ESPN Men's Basketball

NEW ORLEANS -- Ohio State needed this Final Four.

Thad Matta did not.

Matta has never been about self-promotion. The Buckeyes' coach is a fierce competitor but never talks about his need to collect rings, according to his good friend and former assistant Sean Miller of Arizona, even though Matta has piled away a combined eight conference titles in stops at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State.

Ohio State's athletic department was reeling a year ago as its football program, the crown jewel of Columbus, was embroiled in a scandal. An investigation turned up NCAA violations, which were followed by suspensions and eventually the departure of longtime coach Jim Tressel.

The Buckeyes survived the turmoil and have been rejuvenated by the hiring of Urban Meyer. And while the two sports don't rely on each other, athletic director Gene Smith said the department needed something like the Buckeyes' NCAA tournament run to get everyone back on board.

"This means a great deal," Smith said. "We've gone through quite a bit of challenges, and you're trying to highlight the positives.

"At the end of the day, it's football and basketball where all of the fans' interests are, and when basketball makes a great run like this, it helps remind people what we're all about," Smith said. "It gives people pride. It's significant. It's significant."

Spring football practices start Thursday, which is certain to create additional buzz in Columbus this weekend while the Buckeyes are in New Orleans preparing for Saturday's national semifinal against Kansas. Smith said Meyer will try to fly down to New Orleans on Saturday if his schedule permits.

"With practicing starting Thursday, with the Final Four, and then the spring game on April 21, we have a chance to really continue to help our fans feel positive," Smith said.

Smith said Matta's handling of this squad, especially with the losses of Jon Diebler and David Lighty from last season's team, has been proof of his exceptional leadership.

"I'm proud of the work he's done," Smith said.

So, too, is Miller. Well, he's almost in awe.

"Thad is a very unique coach," said Miller, who replaced Matta at Xavier before he went to Arizona. "It's part of why he's so great at what he does. To me, he thinks differently than a lot of coaches in that he has very little ego.

"I don't know if his big picture is as important to him as it is to others who have won like him. I don't think Thad aspires to be in the Hall of Fame. He isn't counting his rings, and he has quite a few. He's more into coaching and motivating his team. Thad doesn't think about his legacy as much as other great coaches do."

Miller said that Matta should be considered one of the best coaches, if not the best, in the past 12 years.

"I think he's the most successful during that span," Miller said. "He's won the Big Ten regular season five times, won eight conference titles at three different places.

"He was the first coach at Xavier that took that program to the next level in a classic Elite Eight loss to Duke [in 2004] that had us on the doorstep of the Final Four," Miller said. "He was the first guy at Butler to do it and had Wake Forest down 43-10 at the half in the [2001] NCAA tournament. Look what he has done at Ohio State. He doesn't covet and doesn't clearly get enough credit for being one of the very best."

Ohio State is one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country. Matta has found some of the best players in the country yet survives early departures on almost a yearly basis.

And he's doing all of this while dealing with a drop foot, a condition that is the consequence of neck/back surgery and requires him to wear a brace to walk.

"I don't know how long he'll coach, since he's doing it with a drop foot," Miller said. "In general, most head coaches and assistants would have called it quits under similar circumstances. He undersells how hard a situation he has. His toughness and resolve and humility is so unique by today's standards in coaching."

Ohio State doesn't need to hold back its effusive praise for something good in the department. And that allows Matta to do what he does best: coach and win without much fanfare or attention.

A Sweet 16 appearance elevates a program to the next level.

A Final Four moves it up another notch.

The matchups usually make the difference in getting this far. Talent -- and star power -- also play big roles.

There is a certain level of pressure for all coaches and programs. For some, it's self-induced. For others, it comes from a passionate fan base. Some programs need to reach the Final Four for the season to be considered a success. Some do not.

With that being said, here is our Final Four pressure-meter (1 feels the least amount of pressure and 10 feels the most):

Baylor (5): The men's team doesn't need to make a Final Four appearance. The women will take care of that, as they are the favorites to win the national title. But the men's team has the makeup to make this run a rare one. Few teams have length like the Bears do, and it's unlikely that Perry Jones III will stick around for a third season. The reason Baylor doesn't have as much pressure to reach the Final Four, even though it has the personnel to make it to New Orleans, is the bracket it's in. Kentucky could stand in the way of Baylor's potential first men's Final Four appearance. The Wildcats are the clear favorites, so expecting the Bears to advance to the Final Four from the South wouldn't be fair.

Cincinnati (3): Cincinnati has survived suspensions and a bumpy ride in the Big East. The Bearcats thrived at the end of the season and reached the conference title game. Mick Cronin and this crew have exceeded expectations by reaching the Sweet 16. Playing one of the favorites in Ohio State takes more pressure off the Bearcats. This ride now is all about extra credit for Cronin and Co.

Florida (4): The Gators won two national titles in consecutive seasons. It will be hard for any program to duplicate that -- ever again. Keeping a team together like the '04 class for the '06 and '07 titles will be extremely difficult to match unless the NBA draft rules change again. The Gators had an easier road to the Sweet 16 thanks to a depleted Virginia team and playing Norfolk State, which exhausted itself with the stunning upset over Missouri. But the Gators don't need to get to the Final Four. If Florida does reach New Orleans with this flawed group and its suspect inside game, it would be quite a feat. The Gators are the lowest remaining seed in the West, too. Expecting them to get past Marquette and possibly top seed Michigan State would be a bit much.

Indiana (3): Tom Crean has turned the corner in Bloomington. There was legitimate reason to be concerned last season. But Crean recruited exceptionally well, getting a star in Cody Zeller, and he got his players to believe they could win big-time games. The victory over Kentucky will resonate for some time. Reaching the Sweet 16 gives Crean even more credibility and respect in the state. However, for this team to get past Kentucky would be asking too much. No one should expect a win over the Wildcats again. To advance to the Elite Eight and the Final Four would be sensational accomplishments. Even though the fan base expects greatness, Indiana has already exceeded any expectations by getting this far.

Louisville (5): The Cardinals are the "pro" team in town. And like Kentucky, the expectations include Final Four appearances. But Louisville has gone through a slew of injuries, and there was no reason to believe it could maintain a high level of play throughout the season. Still, the Cards survived to reach the Sweet 16 and face top-seeded Michigan State. The most pressure may be felt in trying to keep up with rival Kentucky. The expectation is that the Wildcats will be in the Final Four, so why not join them and create even more frenzy in a hoops-crazed state?

Kansas (9): The Jayhawks have two of the top players at their positions in Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor. Kansas expects to compete for conference and national titles, regardless of personnel, every season. And while Bill Self had to deal with rotation players not being eligible, including top newcomer Ben McLemore, the Jayhawks still won the Big 12 regular-season title for the eighth straight time. Kansas survived against Purdue, but had it not been for a guard meltdown the Jayhawks may be idle right now. Instead, they have new life in the Midwest, thanks to NC State's Sweet 16 run and North Carolina potentially being without Kendall Marshall in the Elite Eight (if the Tar Heels get past Ohio). The pressure has ratcheted up for the Jayhawks. If Marshall is out for this weekend in St. Louis, the Jayhawks are the new favorites in the Midwest.

Kentucky (10): The Wildcats are the front-runners to win the national title, not just get to the Final Four. Let's be honest, anything less than a title would be a disappointment. No team in the Sweet 16 has as much pressure to get to the Final Four as Kentucky. The Wildcats have the most talent, the national player of the year in Anthony Davis, and plenty of other pro talent on the roster (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb). Darius Miller also played in the Final Four last season. John Calipari has coached in three Final Fours. The Wildcats are playing a team that handed them their only regular-season loss. A possible matchup with Baylor is more than formidable. The Bears can match Kentucky's length and shooting, but Baylor's defense has never been its strong suit. The region still lays out well for Kentucky in SEC-rich Catlanta.

Marquette (6): The Golden Eagles play as hard, if not harder, than any other team in the field. Marquette's beat down of BYU in the second half and its ability to run past Murray State late were quite impressive. Now, the Eagles get a Florida team that it matches up well with since they can defend the 3-point shot. Marquette should be the favorite in this game and has the personnel and the toughness to beat Michigan State or Louisville. A Final Four isn't expected with this group, but now the bracket has opened up a bit with Missouri gone. A loss in the Elite Eight makes more sense, but there is some pressure for Marquette to advance with Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom leading the way. The Eagles have been to a Final Four with Dwyane Wade under Crean. A berth for Buzz Williams would raise his coaching profile.

Michigan State (8): The Spartans lost one of their key rotation players in Branden Dawson in the final regular-season game against Ohio State. But they won the Big Ten tournament title without him and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs. Draymond Green has been the most valuable player so far in the NCAA tournament and has a legit shot to lead the Spartans to another Final Four. Michigan State expects Final Fours under Tom Izzo, but this team certainly didn't look the part early in the season. It has matured into a title contender. And while the bracket is filled with potential hurdles, the Spartans have the pressure of being a top seed and the expectation of a Final Four appearance.

North Carolina (8): The Tar Heels would have had a 10 in this spot if Marshall didn't fracture his wrist against Creighton and have surgery on Monday. Now, the pressure of reaching the Final Four has dropped a few spots. North Carolina was as healthy as it had been in weeks at the start of the game with the Bluejays. But the Marshall injury makes the Tar Heels extremely vulnerable. Ohio is capable of pulling off another upset. And if the Tar Heels get past Ohio, a revenge-minded NC State team or title-contending Kansas awaits. The Tar Heels were built to win a title. That's why Harrison Barnes didn't opt for the NBA. Tyler Zeller had opportunities, as well. The roster is deep enough to absorb injuries to Leslie McDonald and Dexter Strickland. Let's see if it can take its worst hit and survive without Marshall or having him only on a limited basis. The expectations for a Final Four may have dropped outside of Chapel Hill, but it hasn't inside the Dean Smith Center. Carolina should expect to be in the Final Four yet again. It's just tougher with Marshall's injury and Kansas potentially looming.

NC State (2): The Wolfpack have far exceeded expectations under Mark Gottfried. NC State was the last team revealed on Selection Sunday. It had to be one of the last teams in the field prior to the four at-large teams that played in the First Four. NC State lost a 19-point lead at Duke, and the Wolfpack couldn't close out UNC in the ACC tournament. But they grinded out wins over San Diego State and Georgetown in their first two games of the tournament. This program has had low expectations for years. The Final Four would be gravy on what has already been deemed a highly successful season. The Wolfpack draw Kansas and if they somehow get past KU (not improbable), they could face a rematch with UNC. One can only imagine the scene in Raleigh if NC State, and not UNC, made the Final Four.

Ohio (1): The Bobcats are one of the tournament's great stories. Ohio played one of the more dramatic conference tournament title games when it knocked off Akron in thrilling fashion. The Bobcats got a decent seed at 13 and were matched up against a flawed Michigan squad. Ohio was aggressive and had the more experienced lead guard in D.J. Cooper (vs. the heralded Trey Burke) against the Wolverines. The Bobcats then faced a 12-seed in South Florida that couldn't score and was playing its third game of the tournament. Now, Ohio is playing with house money. The Bobcats have zero pressure in reaching the Final Four. Sure, they are facing a North Carolina team that will likely be sans Marshall. But to expect Ohio to win two more and get to the Final Four would be unfair. Ohio has already made its mark with this Sweet 16 appearance and coach John Groce can likely write his own ticket to a higher-paying job in the Big Ten if he chooses to do so.

Ohio State (9): The Buckeyes would have been a 1-seed if they had beaten Michigan State in the Big Ten title game. Jared Sullinger is healthy again, and the personnel hasn't changed. The Buckeyes possess some of the top players at their respective positions in Aaron Craft (top on-ball defender), William Buford (elite shooter) and Deshaun Thomas (a tough matchup as a face-up forward). Ohio State drew an instate rival in Cincinnati. The Bearcats will muck up the game and challenge everything. The top part of the bracket would be just as difficult with either a lock-down defensive team in Wisconsin or an up-and-down transition squad with a pesky zone in top seed Syracuse. But the Orange don't have Fab Melo, so if you were to re-rank the East bracket, the Buckeyes would have to be the favorites. That puts more pressure on Ohio State, and with Sullinger possibly leaving for the NBA, the window to reach the Final Four is now.

Syracuse (9): The Orange were built for a Final Four run. No team had players coming off the bench like Dion Waiters, C.J. Fair and Michael Carter-Williams. Fair is starting now, but the overall depth is still impressive. Melo's ineligibility knocks the Orange down from a 10. The expectation was Final Four or bust since they started showing their dominance during the Big East season. Syracuse has tremendous versatility with Scoop Jardine, Brandon Triche and Kris Joseph all able to make key shots. The Orange weren't tested by Kansas State after surviving a scare from UNC Asheville. The expectation is that it should beat Wisconsin and play against Ohio State. Syracuse may not be projected to beat the Buckeyes in a possible Elite Eight matchup now, sans Melo, but the pressure is there to get to a Final Four with a group that won't be together next season.

Wisconsin (4): Bo Ryan has never reached the Final Four. But he has had better teams projected to go farther. This squad has improved more than any of the previous teams he's coached at Wisconsin. The Badgers lost three early-season home games, and that rattled their confidence. But it didn't take away their resolve. Wisconsin found its shooting stroke, maintained its defensive intensity and got star-level play out of a role player in Ryan Evans. Jordan Taylor is still the leader and will take -- and make -- the big shots. The Badgers were the more polished team in wins over Montana and Vanderbilt. The expectation to knock off Syracuse isn't high. But if that occurs, then a team they already beat -- Ohio State -- could be standing in their way. The Badgers' last Final Four appearance was in 2000. The fan base is hungry for another run, but it doesn't need one. Ryan would like one, but he knows this may not be his best shot. Still, it's plausible in the current bracket.

Xavier (3): The Musketeers may not have been here had it not been for an A-10 title game appearance. Xavier had to mount a season-long repair project to get to this point. And it worked. Coach Chris Mack deserves as much credit for this run as the criticism he took for the way he initially handled the post-brawl situation. He matured as a coach during the season, dealt with his own knee injury and clearly got his lead guards, notably Tu Holloway, to refocus on the task at hand. Xavier survived Notre Dame by playing smarter than the Irish. It showed more moxie than Lehigh in finishing with a strong kick. No one is expecting Xavier to make the Final Four, even those that projected the Musketeers to do so in November. But Baylor is beatable. Taking down Kentucky would be quite a feat. The pressure is low. Xavier has already exceeded the expectations of a team that once had Final Four aspirations but didn't play that way for most of the Atlantic 10 season. Now that it's two wins away, the pressure is even lower. Xavier has already done well to finish the season on a high.

College basketball could use a Heisman-like award, one main honor instead of the five mainstream national awards.

The problem is that finding a consensus for the Wooden, Naismith, AP, Rupp and Oscar Robertson honors is no easy task.

The awards voters do tend to coalesce behind one candidate. And maybe that will be the case again.

But it seems that this season's race will be as wide open as ever. If you need more evidence, take a look at the 25 finalists for the Wooden Award, released on ESPNU and ESPN.com on Tuesday.

It appears that the only two players who are consensus candidates are Kansas' Thomas Robinson and Creighton's Doug McDermott. It's not a reach to say these two players are the favorites in mid-January, a stunning development considering how much preseason hype Ohio State's Jared Sullinger and North Carolina's Harrison Barnes received. The amazing part thus far is that I don't believe Sullinger nor Barnes would be a first-team All-American if the voting were conducted today.

Before we get to the list of players compiled by the Wooden folks, it's important to note that these are simply the 25 players who they felt should be honored on their midseason list. Players who do not show up are still very much eligible to win the Wooden Award at the end of the season and will be given equal consideration.

So players who have legitimate claims to being on this list -- Maryland's Terrell Stoglin and Seton Hall teammates Herb Pope and Jordan Theodore come to mind -- still have a shot.

So without further ado, here are the 25 Wooden finalists (in alphabetical order):

Harrison Barnes, 6-foot-8, So., F, North Carolina
Stat line: 16.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg

Chances: Fading. Still has a shot to be a second-team All-American. Barnes hasn't been the dominating player on the Tar Heels. To be fair, he has some of the best talent in the country (John Henson, Tyler Zeller and Kendall Marshall) surrounding him. UNC's 33-point loss to Florida State didn't help his case, either.

Will Barton, 6-6, So., F, Memphis
Stat line: 18.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg

Chances: No shot. He could be the Conference USA Player of the Year, though. Barton has greatly improved and has been the most consistent player during the Tigers' inconsistent season.

William Buford, 6-6, Sr., G, Ohio State
Stat line: 15.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg

Chances: No shot. Buford won't win Big Ten POY, either. He has been OSU's best perimeter threat, but he won't be a first-team All-American. Buford might not even be first-team All-Big Ten. He is an integral part of the Buckeyes' title hopes, but is not a POY contender.

Anthony Davis, 6-10, Fr., C, Kentucky
Stat line: 13.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.6 bpg

Chances: High. Davis has been the most dominant post player in the country. He blocked a last-second shot by North Carolina's John Henson in December, preventing the Tar Heels from winning a game at Rupp. He alters and changes more shots than any other player. If the Wildcats win the national title, Davis will be one of the reasons why. He would be ahead of Ohio State's Jared Sullinger on the All-America ballot if you had to choose one of them.

Marcus Denmon, 6-3, Sr., G, Missouri
Stat line: 17.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg

Chances: Not great. Denmon is the leading scorer for Mizzou. But it's hard to separate him from Kim English, Ricardo Ratliffe, Michael Dixon and Flip Pressey in his importance to the Tigers. They all have played an equal role in Missouri's impressive start. It will be interesting to see which of these players earns first-team All-Big 12.

Draymond Green, 6-7, Sr., F, Michigan State
Stat line: 15.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg

Chances: In the mix. If he continues his current pace of scoring and rebounding, Green could end up nudging out Sullinger for Big Ten Player of the Year. The Spartans did lose at Northwestern on Saturday, but Green has been a tremendous leader. He will stay in the chase for a first-team All-American spot if his team stays in the race for the Big Ten title.

John Henson, 6-11, Jr., C, North Carolina
Stat line: 14.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg

Chances: No shot. Henson didn't convert the biggest shot of his season against Kentucky. Davis blocked it. And if Barnes isn't the national player of the year, Henson isn't either. The 33-point loss to Florida State will haunt all Tar Heels candidates.

John Jenkins, 6-4, Jr., G, Vanderbilt
Stat line: 19.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg

Chances: No shot. Jenkins is a superb shooter and scorer and is leading the revitalized Commodores. But his role isn't more important than Jeffery Taylor, Brad Tinsley or Festus Ezeli -- it is equally important. The 'Dores mid-nonconference slide hurts Jenkins' campaign. The success of the Kentucky freshmen also makes it almost impossible for Jenkins to get SEC Player of the Year.

Orlando Johnson, 6-5, Sr., G, UCSB
Stat line: 20.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg

Chances: No shot. Johnson is having a stellar season for the Gauchos, and he may be one of the higher draft picks on this list. But the Gauchos are 8-6 and are trailing Long Beach State in the Big West. Johnson should be an All-American, but he won't make the first team.

Darius Johnson-Odom, 6-2, Sr., G, Marquette
Stat line: 18.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg

Chances: No shot. DJO has had a superb season for the Golden Eagles. He has a legit shot at Big East Player of the Year. But that won't be enough to get a first-team All-American spot or the national POY. Marquette has been decent, but not great enough for DJO to stand out on that pedestal.

Kevin Jones, 6-8, Sr., F, West Virginia
Stat line: 20.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg

Chances: Decent. Jones has put it all together as a senior and has put up just a monster season for the Mountaineers. Just seems like it's double-double after double-double for Jones, who will need to keep the Mountaineers in the top 3 of the Big East in order to stay in Wooden contention.

Perry Jones III, 6-11, So., C, Baylor
Stat line: 14.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg

Chances: No shot at player of the year, but he is in the hunt for a first-team All-American slot. The problem for Jones' candidacy is that Quincy Acy has been a comparable inside scorer and guard Pierre Jackson has been an integral member of this team. Jones didn't help his case when he and the Bears were dominated by Kansas' Thomas Robinson in a loss on Monday night. But he can't win national POY if he isn't the Big 12 Player of the Year. And Robinson is the favorite for that honor.

Kris Joseph, 6-7, Sr., F, Syracuse
Stat line: 13.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg

Chances: No shot. Joseph is leading the Orange, but this team is so deep, so talented and so balanced that you would have a hard time picking just him. Dion Waiters may be Syracuse's MVP. A number of other players have taken turns being the star for the Orange, too.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 6-7, Fr., F, Kentucky
Stat line: 13.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 49.4 FG percentage

Chances: Solid. Kidd-Gilchrist could be the SEC Player of the Year. And if he gets that honor, he'll be in contention for the national POY. Kidd-Gilchrist took a few games to get going, but once he did he was an offensive force. He has delivered on his talent and effort.

Jeremy Lamb, 6-5, So., G, Connecticut
Stat line: 17.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg

Chances: No shot. Lamb is leading the Huskies in scoring. But UConn is still finding its way in the Big East. The Huskies haven't featured Lamb as much, either. Andre Drummond may end up being the team's featured scorer by season's end. Lamb isn't the Big East Player of the Year right now, so he isn't winning the national honor.

Damian Lillard, 6-3, Jr., G, Weber State
Stat line: 25.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.5 apg

Chances: He won't win national POY, but he should be in contention for second-team All-American honors. Lillard is having a stellar season for the Wildcats, who are in first place in the Big Sky. He leads the nation in scoring and his stat line is as good as any in the country. The problem is that Weber has been in obscurity so far this season. Lillard will likely not be seen by the masses until March.

Doug McDermott, 6-7, So., F, Creighton
Stat line: 24.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 62.1 FG

Chances: High. McDermott has been one of the most complete players in the country and is a first-team All-American, at the very least. He could be this season's Jimmer Fredette, coming from outside a power six conference to win the national player of the year honor. McDermott has led the Bluejays to the top of the Missouri Valley and into the Top 25. He is the focus of every opposing defense, too.

Scott Machado, 6-1, Sr., G, Iona
Stat line: 13.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 10.3 apg

Chances: Not happening for POY, but he's in the hunt as a first-team All-American. Machado has been the most dominant point guard this season and easily leads the country in assists. Iona has played a decent schedule and is the team to beat in the MAAC. Few teams will want to face the Gaels in March, and Machado is one of the key reasons why.

Kendall Marshall, 6-4, So., G, North Carolina
Stat line: 5.8 ppg, 9.6 apg

Chances: No shot. Marshall is a key for the Tar Heels. He hasn't been the best point guard in the country, but has been a solid contributor this season and does rank second behind Machado in assists. But that isn't enough to win the award or be a first-team candidate.

Mike Moser, 6-8, So., F, UNLV
Stat line: 13.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg

Chances: No shot. But Moser has to be in contention for a first- or second-team All-American spot. His rebounding has been epic (especially against North Carolina). Moser and fellow UCLA transfer Chace Stanback have been the major reasons the Runnin' Rebels are ranked and in contention for the MWC title.

Arnett Moultrie, 6-11, Jr., C, Mississippi State
Stat line: 16.5 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 0.9 bpg

Chances: Not good for POY, but he's a serious candidate for first-team All-American. Outside of Moser, Moultrie has had the most impact of any transfer. He has increased MSU's chances of being a serious threat to Kentucky in the SEC. Moultrie is a double-double machine for coach Rick Stansbury and has allowed the Bulldogs to avoid relying only on Renardo Sidney.

Thomas Robinson, 6-9, Jr., F, Kansas
Stat line: 17.8 ppg, 12.3 rpg

Chances: High. Robinson is the POY favorite at this juncture. He should be a consensus first-team All-American. He has had to take on immense responsibility with the departure of the Morris twins and has responded without a hitch. He carries the weight of the incredible burden of losing his mother during last season. And yet he is as focused as ever in 2011-12. Robinson dominated in the rout over Baylor on Monday night with 27 points and 14 rebounds.

Mike Scott, 6-8, Sr., F, Virginia
Stat line: 16.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg

Chances: He has no shot for national POY, but Scott is one of the favorites for ACC Player of the Year. He has been the most consistent big man in the league. Take Scott off the Cavs, and they don't come close to the top of the league standings. But Virginia did lose at Duke and also fell to TCU. Scott will have to keep the Cavs in the ACC's top three to have a chance at the league's POY.

Jared Sullinger, 6-9, So., F, Ohio State
Stat line: 17.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg

Chances: Still strong. Sullinger has been battling injuries (back, foot) and missed the road game at Kansas in December. That's part of the reason he is not the favorite right now. Sullinger still has plenty of time to be a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year. But it would help if he had some dominating performances down the stretch.

Cody Zeller, 6-11, Fr., C, Indiana
Stat line: 14.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.4 bpg

Chances: No shot. But Zeller is in the chase for Big Ten Player of the Year. At the very least, he'll be the Big Ten Rookie of the Year. It's amazing that he's on this list and his older brother Tyler (a senior at North Carolina) is not. Cody has helped transform Indiana into a national player, but the Hoosiers' recent two-game skid does take his chances for Big Ten POY down a peg.

My midseason All-America team choices:
First team: Robinson, McDermott, Davis, Moultrie, Machado
Second team: Kidd-Gilchrist, Sullinger, Green, K. Jones, C. Zeller

Ohio State was tabbed as the consensus Big Ten favorite on media day Thursday in Chicago -- and the conference certainly plans to reward the Buckeyes early on in league play.

Examine the conference schedules of the contenders and it's clear that, barring early missteps or injuries, the Bucks should get out to a solid start early on and get out to a comfortable league lead.

Let's examine six of the more interesting schedules in the Big Ten this season:

The favorite

Ohio State

First eight: Northwestern, at Indiana, Nebraska, at Iowa, at Illinois, Indiana, at Nebraska, Penn State
The Buckeyes don't play a ranked team until Michigan on Jan. 29. They should be 8-0 heading into that game.

The middle six: Michigan, at Wisconsin, Purdue, Michigan State, at Minnesota, at Michigan
Clearly there are speed bumps here with the UW road game and plenty of danger spots along the way.

The final four: Illinois, Wisconsin, at Northwestern, at Michigan State
Ohio State has struggled in the past at Northwestern. This could be a dicey finish to the season if these last two games matter. Wisconsin will get its last shot in Columbus, but will it be too late for the Badgers? The Buckeyes also will be in tournament form by the time they get to this stage.

The contenders

Wisconsin

First eight: at Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, at Michigan, at Purdue, Nebraska, Northwestern, at Illinois
There are four road games in here, and none will be easy. The Badgers might have a hard time keeping pace with Ohio State early in the conference race. Nebraska will be up for its first Big Ten home game. Winning at Michigan, Purdue and Illinois will be quite a chore for this team. The Badgers run the risk of being two to three games behind Ohio State.

The middle six: Indiana, at Penn State, Ohio State, at Minnesota, at Michigan State, Penn State
Wisconsin doesn't get much of a break here, either. The Badgers will be looking at a three-game grouping of OSU, at Minnesota and at Michigan State. Keeping pace with OSU in the middle of the conference will be exceedingly difficult.

The final four: at Iowa, at Ohio State, Minnesota, Illinois
The Badgers might have to concede the Big Ten title by the time it gets to the road game at Ohio State -- unless the Buckeyes have slipped up. The final two games should give the Badgers the momentum needed to be strong going into the Big Ten tournament.

Michigan State

The first eight: Indiana, at Nebraska, at Wisconsin, Iowa, at Northwestern, at Michigan, Purdue, Minnesota
The Spartans will have to play four of the first six on the road. Michigan State will be road tested by this time with the games against North Carolina in San Diego, versus Duke in New York and at Gonzaga. Still, the environments will be tough. MSU will have to weather this to stay in the race early.

The middle six: at Illinois, Michigan, Penn State, at Ohio State, Wisconsin, at Purdue
Once again, the Spartans have a consistent schedule in which no grouping is free of potholes. They will have to steal a road game in this group to stay in the race.

The final four: at Minnesota, Nebraska, at Indiana, Ohio State
If the Spartans are still in the race, hosting OSU to end the season is a coup. It could also dramatically help MSU's seed potential in the NCAAs. The most dangerous game, though, could end up being at Minnesota. That could turn out to be a pivotal game for both schools.

Michigan

The first eight: Penn State, Minnesota, at Indiana, Wisconsin, Northwestern, at Iowa, Michigan State, at Purdue
The Wolverines could get off to a contending start with this opening. Don't be surprised to see Michigan, instead of the Badgers, on Ohio State's heels early in the conference season based on this schedule.

The middle six: at Ohio State, Indiana, at Michigan State, at Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio State
This is where we'll know whether Michigan is a pretender or contender. The Wolverines get two shots at Ohio State in this group, go to Michigan State and face a possible danger game at Nebraska.

The final four: at Northwestern, Purdue, at Illinois, at Penn State
Michigan could be in the chase and might need another road win here or could be positioning itself well for seeding in the Big Ten tournament.

No favors for the rebuilder

Iowa

The first eight: Purdue, at Wisconsin, at Minnesota, Ohio State, at Michigan State, Michigan, at Purdue, Nebraska
The Hawkeyes are expected to be improved this season, but the record in the Big Ten might not look that way early with road games at Wisconsin, Minnesota and MSU, plus Ohio State in Iowa City, in the first five games.

The middle six: at Indiana, Minnesota, Penn State, at Northwestern, at Penn State, Indiana
If it still has confidence, Iowa has a chance to pick up a significant number of wins here.

The final four: Wisconsin, at Illinois, at Nebraska, Northwestern
The Hawkeyes are a legit spoiler in this scenario and could have a strong finishing kick to be trouble in the Big Ten tournament.

Can the Cats finally do it?

Northwestern

The first eight: at Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, at Michigan, Michigan State, at Wisconsin, at Minnesota, Purdue
Northwestern hasn't had great starts in the Big Ten. This won't be an easy chore with road games at OSU, Michigan and Wisconsin. But that does mean getting three of the toughest out of the way early.

The middle six: Nebraska, at Illinois, Iowa, at Purdue, at Indiana, Minnesota
This is where the Wildcats have to make up ground and mount a bid campaign. Stumble here and the bid-less streak could continue.

The final four: Michigan, at Penn State, Ohio State, at Iowa
The Wildcats have an intriguing finish. OSU will be a struggle, of course, but Northwestern does have a schedule that provides a strong opportunity to impress the committee. The key will be weathering that rough start.

Ohio State lost three games last season.

One to Wisconsin on the road. One to Purdue on the road. One to Kentucky on the final possession in the Sweet 16.

"We won 34 games, were the No. 1 overall seed, and we had the No. 51 player drafted in the NBA, and that was it," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said of the team he has returning.

The reference is to Jon Diebler, the sharpshooting 3-point specialist whom the Portland Trail Blazers selected late in the second round.

The Buckeyes also lost big man Dallas Lauderdale and lanky, all-purpose veteran defender David Lighty. But there's no denying the talent remaining in Columbus. With all the talk and debate surrounding mega-talented teams at North Carolina and Kentucky, and with serious repeat chatter at UConn after the late addition of Andre Drummond, it's easy to forget about Ohio State.

That's not advisable.

The Bucks return the best big man in the country in sophomore Jared Sullinger, one of the top scoring wings in senior William Buford, a heady point guard in sophomore Aaron Craft, a rising talent in sophomore Deshaun Thomas and a stellar group of newcomers led by McDonald's All-Americans point guard Shannon Scott, center Amir Williams, small forwards Sam Thompson and LaQuinton Ross and Boston College transfer Evan Ravenel. That is without question a preseason top-five team.

Ohio State won't even start school until Sept. 21 under the quarter system but can start to work out with the coaching staff Thursday. So as other title contenders are already nearly a month into their pre-preseason grind, the Buckeyes haven't begun.

"What's funny is that in late August, we had a team meeting and we were saying goodbye, while other teams were saying hello," Matta said. "We're going to semesters next year, but the one thing we haven't done [in the quarter system] is wear down. We start a month before the season, and that's enough."

Matta isn't dismissing the importance of losing Diebler and Lighty. The Buckeyes had a phenomenal 2010-11 season, and those two played a large part in their success.

"The intangibles will be missed, and those two were phenomenal practice players," Matta said. "They brought energy every single day. They were upbeat and always smiling and always wanting to give more."

Nevertheless, the Buckeyes will be the overwhelming favorite in the Big Ten and more than likely a top-four team nationally when the preseason polls come out. The reason won't be just Sullinger, who honored his initial declaration that he would return for his sophomore season. There are also Craft and Buford, who realize they will need to be stars for the Buckeyes to reach their full potential, a trip to New Orleans for the Final Four.

Craft said that studying the three losses last season showed that the Buckeyes weren't always on the same page defensively. He said he needs to make smarter decisions with the ball and cut down on his turnovers. He and Sullinger need to lead as sophomores even more.

Craft also said he still thinks about the shot made by Kentucky's Brandon Knight that ended OSU's season earlier than expected -- the second straight season the Buckeyes lost a Sweet 16 game in the final seconds as a top-two seed. Sixth-seeded Tennessee knocked them out in 2010.

"I should have kept Brandon to his left hand," Craft said. "He hit the game winner to his right before in the tournament [against Princeton]. I need to make more shots and see where I can attack more. I'm learning."

Craft also said he wasn't surprised that Sullinger honored his commitment and stuck around Columbus.

"He's been awesome," Craft said. "He loves being at Ohio State. Jared jokes around a lot, but that's one of the topics he wasn't going to joke around about."

Craft, who said it's still surreal to see what occurred after that infamous cookout he attended at Bruce Pearl's house, said he will need to take advantage of the open looks he can get resulting from Sullinger's double-teams.

So will Buford.

"This is what I've been working for," Buford said. "I'm the only senior on the team. I've talked to Lighty about this and know that a lot of what we need to do comes down to defense."

Buford said he knew after last season that he wasn't going to leave early for the NBA.

"We all have high expectations, and losing in the Sweet 16 has made us hungrier," Buford said. "We want to make it farther after the last two Sweet 16s. It came down to defense and toughness and certainly if I played better, too."

Buford echoed Craft's thoughts on Sullinger, saying that his work ethic has been tremendous and his post moves have been unstoppable.

Matta said that the staff is expecting Buford to have a major breakout year and that most people don't realize he's within 672 points of becoming the all-time leading scorer at Ohio State.

"He's had a great offseason and worked really, really hard," Matta said. "We're expecting big things. At the end of his sophomore year, he was playing some of the best basketball defensively. He wants to be more well-rounded. And he's a winner."

Matta said Craft has been motivated by the recruiting services that didn't rate him highly. But he calls Craft, like Buford, a winner. "He wants to win for all the right reasons," Matta said of Craft. "I think we saw signs last season when he could score the ball. He does a great job of setting up everybody."

Matta hasn't seen Sullinger work out because the Buckeyes aren't in school, but the sophomore's body has improved. Matta said he fully expects a slimmed-down Sullinger to be even more nimble on his feet.

As far as the schedule goes, Ohio State will be challenged with home games against Florida (Nov. 15) and Duke (Nov. 29), then a trip to Kansas (Dec. 10). But the Buckeyes are the easy choice in the Big Ten, even with a tough conference draw that includes two games apiece against Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State in the unbalanced scheduling of a 12-team league.

Still, the team returns quite a bit from a 34-3 squad.

"I looked back at our season last year and realized we had an incredible run," Matta said. "I'm very, very proud of what they did and the togetherness we had."

So why isn't there more national buzz about the Buckeyes? Well, perhaps it's because OSU has fallen short of expectations in the Big Dance lately, possibly leading to skepticism.

On paper, Ohio State has what it takes to win it all.

Now for the hard part -- going out and getting it done.

The two missed free throws stick with Jared Sullinger.

In a two-point loss to Kentucky in this past season's Sweet 16, the Ohio State freshman finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds and made all but two of his nine free throws. But those two misses came on separate trips to the line in the second half of a tight game in Newark -- a game eventually won by UK on a Brandon Knight jumper with nine seconds remaining.

Two days later, the Wildcats beat North Carolina and moved on to the Final Four in Houston. All Sullinger and the Buckeyes could do was watch.

"My coach [Thad Matta] always said I should have made those, and I know I should have gone 9-for-9. If that happens, we tie Kentucky instead of Kentucky winning by two," said Sullinger by phone from Columbus. "It bothers me. That team was something special, not just on but off the court. It ended so shortly. It was tough to see [seniors] David Lighty, who played for a national championship, never win one, or Jon Diebler, who had a hard time starting out as a freshman elevating to what he did, and even Dallas [Lauderdale] accepting his role … and it just ends like that."

The star freshman who made the big shot, Knight, declared for the NBA draft. The star freshman who came up short, Sullinger, did not. He chose to stay in his native Columbus instead of almost certainly being selected in the top five of the draft.

His only regret? Those two missed free throws. As for the pros, Sullinger swears he never gave declaring a second thought.

He's not wired that way. Never has been. May not be for quite some time.

"Jared has a mother, a father and two older brothers -- all college graduates -- and no one is looking at him as a meal ticket," said Jared's father, Satch Sullinger, who just concluded a 32-year career as a high school coach, including the last 10 at Northland High in Columbus.

"Jared enjoys college. I told him you have a lifetime to be an adult and go to the next level. You're not going to have the teammates you have now that bleed scarlet and gray. You'll have guys whose contracts are coming up and need this and that. They'll have attitude. Are you ready for that?"

Sullinger was even more direct when critiquing the parts of his son's game that have to improve.

"I told him you're going to be a 4-man at the next level and you've got to prove that," Sullinger said. "He told me he loves this team and he wants to win a national championship. That's why he stayed. I taught my boys that if you chase the money you'll always be unhappy. He's 19. He's got a lifetime."

Sullinger's attitude is in line, it appears, with that of North Carolina's Harrison Barnes. The two freshmen aren't being pulled by the money or the draft position. They want to win. And there's a good chance they'll be competing throughout the season for national player of the year honors.

For that to happen, Sullinger and the Buckeyes will have to keep up with the loaded Tar Heels (and Kentucky) in the national title chase. Sullinger's supporting cast might not be as deep or heralded as those other two powerhouses, but having shooting guard William Buford, point guard Aaron Craft and wing Deshaun Thomas in a much more contributing role makes the Bucks the overwhelming Big Ten favorites and a lock to be in the top five nationally in the preseason polls.

Having former Boston College forward Evan Ravenel eligible and the addition of McDonald's All-American center Amir Williams means Sullinger will be used more facing the basket.

The 6-foot-9 sophomore-to-be said he'll have some surprises in the fall, making reference to his face-up game. OSU assistant coach Jeff Boals said the Buckeyes will use Sullinger a little differently at times next season with the additions up front. His body is starting to trim down to a leaner 275 with 13 percent body fat, according to Boals. Satch Sullinger had Jared's weight at 262. Whatever the case, clearly Sullinger is working on cutting down his weight.

"His body is getting right," Jared's father said. "He turned down playing for USA Basketball this summer because he wants to be the leader for the freshmen coming into school. And he wants to work on his body. It's not the same body. He's cut. He's thick. He's got six-pack abs."

While Sullinger wants to be more of a versatile big man in the pros, his strength in college basketball is his base, a wide area that in the post can make it difficult to move.

"My mom says my butt makes me effective," Sullinger said. "It's made me the player I am because I can knock people off. But I've got to be more athletic. I've got to be quicker. I want to do things I didn't get a chance to do last year."

Sullinger is wired to handle the pressure of leading Ohio State and being a national player of the year contender with Barnes. He was in the race last season before BYU's Jimmer Fredette and Connecticut's Kemba Walker pushed ahead of the field. Fredette ended up sweeping the awards.

Sullinger averaged 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds as a freshman. He racked up 18 double-doubles and Ohio State won the Big Ten by two games (16-2), finishing 34-3 overall.

But the attention focused on Sullinger nationally doesn't compare to what is on him locally as a hometown hero. Yet there seems to be no fear that he would be involved in the sort of controversy that has embroiled the football program and former quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who was suspended for five games by the NCAA for extra benefits and is now being accused of making thousands of dollars from signing gear. Pryor has since said he won't return to school.

"Ohio State's name is being thrown around a lot, so we've got to stay on our toes," Sullinger said. "You're in the spotlight. It's not just our program, but every program has to be careful."

Sullinger dismissed the notion that any OSU basketball player would be caught trying to earn money off gear or an autograph.

"Honestly, with this basketball team, all our families -- pretty much we have enough family financial support. We're not going to have a problem with that," Sullinger said. "We know what's at stake, and with everything going on with the football team, we know what we can and can't do. So it's easy to say no."

Sullinger said he hasn't been approached by middlemen or entrepreneurs looking for a sale. His father concurred.

"Anybody who ever comes to him, he has told them they have to see me or Coach Matta," Satch Sullinger said. "If you want an autograph, it has to go through compliance."

Having multiple vehicles is also an issue for Pryor. Not so for the Sullinger family.

"I bought him a car and I submitted the paperwork," Satch Sullinger said. "It was the seventh car I've bought from that dealership, long before he got to Ohio State. I've bought four brand-new cars from that dealership. We're all aboveboard. We take pride in being aboveboard."

Satch said his son fully understands that he's not bigger than the game.

"He's going to do everything the right way. That's how I raise my sons."

And that's why those missed free throws bothered him so much. And why doing whatever it takes to get the Bucks back in a position to win a title is more important to Sullinger than wondering where he might have landed in this month's NBA draft.

"I stay in the moment," he said. "I'm focusing on the next game. Now it's the next workout. I'm about winning, not about where I'm projected in the NBA draft."

A year ago, Ohio State coach Thad Matta shocked assistant Kevin Kuwik by saying he wanted to do something to remember Kuwik's former girlfriend on the one-year anniversary of her death in a commuter plane crash outside of Buffalo.

So the Buckeyes wore patches with the flight number -- 3407 -- on their uniforms at Illinois on Feb. 14, two days after the anniversary but the first game Ohio State had that weekend.

Patches on sports uniforms usually have shelf lives of the current season in which someone close to the team/program/franchise dies.

But the grieving doesn't stop after one year. And apparently neither does Matta's respect for Kuwik's loss and the continued fight for a cause that ensued. Ohio State will wear the patches again Saturday when the top-ranked and undefeated Buckeyes visit Wisconsin.

"Time goes on and everyone expects you to move on but it's a lot easier said than done," said Kuwik, who is Ohio State's video coordinator but is essentially one of the key assistant coaches. "I appreciate that Thad recognizes how important this is to me and to everyone else and he has stuck with us all the way through."

Kuwik was with Butler in 2009 when he told coach Brad Stevens he was going to Buffalo to meet his 30-year-old girlfriend, Princeton athletic administrator and former NCAA employee Lorin Maurer, in Buffalo for his brother's wedding. He couldn't wait for Maurer, who was more than likely going to be his fiancée, to share the moment with his family. Maurer boarded Continental flight 3407 from Newark to Buffalo on Feb. 12. The plane crashed before landing due to pilot error.

This was a life-altering moment, more so than when Kuwik had served two tours in Iraq looking for roadside bombs while a member of the Indiana National Guard. Kuwik, a Notre Dame graduate, is a clear leader, and he wasn't going to let a tragedy like this pass without something positive emerging -- like changing commuter flight regulations.

Kuwik, who then went to Ohio State last season to join Matta's staff, huddled with the victims' families, including Maurer's parents, as they formed a strong victims' lobbying group that got legislation passed last August to change law.

The National Transportation Safety Board's initial finding into the crash was in May 2009 and it detailed a number of safety gaps in regional airlines. The families of Continental Flight 3407 pushed for tougher standards. President Obama ultimately signed "The Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010" in August, arguably one of the more dramatic changes in airline legislation. The key components were changing rules regarding pilot fatigue and pilot qualifications for regional airlines.

Matta has said that this is an issue that affects everyone. He said he saw Kuwik last year tirelessly in his office and on bus trips, working the phones with senators' aides and congressional reps. And whenever Kuwik needed to go to Washington, D.C., to meet with a representative, Matta didn't hesitate to let him go.

Kuwik was in Washington last Tuesday to work with a number of new reps who were voted in last November.

"[Matta] has shown unbelievable support every time I've gone and I've been there over 35 times," Kuwik said. "He doesn't bat an eyelash. He just says, 'Go and get it done.' Honestly, it shows what kind of family we have here in this program. I couldn't have had two better places to be than Butler and Ohio State to go through this challenging time. I couldn't ask for two better head coaches."

Matta released a statement Friday through the 3407 families group saying:

"Obviously our basketball family has deeply felt this tragedy through what Kevin has faced, and we hope to honor those who were lost in a small way by wearing these patches. And I just continue to be amazed by the determination of the family members by fighting to make sure something positive comes out of this, as they have met with the president, gotten a new law passed, and even this week, went back to Washington to make sure that the law does not get weakened in any way possible. I know that the regional airlines are going to be safer for everyone who flies because of their efforts, and for that they have my deepest admiration and thanks."

Kuwik said now that the law is passed the families still have to ensure that it is enforced correctly. They were dealt an unusual blow to their cause, though, when Rep. Chris Lee (R-N.Y.) resigned this past week.

Kuwik said Lee, who represents the district in which the plane crash occurred, had been a strong advocate for the victims' families. He said Lee was working on creating a bipartisan caucus for aviation safety concerns prior to resigning.

What the families have to do now, according to Kuwik, is continue to lobby Congress to push the FAA to enact the regulations.

"We have to push the FAA to put pressure on them," Kuwik said. "We can't have [the airlines] weaken it with loopholes. The Senate essentially stayed the same but there was a change in the House, so we have to keep doing this to ensure that the high standards for the regional airline pilots continue."

Having the Buckeyes wear the patches Saturday will draw even more attention, considering the game is being nationally televised by ESPN at 2 p.m ET.

"Being from Ohio, there is no doubt that there is nothing bigger in this state than the Ohio State Buckeyes," Denise Perry of Loveland, Ohio, who lost her 27-year-old son Johnathan and his fiancée Nicole Korczykowski, said in a statement released by the families of 3407. "Throw in the fact that they are No. 1 in the country, and that we have family in Wisconsin, and this is a really big deal. But most importantly, what they are doing is another way to help our group get the word out about regional airline safety, and what all of our loved ones didn't know when they got on that plane, so that hopefully another family doesn't have to lose a son or a brother or any loved one because of a tragedy that was completely preventable."

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith watched as much of the College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon as he could while also cheering on his beloved Buckeyes.

As the chair of the NCAA tournament selection committee, he'll have to recuse himself in March when it comes time to discuss Ohio State's seeding in the field of 68. But his colleagues will take note of the true road win the Buckeyes picked up Tuesday night, a convincing 93-75 victory over the Gators at the O'Connell Center.

The nonconference road and neutral-site wins that occur in November and December carry significant weight in March. We've known this for quite some time. But the increased number of true road games and neutral-site affairs last week -- and in the coming week -- are being even more scrutinized and applauded by the committee. That's why games in New York, Puerto Rico, Maui, Orlando, Anaheim, New York again, New Jersey, Las Vegas and Honolulu will be well documented.

Smith said the selection committee met last week in New Orleans to unveil the 2012 Final Four logo and to discuss the upcoming weeks as each of the 10 members locks in on his or her respective conferences to monitor. He said they'll reconvene in mid-January at the NCAA convention for a full breakdown of nonconference results.

And already plenty of games are being circled. "Georgetown winning at Old Dominion. Saint Mary's over St. John's," said Smith, rattling off key wins. "Playing these games, and going on the road particularly for nonconference games, means a lot. Even if you don't win, it can still mean a lot. We're going to always look at the whole body of work. But the balance of scheduling throughout the year and the nonconference season is critical.''

We need to get rid of the crutch of how many teams from a particular conference get into the field. It doesn't mean anything since each team is judged independently. Sure, the schedules are dictated by who they play in each conference, but there are so many imbalanced schedules (like the SEC East versus West teams) that each team has to be treated differently. Based on the likely strength of each division, a 10-win SEC West team won't be looked at in the same way a 10-win SEC East team will be this season.

That's why who a team chooses to schedule and where it plays in the nonconference continue to be key components. Florida State won at UNC Greensboro and will play at Loyola-Marymount. Georgia Tech can be criticized for going to Kennesaw State, especially after losing, but had the Yellow Jackets won the game, that would have been points for a true road win.

Plenty of schools, like Gonzaga, Texas and Michigan State, never have an issue with playing enough quality nonconference games. But other schools are now adding that formula. Georgetown played at ODU, will go to Kansas City to play Missouri, visits Memphis and hosts Utah State. It could possibly play NC State in the Charleston Classic as well.

Teams with fewer chances to make a mark -- like ODU -- will still be given some credit for playing the game close, as long as there is more to the body of work.

"It depends on what they do the rest of the year,'' Smith said.

ODU has more chances to win some affection with games scheduled against Richmond, Dayton and at Missouri prior to the CAA season starting. "When we meet to talk about the nonconference games, we'll talk about exactly who played where and how they did,'' Smith said. "This is an exciting time of the year.''

All of these games ultimately could feed into who plays in the First Four games, the new first round of the NCAA tournament. Smith said that one of the topics discussed at the meeting last week was how to divide the games in Dayton on the Tuesday (March 15) and Wednesday (March 16) of Championship Week.

Smith said it's not certain yet, but it does appear highly likely that the NCAA will have one game between two of the last four automatic qualifiers and one game between two of the last four at-large teams on each night to strike a balance and sell more tickets in Dayton.

College basketball starts with a heavy dose of weekend games, before ESPN's 24-hour Tip-Off Marathon offers up a slew of must-see affairs Tuesday. But before looking forward, there must be some housecleaning done on a few issues. So here are my first impressions from a sprinkling of games this week:

Name to remember: Maryland freshman point guard Pe'Shon Howard

The offseason question for the Terps was who would replace Greivis Vasquez's leadership, moxie and overall late-game magic. The answer came rather quickly toward the end of the College of Charleston game. Howard made not just one, but two big-time shots to beat the Cougars. The second was all Howard, taking the ball down court and hitting a fall-back dagger of a jumper to win the game at the last second. I loved Maryland coach Gary Williams' stunned face as the buzzer sounded. He was obviously relieved, but also had to be thrilled that he had found a player who shares Vasquez's drive to do something special when the game matters most. Howard was an efficient 8-of-11 (2-of-7 at the line, though) in two games this week, scoring 19 points, dishing out 12 assists and snagging five steals.

Illinois can score: The Fighting Illini have been offensively challenged in recent years (who can forget the 38-33 loss to Penn State in '09?). But in two games this week -- albeit against poor competition -- Illinois averaged 81.5 points a game. That bodes well for a team that has plenty of talent that can push the basketball (expect games against North Carolina and at Gonzaga to be high-scoring affairs).

Texas has another stud freshman: Forward Tristan Thompson averaged 14.5 points in two games, but was even more impressive with a 17-point, seven-rebound, three-steal performance in a win over Louisiana Tech on Wednesday.

Pitt will rely on its veteran backcourt to win big: The Panthers played without injured forward Nasir Robinson in the first two games, and the consistency and production of the frontcourt is still an unknown. But Pittsburgh has two players in Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker who have matured into leaders, reliable scorers and money players in the final few minutes. Jamie Dixon can rely on these two to take over a game when needed. They carry themselves as mature young adults, ready to take the baton of leading Pitt to a possible Final Four.

Still-unresolved situations:

• Baylor coach Scott Drew said in a text message Thursday night that there had been no movement on reinstating senior guard LaceDarius Dunn for Friday's opener against Grambling State. The Bears can get by without Dunn for some time since the schedule is soft until Arizona State on Dec. 2 and Gonzaga in Dallas on Dec. 18.

• Kansas coach Bill Self said in a text Thursday night that he was hopeful there will soon be a resolution on the eligibility of point guard Josh Selby. But it didn't sound promising for the immediate future: Friday's game against Longwood and Monday against Valparaiso. Kansas starts the meat of its nonconference schedule with a rugged seven-game stretch -- Ohio, Arizona, UCLA, Memphis in New York, Colorado State, USC and at California. All of those teams, save perhaps Cal, should be in postseason contention. But the game against the defending Pac-10 champion is in Berkeley, which still makes it a difficult stop.

• Minnesota coach Tubby Smith suspended Devoe Joseph for a violation of team rules. The Gophers open against Wofford and then play Siena on Monday before going to Puerto Rico for three games, starting with Western Kentucky. Joseph is one of the better scorers for the Gophers, but this Minnesota team can take at least one suspension (unlike last season's team). In discussing this with the Minnesota staff Thursday night, I got the sense Joseph will be back sooner rather than later as long as he adheres to Smith's rules.

And now a glimpse at the weekend ahead:

Best games

No. 21 Georgetown at Old Dominion, Friday, 7 p.m. ET: The Monarchs are a CAA cofavorite, while Georgetown is a top-five Big East team. The Hoyas, who have lost two of their past three against the Monarchs, will be entering a rocking arena and will have to play well to win. This should have a February feel to it. Clearly, an ODU win will have more shelf life than a Georgetown road win. And the Hoyas have already started the season with one setback, as the school announced Friday that freshman center Moses Ayegba has to sit out the first nine games because someone who wasn't an immediate family member paid for his plane ticket to come to the United States before he enrolled in high school.

Northern Iowa at No. 13 Syracuse, Friday, 7 ET (ESPN3): Don't be fooled into thinking this is the same Panthers team that upset Kansas. It's not. The Panthers lost too much of that squad to be looked at as a major threat to win at the Carrier Dome. But they will test the Orange zone. How well Kris Joseph emerges as the go-to guy and the impact of Fab Melo along the backline will be interesting developments to track.

Seton Hall at No. 22 Temple, Friday, 7:30 ET: The Pirates have been flying under the radar during all the Big East preseason talk, but still have enough talent to be a major player in the league's muddled middle. Meanwhile, Temple is the Atlantic 10 favorite and the one school at the top of the conference that has had no drama in the offseason. But a loss here at home could start the questions for Fran Dunphy's group.

Sneaky game to watch

Southern Miss at South Florida, Friday, 7 ET: The Golden Eagles project themselves as a real threat to take down Memphis in Conference USA. The Bulls are rebuilding a bit after losing Dominique Jones to the NBA. But USF is still a Big East team that won 20 games last season, so a road win here by Larry Eustachy's crew will go a long way toward earning credibility.

Notable debuts

East Tennessee State at No. 10 Kentucky, Friday, 7 ET (ESPN3): How well Brandon Knight plays at the point, Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones play on the wing and Eloy Vargas plays inside will all be interesting subplots for an Enes Kanter-less Kentucky squad. Don't forget that ETSU has gone to the NCAA tournament in each of the past two years. An upset is highly unlikely, but a young UK team had all sorts of problems with teams like Miami (Ohio) and Sam Houston State early this past season.

North Carolina A&T at No. 5 Ohio State, Friday, 7 ET (ESPN3): The Buckeyes' new stud forward, Jared Sullinger, is being billed as the possible Big Ten player/freshman of the year. Let's see if he lives up to the early-season hype.

Lipscomb at No. 9 North Carolina, Friday, 7 ET: The Tar Heels will be major players if freshman Harrison Barnes is a stud. This is our first look at America's No. 1 recruit, his fellow stud freshmen and a motivated group of UNC returnees.

Chattanooga at No. 20 Tennessee, Friday, 9 ET: The Vols have been the center of controversy this offseason due to the admitted NCAA violations by head coach Bruce Pearl and his staff. Then Tennessee lost an exhibition game to Indianapolis this week and had the critics howling. But the focus can, at least for now, return to the court and the expectations around Tobias Harris in his first game.

Detroit at New Mexico, Saturday, 9:30 ET: The Titans start the season at the refurbished Pit and get to unveil the hyped Ray McCallum Jr. The Lobos will play Tennessee transfer Emmanuel Negedu, who had to have a defibrillator put in his chest after he nearly died in 2009.

Tricky road starts

San Diego State at Long Beach State, Saturday, 7 ET: The MWC favorites begin a five-game road swing to start the season that will take them next to Spokane and then to Oxford, Ohio. Long Beach State is a Big West title contender and a heck of an opening challenge for a team with the highest expectations in SDSU history.

Florida State at UNC Greensboro, Sunday, 3:30 ET: The Seminoles, who fancy themselves to be a possible second-place finisher in the ACC, are going out of their way to challenge themselves this season with interesting road games. Florida State also goes to FIU on Nov. 18 and Loyola Marymount on Dec. 18 before opening up the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu with a true road game against host Hawaii on Dec. 22.

Editor's Note: Andy Katz's revised top 25 was published on Friday with Purdue at No. 2. With Saturday's news of Robbie Hummel's devastating retorn ACL, Katz has issued an updated version:

1. Duke: No reason to move the Blue Devils. Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith had tremendous summers working out with the USA Basketball select team. The buzz around newcomer Kyrie Irving is just as high. The karma is all good in Durham with Mike Krzyzewski winning a gold medal at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey and the Blue Devils getting a commitment from one of the best players in the 2011 class in Austin Rivers.

2. Michigan State: The Spartans did dump Chris Allen, an indication that the differences between Allen and Tom Izzo were too wide to overcome. But Izzo is feeling quite good about the continued recovery of Kalin Lucas from an Achilles injury. Lucas will be treated carefully in practice over the next month as the Spartans see how much he can push himself. But Izzo is confident Delvon Roe is as healthy as he's been at MSU and fully expects Durrell Summers to be a star and Draymond Green to be a vocal leader.

3. Pittsburgh: The Panthers don't have the star power of the aforementioned top three. But this Panthers team is like an old-school Big East team that has experienced players who have been together and found roles. The summer trip to Ireland provided more positive bonding time for Jamie Dixon's crew as it takes on the role of Big East favorite. There were no flaws this summer, making it more palatable to move the Panthers up a few spots.

4. Kansas State: The Wildcats continue to have a positive vibe from their near brush with a Final Four berth. Kansas State returns Jacob Pullen and an expectation that returnees like Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels will continue to blossom. Clearly the rest of the Big 12 believes in the Wildcats, as well, since they were picked to win the league for the first time.

5. Ohio State: The Buckeyes have one of the top freshmen in the country in big man Jared Sullinger. Sure, they lost Evan Turner, but the rest of the wings return and the buzz on the Buckeyes remains that this team was more than Turner a year ago. If players like William Buford, David Lighty and Jon Diebler can handle the responsibility, the Bucks should be a national contender.

6. Kansas: Moving the Jayhawks up to No. 7 is clearly predicated on Josh Selby being eligible for the majority of the season. KU is waiting for Selby to get his academic clearance from the Eligibility Center. He can practice while this is pending, but Kansas needs him out on the court during the real stuff. There is still plenty of talent in Lawrence -- led by Marcus Morris, who coach Bill Self is convinced will be a star -- but Selby is the key for the Jayhawks to be top-10 good.

7. Villanova: The Wildcats didn't rely on Scottie Reynolds in his last few games as much and they survived. Reynolds' eligibility expired and Corey Fisher is the next one to pick up the mantel. Jay Wright had another solid offseason, coaching the USA Basketball select team. There is an expectation now that Wright's teams won't dip. Like Pitt, Villanova is considered a regular near the top of the league on a yearly basis.

8. Gonzaga: The Zags had quite a summer with Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk and Robert Sacre all playing for their respective national teams. Gonzaga put together arguably the toughest nonconference schedule in the country, too. If Demetri Goodson and Steven Gray can elevate their game as lead guards after the departure of Matt Bouldin, the Zags will be deserving of a top-10 ranking.

9. Florida: The Gators return all five starters from last season's No. 10 seed in the NCAA tournament. But the addition of Patric Young is surely going to bolster this squad. Young won gold for the USA junior national team this summer and proved to be an invaluable member of that squad. His tenacity, hustle plays and overall team focus means he could be a difference-maker for Florida this season.

10. Syracuse: The Orange move up six spots from the May poll in large part because coach Jim Boeheim is almost never wrong about evaluating and projecting his team's talent. Most of the time he hits on the major contributors and Boeheim said Kris Joseph is ready to be a star. He also expects big man Fab Melo to have a monster season, notably on the defensive end where he can block shots and grab rebounds. While it's hard to see yet where and how much C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters will play, they have already impressed, meaning the freshman class will make this team even deeper.

11. Kentucky: If Enes Kanter's eligibility was a certainty, the Wildcats would move up into the top 10. His amateurism eligibility decision is still to be determined. But what can be stated is Kentucky showed on a trip to Canada that the returning players are up for the challenge of a new role. Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins should flourish as John Calipari plays more of his dribble-drive-motion offense. Newcomers like point guard Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb, Terrence Jones and Stacey Poole are all ready to make major contributions.

12. Missouri: The Tigers move up a notch, even without newcomer Tony Mitchell, whose eligibility is in question and in a best-case scenario wouldn't be available until the Big 12 schedule starts. But Mike Anderson can't play the role of being underappreciated anymore. Missouri returns Kim English, a healthy Justin Safford, Marcus Denmon and adds a recruiting class that needs to get more love. Anderson is pushing the significance of point guard Phil Pressey and power forward Ricardo Ratliffe. If both are as impactful as projected, Mizzou may be a league title contender.

13. Illinois: My colleague Doug Gottlieb tabbed the Illini to win the Big Ten. I'm not going that far with Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State to contend with. But Illinois has no excuse if this is not an NCAA season at the very least. Bruce Weber can't say enough about how much incoming freshman Jereme Richmond will mean to this team. Add him to an already talented roster that includes Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale, D.J. Richardson and returning lead guard Demetri McCamey and the Illini have their best chance since 2005 to challenge for a conference title.

14. North Carolina: Losing the Wear twins and senior Will Graves, the team's top 3-point threat, meant the Tar Heels had to drop a few slots. The talent is in place up front with the return of John Henson and Tyler Zeller and the addition of the top freshman in the country in Harrison Barnes. But the guard play is still a work in progress and an unknown with erratic Larry Drew II and the still-inexperienced Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald being joined by newcomers Reggie Bullock and Kendall Marshall.

15. Memphis: The Tigers did get Will Barton eligible after there were questions earlier in the summer once he missed the team's trip to the Bahamas. But all is good now. The Tigers certainly have the talent to be projected higher, but remember they didn't make the NCAAs last season and are leaning heavily on newcomers like Barton, Joe Jackson and Tarik Black. If the Tigers are to be worthy of the top 10, then returnees like Wesley Witherspoon and Will Coleman will have to continue their improvement.

16. Baylor: This is by far the biggest drop in my poll from May to October. The Bears were probably too high in that original poll. Losing Ekpe Udoh and Tweety Carter was significant and maybe I was putting too much emphasis on newcomer Perry Jones. But the reason for this drop is LaceDarius Dunn. He is currently suspended from game competition, but was just reinstated to the team to practice and attend class after allegations that he broke his girlfriend's jaw. But the uncertainty of Dunn's availability casts major doubt on whether the Bears can be a serious contender in the Big 12.

17. Washington: Like Jay Wright, there was positive karma with Lorenzo Romar sharing the coaching duties in Las Vegas for the USA Basketball select team. And the guard play is extremely solid with the return of Isaiah Thomas, Venoy Overton and Abdul Gaddy, wings Justin Holiday and newcomers led by Terrence Ross. Losing Quincy Pondexter shouldn't be underplayed, though. We'll know early enough about the Huskies when they go to the Maui Invitational with a possible semifinal matchup against Kentucky.

18. Butler: Shelvin Mack had a sensational summer and the buzz continues to build that he's one of the top guards in the country. Mack played on the USA select team and the more confident he becomes, the better chance Butler has of being back in the mix for a deep March run again. Sure, losing Gordon Hayward early to the NBA is hard to take for this group, but if Ronald Nored is healthy enough to be as much of a scorer as he was a defender and Matt Howard adds even more productivity and stays out of foul trouble, the Bulldogs won't disappoint.

19. Georgetown: The Hoyas return one of the best backcourts in the Big East with Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Jason Clark. If Julian Vaughn, Hollis Thompson and newcomers Nate Lubick and Moses Abraham can help offset the loss of Greg Monroe, Georgetown will be in the chase in the Big East. The Hoyas put themselves in position early with another tough slate of nonconference games (going to Old Dominion, Temple and Memphis, to Kansas City to play Missouri, and adding a home game against always-tough Utah State) to gauge where this team will be in January.

20. Tennessee: I probably had the Vols slightly too high in May and the NCAA investigation swirling around the program doesn't help, let alone the self-imposed sanctions against the entire coaching staff that have left a cloud over the season. It shouldn't affect the on-court performance of the players, but it will certainly be a distraction for the coaches as they have to deal with questions throughout the fall. Tennessee still has one of the top newcomers in guard Tobias Harris, and if Scotty Hopson can make shots in bunches, the Vols should still finish in the top three in the loaded SEC East.

21. San Diego State: The Aztecs have quietly gone through the summer with their roster intact, led by one of the more underrated forwards in the country in Kawhi Leonard. Malcolm Thomas is another stud for coach Steve Fisher. If the point guard situation gets settled, the Aztecs should be a top-25 squad. San Diego State challenged itself with five straight games away from home to open the season, including going to Gonzaga before heading off to three games in Oxford, Ohio, as part of the CBE Classic. If the Aztecs survive that stretch, they'll be in a solid position to enter the MWC season as the favorite, fending off BYU, New Mexico and UNLV.

22. Minnesota: The Gophers got two players back that would have certainly helped in March. Lead guard Al Nolen, who became academically ineligible in February last season, is good to go, as is forward Trevor Mbakwe, who sat out last season pending an assault case. Mbakwe is back in the good graces at the school, which stood by him during the case. The Gophers went to Canada in August and returned an even more determined lot. Don't sleep on this squad, especially in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic. Nolen, Mbakwe, Devoe Joseph, Blake Hoffarber, Ralph Sampson III and Rodney Williams are all capable of leading the Gophers to a tournament win and into the top 25.

23. Purdue: On Friday, I ranked Purdue No. 2 and wrote that "the Boilermakers haven't had a single hiccup during the offseason." Less than 24 hours later, Robbie Hummel retore his right ACL during the team's first full practice. The loss can't be overstated. The Boilers still have a pair of All-Big Ten players in JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore and are still very much an NCAA tournament team, but it's hard to foresee this being a Final Four contender without Hummel.

24. Temple: The Owls got pushed down a peg by my newfound belief in Minnesota. Temple is still my pick to win the A-10 with the return of Lavoy Allen and guard Juan Fernandez. The Owls once again have a monster schedule that should tell us plenty by January, with an opener against Seton Hall, quality games in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, playing Maryland in D.C., hosting Georgetown and going to Villanova. The Owls go to Duke, too, but that's not until late February. Oh, and of course, this team has one of the top coaches in the game in Fran Dunphy.

25. Georgia: I was bullish on the Bulldogs in May and I haven't dropped off in October with the return of Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie, two of the top talents in the SEC. Georgia also adds Tennessee State transfer Gerald Robinson, who should open up some scoring on the perimeter. UGA will certainly be pushed in an SEC East that could produce up to five NCAA tourney teams, but the Bulldogs have some summer buzz and momentum heading into that Old Spice Classic tournament in Orlando, especially with an opener against Notre Dame.

Who got pushed out of the poll?
Virginia Tech: The Hokies were No. 22 in my May poll, but they lost one of their key rotation players in J.T. Thompson to a knee injury. Of course, the return of Malcolm Delaney means they will be in the hunt for a top-two finish in the ACC and an NCAA berth. But the Hokies weren't an NCAA team last season and losing a key player pushed them down a few spots for now.

A dozen more to watch (in alphabetical order): BYU, Florida State, New Mexico, Texas, UNLV, Utah State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Wichita State, Wisconsin, Xavier