Beyond the Arc is moving to a new Web address. Reset your bookmarks and links accordingly. And even if you lose the new address, you'll still be able to find the blog from our college basketball section.

As for the content, well, you're still stuck with me (mostly) except for the occasional bracket update or post from Dave Ommen. Once the 2010-11 season begins, we'll roll out some new bylines for Beyond the Arc. Stay tuned.

Emmanuel Negedu says he's following his dream by transferring to New Mexico to continue his basketball career.

Good luck, Emmanuel. It could end up being a bad dream.

Negedu suffered sudden cardiac arrest last September after he completed a Tennessee weightlifting session and was racing a teammate on the Vols' indoor football field. He lost consciousness, had no pulse and had to be revived with a defibrillator. He later had surgery to implant a cardiac defibrillator in his chest to monitor his heart's rhythm and deliver energy when an irregularity occurs.

That was enough for Vols coach Bruce Pearl to declare Negedu's playing career over. Not Negedu.

"I've got to do what I've got to do," the 21-year-old said. "I want to chase my dreams to play basketball. I want to do what makes me happy, and that's what makes me so happy."

Pearl's worried Negedu's health could again take a serious turn, which makes sense. Negedu's heart stopped and he now relies on a machine to ensure it works properly. If that's not scary for an elite athlete, I don't know what is.

Good luck, Emmanuel. Be healthy.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

A Texas A&M recruit died Sunday from injuries sustained in a car wreck earlier that morning after attending his school's prom.

Tobi Oyedeji was set to graduate from Bellaire High (Texas) this month and enroll at Texas A&M this summer. But a head-on collision with another car caused serious injuries. Attempts at life-saving surgery weren't successful.

He was 18.

"The world has lost a great kid today," Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon said in a statement. "Tobi epitomized the term student-athlete. He was a very good student. He worked hard in the classrooms and on the basketball court and he was a terrific basketball player.

"This is difficult to understand, and today is a very sad day. My heart aches for his mom and dad. Tobi was an only child and I would like everyone to pray for Tobi's parents."

Oyedeji was a 6-foot-9, 220-pound power forward who was expected to have in immediate impact for the Aggies.

"He was going to be a big part of our program," Turgeon told Andy Katz. "More than just basketball, his personality, his character, he would have helped us in so many ways. He was a great student. He epitomized the values we have here."

Details on a memorial service will be announced in the next few days.

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NBA mock drafts make for entertaining reading, but don't take them as gospel. Just ask Kenneth Faried.

When the Morehead State center was scoping his draft prospects earlier this month, what little information he could glean from NBA teams was that he'd either be drafted in the second round or not at all. So he withdrew his name and will be back in Morehead for his senior season.

Yet when he checked out some mock drafts, he was in for a small surprise.

"After I made up my mind, though, I went online and saw the ESPN mock draft where they had me in the first round [at No. 22 to Portland]. And I was just wowed by it. Shocked. I was happy to see myself there, but I didn't know what to think. Were they getting information that was right? Because when I was hearing from NBA teams, they had been telling me completely different things."

That's from this great story by SI.com's Luke Winn, who talked to six underclassmen after the early entry deadline to withdraw passed. Some, like Fredette and, JaJuan Johnson and Faried, chose to return to school after learning all they could during the shortened window.

Others, like Darington Hobson and Jordan Crawford heard enough to stay in … not that it was easy with the stupid two-week window.

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Nolan Smith was the driving force behind Duke's NCAA tournament title. Kyle Singler was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Both will be on the shortlist for 2010-11 national player of the year.

But neither will be the focal point of Duke's offense.

That's how good incoming freshmen Kyrie Irving is. Just ask Mike Krzyzewski.

"We'll change our whole offense, the way we play because of Kyrie," Duke's coach said in a story from Adam Zagoria.

"Just like we did when we had Jason Williams, he'll make a big impact right away. He's going to be very, very good."

Hyperbole for incoming freshmen is nothing new, especially the last few years when we've seen John Wall, Derrick Rose, Kevin love, Greg Oden, Michael Beasley and Kevin Durant all live up to that hype.

But to have Coach K admit the offense will change because of a guy who hasn't put on the uniform yet? That's saying something.

True, the Devils will be forced to be more guard oriented next season because they won't have established post players like Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas. Yet that's not bad thing because an up-tempo team will suit Irving's talents – and Krzyzewski's knows it.

"We'll run a lot more, we'll press and he's fortunate to have Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler on the perimeter with him and the Plumlees," Krzyzewski said. "He'll have good weapons with him."

A slightly smaller, faster, pressing Duke team? Sounds like fun. Is it possible this could be season when people don't mind watching the Devils win?

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

John Calipari says he has no interest in leaving Kentucky. He's coming off a marvelous first season, he has another sparkling recruiting class and the school is working on a contract extension. And Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart expects the coach to be back in Lexington next season.

Yet the NBA rumors just won't go away. And it sounds as if some are starting to believe the rumors.

This online poll from the Louisville Courier-Journal – not a scientific poll! – has 46 percent of respondents thinking he'll stay. About 28 percent think he'll be coaching the Chicago Bulls. Roughly 20 percent are unsure where he'll coach, but that it won't be Kentucky. Three other options include the Nets, Knicks and Cavs.

More than half of votes think he'll be somewhere else.

It's not a huge number of respondents and the poll doesn't tell you where the voters live or what sources they've read. Still, it's a telling snapshot of how the public views the whole situation.

Does it mean people aren't taking Calipari at his word? That the lure of coaching in the NBA again – and possibly coaching LeBron James -- will be too great?

Or is simply that we're all cynics?

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Having a McDonald's All-American on the roster doesn't guarantee success – but it sure doesn't hurt.

North Carolina had more than any other school last season and missed the NCAA tournament. Duke had the second most, yet won it all.

So who has the McDonald's All-Americans for next season? CollegeHoopsNet projected lineups for all 30 teams that'll have All-Americans and also included the nine schools that no longer have 'em around.

The only school that's close to UNC and Duke for number of McDonald's players? Villanova. The 'Cats seem to accumulate star guards the way the Patriots compile draft picks…

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

We saw a first in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge last season. How about two in a row?

The matchups and dates for the annual event were announced Wednesday, with a Duke-Michigan State showdown headlining the whole thing. As an added bonus, Purdue plays at Virginia Tech, North Carolina's at Illinois and Ohio State travels to Florida State.

Those are arguably the four top teams from each conference facing off, while the rest aren't as appealing.

Monday, November 29
Virginia at Minnesota

Tuesday, November 30
North Carolina at Illinois
Ohio State at Florida State
Michigan at Clemson
Georgia Tech at Northwestern
Iowa at Wake Forest

Wednesday, December 1
Michigan State at Duke
Purdue at Virginia Tech
North Carolina State at Wisconsin
Indiana at Boston College
Maryland at Penn State

So who wins? Eammon Brennan thinks it'll be two straight for the Big Ten, while KJ at the Only Colors says a Big Ten repeat is plausible, but not probable.

Tough to argue against the Big Ten, which is going to have at least three national title contenders next season, but all three of those – MSU, Purdue and Ohio State – all play on the road. If one of those three can steal a win, two in a row isn't far off.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

They pack 'em in at Kentucky, Syracuse and Louisville. It's hardly a surprise to see those three college hoops powerhouses sit atop the attendance figures released by the NCAA on Wednesday.

But what about a nod to the devoted fans at Iowa State?

The Cyclones were hardly a success last season, winning just four Big 12 games and finishing 15-17 overall. Yet the good folks in Ames filled the Hilton Coliseum with 12,491 fans on average for 18 games, 26^th overall. For a place that only seats 14,356 people, that ain't bad.

Also impressive? Creighton. The Blue Jays were 15^th overall, filling Qwest Center Omaha (capacity 17,560) with 14,495 fans, second among non-BCS schools. Considering Creighton's enrollment is only 7,385, that's some support from the city. (Memphis tops non-BCS schools, but has nearly three times as many students.)

Also in the Top 15? Wisconsin, Kansas, Marquette, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan State. They love their hoops in the Midwest. 

Other tidbits:

Highest per-game attendance: 1. Kentucky (24,111), 2. Syracuse (22,152), 3. Louisville (19,397)

Lowest per-game attedance: 1. Nicholls State (328), 2. New Jersey Institute of Technology (422), 3. New Orleans (477)

Best average attendance per conference: 1. Big Ten (12,591), 2. Southeastern (11,770), 3. Big 12 (11,214)

Lowest attendance for NCAA tournament qualifiers: 1. Robert Morris (1,029), 2. Lehigh (1,285), 3. Sam Houston State (1,434)

(H/T: The Dagger)

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

If Butler's financial windfall for reaching the Final Four is anything close to the boost George Mason received, the Bulldogs will be sitting pretty for the next few years.

How pretty? Enough to pay for Miramax.

According to a story from the Epoch Times, when George Mason made its Final Four run in 2006, the university's had a boom in applications, ticket sales and media coverage. And it wasn't a small bump, either. The school completed a two-year study in 2008 that found:

[R]equests for information about GMU jumped by 350 percent. Applications from out-of-state students swelled by 40 percent and all freshman year applications increased by 22 percent. Computer-generated applications rose by 52 percent and alumni interest in the school jumped by 25 percent.

Page views on the sports division's website soared by 503 percent and unique viewers by 702 percent. Almost everything that had to do with GMU's sports division rose drastically. More season tickets for games were sold and home games were packed with fans wanting to see the game.

Most importantly, GMU earned roughly $678 million in totality, factoring in free local, regional, and national print and electronic media coverage, due to its game exposure.

More well-known schools don't receive the same kind of bump, but it's no secret that winning does pay off. When Kansas beat Memphis for the 2008, the school's merchandise sales topped $47.3 million, of which the school and the athletic department retained about $2 million.

That's the power of winning, and winning in the NCAA tournament. Why else do you think everyone wants in?

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Connecticut is paying some serious basketball money right now.

Not only did the school just finalize a 5-year, $13 million contract extension for men's coach Jim Calhoun, it also asked the state to spend an additional $375,000 to a Kansas City law firm to defend the school against an ongoing NCAA investigation into the men's team.

The original contract with Bond, Schoeneck & King called for a three-year deal capped at $300,000, according to a story in the Hartford Courant. Yet the state spent more than that in a one-year period between April 2009 and April 2010, when $338,000 in legal bills were paid.

(But before anyone sends nasty letters to the school and state officials for wasting taxpayer money, know that the athletic department reimburses the attorney general's office for all the payments. It's just that that state comptroller's office has to pay the firm.)

This will hardly be the end of the legal fees, too. From the Courant:

And the bill is only going to get larger as the NCAA investigation into the school's recruitment of Nate Miles and the program's ties to former UConn team manager-turned-agent Josh Nochimson continues…

OPM Deputy Secretary Michael Cicchetti approved an additional $200,000 in legal fees to pay the Kansas City firm in late 2009. That was the second time that OPM had granted additional funds; it signed off on an extra $175,000 in July 2009, records show.

The school is already burning through the new money, records show. In a five-day period last month between April 10 and April 15, Bond, Schoeneck & King billed the state for more than $37,000. Enright said those legal bills were accrued from Dec. 1, 2009, through Jan. 31, 2010, and not during just a five-day period.

Well, at least the basketball coach is in place.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

And, now the day you've all been waiting for: The way too early top 25 is now the post-deadline, pre-NBA draft Top 25. Try to contain your excitement.

This version considers all the early entrants to the NBA draft and some surprise transfers – North Carolina losing the Wear twins dropped UNC down this list – though there's not a whole different from that early April Top 25.

The next Top 25 update won't be until October, after I've had a summer to re-consider these teams and re-think all the irate comments that'll accompany this version.

1. Michigan State

Record: 28-9
Key returnees: Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers, Draymond Green, Delvon Roe, Korie Lucious, Derrick Nix
Key losses: Raymar Morgan
Newcomers: Adrieian Payne, Keith Appling

Duke will probably be the preseason No. 1 in the AP and coaches' poll, but I like the Spartans. They're coming off a 28-8 season, their second consecutive Final Four and have a Top six recruiting class coming to East Lansing. Yes, Lucas' Achilles' tendon will be a question and there are rumors that guard Chris Allen will transfer, but MSU will be a healthy favorite to win it all. I'll take that bet.

2. Duke

Record: 35-5 (national champs)
Key returnees: Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, Andre Dawkins
Key losses: Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek, Lance Thomas
Newcomers: Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, Josh Hairston

Is this dissing the defending champs or simply playing it safe given that the Devils lost three starters from their 35-5 squad? The Plumlees should provide enough punch inside to offset Zoubek and Thomas, but I think they'll miss Scheyer's reliable, efficient scoring. Yes, Curry and Dawkins can both shoot and incoming freshman Irving may be the best guard in Durham since Jay Williams. But how tough will the transition back to a guard-heavy rotation be?

3. Purdue

Record: 29-6
Key returnees: Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson, Lewis Jackson, Kelsey Barlow, John Hart
Key losses: Chris Kramer, Keaton Grant
Newcomers: Terone Johnson, Anthony Johnson, Travis Carroll

Matt Painter can finally relax. A little. Moore and Johnson will be back in West Lafeyette, along with a healthy Hummel. The Boilers will miss Kramer, but if the defense is even close to as good as it was during the NCAA tournament, they'll be in the mix for the Big Ten title, a No. 1 seed and possibly – finally – reach that elusive Final Four. Size will be an issue – again – unless Carroll or sophomore Patrick Bade can spell JaJuan Johnson inside.

4. Pittsburgh

Record: 25-9
Key returnees: Ashton Gibbs, Gilbert Brown, Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee, Travon Woodall, Dante Taylor
Key losses: Jermaine Dixon
Newcomers: J.J. Moore, Isaiah Epps, Cameron Wright

There's a drop from 3 to 4, but not as much as some might think. Considering the Panthers return seven of their top eight players from a 25-9 squad, including two star-caliber players in Gibbs and Brown and Jamie Dixon's squad is a fair bet to make that Final Four breakthrough. There won't be any embarrassing losses in 2010-11.

5. Kansas State

Record: 29-8
Key returnees: Jacob Pullen, Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels, Wally Judge, Dominique Sutton, Rodney McGruder
Key losses: Denis Clemente, Luis Colon
Newcomers: Freddy Asprilla, Shane Southwell, Will Spradling

Flipped the Wildcats up a few spots from the previous version mostly because of Pullen and the likelihood that Judge has a breakout season. Not that Kelly or Samuels should be ignored, or Sutton and juco transfer Asprilla, for that matter. K-State was a few missed shots away from a Final Four in 2010. Expect the same in 2011.

6. Ohio State

Record: 29-8
Key returnees: William Buford, David Lighty, Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale
Key losses: Evan Turner, Kyle Madsen, Jeremie Simmons
Newcomers: Jared Sullinger, Deshaun Thomas, Jordan Sibert, J.D. Weatherspoon

Turner's gone, yet some think the Buckeyes could be the nation's second-best team. That's mostly because everyone but Turner is back and will be bolstered by a dynamite recruiting class, led by unflappable big man Sullinger. The last time Thad Matta had freshmen like this, he reached the title game.

7. Villanova

Record: 25-8
Key returnees: Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Antonio Pena, Mouphtaou Yarou, Maalik Wayns, Dominic Cheek, Taylor King
Key losses: Scottie Reynolds, Reggie Redding
Newcomers: James Bell, Jayvaughn Pinkston

Originally slated the Wildcats at 16, but various raves regarding Wayns changed my mind. Jay Wright's team remains a deep, talented squad that should benefit from a full season with Yarou down low. Still, this may be optimistic given how crucial Reynolds was the last four seasons.

8. Kansas

Record: 33-3
Key returnees: Tyshawn Taylor, Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed, Thomas Robinson, Jeff Withey, Elijah Robinson, Mario Little
Key losses: Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich, Xavier Henry
Newcomers: Josh Selby, Royce Woolridge

Adding Selby – perhaps the nation's top recruit – makes the Jayhawks a Top 10 team again. The transition to life without Collins and Aldrich won't be easy, but Marcus Morris and Taylor are both poised for breakout seasons. There's plenty of depth while Morningstar and Reed are the stabilizing upperclassmen.

9. Washington

Record: 26-10
Key returnees: Isaiah Thomas, Venoy Overton, Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Justin Holiday, Abdul Gaddy, Darnell Gant, C.J. Wilcox, Scott Suggs
Key losses: Quincy Pondexter, Elston Turner
Newcomers: Terrence Jones, Terrence Ross, Aziz N'Diaye

This assumes Jones ends up in Seattle (still waiting). The addition of shooting guard Ross to an already excellent perimeter featuring Thomas, Holiday and Overton (to say nothing of sharpshooter Wilcox) will only make Lorenzo Romar's team even more fun to watch – and tough to play. Even if post players Amaning and N'Diaye only block shots and rebound, that's enough.

10. Kentucky

Record: 35-3
Key returnees: Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins, Darnel Dodson, Jon Hood
Key losses: John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, Eric Bledsoe, Daniel Orton, Perry Stevenson, Ramon Harris
Newcomers: Brandon Knight, Enes Kanter, Doron Lamb, Stacey Poole

Six guys are gone, but John Calipari reloaded. Knight, Kanter (assuming he's fully eligible) and Lamb don't have the pop of his 2010 recruiting class, but they're close. It'll be interesting to see how guys like Miller and Liggins – who mostly focused on defense – fare . Will they assume a larger role in the offense or will they defer to the newcomers?

Toyed with several variations from 11-20, and settled on the following. It'll likely change in October.

11. Virginia Tech

Record: 25-9
Key returnees: Malcolm Delaney, Jeff Allen, Dorenzo Hudson, J.T. Thompson, Terrell Bell, Victor Davila, Erick Green
Key losses: None
Newcomers: Allan Chaney, Tyrone Garland, Jarell Eddie

Malcolm Delaney gives the Hokies the ACC's second-best lineup as every starter returns and Chaney, a Florida transfer, is added to the mix. No way this team misses out on the NCAA tournament again. It should challenge for the ACC title.

12. UNLV

Record: 25-9
Key returnees: Tre'Von Willis, Chase Stanback, Oscar Bellfield, Derrick Jasper, Brice Massamba, Kendall Wallace, Justin Hawkins
Key losses: Darris Santee, Matt Shaw
Newcomers: Quintrell Thomas, Henry Buckley

Don't sleep on the Rebels. All five starters return from a team that was a buzzer-beater away from beating Northern Iowa. They're deep, athletic and experienced. It won't be a shock to see them win the Mountain West and nab a high seed similar to New Mexico last season.

13. Gonzaga

Record: 27-7
Key returnees: Steven Gray, Robert Sacre, Elias Harris, Demetri Goodson, Kelly Olynyk, Bol Kong, Mangisto Arop
Key losses: Matt Bouldin
Newcomers: Keegan Hyland

Bouldin, the WCC player of the year is gone, but there shouldn't be a significant dropoff. Goodson can run the point and Gray should pick up the scoring slack. Harris and Sacre remain a handful inside. What's not to like?

14. Baylor

Record: 28-8
Key returnees: LaceDarius Dunn, Anthony Jones, Quincy Acy, A.J. Walton, Nolan Dennis
Key losses: Tweety Carter, Ekpe Udoh, Josh Lomers
Newcomers: Perry Jones, Stargell Love, Bakari Turner

Can't decide which hurts worse: losing Carter's leadership, outside shooting and ball-handling skills, or Udoh's blocking and rebounding. Freshman Perry Jones – along with the explosive Acy and Anthony Jones -- should help offset Udoh, but who runs the show? Does Dunn assume point guard duties or is Walton ready?

15. Illinois

Record: 21-15
Key returnees: Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale, D.J. Richardson, Brandon Paul, Bill Cole, Tyler Griffey, Jeff Jordan
Key losses: Dominique Keller
Newcomers: Meyers Leonard, Jereme Richmond, Crandall Head

To say Bruce Weber was elated to have McCamey back in Champaign is an understatement. Sure, the Illini coach didn't always see eye to eye with his point guard last season, but there's no doubt McCamey's the driving force behind Illinois. Though having all five starters return and a Top 15 recruiting class is nice too…

16. Memphis

Record: 24-10
Key returnees: Will Coleman, Wesley Witherspoon, Angel Garcia, Roburt Sallie
Key losses: Elliot Williams, Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack, Pierre Henderson-Niles
Newcomers: Will Barton, Joe Jackson, Jelan Kendrick, Tarik Black, Chris Crawford, Antonio Barton

The Tigers could've been a Top 10 team if Williams had passed on the NBA draft. Instead, this uber-talent roster – home to 2010's top recruiting class – will have to mesh with a mix of fab freshmen like Will Barton, Kendrick and Jackson along with experienced guys like Coleman and Sallie.

17. Butler

Record: 33-5
Key returnees: Matt Howard, Ronald Nored, Shelvin Mack, Shawn Vanzant, Zach Hahn, Andrew Smith.
Key losses: Gordon Hayward, Willie Veasley, Avery Jukes.
Newcomers: Chrishawn Hopkins, Khyle Marshall

Gordon Hayward's gone, along with defensive stopper Willie Veasley. But the cupboard isn't bare, what with Howard, a former Horizon League player of the year, underrated Mack and indomitable Nored. The Butler Way – defense and limiting mistakes – will keep the Bulldogs among the Top 25.

18. Syracuse

Record: 30-5
Key returnees: Brandon Triche, Scoop Jardine, Kris Joseph, Rick Jackson, DaShonte Riley, Mookie Jones
Key losses: Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins, Arinze Onuaku
Newcomers: Fab Melo, Dion Waiters

Perhaps this is too low, given we just saw the Orange lose their top three players only to reload for an even better season. Still, it's hard to see them improving upon their 30-5 season unless Triche, Jardine or Waiters become consistent perimeter threats. Keep an eye on Joseph. He's ready for his star turn.

19. Missouri

Record: 23-11
Key returnees: Kim English, Laurence Bowers, Marcus Denmon, Michael Dixon, Justin Safford, Miguel Paul
Key losses: J.T. Tiller, Zaire Taylor, Keith Ramsay
Newcomers: Tony Mitchell, Phil Pressey, Ricardo Ratliffe, Matt Pressey, Phil Pressey

They'll miss Tiller's defense and Taylor's shooting, but English, Denmon and Dixon are just as good, while Mitchell gives Mike Anderson the elite scorer he's never had at Missouri. If the Tigers ever stop getting beaten badly on the boards, they'll be in the Big 12 mix.

20. Florida

Record: 21-13
Key returnees: Kenny Boynton, Erving Walker, Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus, Vernon Macklin, Erik Murphy
Key losses: Dan Werner, Ray Shipman
Newcomers: Patric Young, Casey Prather

Isn't it about time Billy Donovan's team became a Top 25 mainstay again? Their four top players and sixth man (Macklin) return, while Young's an elite talent who should move into the starting lineup. Look for a breakout season from Boynton.

21. Tennessee

Record: 28-9
Key returnees: Scotty Hopson, Brian Williams, Cameron Tatum, Melvin Goins, Steven Pearl, Renaldo Wooldridge, Skylar McBee
Key losses: Wayne Chism, Bobby Maze, J.P. Prince
Newcomers: Tobias Harris, Jordan McRae, Trae Golden

Chism, Maze and Prince were key to the Vols' run to the Elite Eight, but there shouldn't be a huge dropoff thanks to Williams' development and Harris' instant impact. McRae and Golden should provide backcourt help to Hopson. Still, this is a team that'll win with defense, not its shooting.

22. BYU

Record: 30-6
Key returnees: Jimmer Fredette, Jackson Emery, Noah Hartsock, Brandon Davies, Chris Collinsworth, Nick Martineau
Key losses: Jonathan Tavernari, Chris Miles, Michael Loyd, Tyler Haws
Newcomers: Kyle Collinsworth, Anson Winder

Love Fredette's game. His return places him on the shortlist for national player of the year. But without guys like Tavernari, Miles and Haws (who left to do a mission) and the transfer of talented guard Loyd, everything's on Fredette's shoulders. Are they broad enough to make the Cougars the Mountain West's top team?

23. North Carolina

Record: 20-17
Key returnees: Tyler Zeller, Larry Drew II, John Henson, Dexter Strickland, Will Graves, Leslie McDonald
Key losses: Ed Davis, Deon Thompson, Marcus Ginyard, Travis Wear, David Wear
Newcomers: Harrison Barnes, Reggie Bullock, Kendall Marshall

Detractors will bemoan having the Heels in the Top 25, and they might not be wrong. They lose three starters and nearly all of their size from a team that wasn't even good enough to make the NCAA tournament. Much depends on Barnes' impact, Zeller's health and if Marshall can form a PG tandem with Drew. Do they eventually land Kadeem Jack to help out in the frontcourt?

24. Temple

Record: 29-6
Key returnees: Juan Fernandez, Lavoy Allen, Ramone Moore, Michael Eric, Rahlir Jefferson, Craig Williams
Key losses: Ryan Brooks, Luis Guzman
Newcomers: Anthony Lee, Aaron Brown

The A-10 champs lose reliable players in Brooks and Guzman, but return four of their top five scorers. The trick will be getting inside scoring from a player other than Allen. Is Lee ready?

25. Xavier

Record: 26-9
Key returnees: Terrell Holloway, Jamel McLean, Dante Jackson, Mark Lyons, Kenny Frease, Brad Redford
Key losses: Jordan Crawford, Jason Love
Newcomers: Justin Martin, Jay Canty, Jordan Latham, Griffin McKenzie

Despite losing Crawford, Xavier's backcourt remains its strength. Holloway's a ferocious defender, while Jackson is a threat from outside. However, the Musketeers do have size with McLean and newcomers Latham, McKenzie and Martin.

Next 10: Old Dominion, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Wichita State, San Diego State, Richmond, Louisville, Connecticut, UCLA, Texas.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.