Preseason Top 25: All about Heels and Gators

10. Pittsburgh: Once center Aaron Gray decides it's in his best interests to return, the Panthers will be a Top 10 team. Sophomore Levance Fields can step in for Carl Krauser, whose absence will allow Pitt's young talent to expand their offensive impact. And defense will never be a problem for a Jamie Dixon team.

11. Georgia Tech: Absolutely, Georgia Tech. Did you watch the McDonald's All-American game? Two of the most impressive players were 6-8 SF Thaddeus Young and 6-5 PG Javaris Crittenton. Both are going to Georgia Tech, which returns a good young core of talent led by Jeremis Smith, Anthony Morrow, Ra'Sean Dickey, Zam Fredrick and Lewis Clinch. The 2007 Final Four is in Atlanta, you know. Just saying.

12. LSU: We're guessing PF Tyrus Thomas turns pro. We're assuming C Glen Davis returns. Marquette transfer SG Dameon Mason becomes eligible, and PG Tack Minor returns from his knee injury. LSU has all the makings of another awesome team.

13. Duke: With Josh McRoberts, without him, Duke will find a way. Freshman SG's Gerald Henderson and Jonathan Scheyer will contribute immediately. If McRoberts turns pro, can 7-0 freshman Brian Zoubek play right away? Can Duke come up with another ACC-ready big man on the recruiting trail? Coach K will have answers.

14. Syracuse: Wait a minute. Gerry McNamara is gone. Does this mean freshman SF Paul Harris is that good? Yes ... he's that good. He'll need some help, though, and that means a return to school for knucklehead SG Eric Devendorf and F's Terrence Roberts and Demetris Nichols.

15. Tennessee: Losing PG C.J. Watson and PF Andre Patterson will leave a mark, but fine pieces return -- mainly Chris Lofton -- and UT fans will love freshman PF Duke Crews. He tries to dunk everything, including the poor sap guarding him.

16. Washington: The Huskies lose a ton (Brandon Roy, Jamaal Williams, Bobby Jones and Mike Jensen), but they return enough parts to surround incoming freshman center Spencer Hawes. How good is Hawes? Maybe the 2007 Pac-10 Player of the Year. Not just freshman. Player.

17. Villanova: 'Nova fans, please don't e-mail with anger. This is love for your program, OK? Losing two All-American guards, and still making the top 17? Lots of love. PG Kyle Lowry needs to return, and SF Curtis Sumpter needs to stay healthy. If those two things happen, 'Nova's not leaving the Top 25.

18. Southern Illinois: All five starters are back from a 22-9 team. You can't name them, but that's OK. If this is next year's George Mason -- and it could be -- there's plenty of time.

19. Louisville: Here we go again, falling for another sexy recruiting class. But it's damn sexy. C Derrick Caracter is a bonehead, but he's a huge, skilled bonehead. PG Jerry Smith and SG Edgar Sosa one day will be an upgrade over Taquan Dean and (returning) Brandon Jenkins. And 6-9 SF Earl Clark is sublime. Plus, David Padgett and Juan Palacios return. Lots of pieces here.

20. Wichita State: Everyone's back from the Shockers' Sweet 16 team but Paul Miller, whose minutes will go to Colorado State transfer Phillip Thomasson. G's Sean Ogirri and P.J. Couisnard are as physically talented as any twosome anywhere.

21. Xavier: The same group that won the A-10 Tournament and nearly beat Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament is back, and Oklahoma transfer Drew Lavender is an upgrade at the point. In other words, Xavier started winning big when it went small, and is about to go smaller. Small is big nowadays.

22. UConn: Even if every underclassman that can leave, does leave -- and we think Rudy Gay, Josh Boone and Marcus Williams are gone -- the Huskies will be formidable. Great recruits are on the way, most notably Stanley Robinson, Curtis Kelly, Jerome Dyson and Doug Wiggins. PF Jeff Adrien could be a 15-and-10 guy. Jim Calhoun will get it done. I'll find something to gripe about, but he'll get it done.

23. Gonzaga: Without J.P. Batista and Adam Morrison, the Zags still will have one of the best starting lineups out West, especially if fully healed C Josh Heytvelt can turn his enormous athletic ability into enormous production.

24. Hofstra: The best three-guard lineup you know nothing about -- Loren Stokes, Antoine Agudio and Carlos Rivera -- returns from a 26-win team. The Pride must develop a big man or two, but will. As for George Mason's absence from the Top 25: The Patriots lose three of their top scorers from their Final Four team (Jai Lewis, Tony Skinn, Lamar Butler). They'll be good, but not great. Good isn't bad.

25. Virginia Tech: Bite me. I'm telling you, the Hokies will be good. Everyone's back from a team that underachieved under the stress of massive off-court heartache. A year heals a lot of wounds, and the addition of Nigel Munson means another guard for one of the country's deepest backcourts.

2007 NCAA field, by conference

Big East (8): Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova, Louisville, UConn, Marquette, DePaul
ACC (6): North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Boston College
Big 12 (5): Texas, Kansas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Kansas State
Big Ten (5): Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Michigan State
Pac-10 (5): UCLA, Washington, Oregon, Arizona State, Arizona
SEC (5): Florida, Tennessee, LSU, Alabama, Kentucky
Missouri Valley (4): Southern Illinois, Wichita State, Creighton, Missouri State
Atlantic 10 (2): Xavier, UMass
Colonial (2): Hofstra, George Mason
Mountain West (2): Air Force, New Mexico

One-bid leagues (21): Albany (America East), Florida Atlantic (Atlantic Sun), Montana (Big Sky), Winthrop (Big South), Pacific (Big West), Memphis (Conference USA), Wright State (Horizon), Princeton (Ivy), Akron (MAC), Delaware State (MEAC), Manhattan (MAAC), Oral Roberts (Mid-Continent), Monmouth (NEC), Samford (OVC), Bucknell (Patriot), Elon (Southern), Northwestern State (Southland), South Alabama (Sun Belt), Southern (SWAC), New Mexico State (WAC), Gonzaga (West Coast)