this year's Kansas Jayhawks look like a championship-caliber squad.

If you've been a college basketball fan for any length of time, the term "on paper" has probably lost all meaning for you. Paper is a flimsy material to pin your hopes on. Are you afraid of a "paper tiger?" Probably not.

Memphis Tigers? Clemson Tigers? Missouri Tigers? These flesh-and-blood teams are more of a challenge."

- Eric Angevine, "What it Takes"

"(Tennessee's visit is a) very tough spot for the Jayhawks. A true road game right before the start of the Big 12 schedule against a deep squad with the size and talent to run with them. If Kansas loses a game in the non-conference schedule, it will come here."

- Marco Anskis, "The First Season"

"Somewhere out there in the miasma of the college basketball universe, hidden under Danny Manning's old socks or nestled behind Wilt Chamberlain's knee pads, is the secret to making the Final Four. The secret to college basketball success is likely a complicated algorithm created over the years by James Naismith, Dr. Phog Allen, and Adolph Rupp. But that doesn't mean that we, the serious hoops fans, can't try to come up with our own equation for success on the hard court."

- Jacob Osterhout, "Seven Keys to Reaching the Final Four"

"An often overlooked aspect of basketball game strategy and tactics is the inbounds play, both side out and baseline. A sign of a well-prepared team is how well they execute their inbounds plays and what percentage of their inbounds plays result in points or turnovers, especially on baseline out of bounds plays. There are two philosophies in designing and running inbounds plays: those designed to get the ball in safely and those designed to score. Bill Self subscribes to the former."

- Bruno Chu, "Diagramming KU's Signature Plays"

Wow. Those guys sound really wise. I'd order that book if I were you.

Best Games:

11/17 vs. Memphis (Hall-of-Fame Classic in St. Louis) 

12/6 at UCLA (Pac 10/Big 12 Hardwood Challenge)

12/19 Michigan Wolverines

12/22 Cal Golden Bears

1/2 at Temple Owls

1/10 at Tennessee Volunteers

1/25 Missouri Tigers

2/8 at Texas Longhorns

3/6 at Missouri Tigers

Plenty of early tests for the Jayhawks. Memphis has enough talent to be tough, even under a new coach. Michigan is a Big Ten favorite this season, and we've already seen that Cal's perimeter attack is potent and reliable this season. Kansas pays back visits from Temple and Tennessee teams for a couple of challenging roadies, and the Border War with Mizzou is en fuego again. Texas is also considered to be a Final Four contender, so that one should be a barn-burner.
 

Famous Basketball Alums: Wilt Chamberlain, Clyde Lovellette, Danny Manning, Jo Jo White, Paul "The Truth" Pierce, Scot "Hey Kids, Do Drugs!" Pollard. Greg Ostertag. (OK, infamous on that one). Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp. Portland Trailblazers GM Kevin Pritchard.

Other Famous Alums: Vernon L. Smith, 2002 Nobel Laureate in Economics. Bob Dole, Presidential Candidate for the Curmudgeon Party. Actors Scott Bakula, Don Johnson, Mandy Patinkin, Rob Riggle, and Paul Rudd. Old-school newspaperman William Allen White. Playwright Arthur Inge. Scientist Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto the (now non-) planet. Joseph W. Kennedy discovered plutonium the radioactive element. Coincidence? I think not.

Track star Jim Ryun and Field star Al Oerter. Bob Allison, 1959 AL Rookie of the Year. Football god Gayle Sayers - the Kansas Comet. John Riggins. Let's not forget former KU defensive lineman Gilbert Brown, who was so fat he had a massive cheeseburger named after him when he played in Green Bay. 

Best Places to eat in Lawrence, KS

I moved away from Lawrence in 1996, and have only been back to visit since. I don't know what new places might be good, but some of my old haunts are still in business. Yello Sub Sandwiches are serious business to KU grads. I once jokingly asked my old roomate to send me one in the mail, and he actually packed several on dry ice and sent them to Virginia. I love that guy. Free State Brewing Company has the best craft-brewed local beer in town. Buffalo Bob's Smokehouse buries a bun in piles of shaved meat and pours curly fries over the top. La Familia was always my favorite Mexican joint. At Rudy's Pizza, the secret ingredient is always Love.

I'm actually a tad irked that Luke Winn has been to my hometown more recently than I have.

We're down to the final two teams in our preseason (now in-season) rankings. Today we're previewing #2 Michigan State, a team that's got aspirations of getting back to the NCAA championship game for the second straight year.

Only this time around they'd actually like to win the whole thing.

We'll unveil our number one team on Friday, but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out we've got tabbed as our top choice: the University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils.

#2 Michigan State Spartans

Location: East Lansing, Michigan

Conference: Big Televen

2008-09 Record: 31-7 (15-3)

NCAA Postseason: Lost to North Carolina 89-72 in the NCAA championship game.

Head Coach: Tom Izzo (15th season)

Losses: Graduation - 6'10" C Goran Suton (10.4 ppg), 6'2" G Travis Walton (5.1 ppg), 6'8" F Marquise Gray (3.1 ppg), 6'11" C Ibok Idong (0.4 ppg).

Key Returnees: 6'0" Junior G Kalin Lucas (14.7 ppg), 6'8" Senior F Raymar Morgan (10.2 ppg), 6'4" Junior G Durrell Summers (8.6 ppg), 6'3" Junior G Chris Allen (8.4 ppg), 6'8" Sophomore F Delvon Roe (5.6 ppg), 6'6" Sophomore F Draymond Green (3.3 ppg).

Additions: 6'8" C Derrick Nix (Detroit, Michigan), 6'10" C Garrick Sherman (Kenton, Ohio). Transfer - 6'9" C Anthony Ianni (Grand Valley State).

The Skinny:

Ask any coach in the country how difficult it is to get back to the NCAA championship two straight year in a row and you'll most likely get a roll of the eyes and a chuckle. And that's about it.

All apologies to college football and the professional sports ranks, but making a second trip to college basketball's peak is quite possibly one of the toughest feats to replicate -- and we're not even talking about doing it two straight years.

If ever there was a time for Tom Izzo to pull out the old tapes and give his team a history lesson about the 1999 team, this would be the year.

Izzo's '99 Spartans made it all the way to the Final Four before bowing out. But when given a chance to make amends for falling short the previous year, the "Flintstones" made good on their preseason hype, winning the 2000 NCAA championship.

While it's hard to replicate championship-winning teams, there are a lot of similarities between the two groups. The 2000 team had a couple of names we all know: Charlie Bell, Morris Peterson, Mateen Cleaves, and a freshman by the name of Jason Richardson. This year's team is comprised of a solid group that includes Kalin Lucas, Raymar Morgan, Durrell Summers, Chris Allen and Delvon Roe, among others.

Roe will be playing a significant role on this year's team, as he'll have to fill in for Goran Suton, who graduated this past year. The sophomore has huge upside, so look for a breakout year from him. A healthy Raymar Morgan will also be a welcomed sight after a viral infection really drained his game last year. Filling in next to Roe and Morgan will be a cast of players that include two highly touted freshman in Garrick Sherman and Derrick Nix. Both should help in 10-15 minutes spurts each night.

Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, Chris Allen and Korie Lucious are all names we heard last year during the tournament. The foursome will have to make strides this year on the defensive end without Travis Walton -- by far the team's best perimeters defender. Izzo's backcourt is loaded with junior and senior-lead talent, and that could come in handy late in the season.

While Michigan State's defense may not be as prolific without Suton and Walton in the mix, I do think the Spartans can handle the loss of both players by filling the gap with some guys who are hungry for more playing time.

Izzo and the Spartans have a great chance to make it back to the Final Four again this year, provided they figure out how to implement the new freshman in the post, and Lucas is able to take over for Walton as the team's best perimeter defender.

Bloggers Say:

After "toughness" and "rebounding," the word "depth" ranks right up there when you're playing word association with the name "Tom Izzo."  The 2009-10 team should have it (note that we haven't even mentioned Austin Thornton and Isaiah Dahlman, two players capable of being the 9th or 10th guys on a Big Ten contender).  If anything, the challenge is to fit all the depth together, balancing out the relatively experienced group of perimeter players with the less experienced cadre of post guys.

While, of course, there really isn't a magic ratio that automatically leads to Big Ten titles and postseason success, I will posit that depth is a prerequisite for success for Izzo-coached teams.  (Other coaches don't necessarily need it.)  Based on what we know right now, that prerequisite has been met.

- The Only Colors

Best Games:

11/17 vs. Gonzaga

12/1 at UNC

12/22 at Texas

Izzo has a great early season schedule planned for his team, with games against Gonzaga, North Carolina and Texas sprinkled into what should be a very manageable non-conference slate. Playing UNC and Texas on the road should be a fantastic test for this verteran-led squad as they prepare for Big Ten play.

There's a reason why Tom Izzo teams look so good late in the season: it's because they were tested early on in hostile environments and already know how to deal with the stress and pressure of being a targeted team. Once again, I'd expect the difficult non-conference games to pay dividends down the road.

Famous Basketball Alums: Magic Johnson, Steve Smith, Scott Skiles, Jason Richardson, Zach Randolph, Morris Peterson.

Other Famous Alums: Teamster president Jimmy Hoffa, Quicken Loans founder (and Cavs owner) Dan Gilbert, actor James Caan and comedian Dick Martin all attended the school. And did we mention NBC journalist Chris Hansen is an alum? By the way, Mr. Hansen wants a word with you...  

Dealing with the departure of Travis Walton: There are very few people outside those who follow Big Ten basketball and Michigan State that fully comprehend the x-factor former Michigan State guard Travis Walton brought to the floor.

Tom Izzo is a man who builds his players up to be leaders on the court, and Walton could quite possibly be one of the greatest leaders in school history. Besides playing in a school record 143 games, he was also a three-year team captain.

Walton was the glue in the Michigan State squad. He did all the dirty work for the Spartan, covering the team's point guard on most nights, while also doing the little things that most soon-to-be star players would never dream of.

The loss of Walton to graduation brings about a big question mark for Michigan State: who will take over the role he held? While nobody will be able to do the job as well as Walton, Kalin Lucas becomes the obvious front-runner to replace Walton.

Lucas was able to defer to Walton on most nights and concentrate on running the offense last year. But those days are long gone. It'll be interesting to see if he can take on the role of being the top defender and floor general at the same time.

Hey hey, it's preseason poll time, where we count down our top 20 one-by-one. Today, we'll look at #6, the North Carolina Tar Heels. Last year's defending national champs has restocked their shelves with talent, which is good because I'm out of toilet paper.

So without further ado, here's a look at Roy's boys.

#6 North Carolina Tar Heels

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Conference: ACC

2008-09 Record: 34-4 (13-3)

NCAA Postseason: National Champions

Head Coach: Roy Williams (6th season)

Losses: NBA - 6'4" G Wayne Ellington (15.8.5 ppg), 5'11" G Ty Lawson (16.6 ppg, 6.6 apg). Graduation - 6'9" F Tyler Hansbrough (20.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg), 6'6" G Danny Green (13.1 ppg), 6'3" G Bobby Frasor (2.6 ppg).

Key Returnees: 6'10" Sophomore F Ed Davis (6.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg), 6'10" Senior F Deon Thompson (10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg), 6'5" Senior G Marcus Ginyard (6.9 ppg), 6'11" Sophomore F Tyler Zeller, 6'2" Sophomore G Larry Drew II, 6'6" Junior G Will Graves, 6'4" Sophomore G Justin Watts

Additions: 6'10" F John Henson (Tampa, FL), 6'4" G Leslie McDonald (Memphis, TN), 6'3" G Dexter Strickland (Rahway, NJ), 6'10" F David Wear (Huntington Beach, CA), 6'10" F Travis Wear (Huntington Beach, CA). 

The Skinny:
An appropriate title, considering that the knock on UNC this season is that they are two frail. I don't believe it. Despite the loss of nearly 75 percent of their offensive output, it's going to be another good season for the Tar Heels. They're frontcourt will should be able to absorb the loss of Hansbrough, especially with the addition of twin towers, David and Travis Wear. After three seasons playing in the shadow of Psycho T, Deon Thompson will finally be able to be the go-to option in the paint. He'll provide the senior leadership for rising stars like Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller, both of whom showed amazing amounts of potential during last season's championship run. Davis particularly showed great potential during last season's NCAA Tournament.

The loss of Ty Lawson will be the toughest for Roy Williams to replace. Lawson made the Tar Heel offense tick, averaging a 3.5 assist to turnover ration. A team can be full of talent, but someone has to manage the game and assure that the ball ends up in the right hands at the right time. Larry Drew II is set to step into Lawson's shoes and the inexperienced sophomore needs to learn fast.

Joining Drew on the perimeter will be senior Marcus Ginyard, who missed most of last season due to injury, and junior Will Graves, who missed most of last season due to a violation of team rules. Ginyard is a shut down defender who should provide much needed leadership to UNC's backcourt. Graves can consistently knock down outside shots and should easily slide into Ellington's role as team gunner.

Much of the Tar Heels' success this season will depend upon the development of their freshmen backcourt. Dexter Strickland, Leslie McDonald, and John Henson all have the pedigree to step onto the court and make an immediate impact.

Bloggers say:
"From what I gather, the scrimmage between the White and Blue teams was competitive, but still not a scrimmage and might as well be a pick-up game for as often as those players have played against each other since class has started. But it looks like John Henson is as good as advertised. He had 10 points in the scrimmage and here's what Marcus Ginyard said about him:

'That size and athleticism is just one of those things that's tough to describe; he's a guy who can do some interesting things out there. We've got to let it play out and see what he does, but there's no question he can be a big help to the team.'

That's what I like hearing. I can't wait to see this guy throwing down on Duke a few times a game. He's just a freak of athleticism, which is something that will certainly help out this year quite a bit.

Two concerns that Roy Williams has had is the backcourt - with it's lack of experience and depth, and shooting - with every reliable shooter gone now, but with Will Graves scoring 12 points, including three 3's, he may have answered the question of who is the best shooter for this year's team, a question that Tar Heel Blue asked and discussed in their recent article. In that article, Ginyard is asked who the best shooter is and he said that he would put himself up there. Now, knowing Ginyard as a shooter, that's a bit of a red flag for me. With that said, I have no doubt that he has improved on his shooting, just like Larry Drew and Ed Davis. But Graves is the guy who needs to be the best shooter because that's all we as fans have heard about is his shooting and unfortunately, we haven't seen it in the games. I believe we will this year."

-Triumphant Tar Heel

Best Games:
11/19 @ Ohio State (Madison Square Garden)
12/01 vs. Michigan State
12/05 @ Kentucky
2/10 & 3/6 vs. Duke

Most likely, UNC will roll over Ohio State this season, but that first week in December is going to be better than a lower body massage in Thailand. First, the Tar Heels host the Spartans in a rematch of last season's championship game. Then, four days later, it's off to Lexington for a solid test against John Calipari's resurgent Wildcats. And, of course, there's always Duke.

Famous Basketball Alums: (Deep breath) Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Vince Carter, Larry Brown, Billy Cunningham, Hubert Davis, George Karl, Rick Fox, Antawn Jamison, Bob McAdoo, Tyler Hansbrough, "Sleepy" Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Marvin Williams, Brandan Wright, 

Other Famous Alums: Peter Gammons, Andy Griffith, Charles Kuralt, Stuart Scott, Mia Hamm, Davis Love III, John Edwards.

"Previously, On STF Preseason Rankings"

#7 Texas Longhorns

#8 West Virginia Mountaineers

#9 California Golden Bears

#10 Purdue Boilermakers

Yep, it's preseason poll time. We're unveiling our top 20 one-by-one. Today, we'll look at #7, the Texas Longhorns (yee-haw!), as we count down to our choice for #1, the Presbyterian College Blue Hose.

What, you think I'm kidding?

You'll find out who we've chosen number one in a couple weeks.

#7 Texas Longhorn

Location: Austin, Texas

Conference: Big 12

2008-09 Record: 23-12 (9-7)

NCAA Postseason: Defeated Minnesota 76-62 in the first round. Lost to Duke 74-69 in the second round.

Head Coach: Rick Barnes (12th season)

Losses: Graduation - 5'11" G A.J. Abrams (16.6 ppg), 6'10" F Connor Atchley (4.6 ppg). Transfer - 6'2" G Harrison Smith (1.9 ppg).

Key Returnees: 6'7" Senior G/F Damion James (15.4 ppg), 6'10" Senior F Dexter Pittman (10.1 ppg), 6'6" Junior F Gary Johnson (10.0 ppg), 6'2" Senior G Justin Mason (6.1 ppg), 6'2" Sophomore G Varez Ward (4.2 ppg).

Additions: 6'2" G Bradley Avery (Tacoma, WA), 6'1" G J'Covan Brown (Port Arthur, TX), 6'2" G Andrew Dick (Sherman, TX), 6'7" G/F Jordan Hamilton (Los Angeles, CA), 6'4" G Dean Melchionni (Lancaster, PA), 6'6" G/F Shawn Williams (Duncanville, TX). Transfer - 5'10" G Jai Lucas (University of Florida).

The Skinny: Rick Barnes knows it's never easy replacing the top scorer on your team. He's  only a couple years removed from having to deal with that realization, after Kevin Durant bolted for the NBA after one year of school.

This year, Barnes has to find a way to fill the void left by guard A.J. Abrams. The shooting guard connected on 105 three-pointers last season (26th best in the country) and averaged a team-best 16.6 ppg.

Replacing Abrams would be a challenge any other year...except this one. The Longhorns' one weakness over the past couple of seasons has been their paper-thin squad. One player from the starting five goes down and the whole team goes up in flames.

That was part of the reason why the Longhorns failed to win 10 conference games last season for only the second time in the last eight years. A beefy roster that includes 16 players (up from 12 last year) should have the 'Horns in great shape for conference play.

But does a couple extra players equal a National Championship quality squad? Possibly. I know the polls are giving the 'Horns love in the rankings (they currently sit a number three in the preseason poll), but there are still a few questions that need to be answered regarding this team.

Damion James, Justin Mason and Dexter Pittman make up 3/5 of the starting five; but outside of those three, I think things are still pretty much a mystery. James is a swingman that can play the three of the four in Barnes' current system. He's the top returning scorer (15.4 ppg) on a team that's going to need his production on each time they step on the court.

James' wingman, Justin Mason, is a quite possibly the most underrated defender in the country. Who cares if he shoots only 20 percent from beyond the arc! His defense all but negates the fact that he's an offensive liability most of the time. And did we mention he can jump out of the building? Congrat, Mr. Harangody, you're now on a poster in some kids room.

Deter Pittman could be the biggest surprise this season -- and I mean that in the literal sense. The 290 pound has shed almost 100 pounds since he joined Barnes' team out of high school. He's since upped his game and recently averaged a double-double in the Big 12 tournament. I'd expect to see more of the same this season.

Things start to get really interesting after the starting three. Varez Ward could be getting the starting job at the point, but then again, that could change come December 15th, when Florida transfer Jai Lucas (yes, that Jai Lucas) will be cleared to play for the Longhorns. I'd imagine he'd start sharing time with Ward and Dogus Balbay.

Aside from the point guard conundrum, Rick Barnes has a number of big decisions to make regarding a couple of highly touted freshman. Avery Bradley is the best of the bunch and should start at the two this year. The 6'2" guard was ranked as the top player by a number of publications last year, so I see now reason why he should waste away on the bench.

Freshman Jordan Hamilton, Shawn Williams and J'Covan Brown should also find their way into the rotation. All three were ranked in the top 60 coming out of high school, so again, why waste the talent?

Throw in Gary Johnson, Clint Chapman and a host of other names into the mix and you get one thing: a team loaded to the hilt with talent.

Yes, the Longhorns are a talented bunch. But for Rick Barnes, it's going to be all about finding the best way to utilize that group of highly talented players on a nightly basis. Do that and there's no reason why Texas can't live up to the preseason hype.

Bloggers Say:

"Should all the pieces of this Texas squad come together early in the season, they should be able to navigate through a brutal non-conference schedule with no more than two losses.

Texas matches up well with Kansas yet again and I look for the Longhorns to finally get over the hump and win the Big 12 tournament.

The talent is there for not only a run to yet another Sweet 16, but a run to the Final Four.

Rick Barnes has done an incredible job at Texas and this year he may have the deepest team he's ever had.

Look for the Longhorns to make an appearance in the Final Four this season behind the elite play of Damion James and company."

- SBNation Analyst Preview

Best Games:

12/3 vs. University of Southern California

12/19 vs. UNC (Texas Stadium - Arlington, TX)

12/22 vs. Michigan State

Big games. Big games. Big games. If there's one thing I love about Rick Barnes, it's that he's not afraid to play some of the best teams in the country. There's no better way to see how good your team matches up to the competition than to throw them into the deep end and see if they sink or swim.

The North Carolina and Michigan State stretch is absolutely brutal, but hey, it just goes to show you that Rick Barnes is a big league masochist. Is there a more brutal three day stretch in college basketball this season? I'm gonna gonna say no.

A home game against USC and a trip to play in the O O O O'Reilly (can't get that damn commercial out my head) CBE (chief body excavator?) Classic in Kansas City should have the 'Horns ready for conference play. Either that, or they'll be thoroughly demoralized after playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules.

Famous Basketball Alums: Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, D.J. Augustin, T.J. Ford

Other Famous Alums: Former First Lady Laura Bush, broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, Michael Dell (founder of Dell Computers), and Gatorade inventor, Dr. Robert Cade, all went to school in Austin. Those are the few that actually did something with their lives.

Then you've got those lazy asses in the film industry: Matthew McConaughey (douche), Renee Zellweger (eh) and Farrah Fawcett (no comment) who also claim UT as their Alma mater.  

Did I mention that Janis Joplin and Mr. Weed himself, Ricky Williams, also wore the burnt orange? Now those are two alums to be proud of!

Lucas Lottery: Forget Michigan State, North Carolina and USC; the December 15th game against UT-Pan American could be the biggest non-conference game of the year.

The usually insignificant game against the Broncs is now one that should have the entire city of Austin showing up to watch point guard-in-waiting, Jai Lucas, in his first official game.

Lucas bolted for Texas after Florida coach Billy Donovan decided to go with Nick Calathes at the point guard position during his sophomore year. That left Lucas at the two, a position he had no interest in playing.

After spending a year in practice gym, Rick Barnes is now praying his new transfer turns into an impact player. While Varez Ward and Dogus Balbay give Texas a great one-two at the point, most know Lucas gives them a chance to make a deep run into the tournament if he plays to his ability. We'll just have to wait and see if that actually happens.

"Previously, On STF Preseason Rankings"

#8 West Virginia Mountaineers

#9 California Golden Bears

#10 Purdue Boilermakers

The preseason poll marches on, as if voiced by the ubiquitous announcer on vintage newsreels. Except this one has Bob Huggins. Today, we check out the #8 team in our reckoning, the West Virginia Mountaineers.

If you can do the math, you know that you'll have the #1 team laid out for you by next Friday. We're taking a big risk doing it this way - you never know when your #1 team might get Le Moyne'd. So... like... you should be impressed. With us.

#8 West Virginia Mountaineers

Location: Morgantown, WV

Conference: Big East

2008-09 Record: 23-12 (10-8)

NCAA Postseason: Lost to Dayton 60-68 in the first round.

Head Coach: Bob Huggins (3rd Season)

Losses: Graduation - 6'6" G Alex Ruoff (15.7 ppg, 3.4 apg, 1.7 spg). Transfers - 6'5" G Will Thomas (3.1 mpg), 6'10" F Dee Proby (5.6 mpg).

Key Returnees: 6'2" Sophomore G Darryl "Truck" Bryant (9.8 ppg, 2.7 apg, 39% from three), 6'7" Senior F Da'Sean Butler (17.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg), 6'9" Sophomore F Devin Ebanks (10.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.7 apg), 6'7" Senior F Wellington Smith (5.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), 6'2" redshirt Junior G Joe Mazzulla (5.6 ppg, 3.7 apg), 6'8" Sophomore F Kevin Jones (6.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg).

Additions: 6'4" Junior G Casey Mitchell (Chipola College, FL), 6'5" G Dalton Pepper (Levittown, PA), 6'8" F Danny Jennings (Oak Hill Academy), 6'9" F Deniz Kilicli (Istanbul, not Constantinople, Turkey).

The Skinny:

West Virginia seems more... West Virginia with Bob Huggins, don't you think? John Beilein's artful schemes seem more at home in Ann Arbor, and the concrete dome with the statue of Jerry West out front seems more like the den of a ferocious bear nowadays. Which is as it should be in our nation's 35th state. Only the tenacious and stubborn thrive there.

Marco and I have a real fascination with Coach Huggins, and it's only partly because he has slicked-back hair, recruited a sword-weilding thug at Cincinnatti, and memorably puked on his car the night of his infamous DUI arrest. When it comes right down to it, that stuff is just the window-dressing that us bloggers like to make cold-hearted jokes about. The truth is, Huggins is just about the toughest son-of-a-bitch in basketball now that the General has retired. His hardscrabble, often-injured teams at WVU represent his jut-jawed iron will far better than any K-State or Cincinnati squad ever has.

For instance, they can be a bit unruly at times, but they're all business on the court. They defend with great vigor, especially on the perimeter, and force turnovers. On offense, they take care of the ball and hit the backboards hard. Surprisingly enough, it's a Beilien recruit who best personifies the Huggins Way.

Senior SF Da'Sean Butler - in addition to having one of the higher-profile random apostrophes in the nation - is the team's defending MVP and leading scorer, but it's his commitment to defense that has impressed Huggins and the Mountaineer faithful. Frontcourt mate Devin Ebanks was maddeningly inconsistent as a Freshman, but grabbed rebounds aplenty even on nights he couldn't hit the broad side of Milan Puskar Stadium. Wellington Smith has contributed little on offense, but should become one of the school's top-five all-time shot blockers in his senior year, barring injury.

The backcourt is run by a sophomore from Brooklyn who goes by "Truck", and will likely feature a JC transfer at off guard, so consider this your official Achilles Heel Alert. Bryant got in Huggy's doghouse last season, and shot so badly (39%) from the floor that his nickname should probably be "Brick". If he passes more and shoots less, he'll please a lot of people in Morgantown, including his coach. It's anyone's guess how the new guy Mitchell will play. Joe Mazzulla backs them up as a ballhandler, after his return from a bout with the West Virginia Two-Step - a domestic violence rap and the subsequent karmic retribution of an on-court injury. If these three guys (heck, even two of them) can get their crap together, this team should step into the top five.

Bloggers Say:

"After never having been picked to finish higher than fifth in its history within the Big East Conference, the league's coaches picked WVU to finish second this year, just three votes shy of favorite Villanova.  This voting included five of fifteen coaches picking the Mountaineers to finish first.

Think about what I just wrote: never, ever, have the Mountaineers been picked to finish better than fifth, yet this year we skyrocket to second (and damn near first).  That should give you a quick synopsis of how meteoric the rise of WVU basketball has been under Bob Huggins."

- The Smoking Musket

Best Games:

11/26-29 @ Anaheim tourney with Texas A&M, Clemson, UCLA, Minnesota, and Butler.

12/19 @ Cleveland State

12/23 Ole Miss

1/1 @ Purdue

1/23 Ohio State.

Like any lazy writer, I'm looking ahead at the Anaheim tourney. The only guaranteed game is vs. Long Beach State, but assuming the Mountaineers move beyond that west coast roadblock, they have an array of top-30 nemesises... nemesi? to face. @ Cleveland State is a bold move for a team that knows from tough mid-majors after getting flushed from the NCAAs by Dayton last year. Throw in a good SEC team and two contending Big Ten opponents in January, and you have a very tough schedule. 

Famous Basketball Alums: Jerry "The Logo" West, NBA exec Rod Thorn, All-Name Hall of Famer Kevin Pittsnogle, Coach Gale Catlett, "Hot Rod" Hundley.

Other Famous Alums: Cheryl Hines, Billy Mays, and DON KNOTTS! "Pac-Man" Jones. Best-selling thriller writer Stephen (not Dean) Coonts (not Koontz). Singers Kathy Mattea and Joni Mitchell. William E. Glasscock, a former Governor of the state whose name makes me involuntarily wince every time I read it. Patsy Ramsey.

Where to Eat in Morgantown: I won't claim to be an expert on Morgantown's food, but I did eat there once. My brother lives in Pittsburgh, and I was driving up from central Virginia to see him last January. On the way, I drove through lunch, and decided I needed to stop for a late-afternoon bite in Morgantown.

I drove downtown and wandered around for a few minutes before ducking into Gibbie's, which had three of my favorite things: a big beer selection, innovative use of gravy technology, and other dudes with beards (read into that what you must). I knocked back a couple of beers before I got this amazing open-face roast beef sandwich that was topped with mashed potatoes and drowned in brown gravy. It was hot and filling, and the place was like a warm cave where I could hide from the cold wind for a while.

It gave me the strength to go over to the basketball arena and stalk Huggy and the team as they got on their charter bus. So, based on the utter disregard for my arteries and the utmost regard for my taste buds and belly, I give Morgantown a thumbs up. Eat at will.

#9 California Golden Bears

#10 Purdue Boilermakers