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2012-13 College Basketball Preview and Predictions

Previews and Picks from the Athlon staff

By: David Fox | 11/8/12, 9:46 PM EST

Previews and Picks from the Athlon staff

The college basketball season starts today, so it's time for picks. Not just for the Final Four and top players and coaches, but also who we think who will thrive, flop and surprise.

Here are the picks from the Athlon editorial staff:

PICKS Mitch Light Braden Gall David Fox Nathan Rush Mark Ross Patrick Snow
National Champ Indiana Louisville Ohio State Indiana Indiana Louisville
Final Four Kansas Duke Arizona Kentucky Arizona Indiana
  Kentucky Indiana Indiana Memphis Kansas Kansas
  Louisville San Diego State Kansas UCLA Louisville Syracuse
Surprise team Colorado Tennessee Tennessee Oklahoma State Pittsburgh West Virginia
Flop team Michigan Michigan Syracuse Duke Syracuse Duke
Player of the Year Cody Zeller, Indiana Mike Moser, UNLV Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State Cody Zeller, Indiana Cody Zeller, Indiana Cody Zeller, Indiana
Top Freshman Nerlens Noel, Kentucky Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
Top Transfer Rotnei Clarke, Butler Alex Oriakhi, Missouri Dez Wells, Maryland Alex Oriakhi, Missouri Ryan Harrow, Kentucky Aaric Murray, West Virginia
Coach of the Year Sean Miller, Arizona Tom Crean, Indiana Jim Larranaga, Miami John Calipari, Kentucky Tom Crean, Indiana John Beilein, Michigan
Breakout Player James Michael McAdoo, North Carolina Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee Adonis Thomas, Memphis James Michael McAdoo, North Carolina Ben McLemore, Kansas
Most interesting conference Atlantic 10 Big Ten ACC SEC Atlantic 10 Big 12
Mid-major darling Drexel South Dakota State Davidson Lehigh Drexel LIU-Brooklyn
Next major coach to retire Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Bob Huggins, West Virginia Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Larry Brown, SMU Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Roy Williams, North Carolina
New coach to thrive Larry Eustachy, Colorado State John Cooper, Miami (Ohio) Jim Christian, Ohio Larry Brown, SMU Larry Eustachy, Colorado State Larry Eustachy, Colorado State
Indiana, Louisville or Kentucky Indiana Louisville Indiana Indiana Indiana Louisville
Arizona or UCLA Arizona Arizona Arizona UCLA Arizona Arizona
Michigan or Ohio State Michigan Ohio State Ohio State Michigan Michigan Michigan
Preseason All-America Team Conference Realignment Primer
Athlon College Basketball Top 25: Athlon Conference Previews
1. Indiana 1. Big Ten 
2. Louisville 2. Big East
3. Kentucky 3. ACC
4. Kansas 4. Big 12
5. Syracuse 5. SEC
6. Michigan 6. Pac-12
7. Arizona 7. Mountain West
8. Ohio State 8. Atlantic 10
9. Duke 9. West Coast
10. Michigan State 10. Missouri Valley
11. NC State 11. Conference USA
12. UCLA 12. Colonial
13. UNLV 13. Sun Belt
14. North Carolina 14. MAC
15. San Diego State 15. Horizon
16. Missouri  
17. Baylor  
18. Memphis  
19. Notre Dame  
20. Florida  

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