The CBE Classic will include some of the best coaches in the country including, from left, Florida's Billy Donovan, KU's Bill Self, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim and Washington's Lorenzo Romar.

Next week’s O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic championship round figures to have a Final Four flavor to it.

Three of the teams in the field — Kansas, Florida and Syracuse — have accounted for four of the past six NCAA championships.

Washington — the other participant in Monday’s and Tuesday’s doubleheaders in Kansas City’s Sprint Center — reached the Sweet 16 in 2005 and ’06.

“When you look at the field we will be involved with, it’s awesome and a privilege to be part of that group,” Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said. His Huskies (2-1) will meet 2-0 KU at 9 p.m. Monday or 30 minutes after a 6:30 p.m. game between the Gators and Orange.

The first-round losers will tangle at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday. The title game is set for 9:15 p.m.

“We definitely get to be in great company,” added Romar, speaking on Thursday’s CBE Classic media conference call that included KU’s Bill Self, Florida’s Billy Donovan and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim.

KU, of course, won the 2008 NCAA title. Syracuse defeated the Jayhawks in the 2003 title game. Florida won it in 2006 and ’07.

The Gators went 24-12 last season, actually failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in a re-loading year. Syracuse, meanwhile, went 23-8 and reached the Sweet 16 the year after winning it all.

“Kansas is always a target I’m sure whenever they play. They have such a great history, when they go play somebody they will get somebody’s best game. They are used to it,” Boeheim said, asked what the Jayhawks should expect as defending champs.

“After we lost Carmelo (Anthony), we still had a good year. We had enough guys back we were able to get through it. All the veterans you lose will be hard to overcome. They have talented young guys and will do pretty well, I think.”

Donovan’s Gators defended the ’06 title with the same crew from the title team. Last year was a rebuilding effort.

“Our situation was unique. We won it in 2006 and had everybody back. It created a different element,” Donovan said.

“We were decimated last year and started completely over. Everybody knows what they lost. They are starting over right now,” he added of KU losing all five starters.

“Maybe from a motivational standpoint teams will say they are playing against the national champions. They are not the national champions. It was celebrated. It was great. The alumni and fans enjoyed it. But from the first day of the season, it’s a new time, a new era, new team.”

Donovan said it’s unfair to put KU on some sort of pedestal this season with so many of last year’s rotation players now playing pro ball.

“People try to create that buzz for the team after they won the championship. That banner in Phog Allen Fieldhouse will hang for the history of the school. Nobody can take that away,” Donovan said. “In 2009, nobody knows what will happen. Nobody can take away our ’06 and ’07 banners. It’s a great thing when you do something special that lasts a lifetime. It has nothing to do with the future (performance).”

Self said he’s chatted with Donovan about defending.

“What amazes me so much about Billy’s situation is they went back to back,” Self said. “From a potential distraction standpoint … to keep that team focused was a great coaching job.

“I’ve read what Jim has said and what Billy has said about the next year, getting guys to understand the newcomers are the beneficiaries of the others’ hard work.

“Our guys are open to that. I don’t know if the guys have bought into it like I know they will have to do to vie for championships. The biggest thing I have told them was not settling … not letting our team think we are young or because it happened last year it will (again) this year. It’s a whole new team. They have to prove themselves every day.”

Notes: Tickets are available for Monday’s and Tuesday’s games. There’s a buy one, get one ticket free promotion now taking place at the CBE Classic Web site. For ticket information go to gazellegroup.com/events/cbe/tickets.htm.