First polls released

This week, both the AP and Coaches preseason men's college basketball polls were released.

North Carolina was unanimously named the No. 1 team by both polls and with good reason. The Tar Heels are returning a roster that is almost as talented as an NBA team. Almost every player from last year is returning, and the Tar Heels put together a top-notch recruiting class to boot. With reigning National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough (22.6 ppg, 10.2 rpg), Wayne Ellington (16.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg), Danny Green (11.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Ty Lawson (12.7 ppg, 5.2 apg) UNC is clearly the favorites heading into this basketball season.

As far as surprises in the polls, I found it surprising to see Tennessee ranked so low (No. 14 AP, No. 13 Coaches). The Vols did lose Chris Lofton and Jajuan Smith, but I think they could be better this season. Last season, Lofton didn't look like his old self, probably because he was battling cancer. However, losing Lofton isn't going to hurt UT as much as people think. Taking his place will be Scotty Hopson, Rivals.com's No. 5 prospect in 2008. Throw him in there with three other top 70-prospects (Emmanuel Negedu, Renaldo Wooolridge and Philip Jurick) and an already talented roster featuring Tyler Smith, Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince, and surely the Vols are a top-10 team. They are at least better than the AP's No. 13 team, Memphis.