He is the first big-time player to come to Bloomington in quite awhile. Early indications are that he deserves all the hype. The six foot four point guard can shoot, penetrate, or post up, giving him several ways to score. Gordon will be great, but D.J. White is the leader of this team. He had a great bounce back season in 2006-07, rebounding from an injury plagued campaign the year before. White has worked hard on his game during the offseason, and this could be a banner year for the power forward. Sampson also adds Jamarcus Ellis, junior college’s player of the year, to the rotation, giving the Hoosiers two players with no experience in Division I basketball. That shouldn’t bother IU too much as they have the depth, talent, and coach to make a deep run come March.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Armon Basset: No one will benefit from Indiana’s top recruit more than this guy.
SG: Eric Gordon: If you’re on the West Coast, you probably haven’t heard much about this kid, but he may be better than O.J. Mayo.
G: Jamarcus Ellis: A talented swingman that won’t have to deal with the expectations that Gordon will.
SF: D.J. White: The Hoosiers leader spurned the NBA Draft for one last shot at improving on last year’s 2nd round exit.
PF: Lance Stemler: As a senior, the forward expects to have a better year shooting the ball, especially from downtown

10. USC, 2006: 25-12
The Trojans are in a state of transition, losing two guards to the NBA, but welcoming three prized recruits into the starting lineup. Adding it all up, Tim Floyd’s club is still talented enough to make it to the Final Four. O.J. Mayo is the one everyone is talking about in LA, and for good reason. He’s the Eric Gordon of the West Coast. Standing 6’5”, he can do the same things Gordon can; one thing that separates them is Gordon’s unassuming style. Mayo has been talking up a storm ever since he signed with USC, but he is talented enough for Floyd to put up with it. The Trojans leading returner is Taj Gibson, who will pace the team in the frontcourt. Gibson is a gifted scorer and rebounder that will dominate the post for USC. Forward Davon Jefferson is a highly prospect, but he has been lost in translation with all the hype surrounding Mayo. He will have pressure to produce immediately to help alleviate the loss of Gabe Pruitt and Nick Young. Mayo came to the Trojans insisting he wanted to lay the foundation for a dynasty; however, this team isn’t good enough to get that done in one year like Mayo claims.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Angelo Johnson: Expected to hold down the starting point guard slot as a freshman until mid-December when Daniel Hackett is expected to return from a broken jaw.
SG: O.J. Mayo: All indications are that its one-and-done for Rivals #4 prospect; he will be one of the most talked about freshman on the West Coast.
G: Dwight Lewis: The sophomore will need to grow up in a hurry with the shadow of Nick Young hanging over him.
SF: Davon Jefferson: Could be the key to making the Trojans a mainstay in the top 10.
PF: Taj Gibson: Lost his two running mates from a year ago, but there is enough talent here for him to put up some great numbers again this year.

9. Kansas State, 2006: 23-12
With Bob Huggins out, it may seem strange that the Wildcats, a team with no past basketball tradition, could possibly be ranked this high, but it begins and ends with Michael Beasley. The 6’9” Beasley is a beast in the post, and leads an athletic set of forwards that will create matchup problems for most frontcourts that they face. Joining Beasley is Bill Walker and David Hoskins, two players that can score in the post, or can hit the mid range jump shots. The issues surrounding new coach Frank Martin’s team lie in the backcourt. Senior Clent Stewart will be the team’s point guard, but is a non-factor as a scorer. Stewart will serve this team as its leader and distributor, and it will be crucial that he does those things flawlessly. Senior Blake Young will serve as the shooting guard, but he hasn’t proven to be a capable scorer in the Big 12 either. Two freshman, Jacob Pullen and Dominique Sutton, will be battling for playing time in the backcourt as well. Expect the Wildcats to make a similar jump that Texas A&M did a few years ago, and make a deep impression as a new program to be reckoned with in the Big 12.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Clent Stewart: His leadership and ball distributing ability are going to be scrutinized because he won’t score too much.
SG: Blake Young: Will receive heavy competition from talented recruit Dominique Sutton for this slot.
SF: David Hoskins: The Wildcats top returnee won’t have as much pressure to score this season.
PF: Bill Walker: A former teammate of Beasley in prep scene, he has a lot of pressure to return from a torn ACL.
PF: Michael Beasley: Talented left-hander will own the post and hit many shots from behind the arc

8. Michigan State, 2006: 23-12
A point guard has led the Spartans back to the top of the Big 10, but he will have a lot of help this season. The point guard we are speaking of is Drew Neitzel, who averaged 18 points and 4 assists as a junior a year ago. The sweet-shooting lefty is surrounded by a nice mix of youth and experience, which will certainly ease the pressure he had last year. Shooting guard Travis Walton was the only Spartan to start every game for Tom Izzo a season ago, and was very successful in leading the team in assists. Up front, Raymar Morgan leads a deep set of forwards that looks ready to breakout this season. Morgan finished the season on fire last year, and coaches expect him to continue his late season form for an entire 30-game schedule. Marquise Gray is another forward that looks primed for a breakout season. Goran Suton will be a nice man in the middle for the Spartans. With Neitzel and a talented bunch of supporters beside him, Tom Izzo’s team should return to the top of the Big 10 this season.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Drew Neitzel: Has seen his average increase by more than four-fold since his freshman year.
SG: Travis Walton: An experienced guard that has no problem deferring to Neitzel when it comes to scoring.
SF: Raymar Morgan: Averaged 14 points over his last 10 games a year ago, and was the conference’s best freshman not named Oden or Conley.
PF: Marquise Gray: Showed some flashes in last year’s NCAA Tournament, but must become a consistent threat.
C: Garon Suton: Team’s leading rebounder is also capable of putting up double digits on the scoreboard on any given night.

7. Georgetown Hoyas, 2006: 30-7
The Hoyas had a bit of a renaissance as they had a coach named Thompson lead them to the Final Four. Jeff Green bolted to the NBA as expected, but there is heightened optimism because Roy Hibbert has decided to come back. With the ever-improving Hibbert manning the middle, Georgetown is once again expected to be one of the best teams in the country. Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp form a great duo in the backcourt, as they combined to start all but one game for the Hoyas a year ago. Wallace is a dangerous threat from downtown, while Sapp is a gritty defender that usually takes on the opposing teams’ top threat. Joining Hibbert in the post is DaJuan Summers, a sophomore that was crucial to John Thompson III as a freshman. He will have to replace Green, the Big East Player of the year, but he is good enough to do so. Patrick Ewing, Jr. has played well during short stints in the past, but its putting it all together that’s stopping him from being a solid contributor. The Hoyas will be challenged early and often in the Big East, and will be in the thick of the national championship race for the second consecutive year.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Jonathan Wallace: Has started all 102 games since he stepped on campus three years ago.
SG: Jessie Sapp: His penetration will create openings for Hibbert and Summer down low and Wallace on the perimter.
SF: DaJuan Summers: Replacing Green will be a tough task, but the sophomore proved last year that nothing fazes him.
PF: Patrick Ewing, Jr.: Will see a dramatically increased workload, may be the weak link of this starting five.