2008 Mens College Basketball Preview

Can Anyone Stop the TarHeels?
2008 Mens College Basketball Preview
A LayupDrill.com exclusive

My personal favorite postseason of every major sport I follow is Mens College Basketball, and March Madness. Anyone has a shot to make history, and make a run at the national title. The optimism that is on campuses across the country in November turns to reality by January. LayupDrill.com seperates the contenders from the pretenders, and makes the bold prediction that one of these five teams will be cutting down the nets in April as national champion.

1. North Carolina - The concensus choice of every major media outlet and basketball expert this year is Roy Williams group. With the talent that returned to Chapel Hill, with the primary goal of winning it all, it makes a lot of sense. You have Tyler Hansbrough along with the best guard tandem in the country in Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington. Many feel the 2008 Tar Heels are better on paper than the most recent champions there, the Sean May led 2005 group. Carolina will be tested early and often, and will have the bulls eye clearly on them throughout the season. But the wonderful thing about sports is that this will be decided on the court, not by anyones opinion. When it is all said and done, Carolina will make it to Detroit, who hosts the final four, but they will come up just short, breaking the hearts of the legions of Carolina fans across the country.

2. Louisville - Rick Pitino’s Cardinals are loaded again. Edgar Sosa, Earl Clark, Jerry Smith and Andre McGee all return, and Louisville added some help in the front court. While Carolina will get the headlines and deservedly so, Louisville will arguably be the best team in America by seasons end.

3. UCLA - Ben Howland has the amazing Darren Collison back running the show in LA for his Bruins, who look to make it to the Final Four again. The Bruins chances will look good, though they lost Kevin Love to the NBA this past season.

4. UConn - There is alot of optimism for this years UConn team, which combines veteran leadership with some new young talent for Jim Calhoun. The Huskies will be right there competing for a 1 seed in the spring, and expect them to go very deep in the tournament.

5. Notre Dame - Luke Harangody is a name some people may not be familiar with right now, but you will hear alot about him in South Bend this season. The Irish will compete to be the third best team in the best conference in America, the Big East. Sometimes third isnt bad though, as they still will be favored to make it to Detroit in the spring as well.

6-10.

6. Michigan State

7. Pittsburgh

8. Texas

9. Duke

10. Gonzaga

My Final Four Picks:

UConn, UNC, Louisville, UCLA

National Champion - Louisville