THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS AND COMMENTS:

*--* Rank Team Comment 1 ARIZONA Two first-team preseason All-Americans and a Hall of Fame coach 2 KANSAS Developing some depth behind sterling starting five will be the issue for Jayhawks 3 PITTSBURGH Virtually everyone’s back from a Sweet 16 team led by Brandin Knight 4 OKLAHOMA Power forward Aaron McGhee is no small loss 5 DUKE Just guessing the rebuilding cycle will be very, very brief 6 TEXAS Now it’s time to see if Longhorns win the big games on the hardcourt 7 ALABAMA Inside-outside combo of Erwin Dudley, Maurice Williams spells trouble for the SEC 8 XAVIER David West, Romain Sato might make this the best team in Cincinnati 9 MISSOURI Get ready for the athleticism of Rickey Paulding to really emerge 10 MARYLAND Defending champion earns honorary position in the top 10 11 GEORGIA Jim Harrick played it fast and loose -- and with a team like this he’ll get away with it 12 KENTUCKY Wildcat fans hold breath for first off-court discipline problem 13 OREGON Without Freddie Jones, Ducks need someone to take the last-minute shot 14 FLORIDA Gators’ history of inconsistency is troubling. So is Brett Nelson’s foot injury 15 MICHIGAN STATE Marcus Taylor only the latest of the early departures for the Wolverines 16 MISSISSIPPI STATE Questions about Mario Austin’s eligibility a major caution 17 MARQUETTE It’s time for everyone to get this straight: It’s D-W-Y-A-N-E Wade 18 UCLA You know the drill: Bruins plotting for Sweet 16 19 CONNECTICUT Caron Butler is gone but shot-blocker Emeka Okafor is not 20 GONZAGA Front line led by Cory Violette will carry the Zags far, and Blake Stepp is a skilled guard 21 CINCINNATI Huggins will be same as ever, meaning Bearcats will win Conference USA again 22 INDIANA Jared Jeffries is gone but gutty little Hoosiers will be back 23 MINNESOTA The finesse of 6-11 forward Rick Rickert should lead Gophers back from days of scandal 24 OHIO STATE Buckeyes lost some scoring, but Coach Jim O’Brien always has good players 25 WYOMING Cowboys were well-coached and ferocious in NCAA Tournament win over Gonzaga last season

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