Summing up the college hoops preseason in 140 characters or less

If brevity is the soul of wit, what more humorous way is there to recap a summer of college hoops happenings than a Twitter-themed state of the CBB union? Forget those annual previews already coming out. It's football season and no one has time for all those words, especially when they'll be outdated the instant UConn shoehorns three more top-five recruits onto its roster.

Yet, Midnight Madness is just a month away, with an exciting slate of guarantee games starting a few weeks after that, so you can't just ignore the sport right now if you're a fan. A lot has happened. From annual events like the coaching carousel and the yearly NCAA rule book struggles, to transfers, incoming freshmen, and the best returning batch of talent in years, there's much to talk about.

We're just going to do it quickly, @AndyGlockner-style.

Not necessarily a Twitter junkie yet? Here's a quick explainer:

-- You get a maximum of 140 characters for a tweet, unless you're one of "those people" who use twitlonger or other services to defeat the purpose of the character limit and blow up Tweetdeck, an application that allows you to view multiple tweet columns in real time. We hate those people.

-- Make sure your tweets add value. A good tweet should have some component of news, opinion, snark or humor. It should not be "What up peeps?" or "Rise and Grind!" or anything @KimKardashian.

-- Hashtags (#) are used to finish off jokes and/or create a trackable topic. They are not license plates for Oregon football players.

Without further ado, here's how things look heading into preseason training at some of the most interesting teams from around the nation:

Duke

K could pass Knight in style: Win 903 could come at Cameron Square Garden vs. Mich. St. Will Austin's power and 3 Plumlees = contender?

Florida State

Couldn't score w/ @C_Sing31. Now will try to w/o him. Opportunity is there, tho, to double down on S16 trip. D will be nasty again.

Maryland

Still laughing about MD as a top-10 job? Wait till 2012-13 to see the dawn of what Turg, Hill and Ranson are quickly building. #DMVisripe

Miami

Cash/weather upgrades are nice, but what's Larranaga to do without supply of yachts, let alone big man Reggie Johnson?

North Carolina

Heels' frontcourt is loaded, but the O runs like butter thx to @KButter5, who also is one of the game's best Twitter follows. #titlefaves?

North Carolina State

New HC @Mark_Gottfried will jump out of plane on Sat to draw attn to Pack. ACC rivals will note that Duke, UNC would have jumped better.

Cincinnati

26-win Bearcats return most of roster, same cruddy nonconf sked. Zzzzzz. See you in January. Pencil in soph G Sean Kilpatrick for big leap.

Connecticut

Avoid major sanctions, win natl title and power struggle w/ AD, fit 11 into 10-scholly box. Yeah, Calhoun is back. #scaryD #chancetorepeat

Georgetown

Hoyas' "What I did this summer" essay includes trip to China, Brawl with pro team. Unfortunate, but could youngish team bond over incident?

Louisville

Not as confident as others that Kuric, Siva, nice parts/frosh = preseason hype. One road game (at Butler) b/f 12/31 at Rupp? Happy New Year!

Marquette

TBW no more? Seems so. After S16, DJO and Co. should show it was no fluke. But as stathead coach Buzz knows, numbers sometimes lie.

Pittsburgh

Can sum-of-parts program cobble together another strong season after personnel losses, game-of-the-NCAAs L to Butler? @MrGibbs12 returns.

Providence

How brutal's the Beast? Its 14th-place team got a new coach, immediately landed two top-50 recruits for '12. #howtogetthingsDunn #andLedo

St. John's

Last season was unexpected amuse-bouche before table set for this yr w/ killer frosh class. Stay healthy, @STJCoachLavin! #stormbrewing

Syracuse

What's the scoop? Orange will contend if @scoopjardine delivers on promise. Rick Jackson's a big loss, but lots left to lean on.

Ohio State

Got sandbagged on Bucks last season. Not again. Not with @Jared_Sully0 back. All the UNC/UK hype? Just like Thad Matta likes it.

Michigan

Darn you, Darius Morris. Beilein Magic was trending right on schedule and you bail 2 yrs early for a lockout? Talent still decent in AA.

Michigan State

Can someone step up at PG? Frontcourt looks solid and Valpo transfer Brandon Wood can play. Talent hasn't been the issue in EL.

Purdue

@RobbieHummel4's back again. Please stay healthy, dude. No one deserves it more. If he can, Boilers should be decent.

Wisconsin

Bet Jordan Taylor makes watch lists this year. Another sum-of-parts team with great PG, can Mike Bruesewitz and Co. grow into bigger roles?

Baylor

Don't Mess With Texas Football (because it will turn us into Memphis)! Problem this yr: Best PG is Zags transfer Goodson, who's playing fb.

Kansas

Figures when KU maaaaay be beatable, league is down. Taylor/Johnson/Robinson troika should be good for lots of Ws, NCAA loss to mid-major.

Missouri

Tigers have good talent back, including all-Twitter First-Teamer @EnglishScope24. Also have new coach who allegedly OK'd buying a recruit.

Texas

Young team w/ talent. Won't know if they're good before seeing The Rick Barnes Show, Horns Today and Ballin' With Bevo on Longhorn Network.

Texas A&M

Who cares??! We're gonna be playin' SEC foobaw!! BTW, new coach Kennedy is good, reelin' in some talent.

Arizona

'Lute Who?' J/k, but S. Miller has Cats purring. Parlayed D-Will into E8, now has prime frosh class to reestablish status. No mo' Momo, tho.

Cal

@GottliebShow says Bears will be good. Believe him; his bro is on staff. If u visit fan site, it's cyberbears.org, not .com #thkmelater

Oregon

Lost in the Woods? Only halfcourt line, which is fixed. Not in frontcourt, where transfer Tony (and Olu Ashaolu) now lurks. #P12darkhorse

UCLA

Apparent plan to offset annual NBA early entry departures: Morph into UNC's B-team. First the Wear twins (eligible this yr), now Drew II, too.

Washington

Huskies finished MBA; Isaiah Thomas became Mr. Irrelevant. Huskies shouldn't suffer same fate, especially if Shawn Kemp Jr. makes it reign.

Alabama

Look, NCAA Committee! We scheduled some real live teams in nonconf play! And no SEC divisions! (Ignore that we still play 'West' 10x, thx)

Florida

Gators will be guard-heavy, which is OK if @RealDealBeal23 sees enough of the rock. He will if @MrGator1 stops jacking up shots. #toomanybad3s

Kentucky

@UKCoachCalipari is confused. Saw couple of last year's frosh still on campus. Assumed it was b/c of lockout. #loaded #noJortsrequired?

Mississippi State

Season-plus NCAA suspension? Brawl w/ teammate in public? Miss Euro summer trip? @RenardoSidney better be Shaq this yr for the trouble.

Tennessee

Opportunity is NOWHERE! Wait, that's the football team. Opportunity is for playing time after many departures and @CoachBrucePearl's exit!

Vanderbilt

Return nucleus from solid, top-20ish team, become top five? Love Stallings, but nuh uh, at least till Jeffery Taylor brings it consistently.

BYU

Forget 'Where's @JimmerFredette?' Where's Spokane and Moraga? And where's that guy who sat on our bench during the NCAAs? OK, he's back.

Butler

Off two title games and w/ big class coming in '12, better get in swings this season. Brad and Co. still may bite, tho. It's the Butler Way.

Gonzaga

Problem when you build expectations is people expect more. Can Zags ever take the next (big) step? Talent's there to make a run at it.

Harvard

Douglas Davis delayed inevitable. Loaded Crimson should roll to first outright Ivy title, first NCAA bid since '46. #couldplayUConn2x

Memphis

Same characters, more experience, new strength coach. Last yr, Memphis disappointed, was lucky to have its record. Now onus is on Pastner.

New Mexico

Replacing PG Dairese Gary will be tough, but Lobos have talent to make MWC title run. Can't bank on annual sweep of BYU anymore, tho.

Temple

Filling the massive shoes of John Chaney, Fran Dunphy is burnishing his own Philly legend. Owls just missed S16, could win league this yr.

UNLV

Could lead nation in swag with two '90 title teamers on staff. One's Stacey Augmon. Other's @CoachDaveRice. Runnin' is back. #MWCfaves?

VCU

Remember all the things Mason did after its FF run in 2006? Yeah, me neither. Shaka tries to extend the magic w/o many of the magicians.

Xavier

When X fans order chili, they ask for it "Tu way." Do-it-all @ESPNTU will lead another A-10 title run. Crosstown Shootout is at Cintas, too.