Let's give you a clearer look at how the map of college basketball will unfold this season.
Last year, we gave you the United States of College Basketball, a definitive college sports atlas through the prism of every state's best program over the next five years.
This year, we're giving you the here-and-now. Every state with a Division I program (only Alaska misses out) and its best team therein. The map was composed according to our canonical 1-351 ranking every team in college basketball heading into the 2016-17 season.
Let's look at the state champs, if you will, and in doing so, I'll provide some brief commentary on why each program wins out in its respective state.
For the quick view, here you are, with the breakdown of each state below:
ALABAMA
Alabama Crimson Tide
Sure, UAB's got a solid group this season, but the Heart of Dixie's best team is probably Alabama -- though it's tough to say any Bama-based team has a realistic chance at an at-large bid entering 2016-17. We rank Alabama 79th overall. Avery Johnson enters year No. 2 in Tuscaloosa with some rebuilding still to be done, but this team went 18-15 last season and overachieved. Johnson will have his son, a good recruit, playing for the squad as well.
The rest of the state
88. UAB Blazers
95. Auburn Tigers
181. South Alabama Jaguars
206. Troy Trojans
239. Samford Bulldogs
280. Jacksonville State Gamecocks
330. Alabama State Hornets
345. Alabama A&M Bulldogs
ARKANSAS
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Hogs are ranked 74th, a firm No. 1 in our rankings within their state for this season. Moses Kingsley is the preseason SEC Player of the Year -- and one of the best players in the country not enough people know about. The Razorbacks are something of a sleeper to do big damage in the SEC, but will Mike Anderson's system and personnel get this team to 20 wins? Dusty Hannahs should be a huge factor.
The rest of the state
114. Little Rock
259. Arkansas State
348. Central Arkansas
350. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
ARIZONA
Arizona Wildcats
Only four D-I teams in the Copper State. Arizona is far and away the best -- though it is currently having serious issues. Sean Miller's team is dealing with suspensions, injuries and a lot of uncertainty. Will Allonzo Trier be able to play -- and soon? At least there's still a lot of talent there. The Wildcats should be able to manage being a top-three team in the Pac-12, nevertheless.
The rest of the state
81. Arizona State
109. Grand Canyon
319. Northern Arizona
CALIFORNIA
UCLA Bruins
Only states like Texas and New York can compete with California when it comes to total D-I programs. All told, the state will probably send five or six teams to the NCAA Tournament this season. UCLA is best because it has the personnel, the NBA talents, and the do-so-much value from Bryce Alford. I'd be shocked if this team is anything worse than a 5 seed. It should be considered a dark horse candidate to make the Final Four -- and this after a 15-17 season.
The rest of the state
14. St. Mary's
22. California
34. San Diego State
66. Southern California
73. Long Beach State
87. Stanford
106. UC Irvine
117. Santa Clara
123. Fresno State
135. Cal State Bakersfield
136. Loyola Marymount
148. Santa Barbara
150. Pepperdine
188. Northridge
216. UC Davis
234. San Francisco
250. Cal State Fullerton
260. San Diego
275. California Riverside
286. Pacific
303. Cal Poly
312. Sacramento State
336. San Jose State
COLORADO
Colorado Buffaloes
The Buffaloes (ranked 38th overall) have one of the really good coaches and underrated tacticians in Tad Boyle. This team has been to the NCAAs four of the past five years -- and it's high time more people started noticing. But for that to happen, a Sweet 16 appearance is probably going to have to happen. That's likely asking too much for the Buffs this season, but they'll be right around 20 or 21 wins again.
The rest of the state
172. Colorado State
187. Air Force
252. Denver
339. Northern Colorado
CONNECTICUT
UConn Huskies
This one isn't close, as UConn dominates the state. The Huskies are a preseason top-25 team with a really talented sophomore point guard in Jalen Adams and a sharpshooting senior sidekick in Rodney Purvis. I'm most curious to see if Steven Enoch takes a big step this season. UConn should be the most talented team in the AAC, but it will battle with Cincinnati and SMU for consistency.
The rest of the state
105. Yale
153. Fairfield
263. Hartford
269. Quinnipiac
307. Sacred Heart
347. Central Connecticut State
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Georgetown Hoyas
The Hoyas should be stronger this season. Isaac Copeland, L.J Peak and Jessie Govan combine for a strong triumvirate. No one in the D.C. area gas anything close to what GU is working with this season. Fans are really hungry for consistency here, and they're starting to put pressure on John Thompson III. The Big East is going to be good overall, but Georgetown will hit 20 wins if it plays to its talent level.
The rest of the state
99. George Washington
227. Howard
324. American
DELAWARE
Delaware Blue Hens
It's not a good time for the Diamond State in basketball. Delaware starts anew with a coaching change and a new athletic director. We rank the Blue Hens No. 309 overall, while Delaware State won seven games last season and ranked as the second-worst team in the nation on KenPom.com. Delaware State last made the NCAAs in 2005.
The rest of the state
346. Delaware State
FLORIDA
Miami Hurricanes
Did you know that it's a common misconception that Delaware has the lowest highest point? In fact, it's Florida! Florida's also low on an abundance of really good teams, but Miami's entering this season, somehow, underrated. Maybe it's because the Canes lost a lot of production from the group that went 27-8 last season. It's a strong crop here still, though (Davon Reed is going to pop), with two really talented freshmen in Bruce Bowen and Dewan Huell. Miami barely beats out a Florida State team that has a lot of talent, but results are needed first. Gotta prove it.
The rest of the state
31. Florida State
37. Florida
110. UCF
168. Florida Gulf Coast
174. North Florida
211. South Florida
244. Florida International
267. Florida Atlantic
291. Stetson
320. Jacksonville
334. Bethune-Cookman
344. Florida A&M
GEORGIA
Georgia Bulldogs
Easily the best team in the state, though don't be surprised if Georgia State wins an auto bid to get back into the NCAAs. Remember the last time that happened? As for Mark Fox's Dawgs, they've proven to be a top-four SEC program in the past four years, essentially, and should be in that echelon again thanks to preseason all-league selection J.J. Frazier, a dynamic point guard, and a potential NBA talent in Yante Maten. My guess is the SEC winds up with four tourney bids this season -- and Georgia is one of them.
The rest of the state
124. Georgia State
154. Mercer
173. Georgia Southern
197. Kennesaw State
218. Georgia Tech
349. Savannah State
HAWAII
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Only one team out in the Pacific Ocean, and Hawaii's interesting this season. Ranked 268th, Hawaii is facing a postseason ban ... but it has since appealed that decision and may in fact not have to sit out on March hoops this season. That would be huge, but Eron Ganot is still dealing with a lot of loss from last season's roster. Overall, Hawaii is a tougher job than people realize. Some glamour but a lot of grit. It did beat Cal in last season's first round of the NCAAs.
IOWA
Iowa State Cyclones
The Cyclones (ranked 24th) look to be much stronger than any other team in the Hawkeye State. For the second straight season, ISU has a preseason All-American. Last year it was Georges Niang, and this year it's Monte Morris. Plus, watch Deonte Burton break out for a big-time year. Naz Mitrou-Long is back, too, and so ISU should be formidable. Steve Prohm will be afforded two years of a lot of talent, and then it gets interesting next season as he fully turns over the roster to guys he's recruited.
The rest of the state
82. Northern Iowa
85. Iowa
232. Drake
IDAHO
Boise State Broncos
Leon Rice's team ranks 121st in our rankings. It's the lowest tier for BSU in a while, but it's still pretty good overall. The Broncos always have offense, and within state borders, this program has far outpaced the other two Idaho schools for decades. This season, Boise State will be in pursuit of another 20-win year behind the growth and dependability of Nick Duncan.
The rest of the state
201. Idaho
233. Idaho State
ILLINOIS
Illinois State Redbirds
Well, look at this. The Redbirds (ranked 57th) beat out the Illini. Dan Muller has a talented team, though some of the guys clearly still need to be adjusted. If Deontae Hawkins can find the straight and narrow, he'll combo with Paris Lee and MiKyle McIntosh to truly threaten Wichita State this season in The Valley. The Redbirds have won more than 20 games five times since 2008 but haven't been to the Dance in ages. This should be the year if things go well in November.
The rest of the state
65. Illinois
86. Northwestern
125. Loyola-Chicago
131. DePaul
146. Northern Illinois
152. UIC
169. Southern Illinois
231. Eastern Illinois
243. Bradley
285. SIU-Edwardsville
306. Western Illinois
351. Chicago State
INDIANA
Indiana Hoosiers
We've got Indiana as a top-10 team heading into the season, led by Big Ten preseason POY pick (for us) Thomas Bryant. Tom Crean's team will wind up being the best the state has to offer if the offense can remain smooth and turnovers stay low. There's a lot of good teams in Indiana this season -- again -- but at their best, the Hoosiers outpace everyone. OG Anunoby will become the most exciting IU player since Victor Oladipo.
The rest of the state
20. Purdue
41. Butler
51. Valparaiso
52. Notre Dame
92. IPFW
149. Ball State
190. Indiana State
200. Evansville
228. IUPUI
KANSAS
Kansas Jayhawks
Always amazing to me that a state like Kansas has only three D-I teams. The Jayhawks are of course No. 1 inside Sunflower State borders. Josh Jackson, a standout freshman, will be in play for Player of the Year honors -- and the No. 1 pick in the draft. The two-point backcourt approach with Devonte' Graham and Frank Mason III means Kansas could have the best backcourt in the country. Carlton Bragg Jr. should be a top-five breakout candidate. KU is on its way to a 13th straight conference title.
The rest of the state
26. Wichita State
55. Kansas State
KENTUCKY
Kentucky Wildcats
No. 2 in our preseason Top 25 (and one), Kentucky won't look like a top-two team to start the season, but this group should play its way to a No. 1 seed. It has the potential to be ferocious on defense, led by Bam Adebayo and Isaiah Briscoe. Malik Monk will be a show. Wenyen Gabriel will be twice the player in March that you'll see in November. De'Aaron Fox is a joy to watch run an offense. Isaac Humphries down low is an asset that I don't think writers and pundits are discussing enough.
The rest of the state
16. Louisville
112. Murray State
132. Morehead State
138. Western Kentucky
180. Eastern Kentucky
223. Northern Kentucky
LOUISIANA
LSU Tigers
LSU, which ranks 100th, symbolizes the state as a whole as an underachiever in college basketball. Louisiana has 12 D-I programs, but none of them have established themselves within their leagues to be consistent powers. It's amazing, because the area is ripe with talent. For the Tigers, Antonio Blakeney could have a huge year. Craig Victor is back, and that will be big. Replacing Ben Simmons is impossible, but watch this team play with more rally and spirit now that all the attention has left Baton Rouge.
The rest of the state
134. Louisiana Tech
199. McNeese State
222. UL Lafayette
230. Louisiana-Monroe
254. Tulane
271. Southern
277. Northwestern State
297. New Orleans
327. Nicholls State
335. Southeastern Louisiana
343. Grambling
MASSACHUSETTS
Harvard Crimson
The Crimson will compete with Princeton for the Ivy title. No other team in this state is even close to matching Harvard's talent or ability, and it's nuts to think about it in those terms. As recently as a decade ago this wasn't even remotely possible. UMass, BC, BU, Holy Cross -- all of these programs were far and away better than Harvard. No longer.
The rest of the state
161. Massachusetts
196. Boston College
205. Boston University
215. Holy Cross
235. Northeastern
292. UMass Lowell
MARYLAND
Maryland Terrapins
The Terps will go as Melo Trimble does. Trimble's story has been one of the most documented across the Internet over the past four weeks. It's big preseason content, a driving storyline within the Big Ten and certainly on a national level. Maryland is clearly the best team in its state, as it almost always is, but the question is, will the Terps make the NCAAs now that Trimble's lost his front court? We rank Mark Turgeon's team much lower than others, No. 42 overall.
The rest of the state
178. Towson
229. Mount St. Mary's
279. Navy
304. Loyola-Maryland
317. Maryland-Baltimore County
322. Maryland-Eastern Shore
331. Morgan State
341. Coppin State
MAINE
Maine Black Bears
Shoutout to Bob Walsh, who is trying to build up a program in the middle of nowhere. Maine is a state that recruits hockey players and lobster fishermen. But the Black Bears should be able to make big strides this season. They're ranked 346th in KenPom to start the year, which I find to be egregiously low.
MICHIGAN
Michigan State Spartans
Even with all of the concerns regarding MSU's roster and attrition, there's no one really competing with Tom Izzo's team this year for the title of best-in-state. MSU has a ridiculous talent in Miles Bridges, a loaded freshman class overall and some talented scorers returning in Matt McQuaid and Eron Harris. The schedule is tough, but let's just agree this is how it will play out: MSU struggles to start, takes on more losses than it should, then hits a six-out-of-seven winning streak in February and parlays its momentum into a second-weekend appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The rest of the state
43. Michigan
84. Oakland
182. Detroit
192. Central Michigan
238. Eastern Michigan
273. Western Michigan
MINNESOTA
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Ranked 118th, this is the only D-I program in the 12th-biggest state by geography. The Gophers should be better this season. They have to be! Richard Pitino's program won only eight games last year. Amir Coffey, a likeable freshman that comes from in-state, is going to be one of the best freshmen in the Big Ten. The rebuild starts with him.
MISSOURI
Missouri State Bears
Missouri Tigers fans look at this in despair, as an MVC team is ranked 20 spots ahead of them on our 1-351 list. The Bears are going to have a huge year, a slingshot from the 13-19 team they were a year ago. Dequon Miller and Chris Kendrix should have breakout seasons, and in doing so get the Bears to top-four status in the Missouri Valley. It's a huge year for coach Paul Lusk.
The rest of the state
162. Missouri
278. Saint Louis
328. Southeast Missouri State
338. UMKC
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Ben Howland enters year No. 2 without previous star recruit Malik Newman, who opted to transfer and play for Bill Self at Kansas. Not a great sign. But Quindarry Weatherspoon was MSU 's best player last year, anyway, and should be the guy to lift MSU to a few upset wins this season. It's doubtful the 'Dogs become at-large good, but on the whole this will be a team above .500. We rank them 89th.
The rest of the state
108. Ole Miss
258. Jackson State
299. Southern Miss
310. Alcorn State
340. Mississippi Valley State
MONTANA
Montana Grizzlies
A two-team race in Big Sky country. The Grizzlies are the better program, and they'll compete with Weber State in the Big Sky Conference to get the auto bid. Name to know: Walter Wright. The offense will be well-rounded in Missoula.
The rest of the state
264. Montana State
NORTH CAROLINA
Duke Blue Devils
Duke takes North Carolina, of course, as the Blue Devils are the consensus No. 1 team in the country according to every major outlet's preseason rankings. We've written so much about Duke here, so let me take a twist. Is this much consensus a good thing? Is groupthink at play here? Personally, I don't have Duke winning the national title. I think there is an element to having so many people believe one thing that it can ultimately turn on itself. That's not to say Duke won't be a top-five team from start to finish, but I'm not convinced Duke is absolutely going to separate itself from all others. Grayson Allen is our pick for National Player of the Year, but Harry Giles' health is THE key, far as I'm concerned.
The rest of the state
6. North Carolina
32. NC State
71. Davidson
96. UNC-Wilmington
101. Wake Forest
141. East Carolina
179. Charlotte
195. UNC-Asheville
202. NC-Greensboro
204. High Point
210. Campbell
246. Gardner-Webb
248. Elon
249. Western Carolina
270. North Carolina Central
287. North Carolina A&T
305. Appalachian State
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota State Bison
The Bison, ranked 129th, are opening a new arena and have a promising future thanks to Dave Richman's coaching. This program converted to D-I 11 years ago yet has been sub-.500 just twice. Mighty impressive. Paul Miller and Carlin Dupree will try to get NDSU past South Dakota State and Forte Wayne in an entertaining top of the Summit League.
The rest of the state
219. North Dakota
NEBRASKA
Creighton Bluejays
Creighton fans finally feel the quench of redemption, as last year's map had Nebraska as the better program for the next five years. I told many a CU honk that I voted Creighton but was shouted down by my colleagues. Now you see the truth. The Bluejays are going to be very good this season, an NCAA Tournament single-digit seed, oh yeah. Mo Waton, Jr. will be up for Big East Player of the Year -- if Marcus Foster doesn't challenge him for it. Cole Huff should be splendid, too.
The rest of the state
107. Nebraska
189. Nebraska-Omaha
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Wildcats
The Wildcats went 20-13 under Bill Herrion last season. He's trying to break through and get this team to his first NCAA Tournament, but there's good competition in that state to the west. Still, with its personnel this year I think UNH (ranked 171st) is a pace or two ahead of in-state smarties Dartmouth.
The rest of the state
212. Dartmouth
NEW JERSEY
Seton Hall Pirates
The Garden State aches for relevance in March. Seton Hall broke through with a Big East tourney title last season, but it was all too much too fast, as SHU got taken out in the first round of the NCAAs. Thanks to Angel Delgado and Khadeen Carrington coming back, Kevin Willard should have the best team in the state again, though Princeton and Monmouth will probably be the best teams in their leagues. It feels nice to have the Pirates in the mix again. Isaiah Whitehead's departure for the pros does knock them down though (ranked 46th).
The rest of the state
54. Princeton
60. Monmouth
176. Fairleigh Dickinson
183. St. Peter's
208. Rider
224. NJIT
253. Rutgers
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Lobos
A two-team race in the Land of Enchantment. Lobos fans should expect their team to be better this season. Last year wasn't awful (17-15), but it was erratic. And now Craig "Noodles" Neal will not have to deal with the fan base getting on him abut the play of his son, Cullen. That's a big factor at play. New Mexico State was the better program last season, but it lost Marvin Menzies, who spun yarn into gold at NMSU, so the Aggies will take a step back.
The rest of the state
163. New Mexico State
NEVADA
Nevada Wolf Pack
This one's an easy call. The Wolf Pack might end up stealing the Mountain West from San Diego State, even. Cameron Oliver is a legit NBA prospect, and Jordan Caroline might look better than Oliver on given nights. A lot to like about what Nevada has going heading into this season. UNLV is in complete rebuild mode.
The rest of the state
177. UNLV
NEW YORK
Syracuse Orange
Syracuse is loaded with dudes 6-foot-7 or taller, and yet Jim Boeheim might use more man-to-man this season? Strange but true. The Orange are far and away the best team in the state. The ACC overall is so stacked, too. SU will have Andrew White, Tyler Roberson and Tyler Lydon rotating night in and night out as to who is the most valuable player on the floor. This team will not look like most Cuse teams from the past decade. Be sure to see them early.
The rest of the state
90. St. Bonaventure
97. Siena
102. Iona
122. St. John's
127. Manhattan
139. Albany
155. Hofstra
156. Fordham
164. Buffalo
186. Wagner
191. Columbia
214. Stony Brook
217. Cornell
225. Canisius
245. Binghamton
255. Marist
276. LIU-Brooklyn
290. St. Francis (N.Y.)
301. Army West Point
314. Colgate
315. Niagara
OHIO
Xavier Musketeers
The Muskies have two players who could be first-team selections in the Big East at the end of the season: Edmond Sumner and Trevon Bluiett. The critical addition is RaShid Gaston, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Norfolk State who will be very good as an interior presence. Another grad transfer, Malcolm Bernard, helps stabilize a deep bench. If Myles Davis can get his personal affairs in order, he'll round out a rotation that's as balanced as any in college basketball. J.P. Macura could play himself onto our top 100 (and one) players list for next season. Sumner is my pick to win Big East POY.
The rest of the state
29. Dayton
30. Cincinnati
39. Ohio State
78. Akron
115. Ohio
167. Wright State
213. Kent State
242. Youngstown State
256. Toledo
261. Cleveland State
281. Bowling Green
289. Miami (Ohio)
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Sooners
In a close call, the Sooners beat out Oklahoma State. Lon Kruger will get a breakout season from Khadeem Lattin, and Jordan Woodard's absolutely one of the best 100 players in the country. They will still have toughness and offense in Norman. Oklahoma also needs to show it can make the transition from Woodard to a five-star combo point guard they are recruiting, Trae Young. That's a subplot to OU's next four to five weeks.
The rest of the state
47. Oklahoma State
151. Tulsa
337. Oral Roberts
OREGON
Oregon Ducks
A true title contender. Let's just hope Dillon Brooks remains healthy. If so, he's a dynamic wing, one of the best players in the sport. I'd take him to win Player of the Year if you told me he was going to not battle injuries this season. Right now, there are question about his foot. The Ducks earned a No. 1 seed last season, and they'll have a good chance at repeating that in 2016-17. Tyler Dorsey, Chris Boucher, Jordan Bell and Dylan Ennis fill out a loaded starting five. Boucher is going to be a star in the Pac-12.
The rest of the state
77. Oregon State
194. Portland
283. Portland State
PENNSYLVANIA
Villlanova Wildcats
Of course an easy call here. The Wildcats only lose Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu from last season's title-winning team. While they both were so important, VU is still stocked with terrific players, including an eligible transfer from Fordham named Eric Paschall -- who is probably going to be good right out of the gate. Josh Hart is the front-runner for player of the year in the Big East, and in general, this is the first team since Florida -- a decade ago -- to bring back so many players from a title-winning club. Mikal Bridges, it's your time to step up and show everyone just how talented you are. Jalen Brunson's going to seamlessly take over at running the point.
The rest of the state
36. Pittsburgh
64. Penn State
75. Temple
119. Saint Joseph's
133. La Salle
159. Lehigh
165. Pennsylvania
184. Bucknell
198. Duquesne
262. Robert Morris
296. Drexel
333. St. Francis (Pa.)
342. Lafayette
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Rams
No team in the Atlantic 10 comes close to URI's depth, athleticism, playmaking ability and strength. This HAS TO BE THE YEAR for the Rams. No program has gotten so close without making the NCAAs over the past decade. No more injuries. E.C. Matthews, Hassan Martin, Jarvis Garrett, Kuran Iverson, Stan Robinson, Jared Terrell. Time is now.
The rest of the state
69. Providence
247. Bryant University
274. Brown
SOUTH CAROLINA
Clemson Tigers
Jaron Blossomgame, a legit first-round NBA prospect, represents one of the most valuable players in college basketball. Because he returned to Clemson, the Tigers can point to Selection Sunday as a reasonable goal. Without him, this team would be NIT at best. With him, Clemson is better than South Carolina -- not to mention watchable and dangerous.
The rest of the state
70. South Carolina
98. Winthrop
158. Coastal Carolina
185. Wofford
207. College of Charleston
220. Furman
265. South Carolina State
266. Charleston Southern
311. Presbyterian
323. South Carolina Upstate
326. The Citadel
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota State
What you need to know: SDSU (140 ranking) has a new coach, but keeps an all-league stud named Mike Daum. He's turning himself into a player who could have a 10-year career overseas. He will be one of the 50 best players in college basketball two years from now. He's a sophomore, and he's got the Jackrabbits as a top-three team in the Summit League.
The rest of the state
293. South Dakota
TENNESSEE
Vanderbilt Commodores
New coach Bryce Drew has the 61st-ranked team in CBS Sports' database. The Commodores are in line to be a top-five team in the SEC because of Matthew Fisher-Davis, Luke Kornet and Riley LaChance. All told, you could inherit a lot worse at a major program in many cases. Tennessee as a state is usually better than what we'll see this season, but Memphis and Tennessee are in construction projections.
The rest of the state
76. Middle Tennessee
80. Belmont
83. Memphis
93. Chattanooga
103. Tennessee
120. E. Tennessee State
147. Tennessee State
203. UT Martin
240. Lipscomb
272. Austin Peay
282. Tennessee Tech
TEXAS
Texas Longhorns
Buy on the Longhorns. Shaka Smart has a team lacking on experience but big on dynamism, talent, athleticism, strength and variance in weight class. UT looks to be stronger and more talented than similar teams, like Texas A&M and Baylor. Should be a fun year, but one with some growing pains early on for the Horns. Jarrett Allen will be a top-10 freshman in terms of production.
The rest of the state
28. Texas A&M
40. Baylor
50. Texas Tech
56. SMU
72. Houston
94. Texas-Arlington
111. TCU
130. Sam Houston State
144. Rice
157. Stephen F. Austin
170. Texas-El Paso
175. North Texas
193. Texas Southern
221. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
237. Houston Baptist
257. Abilene Christian
284. Prairie View A&M
308. Texas-San Antonio
316. Incarnate Word
318. Texas State-San Marcos
321. Texas-Rio Grande Valley
329. Lamar
UTAH
Utah Utes
Kyle Kuzma, that's your name to know. He'll be terrific for Utah this season. The Utes, ranked 53rd, barely beat out BYU. Both teams will vie for at-large status. Larry Krystkowiak is the best coach that casual fans don't realize is as good as he is. He's considered a top-15 guy in the profession when it comes down to pure scheme and coaching. As long as he is there, Utah will never be bad again. Too much wit and recruiting savvy to ever dip into the bottom third of the Pac-12.
The rest of the state
59. Brigham Young
128. Weber State
143. Utah State
294. Utah Valley
325. Southern Utah
VIRGINIA
Virginia Cavaliers
Tony Bennett's group, which we think is top-10 in the country, gets a new look. Kyle Guy, a superb recruit, steps right in. He joins Austin Nichols, a transfer from Memphis who is suspended to start the season. London Perrantes at point is the team's most valuable player. Bennett has Virginia rolling, though. Hard to see any team in the state coming close to what UVA will be this season. Five seed at the absolute worst.
The rest of the state
45. VCU
48. Virginia Tech
113. Richmond
116. Old Dominion
145. William & Mary
160. Liberty
209. James Madison
236. George Mason
288. Radford
298. Hampton
300. VMI
302. Norfolk State
332. Longwood
VERMONT
Vermont Catamounts
The Catamounts -- ranked 91st -- are the only team in the Green Mountain State. They're the best team in the America East. Trae Bell-Haynes and Ernie Duncan are going to lead John Becker's team to at least 22 wins.
WASHINGTON
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Mark Few has a team with transfers galore. Nigel Williams-Goss is the standout, someone who leads the pack for WCC POY front-running status. He comes over via Washington. Jordan Mathews, a grad transfer from Cal, and Johnathan Williams, who was previously at Missouri, also join the fold. There's a lot of turnover here, so it's going to be interesting to see how Few works the roster. Zach Collins, a freshman, could be good right away. Prezmek Karnowski is back for a final season. With all the Zags have here, it's tough to place Washington and its star frosh, Markelle Fultz, ahead of them.
The rest of the state
44. Washington
137. Washington State
241. Seattle
295. Eastern Washington
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers are an easy pick here, as they bring back everyone to the roster. Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ make a terrific trio. Any of them could wind up as First Team honorees All-Big Ten. Greg Gard's going to give Tom Crean a push atop the league standings. Wisconsin has its sights set on a third Final Four in five years.
The rest of the state
49. Marquette
104. Green Bay
313. Milwaukee
WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers are ranked 25th. They've got an underrated baller in Jevon Carter. They've got a defense that will work for 40 minutes, and probably a team that's still going to be reliable around the rim. Rough-and-tumble, the 'Eers were actually picked second in the Big 12 by league coaches. Bob Huggins shrugged off those expectations, but this does look like a team not enough people are paying attention to heading into the season.
The rest of the state
126. Marshall
WYOMING
Wyoming Cowboys
The final state, the Cowboy State, sees Wyoming start with a new coach this season. I rank the team 226th, though it's possible that winds up being too low. The Cowboys were a 14-18 team last season, but they do bring back most of the squad. Getting to .500 isn't out of the question. Winning the Mountain West is, however. One of the best home-court advantages in college hoops, too. This program pops every few years. They'll be a top-100 team by 2019, almost definitely.
