The New York Yankees of our tournament. Roy Williams can't draw up enough X's and O's to maximize the skills of a Raymond Felton–Smith backcourt, a Howard–Sean May–Rashad McCants frontcourt and a bench including current starters Jackie Manuel and Jawad Williams and superfreshman Marvin Williams, who could go first overall in the 2005 draft.

Monty makes the smart decision and stays at the Farm, Childress continues to light up the Pac-10 and a Cardinal team that won 26 in a row and 29 of 30 in the 2003-04 regular season makes it back into the Dance, albeit with a slightly less impressive record after losing three of its top five scorers from '04 to graduation.

Brown, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, would enter his senior year as one of the best players in the country, and David Lee would no longer have to be the main man inside. Drejer's presence would create better looks for perimeter aces Anthony Roberson and Matt Walsh.

John Calipari must have this dream nine nights out of 10. With Perkins and Stoudemire holding down the fort inside and flashy freshman Darius Washington Jr. manning the point, Wagner and Rodney Carney could shoot, shoot, shoot all day long. Who needs passing anyway, right?

The current Orange is an on-the-verge-of-greatness team in need of another scorer. With 'Melo back in the mix, Gerry McNamara would no longer feel the "big-shot" pressure, Hakim Warrick would get help on the boards and Josh Pace would get better matchups, allowing him to sneak up on people as he did during the '03 title run. Oh, and Anthony's .780 NBA free-throw percentage helps 'Cuse's woeful .664 mark.

We know what you're thinking: Ohio State is not eligible for the postseason. But peep this: Were LeBron playing for his State U., chances are the Buckeyes wouldn't have been so quick to self-impose a one-year postseason ban -- not with a suddenly revived program featuring the best player in the country.

Lute Olsen's already has a top-notch backcourt in Mustafa Shakur and Salim Stoudamire, but putting Ebi (lost on the T'wolves' bench in Minnesota) and Iguodala (a legit starter in Philly) alongside Channing Frye lends some serious balance.

One of the top 10 teams in the country shores up two weaknesses with a true point guard in Livingston and the toughness and versatility of Deng. Team this duo with Daniel Ewing, J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams, and Coach K doesn't even entertain NBA inquiries.

Who needs any more big-name players when your current team -- including unselfish starters James Augustine, Dee Brown, Luther Head, Roger Powell and Deron Williams -- can set a record with 38 victories if it wins the NCAA tournament?

We're giving props to Tubby Smith's crew -- with no surprise faces -- because it has two game-plan-changing big men (Shagari Alleyene and Randolph Morris) and two threats from the point (Rajon Rondo and Patrick Sparks), plus athletic scorer Kelenna Azubuike, do-it-all tough guy Chuck Hayes and a serviceable bench.

A decent team borders on greatness with the additions of Curry and Wright. Current starters Drake Diener, Quemont Greer and Sammy Mejia would serve as capable role players, while Curry would dominate inside and Wright would do his Tracy McGrady thing outside.

This is our biggest shocker: Back in 2001, when Parker was rumored to be heading to UCLA, you probably hadn't heard of him. Now, of course, he's one of the top young point guards in the NBA. Imagine his teaming with Chandler to give a resurgent Bruins the best point guard–center combo to hit Los Angeles since Magic and Kareem. (Ariza would play the role of James Worthy.)

Marcus Williams has emerged as a steady point guard; Josh Boone is being discussed as a possible lottery pick; Charlie Villaneuva finally has found his inner big man. Add shooters Rashad Anderson and Rudy Gay and NBA Rookie of the Year contenders Gordon and Okafor ... whew!

With Ford around for a fourth year (let's assume his neck holds up in the NCAA), freshman Daniel Gibson spends a year getting tutored from the two-spot. But can T.J. overcome all those other injuries and P.J. Tucker's ineligibility?

Before the 6-8 Cisse blew out his knee as a high school senior, he was ranked higher than fellow class of '01 members Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. Tack on wide-body Lang, athletic Smith and skilled Telfair to current starters Taquan Dean, Francisco Garcia and Ellis Myles, and suddenly Rick Pitino has a seriously deep bench.

Tech nearly took it to the house in '04 -- and that was without Bosh, who is fast becoming one of the best young big men in the NBA. Teams could not as easily exploit Luke Schenscher's weaknesses if he was paired with Bosh, and Jarrett Jack would finally have a reliable pair of hands to dish to on the inside.