For basketball fans this is one of the most wonderful times of the year. You have the start of the NBA and college basketball tips off on Friday, November 14 in a Veterans Day special, the carrier classic. In honor of the season tipping off, lets rank the top ten teams in the country to start the first week of the 2014-15 season.

We will be omitting any of the results of the early games due to the fact that most of these teams played teams that will not make the N.I.T. much less the NCAA Tournament, but we will count those teams that played ranked teams to start the season.

Number ten: Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns come in to the season returning four out of their five starters from their successful 2013-14 campaign. They have become relevant for the first time since Kevin Durant graced their campus. They are also able to improve upon the team that finished fourth in the country in rebounding. The only problem is they have eight games against ranked teams this season including a stretch of three ranked teams in four games.

Number nine: Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia was one of the top four teams in the country last season and is returning three of the five starters that took them to the 2013-14 elite eight. They are playing in the tough ACC and will not have the element of surprise like they did last year. They also have a tough road schedule with games at North Carolina, Louisville and Syracuse.

Number eight: Louisville Cardinals

Louisville has lost all but two members of the 2012-13 championship squad but that will not slow Rick Patino’s high powered defense and up tempo style of play. They were second in the country with 10 steals per game and was number 15 in the country only allowing 61 points per game. This is their first year in the ACC and they will have to play a tougher schedule then in the easier AAC.

Number seven: Villanova Wildcats

Villanova spent most of last season ranked but still ended up disappointing people by exiting the tournament in the second round to eventual champions Connecticut. This is also a very experienced squad with only two freshmen on the roster. Their very easy schedule, with only two ranked teams, is also a plus for the Wildcats, who can rest until tournament time.

Number six: Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks let a lot of perfect bracket hopefuls down when they were out at the second round of the tournament last year. They also were gutted when their two best players, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid, left for the NBA Draft. This young team struggled against the powerhouse, Kentucky and showed that they have a lot of work left to do especially in a very strong Big 12.

Number five: Arizona Wildcats

Arizona was one of the most consistent teams in the nation but their two most reliable offensive weapons left for the NBA after the end of last season. They are still returning three starters and they have an easy schedule considering they only play four ranked teams all year. The real question is if their old starters can step up to fill the holes the departing players left.

Number four: North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels come in to the season with a very good recruiting class and a Player of the Year candidate in Marcus Paige. This team is a tentative top five because of their athleticism and the fact that we know what most of their players are going to give. This team needs to improve on last season’s atrocious free throw shooting and sub-par three point shooting, in order to succeed in the tough ACC.

                                                 Number three: Duke Blue Devils

Duke was also an early round exit when they lost in the first round to Mercer. They also lost three of their starting five and will be relying heavily on number one freshmen recruit Jahlil Okafor to produce quickly in the Duke offense; they relied heavily on him in their win over number 19 Michigan State. They do get some time to gel; their first really big matchup is against Wisconsin on December third. They may not win their conference considering they are in the tough ACC but will be in contention for the title the entire season.

Number two: Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers had a very successful season but lost to national champion runner-up, Kentucky. They are returning a lot of talent including the Player of the Year candidate Frank Kaminsky. They have a fairly easy schedule, only playing four ranked teams. They could easily finish the season with less than three losses and in position for one of the number one seeds in the tournament.

Number one: Kentucky Wildcats

Last year’s runners-up are number one with no one even close to them. They come in to the season with the number one recruiting class yet again and they squashed the idea that this could be a repeat of last year’s disaster with a 72-40 rout of number five Kansas. They also have one of the biggest teams in the country with an average height of 6’8″ and have four players over 6’10”. They have a stifling defense that is averaging 10 blocks a game and may rival the 2012 national championship team with players taken in the NBA. They play 10 deep and may not lose the entire year.