B/R Experts' Predictions for College Basketball's Conference Season

The Maui Invitational and the Battle 4 Atlantis were entertaining. And we'll never forget the epic battles between Duke and Wisconsin and Gonzaga and Arizona—not to mention all those upsets. We see you, Texas Southern and NJIT.

But now, the real season begins.

Nothing short of Final Four weekend captures attention quite like a conference title race, and this season promises to be as captivating as ever.

Other than the SEC and the Big Ten—where Kentucky and Wisconsin can start making room for the trophies in their display cases—no team enters its respective conference race with a decisive edge. That includes the Big 12, where Kansas' streak of 10 straight titles appears to be in jeopardy, thanks to the re-emergence of Texas, with Iowa State and Oklahoma not far behind.

Arizona is the favorite in the Pac-12, but the Wildcats showed they're vulnerable against UNLV, and Utah has competed against some of the nation's best. The Big East is deeper than originally expected, and while Duke appears to be the class of the ACC, the presence of Virginia, Louisville, North Carolina and others will make the quest for the crown tougher than any league in America.   

With conference play beginning in earnest this week, we at Bleacher Report decided to predict on how we thought each race would pan out. Based on ballots submitted by myself and colleagues C.J. Moore and Kerry Miller, here are our (educated) guesses on how the final standings will look when the regular season ends a little more than two months from now.

All stats and records are accurate as of Monday, Dec. 29.

American Athletic Conference

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1. SMU (33 points, three first-place votes): The Mustangs lost every big game (Gonzaga, Indiana and Arkansas) in nonconference play. But they've won seven straight entering league competition.

2. Connecticut (30 points): Because the league is weak, the defending national champions may have a tough time racking up enough quality wins to make the NCAA tournament.

3. Cincinnati (26 points): The Bearcats rank 302nd in the country in scoring with 61.8 points per game.

4. Temple (25 points): The December additions of transfers Jesse Morgan (Massachusetts) and Devin Coleman (Clemson) has provided a huge boost to the Owls, who thumped then-No. 10 Kansas on Dec. 22.

5. Memphis (20 points): With players such as Shaq Goodwin and Austin Nichols, the Tigers have enough talent to win the league. But consistency has been an issue for this team.

6. Tulsa (19 points): James Woodard (14.8 points per game) and Shaquille Harrison (14.3 ppg) are hoping to thrust the Golden Hurricanes into the conference title race.

7. Houston (14 points): Kelvin Sampson inherited some decent talent in Jherrod Stiggers (17.4 ppg), Devonta Pollard (12.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and L.J. Rose (11.5 ppg, 5.5 apg).

8. Tulane (12 points): Guards Louis Dabney (12.5 ppg) and Jonathan Stark (11.6 ppg, 3.6 apg) form one of the best backcourts in the AAC.

9. South Florida (10 points): The Bulls have lost six of their past seven games under first-year coach Orlando Antigua.

10. East Carolina (six points): B.J. Tyson and Caleb White each average 13.7 ppg for a squad that lost by 44 points to North Carolina and 17 to Wisconsin-Green Bay.

11. Central Florida (three points): Head coach Donnie Jones could be in trouble if the Knights don't improve on last season's 4-14 record in conference play.

Player Of The Year

Ryan Boatright, Connecticut: One of the key pieces of last season's NCAA tournament team, Boatright is averaging 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.9 steals.

Freshman Of The Year

Daniel Hamilton, Connecticut: The brother of former Texas star Jordan Hamilton is off to a solid start with averages of 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds, but he's shooting just 35.1 percent from three-point range.

Coach Of The Year

Larry Brown, SMU: The Mustangs are seeking their first NCAA tournament berth since 1993. If they make it, the credit will go to Brown, who has done an excellent job of making SMU relevant again.

Sleeper

Memphis: Don't forget about the Tigers just because of their cold start. Josh Pastner's squad still has plenty of talent and one of the top home-court advantages in the AAC.

Overvalued

Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane made the NCAA tournament last season after winning the Conference USA postseason tournament, but life will be more difficult in the AAC.

ACC

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1. Duke (45 points, three first-place votes): The Blue Devils may be the only team in the country capable of beating Kentucky. Let's hope they meet the Wildcats in the NCAA title game.

2. Virginia (42 points): The Cavaliers, who are hoping to repeat as ACC champs, have posted double-digit wins in all but one of their games.

3. Louisville (39 points): Depth and outside shooting are a concern for the Cardinals, who looked helpless offensively in Saturday's home loss to Kentucky.

4. North Carolina (36 points): Highly touted freshman wing Justin Jackson (9.8 ppg) needs to make significant strides in ACC play for the Tar Heels to take things to another level.

5. Notre Dame (32 points): The Fighting Irish average 86.1 points and shoot 55.6 percent from the field. Wow.

6. Syracuse (31 points): Even in what Orange fans would consider a down year, Jim Boeheim's squad will be a threat to every opponent it faces.

7. NC State (25 points): Cat Barber, Ralston Turner and Trevor Lacey form a menacing backcourt trio. The three standouts are combining to average 43.7 points.

8. Miami: (24 points): A victory over Florida was the highlight of an eight-game win streak to open the season, but the Hurricanes have since dropped games to Eastern Kentucky, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Providence.

9. Pittsburgh (21 points): The Panthers have won five straight but needed overtime to defeat Oakland. Jamie Dixon's squad is also toting double-digit losses to San Diego State and Indiana. This team lacks star power.

10. Georgia Tech (20 points): The Yellow Jackets opened the season by beating rival in-state Georgia. But an inexplicable loss to South Carolina Upstate followed the next month, and just last week, embattled coach Brian Gregory suffered a 14-point defeat against his former school (Dayton).

11. Florida State (14 points): The Seminoles have been a huge disappointment, but don't give up on them yet. Three of Florida State's five losses came against decent teams (Notre Dame, Nebraska and Providence).

12. Boston College (12 points): As long as Olivier Hanlan (15.5 ppg, 4.2 apg) is on the team, it'd be a mistake to overlook the Eagles.

13. Wake Forest (10 points): The Demon Deacons' strides should be measured in baby steps. It's way too early to judge first-year coach Danny Manning.

14. Clemson (six points): Tigers coach Brad Brownell could be on the hot seat after a lackluster start.

15. Virginia Tech (three points): If Buzz Williams would've waited a few more weeks, he might be the head coach at Tennessee right now instead of at Virginia Tech.

Player Of The Year

Jahlil Okafor, Duke: The projected No. 1 pick in this summer's NBA draft is averaging team highs in points (18.3) and rebounds (8.8).

Freshman Of The Year

Jahlil Okafor, Duke: Not many big men pass as well out of double-teams as Okafor, who has amazing chemistry with freshmen teammates Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow.

Coach Of The Year

Tony Bennett, Virginia: The Cavaliers have one of the best coaches in all of college basketball in Bennett. The question now becomes how long they can keep him.

Sleeper

Syracuse isn't ranked, but its losses (to Cal, Michigan, St. John's and Villanova) all came against formidable competition. Beating the Orange will never be easy.

Overvalued

Leading scorers Sheldon McClellan (from Texas) and Angel Rodriguez (from Kansas State) are transfers putting up gaudy numbers for Miami. But they need to put just as much emphasis on being leaders.

Big East

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1. Villanova (30 points; three first-place votes): The Wildcats have won 40 of their last 43 regular-season games dating back to last season. Five Villanova players average between 9.4 and 12.6 ppg.

2. Georgetown (26 points): Saturday's 91-87 overtime win against Indiana will give the Hoyas a ton of momentum entering conference play. Forward Josh Smith (12.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg) has been a force down low.

3. St. John's (25 points): The consistency issues that have plagued Steve Lavin's team in the past appear to be gone. There isn't a more talented team in the Big East. The Red Storm are off to their best start since 1985-86.

4. Seton Hall (19 points): The Pirates could be in trouble if standout freshman Isaiah Whitehead (stress fracture in his right foot) doesn't return soon.

5. Providence (17 points): With key nonconference victories over Notre Dame, Florida State, Massachusetts and Miami, the Friars will be in the hunt for an NCAA tournament berth if they perform well in league play.

6. Xavier (16 points): It's tough to get too excited about a team that has losses against Long Beach State, Auburn and Texas-El Paso. But Chris Mack is a good coach who will get things straightened out soon.

7. Butler (14 points): The Bulldogs turned heads with victories over North Carolina and Georgetown in the Battle 4 Atlantis, but they've since lost to Tennessee and Indiana. Still, first-year coach Chris Holtmann is doing a nice job.

8. Marquette (eight points): The Golden Eagles enter Big East play with wins in five of their last six games, includes victories over Tennessee and Arizona State. But this is one of the worst rebounding teams in college basketball, averaging just 30.0 boards per contest.

9. Creighton (seven points): When the Bluejays are the ninth-ranked team in your conference, it says a lot about the strength of your league. Austin Chatman averages team highs in points (13.9) and assists (4.6).

10. DePaul (three points): New year, same story for the Blue Demons, who will be hard-pressed to keep coach Oliver Purnell beyond this season.

Player Of The Year

D'Angelo Harrison, St. John's: A senior guard, Harrison is averaging 19.0 ppg for the No. 15 Red Storm and has 1,857 points for his career. He's also shooting (44.2 percent) and rebounding (6.5 rpg) at career-high rates.

Freshman Of The Year

Trevon Bluiett, Xavier: The small forward leads the Musketeers with a scoring average of 13.3 points per game. But he tapered off in December, averaging just 9.6 points in five contests.

Coach Of The Year

John Thompson III, Georgetown: No matter the names on the backs of the jerseys, the Hoyas always play with a tremendous amount of toughness and cohesion. That's a credit to Thompson III, one of the top coaches in all of college basketball.

Sleeper

Providence: The Friars played a tough nonconference schedule (Notre Dame, Kentucky, Miami, Florida State, etc.) to prepare for Big East play. In Kris Dunn and LaDontae Henton, they have two elite players who will make them a threat to beat any team.

Overvalued

Seton Hall: The book is still out on the Pirates, who have a gaudy record but really haven't played anyone significant other than Wichita State and Georgia. Seton Hall lost both games handily.

Big 12

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1. Texas (29 points; two first-place votes): The Longhorns will take it to another level once injured point guard Isaiah Taylor (wrist) returns. Texas also needs more out of behemoth forward Cameron Ridley, whose statistics—and playing time—have dropped dramatically since last season.

2. Kansas (27 points; one first-place vote): This appears to be one of the softest teams of the Bill Self era—but it's way too early to count out the Jayhawks. Kansas needs more production and leadership out of sophomore Wayne Selden Jr., whose scoring (9.1 ppg) has actually dropped since the departure of Andrew Wiggins.

3. Iowa State (25 points): Just another season in which Iowa State graduates star players but doesn't seem to miss a beat. UNLV transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones has been a nice addition with 16.0 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game.

4. Oklahoma (20 points): Buddy Hield (15.5 points) and Isaiah Cousins (13.2) are elite guards, and TaShawn Thomas and Ryan Spangler are a formidable duo down low, but the Sooners have no depth.

5. Baylor (18 points): The Bears have been the league's biggest surprise. Their lone loss (to Illinois) came without star point guard Kenny Chery. The key for Baylor will be the continued development of redshirt freshman Johnathan Motley, a forward who is averaging 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds over his last three games.

6. West Virginia (15 points): After struggling the past two seasons, the Mountaineers are back to playing the tough, physical brand of basketball that has defined Bob Huggins' career.

7. Kansas State (nine points): Despite returning nearly every key piece of last season's NCAA tournament team, the Wildcats enter Big 12 play toting losses to Texas Southern and Long Beach State.

8. Oklahoma State (eight points): With Le'Bryan Nash, Phil Forte, Michael Cobbins and Anthony Hickey on the floor, the Cowboys are talented enough to beat any team in the league.

9. TCU (seven points): The Horned Frogs are 13-0 after winning just nine games a year ago. Don't be surprised if they win five or six Big 12 games.

10. Texas Tech (three points): Decimated by graduation and transfers, Tubby Smith's Red Raiders will be hard-pressed to win a single Big 12 game.

Player Of The Year

Georges Niang, Iowa State: The Cyclones' versatile forward enters Big 12 play averaging 16.9 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 50.9 percent from the field.

Freshman Of The Year

Myles Turner, Texas: The 7-footer showed flashes of brilliance during non-league play but also had his share of off nights. He's still putting up excellent stats (12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks) for a guy who averages just 21.0 minutes off the bench.

Coach Of The Year

Rick Barnes, Texas: Two of our three writers predict Texas will end Kansas' streak of 10 straight Big 12 titles. If that happens, Barnes will be the obvious pick.

Sleeper

West Virginia: Leading scorer Juwan Staten commands the headlines, but don't sleep on junior-college transfer Jonathan Holton, who is averaging 11.4 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds. The Mountaineers' only loss came in a one-point setback against LSU.

Overvalued

TCU: The Horned Frogs are one of the most improved teams in all of college basketball, but TCU doesn't have any business being just outside the Top 25 after playing one of the country's worst nonconference schedules.

Big Ten

Andy Manis/Associated Press

1. Wisconsin (42 points; three first-place votes): The gap between the Badgers—a Final Four favorite—and the rest of the Big Ten is wide. Small forward Sam Dekker, who has battled a nagging ankle injury, needs to raise his game for Wisconsin to have a chance at an NCAA title.

2. Ohio State (37 points): The Buckeyes rank seventh in the country with 85.3 points per game, but they've played just two marquee games (against Louisville and North Carolina) and lost them both.

3. Maryland (36 points): Mark Turgeon's squad is one of college basketball's biggest surprises. The Terrapins, who tout a win over then-No. 13 Iowa State, are getting 15.8 points per game apiece from forward Jake Layman and freshman point guard Melo Trimble.

4. Indiana (32 points): As disappointing as Saturday's overtime loss at Georgetown may have been, the Hoosiers should still feel good about their chances of improving on last season's 7-11 Big Ten record.

5. Michigan State (30 points): The outmanned Spartans have played one of the nation's most difficult schedules and were competitive in losses against Kansas, Duke and Notre Dame. But it all caught up with Michigan State in a 71-64 overtime loss to Texas Southern on Dec. 20.

6. Minnesota (23 points): The Gophers enter Big Ten play on an eight-game winning streak, although they haven't defeated anyone of note during that span. They also needed a late surge to get past Furman on Dec. 22. This is a good team, but it's far from a great one.

7. Illinois (22 points, tie): Rayvonte Rice (17.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) has been a stud for the Illini, who are hoping to return to the NCAA tournament after missing the Big Dance last season.

7. Iowa (22 points, tie): The Hawkeyes are a tough team to figure. They beat North Carolina on the road but then got blown out by in-state rivals Iowa State (90-75) and Northern Iowa (56-44).

9. Nebraska (17 points): This team plays a ton of close games and, therefore, has a small margin for error. Terran Petteway averages 19.3 ppg but shoots just 41.8 percent from the field. And he's committing 3.9 turnovers per game.

10. Michigan (15 points): The Wolverines started 6-1 but will enter Big Ten carrying losses in four of their last five games. Included in that streak are home setbacks against NJIT and Eastern Michigan.

11. Penn State (11 points): D.J. Newbill is averaging 21.4 ppg for a squad that feasted on cupcakes during nonconference play. The Nittany Lions got a tough draw by opening Big Ten play against Wisconsin on the road. But after that come winnable games at Rutgers and at home against Michigan.

12. Purdue (10 points): Promising center A.J. Hammons (9.9 ppg and 5.3 rpg, both career lows) has been a huge disappointment for a Purdue squad that has already lost to North Florida and Gardner-Webb.

13. Northwestern (six points): It's tough to get a feel for the Wildcats, who played a weak nonconference schedule and lost by double digits to the best two teams they played (Northern Iowa and Butler).

14. Rutgers (three points): The Scarlet Knights scored 26 points in a loss to Virginia. That's really all that needs to be said.

Player Of The Year

Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin: The 7-footer is one of the most difficult matchups in college basketball because of his ability to handle the ball and score from nearly anywhere on the court. Kaminsky is averaging 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds.

Freshman Of The Year

James Blackmon Jr., Indiana: The small forward is averaging 17.9 points and 5.2 rebounds and is shooting 44.3 percent from three-point range. That's not bad for a guy just 13 games into his college career.

Coach Of The Year

Mark Turgeon, Maryland: Turgeon entered the season on the hot seat—but now he might get an extension. The Terrapins are ranked No. 12 in the latest Associated Press poll and could finish as high as second in the Big Ten during their first year in the league.

Sleeper

Illinois: This is a veteran team with a star player (Rayvonte Rice) that is extremely well-coached by John Groce. Other than Wisconsin, there isn't a Big Ten squad the Illini isn't capable of beating.

Overvalued

Michigan State: Even future Hall of Famer Tom Izzo will have a tough time achieving at a high level with this team, which is full of complementary players but void of stars. The problem? The Spartans lost Adreian Payne, Keith Appling and Gary Harris from last season and didn't replace them with much.

Pac-12

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1. Arizona (36 points; three first-place votes): The Wildcats are the easy choice in the Pac-12, but they're certainly not invincible. A mediocre UNLV team proved that by beating Arizona 71-67 on Dec. 23. Stanley Johnson is shooting 51.9 percent (27-of-52) in his last five games.

2. Utah (33 points): The Utes' only losses are a four-point defeat to then-No. 16 San Diego State back on Nov. 18 and a 63-60 setback to then-No. 10 Kansas on Dec. 13. And Utah clawed back into that game after falling behind by 21 points. It's no stretch to say that Larry Krystkowiak's team can compete with anyone in America.

3. Washington (30 points): Just as everyone was beginning to get excited about Washington, the Huskies dropped their final nonconference game against Stony Brook. Still, wins against San Diego State and Oklahoma will go a long way with the NCAA tournament committee.

4. Stanford (26 points): The Cardinal may be the most maddening team in the Pac-12. One day they're beating Texas on the road; the next they're losing to DePaul. It'd be a shame if Chasson Randle (18.5 ppg) didn't make the NCAA tournament as a senior. The guess here is that he and his teammates will.

5. California (25 points): Other than Sunday's inexcusable home loss to Cal-Santa Barbara, the Golden Bears have done an admirable job under first-year coach Cuonzo Martin, with the highlight being a November victory against Syracuse.

6. UCLA (21 points): The Bruins had one of the ugliest moments in the season to date when they managed just eight first-half points against Kentucky. With zero quality nonconference wins, it will be tough for UCLA to make the NCAA tournament unless it beats Arizona, Washington or Utah a time or two in Pac-12 play.

7. Colorado (18 points): With veterans such as Askia Booker (15.3 ppg, 3.1 apg), Josh Scott (14.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Xavier Johnson (13.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg), the Buffaloes are talented enough to beat any team in the Pac-12.

8. Oregon (15 points): Dana Altman has done a nice job with this squad considering all of the top-flight players the Ducks lost in Damyean Dotson, Dominic Artis, Mike Moser, Jason Calliste and Johnathan Loyd. But Joseph Young averages 19.6 points, and freshman Dillon Brooks (14.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg) has emerged as a stud.

9. Arizona State (12 points): The Sun Devils are far from terrible. Four of their five losses are against teams from Power Five conferences, and the other came in a three-overtime heartbreaker against Lehigh. Sophomore Savon Goodman is averaging 15.8 points and 8.0 rebounds.

10. USC (eight points): With losses to Portland State, Akron, Penn State and Army, it's fair to question whether second-year coach Andy Enfield was the right hire.

11. Oregon State (seven points): The Beavers had won five in a row before last week's setback at Quinnipiac. Still, there have been plenty of reasons to be encouraged about Oregon State's future under first-year coach Wayne Tinkle.

12. Washington State (three points): Devonte Lacy is averaging 17.3 points per game for a team that appears to be improving. The Cougars competed well in a 15-point loss to Gonzaga and a nine-point road setback at Santa Clara. However, there's no question this is the worst team in the league.

Player Of The Year

Delon Wright, Utah: A first-team All-Pac-12 selection last season, Wright may be the top point guard in all of college basketball. The 6'5" senior is averaging 16.4 points and 5.2 assists while shooting 57.7 percent from the field.

Freshman Of The Year

Stanley Johnson, Arizona: The 6'7", 245-pound small forward leads Arizona in scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounds (6.8 rpg). On a team that is otherwise offensively challenged, it's no secret the Wildcats' Final Four hopes hinge on the player who is projected as a lottery pick in this summer's NBA draft.

Coach Of The Year

Larry Krystkowiak, Utah: It's been refreshing to watch the Utes' rise under Krystkowiak, who built the program from the ground up, while fans waited patiently. Thanks to Krystkowiak, Utah is poised to make its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2009.

Sleeper

Oregon: The Ducks average 79.4 points per game and own solid wins against Illinois and Cal-Santa Barbara. Joseph Young is one of the best scoring guards in the country at 19.6 points per game. And freshman forward Dillon Brooks (14.5 ppg) is going to be an absolute stud.

Overvalued

Colorado: More was expected out of the Buffaloes, a veteran team with a good coach in Tad Boyle. All five of Colorado's losses have come against unranked teams. Colorado fell to George Washington and Hawaii in last week's Diamond Head Classic and scored just 33 points in a setback against Wyoming on Nov. 22. The Buffaloes will be dangerous if they put everything together, but there's no reason to believe they will.

SEC

Associated Press

1. Kentucky (42 points; three first-place votes): The Wildcats' goal of finishing the regular season undefeated is aided by the fact that the SEC is as bad as it's been in years. It's hard to imagine any team in this league beating John Calipari's squad—or even competing with it.

2. Florida (39 points): After a rough start that included losses to Miami, Georgetown, North Carolina and Kansas, the Gators appear to be putting things together. A big reason for that is the play of guard Michael Frazier II (14.9 ppg) and forward Dorian Finney-Smith (12.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg).

3. LSU (34 points): The Tigers may have the best chance of any SEC team to beat Kentucky, as the frontcourt of Jarrell Martin and Jordan Mickey is good enough to compete with the Wildcats' bigs. Like most opponents, though, LSU can't come close to matching Kentucky's depth.

4. Arkansas (33 points): The Razorbacks are 10-2, but their only impressive win is a road victory at SMU. Bobby Portis averages team highs in points (17.2 ppg) and rebounds (7.7 rpg) for a school that hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 2008.

5. Texas A&M (28 points): Billy Kennedy, who currently boasts the No. 3-ranked recruiting haul in the class of 2015, per 247Sports.com, is probably a year or two away from turning the Aggies into a Top 25-caliber team. But this group is pesky with transfers Jalen Jones (SMU) and Danuel House (Houston) and highly touted guards Alex Robinson and Alex Caruso.

6. South Carolina (27 points): The Gamecocks will enter SEC play on a six-game winning streak that includes blowout victories over Oklahoma State and Clemson. A strong rebounding team, South Carolina also has depth, with nine players averaging double-digit minutes.

7. Alabama (26 points): The Crimson Tide have played well in recent weeks, beating UCLA and giving Wichita State all it could handle before falling 53-52 on the road. Versatile forward Levi Randolph leads Alabama in scoring (16.4 ppg) and assists (3.0 apg) while ranking second in rebounding (4.9 rpg).

8. Georgia (23 points): The season couldn't have gotten off to a worse start for the Bulldogs, who fell to in-state rival Georgia Tech in their first game. Recent wins over Colorado and Seton Hall have fans hopeful that Georgia can finish in the top half of the SEC, which may be enough to save Mark Fox's job.

9. Ole Miss (17 points): For the ninth straight season, the Rebels are underachieving under Andy Kennedy. Ole Miss' three losses are against Charleston Southern, TCU and Western Kentucky. It will be interesting to see if the school opts to keep Kennedy beyond this season, as construction on a new arena has already begun. There may be a desire for a fresh start.

10. Vanderbilt (16 points): The Commodores are better than they were last season but should still finish in the bottom half of the league. Sophomore Damian Jones is averaging 16.5 points and 7.1 rebounds for a squad that shoots 51.1 percent from the field.

11. Tennessee (11 points): Say this for the Volunteers: They don't have any bad losses. And they own decent wins over Butler and Kansas State. No matter what, though, the ensuing months should be awkward for coach Donnie Tyndall, who is in danger of losing his job in light of improprieties that allegedly occurred during his tenure at Southern Miss. The NCAA is investigating.

12. Auburn (nine points): The feeling before the season was that Auburn returned enough pieces to at least be competitive under new coach Bruce Pearl. It hasn't happened. Among the Tigers' losses are setbacks against Texas Tech, Tulsa and Coastal Carolina. And they had to eke out victories over Oregon State (71-69) and Texas Southern (61-60).

13. Missouri (seven points): Losing to UMKC at home in the season opener is hardly what first-year coach Kim Anderson envisioned when he took over in Columbia. To be fair, though, Anderson inherited a depleted roster and has actually done a nice job of improving what he has. Illinois needed a buzzer-beater to topple the Tigers on Dec. 20. Still, it'll be a while before Missouri is back in the limelight.

14. Mississippi State (three points): Poor Rick Ray. The Bulldogs are getting better, but it's not showing up in the win-loss column. Four of Mississippi State's five defeats have come by 10 points or less.

Player Of The Year

Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky: The consistency issues that plagued Cauley-Stein as a freshman and sophomore are a thing of the past. Clearly motivated and driven, Cauley-Stein is averaging 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds for what may be one of the top teams in college basketball history.

Freshman Of The Year

Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky: Towns drifted at times during the early portions of the season but seems to be getting more comfortable with each game. He leads the Wildcats in rebounds (6.8 rpg) and blocks (2.4 bpg) yet only plays 19.5 minutes per game. Towns is likely to be a top-five pick in this summer's NBA draft.

Coach Of The Year

John Calipari, Kentucky: Don't be fooled. What Calipari is doing isn't easy. Calipari may be the only coach in America savvy enough to sell blue-chip prospects on a system that only allows them to play 18-22 minutes per game. Creating harmony and chemistry in that type of a situation is darn nearly impossible, but Calipari has done it.

Sleeper

Alabama: The Crimson Tide played a tough nonconference schedule and don't have a bad loss. They've also performed particularly well in the past few weeks, mainly against UCLA and Wichita State. Anthony Grant's team could finish as high as third or fourth in the standings.

Overvalued

LSU: The Tigers have replaced Ole Miss as the SEC team that everyone gets excited about—only to accomplish nothing. LSU had a loaded roster last season and couldn't even make the NCAA tournament. Don't be surprised if the same thing happens again this season.

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.