Bracket Analysis: West Region

Zach Collins, Gonzaga

Prior to the season, Gonzaga still had questions about how they would replace stud forwards like Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis, particularly in a West Coast Conference that looked like it would be as competitive as it had been in years. The Bulldogs answered those questions, and then some, going 32-1, winning both the WCC regular and postseason crowns and of course, locking down a top seed. Despite those accomplishments, many still believe Gonzaga is the weakest No. 1 seed, which is relatively understandable. The last time they were a one seed, they were overpowered by Wichita State in the second round, and their resume pales in comparison to some of the other top teams in the nation. Even so, I think 'Zaga still has the pieces to go on a long postseason run. Josh Perkins and Washington transfer Nigel Williams-Goss are two terrific guards that have run an extremely efficient Gonzaga offense, and are underrated shooters. Gigantic center Przemek Karnowski is a load for any defense to handle, and is surrounded by exceptional bigs like Zach Collins and Johnathan Williams. Collins is just a freshman but his touch around the rim is already at an elite level and he can stretch the floor, while Williams (a Mizzou transfer) is a wonderful athlete that is a force on the boards. That core has helped Gonzaga average 84.6 points per game in '16-'17, good enough for 13th in the nation. It is so effective because it doesn't rely on just one person, which means that one bad game won't completely spell doom for the Bulldogs, which is obviously so important in March. Another big advantage for the 'Zags is the path deep into the tournament is not extremely difficult. A winner of Northwestern/Vanderbilt is not especially scary in the second round, and I foresee plenty of upsets among the other higher seeds. Despite their long run of success atop the WCC, Gonzaga has never made a Final Four. With their veteran leadership and offensive abilities, I would not be surprised at all if this is the year that changes.

There are few stories in college basketball better than Northwestern this season. The Wildcats have long been a Big Ten cellar dweller, failing to reach the NCAA Tournament once in their expansive history. Yet, Chris Collins has transformed the 'Cats into a factor in the Big Ten, and they took advantage of a weak conference and more experience to earn their first tourney appearance ever. Now, the next goal for Northwestern is to actually win some games in it, and they face an interesting battle in their opener against ninth-seed Vanderbilt. The Commodores lost 15 games (the most by an at-large bid team in the history of the NCAA Tournament) but put together an impressive resume and ended the year playing terrific basketball. The Wildcats will need a big day from their offensive superstar Bryant McIntosh (14.4 PPG, 5.2 APG) and contributions from fellow guards Scottie Lindsey and Vic Law. Neither Lindsey nor Law are guys that will take over games, but both are good shooters and can also get to the rim and finish through contact, which will be key against a physical Vandy squad. Northwestern does their most work on the defensive side of the ball, where a motivated and well-coached "D" allows just 65.1 points per game (34th in the country). If they come in and play up to their potential, this is a team that can certainly keep their feel-good season going. Though, I always worry about rust and possibly a hangover from the excitement of simply making the field with a team like this, which makes me very cautious about the 'Cats.

If you are looking for a great dark horse team, Princeton may just be the perfect fit. The winners of the first ever Ivy League conference tournament, the Tigers are among the hottest teams in the entire nation, with 19 straight victories. That includes a flawless conference record, in which they went 14-0. That number is very impressive when considering how much better Ivy League basketball has become over just the past five years. Last season, Yale took down Baylor and has a ton of talent, while Harvard has become an extremely consistent program under head coach Tommy Amaker. Princeton is not a very flashy team, especially offensively. Senior forward Steven Cook is a superb wing that can take over from deep, while guard Devin Cannady is a quick and athletic instant source of offense. Yet, Princeton still has a very methodical and smart offense that likely will never put up 100 points but gets the job done. Defensively, the Tigers are as good as anybody, allowing just 61.6 PPG, 10th in the country. It will be interesting to see how that stifling defense fares against a Notre Dame team that has been well known as offensive-minded for awhile under Mike Brey. Overall, Princeton is a disciplined, balanced team that is riding a major wave of momentum. In a region that appears to be pretty wide open, that could just be enough to make a deep run.

Florida Gulf Coast will always go down in history for what they did in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. As a 15 seed they blew out second-seeded Georgetown, then followed it up with a second round victory, making them the first-ever 15 seed to make the Sweet 16. Years later, the Eagles are once more incredibly dangerous, this time as a 14 seed. Head coach Joe Dooley has kept the program incredibly consistent after Andy Enfeld ditched for the USC gig following that tourney run, and they have become the class of the Atlantic Sun, with another conference title this season. "Dunk City" is still definitely alive, as the Eagles feature a number of attacking wings that are explosive. Incredibly reliable Brandon Goodwin is the team's star, leading them in points and assists per game, while shooting 52 percent from the field. Fellow guard Zach Johnson is another athletic playmaker, that is incredibly disruptive on the defensive side of the ball, while big man Demetris Morant is a force to be reckoned with on the block, which will be important in a region that has some elite-caliber big men. Rayjon Tucker had a thunderous dunk that was so powerful the shot clock malfunctioned in the A-Sun Conference Championship, but could also provide a lot to FGCU as a shooter. What makes the Eagles especially dangerous is the path they can take to make some serious noise. They open the tournament against Florida State, who is a good team but has struggled as of late and has an incredibly inconsistent offense. If Florida Gulf Coast can pull an upset there, it would get the winner of Maryland-Xavier. The Musketeers haven't had the year they envisioned and just lost their star point guard, while the Terrapins appear to be a relatively weak six seed and are super young. This team may not have some of the flash of that '13 squad, but is an ideal position to wreak similar havoc if things go right.

Picking the West Region
First Round
1 Gonzaga over 16 South Dakota State... The barely-over-.500 Jackrabbits made a great run to win the Summit League, but they don't have the size or experience to pull off the major upset here.
8 Northwestern over 9 Vanderbilt... The Commodores may be hotter at the moment, but Northwestern's guards and motivation give them a serious advantage.
12 Princeton over 5 Notre Dame... With 19 wins and counting, Princeton is among the hottest teams in the entire field. If they can shut down versatile ND forward Bonzie Colson, they should get the job done.
13 Bucknell over 4 West Virginia... WVU thrives on creating pressure and turning the ball over, but Bucknell is extremely poised and a much better team down low.
6 Maryland over 11 Xavier... The Musketeers are a great March team, but are without star point guard Edmund Sumner. Maryland should use their own star PG, Melo Trimble, to get the job done.
14 Florida Gulf Coast over 3 Florida State... At one point, FSU looked like a National Championship contender but they've struggled over the past month, and FGCU has enough weapons to pull off the upset.
7 Saint Mary's over 10 VCU... While Gonzaga won the WCC handily, their conference rival, St. Mary's still looked very impressive. If the Gaels can hit the three in this one, they should win.
2 Arizona over 15 North Dakota... The Big Sky Champion North Dakota Fighting Hawks won the conference in both football and basketball. They'll need a slight miracle to overcome this Arizona team.

Second Round
1 Gonzaga over 8 Northwestern... While their backcourt may be terrific, Northwestern doesn't have the size up front to counter fabulous big men Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins.
12 Princeton over 13 Bucknell... It is hard to imagine this game being very flashy or high-scoring. Princeton is a better shooting team, which should be enough to guide them to a Sweet 16 appearance.
6 Maryland over 14 Florida Gulf Coast... Terrapins have many flaws, but a backcourt of Trimble and true freshman Anthony Cowan should be enough to stifle the upset-minded Eagles.
2 Arizona over 7 St. Mary's... Don't overlook the dangerous Gaels here, but they won't have any answer for explosive scorer Alonzo Trier and the rest of the Wildcats lineup.

Sweet 16
1 Gonzaga over 12 Princeton... The Tigers' Cinderella journey won't last past the Sweet 16. Gonzaga is too talented and has enough size underneath to take advantage of undersized Princeton.
2 Arizona over 6 Maryland... Unless an average Maryland defense can find a way to stop Arizona's plethora of playmakers, the Pac-12 Champions should roll to another Elite Eight.

Elite Eight
2 Arizona over 1 Gonzaga... These two teams met earlier in the year, with Gonzaga coming out on top. However, Arizona is much healthier than they were then, and a much better team.

West Region Champion: 2 Arizona Wildcats

Scouting the Contenders: Gonzaga Bulldogs

Nigel Williams-Goss

As March Madness slowly inches closer and closer, "Scouting the Contenders" takes a look at some of the nation's best teams in a chaotic race, and scouts their strengths and weaknesses and just how far they could go in the NCAA Tournament. We begin with the nation's current No. 1 team, the undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Track Record:

• 25-0 record, 13-0 conference (West Coast Conference)
• Notable Wins: 73-71 over Iowa State, 69-62 over Arizona, 79-56 over St. Mary's
• Notable Losses: None
• Only remaining undefeated in Division I basketball

Scouting Report: It is becoming a common theme up in Spokane, Washington. The Bulldogs may lose a good crop of veterans or future NBA contributors (Domantas Sabonis and Kyle Wiltjer recently) but always have former role players or transfers step up. The emergence of a number of newcomers has been the X-factor behind their flawless start. Washington transfer Nigel Williams-Goss is leading the team in scoring (15.8 PPG), assists and steals while shooting an efficient 51 percent from the field. Backcourt mates Jonathan Williams (Missouri) and Jordan Matthews (Cal) are also brand new to the Gonzaga rotation, but have brought immediate scoring punch to the lineup. Freshman Zach Collins has also been a revelation in his first season of college basketball. The seven-footer from Las Vegas is averaging 10.8 PPG and nearly six boards per game, and has really taken Wiltjer's role of a floor-stretching big. Then, there is a holdovers from last year's team, namely gigantic Przemek Karnowski and rock-solid sophomore Josh Perkins, who has played big minutes helping run the offense. Overall, 'Zaga has perhaps one of their most talented lineups in years, and one with incredible versatility. They have a good collections of slashers and attackers, mixed in with good shooters and quality size down low. Yet, even with that talent and a 25-0 start, there are a number of doubters of this No. 1 team, and probably for good reason. For years, Gonzaga has been the model of consistency in the sport, making every NCAA Tournament since Mark Few took over in 1999-2000. However, they haven't always excelled when they have gotten there. They have made one Elite Eight showing (as a two seed in 2014-2015, where they also spent time as No. 1) but have been unable to really take the next step. It isn't to say this team is perennial "chokers" that can't advance deep into the field, but it is tough to imagine them taking the next step this year with the vast amount of talent throughout the land. Others may point to their weak schedule, which always seems to be a detractor against the 'Zags. Iowa State and Arizona were two quality wins in the non-conference, but some could even argue those weren't great. Iowa State is no lock for the NCAA Tournament and is still on the bubble despite beating Kansas, and Arizona was extremely beat-up when Gonzaga beat them by seven. It doesn't help that the West Coast Conference is no power-conference. Saint Mary's appears to be a quality basketball team and Gonzaga shredded them by 23, which certainly does add an impressive victory. Yet, beyond the Gaels and perhaps BYU, there isn't a clear-cut postseason team in the conference. With those negatives in mind, Gonzaga knows they have to end their year on fire and in an impressive manner to really show the country what they can do before March arrives.

The Verdict: Few teams in college basketball can go to likely 18 straight NCAA Tournaments and win either the conference's regular or postseason title 16 of 17 years and still being looked at as a team with something to prove. But, Gonzaga is still trying to shred the label as the underdog and prove they belong in the conversation with the rest of the sport's bluebloods. To do that, they have to make a Final Four, and this could be the team to do just that. They have a very dangerous offense with a variety of different weapons and play sound, disciplined defense. They also appear to have the veteran leadership and confidence to survive the rigors of March and April. Yet, they have had teams that have seemingly had that in the past, including the last two years, and have come agonizingly close to a Final Four berth. With how tough this year's tournament will be (including likely one or two of the Pac-12 powers appearing in their bracket), my prediction would be an Elite Eight as the ceiling for this year's group. However, who knows, this could be the year Gonzaga finally puts it altogether when it matters the most and silences the doubters, much like Villanova just did last spring.

Who is the Best Team in College Basketball?

Josh Hart, Villanova

While March and April tend to be the craziest months of the college basketball season, that doesn't mean the sport is devoid of plenty of upsets and chaos well before that. This past week we saw plenty of evidence of that; the nation's top team, Villanova, surrendered a 15-point lead before losing to Marquette, No. 2 Kansas lost to high-flying West Virginia, Kentucky dropped to Tennessee despite being a heavy favorite and the Pac-12's "best" team, UCLA, lost twice. While an important weekend of college hoops will help us gain some clarity, it doesn't appear there is any true, invincible team to beat. Even so, there are a long list of contenders that could fit the mold of being the best in the land.

Villanova Wildcats (19-2, 6-2 Big East)
The reigning National Champion Wildcats have followed up last year's terrific run with a great year, jumping out to a 14-0 mark before suffering their first loss of the season to Butler. Their loss to Marquette, a solid, but unranked team, is likely to drop them from their perch at No. 1. With that being said, this team still has all the ingredients of a very good basketball team. Guard Josh Hart put his name into the NBA Draft before eventually returning, and the results have spoken for themselves. He is averaging 19 points per game while shooting extremely efficiently and appears to be near the forefront of the Wooden Award race. Joining Hart has been a steady crop of veterans, namely Kris Jenkins (last year's National Championship Game hero is averaging 13.7 PPG and 4.0 RPG) and point guard Jalen Brunson. Brunson doesn't get a whole lot of national attention, but the sophomore's growth has been a major reason for Villanova's success in '16-'17, as he has played smarter and with more confidence, while taking over the key role of running the offense from departed Ryan Arcidiacono. While their losses over the past few weeks have shown the Wildcats are far from perfect, this team still appears to be a prime example of a legitimate National Title contender. They have enough depth, talent and experience to repeat as champions of the sport.

Gonzaga Bulldogs (21-0, 9-0 West Coast Conference)
With plenty of teams losing in front of them, it appears the nation's lone unbeaten, Gonzaga, has a chance to take over the No.1 spot, but do they deserve it? The extremely consistent Bulldogs are up to their usual tricks, bulldozing the rest of the West Coast Conference en route to a 9-0 conference start. They also recorded a healthy amount of solid non-conference victories, including beating Florida, Arizona and Iowa State. Much of their success can be attributed to a number of high-profile newcomers, namely Washington transfer Nigel Williams-Goss and freshman Zach Collins. Williams-Goss has shown excellent command of the offense, while the youthful Collins is leading Gonzaga in rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage. Plus, 'Zaga always has gigantic Przemek Karnowski to fall back on, as the 7'1", 300-pound behemoth continues to bully opponents in the paint. Even so, there are a wide number of detractors who don't believe in Gonzaga. Playing in such a weak conference has never helped the Bulldogs gain national respect, and one could argue this team simply doesn't deserve to be called the nation's best team when they are beating squads like Portland as others are battling it out in the brutal ACC or Big 12 every night. I think Gonzaga has their usual fair share of offensive weapons and diversity, but I agree it is hard to get behind a team whose resume is not quite up to snub with some of the other top teams.

Kansas Jayhawks (18-2, 7-1 Big 12)
Like clockwork, Kansas just keeps on churning out successful seasons. The Jayhawks have withstood the losses of guys like Wayne Selden and Perry Ellis, managing to look perhaps even better in the process. You could definitely argue Kansas has the nation's best backcourt, with Frank Mason and Devonte' Graham leading the charge. Mason is as good as ever, as the senior is putting up 19.9 PPG with 5.2 APG, while the fearless Graham has proven to be one heck of a complement. When joined by tremendous freshman Josh Jackson and vastly improved Svi Mykhailiuk, you definitely can see the talent on display in Lawrence. Yet, there are also some questions KU has to answer. Key forward Carlton Bragg was just recently suspended indefinitely and his future is very murky, which hurts an already thin frontcourt. Also concerning is the vast amount of great teams in the always-tough Big 12, namely West Virginia and Baylor. Even so, KU has still won 12 straight conference titles, and looks to be clearly very good as we progress through 2017.

Baylor Bears (19-1, 7-1 Big 12)
Even the most optimistic fans in Waco may not have expected the type of season Baylor has had in 2016-2017. The Bears beat Oregon, Louisville and Xavier in the non-conference before a hot start to their Big 12 slate. They reached the pinnacle of No. 1 before a 19-point loss to West Virginia, but have responded with four straight victories, including two road wins over tough Kansas State and TCU. Big man Johnathan Motley has been a major reason for the Bears success, as the productive forward is nearly averaging a double-double (16.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG), while Miami transfer Manu Lecomte has also evolved into an All-Conference player. The big question has got to be who is on the sidelines. Head coach Scott Drew has turned around Baylor's program since he arrived, but has received plenty of criticism for his in-game and situational coaching. Against some of the other powers of the sport, who are just as talented, that could be a serious issue. Baylor still as a significant chance to be the No. 2 team in the polls next week, and a matchup with Kansas on the road could still be very telling on just how good this team is.

Kentucky Wildcats (17-3, 7-1 SEC)
Despite being immensely talented, there was certainly some questions on just how well Kentucky and their youngsters would mesh this season. Although there is still plenty of time left, the Wildcats appear to have silenced any doubters. Their youthful backcourt has been astounding, with wonderful production from freshmen Malik Monk, De'Aaron Fox and sophomore Isaiah Briscoe. There was plenty of hype surrounding Monk on to '16-'17, but has smashed expectations, averaging nearly 22 points per game and dominating in a victory against UNC. Also helping out Kentucky's case is the weak conference they play in, which could help them close out the year in a big way. While South Carolina and Florida are okay, there doesn't appear to much competition for the 'Cats in the conference and while there is still plenty of time left, they might not lose another game this year, if they can get past Kansas this weekend.

Arizona Wildcats (19-2, 8-0 Pac-12)
There is no denying how good this Arizona team is when at full strength. After being beat up heavily to start the season, Arizona is flaming hot, flawless in the Pac-12 at the moment, and just beat UCLA. Dynamic forward Lauri Markannen has gone from a unheralded name to an absolute force, and true freshman Kobi Simmons has been extremely productive, and led the way to the upset of the Bruins. Perhaps most important for 'Zona, though, is the return of Allonzo Trier. Trier was suspended after testing positive for an illegal substance but is back, and could take over the duty of being the No.1 scorer on the roster. Meetings with Washington and Oregon State await before a huge clash with the similarly-hot Oregon Ducks, which could play a huge role on not only the Pac-12 scene but national stage.


The Verdict: This has been an interesting season of college basketball up to this point, and things should get even more crazy as conference play continues. There is so much talent and upside on so many different teams, and even teams not mentioned here could very well end the year as National Champs (see UNC, UCLA, Oregon, Florida State, etc.). At this juncture, my pick for the nation's top team: Villanova. It may seem relatively unexciting because they are the defending champs and have been locked up at No. 1 for a large chunk of the season. They have the veteran leadership, scoring punch and versatility needed to beat anybody in the nation, even if they don't have the same flash as say, Kentucky. Yet, there is still plenty of basketball left to be played, and things will change. While the title of "college basketball's best team" is still up for debate some things are not: this will be a season filled with plenty more upsets and a lot more fun before it is all said and done.

Gonzaga Overrated?

Kevin Pangos

Kelly Olynyk

In a season where top five teams seem to fall everyday Gonzaga has been like a rock. They are undefeated inside the West Coast Conference and their only losses have been to previously ranked Illinois and Butler. Then this Sunday, they got a huge reward as the polls placed them as number one for the first time in school history. But, the question remains, are the 'Zags true title contenders or just a strong team from a weak conference? First things first, we have to look at their schedule to this point. They have only beat two ranked teams this whole season in Kansas State and a one point victory over Oklahoma State. They have dominated weak teams like West Virginia by 34, Portland by 29 and Loyola Marymont by 35. But, other top five teams can beat those teams just as easily as well. The Bulldogs and coach Mark Few are smart, rarely settling for tough shots. In fact, that plan of attack has led to Gonzaga having a .505 field goal percentage, which is 3rd best in the nation. They have a dominant low post presence in seven-footer Kelly Olynyk, who averages 17.7 points per game and can clean up the glass well recording seven boards a game. As good as a season as it has been for Few and Gonzaga the season has to be measured by how they finish up in the NCAA tournament. If the Bulldogs went up against say, a Duke or Indiana they would actually match up well. Olynyk could stifle beasts like Plumlee or Zeller and point guard Kevin Pangos has the speed, smarts and court vision to hang with any point guard in the nation. Considering they are undefeated inside the WCC (even if it is a weak conference) and have just two losses in this crazy season they probably deserve the number one ranking and shouldn't be considered overrated. But, as far as the tournament goes, the Bulldogs still have a lot to prove. They can get to the Elite Eight without too many troubles but they need big games from Wooden Award candidate Olynyk, Pangos and forward Elias Harris in order to get to Atlanta.

Gonzaga Resume:
+ WCC regular season title
+ Wins against KSU, OSU
+ Undefeated inside conference
- Soft schedule
- Loss to Illinois

New College Hoops Rankings

1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Kansas
4. Duke
5. Pittsburgh
6. San Diego State
7. Notre Dame
8. BYU
9. Purdue
10. Wisconsin
11. Georgetown
12. Arizona
13. UConn
14. Florida
15. Villanova
16. Texas A&M
17. Syracuse
18. Louisville
19. UNC
20. Vanderbilt
21. Missouri
22. Kentucky
23. Utah State
24. Saint Mary's
25. Temple

New College Basketball Rankings

1. Ohio State
2. Kansas
3. Duke
4. Pittsburgh
5. San Diego State
6. Villanova
7. Syracuse
8. UConn
9. Texas A&M
10. BYU
11. Missouri
12. Kentucky
13. Purdue
14. Texas
15. Minnesota
16. Louisville
17. Michigan State
18. Notre Dame
19. Washington
20. Wisconsin
21. Georgetown
22. Illinois
23. UCF
24. Saint Mary's
25. Kansas State

Burning Questions For College Basketball

The college basketball season is in full throttle and I answer some of the biggest questions so far this season.

Question: With Kyrie Irving out is Duke still number one?
Answer: Yes even though Ohio State is looked just as good. If Duke can hang on until conference play they'll stay at the helm in one of the weakest major conferences.
Q:Who is the best in the Big East?
A: I think Pittsburgh over Villanova in this one. Pitt has a stronger inside presence and I'm still not sure how good Corey Fisher is.
Q: Should Michigan State be worried?
A: Definitely not. Michigan State is prone to struggle early on in the season because of their tough schedule but they always star late in the year.
Q: Who's the best small conference team?
A: I still think Butler is the best mid-major team. They have strong scorer and rebounder Matt Howard and do-it-all guard Ronald Nored. Gonzaga also contends in this category when sophomore Elias Harris healthy.
Q: Is Tennessee for real?
A: They started off great but have lost to two straight unranked teams. I still think they're a good team when they get production from freshman forward Tobias Harris.

Early Top 25

1. Duke Blue Devils- The preseason number one is yet to lose. Why not?
2. Kansas State Wildcats
3. Pittsburgh Panthers
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
5. Michigan State Spartans- Loss to UConn hurts but did beat Washington in the third place game.
6. Kansas Jayhawks
7. Villanova Wildcats- Jay Wirght may have even better tem than last year with explosive guard Corey Fisher.
8. Syracuse Orange
9 Purdue Boilermakers- No Robbie Hummel, no problem. The Boilermakers have three solid starters in E'Tuwan Moore, JaJuan Johnson and Lewis Jackson.
10. Baylor Bears- You ahev to give them respect. No matter who they play, they manage to win.
11. Missouri Tigers- Two young guards will go along way for the Tigers.
12. Memphis Tigers
13. Kentucky Widcats- They were hurt by the loss to UConn where they were destroyed but will still contend in the SEC.
14. Minnesota Gophers
15. UConn Huskies-Jump up a lot because of wins over Kentucky and Michigan State.
16. Georgetown Hoyas- 5-0 start looking good for the Hoyas. November 30th game against Missouri looms.
17. San Diego State Aztecs- Lefties Billy White and Kahwi Leonard will lead the Aztecs to the top of the Mountain West.
18. Florida Gators
19. Gonzaga Bulldogs
20. Illinois Fighting Illini
21. Texas Longhorns
22. Temple Owls- Loss of Ryan Brooks will hurt but they still have Juan Fernandez.
23. Butler Bulldogs- Struggled early last season too. Then looked what happened.
24. BYU Cougars
25. UNC Tar Heels

A Closer Look At College Basketball

Don't be surprised if it's another Butler-Duke title game. Both return a strong team- for Duke it's led by Nolan Smith and Kyle Single for Butler it's Matt Howard and Ronald Nored. . .Syracuse doesn't too push the pace in order to win. They have many options inside with Kris Joseph, Rick Jackson, Mookie Jones and new recruit Fabricio de Melo. . .Even though they both lost two key players Nevada and Utah State in the WAC should not be overlooked. Three key returning starters might mean another WAC crown for the Aggies. . .If anything the loss of Robbie Hummel means the Boilermakers will contend. . .next season. Still don't count out Purdue, they still have E'Tuwan Moore and JaJuan Johnson. . .I think many teams are overrated in the first poll. 14 Baylor lost Ekpe Udoh and Tweety Carter and also lost LaceDarius Dunn for the season. I guess high recruit Perry Jones makes people think the Bears will contend. Plus, with the loss of Matt Bouldin who does Gonzaga have?