by Jason Mulford

Created on: February 16, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

The beauty of college basketball is the heart and determination that's put into it by the young men that play it. Players like Joakim Noah, Greg Oden, and Kevin Durant are perfect examples of this heart and desire. There's no way for me to tell you right now who the best team in college basketball is, because as any fan knows, things can change at the drop of a hat. So instead, I will list my strongest contenders and my sleeper picks. Sit back and enjoy.

Top Teams
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(1) Florida - How could I deny this team its due? They're defending champs, they've won every big game they've played this year, and they've stayed #1 for the majority of the season. With their amazing depth and their size equaling their quickness, they would have to be at the top of the list as of right now.

(2) Ohio State - This is the team that I'm hoping wins it. Yes, I admit my bias in my own articles. They too have great depth and of course the best center in college basketball who has yet to play with his right hand that's been injured since the season began. With their great depth however comes a lack of experience. Most of their top players consist of freshmen and in their three biggest games this season(Florida, UNC, and Wisconsin), they ended up with a mark in the loss category. They should mesh a bit more as the season goes on but right now, they're just a notch below Florida.

(3) North Carolina - This is also a young team that has had up and down stretches. There's no denying the talent and desire that is on this team though. Young studs like Tyler Hansborough and Branden Wright make this a team no one can deny come tournament time. And with speed demon Ty Lawson at the point position, this is a team that could very well end the season as the National Champs. And I haven't even mentioned their Hall of Fame coach, Roy Williams. Watch out for these boys, they're gonna be tough.

(4) Wisconsin - This was a tough choice for me. UCLA was in the mix for this spot, along with Kansas, but I have to roll with Wisconsin. The way these guys play team basketball is simply amazing to watch. At the beginning of the year, I was wondering what all the hype was about as a lot of major media outlets chose them to win the Big Ten. Now I have seen the product firsthand and completely believe the hype. This is a bracket-buster of a team and their unselfishness puts them in a prime spot for a National Championship

Sleeper Teams
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(1) Texas - This seems an obvious choice since they have, arguably, the best player in

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