| 1 |
North Carolina* |
ACC |
31-2 |
8-1 |
2 |
3 |
Carolina’s extraordinary offensive abilities cast a shadow over its often erratic defense – No. 1 nationally in offensive
efficiency, but No. 24 in defensive efficiency |
1 |
| 2 |
Memphis |
C-USA |
33-1 |
6-1 |
3 |
25 |
Incredibly athletic Tigers Conquered-USA notching a 19-0 record and 20.2 margin of victory in conference games; No. 3 in the
nation in defensive efficiency |
2 |
| 3 |
UCLA |
Pac-10 |
31-3 |
11-2 |
4 |
14 |
Balanced Bruins ripped off 10 straight victories to capture their third-consecutive Pac-10 crown; one of two teams to rank in the
top five in offensive and defensive efficiency |
3 |
| 4 |
Kansas* |
Big 12 |
30-3 |
7-2 |
7 |
59 |
Ridicuously well-rounded Jayhawks reaching their zenith at the right time on both sides of the ball – in top 2 in the
nation in both offensive and defensive efficiency |
6 |
|
| 5 |
Tennessee |
SEC |
29-4 |
11-3 |
1 |
1 |
Fleet-footed Volunteers were challenged incessently throughout the season – 11-2 in games decided by five points or less; boast
11th-best offensive efficiency rating |
4 |
| 6 |
Texas |
Big 12 |
28-5 |
11-3 |
5 |
5 |
The Longhorns, who beat Tennessee and UCLA earlier this season, enter the tournament at their peak defensive intensity – Bevo has
yielded 0.98 pts/poss in its past 13 games |
5 |
| 7 |
Georgetown |
BEast |
27-5 |
6-4 |
8 |
31 |
The Hoyas a group of mean junkyard dogs defensively – Roy Hibbert and company rank No. 1 nationally in field-goal percentage
defense |
8 |
| 8 |
Duke |
ACC |
27-5 |
7-4 |
6 |
8 |
Bedeviled by its declining defense and lack of an interior presence, Duke dropped four of its final nine games, yielding an
average points/possession mark of 1.08 in those defeats |
7 |
|
| 9 |
Wisconsin* |
Big 10 |
28-4 |
6-4 |
11 |
61 |
Sloth of polar bears – Butch, Krabbenhoft, Stiemsma, Leuer – voraciously devoured Big 10 opponents with suffocating defense –
Badgers No. 1 nationally in defensive efficiency |
9 |
| 10 |
Xavier |
A-10 |
27-6 |
9-4 |
9 |
23 |
One for all, all for one – Well-oiled Musketeers the epitome of offensive equity, showcasing six players that average 10.0 points
or more per game |
10 |
| 11 |
Louisville |
BEast |
24-8 |
7-6 |
13 |
6 |
Cards finished on a sour note, losing two straight, but their bench depth, length and defensive stalwartness are extraordinary
attributes – 5th nationally in defensive efficiency |
11 |
| 12 |
Stanford |
Pac-10 |
26-7 |
7-4 |
14 |
56 |
Stanford’s twin towers, Brook and Robin Lopez, a defensive cog in the lane, limiting opponents to 41.7% from inside the arc, the
7th-best mark in the nation |
12 |
|
| 13 |
Connecticut |
BEast |
24-8 |
6-5 |
18 |
35 |
Huskies mush into March Madness winning 13 of their final 16 games largely due to sparkling play of Hasheem Thabeet; UConn ranks
2nd in 2-pt FG% D and 1st in block% nationally |
13 |
| 14 |
Drake |
MVC |
28-4 |
7-1 |
10 |
68 |
Although the loveable Cinderella is dancing for the first time in 37 years, the Bulldogs’ Duke-esque spread offense
tough to defend – 5th-most efficient offense nationally |
17 |
| 15 |
Notre Dame |
BEast |
24-7 |
5-6 |
27 |
81 |
Boasting three starters that average 12-plus ppg, including BEAST POY Luke Harangody, the Irish are destined to reach the Sweet
16 pot of gold for the first time since 2003 |
15 |
| 16 |
Vanderbilt |
SEC |
26-7 |
4-4 |
12 |
40 |
Vandy’s dandy inside-outside tandem of A.J. Ogilvy and Shan Foster almost indestructable, but the Commodores 77th-ranked
defensive efficiency a major flaw |
14 |
|
| 17 |
Purdue |
Big 10 |
24-8 |
5-4 |
44 |
113 |
Baby Boilers’ blanketing man-to-man defense plays like a group of grizzled veterans more than a bunch of fearful freshmen; 14th
nationally in defensive efficiency |
16 |
| 18 |
Pittsburgh |
BEast |
26-9 |
6-6 |
15 |
19 |
Healthy return of hard-nosed point guard Levance Fields helped spark Pittsburgh to win seven of its final eight games;
12th in the nation in offensive efficiency |
26 |
| 19 |
Washington St. |
Pac-10 |
24-8 |
4-7 |
21 |
46 |
Wazzu surprisingly effective from baseline-to-baseline – one of six tournament teams that ranks in the top 20 in offensive and
defensive efficiency |
18 |
| 20 |
Michigan St. |
Big 10 |
25-8 |
6-6 |
16 |
42 |
Plagued by sloppy handles, the Spartans were hardly “300” warriors in their final 12 contests, posting a mediocre 6-6 record –
166th nationally in offensive turnover percentage |
21 |
|
| 21 |
Butler |
Horz |
29-3 |
1-1 |
17 |
128 |
Seasoned and savvy, Butler, led by dynamic backcourt duo A.J. Graves and Mike Green, is hardly a middling mid-major – 25th most
efficienct offense nationally |
19 |
| 22 |
Marquette |
BEast |
24-9 |
4-8 |
20 |
21 |
Tom Crean’s Golden Eagles may lack interior size, but his aggressive guard-oriented lineup is superb defensively – 7th-most
efficient defense in the country |
22 |
| 23 |
Clemson |
ACC |
24-8 |
4-5 |
19 |
32 |
Clemson laced up its dancing shoes for the first time since 1998 primarily due to the depth and prolific play of its frontline –
7th in the nation in offensive rebound percentage |
24 |
| 24 |
Indiana |
Big 10 |
25-7 |
5-5 |
23 |
58 |
D.J. White and Eric Gordon are one of the nation’s most daunting inside-outside combos, but IU’s flimsy defense down the stretch
disconcerting – 1.12 pts/poss yielded in final six games |
20 |
|
| 25 |
USC |
Pac-10 |
21-11 |
4-8 |
30 |
10 |
Trojans, led by dynamite freshman O.J. Mayo (20.8 ppg), have driven short swords into opponent’s torsos on defense – 12th-most
efficienct defense in D1 |
25 |
| 26 |
BYU |
MWC |
27-7 |
2-4 |
25 |
97 |
Since January 19, the Cougars have posted a 15-2 record, mauling their prey with a swarming defense – 13th-most
efficient defense in the country |
23 |
| 27 |
Gonzaga |
WCC |
25-7 |
4-5 |
31 |
93 |
Zags upended by hot-handed San Diego in the WCC championship, but have abundant depth, athleticism and tourney experience to
advance to Sweet 16 |
28 |
| 28 |
Oklahoma |
Big 12 |
22-11 |
6-8 |
29 |
13 |
Battered and bruised Sooners are a nails-tough team (20th in D efficiency nationally), but lingering injuries to Longar Longar
and Blake Griffin could be enflamed by the tourney grind |
27 |
|
| 29 |
West Virginia |
BEast |
24-10 |
3-8 |
28 |
45 |
Alexander the Great – one-man army Joe Alexander conquered BEAST opponents in the Mountaineers’ final six games, averaging 26.8
ppg |
29 |
| 30 |
Kent St. |
MAC |
28-6 |
2-2 |
22 |
111 |
The daddies of the MAC are a potentially lethal Cinderella because of their ability to generate abundant turnovers in the
half-court – 17th nationally in defensive turnover percentage |
30 |
| 31 |
Arkansas* |
SEC |
22-10 |
6-4 |
26 |
20 |
Hog wild SEC tournament run has the defensively crafty Razorbacks peaking – 29th-most efficient defense makes them a
very dangerous squad |
38 |
| 32 |
UNLV |
MWC |
26-7 |
2-3 |
24 |
63 |
For the second straight season UNLV reached the Mountain West summit by stymieing adversaries from the arc – 7th
nationally in 3-point FG% defense |
41 |
|
| 33 |
Mississippi St. |
SEC |
22-10 |
2-7 |
40 |
57 |
The Bulldogs, led by paint prowler Jarvis Varnado, pack a vicious bite defensively – 2nd in the country in 2-point FG% defense
and 1st in blocks percentage |
31 |
| 34 |
Texas A&M |
Big 12 |
24-10 |
5-7 |
41 |
51 |
Enigmatic, yet talented, Aggies shuffle onto the dance floor losing six of their final 10 – averaged an atrocious 0.89
points/possession in those setbacks |
37 |
| 35 |
Miami (Fl.) |
ACC |
22-10 |
3-3 |
34 |
41 |
Hurricanes increased their strength over warm, winning waters, posting a 7-3 record in their final 10 contests –
guard Jack McClinton 19.5 ppg, 3.3 made threes/game over that span |
32 |
| 36 |
Kentucky |
SEC |
18-12 |
4-6 |
57 |
22 |
At one point 7-9 in mid-January, Kentucky’s unthinkable 11-3 record over the final two months of the season proves that Billy
ball is alive and well – rank 17th in 2-pt FG% D nationally |
33 |
|
| 37 |
St. Mary’s |
WCC |
25-6 |
2-3 |
36 |
136 |
Commanded by Aussie floor general Patty Mills, Gaels are a robust, athletic bunch who play tenacious perimeter D –
rank 9th nationally in 3-point FG% defense |
34 |
| 38 |
South Alabama |
SBelt |
26-6 |
3-2 |
37 |
124 |
Triple trouble – Jags’ pesky three-guard lineup led by Demetric Bennett (20.1 ppg, 41.1 3-pt FG%) reminiscent of VCU, who beat
Duke in the tourney, from ‘07 |
36 |
| 39 |
Kansas St. |
Big 12 |
20-11 |
3-6 |
50 |
33 |
Cats came unglued defensively in last seven contests, conceding 1.11 points/possession per game; without suitable
guards to support Michael Beasley, this team is vulnerable |
35 |
| 40 |
Davidson |
SoCon |
26-6 |
0-3 |
35 |
129 |
Indestructable Davidson – Cats enter the tourney, their third straight apperance, with nation’s longest win streak at 23 games; G
Stephen Curry 25.1 ppg |
39 |
|
| 41 |
Baylor |
Big 12 |
21-10 |
3-8 |
42 |
47 |
Despite humiliating loss to Colorado in the Big 12 tourney, the Bears are doing the NCAA running man for the first time since
1988; 13th-most efficient offense in the country |
40 |
| 42 |
St. Joe’s |
A-10 |
21-12 |
5-6 |
45 |
53 |
The Hawks brandish their talons offensively, ranking 26th in the counrty in offensive efficiency; 6-foot-10 swingman
Pat Calathes 19 games of 15-plus points and 7-plus rebounds this year |
46 |
| 43 |
Illinois St. |
MVC |
24-9 |
2-5 |
33 |
73 |
Osiris Eldridge and company were destroyed by Drake in the MVC tourney finale, but the Redbirds are a respectable defensive team
– 41st in the nation in D efficiency |
42 |
| 44 |
Arizona St. |
Pac-10 |
19-12 |
5-7 |
83 |
77 |
Sparky at-large nomination no malarkey despite .500 record in ultra-competitive Pac-10 and controversial loss to USC; Devils 12th
in 2-point FG% in Division I |
43 |
|
| 45 |
Temple |
A-10 |
21-12 |
4-4 |
48 |
50 |
Once nocturnal Owls fround the NCAA daylight winning seven straight games to close out the season; Dionte Christmas 18
games of 20-plus points this season |
– |
| 46 |
VCU |
CAA |
24-7 |
0-2 |
54 |
160 |
First round ‘07 NCAA tourney hero Eric Maynor and his corhorts hope to again slip into Cinderella’s slipper using stiff perimeter
defense – Rams No. 1 in 3-point FG% defense |
45 |
| 47 |
Arizona |
Pac-10 |
19-14 |
5-8 |
38 |
2 |
Losers in eight of their final 12 games, ‘Zona barely extends tourney appearances streak to 24; 49th nationally in defensive
efficiency suggests an early exit |
47 |
| 48 |
George Mason |
CAA |
23-10 |
2-1 |
61 |
126 |
America’s favorite Goliath slayer back in the Dance after CAA tourney triumph; Thomas (15.1 ppg, 10.5 rpg)-Campbell (15.9 ppg)
key members from ‘06 Final Four team |
48 |
|
| 49 |
Western Kentucky |
SBelt |
27-6 |
0-4 |
39 |
141 |
The towel-twirling Hilltoppers victorious in final 17 of 18 games; Sun Belt POY Courtney Lee a viable NBA prospect – 18 games of
20-plus points this year |
49 |
| 50 |
San Diego |
WCC |
21-13 |
3-6 |
94 |
100 |
Toreros drove swords into the backs of St. Mary’s and Gonzaga to net third NCAA berth in school history; F Gyno Pomare 36 pts, 22
rebs in last two games |
50 |
| 51 |
Boise St. |
WAC |
25-8 |
1-1 |
87 |
196 |
Broncos bucked favorite New Mexico St to capture their first dancing bid since ‘94; senior forward Matt Nelson has
converted a searing 65% of his shots |
– |
| 52 |
Oral Roberts |
Sum |
24-8 |
0-4 |
52 |
156 |
Golden Eagles roost on the Summit’s apex – punched ticket for third straight NCAA appearance with win over IUPUI; Moses Ehambe 15
made 3s in last two |
53 |
|
| 53 |
Siena |
Metro |
22-10 |
1-2 |
66 |
120 |
Sure-handed Saints, who rank 4th in the nation in offensive turnover percentage, are a dangerous low seed – upended Brook
Lopez-less Stanford team on Nov. 17 |
56 |
| 54 |
Cornell |
Ivy |
22-5 |
0-1 |
65 |
265 |
The last time Big Red went dancing parachute pants were en vogue – Cornell clinched first Ivy championship and NCAA berth since
1988 |
54 |
| 55 |
CSU Fullerton |
BWest |
24-8 |
0-2 |
79 |
198 |
Fullerton, the Big West representative, a highly effective team of slippery key contributors – 22nd in the nation in
effective field-goal percentage |
– |
| 56 |
Winthrop |
BSth |
22-11 |
1-4 |
107 |
178 |
Experienced Eagles nesting in familiar tournament territory for the eighth time in 10 years; 25th in the country in adjusted
defensive efficiency |
57 |
|
| 57 |
Belmont |
A-Sun |
25-8 |
0-1 |
78 |
229 |
Bruins are the superstars of the Atlantic Sun for the third straight season largely due to barrage of 3-point shots – 7th
nationally in 3-point attempts per game |
58 |
| 58 |
Austin Peay |
OVC |
24-10 |
0-2 |
85 |
206 |
Matching its most wins since ‘76-77, the Governors didn’t issue any pardons to OVC opponents, especially on defense – No. 1
nationally in steals percentage |
59 |
| 59 |
American |
Pat |
21-11 |
0-2 |
91 |
158 |
Red, white and wahoo – Eagles soar into the NCAA tournament for the first time since joining Division I in 1967; 3rd in the
country in 3-point FG% (41.2) |
60 |
| 60 |
Portland St. |
BSky |
23-9 |
0-2 |
90 |
226 |
Carried by their prolific 3-point shooting (15th nationally in 3-pt FG%), the Vikes crossed the Big Sky tourney fjord unscathed
and into the dance for the 1st time in school history |
61 |
|
| 61 |
UMBC |
AmEst |
24-8 |
0-2 |
88 |
264 |
The Retrievers fetched the NCAA tourney roundball for the first time in school history; boast the 2nd-best offensive turnover
percentage in the country |
62 |
| 62 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
NEC |
18-14 |
0-1 |
159 |
203 |
The Mount reached the NEC tourney zenith for the first time since 1999, riding the searing hand of forward Kelly Beidler – 15.0
ppg, 6.0 rpg, 61.9 FG% in last 3 |
64 |
| 63 |
Northwestern St.* |
Sthlnd |
15-17 |
0-2 |
188 |
175 |
Despite a below .500 overall record, the Screamin’ Demons roared through the Southland tourney, burning the nets for
an average of 1.10 pts/poss per contest |
– |
| 64 |
Mississippi Valley St. |
SWAC |
17-15 |
0-5 |
229 |
315 |
Jerry Rice-U, which started the season 0-8, remarkably won its final nine games to qualify for the tournament for the
first time since 1996 |
– |
| 65 |
Coppin St. |
MEAC |
16-20 |
0-6 |
227 |
259 |
On February 2, the Eagles sported an appalling 4-19 record, but miracuously emerged victorious in 12 of their final 13
games to earn an auto-bid for the first time since 1997 |
– |
|
