I agree with Connecticut at #1!! They are going to be scary good, and I can't argue with my alma mater, Texas Longhorns, at #9, especially with 2002 National Player of the Year, TJ Ford, not returning. Vitale is widely respected for his basketball knowledge and enthusiasm.

http://espn.go.com/dickvitale/vcolumn03072...-preseason.html

[ August 04, 2003, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: SmoothRon ]

Dickie V's Top 16: (Link to ESPN.com's analysis)

1. UConn
2. Michigan State
3. Kentucky
4. Duke
5. Missouri
6. Arizona
7. Kansas
8. North Carolina
9. Texas
10. Florida
11. Syarcuse
12. Oklahoma
13. Gonzaga
14. Louisville
15. Illinois
16. Wisconsin

Im big on my Tarheels but how they can go from bloody awful to #8 in the country with simply adding Roy Williams is beyond me.

Dickie V hits the manashevitz (sp) a bit too much sometimes.

I remember that Carolina was considered to have had one of the top recruiting classes going into last season, according to college hoops experts. So Roy Williams inherited a pretty good young squad and it was thought this would be the year they'd blossom.

UConn's Okafor is quite a player- expect to see a lot of him on Sports Center next year. They added a one year freshman, Charle Villivenue (sp), who should help out, and have everyone except Tony Robertson coming back. We'll see if the pressure of such high expectations gets to them in the NCAA's.

I did a double-take when I saw this...I can't believe somebody's coming out with a preseason college basketball poll before football season even starts! Still, if anybody can get away with it, that would be Dickie V. I'm not surprised he picked my school, Kentucky, as highly as he did, because he seemed genuinely impressed with Tubby Smith's smothering style of play last season. I think there was a bit too much hype and expectation on their shoulders (that and they stunk up the joint in the game against Marquette, even if Bogans was hurt). He's right about Estill, too, since I'm sure he would have stuck around had he known he wouldn't get drafted. I expect good things from the 'Cats this season -- hell, as a true Big Blue fan, that's a given -- but I'd like to see them challenged a bit more from within the SEC. Maybe that would help them focus better come March '04.

Damn, didn't March just happen? Another true blue Kentucky fan here and I am also glad to see the Cats ranked well. I think the SEC is sort of a letdown anymore, I am old enough to remember when Arkansas, LSU, even Vandy had good teams. Oh well, when Dick speaks, we listen!

Yeah, but with UK football on probation again, it's never too early to start thinking hoops! Glad to know that I'm not the only Wildcat fan around here, dinger -- it sure felt that way earlier this year. Welcome aboard!