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NCAA Basketball Power Rankings Rank LW Team 11 -- Marquette This ranking should come with an asterisk, since it's contingent on Dominic James' return to the Golden Eagles. The pocket-sized point guard declared for the NBA Draft last week without signing with an agent, and is looking for a first-round guarantee to stay in. All of which will make James one of the most intriguing stories at the pre-draft camp in Orlando. He could, like UCLA's Jordan Farmar did last season, play his way up to a top-25 pick; James could also pull out and return to a team that contends for the Big East title, like Pitt's Aaron Gray did last year. The argument for James remaining in the draft is that it's a "weak year for point guards" -- those were his words -- but I think he's good enough to eventually be a first-rounder amongst the loaded crop in '08. It would be worth it for him to stick around for last hurrah with running mates Jerel McNeal and Wes Matthews. 12 -- Arkansas The Hogs have major implosion potential. Workhorse forward Charles Thomas was arrested for domestic battery in late April. Rumors are swirling around the team -- in the wake of Dana Altman's bailout one day after accepting the head coaching job -- that other players either failed drug tests or are in danger of being academically ineligible. New coach John Pelphrey was not the school's first, second or third choice to take the gig. And yet, if these things don't turn out to be problems, the Hogs have a roster that's capable of challenging Tennessee for the SEC title -- especially with a backcourt of Patrick Beverley, an immense talent, as well as Gary Ervin and Sonny Weems. I think fired coach Stan Heath would have coached this team to a Sweet 16 ... and that reality puts considerable pressure on Pelphrey in Year 1. 13 -- Texas You're aware that ex-Longhorn Kevin Durant won the Wooden and Naismith Awards last year as a freshman ... but did you know that he didn't take sole possession of the MVP award on his own team? Durant actually shared it with fellow freshman D.J. Augustin, who opted to stick around in Austin for at least one more season. UT won't command as much of the spotlight with Durant gone, but they might actually finish higher in the Big 12 in '07-08 than they did last year. The reasons: Augustin and junior A.J. Abrams will be one of the highest-scoring 1-2 combos in the country, and forward Damion James is ready to have a monster sophomore season. 14 -- Oregon While Los Angeles is set to become the new epicenter of college hoops and the focal point of the Pac-10, the Ducks shouldn't be ignored. Pint-sized sophomore Tajuan Porter and senior Bryce Taylor are more than ready to inherit the offensive load from departed conference scoring champ Aaron Brooks. Forwards Maarty Leunen and Malik Hairston form an underrated -- albeit undersized -- front line. Considering that all four of those players shot better than 41 percent from three-point land last season, Oregon should be one of the most dangerous perimeter teams in the country. 15 -- Texas A&M How can the Aggies remain in the top 16, with do-everything guard Acie Law IV having moved on to the NBA? As long as Joseph Jones returns for his senior season -- and I think he will, because his pro stock isn't exactly soaring right now -- A&M will have one of the nation's top power forward-center combos in the country in Jones and freshman DeAndre Jordan. They belong among this pack of elite 4-5 duos for '07-08: Tyler Hansbrough and Deon Thompson, UNC Kevin Love and Lorenzo Mata, UCLA Sasha Kaun and Darrell Arthur, Kansas Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley/J.J. Hickson, NC State Rob Kurz and Luke Harangody, Notre Dame Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet, UConn 16 -- Notre Dame How far could the Irish have gone in last season's NCAA tournament had point guard Kyle McAlarney not been suspended (for a questionably long period of time) after a marijuana arrest? Freshman Tory Jackson played well in McAlarney's place, helping spark a six-game win streak in late February and early March that sealed the Irish's bid to the Big Dance. McAlarney was far superior statistically, though: He had assist/turnover percentage splits of 32.3/23.4 compared to Jackson's 26.7/24.6, as well as an offensive rating of 124.0 compared to Jackson's 100.0. The two floor generals will be playing side to side in the '07-08 starting lineup, which should make for a dangerous offense ... but I can't help but wonder if, with McAlarney, they might have been a Final Four darkhorse last March.

ON THE CUSP: Ohio State, Duke, Southern Illinois, LSU, Kansas State, N.C. State, Syracuse, Georgetown, Butler, Wisconsin, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Stanford.

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