Which Are the Best Teams Out of the Best Conferences?

From the powerful Big East, to the always-strong ACC. From the Big 10 to the Big 12. These four conferences are obviously composed of the nation's top teams. So who is the best team out there?

With Championship week almost here, the conference's top teams will be decided. But I will take a look at these four basketball conferences and narrow down the best teams, and team in the NCAA so far this year.

Big East

All four of these conferences have been argued as the best in the nation, but only one has consistently been named the strongest. That conference is the Big East. As you have probably seen weekend after weekend, the teams in the Big East have continued to beat each other up.

When you look at the top four teams in the Big East (UConn, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Marquette) each of them have suffered at least two losses within the conference. Connecticut has lost to Georgetown and Pittsburgh.

Louisville suffered losses to former No. 1 UConn, and Notre Dame. Pittsburgh fell to Louisville, Villanova, and Providence. Marquette brings up the rear of the top four with losses to South Florida, Villanova, and UConn.

So with basically the whole conference (sorry, DePaul) beating on each other, who comes out as the strongest team in the strongest conference?

Pittsburgh and Marquette can be eliminated easily from the top four of the conference because both of them have lost to either Louisville or Connecticut.

With that fact being said, the best team should be easily named right?

Not so much.

Pittsburgh and Marquette are also obvious outs in this fact just because they have been just as convincing in conference play as anyone else but Louisville and UConn have been much more impressive.

Even with Dejuan Blair playing at his best this year, Pitt has needed superior play from their guards and well, they haven't had it. Besides Sam Young and Levance Fields the Panthers haven't gotten enough contribution from the rest of the team.

Marquette has been a strong team this year with balanced play from their top four players. Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews, Lazar Hayward, and Dominic James have been superb for the Golden Eagles this year.

Marquette would have made a serious run in the Big East, until Dominic James was just listed as out for the season with a broken foot.

So then there were two: Louisville and UConn.

Louisville started the year with tough losses to Western Kentucky, Minnesota, and UNLV. Since then the Cards have been on a tear.

With player-of-the-year type play from swing man Terrence Williams, and chip-ins from teammates Earl Clark and Samardo Samuels, Rick Pitino has put his team in Big East Championship conversations.

The Cardinals might get there, but UConn is undoubtedly the best team in this conference.

The Huskies have beaten the Cards in Louisville. The only drawback UConn might have is Jerome Dyson's status. Dyson will undergo knee surgery and leave UConn's back court a little thin. But AJ Price and Hasheem Thabeet will be too much for the rest of the Big East.

Big East Winner: UConn

Atlantic Coast Conference

The ACC has always been there. They have always had tough teams and some of the best recruiting in College Basketball. This year though, with Wake Forest dying down, the conference race seems to be between two bitter rivals.

North Carolina and Duke.

So who's better? Well North Carolina handily beat Duke earlier this season 101-87. Duke has been consistently called the ACC's best defense. If Duke has the best defense and the Tar Heels smacked down 101 points on them, this should be an easy decision, right?

Right.

The Tar Heels might have played out of their minds that night, but that still doesn't give an excuse for North Carolina to not be the top dog in the ACC. The Blue Devils don't have enough depth to match up with North Carolina.

The rest of the ACC doesn't have enough depth to match up against North Carolina. Even with Marcus Ginyard done for the season, North Carolina is stacked with skill. Freshman big man Tyler Zeller is also back to strengthen their back court.

ACC Winner: North Carolina

Big 10

The Big 10 might be the weakest of these four top conferences, but it is stronger than the next best SEC. The Big 10 is highlighted by teams like Michigan State, Purdue, and Illinois. Besides Indiana, all the teams in the Big 10 have had success this season.

Michigan State is full of talent. With Raymar Morgan back in the lineup they are a much better team. Kalin Lucas is also a standout player averaging just under 15 points per game.

The biggest reason that the Spartans are as tough as they are is their bench and role players. Besides Morgan and Lucas, the Spartans have three more players averaging close to 10 points per game. 

The Illinois Fighting Illini have had a solid season cracking the top 25. They have four star players in Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale, and Trent Meacham. They are full of sharp-shooters, especially Trent Meacham. Chester Frazier is their must-have role player averaging about five points, assists, and rebounds per game.

The Purdue Boilermakers have been a huge disappointment this year. Robbie Hummel has performed way under his potential this year, and his team's record shows it. With solid contributions from E'Twaun Moore and Jajuan Johnson the Boilermakers are still in the mix.

They have wins against Michigan State and Illinois, and are still looking to make that run they need to make them an elite team.

Michigan State is obviously the most impressive team in the Big 10 conference. With just a few losses in the conference the Spartans are well ahead of the trailing Illinois. With Raymar Morgan back, there is no match for the Big 10 contenders.

Big 10 Winner: Michigan State

Big 12

The Big 12 can be argued as the most dangerous conference out there. Each team can come out every night an get a win against each other. The Big 12 is full of superstar players such as, Blake Griffin, Sherron Collins, and AJ Abrams.

The conference is highlighted with possible championship contenders in Oklahoma and Kansas. Teams like Texas and Missouri still have things to prove, but can still make a run come tournament time.

The Defending national champion Kansas Jayhawks top the Big 12 at this point in the season. Sherron Collins has the Jayhawks flying high with his slashing offense, and lock down defense. Big man Cole Aldrich and freshman Tyshon Taylor are just as important as Collins. Those stars along with plenty of role players make Kansas for real.

The Oklahoma Sooners have gotten a lot of media time this year because of player of the year candidate Blake Griffin. Griffin is the most impressive post player in college basketball this year with his eye-opening dunks and fundamental post moves.

The Sooners have lost their last two, however, since Blake Griffin suffered a concussion. What happens if he gets hurt and is out for the rest of the season, or the tournament? Thats a scary thought for the team.

The Missouri Tigers have had big wins against Texas, and Kansas, but are still lacking that fire the a great team needs to have. DeMarre Carroll is as big of a scorer as anyone is the conference but he can't do it himself.

Besides Leo Lyons, the Tigers don't have another player who can find his own shot, which can hurt a team majorly come tournament time.

The Texas Longhorns are the scariest team in the conference. With Damion James, and athletic freak, and sharpshooter AJ Abrams have proven themselves worthy of the ball in late-game situations.

The Longhorns have dropped a lot of close games this year in which their role players haven't stepped up. This team straight blow you out if you don't play hard defense, thats what makes them as scary as they are.

With so many superstars on so many teams, in just one conference its hard to pick just one team that stands out the most in the Big 12. But the Kansas Jayhawks have plenty of depth that can take them farther than Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas.

Oklahoma have always been strong because of the play of Blake Griffin, but if he has an off-game, the team can struggle. And with Missouri and Texas being as inconsistent as they are, they can't handle a proven contender in Kansas.

Big 12 Winner: Kansas

Connecticut, North Carolina, Michigan State, and Kansas are the strongest of their respective conferences. 

So who is the Best of the Best?

UConn is loaded with size in Hasheem Thabeet, North Carolina has quickness, talent, and skill, Michigan State can run you to death, and Kansas has enough fundamentals for a whole state of High School players.

So who is the most elite of these teams?

If you look at match-ups North Carolina has to be a sure favorite. Ty Lawson is just as tough as superstar Sherron Collins, Wayne Ellington is just as sharp as Tyrel Reed, Danny Green has been consistent for his whole career at UNC, and Tyler Hansbrough, well, he is Tyler Hansbrough.

With the battle of match-ups an easy decision, what else is their to compare in order to determine who is the best of the best?

Role Players.

Tyrel Reed, AJ Price, Deon Thompson, Cole Aldrich, which team has more overall talent when it comes to the role players?

Connecticut has lost a huge role player in Jerome Dyson and that is a tough blow for them. However, Kemba Walker and Gavin Edwards bring skill and toughness to a lineup.

North Carolina has Deon Thompson, Ed Davis, and Will Graves highlight the Tar Heels' role players. This time next season we might be talking about Deon Thompson as a star, he has continuously brought his scoring and defense to games.

Ed Davis is an exciting shot-blocker to go along with an overall outstanding player in Will Graves.

Michigan State is lacking role players outside of Chris Allen and Durrell Summers. The rest of the team chips in a couple points and other stats here and there, but the Spartans need a solid bench in order to contend.

Kansas have solid role player ability. From Tyrel Reed to Morningstar, the Jayhawks can pose a problem for any team when it comes to the bench.

There are a few things that truly do set teams apart from others. They don't have anything to do with skill or talent.

What really sets one team apart from all others is its will to win, and how they play as a team. One of these teams will make a run come March Madness time because of those two factors.

This team's will to win is tremendous, and when they do lose, they lose as a team. They move the ball to get an open shot and are coached by one of the greatest coaches to ever coach in college basketball. 

Courage, Spirit, Discipline, and Heart is what sets North Carolina apart from the others. And that is why they will make another big run for it all come March.