College Basketball: 10 Most Improved Teams from Last Season

Indiana's upset victory over No. 1 Kentucky confirmed that they were the most improved team in the country and were ready to start competing again for Big Ten titles. Last year, the Hoosiers finished last in the Big Ten Conference and this year they are a Top 20 team.

We are now a quarter of the way through the 2011-12 college basketball season and it's a good time to look at other teams who have made major improvements since last season.

No. 10 Tulane (11-1)

Alright, I know Tulane isn't a team that's going to be competing for an NCAA tournament bid, but there is no denying that this team looks to be much improved since last season.

The Green Wave's biggest victory is a 57-52 defeat of Georgia Tech. Tulane currently has four players averaging double figures in points and are led by Kendall Timmons, who averages 13.3 points per game.

I don't expect them to contend for a Conference USA championship, but it should be an improved year, and I expect them to finish with an above-.500 record.

Last Year: 13-17, 3-13 (C-USA)

This Year: 11-1

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 185

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 114

No. 9 Mississippi State (10-1)

I wasn't sure whether to include Mississippi State on this list or not, considering that they finished above .500 last year, but they still look to be a much better team this year.

The Bulldogs are ranked No. 17 in the country and have several key wins. Mississippi State has already defeated Texas A&M, Arizona and West Virginia. They also have a big non-conference game coming up against Baylor.

The Bulldogs are led by Dee Bost, who is averaging 18.5 points and 4.5 assists per game.

Last Year: 17-14, 9-7 (SEC)

This Year: 10-1

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 116

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 56

No. 8 Virginia (8-1)

Virginia is another team who wasn't horrible last year, but they appear ready to take the next step and to compete for an NCAA tournament bid.

The Cavaliers are led by Mike Scott, who averages 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Head coach Tony Bennett had success at Washington State, making two NCAA tournaments, and now has Virginia headed in the same direction.

The Cavaliers' best win was 70-58 against Michigan. I expect Virginia to finish in the top half of the ACC and to possibly grab an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament.

Last Year: 16-15, 7-9 (ACC)

This Year: 8-1

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 94

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 25

No. 7 LSU (6-3)

LSU was one of the worst BCS conference teams in college basketball last year, but this year, the Tigers have gotten off to a 6-3 start, with wins against Boise State and Georgia Tech.

I still would be surprised if LSU finishes above .500, but it looks like Trent Johnson might have this team moving in the right direction. Last year, Johnson landed 4-star recruit Johnny O'Bryant, who is currently averaging 9.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game during his freshman season.

Last Year: 11-21, 3-13 (SEC)

This Year: 6-3

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 227

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 98

No. 6 Wyoming (10-1)

Another team most people didn't expect to see on this list is the Wyoming Cowboys. Wyoming is 10-1, which already matches the number of wins they had in the 2010-11 season. The Cowboys' best win was 65-54 against Colorado.

The Mountain West Conference is a very good basketball conference, so I don't expect Wyoming to have as much success over the next couple months. Still, you can't argue with the success that they have had so far this season.

Last Year: 10-21, 3-13 (Mountain West)

This Year: 10-1

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 215

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 97

No. 5 Oregon State (7-2)

After struggling last year and finishing No. 9 in the Pac-12 Conference, Oregon State has gotten off to a 7-2 start, including an upset win over Texas.

Jared Cunningham leads the Beavers with 18.0 points per game. The Pac-12 is pretty weak this year, so it wouldn't surprise me to see Oregon State finish in the top half of the conference, but I'm not sure if they will be good enough to earn an NCAA tournament bid.

Last Year: 11-20, 5-13 (Pac 12)

This Year: 7-2

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 160

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 67

No. 4 Oklahoma (7-1)

I'm not surprised at all that the Oklahoma Sooners made the list. Head coach Lon Kruger has had success at every college he's coached at. Back in the late 1980's, Kruger led Kansas State to four straight NCAA tournament appearances. He then led Florida to the Final Four in the 1993-94 season. During the late 90's, Kruger took Illinois to three NCAA tournaments in four years. At UNLV, Kruger's Rebels made the NCAA tournament four out of seven years.

The Sooners are led by Steven Pledger, who averages 17.9 points per game. Last week, Oklahoma beat Oral Roberts and Arkansas. The Big 12 is a tough conference, but Oklahoma could be battling for an NCAA tournament bid at the end of year, which is a big improvement over last year.

Last Year: 14-18, 5-11 (Big 12)

This Year: 7-1

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 137

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 59

No. 3 Saint Louis (9-1)

Saint Louis is another team that I'm not surprised by, mostly because of their head coach. The Billikens are off to a 9-1 start under Rick Majerus, and are in great shape to make an NCAA tournament appearance.

Saint Louis has wins over Washington, Villanova and Oklahoma. They also still have a big non-conference game coming up against New Mexico. The Billikens are led by Brian Conklin, who averages 16.0 points per game.

Last Year: 12-19, 6-10 (Atlantic 10)

This Year: 9-1

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 122

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 22

No. 2 Stanford (8-1)

Stanford appears to be headed in the right direction under head coach Johnny Dawkins. Last year, Dawkins signed 4-star recruit Chasson Randle, who is averaging 11.2 points per game. Dawkins also has a commitment from 4-star forward Rosco Allen out of Las Vegas, NV. I expect Stanford to be competing for Pac-12 titles again shortly.

The Cardinal have wins over Oklahoma State and North Carolina State. Their only loss was against undefeated Syracuse. The Pac-12 is down this year, so don't be surprised at all if Stanford can win the conference.

Last Year: 15-16, 7-11 (Pac12)

This Year: 8-1

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 104

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 15

No. 1 Indiana (9-0)

My most improved team for the 2011-12 season is Indiana. The Hoosiers defeated No. 1 Kentucky last weekend, 73-72, on a last-second three-pointer and are off to a 9-0 start.

Most experts believed Indiana was still a year away from competing in the Big Ten, but they are clearly ready now. Freshman Cody Zeller is averaging 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Head coach Tom Crean looks to have a big-time recruiting class coming in next year, so expect Indiana to be even better next year.

Last Year: 12-20, 3-15 (Big 10)

This Year: 9-0

2010-11 Kenpom Ranking: 75

2011-12 Kenpom Ranking: 13