| Rank | Team | Conference | Skinny |
| 26 | Wake Forest | ACC | Sophomore guard Robert O'Kelley (16.1 ppg) is best of Demon Deacons' dozen underclassmen |
| 27 | Miami | Big East | Forward Tim James could be first player to lead Hurricanes in scoring and rebounding three straight seasons |
| 28 | Arizona | Pac-10 | Freshman Richard Jefferson, state's '98 high school player of the year, reminds many of former Cat Sean Elliott |
| 29 | Oklahoma | Big 12 | NCAA bid comes sooner than expected with arrival of juco transfer Victor Avila (23.7 ppg, 15.3 rpg) |
| 30 | UAB | C-USA | Six seniors are back for the Blazers, but sophomore point guard LeAndrew Bass makes the offense go |
| 31 | Clemson | ACC | Clang some: Tigers must improve last season's 61.4% free throw shooting, which was ACC's worst |
| 32 | Purdue | Big Ten | 6'3" junior guard Jaraan Cornell shot 50% from behind the three-point line a year ago |
| 33 | Cincinnati | C-USA | Bearcats welcome forward Jermaine Tate, an Ohio State transfer who was the Buckeyes' MVP in 1995-96 |
| 34 | Minnesota | Big Ten | Homegrown 7-foot Joel Przybilla, one of nation's top five freshman centers, already has Bunyanesque status |
| 35 | South Carolina | SEC | Senior guard BJ McKie (18.8 ppg) will again be expected to assume much of the Gamecocks' scoring burden |
| 36 | North Carolina State | ACC | Sophomore Kenny Inge, the Wolfpack's top rebounder (7.4 per game), headlines a seniorless roster |
| 37 | Memphis | C-USA | Introducing, from the program that gave us Baskerville Holmes, highly touted freshman forward Paris London |
| 38 | St. John's | Big East | Heralded freshman point guard Erick Barkley's job is to get ball into hands of forward Ron Artest (11.6 ppg) |
| 39 | Princeton | Ivy | Tigers had nation's top scoring defense (51.4 ppg) for ninth straight season |
| 40 | Florida | SEC | Gators, who averaged nation-best 9.8 treys in '97-98, welcome high school scoring champ Ted Dupay (41.5 ppg) |
| 41 | George Washington | Atlantic 10 | The Peanut, 5'4" point guard Shawnta Rogers (14.7 ppg, 4.8 apg), runs offense for new coach Tom Penders |
| 42 | Detroit | Midwestern | Collegiate 6'6" forward Michael Jordan didn't score a point in '97-98 but may crack depleted starting lineup this season |
| 43 | College of Charleston | Southern | Cougars headed for 20th straight winning season behind senior forward Sedric Webber (15.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg) |
| 44 | Murray State | Ohio Valley | Racers one of only three Division I teams to shoot above 50% last season (50.1%) |
| 45 | Tulsa | WAC | Golden Hurricanes love Michael Ruffin (9.5 rpg) and a schedule void of WAC powers New Mexico and Utah |
| 46 | Coppin State | MEAC | On team coached by Fang Mitchell, guard Jerel Seamon's "Mad Dog" nickname (for his rabid D) is high praise |
| 47 | Gonzaga | West Coast | Junior guard Matt Santangelo (16.2 ppg) is the best of four returning starters from last year's 24-10 team |
| 48 | Akron | MAC | 6'6" forward George Phillips, one of five returning starters, had MAC-best 42 blocks last season |
| 49 | Iona | Metro Atlantic | Behind '97-98 MAAC Player of the Year Kashif Hameed, Gaels will blow to fourth straight league title |
| 50 | Delaware | America East | Providence transfer Ndongo Ndiaye gives the Fightin' Blue Hens an imposing 7-footer in the paint |
| 51 | Valparaiso | Mid-Continent | 6'7" Czech-born freshman Lubos Barton went for 27 in Crusaders' '98-99 opener against South Carolina |
| 52 | Old Dominion | Colonial Athletic | Senior swingman Mark Poag (15.3 ppg) gives Monarchs three-point threat to go with strong inside game |
| 53 | Davidson | Southern | Beware of Ides in March: 7'2", 280-pound freshman center Martin Ides is brutish under the boards |
| 54 | Florida International | Sun Belt | Top eight scorers are back for the Golden Panthers, who migrate to new conference |
| 55 | Idaho | Big West | Avery Curry, who averaged 19.7 points for Vandals after transferring from Florida State, is league's top defender |
| 56 | Northern Arizona | Big Sky | Timberrr! Lumberjacks have felled highest percentage of threes in Division I in each of the last two seasons |
| 57 | UNC-Asheville | Big South | Three 7-footers, including reserve center Remco Smits, first cousin of Rik Smits, give Bulldogs plenty of bite |
| 58 | Navy | Patriot | Midshipmen lost seven players, so opponents will key on flamboyant guard Skip Victor (8.9 ppg, 1.7 steals) |
| 59 | St. Francis (N.Y.) | Northeast | Terriers' swingman Richy Dominguez (11.4 ppg), a Colombia native, was conference's newcomer of the year |
| 60 | Southern | SWAC | 6'4" senior guard Dionte' Harvey, who hit a team-high 80 treys, has excellent shot at SWAC Player of the Year |
| 61 | Creighton | Missouri Valley | Last year Ryan Sears became first point guard in Blue Jays history to have more steals (62) than turnovers (59) |
| 62 | Southwest Texas | Southland | Center Jeff Foster was conference's only double-double player (12.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg) |
| 63 | New Mexico State | Big West | Aggies inherit five double-figure scorers from Northeastern Illinois, which dropped its program after last season |
| 64 | Samford | Trans America | 6'7" forward Reed Rawlings (12.1 ppg) is the best of four junior starters who excel in Bulldogs' motion offense |
