Duke, KU, San Diego State Top 2010-11 NCAA Basketball Teams to Watch

As the season begins to wind down and the championship game is over, many of us start to think about what is to come next season. Who will be the favorites next season? After looking at the performances this season, there are a lot of predictions and hopes for a stellar 2010-11 season for our favorite schools. Which ones really have a chance next season? There are a few that stood out this year and opened a few eyes. Here is a list of schools I think may do a little better next season.

Duke Blue Devils

Hands down, Duke has been a contender for the past several years and next season will be no different. With a majority of the team returning next season, not much will change. They will be losing four players to graduation next season, but knowing the scouting staff at Duke, they will have no problems bringing in some replacements. There are some players ready to step up and fill in the spots already, but there could be some better ball handlers out there.

The coaching staff is looking to stay intact with a team that will primarily stay with them, I see this team going all the way once again. Not only are they getting the experience from this year's tournament, but they will already be keyed into each other and work like a well oiled machine. The only thing that may hinder them is if they get a big head from going s far this year. As long as they can stay focused and grounded, I see Duke having a spectacular season next year, even with a target on their backs.

San Diego State Aztecs

The Aztecs had one of their best teams last season, and they have been steadily improving for several years now. The Aztecs may not make it to the big dance, but I see them pushing into the Elite Eight next year. With the improvements that they have been making and a team that has an extreme desire to make an impact and compete at the tournament level, they stand to push themselves to a much higher level next season. With only three of their players graduating this year, a lot of the team will remain intact. This means a lot for this young team.

They have started to get into a grove together and the end of the season was amazing. Now that the butterflies of the tournament are out, this young team will be ready for the '10-'11 season. With the coaching staff able to mold this current team even further and the togetherness and camaraderie of the players, they will be a huge threat to the other teams in the tournament. I see the Aztecs dominating their division next season, with maybe one or two teams able to threaten that standing. This coaching staff is starting to click just like the players. With no true standout player, but a pool of talent throughout the team, they may be looking to bring in a big name player to replace one of the three seniors. If they can get a point guard that can put up some huge numbers and be a leader to the team, there will be no stopping them.

Kansas Jayhawks

With Collins and Little being the only players to leave the team next season, Kansas looks to be a contender once more. The stress of the tournament looked to end their season early this year. Almost everyone predicted Kansas to at least make the Final Four, but they couldn't get the Elite Eight this season. Now that they will have the experience at this level, this relatively young team will once again tear up the regular season, and possibly make it a little deeper next season. After being a shoe in for the championship, I think that Kansas may have expected to skip into the finals. With this fairytale expectation out of their mindset, next season may be a good year for them.

After the stellar performance they had during the regular season this year, next year will see them getting even better. A possible undefeated, or at least close, season lies ahead of them if they can keep this groove that they have. There will be a lot of teams aiming for the Jayhawks next year, so it may be a tough fight all year long. After the punishments they doled out this season, there will be a lot of payback desired. The Jayhawks may have a much rougher schedule next season, but I still see them doing even better than this year. The team will basically be the same, and the replacements may be even more talented.

Butler Bulldogs

There are really two things that can happen to Butler at this point. They will either be a stellar team next year and return as a contender for the tournament in 2011, or they will completely flop and have the worst season in basketball history, or close to it. With Avery Jukes, Nick Rodgers, and Willie Veasley the only players that will not return next season, it is very likely that they will make it to the show once again. They are going into the final game of the season as "America's Team" since they are an underdog team full of hometown players. This is the type of team they make movies about. This team will be primarily intact next season, which will allow them the ability to return to the Final Four in 2011. With more than half of this team coming from Indiana, they are able to click much more than many other teams. This togetherness creates a huge advantage for the team and can keep them meshing both on and off the court. It will be interesting to see if Butler can build on their success from this year.

Georgetown Hoyas

The Hoyas are one of the all time great teams and they will not stay in this slump for very long. With almost half the team being freshmen this season and not one senior in the bunch, this team is coming out of a rebuilding year. This rebuild is over and they made it to the dance with no experience. This says a lot for the shear talent that the Hoyas have. Georgetown is ready to get back to their prior glory days. After the coaching staff was able to lay a solid foundation, they will be even better next season.

There will be high expectations around the University for this team. They have always been a threat in the tournament until recently. The hiatus is over, and they will need to be contenders next season. If they cannot make the Final Four, heads will begin to roll amongst the coaching staff. This is a very proud college that has a long history in this tourney. They will not lie down and let other teams walk all over them. I see this team having a huge year next year. They have a lot to prove, and with all the talent and skill on this bench, they will be a threatening force.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (honorable mention)

The Cornhuskers have had a rough time of late. The football team has gone into the basement for years now, and it looks as if the men's basketball team has followed. The women's team however, has dominated the court. This means that the Huskers may actually be competitive next season so as not to be shown up. If Nebraska was smart, they may switch the coaching staff and get the men to the big game. The men did so miserable this season, they did not even make the tourney. If anything, they could just make the women's team dress up like men and go all the way.

Sources: Rivals.com pages linked in subheads