North Carolina the Team to Beat in 2011-2012

With the next national champion set to be crowned in approximately 365 days, everyone wants to know who the team to beat in 2011-2012 will be. I’ll go ahead and throw out something obvious: It’s not Connecticut and it’s not Butler. The team to beat next season on paper is North Carolina. Star player Harrison Barnes says he is leaning towards returning to school and leading scorer Tyler Zeller has not mentioned leaving, although, like Barnes, he projects as a first round draft pick. Point guard Kendall Marshall became one of college basketball’s most surprising players this year and should return. Big man John Henson is the only player that seems like a good bet to move onto the next level. But, I must make a warning before fans in Chapel Hill start celebrating a future title. If Barnes and Zeller elect to leave school, the Tar Heels won’t be preseason No. 1. If other players that most project to go pro (for example: Brandon Knight from Kentucky) do not...