There have been few surprises in men's college basketball thus far this season, and as teams gear up for the heart of their league schedules, the focus of the nation remains on the six power conferences. In the most recent coach's poll, 23 of the 25 teams hail from the ACC, Big12, SEC, Big10, Big East or the Pac10. The two ranked teams outside of the six major conferences, Cincinnati and Gonzaga, are both perennially strong teams.
To the surprise of no one, Duke is the nation's top team. Despite a slipup against a mediocre Florida State squad, Duke has dominated non-conference opponents, and ACC powerhouses Virginia and Maryland. The Blue Devils sport arguably the nation's two finest players: junior point guard Jason Williams, who probably would have been the top pick in the NBA draft had he left last year, and junior Mike Dunleavy, a 6'-10" forward who can play both inside and out. Complimenting this tremendous duo are big-man Carlos Boozer, sophomore guard Chris Duhon, and Rutgers transfer Dahntay Jones, a scorer with outstanding athletic ability. With a starting five that will all almost surely play at the next level, any scenario in which Duke does not win the NCAA tournament is unlikely, however, the team does lack depth and foul shooting proficiency, two integral factors in winning a championship.
Duke's best competition might come from Big12 challenger Kansas, who last week beat both number six ranked Oklahoma State and number five ranked Oklahoma. Kansas is led by one of the best front court duos in the nation. 6'-10" forward Drew Gooden leads the Jayhawks and the conference in scoring and rebounding, netting 20.6 points and pulling down 11.8 rebounds per game. Junior Nick Collison averages 15.3 points and 8.2 boards per game while shooting a stellar 60.7 percent from the floor. A pleasant surprise in the Big 12 has been Bobby Knight's Texas Tech Red Raiders, led by super sophomore Andre Emmett and senior center Andy Ellis.
Closer to home, the Big East remains one of the nation's top conferences with three ranked squads and two others in the top 30. The league's two toughest teams are also its two biggest surprises. Pittsburgh, traditionally dwelling near the conference basement, owns an 18-3 mark overall and a 6-1 mark in the league. The Panthers are led by the underrated junior guard Brandin Knight, who scores 14.6 points per game while dishing 6.8 assists and grabbing 5 rebounds.
The league's other big surprise: the University of Connecticut Huskies, who stand alone in the league's east division with an unblemished 6-0 record. UConn is led by one of the premier small forwards in the country, sophomore Caron Butler, who averages 18.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Connecticut's efforts have also been aided by the additions of two of the nation's top freshman, guard Ben Gordon - an explosive sixth man - and center Emeka Okafor, who ranks among the nation's leader in blocks.
The hometown Boston College Eagles began the season with high hopes but in recent weeks have floundered their way into a .500 conference record. Troy Bell, expected to be one of the nation's top players in the preseason, has had a disappointing start. Bell, who returned to campus after having considered entering the NBA draft, has struggled with his shot accuracy all season, connecting on less than 30% of his three-point shots. Yet when Bell plays his best, few are better. He penetrates tremendously and possesses a surprising ability to block shots despite his diminutive size. If Bell catches fire, BC could potentially go far into the NCAA tournament.
The SEC might be home to the best basketball in the nation. Alabama, Kentucky and Florida have played well, as expected. Teyshawn Prince, one of the nation's most explosive players, leads Kentucky in both scoring and rebounding. Yet the biggest surprise in both the SEC and the nation has been the Georgia Bulldogs. Coach Jim Harrick, who established winning programs at both UCLA and the University of Rhode Island, has turned the Bulldogs' program around. Junior guard Ezra Williams and sophomore forward Jarvis Hayes have led an attack that has beaten both Florida and Kentucky on the road.
Perhaps the most interesting conference battle will unfold in the PAC 10, where little difference exists among UCLA, Arizona, Stanford and USC. Arizona has at times appeared overrated, but with eclectic big man Luke Walton and guard Jason Richardson, who can lead a scoring burst at any moment, Arizona could go on a significant run.
