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Firing three-pointers at will in transition, forcing turnovers, 75 possessions per game, and 90 points on the scoreboard are some of the characteristics of high-strung teams.
They are the teams looking to score before the defense is set and dial up the defensive pressure to keep the opponents from settling into their offense.
The 10 teams that stand out are the most high-strung teams for a variety of reasons.
Some will operate during the first 10 seconds of the shot clock, while others will press teams into submission.
Some have no concept of walking the ball up court, and some will gamble frequently defensively, looking to get two the other way.
Southern teams typically play the more high-strung styles, as the South typically has the best athletes (think SEC and Big 12 speed to the speed of the Big Ten in college football). That's the case here again, as seven of the 10 teams on the list have recruiting bases in the South.
10. Washington
Why they are high-strung: Washington already motored up and down the court with one of the best backcourts in the country. Now they add super recruit point guard Abdul Gaddy to the mix.
The Huskies play a style of basketball unknown to the Pac-10. West Coast teams have suddenly dropped off in the speed of their games, but Lorenzo Romar's club has picked things up.
Playing a dramatically different brand of basketball has helped Washington differentiate itself from other Pac-10 clubs.
Telling Stats: Only two teams other than Washington in the Pac-10 rank in the top 100 in pace.
Washington ranked seventh last season and has routinely been in the top 10 during the last half-decade.
The Huskies also ranked ninth in the country in defensive efficiency. At the pace they play, if the opponent doesn't score early, it will be looking at a big deficit very early.
Key player that dictates Washington's tempo: Isaiah Thomas. The 5'8" guard was in charge of the offense last season and will likely do the same in 2010. He's the team's leading returning scorer but should share some of the scoring load with incoming freshman Gaddy.
9. Georgia Tech
Why they are high-strung: Georgia Tech is going to resemble somewhat of a street ball team this year, and for anyone who has seen street ball, you know they don't spend too much time on one end of the court at a time.
Having a dominant center like Derrick Favors might slow Tech down a bit, but the Yellow Jackets will likely pump up the tempo in the usually fast ACC.
Telling Stats: Georgia Tech ranked 18th in the country in possessions per game at 71.5.
Most high-strung teams are usually dominant on the offensive end of the floor, but Tech does it with their defense.
The Yellow Jackets never let their opponents get comfortable; as a result, their scrappy defense posts a solid 91.9 defensive rating.
Key player that dictates Georgia Tech's tempo: Iman Shumpert. As only a freshman last year, Shumpert ran the point for coach Paul Hewitt. He'll be in charge this year to make sure Georgia Tech's many post options get their touches.
8. Baylor
Why they are high-strung: It's all about the offense and nothing about the defense for Baylor.
It makes for high-scoring and exciting games, but not always wins. Baylor found that out last season, taking a major step back after experiencing a breakthrough in 2008.
The Bears slowed things down last season, but the offense and defense didn't really improve.
Scott Drew has a more athletic lineup this season, so expect the Bears to be out and running again like it is 2008 all over again.
Telling stats: In 2008, the Bears averaged almost 72 possessions per game.
When forced into a halfcourt game, Baylor struggled mightily in 2008. So what happened in 2009? Baylor slowed things down, played halfcourt games, averaged 66.6 possessions per game, and ended up in the NIT.
Key player that dictates Baylor's tempo: LaceDarius Dunn. The man with one of the best names in basketball also will be Baylor's main man in 2010. Dunn can slash and shoot in transition or in the halfcourt. He's more athletic than his predecessor Curtis Jerrells and will have Baylor moving in 2010.
7. Siena
Why they are high-strung: The best way for a mid-major team to make up for the lack of size common in mid-major schools is to run and gun. That's exactly what Siena does.
Siena lost one of the three players capable of bringing the ball downcourt and running the offense, but Edwin Ubiles and Ronald Moore won't have any trouble picking up the slack.
Telling Stats: Siena ranks 16th in the country in tempo at 71.7 possessions per game, as the Saints are constantly pushing the ball. They've got to push the ball in order to use their biggest strength—their speed.
Siena's weakness—its size—is evident when looking at the school's adjusted height. Last season, Siena was 2.2 inches shorter than the average school, which ranks 302nd in the country.
Key Player that dictates Siena's tempo: Ronald Moore. The easy choice is Siena's best player, Ubiles, but more often than not, it is the point guard Moore's job to get the ball across the time line as quick as possible. From there, Moore can give the rock off to Ubiles and let the superstar do what he does best.
6. Missouri
Why they are high-strung: The Tigers won games by tiring out their out opponents with pressure and depth. Missouri always had a sub for the starter, and sometimes it seemed like Mizzou had another sub for its subs.
Missouri's trap defense actually increased the tempo of its games rather than slowed it down a bit like most pressure defenses do.
Missouri also had the perfect group of players to run its offense and defense. All the forwards aren't bound to the halfcourt game, but the two starters that were key to Mike Anderson's system graduated.
Missouri may not have all the right personnel to operate the way the team last year, but the Tigers will still be exciting to watch.
Telling Stats: Missouri only has 6.1 percent of its possessions end in a blocked shot, which ranks 15th in the country. For an undersized lineup, that means the Tigers consistently move the ball in transition quick enough to beat the opponent's big men down floor.
Mizzou also ranks third in the country in defensive steal percentage, as the Tigers end 13.8 percent of their opponents' possessions in a steal.
Player that dictates Missouri's tempo: J.T. Tiller. The Missouri guard is great across the board. He makes good decisions on offense, distributes the ball well, can anticipate the passing lanes, and frequently gets to the line. He's a great catalyst for Anderson.
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