| TEAM |
CONFERENCE |
RETURNING STARTERS |
SKINNY |
| 21. Georgia Tech |
ACC |
4 |
Superfreshman Derrick Favors could be the ACCs best big man; he and G DAndre Bell -- out last season with a back injury -- key a revival. |
| 22. Dayton |
Atlantic 10 |
4 |
With dunkmaster F Chris Wrights stuffs and seven returning players who averaged at least 14 minutes, the Flyers return to the Dance. |
| 23. Maryland |
ACC |
4 |
The Terps rejoiced when G Greivis Vasquez -- the first player to lead Maryland in points, rebounds and assists -- pulled out of the NBA draft. |
| 24. Oklahoma |
Big 12 |
2 |
Theres nothing petite about 6' 9", 296-pound freshman F Keith (Tiny) Gallon, who with G Willie Warren try to fill the void left by the Griffins. |
| 25. Illinois |
Big Ten |
3 |
Coach Bruce Weber and pouty PF Mike Davis are on the same page again, so the Illini and its strong D will book a trip back to the tournament. |
| 26. Minnesota |
Big Ten |
4 |
Highly regarded Minneapolis native freshmen Royce White and Rodney Williams make the Gophers the Big Tens deepest team. |
| 27. Wake Forest |
ACC |
3 |
Senior Ish Smith retakes the reins at PG after Jeff Teagues early departure, and big man Al-Farouq Aminu is poised to break out. |
| 28. Oklahoma State |
Big 12 |
3 |
The Cowboys love to shoot the three (third in the nation from beyond the arc) -- especially junior G James Anderson (18.2 ppg). 28 |
| 29. Vanderbilt |
SEC |
5 |
G John Jenkins, the nations leading high school scorer last season (42.3 ppg), gives a veteran squad the outside shooting punch it needs. 29 |
| 30. Clemson |
ACC |
2 |
Star F Trevor Booker gets help from a stellar four-man recruiting class that includes his younger brother F/C Devin. |
| 31. South Carolina |
SEC |
4 |
G Devan Downey (third in the SEC in scoring) and F Dominique Archie will lead the Gamecocks to their first tournament win since 73. |
| 32. Florida State |
ACC |
3 |
The Seminoles boast 7' 1" Solomon Alabi (73 blocks) and count on freshman G Michael Snaer to offset the loss of Toney Douglas. 32 |
| 33. Texas A&M |
Big 12 |
3 |
The Aggies are one of six teams to win a game in the NCAAs four straight years; the streak should continue thanks to their talented guards. 33 |
| 34. BYU |
MWC |
4 |
With G Jimmer Fredette and F Jonathan Tavernari, the Cougars will extend their home-court dominance (61-3) and NCAAs streak to four years. |
| 35. Syracuse |
Big East |
2 |
Heavy losses are partially offset by hyped Iowa State transfer F Wes Johnson and freshman PG Brandon Triche (a Jonny Flynn type |
| 36. Kansas State |
Big 12 |
4 |
G Denis Clemente will become known for more than his YouTube highlights, and big man Wally Judge could be the Big 12s top freshman. |
| 37. Arizona |
Pac-10 |
3 |
Sean Miller, the Wildcats fourth coach in four years, extends their NCAA streak to 26 straight thanks to PG Nic Wise and F Solomon Hill. |
| 38. Mississi PPI |
SEC |
3 |
G Chris Warren returns from a knee injury to form an explosive backcourt with Terrico White, who provided 18.4 ppg in his absence. |
| 39. Tulsa |
C-USA |
4 |
Future NBA big man Jerome Jordan and versatile F Ben Uzoh will help the Golden Hurricane earn its first NCAA bid as members of C-USA. |
| 40. Notre Dame |
Big East |
2 |
The Irish erase last years disappointment as Gs Ben Hansbrough and Tory Jackson give senior F Luke Harangody a proper send-off. |
| 41. Seton Hall |
Big East |
4 |
G Jeremy Hazell, second nationally in scoring among returning players (22.7), gets a powerful sidekick in transfer F Herb Pope. |
| 42. Utah State |
WAC |
4 |
The Aggies, one of three teams -- along with Kansas and Gonzaga -- to win at least 23 games in each of the last 10 years, will make it 11. |
| 43. Old Dominion |
CAA |
5 |
The Monarchs have a conference POY candidate in F Gerald Lee and momentum after winning the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. |
| 44. Northern Iowa |
Missouri Valley |
5 |
Five starters, plus the MVCs top sixth man, F Lucas ORear, return to team that pushed Purdue in the first round |
| 45. Creighton |
Missouri Valley |
3 |
MVC becomes a two-bid league thanks to G PAllen Stinnett and a vocal home crowd that ranked 12th nationally in attendance. |
| 46. Nevada |
WAC |
3 |
The Wolf Pack has the leagues best player in sophomore F Luke Babbitt (16.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and will host the WAC tourney on their home floor. |
| 47. Northeastern |
CAA |
4 |
The Huskies bring back their top three scorers -- including senior G-F Matt Janning -- to a team that set the CAA pace before fading late |
| 48. Memphis |
C-USA |
1 |
First-year coach Josh Pastner rides three Gs -- Duke transfer Elliot Williams and veterans Doneal Mack and Roburt Sallie -- to the postseason. |
| 49. Gonzaga |
WCC |
1 |
G Matt Bouldin will be expected to shoulder the load as Mark Few faces one of the toughest rebuilding jobs of his 11-year tenure |
| 50. Western Kentucky |
Sun Belt |
4 |
Guard A.J. Slaughter could become the Hilltoppers latest Sun Belt POY and take them to a third straight NCAAs. |
| 51. Montana |
Big Sky |
3 |
Anthony Johnson (17.6 ppg) and Ryan Staudacher (45.2 3-point%) head a talented roster that includes PG Shawn Stockton, nephew of John. |
| 52. Cornell |
Ivy |
5 |
Ryan Wittman, son of former pro Randy, and G Louis Dale lead the sharpshooting Big Red (41.1% from beyond arc) and will battle for Ivy POY. |
| 53. Boston U |
Am erica East |
1 |
Led by G-F John Holland and G Corey Lowe, the Terriers finally fulfill expectations under ex-Nova assistant Patrick Chambers. |
| 54. Akron |
MAC |
4 |
F Brett McKnight, who led the Flashes in scoring as a reserve, joins four starters back from a team that held opponents to 29.1% from the arc |
| 55. College of Charleston |
Southern |
3 |
Bobby Cremins returns to the NCAAs for the first time since 1996 behind Andrew Goudelock and Tony White Jr. |
| 56. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
Southland |
5 |
G-F Kevin Palmer (18.2 ppg) heads a deep squad that welcomes touted redshirt freshman G Terence Jones. |
| 57. UC Santa Barbara |
Big West |
3 |
The Gauchos add Loyola Marymount transfer Orlando Johnson and PG Justin Joyner, who missed 2008-09 with a wrist injury. |
| 58. Radford |
Big South |
4 |
From Minsk to the Madness, Belarus export C Art Parakhouski (16.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg) has the Highlanders ready to dance. |
| 59. Morehead State |
Ohio Valley |
4 |
Junior C Kenneth Faried was third in the nation in double doubles (25) and led the Eagles to a win in the NCAA play-in game. |
| 60. Oakland |
Summ it |
4 |
F Derick Nelson, who averaged 17.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in 2007-08 before missing 08-09 with injury, joins four returning starters. |
| 61. Jacksonville |
Atlantic Sun |
4 |
Ben Smith and Lehmon Colbert lead the Dolphins to the NCAAs for the first time since 1986 -- four years after finishing 1-26. |
| 62. Morgan State |
MEAC |
2 |
The Bears welcome productive Cleveland State transfer G Joe Davis to a team that broke the school record for wins two years in a row. |
| 63. Lehigh |
Patriot |
4 |
Brett Reed, one of three Division I coaches with a Ph.D., instructs F Zahir Carrington (14.0 ppg) and G Marquis Hall (13.9) to keep shooting. |
| 64. Mount St. Marys |
Northeast |
3 |
Senior PG Jeremy Goode, 5' 9", averaged 14.9 ppg last season and is on pace to become the schools alltime assist leader. |
| 65. Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
SWAC |
5 |
Senior G Terrance Calvin leads an experienced group through the gantlet of their season-opening 14 straight road games. |
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