ESPN Men's Basketball

Originally Published: September 10, 2009

ESPN.com's 2009 ShootAround archive

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In case you missed it, here are the 2009 Summer ShootAround conference breakdowns:

ACC
The ACC is home to defending national champion North Carolina. It's also home to several programs that would like nothing better than to knock the Heels off their perch. What teams have the best shot? Preview

Atlantic 10
We take a whirl around the Atlantic 10, where a host of rising programs are looking to dethrone standard-bearer Xavier and its new head coach. Dayton seems to be the favorite, but don't sleep on teams like Richmond and La Salle. Preview

Big East
Let's take a look around the Big East, where the departures are many but the NCAA bids will still be aplenty. Villanova is loaded, West Virginia is lurking and three No. 1 seeds from last season aren't going away quietly. Preview

Big Ten
The 2010 Final Four will be held in the Big Ten's backyard in Indianapolis. In a league that many are calling the nation's best this season, Purdue and Michigan State are among the teams angling to book their ticket. Preview

Big 12
Blake Griffin might be gone, but plenty of star power returns in the loaded Big 12, which can flex its muscles with the preseason No. 1 (KU), a legit Final Four contender (Texas) and a host of others lurking just behind. Preview

Mountain West
Time to travel to the Mountain West, where BYU is the unquestioned favorite, but a bevy of transfers and newcomers elsewhere have other teams believing they can make a run. Preview

Pac-10
Cal and Washington are the favorites in a league with three new coaches and a plethora of top freshmen entering the fray. Who else will contend in the rebuilding Pac-10? Preview

SEC
John Calipari wasted no time in turning Kentucky back into a national player. But the rest of the rebuilt SEC -- buoyed by the return of most its underclassmen -- is not conceding anything to UK. Preview

Best of the Rest
All 343 Division I teams weren't covered by the Summer ShootAround series. Click here to check out the best of the rest -- the players and coaches you do not want to see on your schedule. Preview