TOP 25

1. Connecticut (1-0)

What a pair: Hamilton and El-Amin.

2. Duke (2-0)

New Brand (Elton) of Blue Devil.

3. Stanford (2-0)

They put the Alto in Palo Alto.

4. Kentucky (1-0)

Tayshaun Prince poised to start.

5. Michigan State (2-0)

As Cleaves goes, so go the Spartans.

6. Maryland (2-0)

They’ll be calling him St. (Steve) Francis.

7. Arizona (1-0)

Better than you thought.

8. Temple (3-0)

Some opponents scoring in 40s.

9. North Carolina (3-0)

In top 10 out of habit.

10. Cincinnati (0-0)

Bearcats play Rhode Island tonight.

11. Washington (1-0)

Wants to recapture March magic.

12. Purdue (3-0)

Will Keady ever make it to Final Four?

13. Utah (1-1)

Still has Miller and Mottola.

14. Tennessee (2-1)

Arizona sure dampened start.

15. UCLA (0-0)

It’s going to take time.

16. Oklahoma State (1-0)

Not an easy Wooden matchup for Bruins.

17. Kansas (2-0)

Looking shaky.

18. Indiana (4-0)

Hoosiers never really go away.

19. Syracuse (1-0)

Jason Hart could step up.

20. Xavier (1-0)

Posey’s a former sixth man.

21. New Mexico (1-0)

Waiting for Kenny Thomas.

22. Arkansas (2-0)

Kareem Reid a noted playmaker.

23. Rhode Island (2-1)

Lamar Odom eligibility an upset.

24. Massachusetts (1-1)

Another Atlantic 10 representative.

25. Nevada Las Vegas (2-0)

Interesting test for USC on Friday.

TOP CONFERENCES

1. Pacific 10

2. Atlantic Coast

3. Southeastern

4. Big Ten

5. Atlantic 10

6. Conference USA

7. Big East

8. Big 12

9. Western Athletic

10. Mid-American

WORTH ATTENDING

Five Early-Season Games to Drive To

--UCLA vs. Oklahoma State, 4:30 p.m., Dec. 5 in the Wooden Classic at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.

--Utah at Long Beach State, 7 p.m., Dec. 5 at the Pyramid.

--Arizona at UCLA, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 2 at Pauley Pavilion.

--Arizona at USC, 1 p.m., Jan. 4, Sports Arena.

--Stanford at UCLA, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 16 at Pauley Pavilion.

WORTH WATCHING

Five Early-Season Games to Watch on TV

--Connecticut vs. Washington, Dec. 1, 4:30 p.m., ESPN

--Duke vs. Michigan State, Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m., ESPN

--Stanford vs. Maryland, Dec. 6, 10 a.m., Channel 7

--Maryland at Kentucky, Dec. 12, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

--Duke vs. Kentucky, Dec. 22, 6 p.m., ESPN

CREAM OF THE CROP

First Team

F: Richard Hamilton, Connecticut

F: Wally Sczcerbiak, Miami (Ohio)

C : Elton Brand, Duke

G: Trajan Langdon, Duke

G: Khalid El-Amin, Connecticut

Second Team

F: Lee Nailon, Texas Christian

F: Scott Padgett, Kentucky

C: Evan Eschmeyer, Northwestern

G: Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State

G: Andre Miller, Utah