Leaders (1 & 2 Seeds)

Illinois: Can't argue with the Illini getting the top seed in the land. Illinois only has 3 guys being considered for player of the year, an undefeated regular season thus far, the number one candidate for Coach of the year, and confidence that puts points up on the board all by itself. Until Illinois does something wrong, don't ignore the fact that they are awesome. They have three guys who can kill you all over the court, and those three guys compliment each other perfectly. It's pretty amazing, really.
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North Carolina: North Carolina scared me with their two-point defeat of Maryland last week, but maybe that'll wake the Heels up again. There are no better starting 5 in the land. McCants has been ill of late, and if that problem lasts into the tournament, the Heels could struggle. Luckily when one of their starting 5 guys sits, they have Marvin Williams (guaranteed top 3 pick whenever he leaves school) starting in that player's stead. I assume McCants will be fine, and the Tar Heels will be at the top of their game against Duke, in the ACC Tourney, and most importantly in the Big Dance. North Carolina is good.
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Wake Forest: Wake beat the Tar Heels in their only meeting this year, but I still see them a step, be it a lightening quick step, behind their in-conference rival. Wake has lost four games, one was at Duke, another was at Illinois, and one was a 1 point thriller at Georgia Tech. Did I say 4 games? Oh yeah, that's right, they lost to ACC bottom dweller Florida State as well. Everyone deserves one game, ask NC (Santa Clara???). Wake has a solid schedule to go with solid wins. The ACC is tough and they plowed through it relatively unscathed. Wins against Duke, Carolina, and Arizona help their cause. Many people are claiming the Demon Deacons need a good showing in the ACC Tourney to get a 1 seed, but I think all they need is a regular season finale win against NC State.
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Washington: Taking care of Arizona last week might take UW to the next level. A number two seed isn't too much to ask for. If the Huskies make it through most of the PAC 10 Tourney, even if they don't win it, a number 2 seems likely. This Husky team is one of the most exciting clubs in College Hoops. Nate Robinson is awesome, Mighty Mouse's true successor. Both Robinson and teammate Will Conroy average over 5 assists per game. The team has really grown since they made themselves noticed in the Big Dance last year. Their confidence pushing down the coast can be felt all over the PAC 10. UW has out of conference wins against Utah, Oklahoma, and Alabama. The Huskies are solid.
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Kansas: A while back I said Kansas had a fluke loss against the Red Raiders. I won't take that back. Kansas as a #1 seed? Could still happen. With 3 straight losses the Jayhawks took a stroll back down the hill, but can still manage a top spot with a respectable end to the season. Simien has been great, but Langford and company needs to step up to get the Hawks the seed they strive for. A number one or two is still in the cards for the Hawks. With the 3 game losing streak in the back of their minds, could the Jayhawks end their season early? It all depends how far back they put it.
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Kentucky: The Wildcats really surprised me by taking it to a really talented Alabama team. That doesn't make them a favorite in my mind, but it does get them a top 2 seed. The Wildcats could still tumble early in the Dance. Though they've found a way to win all but three games, they've made too many no brainers close. I'm never sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It's good to win close games, but close games against week conference foes? Kentucky has gotten the job done during the regular season; their 1 or 2 seed will show that. The NCAA Tournament might show a different Wildcat team.
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Boston College: BC got kicked around by Pitt in a recent loss at home. Boston College will still get a 2 seed in the Tourney. If they can sneak by UConn and Syracuse in the Big East a number one seed might fall into their lap. BC has played good ball all year, and a late whoopin' by Pitt shouldn't ruin their run. The Eagles still bring one of the best teams in the land when they play. They are number one in a league that could easily have five teams with 20 wins. BC will play good ball in the Tournament.
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Connecticut: Connecticut might be one of the hottest teams coming in to March. The Huskies haven't lost since North Carolina, and have won 8 of there last 9. No pushovers either. In their last 9 games, they have beaten Notre Dame, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Georgetown, and Villanova. Not bad. The Huskies have had the talent all year. They started real slow, but recently discovered they are as good as everyone imagined. This is a scary 3 seed now, and with a big conference tourney performance, and a big win against Syracuse on the 5th, the Huskies will move up. One thing I don't like about their squad is a disturbing number; not one guy averages more than 2 assists per game. Weird!
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