Too Early for Next Year?

April 5, 2005

The last piece of confetti probably hasn’t been swept off the playing floor inside the Edward Jones Dome after last night’s NCAA championship game, but that doesn’t mean college basketball fans aren’t already looking ahead to the 2005-06 campaign.

Fans of Coach Steve Alford’s Iowa Hawkeyes are. The Hawkeyes fast finish during the 2005 regular season paired with yet another strong showing at the league’s annual post-season party – highlighted by the Hawkeyes’ victory over 2005 Final Four participant Michigan State – has Iowa’s roundball fans eager to see more of Haluska, Brunner, Horner and company.

Andy Katz is eager to see more of the Hawkeyes, too. One of ESPN.com’s lead writers for college basketball, Katz has Alford’s 2006 Iowa squad in his April 2006 Pre-Season Top 25. Iowa is the second of four Big Ten teams that had Katz’s attention as he packed his bags and headed home after one of the most exciting NCAA Tournaments in history.

Click HERE to read Katz’s full story.