ACC Clemson A solid core: seniors Harold Jamison, Terrell McIntyre, Tom Wideman. Duke PG Will Avery must develop a conscience. Maryland Is JC transfer Steve Francis the next Iverson? North Carolina How soon will Ronald Curry take the pads off? N.C. State Pack for the tournament.

ATLANTIC-10 George Washington Tom Penders' style draws on Colonials' strengths. Massachusetts All starters back from 21-11 squad. Rhode Island Elite Eight in '98 was no fluke; plus, Rams add enigmatic Lamar Odom. Temple The usual brutal schedule—and NCAA bid? Xavier Eager to redeem after '98 tourney dud.

BIG 12 Kansas Could be a lean year. But not that lean. Oklahoma Sophomore PF Ryan Humphrey is ready to assume all-conference status. Oklahoma State Eddie Sutton does more with less. Now he's got more. Texas New coach Rick Barnes is a proven winner, and having senior guard Kris Clack doesn't hurt either.

CONFERENCE USA Cincinnati Look for dunking, pressing and Bob Huggins yelling. Memphis Talent all over the place, especially at forward, where Omar Sneed rules.

BIG EAST Connecticut Expect nothing less than Final Four. Miami (Fla.) Tim James is Shawn Kemp sans 'tude. Pittsburgh Ageless Vonteego Cummings is due. St. John's No Lopez? No problem. Syracuse They gotta have Hart (Jason, that is).

BIG TEN Indiana For Knight's sake, Hoosiers better make the field. Michigan State Mateen Cleaves & Co. ready to go. Minnesota NIT champs usually springboard to the NCAAs the following year. Penn State Super PG Dan Earl returns from a back injury. Purdue And not just because Gene Keady is a CNNSI.com columnist.

PAC-10 Arizona And freshmen shall lead them. Cal Back in the Big Dance after NCAA-imposed one-year exile. Stanford So big. So strong. So good. UCLA See Arizona. Washington '98 tournament momentum carries over.

SEC Arkansas It's about time the Pat Bradley-Kareem Reid backcourt produced. Auburn PG Doc Robinson leads the charge. Georgia Jumaine Jones is best of four returning starters. Kentucky Defending champs are automatic. South Carolina By the sheer force of BJ McKie's will. Tennessee Expectations will be greatest burden.

WAC Fresno State Fewer prep all-stars, but more wins. New Mexico An NCAA lock, but what then? TCU Nailon's back; TubbyBall lives on. Tulsa Remember the name: Michael Ruffin, a 6'8" senior PF. UNLV Landing juco transfer Shawn Marion was a coup. Utah Rick Majerus should start saving up the one-liners for those NCAA media gabfests.

AMERICA EAST Delaware Mike Brey's a Coach K protege. BIG SKY Montana State Nate Holmstadt won't be denied. BIG SOUTH UNC Asheville Bounced in '98 league tourney; won't happen this year. BIG WEST Idaho If you can't beat 'em, sign up the jucos; five are incoming. COLONIAL ATHLETIC UNC Wilmington Four returning starters, led by PG Stan Simmons. IVY Princeton Slow and steady wins the race; coach Bill Carmody is 51-6 in two seasons. METRO ATLANTIC Iona New coach Jeff Ruland will tutor already super frontcourt of Kashif Hameed and Tariq Kirksay. MID-AMERICAN Miami (Ohio) In addition to being a great shooter (49.2% 3-pt.), SF Wally Szczerbiak is an ironman, too (38.2 mpg). MID-CONTINENT Valparaiso We'll take our chances with Homer Drew. MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC Hampton Move over, Coppin State. MIDWESTERN COLLEGIATE Detroit Led by G Jermaine "Hee-hee" Jackson (12.1 ppg, 4.7 apg). MISSOURI VALLEY Southwest Missouri State Will coach Steve Alford be headed back to Indiana after he leads the Bears to the Dance for the first time since '92? NORTHEAST Mount St. Mary's Coach Jim Phelan is one of the good guys, and his 785 career wins aren't too bad either. OHIO VALLEY Tennessee State Five starters back at Anthony Mason's alma mater. PATRIOT Lafayette A process of elimination in this league. None of the teams is that good. SOUTHERN Charleston Don't impeach Jermel President! SOUTHLAND Southwest Texas State Not that it matters—Southland rep will lose to NCAA top seed anyway. SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC Southern Hard to beat a name like Adarrial Smylie, the Jaguars' 6'7" center SUN BELT Florida International Coach Marcos "Shakey" Rodriguez returns all starters. TRANS AMERICA ATHLETIC Georgia State We love Lefty. WEST COAST St. Mary's Brad "Big Continent" Millard returns from a broken foot.