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By Greg Schain

Daily Bruin Reporter

The 2001 basketball champion is predicted by every major sports publication to repeat in 2002.

And they’re not just referring to the Lakers.

The NCAA champion, Duke, is also predicted to rush the court in a blaze of glory after the team wins the championship on April 1 at the Georgia Dome.

The main reason is because of the Blue Devils’ point guard, junior Jason Williams. Williams is the odds-on favorite to win the Wooden Award this season. He was picked as a preseason first-team All-American by Athlon, the Basketball News, Lindy’s and the Sporting News.

But don’t hand Duke the trophy just yet. College basketball is famous for the barrage of upsets every year. March is known for its madness, and other teams around the country will certainly try to create havoc in the NCAA Tournament. Here are a few that have a chance to capture the title:

Illinois: Junior Frank Williams was the Big 10 Player of the Year last year and is looking to become a repeat winner of that award while winning a championship. The loss last week to Arizona hurt, but they are still one of the nation’s top teams. With the futility of the Chicago Bulls, they are probably the best team in the state.

Arizona: The Wildcats weren’t even ranked in preseason polls because they lost four starters to the NBA. But after beating Florida, Maryland and Illinois so far this year, head coach Lute Olson is showing why he is one of the most legendary coaches active in the game today.

Maryland: The Terps made the Final Four last year before losing to Duke. Seniors Lonny Baxter and Juan Dixon, the country’s best inside-outside pair, are hungry to win a championship before graduating.

UCLA: Picked to win the Pac-10 in the preseason, the Bruins return four starters and bring in McDonald’s All-American Cedric Bozeman to replace Earl Watson at point guard. They have the talent, but have played sloppily in early season losses to Pepperdine and Ball State.

Florida: Arguably the team most likely to knock off Duke, the Gators have four returning starters, and all five starters this year are upperclassmen. Udonis Haslem is the best center in the SEC and is in the best shape of his life after losing 40 pounds. This team can run the floor as well as any team in the country.

Oklahoma State: Two high school All-Americans join five returning lettermen. The Sooners have the size to match up with any team in the country, and are off to a hot start. They could make a surprising run to the Final Four.