1
DUKE
ATLANTIC COAST CHAMPION
Good win: At Texas
Bad loss: At Florida St.
The Blue Devils led the conference in scoring, free-throw percentage, shooting percentage and 3-point shooting percentage.
Top players
Sr. JJ Redick, 27.4 PPG
Sr. Shelden Williams, 18.4 PPG
16
SOUTHERN
SOUTHWESTERN CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. Grambling
Bad loss: At Sacramento St.
Cipriano came up big in the conference tourney final, scoring 21 points to give the Jaguars their first conference title in 13 years.
Top players
Sr. Chris Alexander, 15.8 PPG
Sr. Peter Cipriano, 10.1 PPG, 8.6 RPG
4
LSU
AT-LARGE, SEC
Good win: At West Virginia
Bad loss: Vs. Houston
Davis–at 6-9, 310 pounds –was the SEC player of the year. Freshman Tyrus Thomas missed the SEC Tournament because of a sprained ankle.
Top players
So. Glen Davis, 18.5 PPG, 9.9 RPG
Sr. Darrel Mitchell, 17.3 PPG
13
IONA
METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC CHAMPION
Good win: At Iowa St.
Bad loss: Vs. St. Peter’s
Burtt is the second leading scorer in the school’s history, trailing only his father. Senior guard Marvin McCullough keeps the team together.
Top players
Sr. Steve Burtt, 25.2 PPG
Sr. Ricky Soliver, 16.2 PPG
8
GEO. WASH.
AT-LARGE, ATLANTIC 10
Good win: At lipscomb
Bad loss: Vs. Temple
Mensah-Bonsu–out since Feb. 22–is expected back for the tournament. Lost to N.C. State, the only team it played that is currently in the top 25.
Top players
Sr. Pops Mensah-Bonsu, 13.1 PPG
Jr. Danilo Pinnock, 14.9 PPG
9
UNC-WILM.
COLONIAL ATHLETIC CHAMPION
Good win: At Wyoming
Bad loss: At Colorado
Under fourth-year coach Brad Brownell, Wilmington is known for its defense, limiting opponents to 59 PPG.
Top players
Jr. T.J. Carter, 13.3 PPG
Sr. John Goldsberry, 11.2 PPG
5
SYRACUSE
BIG EAST CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. Connecticut
Bad loss: At DePaul
McNamara has struggled with his 3-point shooting despite an MVP performance in the Big East Tournament.
Top players
Sr. Gerry McNamara, 16.4 PPG
Jr. Terrence Roberts, 7.6 RPG
12
TEXAS A&M
AT-LARGE, BIG 12
Good win: Vs. Texas
Bad loss: At Kansas St.
Record was padded by a non-conference schedule that included six teams with RPIs below 200. This year marks the first 20-victory season since 1980.
Top players
Jr. Acie Law, 15.9 PPG
So. Joseph Jones, 15.8 PPG
2
TEXAS
AT-LARGE, BIG 12
Good win: Vs. Villanova
Bad loss: At Oklahoma St.
Went 6-2 against top 25 teams with victories over top-five teams Villanova and Memphis but suffered blowout losses to Duke and Tennessee.
Top players
Jr. P.J. Tucker, 16.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG
So. LaMarcus Aldridge, 15.3 PPG
15
PENN
IVY LEAGUE CHAMPION
Good win: At Hawaii
Bad loss: At Princeton
Quakers knows how to take care of the ball. Penn had 374 turnovers this season; their opponents had 505.
Top players
Sr. Ibrahim Jaaber (the name as published has been corrected in this text), 18.4 PPG
Jr. Mark Zoller, 12.7 PPG
3
IOWA
BIG TEN CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. Ohio State
Bad loss: At Northwestern
Allowed only 58.8 points a game during the regular season–the fewest points allowed by an Iowa team since 1984-1985.
Top players
Sr. Greg Brunner, 14.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG
Jr. Adam Haluska 13.7 ppg
14
NORTHWEST. ST.
SOUTHLAND CHAMPION
Good win: At Oklahoma St.
Bad loss: At Missouri
Demons won 15 of last 16 games to earn a bid to the tourney for the first time in five years. Only one player is scoring in double figures.
Top players
Sr. Clifton Lee, 13.9 PPG
Sr. Tyronn Mitchell, 5.0 APG
7
CALIFORNIA
AT-LARGE, PAC-10
Good win: At UCLA
Bad loss: Vs. Arizona St.
Powe and 6-11 DeVon Hardin give the Golden Bears one of the best front lines in the nation. Guards Richard Midgley and Ubaka are prolific 3-point scorers.
Top players
So. Leon Powe, 20.7 PPG, 10 RPG
Jr. Ayinde Ubaka, 14.8 PPG
10
N.C. STATE
AT-LARGE, ACC
Good win: At Boston Col.
Bad loss: Vs. Seton Hall
The Wolfpack is winning with defense. It led the ACC in nearly every defensive statistical category; Engin Atsur is 10th in the nation in steals.
Top players
Sr. Cameron Bennerman, 13.9 PPG
So. Cedric Simmons, 11.8 PPG
6
WEST VIRGINIA
AT-LARGE, BIG EAST
Good win: At Villanova
Bad loss: At Marshall
Pittsnogle and Gansey are both shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range. Mountaineers run backdoor cuts to perfection.
Top players
Sr. Kevin Pittsnogle, 19.5 PPG
Sr. Mike Gansey, 17.2 PPG
11
S. ILLINOIS
AT-LARGE, MISSOURI VALLEY
Good win: Vs. Bradley
Bad loss: Vs. Indiana St.
Falker was the MVC Tournament MVP after scoring 17 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in the championship game against Bradley.
Top players
Jr. Jamal Tatum, 15.1 PPG
So. Randal Falker, 9.1 PPG, 8 RPG
