Illini Wonk Preseason College Basketball Top 25 A new college basketball season is almost upon us and that means it's time for the wild speculation otherwise known as preseason polls. Illini Wonk will be taking part in the crap shoot this season, having been asked to participate in the College Basketball Bloggers Top 25.

I do this with some major reservations. First, preseason polls are notoriously inaccurate, even from the people who draw a paycheck from college hoops. Second, it's hard for me to make these selections without having seen any of these teams play. I tend to dwell on who they lost and not who they have.

However, the masses want the picks, so here's mine:

1. Michigan State
2. Texas
3. Duke
4. Villanova
5. Kentucky
6. Connecticut
7. Boston College
8. Oklahoma
9. Gonzaga
10. Illinois
11. Arizona
12. Memphis
13. Iowa
14. Louisville
15. UCLA
16. Indiana
17. Stanford
18. West Virginia
19. Alabama
20. Wake Forest
21. Washington
22. George Washington
23. Wisconsin
24. Iowa State
25. Nevada

Well, there it is. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I'll at least throw it out there so readers can make fun of me later in the year. Expect it to change significantly in the early weeks of the season. If you disagree with me, leave a comment below.

I will continue to post one of these each weekend throughout the season (time permitting). One thing this blogger will try to avoid is the way the mainstream pundits seem to look at polls. They set their preseason poll. Then, if someone wins they move up a spot or two and if they lose they move a spot or two in the opposite direction. As far as I'm concerned, if one team is playing better than another, they deserve to jump over them in the polls even if they both won.

Stay tuned. The season starts soon!  posted by Illiniwonk at 5:41 PM