This could finally be the year that notoriously tempestuous Rashad McCants leads Tar Heel Nation to the NCAA title. North Carolina is paced by a strong junior class that includes McCants and fellow teammates Sean May and Raymond Felton -- all of whom have talent and experience -- thus prompting Sports Illustrated to elect the Tar Heels as its preseason No. 1.

To check out North Carolina's scouting report -- and the rest of SI's Top 20 -- click on any of the links below. Within each preview, you'll find speed ratings that take into account a squad's personnel and how vigorously its coach employs the running game.

Let the season begin ...

THE TOP 20
1		North Carolina	11		Duke
2		Oklahoma State	12		Louisville
3		Wake Forest	13		Pitt
4		Kansas	14		Michigan State
5		Georgia Tech	15		Arizona
6		Syracuse	16		Mississippi State
7		Connecticut	17		Washington
8		Kentucky	18		Texas
9		Illinois	19		Charlotte
10		Maryland	20		Alabama
Best of the Rest

Issue date: November 22, 2004