If I Could Get A Ticket...

Sports bless us on regular occasion. Buzzer beater threes for national titles, chase down blocks to seal a city's long-awaited title, walk off home runs to beat a rival -- we crave that kind of drama and heroism. Lately, sports has provided some instant classics, and as a viewer of many games each week, I've loved every second.

Still, for all the games and plays that have made me say wow and for all the moments I've relished the Twitter explosion, I wish I could go back in time. I wish I could have been there for the biggest of games because there is truly nothing better than witnessing it all. So, here's the deal: I've made a list of five games I wish I could have been present at. Some of these I watched on television while others took place long before I was even thought of on this Earth. But if I could go back in time and somehow get a ticket then here's where I would go...

Boston Braves 3 - Brooklyn Dodgers 5 - April 15, 1947
Just over 26,500 fans were in attendance at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947 and if I could have been one of them I would certainly have taken the opportunity. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier that day, starting at first base and batting second. It was a monumental moment in history at the time, but it seems even bigger now as we look around sports today. African Americans have provided some of the finest play we've seen and Robinson blazed the trail for all of them, suiting up for the Dodgers on that April afternoon. Robinson was not particularly great in the opener, finishing 0-for-3 with a run scored, but there are some things that go beyond the box score and this certainly qualifies as one of them.

Villanova Wildcats 77 - North Carolina Tar Heels 74 - April 4, 2016
You really don't need a play-by-play for this one because certainly you remember. Even before Marcus Paige hit his acrobatic three-pointer to tie the game with six seconds left and before Kris Jenkins made the greatest shot maybe ever, this game was magical. Carolina took a five-point lead into the break, and Villanova led by five with three minutes to go. Paige's three may be forgotten as time passes, but it was one of the greatest clutch shots we've seen. The only problem: Jenkins topped it on the other end of the floor with a buzzer-beating three to give the 'Cats their second national title.

Texas Rangers 9 - St. Louis Cardinals 10 - October 27, 2011 (11 innings)
Texas and St. Louis gave baseball fans arguably the greatest World Series game ever in Game 6 of the 2011 Fall Classic. With Texas leading the series 3-2, the Cardinals were facing elimination in their own ballpark. Needing a win to force a Game 7, the Cards led 2-1 after the first inning in a game that featured at least one run in every inning but one. The Rangers chased Jaime Garcia after three innings and led 7-4 after seven innings. St. Louis got one back in the eighth and went to the ninth trailing by two. Down to their last strike in the ninth, David Freese unloaded a deep fly to right that Nelson Cruz couldn't handle. Freese wound up with a triple and drove in Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman to tie the game and force extra innings. Josh Hamilton homered in the 10th to give Texas the lead again, but Berkman singled on a 2-2 count in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at nine. In the bottom of the 11th, Freese played the role of hero again, launching the walk off home run to centerfield, forcing a Game 7 which the Cardinals would win for their 11th World Series.

Florida State Seminoles 34 - Auburn Tigers 31 - January 6th, 2014
One of the greatest BCS National Championship games in history featured a 21-point comeback and a game-winning touchdown pass with 13 seconds left on the clock. The Seminoles entered as the top-ranked team with Jameis Winston fresh off a Heisman trophy win, but Auburn looked impressive out of the gate, leading 21-3 late in the first half. FSU scored a touchdown right before the half to trim the lead to 11 and then connected on a field goal in the third quarter to make it 21-13. Then things got fun in the fourth. Winston threw a touchdown pass with 11 minutes to play to make it a one-point game, but Auburn pushed it to four with a field goal at the 4:42 mark. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Florida State ran it back 100 yards to take a 27-24 lead. The Tigers didn't give in though, scoring a touchdown with 1:19 to play to take a 31-27 lead. That set the stage for Winston's signature moment. The Heisman winner drove the Seminoles down the field and threw a two-yard TD pass to Kelvin Benjamin with 13 seconds remaining to win the game.

Chicago Bulls 87 - Utah Jazz 86 - June 14, 1998
After failing to close out the Jazz in Game 5 at the United Center, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had to go back to Utah for Game 6 to try and complete the franchise's second three-peat. The Jazz won the first three quarters and led by five heading into the fourth quarter. Jordan, playing in his last game as a Chicago Bull, poured in 45 points on 15-of-35 shooting, but saved his best for last. Down by one with under 10 seconds to play, Jordan drove left and pulled up for his final shot as a Bull. He sank it and sealed the win as only the greatest to ever play could do it. Six rings, six Finals MVPs and one lasting memory for Bulls fans.

These five games were something special that fans still talk about today. However, there are hundreds of others that could be talked about. What are yours? Leave a comment with games that you wished you could have attended...

Bracket Breakdown: The East

While the teams of the East region are obviously the main focus, the talent and makeup of each team may be overlooked when choosing a bracket. Why? Because this region has coaches that, despite possibly being a low seed, know what it takes to excel in March. Don't be fooled by the four next to Louisville's name, or the seven that's placed on the left side of Michigan State. Rick Pitino and Tom Izzo are sure to be prepared to advance past this weekend, and every team in the region better take notice.

General Overview:
Nate's Take: Headlined by the revival of Villanova and the continued ascent of Virginia, the top two seeds share a physical and defensive-minded attack that will be tough to counter for the other 14 teams in this region. Yet if we take a look at the lower seeds, there is still plenty of potential for neither Jay Wright's Wildcats or Tony Bennet's Cavaliers to be sitting at home the first weekend in April. Pay careful attention to the LSUs and Daytons of the region because those teams have hung with high-caliber teams and, in Dayton's case, we know they have a love for creating mayhem in March.

Perhaps the one thing that stands out the most in the first round of this region is the 5/12 match-up between Northern Iowa and Wyoming. I tread carefully with this statement, but I believe Northern Iowa has the best chance to advance out of the five seeds in the tournament. This is not to say that Wyoming is incapable of pulling off the upset, but to watch the Panthers flirt with a top 10 ranking, take down 3 Power Six schools (Northwestern, Iowa, and Virginia Tech), as well as split the season series against Wichita State is certainly convincing enough that this team can compete at a high level. Led by Seth Tuttle's 15 points and 7 rebounds a game, the Panthers are poised for a run that will be as successful as the run in 2010, but not nearly as much of a surprise. Their only downfall is that they struggle to rebound (averaging just over 30 a game). However, UNI shoots a very high percentage at 48% per game, good enough for 16th in the nation. Perhaps a sigh of relief for the Panthers is that Wyoming ranks even lower in rebounds per game which will make the battle on the boards even more pivotal in this game. It won't be a blow out, but I have a hard time believing that Wyoming will dance into the weekend.

Zach's Take: The East region is difficult to predict because, as alluded to above, there are lower-seeded teams who know how to win in March. While Virginia is extremely stingy on defense, the injury to Justin Anderson is a concern. In addition, Louisville has been a different team without Chris Jones and questions surround their ability to make a run. Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans looked fantastic in the Big Ten Tournament and Jay Wright has had Villanova on a roll all season long. And let us not forget Northern Iowa and Oklahoma, two teams who have spent the majority of the season in the Top 25.

So who advances to Indianapolis? Virginia is my pick because of defense. Defense and pace of play is the name of the game in the East region. Northern Iowa will present major problems because of the way they slow the game down. If the Panthers advance to the Elite 8 don't be surprised, and if they meet Virginia there then the first one to 40 wins the game.

Will Villanova be the first one seed to lose? Some people believe LSU might be poised to knock off the 'Cats in the second round and there's reason to believe. The Tigers pound the glass hard and move the ball efficiently on offense.

The tallest player in the tournament, 7-6 Mamadou Ndiaye, and the UC-Irvine Anteaters have plenty of size up front which has some people thinking that they could pull off a first round upset. Clearly there are question marks everywhere in the East, but bank on Virginia's defense to carry them through.

Upset Alert:
Nate's Take: They were mentioned earlier and you certainly haven't forgotten them just yet: the Dayton Flyers. This year they have to earn their way into the field of 64 by beating Boise State for possession of the 11 seed in this region. Should the Flyers defeat the Broncos, I firmly believe that they will not only take down Providence, but they will also get the better of the Oklahoma Sooners in the round of 32. This is a team that knows what it's like to play on the big stage and they have their core still intact from last year's Elite 8 team. Archie Miller has this program headed in the right direction and another trip to the Sweet 16 looks like a very strong possibility.

Zach's Take: Contrary to Nate's pick, I have Providence as my upset alert. No, it's not an upset if Providence defeats Boise State/Dayton in the first round, but it will be if they defeat Oklahoma in the second round. I think they will and it's because of the Friars' backcourt tandem. LeDontae Henton and Kris Dunn combine to average 35 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists per game. Stopping OU's Buddy Hield is no easy task, but Providence was oh-so-close to upsetting North Carolina last season and this year Ed Cooley's squad will make some noise.

Player to Watch:
Nate's Take: A big determining factor in Oklahoma's success will be the play of big man Ryan Spangler. Spangler averages 10 points and 8 rebounds a game but is fresh off of a blown lay-up that would have sent the Sooners into the overtime against the eventual Big 12 champion Iowa State Cyclones. As physical and tough as Spangler is, it's hard to see him shying away from redeeming himself of the heart break that ended Oklahoma's conference season. He not only is a big part of what Oklahoma does, but he's also a veteran leader who epitomizes their team identity. If Spangler enters the tournament ready to dominate, the Sooners may make some noise in the East region.

Zach's Take: Malcolm Brogdon is the player to watch for Virginia. With Justin Anderson's hand injury, Brogdon shouldered much of the load during the NCAA Tournament and his second half effort against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament was admirable. If Anderson isn't his usual self, then Tony Bennett's squad will need Brogdon's best effort again. When Virginia plays, points are usually at a premium so expect Brogdon to lead the Cavs' offensive attack. The best player on one of the nation's best teams has to show up in March if they are to make the tournament. Expect Brogdon's best effort.

Bracket Breakdown: East

Michigan State Spartans

Perhaps there's no teams hotter than Virginia and Michigan State and the two of them headline the East Region which will meet in Madison Square Garden for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Plenty of questions surround the teams such as whether or not North Carolina will play like good or bad Carolina. Then there is the matter of Villanova. The Wildcats lost only four games, but laid an egg in the Big East tournament. Iowa State marched through the Big 12 tournament, but will have to meet either Michigan State or Virginia in the Elite 8. And what about Harvard-Cincinnati? Harvard is not sneaking up on anybody after last year's upset of New Mexico. Let's break it down...

East Region winner: Michigan State is healthy and that is a very, very scary thing for the other 67 teams in the tournament. I spent this past weekend at the Big Ten tournament and the Spartans stomped on all three of their opponents. Branden Dawson was phenomenal, Adreian Payne and Keith Appling looked healthy, and Gary Harris was nothing short of spectacular. MSU will have no problem with Delaware in the second round and has too much firepower for either Cincinnati or Harvard in the third round.

Simply put, they are the best team in the region and are playing like it. Remember, MSU may have a four next to their name, but this is a team many thought would challenge for a national championship and was once ranked first. Injuries hampered their play throughout the year, but Dawsen, Appling and Payne have all looked healthy. That means that Tom Izzo's streak of every four year player qualifying for the Final Four at least once in their career will continue.

Upset Pick: Providence over North Carolina
The Friars are hot and, in what will be a common theme throughout this post, are playing some of their best ball this season. With an upset victory over Creighton in the Big East final, they took themselves off of the bubble and now get an inconsistent Carolina team in the first round. This is a risky pick due to the fact that UNC has enough talent to go to the Final Four. However, they have bad losses to Belmont, Richmond and UAB this season which leaves some scratching their heads.

So it depends on which Carolina team shows up, but the matchup to watch is at the point guard position. The Friars' Bryce Cotton averages 21.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists and will go up against Marcus Paige. Paige has been the heady playmaker for the Tar Heels, averaging 17.4 points and shooting nearly 40 percent from three point. The play of these two will dictate the game.

Iowa State's Melvin Ejim

Player to Watch: Branden Dawsen, Michigan State
Dawsen is healthy after a hand injury slowed him down and he was named the Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player. An absolute beast, Dawsen can face a defender up and knock down a 15-footer, but he can also bully his way to the hoop and score down low. He missed ten games this season, but averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds in three Big Ten tournament games. His energy and aggressiveness is paramount to the Spartans' success and they will need that consistent play he showed in Indianapolis during this tourney run.

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Michigan State vs. Iowa State (Elite 8)
This is the matchup I have picked for the Regional title and it would be a fun one. The two teams would matchup well at several positions. Appling may have to take DeAndre Kane at certain times throughout the game while Harris could find himself guarding the Big 12 Player of the Year in Melvin Ejim. Inside, Payne and Georges Niang will pair up with their somewhat similar games.

Iowa State's up-tempo offense that's focused on plenty of threes would meet Michigan State's hard-nosed defense. The Spartans have posted much higher numbers in both steals and blocks than the Cyclones. Both teams have four players averaging double figures and we could expect a high-scoring affair with plenty of great collegiate players.

Bottom Line: It's been too long since Tom Izzo and Michigan State has been in the Final Four and they are playing their best ball of the season now. They should be in Dallas.

Bracket Breakdown: South

Otto Porter of Georgetown

The South Region is the most top heavy bracket of the four. Kansas headlines the region as the number two overall seed and they are joined by Georgetown, Florida and Michigan. KU won the Big 12, Florida won the SEC and Georgetown won the Big East. Michigan was a couple of bricked free throws from sharing the Big Ten title. Clearly, this is a bracket of winners, but also take a look at the coaches. Of the 16 coaches in the bracket, 10 have won a national title. It's also likely that one of those 10 adds some more hardware to their office. Let's take a look...

South Region winner: Georgetown Hoyas
The Hoyas are going to win the South Region for one reason: Otto Porter. The do-it-all wing player leads Georgetown in almost every major statistical category and he can beat opponents from anywhere on the floor. The road won't be easy for John Thompson's squad though. Most likely Florida will be waiting in the Sweet 16 and then either Kansas or Michigan will present a huge challenge in the Elite 8. Count on the Hoyas because of they are battle tested and they are 6-2 against ranked opponents. Behind Porter, expect G'Town to be back in the Final Four for the first time since 2007.

Upset Pick: Minnesota over UCLA
Minnesota isn't your typical 11 seed. The Golden Gophers defeated five ranked opponents, including #1 Indiana. However, they have lost three in a row and that doesn't always bode well coming into tournament play. Despite that, they should beat UCLA for a couple of reasons. One, they have played far superior competition and two, UCLA is without Jordan Adams. The freshman guard broke his foot during the Pac-12 tournament and the Bruins will struggle without him.

Nate Wolters of South Dakota State

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Anybody who has to play VCU
Okay so that's kind of cheating, but anybody VCU plays will have a hard time. The Rams qualified for the Final Four in 2011 and their unique style of play makes them a difficult matchup. However, they will have to take down the titans to reach Atlanta, but that is something they have done before. Could they stop Trey Burke in the third round? Could they knock off Kansas just like they did in 2011? Will Florida or Georgetown be too much for them handle? Who knows. We also can't be sure they will even win their first game against Akron, but we can be sure that they will bring 100% effort and be fun to watch.

Player to Watch: Nate Wolters, guard, South Dakota State
Wolters has led South Dakota State to the Big Dance for the second straight year and the do-it-all guard can win a game by himself. The senior averages 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game and had a 53 point outburst on February 7th. His scoring average is fourth best in the nation. Wolters comes from the Summit League, but has performed against top competition. He posted 30 points against Alabama at the beginning of the season and then had 28 against New Mexico before Christmas.

Bottom Line: The South is loaded, but Otto Porter and Georgetown have been very consistent and have defeated some of the nation's elite. They will be in Atlanta.

Breaking Down the Brackets

How late were you up last night? The NCAA bracket was announced and, more than ever, this one will be hard to pick. Much has been said about the selection committee and their logic in letting Virginia Commonwealth and UAB in and keeping Virginia Tech and Colorado. To me, if I could pick one word to describe this tournament it would be mediocre. There are so many mediocre teams and teams with the same talent level that the tournament doesn't have nearly the same star power that it normally boasts. Is that bad? No, not in my mind, because the teams are so evenly matched that there could be more instant classics than ever and people better have some upsets picked because these so-called "big schools" aren't head and shoulders above the mid-majors. Also, there are so many schools from power conferences with low seeds that they may be able to turn it on and win a few games. But, let's take a look at the bracket and I'll tell you what games to watch for, players to keep an eye on, who to pick and who to avoid picking.

Games to Watch

East Region: (6) Xavier vs. (11) Marquette

Marquette comes from the powerful Big East but they barely squeaked in. Xavier has been a power from the Atlantic-10 and despite not winning the conference tournament comes in with a 24-7 record. Marquette is 20-14 but has played a loaded Big East schedule. Both teams play solid defense and we shouldn't expect a high scoring game. Jimmy Butler (16.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg) is superb for the Golden Eagles and Tu Holloway (20.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.5 apg) is a dynamite little guard. You can pick either team here and feel good about it because both are solid teams.

East Region: (8) George Mason vs. (9) Villanova

Two teams going in opposite directions in this game. George Mason won 16 of their last 17 games while Villanova lost 10 of their last 15. We all remember George Mason's magical run to the Final Four in 2006 and no one is counting them out this year. Definitely pick them to win this game but it should be a thriller. Nova has had time to practice and coach Jay Wright says they have had good practices and they're ready to go. They better be because Mason is for real.

West Region: (4) Texas vs. (13) Oakland

Texas is playing great basketball right now and I wouldn't expect many people to pick against them. I'm not but I will say this game could be a good one. A scary one too for those who have Texas going deep into the tournament. The Horns are young with several talented players. Tristan Thompson and Jordan Hamilton are hard to stop and Texas has four players who average double figures. For Oakland, keep your eye on Keith Benson who averages a double-double. Three other players are in double figures and this could be a possible upset.

Southwest Region: (8) UNLV vs. (9) Illinois

The Illini limped into the NCAA Tournament and should feel fortunate to be a nine seed. Many were expecting a much lower seed but they do have a very tough opponent in UNLV. Lon Kruger will face his former team and the Runnin' Rebels are favored in this game. They have wins over Wisconsin, Virginia Tech and Kansas State this year and Illinois comes into the game losing four of their last six. Demetri McCamey will have to play well for the Illini to move on, but that's not always a given.

Southeast Region: (5) Kansas State vs. (12) Utah State

Utah State should feel cheated by the seed they received after posting a 30-3 record and winning the WAC but it is what it is and they must prepare for a Kansas State team who, after struggling in the middle of the season, has turned it around and is playing their best basketball. This is probably one of the hardest games to pick but Utah State could be that Cinderella team that every bracket has. Frank Martin will have Jacob Pullen and the Wildcats ready to go and we should be treated to a great game.

Players to Watch

Kemba Walker, guard, Connecticut: We all know about Kemba and there is not a hotter player in the nation right now than him. He led the Huskies through the Big East conference tournament, winning five games in five days. He averaged 38 minutes in the five games and for the year he put up 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Jimmer Fredette, guard, BYU: Jimmer-mania could take over March and it will have to if BYU is going to advance past the first weekend. Without Brandon Davies the Cougars rely even more heavily on Fredette but the man just keeps producing. He dropped 52 points in the mountain West semi-finals and in the second round he will need a big effort against either Gonzaga or St. John's.

Jon Diebler, guard, Ohio State: The overall number one seed is the most complete team and Diebler is a big reason why they are winning and winning big. He is such a deadly three point shooter, shooting nearly 50% from deep. His shooting stretches out the defense and allows Jared Sullinger to go to work down low.

Like I said before, this bracket is not a good one. It is filled with bad teams and resembles an NIT bracket but the games should be highly competitive. As always, expect upsets and there really isn't a lock for four Final Four teams. The four number one seeds seem good enough but remember, only one time has that happened. Also, some teams that people would want to pick are not hot at the moment such as Villanova or Illinois. Mid-majors are stronger than ever and this March should be excited. Here are some stats that you may want to know while you pick your bracket. All stats are since 2005 when the Big East expanded

Final Four teams by conference/National Champions by conference

ACC 4/3

Big East 5

Big Ten 5

Big 12 1/1

Pac 10 3

SEC 3/2

Colonial 1

C-USA 1

Horizon 1

Final Four by Seeds

1. 11 teams

2. 5 teams

3. 2 teams

4. 2 teams

5. 3 teams

11. 1 team

3/14 Upsets--3 times  4/13 Upsets--6 times  5/12 Upsets--9 times  6/11 Upsets--9 times

As you can see, people talk a lot about the 5/12 upset but there have been just as many 6/11 upsets. If there were to be any 5/12 upsets this year I would look at Richmond beating Vanderbilt, Clemson over West Virginia or Utah State over Kansas State. Missouri is an 11 seed that could upset Cincinnati at the six spot and be careful of picking Georgetown. USC or VCU could be primed for an upset. We have already mentioned Marquette and Xavier's matchup as well.

As always, it will be an exciting time starting Thursday and people will be mad because their bracket is busted but, hey, this is March Madness and it is the most fun time of the sports year. For my Final Four I have settled in on Ohio State, Texas, Kansas and Pittsburgh but that will probably change before Thursday. That's the fun of it, trying to figure out who to pick. No matter who you do pick though you will always second guess yourself and that's when we say, "Let the Madness begin!"

Can the Big East Win the Big One?

Since the Big East grew to 16 teams a few years ago they have dominated the college basketball landscape, put the most teams in the tournament and churned out NBA lottery picks in mass numbers. The only thing lacking is a national championship, something the conference has not won since 2004, which came before expansion. In 2005 several teams from Conference-USA joined the Big East and many had quality basketball programs. Louisville, DePaul, Cincinnati, Marquette and South Florida made the league 16-strong and with their addition the conference the Big East boasts 40 Final Four appearances and 10 national championships. Of the 16 teams, South Florida is the only one who has not reached a Final Four, an incredible feat for any conference. Despite all these stats, the Big East has not won a title since their expansion and that leaves many pondering the question, "Why?"

The number one reason no team has been able to win the big one is because the regular season is too hard. Think about it, with so many teams playing at a high level and numerous teams ranked, they beat up on each other. I saw a stat a few games ago that said Villanova was 4-5 against ranked teams in their conference. That's nine conference games against ranked opponents with more to come, especially in the conference tournament. By the time the tournament rolls around everybody is wiped out from the competition in the regular season. They have just played potentially 4-5 games in their own conference tournament and then they are trying to win six more games against quality opponents in order to win the national championship. That's hard for a team to do.

Pittsburgh is the winningest team of the 2000s and they have never even made a Final Four. This year could be their year but they have already started to tail off in the last week of the year. A team who must endure that many tests is weaker at the end of the year and that is why we have not seen a Big East champion since the expansion. UConn, led by Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon, won down in San Antonio in 2004 and since the next year the five C-USA teams joined. Since then the Big East has had five Final Four teams (Villanova, Georgetown, UConn, West Virginia and Louisville) and every single one of those teams lost in the semi-final game. Before expansion the Big East had titles in 2004 and 2003. Obviously, the additions make for great conference play but the league can not reap the benefits in postseason play.

This year the Big East could break their own record of eight teams getting NCAA bids this year but none of them seem to be a formidable national title contender. Pittsburgh has the best shot but no one else could go up against Kansas, Duke or Ohio State and expect to win. I would guess that none of the Big East teams will even make the Final Four this year because a lot of them are good but not great and that has been the theme in the Big East since expansion. Reality is, they need to divide into divisions or something to lighten up the schedule because, even though it makes for great television, the top 25 matchups every night aren't helping in the postseason. It's one thing to be battle-tested, but it's quite another to be worn down.

So to answer the question in the headline, no I don't think the Big East can win the big one anytime soon because they hurt their own chances with the regular season schedule. It would take a great team to do that and one that is very mentally and physically tough. I think the only team out of the Big East who could do that would be Pittsburgh but they should focus on getting to the Final Four first. For this year I would shy away from picking any team from the conference to hold up the crystal ball in Houston.

The World of Wadley College Basketball Preseason Top 25

1. Duke Blue Devils (ACC)- The defending champs return key pieces in Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith and the Plumlee brothers but what could be the difference maker is transfer Seth Curry (younger brother of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry) and freshman Kyrie Irving.

2. Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten)- After a Final Four appearance last year the Spartans want a title in 2011. Point guard Kalin Lucas will run the show again while Durrell Summers will be on the wing. Draymond Green and Delvon Roe should play larger roles this season.

3. Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12)- The Morris twins are back along with Tyshawn Taylor. Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed and Travis Releford will provide scoring but the Jayhawks season really depends on whether or not Josh Selby will be eligible.

4. Syracuse Orange (Big East)- No more Wes Johnson but Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson and Kris Joseph is a pretty good core. Stud 7-foot freshman, Fab Melo, should see significant minutes.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes (Big Ten)- Jared Sullinger is the real deal and the Buckeyes could ride the freshman big man all the way to Houston. William Buford turned in a good sophomore campaign but will be relied on even more now that Evan Turner is gone. Reliable seniors Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale and David Lighty are back as well.

6. Pittsburgh Panthers (Big East)- Four starters return for the Panthers who are always a tough, grind-it-out team. Sharpshooter Ashton Gibbs was voted the Big East's Most Improved Player last season after averaging 15.7 ppg and is back as a junior along with three key players in the frontcourt: Dante Taylor, Gary McGhee and Nasir Robinson.

7. Kansas State Wildcats (Big 12)- The beard is back! Jacob Pullen that is, the senior guard who averaged 19.3 points and 3.4 assists per game last year as K-State made it to the Elite 8 before falling to Butler. Pullen, along with forwards Curtis Kelly and Wally Judge, hope for a return trip to the Elite 8 and possibly a trip to Houston.

8. Kentucky Wildcats (SEC)- John Calipari is basically starting over after five of his players were drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft but he has a solid squad assembled for this year's run. Like Kansas, Kentucky's success will largely be based on whether or not freshman Enes Kanter is eligible. Brandon Knight and Doron Lamb are the backcourt of the future.

9. Villanova Wildcats (Big East)- Scottie Reynolds is gone but there is so much left at Nova that the Cats should have another deep tourney run come March. There is an abundance of talent at the guard spot, similar to the Final Four team from a few years back so it may come down to how well big men Mouphtaou Yarou and JayVaughn Pinkston play.

10. Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten)- This may be a little bit high but the Illini have all the pieces for a tremendous season. If the veterans (Demetri McCamey, Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis) can mesh with the super sophomores (Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson) and the stud freshmen (Jereme Richmond, Crandall Head and Meyers Leonard) then this could be a season like '05.

11. North Carolina Tar Heels (ACC)- Harrison Barnes is the scorer the Heels needed last season and he should light up Chapel Hill right away. Tyler Zeller needs to stay healthy and John Henson should be improved as a sophomore. UNC needs a reliable ball handler to have success.

12. Missouri Tigers (Big 12)- Mizzou will once again wreak havoc with their high pressure defense which should produce easy buckets for the backcourt duo of Marcus Denmon and Kim English. Michael Dixon, Laurence Bowers and Justin Safford all return as well but freshmen Phil Pressey and Tony Mitchell need to play well for the Tigers to go deep into March.

13. Florida Gators (SEC)- Five starters returning is never a bad thing and the Gators should challenge Kentucky for the SEC East crown. The backcourt duo of Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker is arguably the best in the conference. In the frontcourt the Gators have Vernon Macklin, Alex Tyus and Chandler Parsons.

14. Gonzaga Bulldogs (WCC)- It's all about sophomore Elias Harris in Spokane. As a freshman he averaged 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. We're accustomed to seeing Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 and this year shouldn't be any different.

15. Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten)- Yes, losing Robbie Hummel was a killer to a team that was going to contend for the national title but JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore won't go down easy. Johnson put up numbers of 15.5 points and 7.1 boards per game while Moore averaged 16.4 points.

16. Baylor Bears (Big 12)- The Bears were a great story last year but now it's time to show they are for real and not just a one year act. If LaceDarius Dunn is allowed to play then Baylor should challenge for the Big 12 title. Like last year, the frontcourt is scary with all the length. Freshman Perry Jones will have an immediate impact playing next to Quincy Acy and Anthony Jones.

17. Memphis Tigers (C-USA)- The Tigers return Wesley Witherspoon and Will Coleman, two upperclassmen who will need to gel with a host of incoming freshmen. It will be interesting to see how coach Josh Pastner does with a roster that he can truly say is his.

18. Wisconsin Badgers (Big Ten)- Bo Ryan always gets the most out of his players and this year will be no different. Jon Leuer posted numbers of 15.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while Jordan Taylor was a solid point guard (10 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.6 apg). Keaton Nankivil is also back and freshman Ben Brust can fill it up.

19. Georgetown Hoyas (Big East)- Had Greg Monroe returned the Hoyas would be significantly higher but four starters return so the cupboard is not bare for John Thompson III. Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Jason Clark all averaged double figures while Julian Vaughn started 34 games.

20. Butler Bulldogs (Horizon)- Last year was magical and this year could have been a repeat if Gordon Hayward had chosen to stay. However, Hayward is on the Jazz and the Bulldogs are adjusting to life without him. Matt Howard will man the post while Ronald Nored and Shelvin Mack will team up in the backcourt.

21. Washington Huskies (Pac 10)- The Huskies will run away with the Pac 10 and are the only team from the conference that will even be mentioned on the national scene. The conference is that bad but the Huskies actually do have some talent behind Abdul Gaddy and Isaiah Thomas.

22. Virginia Tech Hokies (ACC)- Malcolm Delaney chose to come back for his senior year and that meant the Hokies could make some noise in March. Delaney averaged 20.2 points per game along with 4.5 assists. Jeff Allen and Dorenzo Hudson are good complimentary pieces.

23. Tennessee Volunteers (SEC)- Who knows what will come of the Bruce Pearl situation but the Vols do have talent down in Knoxville. Scotty Hopson, Cameron Tatum and Renaldo Woolridge welcome the addition of elite recruit Tobias Harris.

24. Temple Owls (Atlantic 10)- The Owls have talent all over the floor but the two key pieces for a fourth straight NCAA bid are Juan Fernandez and Lavoy Allen. Fernandez averaged 12 points and 3 assists while Allen averaged a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.

25. Texas Longhorns (Big 12)- The Horns had a terrible collapse last season after earning their first number 1 ranking in January. Hopefully some players have matured and the team can play consistent ball this year. J'Covan Brown and Jordan Hamilton are two players to keep an eye on.