1
MEMPHIS
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. UCLA
Bad loss: At UAB
The Tigers were third in the nation in scoring (82.3) and second in margin of victory (15.0). They also led their conference in blocks and steals.
Top players
Sr. Rodney Carney, 17.5 PPG
So. D. Washington Jr., 13.5 PPG
16
ORAL ROBERTS
MID-CONTINENT CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. Southern Cal
Bad loss: At Western Ill.
The Golden Eagles are balanced, with three players each capable of leading the team in scoring during any given game.
Top players
Jr. Caleb Green, 20.8 PPG
Sr. Larry Owens, 13.7 PPG
4
KANSAS
BIG 12 CHAMPION
Good win: At Texas
Bad loss: Vs. Kansas St.
Brandon Rush is among three freshmen who made the Jayhawks a major surprise in the Big 12. They have lost only once in the past two months.
Top players
Fr. Brandon Rush, 13.6 PPG
Fr. Mario Chalmers, 11.3 PPG
13
BRADLEY
AT-LARGE, MISSOURI VALLEY
Good win: Vs. Southern Ill.
Bad loss: At Drake
The Braves upset top seed Wichita State in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament but fell to eventual champion Southern Illinois.
Top players
Sr. Marcellus Sommerville, 15.4 PPG
So. Patrick O’Bryant, 13.2 PPG
8
ARKANSAS
AT-LARGE BID, SEC
Good win: At Tennessee
Bad loss: At Ole Miss
The Razorbacks had a six-game winning streak before losing to Florida in the SEC quarterfinal. Ronnie Brewer was among the league’s scoring leaders.
Top players
Jr. Ronnie Brewer, 18.5 PPG
Sr. Jonathan Modica, 16.0 PPG
9
BUCKNELL
PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPION
Good win: At Syracuse
Bad loss: At Santa Clara
After upsetting Kansas in the first round of last season’s tournament, the Bison are not sneaking up on anybody.
Top players
Sr. Charles Lee, 12.9 PPG
Sr. Kevin Bettencourt, 12.6 PPG
5
PITTSBURGH
AT-LARGE, BIG EAST
Good win: At West Virginia
Bad loss: At St. John’s
Carl Krauser is the mature leader so important in late, close games. But the Panthers have struggled on the road and tired late in their last two games.
Top players
Sr. Carl Krauser, 14.8 PPG
Jr. Aaron Gray, 13.6 PPG
12
KENT ST.
MID-AMERICAN CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. Toledo
Bad loss: At Akron
The Golden Flashes will not be afraid to bang bodies down low and have a steady point guard in DeAndre Haynes and a proven scorer in Jay Youngblood.
Top players
Sr. Jay Youngblood, 14.7 PPG
Sr. DeAndre Haynes, 13.2 PPG
2
UCLA
PAC-10 CHAMPION
Good win: At Arizona
Bad loss: At Southern Cal
The backcourt is one of the best in the country, and the Bruins’ emphasis on defense has kept them from suffering any double-digit losses.
Top players
So. Arron Afflalo, 16.6 PPG
So. Jordan Farmar, 13.6 PPG
15 BELMONT
ATLANTIC SUN CHAMPION
Good win: At Lipscomb
Bad loss: At Kennesaw St.
The Bruins are one of the best shooting teams in the tournament, ranking fourth nationally in field-goal percentage (50.0).
Top players
So. Justin Hare, 15.8 PPG
Jr. Boomer Herndon, 14.9 PPG
3
GONZAGA
WEST COAST CHAMPION
Good win: At Michigan St.
Bad loss: None
Near upsets in the WCC tourney make prospects of a deep run appear shaky for the offensive-minded Bulldogs.
Top players
Jr. Adam Morrison, 28.4 PPG
Sr. J.P. Batista, 19.3 PPG
14
XAVIER
ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. Cincinnati
Bad loss: At Dayton
The Musketeers lost their leading scorer and rebounder, Brian Thornton, to a broken ankle. But they have gone 7-3 without him.
Top players
So. Stanley Burrell, 14.1 PPG
Jr. Justin Doellman, 11.0 PPG
7
MARQUETTE
AT-LARGE, BIG EAST
Good win: Vs. Connecticut
Bad loss: At Nebraska
The Golden Eagles mix up defenses and were a surprise No. 4 finisher in the Big East. Three freshmen have accounted for 62 percent of the team’s steals.
Top players
Sr. Steve Novak, 17.5 PPG
Fr. Dominic James, 15.1 PPG
10
ALABAMA
AT-LARGE, SEC
Good win: Vs. Tennessee
Bad loss: Vs. Ole Miss
Not only did the Tide lose its last two games, but it also lost the team’s leading scorer, senior Chuck Davis (15.3 PPG), to injury in January.
Top players
Jr. Jermareo Davidson, 14.1 PPG
So. Ronald Steele, 13.8 PPG
6
INDIANA
AT-LARGE, BIG TEN
Good win: Vs. Ohio St.
Bad loss: At Penn St.
Coach Mike Davis announced his resignation with two weeks left in the regular season, but stayed on to see his team finish strong.
Top players
Sr. Marco Killingsworth, 17.3 PPG
So. Robert Vaden, 13.1 PPG
11
SAN DIEGO ST.
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPION
Good win: Vs. Air Force
Bad loss: At San Diego
The Aztecs set a school record for victories, but were considered a bubble team until winning the Mountain West tourney in overtime.
Top players
So. Brandon Heath, 18.5 PPG
So. Marcus Slaughter, 16.6 PPG
