The power of four (NCAABB)

It’s Autumn and time to turn our attentions indoors to the hardwood.

The college version of the game is all about making the coveted Final Four and being crowned National Champs when April rolls around. But with the prized title almost a foregone conclusion (just take a look at any magazine stand and you’ll see the Kansas Jayhawks plastered on the cover of every preseason college basketball magazine) I thought I would take a look at some other important fours to watch this season.

Top four teams on the rise:

4. Georgia Tech: Since playing in the 2004 title game the Yellow Jackets and Coach Paul Hewitt have made the tournament just once. But with the return of junior forward Gani Lawal and incoming freshman center Derrick Favors the Yellow Jackets will start one of the more intimidating front courts in the ACC. These two alone should garner Tech a return to the Big Dance but a conference title is still unlikely with perennial powerhouses North Carolina and Duke looming up north.

3. Richmond: The Spiders haven’t punched a dance card since the 2004 season, but stand poised for their best finish in the Atlantic 10 since joining the conference in ‘01. After posting their first 20-win season in the last five years, Richmond returns four of last year’s starters and adds junior big man Dan Geriot who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Early season matchups against Missouri, Florida and Wake Forest will be big tests for the Spiders.

2. Missouri: Head Coach Mike Anderson returns for his fourth season on the Tigers bench after delivering Mizzou’s first NCAA appearance and their first 30-plus-win season in the last five years despite their preseason seventh place ranking in the Big 12. This year the so-called experts have Missouri right where they were last year despite the return of senior guards J.T. Tiller and Zaire Taylor. Expect the Tigers to make some noise in the Big 12 again this year and bust many a bracket come March.

1. Kentucky: This is a no-brainer. After missing the tournament last season in what seems like forever, the Wildcats completely revamped and reloaded for the 2009-10 season. They hired Memphis coach John Calipari, who in turn recruited some of the most highly-touted prospects in the nation with DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall. If you feel like doing your bracket early, I’d go ahead and pencil in Kentucky to the Final Four.

Top four programs on the decline:

4. Indiana: The legendary Hoosiers’ program has fallen on hard times of late that not even Head Coach Tom Crean, who averaged more than 20 wins a season in his nine years at Marquette–including a 2003 Final Four appearance–can fix. Indiana mustered just six wins last year in what is arguably the worst season in school history. Incoming freshman Maurice Creek and Jordan Hull will help the Hoosiers in their rebuilding and if they break double-digits in the win column it should be looked at as a successful season, but a ticket to the dance is still a ways off.

3. Texas Tech: Since coaching legend Bobby Knight left Lubbock in the 2008 season, the Red Raiders have won a paltry 18 games under son Pat Knight. Last season the team caught fire late in the year including a stunning upset of Kansas in the home finale, but don’t expect much this year in a talented and top-heavy Big 12.

2. Pittsburg: Since 2001 the Panthers have dominated the Big East with the best record of 96-36 and five conference and regular season titles to boot. This year Head Coach Jamie Dixon returns just one starter from last year’s Elite Eight team and loses his top three scorers and rebounders. If Dixon can lead the Panthers back to the tournament it will put him in the conversation for Coach of the Year.

1. Memphis: Again a no-brainer. No one program has had a tougher off season than the Tigers. They lost their head coach, they lost their frosh-phenom, they even lost their 2008 Final Four banner for playing an ineligible player. Now the reins have been turned over to 31-year-old Josh Pastner, the second youngest head coach in Division 1, and for the first time since 2005 the Tigers aren’t the shoo-in favorite in C-USA.

Top four one-and-dones:

4. Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors: He was the consensus No. 1 high school player in the land last year and should provide the Yellow Jackets with some much needed offense and minutes right out of the gate. The 6-10, 246 lb. forward looks to follow in the footsteps of other Yellow Jacket one-and-dones Stephon Marbury and Chris Bosh and provide some National attention for a team that finished a miserable 2-14 in the ACC last year.

3. Texas’s Avery Bradley: A top-five consensus prospect, the 6-2, 165 lb. shooting guard averaged 19.1 ppg in his senior year while leading his Findley Prep team to a perfect 33-0 record. Bradley should see plenty of time with the Longhorns this year as the team stands poised to give heavy conference favorite, Kansas, a run for the Big 12 title. But don’t get used to seeing him down in Austin long as he is likely to take a page from ex-Longhorn Kevin Durant’s playbook and bolt for the NBA after this year.

2. Kansas’s Xavier Henry: When Coach Cal jumped the proverbial sinking ship that is the Memphis program so did his top recruit, the 6-6, 220 lb. shooting guard Xavier Henry. The son of former Jayhawk, Carl Henry, figures to start immediately for the preseason favorites and if all goes according to Head Coach Bill Self’s plan and the Hawks win their fourth title, Henry will likely be the first one-and-done in Kansas’ history.

1. Kentucky’s John Wall: John Calipari is one of the nation’s top recruiters and his first year in Lexington is no exception. Calipari heads one the top recruiting classes led by 6-4, 195 lb. guard John Wall. Wall was rated as one of the top high school players in the country, averaging 21 ppg in his senior year. The hopes of the Wildcats’ return to national glory may hinge on Wall’s quickness, ballhandling and offensive production and Coach Cal may be looking at his third one-and-done in as many years, following Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans.

Top four players you may not (or may) have heard of:

4. Baylor’s Lacedarius Dunn: The 6-4, 196 lb. junior guard is one of the most prolific shooters in the Big 12, attempting an average of 7.2 three-pointers per game last season and hitting them 38.8 percent of the time. Oddly, in the 450 minutes he played in the 16-game conference season he recorded just two assists.

3. Duke’s Seth Curry: The younger brother of Davidson standout Stephen, Seth made the transfer from Liberty to Duke after leading all freshman in average points with 20.2 per game last season. Unfortunately, Curry will be riding Coach K’s bench this season abiding to the NCAA’s transfer rule.

2. UCF’s Marcus Jordan: You may not know the face but you definitely know the name. The Knights’ 6-3, 200 lb. incoming freshman guard is the son of arguably the most famous name in the game: Michael Jordan. Marcus ranked just 50 among shooting guards in the nation according to Scout.com, but if he’s even just a small chip of the ol’ block we should expect to see more than just a few SportsCenter Top Ten highlight reels.

1. Xavier’s Jordan Crawford: If you watched even five minutes of ESPN this summer you’ve probably heard Jordan Crawford’s name: he was the kid who dunked on the King, LeBron James, at a summer basketball camp. When not humiliating NBA royalty, the 6-4, 195 transfer from Indiana averaged 9.7 points and 3.4 boards per game two years ago. He figures to play a major role with the Musketeers and will likely be their best offensive threat on their way to a fifth consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

–Aaron Whitebread, Red Editorial Staff