Scouting Reports

TOP 20

1. North Carolina

2. Oklahoma State

3. Wake Forest

4. Kansas

5. Georgia Tech

6. Syracuse

7. Connecticut

8. Kentucky

9. Illinois

10. Maryland

11. Duke

12. Louisville

13. Pitt

14. Michigan State

15. Arizona

16. Mississippi State

17. Washington

18. Texas

19. Charlotte

20. Alabama

SI's SPEED RATINGS

For the scouting reports on the following pages, SI has devised Speed Ratings. These take into account a team's personnel and how vigorously its coach employs the running game.

[1 wing] No speed and no running game; none of our Top 20 receive this rating

[ 2 wings] One or two quick players, but game plan centers on slower men

[3 wings] Mad dashers maintain a brisk pace; some elements are not up to speed

[4 wings] Superior quickness at each position; coach urges sprinters to take flight

Hoop Thoughts by Seth Davis, Grant Wahl's Mailbag, commentary from Kelli Anderson, Stewart Mandel,

B.J. Schecter and Luke Winn, plus news and scores all season, at SI.com/basketball/ncaa

COLOR PHOTO

Photograph by Manny Millan

UP FOR GRABS

UConn's Josh Boone (left, leaping) and Georgia Tech's Isma'il Muhammad will again reach for the heights--a return trip to the NCAA championship game.