Here is my Top 25 to end the regular season and conference tournaments.
1. Illinois - I dont think that they will win the National Title, but right now their record speaks for itself so right now I have to say they are the best.
2. Duke - I have no choice but to put them here, they won the ACC by far the toughest conference, like Illinois I dont think they will win it all, but theyre here for now.
3. North Carolina- Now heres your team, no team can truly stop them. The lowest amount of points they scored this season was 66 in a game they obviously werent focused on against Santa Clara, theyve scored 100 points or more 6 times this season. If Illinois, Duke, or Wake hope to beat them they will have to outscore them. Duke and Wake have both done it already but that was with homefield advantage, Georgia Tech did it too, but you cant convince me the Tar Heels cared about that game.
4. Wake Forest- Despite my pick for the Tar Heels, if they are a #1 seed, then Wake Forest should be too. On paper they are almost exactly the same.
5. Syracuse - Why arent they a #2 seed? They decisively won the second best conference in the nation.
6. Louisville - They are an excellent team, so they better not complain about their seeding (although I disagree too) or they might find themselves losing faster than anticipated.
7. Washington - I think they are an excellent team, but I dont think they are good enough for a #1 seed.
8. Oklahoma State- Once again a force to be reckoned with, but they should have beaten us a little worse if they were a Final Four contender again.
9. UConn - The champs are looking strong again, but they have almost no shot at winning it again.
10. Arizona - Arizona is another good team but Washington proved they arent in it for the long haul.
11. Florida- Now than Florida has the monkey off their back they are ready to win some tourney games.
12. Texas Tech- Most people probably think Im out of my mind, but Oklahoma State is a good ball club and we took them down to the wire. We will be playing UCLA and Gonzaga which I think are two easy wins, then Wake Forest if we win that, all the sudden were in the elite 8, but sweet 16 is more likely.
13. Kansas - Clearly not as good as everyone figured but still a contender.
14. Wisconsin - I smell a sleeper. They will probably meet Kansas in the second round and I wouldnt rule an upset out.
15. Oklahoma - They needed the momentum from a championship in the Big 12 Conference and they fell short thats gotta hurt em.
16. Gonzaga - They really need to be moved into a bigger conference so we can see how good they really are, as of now they are the X Factor, a real test will come to them in the second round against yours truly.
17. Georgia Tech - What a run in the ACC Tournament! Heres another sleeper, I think that they have a great oppurtunity to make the Final Four.
18. Iowa - Wow! That was a pretty good way to go into the tournament.
19. Michigan State - Michigan State could be a team that has a long run, unfortunately for them they have Syracuse in the second round.
20. Pitt - Another protential sleeper. They have overrated Pacific, then overrated Washington then they will play Louisville or Georgia Tech then us or Wake Forest. I wouldnt rule them out for the Final Four.
21. New Mexico - A very impressive win over Utah, I could see them getting as far as the Sweet 16 as yet another sleeper.
22. Alabama - They will have Boston College in the second round, and in the Sweet 16 probably Illinois. I wouldnt rule out another shocking tourney upset by the Tide.
23. LSU - Nearly knocked off Kentucky in the Semis if that would have happened, they might have even beaten Florida.
24. West Virginia - They had some good upsets in the Big East but Wake Forest will embarass them in the NCAAs.
25. NC State - The wolf pack is on a roll and may be dangerous in the Tournament.
Mentionable
Boston College - How disappointing. If they played this way all season long they wouldnt even have been in the tournament. I wouldnt rule out a first round upset against Penn.
