Tip Off '08: Playboy's College Basketball preview

o sporting event in America draws more viewers than the NCAA tourna­ment. It's bigger than the World Series, bigger than the Super Bowl. March is the month of madness that sees more money dumped into Vegas sports books than any other time of the year. Amid all the hoopla it's easy to forget these athletes are ama­teurs. They play for all the right reasons: school pride, love of the game and, yes, for some, future NBA paychecks.

This past April, for the first time in NCAA history, the Florida Gators repeated as champs with the same starting lineup as the year before. Nowadays nothing beats experience in college hoops. It is the key to winning, period. Nine of the past 10 cham­pions have been led by upperclassmen who chose to stay in school rather than jump to the NBA. The players who know the ins and outs of the college game are the ones who lead their squads to great­ness. This season will be more of the same. You'll witness incredible talents , such as returning stars Roy Hibbert J and Tyler Hansbrough, as well as 1 superhyped freshmen like UCLA's " six-foot-10 center Kevin Love and

______1. UCLA

2. Memphis

3. North Carolina

4. Kansas

5. Indiana

6. Georgetown

7. Tennessee

8. Louisville

9. Michigan State

10. Texas A&M

Tl. Arizona**--^

12. Duke

13. Marquette

14. Washington State

15. Oregon

16. Stanford

17. Gonzaga

18. USC

19. N.C. State

20. Kentucky

21. Texas

22. Davidson

23. Alabama

24. Arkansas

25. Southern Illinois

THE PLAYBOY 2007-2008 ___PR E S EAS ON__

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JARDS

Chris Lofton • Tennessee • 6'2" • Senior

Perhaps the best college three-point shooter in the nation, Lofton has a career per­centage of 43.8 from outside the arc. He has won SEC Player of the Week honors six times, tying for the most in conference history.

Courtney Lee • Western Kentucky • 6'5" • Senior

Never heard of the Western Kentucky HiUtoppers? Now you have. Senior swingman Lee's explosive offensive play has NBA scouts drooling. He averaged 17.3 points last year, leading the team to a 22-wm season.

Darren Collison • UCLA • 6'1" • Junior

Collison's style of play is all about speed. He averaged 5.7 assists and 2.2 steals a game last season, making a major contribution to UCLA's run to the Final Four. This year look for those numbers to jump even higher.

Brandon Rush • Kansas • 6 6" • Junior

Rush led the ]ayhawks in scoring each of the past two seasons and was the first fresh­man in Kansas's history to lead the team in scoring and rebounding. Now a junior, he has the experience to match the talent.

FORWARDS

Chase Budinger • Arizona • 6 7" • Sophomore

Last season Budinger averaged 15.6 points a game and 5.8 rebounds as a freshman with the Wildcats. He possesses a 40-plus-inch vertical jump and was the 2006 Mizuno national high school volleyball player of the year.

Joseph Jones • Texas A&M • 6'9" • Senior

A powerful low-post player, Jones relies on his great body strength to bully opposing players near the basket, and he has developed a midrange jump shot to complement his play in the paint. He averaged 13.4 points a game and 6.8 rebounds last season.

lames Mays • Clemson • 6'9" • Senior

An extremely quick post player, Mays anchors Clemson's pressure defense. He totaled 69 steals and 95 assists in 2006-2007 and holds the Tigers record for steals and assists in a season by a frontcourt player.

Tyler Hansbrough • North Carolina • 6'9" • Junior

Only the third ACC freshman ever to earn AP All-America honors, Hansbrough aver­aged 18.4 points a game last season and 7.9 rebounds to boot. UNC's strength coach nicknamed him Psycho T for his determined work in the weight room.

CENTERS

Roy Hibbert • Georgetown • 7'2" • Senior

An imposing presence on the court (he weighs 278 pounds), Hibbert uses his size to dominate inside. His shooting percentage from the floor and the free-throw line both approach 70 percent.

Brook Lopez • Stanford • 7' • Sophomore

A star in his first season with Stanford, Lopez averaged 12.6 points and six rebounds a game. In one four-game streak, he scored 20 or more points each, topping out at 26 against Oregon.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Ben Howland • UCLA

Since taking over the UCLA program in 2003, Howland has chalked up a 91-41 record. Even more impressive, he has led the team to two straight Final Fours. His leadership and knowl­edge have much to do with why we're picking the Bruins to go all the way this season.

USC's six-foot-five guard O.D. Mayo. The race for the title is wide open. Don't even think of blinking your eyes. Here's how we see things shaking out.

1. UCLA The Bruins have I made the Final Four two years

in a row, with squads display­ing sick amounts of talent. This season's lineup promises to be even better than those predecessors. Guard Arron Afflalo bolted for the NBA. but with Darren Col-lison back at the point, leading returning scorer Dosh Shipp back on the wing and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute back inside, experience and explosive scoring capa­bility remain. Emerging star: Center Kevin Love was everybody's choice as the top freshman recruit in the country. He should make an immediate impact under the net for coach Ben Howland. Key stat: Last year the Bruins were top in the Pac 10 in average scoring margin: 9.4 points.

2. Memphis Never has Mem­phis entered a season with as much talent and hype. Head

coach John Calipari has done a magnifi­cent job building a powerhouse program in Elvis country, and the natives are pay­ing attention with sold-out crowds. Every starter is back from last year's Elite Eight squad. Guard Chris Douglas-Roberts will lead the attack; he averaged 15.4 points a game as a sophomore last season, and the Tigers are deep up front with bruisers Doey Dorsey and Robert Dozier. Emerg­ing star: Point guard Derrick Rose, a high school standout from Chicago, could be Newcomer of the Year. Don't miss: Two early matchups will set the tone for Memphis: Georgetown comes to the FedExForum three days before Christ­mas, and Arizona arrives one week later.

, 3. North Carolina So the Tar

Heels lost Brandan Wright to the NBA and added no recruits. Why are we still ranking them number three? Eleven players from last season's Elite Eight team return, and they are on a mission to get coach Roy Williams to the finals. The front-runner for National Player of the Year, power forward Tyler Hansbrough. anchors the squad. He's the only Tar Heel ever to lead the team in scoring and rebounding as a freshman and a sophomore. Guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington also return. Emerging star: Williams tells playboy that sophomore point guard Lawson could be the greatest floor leader he has ever coached. Don't miss: The Tar Heels play archrival Duke on the road on March 8. The result will certainly affect how both teams are seeded in the tourney.

4. Kansas The Dayhawks roster returns with 85 percent of its scor- ing and 80 percent of its rebound­ing from a squad (continued on page 200)

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(continued Jrow page 144) that won 33 games last year. Leading the way are guards Mario Chalmers and Rus­sell Robinson. Bill Self, one of the game's elite coaches, inspires great delensive play. Achilles' heel: Guard Brandon Rush, easily the roster's premier talent, will be a sure­fire ail-American—if he can stay healthy. Rush could have been in the NBA now. but he withdrew from the draft after tearing his ACL in a May pickup game. He's not expected to play until December.

«5. Indiana Since coach Bobby Knight was fired in 2000. this pro­gram has seen its ups and downs, but after the tumultuous tenure of former Knight assistant Mike Davis, Kelvin Samp­son has the Hoosiers poised for greatness. Senior forward D.J. White opted to stay in school after flirting with the NBA draft. Sophomore Armon Bassett should start at point guard after a solid freshman season. Emerging star: High school all-American Eric Gordon will start at shooting guard from day one; he should be an immediate superstar. Don't miss: The Hoosiers travel to East Lansing, Michigan on March 2 to take on Michigan State. The Big Ten title will likely be on the line.

6. Georgetown The Hoyas have

recaptured I he status they enjoyed with the legendary teams John Thompson coached in the 1980s. It took another Thompson to accomplish that: John Thompson III enters his fourth sea­son fresh off an appearance in the Final Four. He has lost forward Jeff Green, but seven-fbot-two Roy Hibbert, the best low-post center in the college game, stayed in school. The Hoyas return three other starters, including the tremendous back-court of Jessie Sapp and Jonathan Wallace. Key stal: Thanks to Hibbert, Georgetown averaged 5.1 blocked shots a game last year and topped the Big East Conference in scoring defense and rebounding.

T7. Tennessee Since coach Bruce Pearl arrived in Knoxville two sea­sons ago, the Vols have become a fixture in the national rankings. Four starters return this season, including SEC Player of the Year Chris Lofton (20.8 points a game last season), senior Jajuan Smith and sophomore Kamar Smith, all in Pearl's three-guard attack. Wayne Chism is the lone returning starter in the frontcourt. Achilles' heel: This club is vertically chal­lenged. Scrappy play in the paint is a must. Key stat: Tennessee went an eye-popping 16-0 at home last season but was just 8-11 outside Thompson-Boling Arena.

8. LouiSUille Coach Rick Pitino has rebuilt this team to his taste, with healthy portions of speed and athleticism. Four starters are back, (continued on page 203)

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(continued from page 200) including the entire frontcourt of David Padgett, Terrence Williams and Juan Palacios. Pitino also added one of the nation's top recruiting classes. Sopho­more Edgar Sosa will emerge as a major contributor at point guard. X factor: Power forward Derrick Caracter under­went knee surgery in the summer. If that knee's healthy, he'll be a huge scorer off the bench. Key slat: Sure, Pitino is defensive-minded, but the team needs more scoring. The Cardinals averaged only 71.6 points a game last season, rank­ing 117th in the nation.

S9. Michigan State Here's a recipe for success: Start with coach Tom Izzo, who has four Final Four trips and a national title on his resume, then bring back last season's top five scorers and two top rebounders. If age and experience are the keys to winning, Izzo's squad looks potent. The best player is senior guard Drew Neitzel, our preseason pick to win Big Ten Player of the Year honors. X factor: The club's schedule is brutal, with a home game against North Caro­lina State in the Big Ten-ACC Chal­lenge, neutral-site contests with 2007 NCAA tournament teams BVU and Texas, and a spot in the CBE Classic, which will feature Maryland, Missouri and UCLA. Key stat: Last season the Spartans lost only one game at home. They went 1-8 on the road.

fc II B 10. Texas ASM New coach

AIM Mark Turgeon arrives from ¦¦ Wichita State. He inherits three returning starters and 10 lettermen. (Alas, the departed are ail-American guard Acie Law IV and team leader Antanas Kavaliauskas. Ouch.) Power for­ward Joseph Jones leads up front, while backcourt sharpshooter Josh Carter stands to break the school record for three-pointers in a season (86), which he set a year ago. Emerging star: The solid freshman class is led by center DeAndre Jordan, one of the most highly touted prospects ever at A&M. He can do it all. X factor: The Aggies have a rough schedule, with home games against LSU, Alabama and Kansas and away at Arizona and Texas.

11. Arizona The Wildcats lost 55 percent of their scoring from a year ago. But with the return of senior guard Jawann McCIellan and three other senior leaders, we are tout­ing them to make another NCAA tourney run. Last year's Pac 10 Freshman of the Year Chase Budinger puts points on the board (15.6 a game in 2006-2007), and standout recruit Jerryd Bayless should make an immediate impact. Don't miss: Either of Arizona's games against Pac 10

rival and pi.wbov pick for national cham­pion UCLA, in Los Angeles on February 2 and Tucson on March 2.

12. Duke Several questions need to be answered if the Blue Devils are to return to their

customary perch in the top five. Will DeMarcus Nelson pick up the scoring and rebounding load left behind by forward Josh McRoberts, who jumped to the NBA? Will sophomore wing Jon Scheyer, who averaged more than 30 points a game as a high school senior, become the human highlight reel scouts said he would be? But the biggest ques­tion is, Can this team stay healthy? Achilles' heel: Over the summer, Nel­son broke his wrist, backup forward David McClure had knee surgery and seven-foot-one center Brian Zoubek busted his foot. Key stat: Point guard Greg Paulus averaged more than three turnovers a game last season, compared with only 3.8 assists. Yikes.

13. Marquette The seven top scorers from a 24-10 Golden Eagles team are returning, and

the three-guard rotation—juniors Domi-

nic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Mat­thews—is fabulously talented. Inside, center Ousmane Barro and forwards Dan Fitzgerald and Lazar Hayward should control the boards. Tom Crean is one of the best young coaches in the game. X factor: At center, Barro is a fine defender, but he must score more than the 8.1 points a game he averaged last season. Key stat: McNeal's 2.6 steals and 4.8 rebounds a game in 2006-2007 earned him Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors.

14. Washington State it's

hard to believe that a year ago this team was picked to finish last in the Pac 10. Instead, Washington State finished second behind UCLA. Four starters and 10 lettermen return for coach Tony Bennett, now in his sec­ond season after replacing his father, Dick, a legend on the Cougars bench. All-Conference Kyle Weaver and Der­rick Low form a tight backcourt. Low, a long-distance threat, was the team's top scorer last season (13.7 points a game). He opens things up inside for WSU's front line, namely center Robbie

Cowgill. Don't miss: UCLA comes to town on February 7 for a Pac 10 showdown.

15. Oregon The Ducks 'X 1 return with a boatload of tal­ent, including four starters who are all major contributors. Seniors Malik Hairston and Bryce Taylor are the backbone of this club; both swing-men have scored more than 1,000 career points. Senior forward Maarty Leunen is a horse on the boards. Add point guard Tajuan Porter, who led the Pac 10 in three-pointers last sea­son with 1 10, and you have the fire­power needed to make a deep run in March. Key stat: Coach Ernie Kent is 20 victories shy of becoming Oregon's all-time winningest coach. His players will try to put him over the top this season. Don't miss: Either of Oregon's battles with UCLA, at home on Janu­ary 24 and away on February 23.

j 16. Stanford En route to a spot in i last season's tournament, Stanford Jbeat Oregon, UCLA and USC—all eventual Sweet 16 teams. Almost every­one from that squad is back; the club lost one letterman. Twin brothers Brook and Robin Lopez combined to block more shots (118) than seven teams in the Pac 10 last season, and they can score, too. Coach Trent Johnson has experienced upperclassmen to work with: senior Fred Washington and juniors Mitch Johnson, all-Pac 10 performer Lawrence Hill and Anthony Goods. Achilles' heel: The team ranked last in the conference in turnover margin last season. X factor: The schedule is unrelenting: two games against UCLA, two against Arizona, two against Oregon, two against USC and two against Wash­ington State. The Pac 10 is a shark tank.

17. Gonzaga Every time a coaching job opens at an elite school, Mark Few's name is mentioned. But Few has pledged his love to Gonzaga. A berth in the big dance this year would be the Bulldogs' 10th straight, and fans have Few to thank for the team's consistency. Junior Jeremy Pargo will lead the attack at point guard, but he and shooting guard Matt Bouldin will have their work cut out for them, compensat­ing for the departed Derek Raivio, the team's leading scorer. X factor: Charac­ter issues loom over junior forward Josh Heytvelt, the team's top returning scorer, after a run-in with the law in February.

%18. USC Coach Tim Floyd is try­ing to bring stability to a club that struggled prior to his arrival in Los Angeles in 2005. Returning is standout freshman Taj Gibson, who averaged 12.2 points a game in 2006-2007 and was I he Pac 10's third leading rebounder. Sopho­more guard Daniel Hackett also emerged as a team leader last year. Both Trojans, I however, may be eclipsed by the new man

on campus. Emerging star: Floyd landed one of the top high school all-Americans in guard O.J. Mayo, who averaged 28.2 points a game at Huntington High School in West Virginia. Don't miss: The Trojans face a huge test when they play Memphis on December 4 at Madison Square Gar­den in the Jimmy V Classic.

t!9. North Carolina State Speaking of Jimmy V, a quarter century has passed since Valvano's Wolfpack beat Houston at the buzzer in the greatest upset in NCAA tourney finals history. Second-year coach Sidney Lowe is in search of that magic. With four returning starters, he has the core of a team that began to jell down the stretch last season. Brandon Costner (16.8 points a game) is a solid scorer and the Wolfpack's leading rebounder. Add forwards Gavin Grant and Ben McCau-ley, and you have a veteran front line to handle the battles of the ACC. X fac­tor: This team lacks a dominant point guard. Don't miss: The North Carolina Tar Heels invade Raleigh on February 20. A classic rivalry.

20. Kentucky Longtime coach Tubby Smith left for Min­nesota; now one of the most pressure-packed jobs in the world goes to Billy Gillispie, who comes to Lex­ington after a successful run at Texas A&M. The roster features only three upperclassmen. Freshman forward Patrick Patterson is a bright spot. Look for him to contribute on both ends of the floor. X factor: Junior center Jared Carter played three games before suf­fering a season-ending shoulder injury in 2006; he reinjured the shoulder in a pickup game in June. After surgery his full return is a question mark. Key stat: Senior guard Ramel Bradley hit 81.5 percent from the line last season.

21. Texas Yes, the Long-horns lost last season's NCAA Player of the Year, swingman Kevin Durant. But coach Rick Barnes has 10 lettermen and four starters back from an NCAA tourna­ment team. The best of the bunch is point guard D.J. Augustin, who dished out more than 200 assists in 2006-2007. He will team with A.J. Abrams to form a standout backcourt that should keep UT in the national rankings. Up front the Longhorns will look to Damion James for scoring and rebounding, while a solid recruiting class should help offset Durant's loss. Don't miss: A key early-season matchup against Michigan State in Auburn Hills, Michi­gan on December 22.

22. Davidson Last season was a magical one on the Davidson campus as coach Bob McKillop's team won 29 games and advanced to

the NCAA tournament, a rare thrill for this little North Carolina college. The top four scorers return. Guard Stephen Curry leads the offensive (he scored 21.5 points a game last season). His running mate, senior Jason Richards, pros ides experience and a threat from the perim­eter. The frontcourt is deep and talented. X factor: Can this mid-major team han­dle the spotlight? Expectations are sud­denly high. Don't miss: Early-season tests against North Carolina on November 14 and Duke on December 1 could open America's eyes to how good this club is.

23. Alabama Brandon Hol-lingei and Mikhail Torrance return to the backcourt ready to kick it up a notch. Power forward Richard Hendrix (14.6 points a game) leads the front line; he's one of the SEC's top talents. Coach Mark Gottfried is missing only two starters from last year's squad, so the Tide should come on strong. Achilles' heel: Gottfried's lineup lacks height. The tallest of the bunch are sophomore center Yamene Coleman and freshman Justin Knox, a pair of six-foot-niners. X factor: The club lost its best player, guard Ronald Steele, to injury in the off-season. That puts a lot of pressure on the young recruits to step up on day one.

24- Arkansas Coach Stan Heath was canned in March. John Pelphrey comes in from South Ala­bama, and he finds all five starters back from a 21-win team. The Hogs' up-tempo attack features some athletic scorers: forward Charles Thomas, swingman Sonny VVeems and seven-foot center Steven Hill, third on UA's all-time blocked-shot list. Emerging star: Shooting guard Patrick Beverley was SEC Newcomer of the Year last season. As a sophomore, he should become a prime-time threat. Don't miss: The Hogs journey to Thompson-Boling Arena to battle confer­ence rival Tennessee on February 13.

25- Southern Illinois Several

^ schools coveted coach Chris Low- J5fe ery last spring, but he chose to stay at SIU. He knows this crew has a shot at another Missouri Valley Conference title and a deep run in March. The team's suc­cess results from the staff's ability to recruit excellent players the major programs pass over, like forwards Matt Shaw and Randal Falker, the team's leading returning scorer (12.3 points a game) and rebounder (7.7). Point guard Bryan Mullins runs the court as if he owns the place. All three started on last season's Sweet 16 squad. Key stat: The Salukis were 9-1 last year when Shaw-scored 15 points or more. Don't miss: SIU faces an early-season test on December 1 when powerhouse Indiana comes to Car-bondale for one of the biggest home games in Southern Illinois's history.