Sooners vs. Tar Heels April 09

08/09 Preseason Top 25 rankings from rivals.com (June 18th).

Top 10-

1. NORTH CAROLINA
With or without the three players who put their names in the draft, the Tar Heels were a contender for the national title – they were No. 5 in our previous poll. Add guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington and versatile wing Danny Green back to the mix, and the Heels clearly are the team to beat. Tyler Hansbrough, who could be the first back-to-back national player of the year since Virginia’s Ralph Sampson in the early 1980s, and virtually his entire supporting cast return from a team that won 36 games and reached the Final Four. The Heels have also added a top-15 recruiting class.
2. CONNECTICUT
The Huskies have an abundance of talent, experience and size. They return every key player from a 24-win team, including 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet, who surprisingly never entered the draft. The big question is health. Point guard A.J. Price tore an ACL in the NCAA Tournament and coach Jim Calhoun will begin radiation treatments next week for his second battle with skin cancer. Calhoun’s doctors believe he’ll be in good shape for the start of the season.
3. PITTSBURGH
The Celtics have the “Big Three” in the NBA. Pitt has its own version in the college ranks with guard Levance Fields, forward Sam Young and center DeJuan Blair. Each ranks among the best at his position. The Panthers could get a boost if guard Mike Cook receives a medical redshirt. Cook was averaging 10.4 points when he tore his ACL in the 11th game last season. But with or without Cook, the Panthers have enough firepower to reach their first Final Four since 1941.
4. PURDUE
Every coach will tell you players make their biggest improvement between their freshman and sophomore years. That’s exactly why the “Baby Boilers” could leap into the elite ranks after a surprising second-place finish in the Big Ten last season. The two leading scorers (guard E’Twaun Moore and forward Robbie Hummel) on that young squad were freshmen. Sophomore-to-be big man JaJuan Johnson looks poised for a breakout season, as well.
5. NOTRE DAME
Irish coach Mike Brey won’t be able to play the underdog card with this team. Not with a roster that boasts the reigning Big East Player of the Year (Luke Harangody), the league’s top outside shooter (Kyle McAlarney) and the league’s top assist man (Tory Jackson) from this past season. If that trio remains healthy, the Irish should go to the Sweet 16 and beyond.
6. DUKE
The Blue Devils haven’t fixed their problems on the inside, but they still have a tremendous amount of firepower on the perimeter. Mike Krzyzewski will have two guards on his bench who would start for most ACC teams. Athletic wing Gerald Henderson has a future in the NBA. Senior point guard Greg Paulus enters what seems like his sixth year. There’s also Jon Scheyer (11.7 ppg) and talented sophomore-to-be Nolan Smith. Skilled forward Kyle Singler is a dangerous 3-point shooter.
7. OKLAHOMA
Big man Blake Griffin was considered a first-round lock, but chose to stay in school. A glance at his supporting cast next season may have played a role. The Sooners are adding five-star guard Willie Warren, who likely will be playing with Griffin in the NBA someday. Experienced guards Tony Crocker (11.3 ppg) and Austin Johnson (8.6 ppg) are back, and UCLA transfer Ryan Wright will help make up for the loss of center Longar Longar.
8. LOUISVILLE
As usual, Cardinals coach Rick Pitino isn’t hurting for talent. Terrence Williams and Earl Clark – both of whom Pitino expected to turn pro by now – stuck around for another season. Clark was the Cardinals’ best player in the NCAA Tournament. The Cards also are adding two of the top big men in the 2008 class: power forwards Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings.
9. UCLA
The Bruins lost three players (Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook) and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute) to the NBA Draft, but it could have been worse. Veteran wing Josh Shipp opted to stay in school, a move that gives the Bruins a significantly better chance of reaching a fourth consecutive Final Four. Shipp and senior point guard Darren Collison will be the leaders of a young team that welcomes the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class.
10. TENNESSEE
One probable starter (point guard Ramar Smith) and a top reserve (center Duke Crews) were kicked off the team since our last poll, but the Vols dropped only one spot. That’s largely because coach Bruce Pearl has put together the kind of talent and depth to absorb such losses. Versatile forward Tyler Smith, the best returning player in the SEC, chose not to test the draft waters. Five-star guard Scotty Hopson should make a big impact immediately.

I’m not real big on preseason rankings but I have to consider the rival’s rankings to be the most ridiculous.

I’ll come out with my selections in a couple of days… and I guarantee the Big East will not be getting as much love as rivals willingly gave them.

Quick Preview- My top 5

UNC
Texas
MSU
Oklahoma
Notre Dame

Teams not impressing me…

Pitt
Tennessee
Duke
Wake Forest

Again, I’ll have my take on all this in the coming days