I have said so many times that good perimeter play is a must to get to the winner's circle.

For years, there was a belief that teams needed a good big man to win. It was important to have a dominating guy in the three-second area, with good efficiency on both the offensive and defensive end.

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Without that lethal weapon, the three-point shooter that has changed the complexion of the game, plus a passer to get him the ball, you simply don't have a good shot to win. ”

Now, on the collegiate level, if you have strong backcourt play, you have a chance to win. I think back to 1997, when Arizona shocked America by beating three No. 1 seeds. The Wildcats beat a great Kansas team led by Jacque Vaughn and Raef LaFrentz. They beat North Carolina, and then Kentucky in the national championship game.

I look at the strength of that team and it was perimeter play. Arizona had Michael Bibby, Miles Simon and Michael Dickerson, plus Jason Terry off the bench. That carried them throughout the tournament.

Today, you need to start by recruiting a blue-chip point guard. They are the leaders, the catalysts of the offensive attack.

It seems like there is a different type of point guard now compared to past years. A lot of point guards not only distribute the rock, but they can also score.

Look at the teams with a great shot to win six in a row to earn the national championship. Sure, there are some capable of springing an upset or two. There aren't many that can make a run against big-time competition.

There are teams like Duke, Arizona, Illinois and Michigan State. They all possess solid perimeter play, making them dangerous come tournament time.

The Blue Devils have the premier combo guard in America in Jason Williams. He has point-guard skills with the ability to break you down and score. Williams is a clutch player who wants the ball in his hands late in the game.

Arizona has Jason Gardner, the super soph. Gardner can tickle the twine from the trifecta. He can penetrate, defend and utilize his great body strength.

Michigan State has Marcus Taylor, when he returns from his broken finger. The diaper dandy gives the Spartans a guard capable of shooting the jumper. Taylor has a strong body plus he can handle the rock. Because he had to earn playing time, he made good adjustments from high school to college.

Charlie Bell has come through with good guard play and important leadership as well.

Frank Williams of Illinois has learned to handle the point. Bill Self has also given Williams the freedom to go one-on-one, using his size and strong body, in crucial situations. That's an example of the confidence Self has in his super soph.

Remember how Williams took on Andre Barrett of Seton Hall late in their matchup? He got in the lane and scored. Williams also does a better job of finding the open man, like Cory Bradford on the perimeter.

Keys to success today include: strong players on the perimeter; guards who can handle the basketball on the point; and a running mate who can knock down the trifecta.

Without that lethal weapon, the three-point shooter that has changed the complexion of the game, plus a passer to get him the ball, you simply don't have a good shot to win.

That's why you have so many upsets in the preconference schedule. To me, this season's preconference schedule has been as brilliant as any year I can remember since joining ESPN.

Think about this list: Mercer over Auburn; Cal State-Northridge over UCLA; Oakland over Michigan; Cal-Riverside over Oregon State; Tennessee Tech over South Carolina; Weber State over Utah; Georgia State over Georgia; Central Michigan over Purdue. Many of these upsets were created by the three-point shot.

If I was still working the sidelines, you'd better believe I would hunt down a dynamite duo for my perimeter attack.