1. Duke has a great recruiting class. Not good: Great. Is that anything special? Maybe not. But after losing three of their best players and their best future prospect to the NBA Draft, they got four McDonald's All-Americans who should shake things up next year, if not win the first championship of the millenium.
2. Where were the mighty Wolverines last season? Seems like rookie coach Brian Ellerbe had a team that went to sleep. Instead of Fab 5, it was Drab 5 in Ann Arbor. Only the backcourt of Lou Bullock and Robbie Reid showed up to play - sometimes. That should all change. They have perhaps the best prep player in the country in LaVell Blanchard, and a stellar recruiting class should make last season's debacle forgotten.
3. Michigan State really pulled off a big one. The Spartans will keep their great general, Mateen Cleaves, for one more year. That means the Big Ten may have to wait another year. Despite the departures of tenacious rebounder Antonio Smith, Jason Klein, and Thomas Kelley, star Andre Hutson is returning, as is top scorer and super sixth man Morris Peterson, and Charlie Bell will be back to knock down jumpers. In addition, Mike Chappell, the transfer from Duke, will be ready to play, and a good recruiting class should make the team stronger. The Spartans are ready for a championship run.
4. The Jayhawks are back. Although their season cannot be compared to Michigan's, last year was way under par for Kansas. Roy Williams will have a more mature point guard in Jeff Boschee, a great freshman in Nick Collison, and most of all, he won't have to deal with the losses of Paul Pierce and Raef LaFrentz like last season. There will be plenty of talent in seven-foot giant Eric Chenowith, Nick Bradford, Lester Earl, and Kenny Gregory to replace leaders T.J. Pugh and Ryan Robertson. Look out, Big 12, 'cause the Hawks are looking for their prey.
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