Kansas is No. 1, with a long way to go

Star Tribune staff writer Myron P. Medcalf gives the good and the bad of each team in his preseason top 25:

1. KANSAS

Pros: Sherron Collins and Bloomington Jefferson's Cole Aldrich join a talented group of returning players, and super freshman Xavier Henry to give the Jayhawks their most talented roster since 2007-08, when they won their last national title with a bunch of lottery-bound studs. Cons: Might be time for a Dr. Phil session with the school's football team.

2. MICHIGAN STATE

Pros: Should-be All-America point guard Kalin Lucas returns with most of the key contributors from a Spartans team that took Tom Izzo to his fifth Final Four in March. Cons: Loss of Goran Suton and Travis Walton might affect their title hopes more than most anticipate.

3. VILLANOVA

Pros: Scottie Reynolds withdrew from the NBA draft last summer and decided to rejoin a talented group of veterans on another Wildcats team that should make its way to a second consecutive Final Four. Cons: Dante Cunningham's 6-8, 230-pound void in the paint will have to be filled by someone.

4. NORTH CAROLINA

Pros: Don't compare this to the 2005-06 team that struggled a year after the Tar Heels won a national title. A combination of veterans such as Marcus Ginyard and Deon Thompson and youngsters (see: sophomore Big Ed Davis and newbie John Henson). Cons: Losing three first-round picks always hurts.

5. PURDUE

Pros: JaJuan Johnson, Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore comprise one of the nation's best trios. More motivation -- the Final Four is only 70 miles away in Indianapolis. Cons: The Boilermakers have failed to live up to expectations in the past when March arrives.

6. KENTUCKY

Pros: John Calipari brought the nation's top recruiting class with him to Lexington and Kentucky's faithful are happy. John Wall could go Kevin Durant on the country and win national player of the year honors as a true freshman. Cons: Calipari doesn't exactly carry a spotless résumé. Ditto for his recruits.

7. TEXAS

Pros: Freshman Avery Bradley joins super-sized senior Dexter Pittman and NBA-bound Damion James on a very good Longhorns team. Cons: The 6-10, 290-pound Pittman plays big against undermatched foes, but sometimes shrinks when he's challenged.

8. WEST VIRGINIA

Pros: In a year, Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks should get paid by a pair of NBA teams. Until then, Bob Huggins has a very talented duo at his alma mater. Cons: The Mountaineers were in the bottom half of the Big East in three-point shooting last season, making only 32.9 percent.

9. DUKE

Pros: Kyle Singler is an All-America candidate, and since the entire Blue Devils offense will revolve around him, he should meet that potential. Freshmen Mason Plumlee and Andre Dawkins can contribute now. Cons: Elliot Williams' move to Memphis hurt Duke's depth at point guard.

10. BUTLER

Pros: Kill the patronizing mid-major talk. Forwards Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard are a pair of 6-8 standouts with the talent and supporting cast to lead this season's Final Four sleeper. Cons: The Bulldogs got dumped in the first round in the NCAA tournament because they couldn't match Louisiana State's athleticism.

11. GEORGETOWN

Pros: Future lottery pick Greg Monroe and point guard Chris Wright shouldn't disappoint this season, after the Hoyas failed to get into the Big Dance last year. They should give every Big East team a fight. Cons: After a strong nonconference season, they ended the year with 12 losses in 16 games.

12. GEORGIA TECH

Pros: Derrick Favors is a one-and-done that's worth the price of admission. He joins Gani Lawal in one of the nation's top frontcourts. Cons: The young guys can play, but two ACC regular-season victories a year ago?

13. OKLAHOMA

Pros: Willie Warren could be the Sooners' second consecutive national player of the year. Keith (Tiny) Gallon, a 6-9, 296-pound freshman forward, gives Oklahoma another banger in the paint. Cons: The Sooners didn't just lose a good player when Blake Griffin left for the NBA. They lost the best.

14. WASHINGTON

Pros: The reigning Pacific-10 champs didn't get enough hype last year. But sophomore Isaiah Thomas and McDonald's All-America Abdul Gaddy will change that. Cons: The Pac-10 team with the best rebounding margin sent its best rebounder, All-conference forward Jon Brockman, to the NBA.

15. CALIFORNIA

Pros: Veteran backcourts -- see 2009 UNC -- can be very useful. Cal might have the nation's best in seniors Patrick Christopher and Jerome Randle. With UCLA and USC down, it will be a true contender for a Pac-10 title. Cons: A team that didn't get much bigger blocked only two shots per game last season.

16. TENNESSEE

Pros: All-SEC forward Tyler Smith returns to the conference tournament runner-up. Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince give the Volunteers an imposing offensive unit. Cons: Proof of their inconsistency? They beat Marquette, Siena and Georgetown last year, but were blown out by Kentucky twice.

17. OHIO STATE

Pros: Evan Turner might be the most versatile player in the country. William Buford is one of the top sophomores in America. Plus, David Lighty's back. Cons: With center Dallas Lauderdale still mending from a broken right hand, the Buckeyes will have to find a way to compensate inside.

18. MICHIGAN

Pros: Returning upperclassmen Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims had a coming-out party with a victory over Clemson and a good effort against Oklahoma in the NCAA tournament last season. Cons: The Wolverines still don't have a consistent post presence.

19. CONNECTICUT

Pros: Stanley Robinson has the athleticism and talent to make an All-America squad this year. Point guard Kemba Walker is back after a strong freshman campaign. Ditto for Jerome Dyson, who missed 12 games because of a knee injury. Cons: After so many years of having a go-to guy, who fills that role this season?

20. MISSISSIPPI STATE

Pros: Forward Jarvis Varnado led the nation with 170 blocks last year. Only 21 D-I teams had more. If Renardo Sidney is eligible, Mississippi State, last season's SEC tournament champs, will climb higher. Cons: The NCAA has some major questions about Sidney's amateur status.

21. DAYTON

Pros: Last season, the Flyers made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in nearly two decades. Four starters from that team return, including get-to-know-me-now forward Chris Wright, who will probably bolt for the NBA after this season. Cons: A losing season followed their previous NCAA tournament run.

22. GOPHERS

Pros: Damian Johnson, Lawrence Westbrook and Al Nolen have played together for the last two seasons under Tubby Smith. They led the Gophers to their first Big Dance since 2005 and with more talent this year, should make another trip. Cons: Google "Gophers men's basketball" and "legal issues."

23. CLEMSON

Pros: Trevor Booker is a 6-7, 240-pound All-ACC standout. Meet his little brother, Devin, who is a 6-8, 235-pound freshman. That ain't right. Cons: Terrence Oglesby left after his sophomore season to play in Europe and now, his former teammates have to pick up the pieces in his unexpected absence.

24. FLORIDA STATE

Pros: Seven of the Seminoles' top nine scorers from a year ago return. Big man Solomon Alabi, a 7-1 sophomore center, should mature this season. No Toney Douglas? Get to know California prep player of the year Michael Snaer. Cons: A lot of parity on this roster, but will anyone become a breakout star?

25. ILLINOIS

Pros: Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis lead one of the top frontcourts in the Big Ten. Demetri McCamey is one of the league's best playmakers. Add top recruit D.J. Richardson and Bruce Weber might have a team poised for a run in March. Cons: A first-round NCAA tournament loss to Western Kentucky? Huh?

Star Tribune staff writer Myron P. Medcalf gives the good and the bad of each team in his preseason top 25: