QUESTION: Illinois, Missouri and SLU have all began the season undefeated so far. Which teams performance has surprised you most and which of these teams do you feel could be the strongest come March?

VAHE GREGORIAN

The Billikens have accomplished the most, but it’s had the pieces forming for a while. And I think it was predictable enough that Illinois would be 6-0 going into tonight’s game at Maryland.

So Mizzou is the surprise to me.

With a new coach whose record was problematic at Miami, with the Miami scandal of the summer threatening to at least be a major distraction, with Laurence Bowers injured just before the season, with little depth, it was hard to see Mizzou approaching what it’s done so far.

The Tigers have sliced and diced everyone they’ve played, which maybe doesn’t mean much against most of the schedule but certainly did when it came to ND and Cal. And they look like a team that’s been coached by the same guy for years. They’re playing hard, smart and together.

I think it’s still too early to know what this means for any of these teams in March, but at least there’s reason to feel excited about the possibilities as they go into conference play.

TOM TIMMERMANN

I figured SLU would be good and might be, oh, 5-2, at the best at the end of November. That they’re 6-0 at the moment is surprising. I’ve seen a consistency with this team that has been missing in previous years, and their depth, which allows the team to keep going even when key people have off nights, has been instrumental.

While I think SLU has a very good chance of reaching the NCAA tournament, I don’t know that I’d expect them to be the strongest in March. I’ve been on the road a lot and haven’t had a chance to see Mizzou and Illinois as much, but I’ve got to think talent-wise they’re in better shape. I’ve got to go with Mizzou as being the strongest come March.

STU DURANDO

I’m most surprised by Mizzou for the sheer dominance of its wins. The Tigers seem to have pretty clear sailing, maybe with the exception of playing Villanova, to reach the Braggin’ Rights game against Illinois undefeated.

If the Billikens can get past a solid Loyola Marymount team tonight, they will return home for six games with a chance to stay unbeaten for a while.

Illinois definitely has the toughest schedule of the three in the next few weeks. The Illini are extremely young with seven new players and one senior and expectations were not huge for this season. They are likely to hit some bumps before starting the Big Ten schedule.

RICK HUMMEL

St. Louis U. has been the most surprising by far, given the Bills’ relative lack of inside presence other than Brian Conklin. But Missouri will be the strongest NCAA team in March because of the Tigers’ experience at that level.

JEFF GORDON

I’d say SLU is more surprising, just because that program suffered so much misfortune last year. Now the Billikens have a healthy, deep and seasoned team. They appear to be in midseason form after benefiting from their preseason trip. Their depth gives them the edge over Mizzou, which will sweat foul trouble all season. Also the Tigers are vulnerable to injury. If they lose one of their top eight players for any amount of time, they would really suffer.