ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale loves Duke, but this year he likes North Carolina even more in his preseason top 40 list.
Vitale is well-known for his partiality towards the Blue Devils, but even he couldn’t ignore the wealth of talent returning for the Tar Heels this season.
But Duke fans shouldn’t worry because Vitale figured out a way to put the Blue Devils in his top 10, despite losing three starters from last season’s team.
Coming in at #2 on Vitale’s list was Kentucky. The Wildcats have Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb back, in addition to the nation’s best recruiting class.
Vitale has Ohio State ranked #3 on his list, and like most prognosticators he’ll discover how overrated the Buckeyes are come tournament time.
Syracuse is #4 according to Vitale, the team he believes will win the Big East this season.
Easily the most surprising pick of all on Vitale’s list is Vanderbilt, coming in at #5. The Commodores are one of three SEC teams to make his preseason top 10.
Rounding out the top 10 are Duke (of course), Memphis, Connecticut, Louisville and Florida.
To see Vitale’s preseason top 40 list, click here.
