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The following are the 39 schools that SI projects will fill out the NCAA tournament field. Of the 64 invitations to be awarded on March 7, Selection Sunday, 30 are automatic bids given to conference champions, and the remaining 34 are at-large berths.
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Rank
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Team
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Conference
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Skinny
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26
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Wake Forest
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ACC
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Sophomore guard Robert O'Kelley (16.1 ppg) is best of Demon Deacons' dozen underclassmen
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27
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Miami
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Big East
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Forward Tim James could be first player to lead Hurricanes in scoring and rebounding three straight seasons
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28
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Arizona
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Pac-10
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Freshman Richard Jefferson, state's '98 high school player of the year, reminds many of former Cat Sean Elliott
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29
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Oklahoma
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Big 12
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NCAA bid comes sooner than expected with arrival of juco transfer Victor Avila (23.7 ppg, 15.3 rpg)
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30
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UAB
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C-USA
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Six seniors are back for the Blazers, but sophomore point guard LeAndrew Bass makes the offense go
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31
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Clemson
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ACC
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Clang some: Tigers must improve last season's 61.4% free throw shooting, which was ACC's worst
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32
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Purdue
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Big Ten
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6'3" junior guard Jaraan Cornell shot 50% from behind the three-point line a year ago
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33
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Cincinnati
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C-USA
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Bearcats welcome forward Jermaine Tate, an Ohio State transfer who was the Buckeyes' MVP in 1995-96
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34
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Minnesota
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Big Ten
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Homegrown 7-foot Joel Przybilla, one of nation's top five freshman centers, already has Bunyanesque status
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35
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South Carolina
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SEC
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Senior guard BJ McKie (18.8 ppg) will again be expected to assume much of the Gamecocks' scoring burden
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36
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North Carolina State
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ACC
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Sophomore Kenny Inge, the Wolfpack's top rebounder (7.4 per game), headlines a seniorless roster
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37
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Memphis
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C-USA
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Introducing, from the program that gave us Baskerville Holmes, highly touted freshman forward Paris London
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38
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St. John's
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Big East
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Heralded freshman point guard Erick Barkley's job is to get ball into hands of forward Ron Artest (11.6 ppg)
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39
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Princeton
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Ivy
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Tigers had nation's top scoring defense (51.4 ppg) for ninth straight season
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40
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Florida
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SEC
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Gators, who averaged nation-best 9.8 treys in '97-98, welcome high school scoring champ Ted Dupay (41.5 ppg)
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41
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George Washington
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Atlantic 10
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The Peanut, 5'4" point guard Shawnta Rogers (14.7 ppg, 4.8 apg), runs offense for new coach Tom Penders
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42
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Detroit
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Midwestern Collegiate
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6'6" forward Michael Jordan didn't score a point in '97-98 but may crack depleted starting lineup this season
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43
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College of Charleston
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Southern
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Cougars headed for 20th straight winning season behind senior forward Sedric Webber (15.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
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44
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Murray State
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Ohio Valley
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Racers one of only three Division I teams to shoot above 50% last season (50.1%)
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45
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Tulsa
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WAC
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Golden Hurricanes love Michael Ruffin (9.5 rpg) and a schedule void of WAC powers New Mexico and Utah
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46
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Coppin State
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MEAC
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On team coached by Fang Mitchell, guard Jerel Seamon's "Mad Dog" nickname (for his rabid D) is high praise
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47
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Gonzaga
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West Coast
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Junior guard Matt Santangelo (16.2 ppg) is the best of four returning starters from last year's 24-10 team
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48
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Akron
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MAC
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6'6" forward George Phillips, one of five returning starters, had MAC-best 42 blocks last season
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49
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Iona
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Metro Atlantic
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Behind '97-98 MAAC Player of the Year Kashif Hameed, Gaels will blow to fourth straight league title
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50
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Delaware
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America East
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Providence transfer Ndongo Ndiaye gives the Fightin' Blue Hens an imposing 7-footer in the paint
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51
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Valparaiso
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Mid-Continent
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6'7" Czech-born freshman Lubos Barton went for 27 in Crusaders' '98-99 opener against South Carolina
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52
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Old Dominion
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Colonial Athletic
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Senior swingman Mark Poag (15.3 ppg) gives Monarchs three-point threat to go with strong inside game
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53
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Davidson
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Southern
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Beware of Ides in March: 7'2", 280-pound freshman center Martin Ides is brutish under the boards
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54
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Florida International
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Sun Belt
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Top eight scorers are back for the Golden Panthers, who migrate to new conference
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55
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Idaho
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Big West
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Avery Curry, who averaged 19.7 points for Vandals after transferring from Florida State, is league's top defender
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56
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Northern Arizona
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Big Sky
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Timberrr! Lumberjacks have felled highest percentage of threes in Division I in each of the last two seasons
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57
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UNC-Asheville
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Big South
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Three 7-footers, including reserve center Remco Smits, first cousin of Rik Smits, give Bulldogs plenty of bite
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58
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Navy
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Patriot
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Midshipmen lost seven players, so opponents will key on flamboyant guard Skip Victor (8.9 ppg, 1.7 steals)
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59
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St. Francis (N.Y.)
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Northeast
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Terriers' swingman Richy Dominguez (11.4 ppg), a Colombia native, was conference's newcomer of the year
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60
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Southern
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SWAC
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6'4" senior guard Dionte' Harvey, who hit a team-high 80 treys, has excellent shot at SWAC Player of the Year
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61
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Creighton
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Missouri Valley
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Last year Ryan Sears became first point guard in Blue Jays history to have more steals (62) than turnovers (59)
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62
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Southwest Texas
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Southland
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Center Jeff Foster was conference's only double-double player (12.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg)
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63
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New Mexico State
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Big West
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Aggies inherit five double-figure scorers from Northeastern Illinois, which dropped its program after last season
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64
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Samford
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Trans America
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6'7" forward Reed Rawlings (12.1 ppg) is the best of four junior starters who excel in Bulldogs' motion offense
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