Who else could end up in Indianapolis at the 2006 Final Four?

Well, those other Wildcats look good.

I can see Kentucky’s Rajon Rondo in the gym this summer shooting 200 jumpers a day. He has ball-handling skills and quickness and moves and savvy. When he gets his shot together he will be a truly dangerous guard.

UK will also get a better season out of big man Randolph Morris. He made strides, particularly in the postseason. A summer to fine-tune and work things out and he will be a terrific inside threat.

In the ACC, early entries have decimated contenders. UNC lost its top seven scorers, Chris Paul is leaving Wake, which leaves one team. Duke.

It would be a surprise if Duke loses center Shelden Williams to the NBA. What a player he turned out to be. Guard J.J. Redick isn’t going anywhere and the Blue Devils add a very good recruiting class, including 6-10 Josh McRoberts to help Williams inside.

So if you were tired of hearing about the ACC being the best conference in the country, get ready for more of the same for 05-06. The Big East will have some very good teams, but the ACC could still be No. 1.

On the west coast, UCLA and Gonzaga could be the teams you will hear the most about the next March Madness.

The Bruins started three freshmen and won 18 games. The ’Zags’ Adam Morrison will return for his junior season and projects into the first round.

In the Big 12, Oklahoma will be primed to defend its conference title. Taj Gray, the 6-foot-9 junior forward who led the Sooners in scoring, has said he will return for his senior season and that is a huge plus.

OU also returns junior Terrell Everett and freshman guard David Godbold, who made big strides the second half of the season. The Sooners will have some muscle inside with Kevin Bookout and depth in the backcourt with Lawrence McKenzie.

The calamity that struck down Texas in mid-season should help the Longhorns next year. LaMarcus Aldridge, a freshman forward, was knocked out of the season with a hip injury and he will be back.

Forward P.J. Tucker, the Horns best player, was an academic casualty and he is coming back. When you add those two inside players to point guard Daniel Gibson and shooting guard Kenton Paulino, make room for Texas in your Top 10.

Iowa State has most of its talent back from a team that was a surprise of the Big 12 season.

MORE FROM COLLEGE BASKETBALL

College basketball Section Front

Hope for even the worst FT shooters. Or not. Davis: Youthful UCLA will make noise eventually   Vote: Who will be player of the year? Seton Hall basketball player charged with DWI Beyond the Arc: Celebrating college hoops’ last Rebels 5 Razorbacks suspended for opener Minnesota freshman White under suspicion again Beyond the Arc: Carolina will be scary good by March Men’s Top 25 preview, analysis, stats, more Davis: Kansas tops 2009-10 hoops storylines College basketball Section Front   Add College basketball headlines to your news reader: