2000-01 record: 26-7; 12-4 in Big 12 (t2nd) Final Ranking: No. 7 ESPN/USA Today Postseason: Lost to Illinois 80-64 in third round of NCAA Tournament. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Gooden 15.8 ppg | Rebounds: Gooden 8.4 rpg | Assists: Hinrich 6.9 apg | FG %: Collison 59.7% | 3pt %: Hinrich 50.5% | FT %: Hinrich 84.3% 00-01 Stats: Kansas | Big 12

		Thursday, Nov. 1 Everybody knows the Jayhawks are one of the nation's best teams. Kirk Hinrich has developed into one of the best lead guards in the country. The keys will be if Jeff Boschee regularly knocks down the 3-point shot, and Drew Gooden becomes consistently good night in and night out. He has to tighten up his play a bit.

Kansas No. 5 in ESPN.com Top 25

Outlook
Stop the presses. The Jayhawks are the coaches' preseason pick to win the conference title. Ah, but that was the case in each of the last two seasons and the Jayhawks came up short each time.

Kansas finished fifth two seasons ago and second last season. Swingmen Kenny Gregory and Luke Axtell, and center Eric Chenowith are gone after combining for 30.4 points and 17.5 rebounds per game last season. Nevertheless, Kansas appears to have the right mix of returning talent and first-year impact players to negate the losses.

With all due respect to guards Jeff Boschee and Kirk Hinrich, the power plant of this team resides on the baseline in the persons of junior forwards Nick Collison and Drew Gooden. Collison hit 59.7 percent of his field-goal attempts last season en route to averaging 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. Gooden shot 51.6 percent and averaged 15.8 points and 8.4 rebounds.

Separately, either one is a load. Together, as they will play this season, watch out. Add freshman forward Wayne Simien, who has been impressive during preseason workouts, and the Jayhawks have a three-headed monster that few teams in the Big 12 can match.

Hinrich (11.5 ppg, 6.9 apg), Boschee (11.1 ppg, 3.5 apg) and freshman Aaron Miles could give the Jayhawks a similar trio on the perimeter.

What we like: Gooden and Collison generally subbed for each other in the past. This season, the plan is to use both at the same time. That will cause all sorts of match-up problems for the opposition. The incoming freshmen should help give coach Roy Williams a solid rotation inside and on the perimeter.

What we don't like: The Jayhawks haven't lived up to expectations in recent seasons, though they did make a breakthrough of sorts by getting to the NCAA regional semifinals last season. However, there isn't much not to get excited about on this team. Perhaps the only concerns are whether Boschee can shake the bouts of inconsistency and the Jayhawks can improve their perimeter defense. In the four conference losses last season, opponents hit better than 50 percent of their 3-pointers.

The bottom line: In Collison, Gooden and Simien, Williams should have a blend of power and athletic ability on the baseline. He should have versatility and depth on the perimeter, too. The chemistry among the returning players and coaches should be an asset, too. There is no reason this team should not win the Big 12 regular-season title and make a run at the Elite Eight in March.

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Drew Gooden	Jr.	F	6-10/230	PTS: 15.8 | REB: 8.4 | AST: 1.7
Nick Collison	Jr.	F	6-9/250	PTS: 14.0 | REB: 6.7 | AST: 2.2
Kirk Hinrich	Jr.	G	6-3/180	PTS: 11.5 | REB: 4.1 | AST: 6.9
Jeff Boschee	Sr.	G	6-1/185	PTS: 11.1 | REB: 2.4 | AST: 3.5

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Kenny Gregory	F	6-5/208	PTS: 15.6 | REB: 7.3 | AST: 2.4
Eric Chenowith	C	7-1/270	PTS: 9.5 | REB: 7.6 | AST: 0.8

Kansas Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Keith Langford	G/F	6-4	Fort Worth, Texas/North Crowley H.S.
Michael Lee	G	6-2	Portland, Ore./Jefferson H.S.
Aaron Miles	G	6-0	Portland, Ore./Jefferson H.S.
Wayne Simien	F	6-8	Leavenworth, Kan./Leavenworth H.S.