Who's playing for second?

Connecticut looks strong. So do Louisville, Michigan State and Texas. This might Gonzaga's breakthrough year, and UCLA clearly knows its way to the final weekend.

Any of them could be the first of the rest, even giving North Carolina a fight in the NCAA championship game.

But it's the Tar Heels' championship to lose. It became that last spring when Tyler Hansbrough said he would return for his senior season, and Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson and Danny Green fell in line behind him.

In all, 92 percent of the scoring returns from a team that went 36-3 and reached the Final Four. They all came back for one reason, and nothing but a title will satisfy.

UNDERRATED PLAYER

Patrick Mills, St. Mary's

Australia's leading scorer in the Summer Olympics got 20 against the U.S.

OVERRATED PLAYER

Earl Clark, Louisville

Loaded with ability, Clark must add the desire. Preseason talk suggests that will happen.

BEST PLAYER

Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

Get the NBA thing out of your head. He's the best on campus.

UNDERRATED CONFERENCE

West Coast

Gonzaga, St. Mary's and San Diego should all go dancing again.

OVERRATED CONFERENCE

Conference USA

Memphis and nobody else. UAB, Tulsa or UTEP need to break through.

BEST CONFERENCE

Big East

Top heavy with Connecticut, Louisville, Pitt and Notre Dame.

UNDERRATED TEAM

Arizona State

From out of the NCAAs to a possible No. 6 seed.

OVERRATED TEAM

Pittsburgh

Regular-season heavyweight is a tournament heartbreaker.

BEST TEAM

North Carolina

Looks like Florida, 2007.

FINAL FOUR

North Carolina

Watch Ty Lawson take command of this team.

Connecticut

The Huskies will do it with defense, like Kansas last season.

Louisville

Rick Pitino knows how to get to the Final Four.

Texas

No Augustin, no matter. Longhorns have enough to get it done.

ALL-AMERICANS

F Tyler Hansbrough, Sr., North Carolina

F Blake Griffin, So., Oklahoma

F Luke Harangody, Jr., Notre Dame

G Stephen Curry, Jr., Davidson

G James Harden, So., Arizona State

UNDERRATED COACH

Frank Haith, Miami, Fla.

Has the program succeeding years ahead of schedule.

OVERRATED COACH

Gary Williams, Maryland

He has a ring but hasn't built on it_and the Terps might finish last in ACC.

BEST COACH

Bob McKillop, Davidson

He was getting it done long before Curry. Now a nation knows how good he is.