AthlonSports.com - Preseason Top 25

2008 North Carolina Tar Heels Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:25 -0500

The Tar Heels have improved each year with their current seniors, and they see no reason why they shouldn’t take the final step. Anything can happen in a single-elimination tournament, but anything short of a return to the Final Four would be a major disappointment in Chapel Hill. The trick for UNC now is to go from preseason No. 1 to postseason No. 1.

2008 Connecticut Huskies Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:24 -0500

The Huskies, owners of 10 regular-season crowns, could challenge for their first championship since 2005-06. Their roster has a potent mix of talent, athleticism, experience and impact freshmen. Four of five starters are back.

2008 Louisville Cardinals Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:23 -0500

Rick Pitino won a national championship during the seventh season of his eight-year run at the University of Kentucky. Believe it or not, Pitino will coach his eighth team at the University of Louisville this season. And Pitino says that this group has the ability to be as good as any team he’s coached at Louisville.

2008 UCLA Bruins Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:22 -0500

UCLA had two players taken among the top five picks of the NBA Draft and lost a three-year starter in the second round. Time to rebuild? Never. Not these Bruins. An exceptional recruiting class and the proven defensive philosophy of coach Ben Howland mean a fourth successive trip to the Final Four is possible.

2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:21 -0500

The days of Notre Dame sneaking up on the Big East frontrunners are over. Two years ago, with the Irish projected to finish in the bottom third of the league, Notre Dame went 24–8 overall and landed in the No. 4 spot in the conference. Last year, expected to finish in the bottom half of the Big East, the Irish went 25–8 overall and tied for second in the conference. Sorry, Notre Dame, no more sneak attacks.

2008 Texas Longhorns Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:20 -0500

After watching LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Durant go No. 2 overall in back-to-back NBA Drafts, Texas became the only school in the nation with a top 10 pick each of the last three years when sophomore point guard D.J. Augustin was selected No. 9 by the Charlotte Bobcats. While that is a source of pride for Longhorn fans and nice for coach Rick Barnes’ résumé, where does that leave Texas heading into this season?

2008 Pittsburgh Panthers Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:19 -0500

Sam Young, Levance Fields and DeJuan Blair carried the Panthers to a Big East Tournament title last season, and the hopes are even higher in 2008-09.

2008 Gonzaga Bulldogs Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:18 -0500

Jeremy Pargo’s return means the Zags are loaded once again, with an experienced player — several, in some cases — at every position. Bottom line: Gonzaga is primed to continue its dominance of the West Coast Conference.

2008 Purdue Boilermakers Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:17 -0500

Matt Painter knows his team will get plenty of attention. He realizes many prognosticators will not only pick the Boilermakers to compete for a Big Ten championship but also rank them among the nation’s elite. But they must maintain the motivation and work ethic that contributed to the meteoric rise last season and not wilt under the pressure of expectations. And with master motivator Painter at the helm, there’s little reason to believe the group will have trouble staying focused.

2008 Oklahoma Sooners Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:16 -0500

The Sooners need the new faces to blend in and contribute, which is never a given. But if the chemistry is right, OU should challenge Texas and Kansas for Big 12 supremacy and charge deep in the NCAA Tournament.

2008 Tennessee Volunteers Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:15 -0500

Bruce Pearl understands why some wouldn’t expect the Volunteers to repeat as SEC regular-season champions. Five of the top 10 players from a rotation that had a school-record 31 wins and attained the school’s first-ever No. 1 ranking have moved on. Still, Pearl is smiling.

2008 Duke Blue Devils Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:14 -0500

The key for Duke is to be a very good team in March. For the second straight season, the Blue Devils stumbled after a strong start. The poor finish overshadowed a season of improvement. This year, Coach K's team will be chasing rival UNC for ACC supremacy.

2008 Memphis Tigers Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:13 -0500

Despite losing three starters, John Calipari believes his program can sustain success from year to year through depth and recruiting. On both fronts, the Tigers remain elite, but their roster still has question marks. Without Derrick Rose Chris Douglas-Roberts, the Tigers enter the season without a clear-cut point guard or proven go-to scorer. After losing powerful forward Joey Dorsey, rebounding and interior defense are suddenly major issues.

2008 Michigan State Spartans Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:12 -0500

The Spartans will have nice offensive options inside and out, a point guard to push the pace, depth to maintain the pace, and a coach who will demand quality defense in the halfcourt. This should be the best we’ve seen Michigan State since the 2005 Final Four team, with a shot to equal that squad’s accomplishments if Tom Izzo gets the hunger he’s looking for from several talented individuals.

2008 Miami Hurricanes Hoops Preview

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:11 -0500

Miami is coming off one of the best seasons in school history and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2002, but there’s an inclination to view the Hurricanes’ dramatic turnaround as a fluke. Those critics may want to reconsider. The Hurricanes appear well-stocked to flex their muscles near the top of the ACC standings again.