Back in the saddle, actually started prepping on the plane back from Houston today. Will be posting daily updates with new conferences and I hope to include write-ups on each one that I post...
2010-11 Notes: -As of Christmas, I projected 42 of the 68 bids for the NCAA Tournament. -SU dog winners: 37 -ML losers that covered: 1 -Meaningless 3-pt at the buzzer losses: 2
-OT screwjobs: 2
-Losses by 1 or 1/2: 7
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To remove first post, remove entire topic.
Back in the saddle, actually started prepping on the plane back from Houston today. Will be posting daily updates with new conferences and I hope to include write-ups on each one that I post...
2010-11 Notes: -As of Christmas, I projected 42 of the 68 bids for the NCAA Tournament. -SU dog winners: 37 -ML losers that covered: 1 -Meaningless 3-pt at the buzzer losses: 2
-OT screwjobs: 2
-Losses by 1 or 1/2: 7
Explanation: -UNC is a definite title contender considering all their strengths. They are weak in one area that I can see, perimeter shooting, but I'm sure that's been a theme to their offseason and who knows what Harrison Barnes has perfected since we last saw him on the court. The 'Heels are going to kill everyone on the boards, much like their 2005 title team did, and it's going to be very difficult to score on them inside. My suggestion would be to run a zone against them and make them shoot from the outside, but that will make it very difficult to get rebounds and keep them from getting 2nd opportunities. -Duke looks like they have one of the deepest backcourts that I have ever seen in this sport, and I think that can keep them on the same tier with UNC. Their frontcourt will be deep with now three Plumlee's, but that will only help for rebounding as they aren't scorers. I don't think they can match UNC if they played a bunch of times, but they have a definite perimeter advantage considering how many guys they have who can fill it up from deep. -I put Miami third and I think that is an example of me going out on a limb and a lot of that depends on Reggie Johnson coming back from injury to be the guy we saw before. He's still going to have conditioning issues, but Larranaga has big guys behind him who can play defense. Like Duke, the 'Canes will be scoring almost all of their points from the outside. Miami has a ton of size in the backcourt, too. -FSU is yet another talented and deep frontcourt in this conference, but Derwin Kitchen graduating is a bigger loss than the lottery pick Chris Singleton. Kitchen was their coach on the floor and I can't imagine the offense will come close to the numbers they put up last year (which weren't good). Scoring will be very tough for them. -Tempted to put Clemson above FSU, but they had a lot of attrition. Demontez Stitt is a huge loss, but Andre Young can fill the void. A great frontcourt in terms of potential, but youth is a roadblock in the way. Brownell can coach and the Tigers should slow the pace and use their defense to win this year. -Virginia is going to shoot a lot of 3pt shots and should be able to make up for losing their top scorer in conference play. Mike Scott returning is absolutely huge and they have an eraser in the middle in Sene. Depth is a question in there while it is not a question in the backcourt. -The Hokies lost two studs and will be worse. They return experience off injuries in Thompson and Hudson, but I think they'll have trouble scoring and Erick Green is one of the most overrated players in the country. The dropoff from Malcolm Delaney to him is massive.
Explanation: -UNC is a definite title contender considering all their strengths. They are weak in one area that I can see, perimeter shooting, but I'm sure that's been a theme to their offseason and who knows what Harrison Barnes has perfected since we last saw him on the court. The 'Heels are going to kill everyone on the boards, much like their 2005 title team did, and it's going to be very difficult to score on them inside. My suggestion would be to run a zone against them and make them shoot from the outside, but that will make it very difficult to get rebounds and keep them from getting 2nd opportunities. -Duke looks like they have one of the deepest backcourts that I have ever seen in this sport, and I think that can keep them on the same tier with UNC. Their frontcourt will be deep with now three Plumlee's, but that will only help for rebounding as they aren't scorers. I don't think they can match UNC if they played a bunch of times, but they have a definite perimeter advantage considering how many guys they have who can fill it up from deep. -I put Miami third and I think that is an example of me going out on a limb and a lot of that depends on Reggie Johnson coming back from injury to be the guy we saw before. He's still going to have conditioning issues, but Larranaga has big guys behind him who can play defense. Like Duke, the 'Canes will be scoring almost all of their points from the outside. Miami has a ton of size in the backcourt, too. -FSU is yet another talented and deep frontcourt in this conference, but Derwin Kitchen graduating is a bigger loss than the lottery pick Chris Singleton. Kitchen was their coach on the floor and I can't imagine the offense will come close to the numbers they put up last year (which weren't good). Scoring will be very tough for them. -Tempted to put Clemson above FSU, but they had a lot of attrition. Demontez Stitt is a huge loss, but Andre Young can fill the void. A great frontcourt in terms of potential, but youth is a roadblock in the way. Brownell can coach and the Tigers should slow the pace and use their defense to win this year. -Virginia is going to shoot a lot of 3pt shots and should be able to make up for losing their top scorer in conference play. Mike Scott returning is absolutely huge and they have an eraser in the middle in Sene. Depth is a question in there while it is not a question in the backcourt. -The Hokies lost two studs and will be worse. They return experience off injuries in Thompson and Hudson, but I think they'll have trouble scoring and Erick Green is one of the most overrated players in the country. The dropoff from Malcolm Delaney to him is massive.
The one thing that scares me about Duke this year is the PG spot. Quinn Cook is a fairly solid player, but behind him, they've got no true point. I don't really trust Seth Curry or Andre Dawkins to handle the rock consistently. Austin Rivers might be their backup PG, and, in my opinion, that would be terrible for the flow of the basketball. That kid is a black hole.
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The one thing that scares me about Duke this year is the PG spot. Quinn Cook is a fairly solid player, but behind him, they've got no true point. I don't really trust Seth Curry or Andre Dawkins to handle the rock consistently. Austin Rivers might be their backup PG, and, in my opinion, that would be terrible for the flow of the basketball. That kid is a black hole.
I really like Virginia this season. I think this is the year the Cavs make a move in the ACC. I also agree with you on Miami.
was just reminded about Miami F/C Julian Gamble's knee injury. I believe it's an ACL and that's big while Reggie is out until conference play.
The ACC is going to be a conference where you need bigs to compete and it looks like Miami is down two from their rotation considering it'll be hard for Johnson to stay healthy if his lower body is starting to go. May need to adjust them down to fighting UVA for 5th
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Quote Originally Posted by The_Outfit:
I really like Virginia this season. I think this is the year the Cavs make a move in the ACC. I also agree with you on Miami.
was just reminded about Miami F/C Julian Gamble's knee injury. I believe it's an ACL and that's big while Reggie is out until conference play.
The ACC is going to be a conference where you need bigs to compete and it looks like Miami is down two from their rotation considering it'll be hard for Johnson to stay healthy if his lower body is starting to go. May need to adjust them down to fighting UVA for 5th
The one thing that scares me about Duke this year is the PG spot. Quinn Cook is a fairly solid player, but behind him, they've got no true point. I don't really trust Seth Curry or Andre Dawkins to handle the rock consistently. Austin Rivers might be their backup PG, and, in my opinion, that would be terrible for the flow of the basketball. That kid is a black hole.
after seeing a guy like Jon Scheyer go from a shooting guard to the 1 and have the season he had without much athletic ability, I think Duke will be fine. It may be rough in the early going and they'll be in real trouble if the guy being groomed for the position gets hurt, but I think Coach K's team is going to be one to play or stay the F away this year
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Quote Originally Posted by TRoe15:
The one thing that scares me about Duke this year is the PG spot. Quinn Cook is a fairly solid player, but behind him, they've got no true point. I don't really trust Seth Curry or Andre Dawkins to handle the rock consistently. Austin Rivers might be their backup PG, and, in my opinion, that would be terrible for the flow of the basketball. That kid is a black hole.
after seeing a guy like Jon Scheyer go from a shooting guard to the 1 and have the season he had without much athletic ability, I think Duke will be fine. It may be rough in the early going and they'll be in real trouble if the guy being groomed for the position gets hurt, but I think Coach K's team is going to be one to play or stay the F away this year
Duke unders have been really profitable for the last two years as less astute people automatically associate the Blue Devils with prolific offensive numbers. In reality, Coach K is a terrific teacher of defense and preaches a hyper-aggressive man-to-man style. With that said, I think Duke is going to struggle on the defensive end at times, particularly in the early part of the season. Rivers, Curry, and Dawkins are offensive-oriented players and Ryan Kelly lacks the foot speed to stay with more athletic wings. The Plumlees are terrific defenders in the post, but players like Derrick Williams are able to draw them away from the basket and negate the advantage.
Overs should be rather profitable with this particular Duke team, especially given Rivers' propensity to push the ball in transition. The point production void left by Singler and Smith can be filled - the same cannot be said for their defensive tenacity and intelligence.
Coach K typically adapts to fit his personnel and I suspect we'll see a more athletic and offensive-minded squad this season
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Duke unders have been really profitable for the last two years as less astute people automatically associate the Blue Devils with prolific offensive numbers. In reality, Coach K is a terrific teacher of defense and preaches a hyper-aggressive man-to-man style. With that said, I think Duke is going to struggle on the defensive end at times, particularly in the early part of the season. Rivers, Curry, and Dawkins are offensive-oriented players and Ryan Kelly lacks the foot speed to stay with more athletic wings. The Plumlees are terrific defenders in the post, but players like Derrick Williams are able to draw them away from the basket and negate the advantage.
Overs should be rather profitable with this particular Duke team, especially given Rivers' propensity to push the ball in transition. The point production void left by Singler and Smith can be filled - the same cannot be said for their defensive tenacity and intelligence.
Coach K typically adapts to fit his personnel and I suspect we'll see a more athletic and offensive-minded squad this season
Big East Tiers:
UConn/Syracuse-Pitt/LOU/WVU/CIN/MARQ-Nova-Hall/ND-GTown/SJU-USF/RUT-DeP/PROV
pre-season winner: UConn
Explanation:
-The place where I expect to be different from most is in my opinion of
the Pittsburgh Panthers. Jamie Dixon is praised as a good coach, but I
think he’s a tremendous recruiter who leaves a lot to be desired in the
coaching department because he simply hasn’t done much with great
players. This year he’s got a strong backcourt in Woodall and the
sharp-shooter Gibbs, but on the interior he has no scoring. The Panthers
will rebound the heck out of the ball like they do every year, but
against rugged frontcourts I don’t see them doing much unless they can
shoot from the outside. They should have a stout interior defense to go
along with that rebounding, but they need a scorer to emerge inside if
they want to make noise in March. Until I see them get something inside I
don’t think they can challenge UConn or Syracuse at the top.
-Top team here is the defending champion, who will have scoring issues
of its own. UConn will have a sick amount of length on defense and on
the glass for positions 2-5, their biggest question is also scoring.
Oriakhi hasn’t shown anything with the ball in his hands inside and the
go-to-guy is gone with the departure of Kemba Walker. Shabazz Napier
will be looked upon to score more this year, which shouldn’t be too much
of a problem because he can shoot the 3. He also played PG to get Kemba
off the ball last year, so he will be a solid returner. Jeremy Lamb was
the best player on this team in the tournament last year and he played
well this summer. He needs to be productive on offense while Roscoe
Smith will need to add that part to his stellar defensive game.
Calhoun’s teams are all about rebounding and defense, which will be no
different this year as they could set school records for PPG against.
-Syracuse looks very good on the perimeter with size and length
returning on the wings for that zone and have two very capable PGs on
the roster. Questions can certainly be raised about their interior as
they don’t have anyone who can score, but they should be able to rebound
well as a team even in the zone. This team could be really good
depending on how Kris Joseph does with the basketball in his hands.
Don’t love this team, but they could be one of the best in the country.
-Louisville has the deepest backcourt I have ever seen. They were
disappointed last year in their first round exit at the hands of
Morehead State, but they overachieved all year long and stole some games
late so I’m not sure they deserved the ranking. Health inside will be a
huge key as they simply didn’t have it last year. Swopshire should be
healthy and they have a shot-blocker in Dieng inside. I’m not sure if
anyone can count on Buckles, so expect this team to be undersized and
the tempo should be insane for this team. They’re going to press you all
night and shoot a ton of distance shots, but if you can slow them down
that may be a win almost everytime.
-Kevin Jones is the key to WVU after being pretty average last year. He
could make this team really good, especially if Truck Bryant plays the 1
instead of the two. If Bryant plays shooting guard that just gives him
an excuse to take more bad shots than he did last year (which was a
ton), although he’s improved into a capable 3pt shooter. Denis Kiliczli
(why bother spell-checking) will be able to score on the interior as he
has great post moves, but an injury to one of those three will make a
huge difference considering the youth elsewhere.
-Cincinnati has possibly the best big man in college basketball if F
Yancy Gates ever decides he wants to try, but not much else in the
frontcourt. They always are deep and play a ton of people, but Mick
Cronin will have to look for offense as he does every year. They don’t
shoot FTs well, but their starting guards are very good when you look at
an experienced PG in Cashmere Wright and then a sweet-shooting SG Dion
Dixon who really improved his shot before last season. Sean Kilpatrick
is a talent, but I need to see more out of him before I can rely on him
like the others. This team could be scary good if the new guys can
contribute and Kilpatrick blossoms.
-Darrius Johnson-Odom (DJO) will be the heart and soul of the Golden
Eagles. He will shoot a ton and need to score a ton for Buzz Williams
after they lost some talent. Inside they have bodies and depth, despite
being a bit undersized. Buzz is a genius and tremendous gameplanner who
deserves a ton of credit for building this team past what Tom Crean did
before bolting for IU. This team doesn’t have the talent like the other
squads in the conference or the country, but they could be playing late
in March if they get good matchups and the team clicks.
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Big East Tiers:
UConn/Syracuse-Pitt/LOU/WVU/CIN/MARQ-Nova-Hall/ND-GTown/SJU-USF/RUT-DeP/PROV
pre-season winner: UConn
Explanation:
-The place where I expect to be different from most is in my opinion of
the Pittsburgh Panthers. Jamie Dixon is praised as a good coach, but I
think he’s a tremendous recruiter who leaves a lot to be desired in the
coaching department because he simply hasn’t done much with great
players. This year he’s got a strong backcourt in Woodall and the
sharp-shooter Gibbs, but on the interior he has no scoring. The Panthers
will rebound the heck out of the ball like they do every year, but
against rugged frontcourts I don’t see them doing much unless they can
shoot from the outside. They should have a stout interior defense to go
along with that rebounding, but they need a scorer to emerge inside if
they want to make noise in March. Until I see them get something inside I
don’t think they can challenge UConn or Syracuse at the top.
-Top team here is the defending champion, who will have scoring issues
of its own. UConn will have a sick amount of length on defense and on
the glass for positions 2-5, their biggest question is also scoring.
Oriakhi hasn’t shown anything with the ball in his hands inside and the
go-to-guy is gone with the departure of Kemba Walker. Shabazz Napier
will be looked upon to score more this year, which shouldn’t be too much
of a problem because he can shoot the 3. He also played PG to get Kemba
off the ball last year, so he will be a solid returner. Jeremy Lamb was
the best player on this team in the tournament last year and he played
well this summer. He needs to be productive on offense while Roscoe
Smith will need to add that part to his stellar defensive game.
Calhoun’s teams are all about rebounding and defense, which will be no
different this year as they could set school records for PPG against.
-Syracuse looks very good on the perimeter with size and length
returning on the wings for that zone and have two very capable PGs on
the roster. Questions can certainly be raised about their interior as
they don’t have anyone who can score, but they should be able to rebound
well as a team even in the zone. This team could be really good
depending on how Kris Joseph does with the basketball in his hands.
Don’t love this team, but they could be one of the best in the country.
-Louisville has the deepest backcourt I have ever seen. They were
disappointed last year in their first round exit at the hands of
Morehead State, but they overachieved all year long and stole some games
late so I’m not sure they deserved the ranking. Health inside will be a
huge key as they simply didn’t have it last year. Swopshire should be
healthy and they have a shot-blocker in Dieng inside. I’m not sure if
anyone can count on Buckles, so expect this team to be undersized and
the tempo should be insane for this team. They’re going to press you all
night and shoot a ton of distance shots, but if you can slow them down
that may be a win almost everytime.
-Kevin Jones is the key to WVU after being pretty average last year. He
could make this team really good, especially if Truck Bryant plays the 1
instead of the two. If Bryant plays shooting guard that just gives him
an excuse to take more bad shots than he did last year (which was a
ton), although he’s improved into a capable 3pt shooter. Denis Kiliczli
(why bother spell-checking) will be able to score on the interior as he
has great post moves, but an injury to one of those three will make a
huge difference considering the youth elsewhere.
-Cincinnati has possibly the best big man in college basketball if F
Yancy Gates ever decides he wants to try, but not much else in the
frontcourt. They always are deep and play a ton of people, but Mick
Cronin will have to look for offense as he does every year. They don’t
shoot FTs well, but their starting guards are very good when you look at
an experienced PG in Cashmere Wright and then a sweet-shooting SG Dion
Dixon who really improved his shot before last season. Sean Kilpatrick
is a talent, but I need to see more out of him before I can rely on him
like the others. This team could be scary good if the new guys can
contribute and Kilpatrick blossoms.
-Darrius Johnson-Odom (DJO) will be the heart and soul of the Golden
Eagles. He will shoot a ton and need to score a ton for Buzz Williams
after they lost some talent. Inside they have bodies and depth, despite
being a bit undersized. Buzz is a genius and tremendous gameplanner who
deserves a ton of credit for building this team past what Tom Crean did
before bolting for IU. This team doesn’t have the talent like the other
squads in the conference or the country, but they could be playing late
in March if they get good matchups and the team clicks.
The above are teams that will make the dance. Will get to you guys (pearl and JFen) after lunch
Rest of the conference:
-Not sure any of these get bids. Nova lost a bunch of talent, Seton Hall
is jekyl-and-hyde, ND has two studs and can’t win on the road. GTown
lost too much and wasn’t very good last year anyways, SJU too young with
qualifying issues and USF can’t shoot.
Breakout team:
Rutgers was so great down the stretch in the Big East tournament and
could surprise a lot of people with Mike Rice, but their roster isn’t
much to speak of and they have a lot of youth including the most
important spot (PG).
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The above are teams that will make the dance. Will get to you guys (pearl and JFen) after lunch
Rest of the conference:
-Not sure any of these get bids. Nova lost a bunch of talent, Seton Hall
is jekyl-and-hyde, ND has two studs and can’t win on the road. GTown
lost too much and wasn’t very good last year anyways, SJU too young with
qualifying issues and USF can’t shoot.
Breakout team:
Rutgers was so great down the stretch in the Big East tournament and
could surprise a lot of people with Mike Rice, but their roster isn’t
much to speak of and they have a lot of youth including the most
important spot (PG).
Duke unders have been really profitable for the last two years as less astute people automatically associate the Blue Devils with prolific offensive numbers. In reality, Coach K is a terrific teacher of defense and preaches a hyper-aggressive man-to-man style. With that said, I think Duke is going to struggle on the defensive end at times, particularly in the early part of the season. Rivers, Curry, and Dawkins are offensive-oriented players and Ryan Kelly lacks the foot speed to stay with more athletic wings. The Plumlees are terrific defenders in the post, but players like Derrick Williams are able to draw them away from the basket and negate the advantage.
Overs should be rather profitable with this particular Duke team, especially given Rivers' propensity to push the ball in transition. The point production void left by Singler and Smith can be filled - the same cannot be said for their defensive tenacity and intelligence.
Coach K typically adapts to fit his personnel and I suspect we'll see a more athletic and offensive-minded squad this season
I agree with what you're saying, Duke has been great in the past locking down on defense late in games then running 35 seconds off the shotclock before burying a 3 or getting the long rebound to repeat what they just did. Coach K is the best coach in the game and I'm sure he'll know exactly how to help this team put its best foot forward, although I agree there are some concerns with the new faces coming in and replacing the studs they lost from last year's team. They should still be one of the best teams and have last year's disappointment to build upon
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Quote Originally Posted by JFen31:
Duke unders have been really profitable for the last two years as less astute people automatically associate the Blue Devils with prolific offensive numbers. In reality, Coach K is a terrific teacher of defense and preaches a hyper-aggressive man-to-man style. With that said, I think Duke is going to struggle on the defensive end at times, particularly in the early part of the season. Rivers, Curry, and Dawkins are offensive-oriented players and Ryan Kelly lacks the foot speed to stay with more athletic wings. The Plumlees are terrific defenders in the post, but players like Derrick Williams are able to draw them away from the basket and negate the advantage.
Overs should be rather profitable with this particular Duke team, especially given Rivers' propensity to push the ball in transition. The point production void left by Singler and Smith can be filled - the same cannot be said for their defensive tenacity and intelligence.
Coach K typically adapts to fit his personnel and I suspect we'll see a more athletic and offensive-minded squad this season
I agree with what you're saying, Duke has been great in the past locking down on defense late in games then running 35 seconds off the shotclock before burying a 3 or getting the long rebound to repeat what they just did. Coach K is the best coach in the game and I'm sure he'll know exactly how to help this team put its best foot forward, although I agree there are some concerns with the new faces coming in and replacing the studs they lost from last year's team. They should still be one of the best teams and have last year's disappointment to build upon
GWarner love you picking my boys to win the Big East but gotta respectifully disagree atleast regular season wise. UConn is still young and leadership will be key to our success, i think we might struggle early in conference play since we aren't getting tested out of conference. I like Louisville to win the regular season crown, losing only Knowles from last year and they match up well with Cuse and UConn they also add the number 8 recruiting class. Look for Gtown to bounce back like what they have coming back and expect Starks to step up and replace Wright. Think UConn wins the Big East Tournament as the team will be gelling by then and playing up to their potential but regular season crown will be tough.
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GWarner love you picking my boys to win the Big East but gotta respectifully disagree atleast regular season wise. UConn is still young and leadership will be key to our success, i think we might struggle early in conference play since we aren't getting tested out of conference. I like Louisville to win the regular season crown, losing only Knowles from last year and they match up well with Cuse and UConn they also add the number 8 recruiting class. Look for Gtown to bounce back like what they have coming back and expect Starks to step up and replace Wright. Think UConn wins the Big East Tournament as the team will be gelling by then and playing up to their potential but regular season crown will be tough.
I'm obvious a Cuse guy but the team I really like is Cincinnati. I think they are a darkhorse to win the league. I agree about Rutgers. They may not have the talent of some of the other schools but they are very well-coached and play hard every night. They will be a tough out all season long.
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I'm obvious a Cuse guy but the team I really like is Cincinnati. I think they are a darkhorse to win the league. I agree about Rutgers. They may not have the talent of some of the other schools but they are very well-coached and play hard every night. They will be a tough out all season long.
GWarner love you picking my boys to win the Big East but gotta respectifully disagree atleast regular season wise. UConn is still young and leadership will be key to our success, i think we might struggle early in conference play since we aren't getting tested out of conference. I like Louisville to win the regular season crown, losing only Knowles from last year and they match up well with Cuse and UConn they also add the number 8 recruiting class. Look for Gtown to bounce back like what they have coming back and expect Starks to step up and replace Wright. Think UConn wins the Big East Tournament as the team will be gelling by then and playing up to their potential but regular season crown will be tough.
We can disagree, that's fine. I don't think Louisville is good up front and that's where games are won in this sport. Of course you need to have good guards, which they certainly do, but all their little guys shoot from the perimeter and the length that UConn possesses will really hinder their outside shots.
Georgetown is going to have to prove it to me because they really underachieved last year with much better talent. The princeton offense is going to have to run really well for them to make the NCAA Tournament this year, imo
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Quote Originally Posted by KembaisKing15:
GWarner love you picking my boys to win the Big East but gotta respectifully disagree atleast regular season wise. UConn is still young and leadership will be key to our success, i think we might struggle early in conference play since we aren't getting tested out of conference. I like Louisville to win the regular season crown, losing only Knowles from last year and they match up well with Cuse and UConn they also add the number 8 recruiting class. Look for Gtown to bounce back like what they have coming back and expect Starks to step up and replace Wright. Think UConn wins the Big East Tournament as the team will be gelling by then and playing up to their potential but regular season crown will be tough.
We can disagree, that's fine. I don't think Louisville is good up front and that's where games are won in this sport. Of course you need to have good guards, which they certainly do, but all their little guys shoot from the perimeter and the length that UConn possesses will really hinder their outside shots.
Georgetown is going to have to prove it to me because they really underachieved last year with much better talent. The princeton offense is going to have to run really well for them to make the NCAA Tournament this year, imo
I'm obvious a Cuse guy but the team I really like is Cincinnati. I think they are a darkhorse to win the league. I agree about Rutgers. They may not have the talent of some of the other schools but they are very well-coached and play hard every night. They will be a tough out all season long.
I would like to agree with you on Cincinnati, just don't think they have enough behind foul-prone Yancy Gates and although Dion Dixon improved his shot a ton last year I'm not sure they can score with some of the better teams. They will certainly defend and will use a bunch of players, just not sure I can count on them competing for the crown at this point.
Rutgers really would be a higher pick for me because truthfully I was looking to ride them a lot this year after their performance in the BE Tourney, but that roster can't be trusted with their two potential PGs both being freshmen. Mike Rice can flat out coach though
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Quote Originally Posted by The_Outfit:
I'm obvious a Cuse guy but the team I really like is Cincinnati. I think they are a darkhorse to win the league. I agree about Rutgers. They may not have the talent of some of the other schools but they are very well-coached and play hard every night. They will be a tough out all season long.
I would like to agree with you on Cincinnati, just don't think they have enough behind foul-prone Yancy Gates and although Dion Dixon improved his shot a ton last year I'm not sure they can score with some of the better teams. They will certainly defend and will use a bunch of players, just not sure I can count on them competing for the crown at this point.
Rutgers really would be a higher pick for me because truthfully I was looking to ride them a lot this year after their performance in the BE Tourney, but that roster can't be trusted with their two potential PGs both being freshmen. Mike Rice can flat out coach though
Big XII Tiers:
Mizzou/Baylor/TAMU-KU-UT/K-State-ISU-OU/OSU-TTU
pre-season winner: Mizzou
Explanation: -Going to be very different from the pack on Kansas I feel, even with the news coming out about McLemore and Anderson being ineligible for the season. The Jayhawks are going to continue to have one of the greatest HCAs in the country, but their roster is nothing compared to what it has been in the past. Tyshawn Taylor returns at the point, which is key, but he isn't someone you can count on even as a senior because he does dumb things on and off the court like getting suspended for two games last season. Inside, Thomas Robinson is a guy you want to root for who should produce, but he has never had to do it on his own and I'm not sure it will be a smooth transition. Withey will help with interior defense, but he didn't play much last year so it will be very tough to expect a lot from him. -Mizzou has the best roster coming back even with Bowers' ACL injury, especially in their backcourt. I'm not sure Haith will employ the full-court game like Mike Anderson did, especially because he likes playing the zone. Questions have definitely been raised about him as a coach, which makes him a bizarre hire, so he might be a guy we have to watch early in the year to see if he's ruining this team. Their backcourt will score a ton and they have depth, questions in the frontcourt without Bowers even with Ricardo Ratcliffe looking like an absolute stud. Some solid role players behind him, but nothing to be scared of now that Mitchell moved on to UNT. -Scott Drew's Baylor Bears are up there as well, but counting on them is like expecting Congress to balance our budget. They have the best player in the conference returning in Perry Jones III, but he left a lot to be desired last year for me. He can shoot and has a huge wingspan, but he's not a big body and I don't think he can battle inside against good teams. There are a couple other PJ3 clones on the team, so you know they'll rebound, but I have concerns about their PG situation as Walton is awful. I can't count on him to be a solid player when he can't shoot to save his life, and the newcomers are young. The backcourt issues and lack of bulk on the interior keep them from the top of the league. -Texas A&M is again the victim of a coach leaving for greener pastures as Mark Turgeon used them much like Billy Clyde Gillispie did. He did far better than I expected, and they bring in an alum to continue the program. Billy Kennedy doesn't need to rebuild, more like maintain the program. David Loubeau returned to school and he is a guy that can't be stopped on a good day. He is a great interior scorer and Khris Middleton returns adding defense. Middleton got a lot of hype early last year that he couldn't live up to, which I don't think he can do this year either. TAMU has two solid backcourt returners in pass-only PG Dash Harris and Naji Hibbert, but neither will score. Behind Loubeau and Middleton are role players and nothing more. -Texas is my alma-mater, but don't expect me to ever say nice things about Rick Barnes because he's terrible. All he can do is recruit, which he did well this year despite losing three 1st rounders, but the cupboard is pretty bare. There is no inside scoring, so expect a fast-paced team to move even faster with J'Covan Brown being the best returner. Top PG recruit Myck Kabongo will get the team up the floor, too, so expect them to struggle on the road while mopping the court with bad teams. -Frank Martin's Wildcats are the last team with a shot for a tournament bid, which I'm not even sure Texas will get. They lost their heart, soul and best scorer when Jacob Pullen exhausted his eligibility, which leaves them with no scorer or late-game FT shooter. K-State struggled last season with guard play, which should be difficult again although I expect Will Spradling to have a bigger role and that will be good for KSU. Interior is worse and has little scoring besides Jamar Samuels, but they'll play strong D and rebound.
Breakout team: Iowa State -Not sure they'll gel for a while, but they have more talent than I've seen from them in years thanks to all the transfers. I think they could be a post-season candidate if they click, which would be a huge improvement for Hoiberg.
0
Big XII Tiers:
Mizzou/Baylor/TAMU-KU-UT/K-State-ISU-OU/OSU-TTU
pre-season winner: Mizzou
Explanation: -Going to be very different from the pack on Kansas I feel, even with the news coming out about McLemore and Anderson being ineligible for the season. The Jayhawks are going to continue to have one of the greatest HCAs in the country, but their roster is nothing compared to what it has been in the past. Tyshawn Taylor returns at the point, which is key, but he isn't someone you can count on even as a senior because he does dumb things on and off the court like getting suspended for two games last season. Inside, Thomas Robinson is a guy you want to root for who should produce, but he has never had to do it on his own and I'm not sure it will be a smooth transition. Withey will help with interior defense, but he didn't play much last year so it will be very tough to expect a lot from him. -Mizzou has the best roster coming back even with Bowers' ACL injury, especially in their backcourt. I'm not sure Haith will employ the full-court game like Mike Anderson did, especially because he likes playing the zone. Questions have definitely been raised about him as a coach, which makes him a bizarre hire, so he might be a guy we have to watch early in the year to see if he's ruining this team. Their backcourt will score a ton and they have depth, questions in the frontcourt without Bowers even with Ricardo Ratcliffe looking like an absolute stud. Some solid role players behind him, but nothing to be scared of now that Mitchell moved on to UNT. -Scott Drew's Baylor Bears are up there as well, but counting on them is like expecting Congress to balance our budget. They have the best player in the conference returning in Perry Jones III, but he left a lot to be desired last year for me. He can shoot and has a huge wingspan, but he's not a big body and I don't think he can battle inside against good teams. There are a couple other PJ3 clones on the team, so you know they'll rebound, but I have concerns about their PG situation as Walton is awful. I can't count on him to be a solid player when he can't shoot to save his life, and the newcomers are young. The backcourt issues and lack of bulk on the interior keep them from the top of the league. -Texas A&M is again the victim of a coach leaving for greener pastures as Mark Turgeon used them much like Billy Clyde Gillispie did. He did far better than I expected, and they bring in an alum to continue the program. Billy Kennedy doesn't need to rebuild, more like maintain the program. David Loubeau returned to school and he is a guy that can't be stopped on a good day. He is a great interior scorer and Khris Middleton returns adding defense. Middleton got a lot of hype early last year that he couldn't live up to, which I don't think he can do this year either. TAMU has two solid backcourt returners in pass-only PG Dash Harris and Naji Hibbert, but neither will score. Behind Loubeau and Middleton are role players and nothing more. -Texas is my alma-mater, but don't expect me to ever say nice things about Rick Barnes because he's terrible. All he can do is recruit, which he did well this year despite losing three 1st rounders, but the cupboard is pretty bare. There is no inside scoring, so expect a fast-paced team to move even faster with J'Covan Brown being the best returner. Top PG recruit Myck Kabongo will get the team up the floor, too, so expect them to struggle on the road while mopping the court with bad teams. -Frank Martin's Wildcats are the last team with a shot for a tournament bid, which I'm not even sure Texas will get. They lost their heart, soul and best scorer when Jacob Pullen exhausted his eligibility, which leaves them with no scorer or late-game FT shooter. K-State struggled last season with guard play, which should be difficult again although I expect Will Spradling to have a bigger role and that will be good for KSU. Interior is worse and has little scoring besides Jamar Samuels, but they'll play strong D and rebound.
Breakout team: Iowa State -Not sure they'll gel for a while, but they have more talent than I've seen from them in years thanks to all the transfers. I think they could be a post-season candidate if they click, which would be a huge improvement for Hoiberg.
Big XII Tiers:
Mizzou/Baylor/TAMU-KU-UT/K-State-ISU-OU/OSU-TTU
pre-season winner: Mizzou
Explanation: -Going to be very different from the pack on Kansas I feel, even with the news coming out about McLemore and Anderson being ineligible for the season. The Jayhawks are going to continue to have one of the greatest HCAs in the country, but their roster is nothing compared to what it has been in the past. Tyshawn Taylor returns at the point, which is key, but he isn't someone you can count on even as a senior because he does dumb things on and off the court like getting suspended for two games last season. Inside, Thomas Robinson is a guy you want to root for who should produce, but he has never had to do it on his own and I'm not sure it will be a smooth transition. Withey will help with interior defense, but he didn't play much last year so it will be very tough to expect a lot from him. -Mizzou has the best roster coming back even with Bowers' ACL injury, especially in their backcourt. I'm not sure Haith will employ the full-court game like Mike Anderson did, especially because he likes playing the zone. Questions have definitely been raised about him as a coach, which makes him a bizarre hire, so he might be a guy we have to watch early in the year to see if he's ruining this team. Their backcourt will score a ton and they have depth, questions in the frontcourt without Bowers even with Ricardo Ratcliffe looking like an absolute stud. Some solid role players behind him, but nothing to be scared of now that Mitchell moved on to UNT. -Scott Drew's Baylor Bears are up there as well, but counting on them is like expecting Congress to balance our budget. They have the best player in the conference returning in Perry Jones III, but he left a lot to be desired last year for me. He can shoot and has a huge wingspan, but he's not a big body and I don't think he can battle inside against good teams. There are a couple other PJ3 clones on the team, so you know they'll rebound, but I have concerns about their PG situation as Walton is awful. I can't count on him to be a solid player when he can't shoot to save his life, and the newcomers are young. The backcourt issues and lack of bulk on the interior keep them from the top of the league. -Texas A&M is again the victim of a coach leaving for greener pastures as Mark Turgeon used them much like Billy Clyde Gillispie did. He did far better than I expected, and they bring in an alum to continue the program. Billy Kennedy doesn't need to rebuild, more like maintain the program. David Loubeau returned to school and he is a guy that can't be stopped on a good day. He is a great interior scorer and Khris Middleton returns adding defense. Middleton got a lot of hype early last year that he couldn't live up to, which I don't think he can do this year either. TAMU has two solid backcourt returners in pass-only PG Dash Harris and Naji Hibbert, but neither will score. Behind Loubeau and Middleton are role players and nothing more. -Texas is my alma-mater, but don't expect me to ever say nice things about Rick Barnes because he's terrible. All he can do is recruit, which he did well this year despite losing three 1st rounders, but the cupboard is pretty bare. There is no inside scoring, so expect a fast-paced team to move even faster with J'Covan Brown being the best returner. Top PG recruit Myck Kabongo will get the team up the floor, too, so expect them to struggle on the road while mopping the court with bad teams. -Frank Martin's Wildcats are the last team with a shot for a tournament bid, which I'm not even sure Texas will get. They lost their heart, soul and best scorer when Jacob Pullen exhausted his eligibility, which leaves them with no scorer or late-game FT shooter. K-State struggled last season with guard play, which should be difficult again although I expect Will Spradling to have a bigger role and that will be good for KSU. Interior is worse and has little scoring besides Jamar Samuels, but they'll play strong D and rebound.
Breakout team: Iowa State -Not sure they'll gel for a while, but they have more talent than I've seen from them in years thanks to all the transfers. I think they could be a post-season candidate if they click, which would be a huge improvement for Hoiberg.
I couldn't agree more about Baylor. If you were going based just on how a team looks, Baylor would be a Top 10 team but they play so undisciplined at times they are tough to get a read on. It will be interesting to see if they can put it all together this year.
I was watching Midnight Madness and I think it was Jay Bilas who said to watch out for Iowa State too. He thinks they are going to surprise people this year.
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Quote Originally Posted by GWarner27:
Big XII Tiers:
Mizzou/Baylor/TAMU-KU-UT/K-State-ISU-OU/OSU-TTU
pre-season winner: Mizzou
Explanation: -Going to be very different from the pack on Kansas I feel, even with the news coming out about McLemore and Anderson being ineligible for the season. The Jayhawks are going to continue to have one of the greatest HCAs in the country, but their roster is nothing compared to what it has been in the past. Tyshawn Taylor returns at the point, which is key, but he isn't someone you can count on even as a senior because he does dumb things on and off the court like getting suspended for two games last season. Inside, Thomas Robinson is a guy you want to root for who should produce, but he has never had to do it on his own and I'm not sure it will be a smooth transition. Withey will help with interior defense, but he didn't play much last year so it will be very tough to expect a lot from him. -Mizzou has the best roster coming back even with Bowers' ACL injury, especially in their backcourt. I'm not sure Haith will employ the full-court game like Mike Anderson did, especially because he likes playing the zone. Questions have definitely been raised about him as a coach, which makes him a bizarre hire, so he might be a guy we have to watch early in the year to see if he's ruining this team. Their backcourt will score a ton and they have depth, questions in the frontcourt without Bowers even with Ricardo Ratcliffe looking like an absolute stud. Some solid role players behind him, but nothing to be scared of now that Mitchell moved on to UNT. -Scott Drew's Baylor Bears are up there as well, but counting on them is like expecting Congress to balance our budget. They have the best player in the conference returning in Perry Jones III, but he left a lot to be desired last year for me. He can shoot and has a huge wingspan, but he's not a big body and I don't think he can battle inside against good teams. There are a couple other PJ3 clones on the team, so you know they'll rebound, but I have concerns about their PG situation as Walton is awful. I can't count on him to be a solid player when he can't shoot to save his life, and the newcomers are young. The backcourt issues and lack of bulk on the interior keep them from the top of the league. -Texas A&M is again the victim of a coach leaving for greener pastures as Mark Turgeon used them much like Billy Clyde Gillispie did. He did far better than I expected, and they bring in an alum to continue the program. Billy Kennedy doesn't need to rebuild, more like maintain the program. David Loubeau returned to school and he is a guy that can't be stopped on a good day. He is a great interior scorer and Khris Middleton returns adding defense. Middleton got a lot of hype early last year that he couldn't live up to, which I don't think he can do this year either. TAMU has two solid backcourt returners in pass-only PG Dash Harris and Naji Hibbert, but neither will score. Behind Loubeau and Middleton are role players and nothing more. -Texas is my alma-mater, but don't expect me to ever say nice things about Rick Barnes because he's terrible. All he can do is recruit, which he did well this year despite losing three 1st rounders, but the cupboard is pretty bare. There is no inside scoring, so expect a fast-paced team to move even faster with J'Covan Brown being the best returner. Top PG recruit Myck Kabongo will get the team up the floor, too, so expect them to struggle on the road while mopping the court with bad teams. -Frank Martin's Wildcats are the last team with a shot for a tournament bid, which I'm not even sure Texas will get. They lost their heart, soul and best scorer when Jacob Pullen exhausted his eligibility, which leaves them with no scorer or late-game FT shooter. K-State struggled last season with guard play, which should be difficult again although I expect Will Spradling to have a bigger role and that will be good for KSU. Interior is worse and has little scoring besides Jamar Samuels, but they'll play strong D and rebound.
Breakout team: Iowa State -Not sure they'll gel for a while, but they have more talent than I've seen from them in years thanks to all the transfers. I think they could be a post-season candidate if they click, which would be a huge improvement for Hoiberg.
I couldn't agree more about Baylor. If you were going based just on how a team looks, Baylor would be a Top 10 team but they play so undisciplined at times they are tough to get a read on. It will be interesting to see if they can put it all together this year.
I was watching Midnight Madness and I think it was Jay Bilas who said to watch out for Iowa State too. He thinks they are going to surprise people this year.
Should be some great spots for unders in Providence games... also should be some nice chances to get them as big underdogs...
This is different from most coaching changes.... Cooley is gonna completely revamp the style and toughness of the team.... They are no longer gonna be an out of control run and gun team... they are probably gonna play almost 10 less possessions per game.... He's also stressing 100% on defense, and not focusing much on offense.
I have a feeling they will struggle to win many games... but they will be in every game because of the toughness that Cooley brings. They will play defense and won't get blown out very often. Players are gonna actually be accountable for there actions, so they have to fight harder then under Keno and even Welsh.
I could see them with the same record as last year in the Big East (4-14) , but it will be a much more satisfying 4-14 record....
0
Should be some great spots for unders in Providence games... also should be some nice chances to get them as big underdogs...
This is different from most coaching changes.... Cooley is gonna completely revamp the style and toughness of the team.... They are no longer gonna be an out of control run and gun team... they are probably gonna play almost 10 less possessions per game.... He's also stressing 100% on defense, and not focusing much on offense.
I have a feeling they will struggle to win many games... but they will be in every game because of the toughness that Cooley brings. They will play defense and won't get blown out very often. Players are gonna actually be accountable for there actions, so they have to fight harder then under Keno and even Welsh.
I could see them with the same record as last year in the Big East (4-14) , but it will be a much more satisfying 4-14 record....
Big Ten Tiers:
tOSU-MICH-WIS-NW/ILL/MSU/PUR/MINN/IND/Iowa-NEB-PSU
pre-season winner: Ohio State
Explanation: -Not much to say about Ohio State. They are solid everywhere and should be playing in Nawlins -Michigan is a team I had pegged late last year to play in Maui as they'll be really good, but Morris going pro was a big hit. They have no PG and they'll have to figure that out because he was huge allowing their shooters to get open looks. They'll still shoot the ball well, but until they won't be what I was hoping for until they can get a guy to prove he can drive the ball. UM is gonna need to prove they can rebound the basketball, too. -Bo Ryan's squad will be good as always. Jared Berggren impressed me a lot last year although he didn't play much, and I think he'll have the keys to the car by default this year with his polished post moves. Jordan Taylor brings greatness to the point for another year and the team won't give away possessions. They lost a lot when Leuer got drafted and when Nankivil graduated, so expect growing pains while still making the tournament. -I'll call for Northwestern to finally get a bid. They return a lot of talent everywhere besides the point, which is key but they run a weird offense that may not need it as much as other offenses. Somehow they need to shoot well on the road to get this bid, which is on them to prove because they really haven't done it in my lifetime. If they can do that, they're in, simple as that.
Lumped in: -Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue and Minnesota are all the same to me. They all have huge question marks and don't seem solid enough to count on. Izzo and Painter are great coaches, but they don't have the talent to be on the list with the Illini and the Gophers. I wouldn't be shocked if a couple on this list make it, but at this point I don't like their chances.
Breakout team: Indiana -It's been a long three years for Tom Creane, but I like his squad with the addition of a Zeller. This Zeller, Cody, has huge expectations and is staying in his home state. I doubt he'll be anywhere near how polished his brother is, but having him means a lot. I grouped them with the possible NCAA teams in the bottom of that tier because they have a bunch of pieces. Watford, Jones III, Hulls and Pritchard have shown they can do good things on this level, and Zeller can only add to that. No Maurice Creek is unfortunate, but it's not a new thing so I'm sure the Hoosiers won't miss him too much.
0
Big Ten Tiers:
tOSU-MICH-WIS-NW/ILL/MSU/PUR/MINN/IND/Iowa-NEB-PSU
pre-season winner: Ohio State
Explanation: -Not much to say about Ohio State. They are solid everywhere and should be playing in Nawlins -Michigan is a team I had pegged late last year to play in Maui as they'll be really good, but Morris going pro was a big hit. They have no PG and they'll have to figure that out because he was huge allowing their shooters to get open looks. They'll still shoot the ball well, but until they won't be what I was hoping for until they can get a guy to prove he can drive the ball. UM is gonna need to prove they can rebound the basketball, too. -Bo Ryan's squad will be good as always. Jared Berggren impressed me a lot last year although he didn't play much, and I think he'll have the keys to the car by default this year with his polished post moves. Jordan Taylor brings greatness to the point for another year and the team won't give away possessions. They lost a lot when Leuer got drafted and when Nankivil graduated, so expect growing pains while still making the tournament. -I'll call for Northwestern to finally get a bid. They return a lot of talent everywhere besides the point, which is key but they run a weird offense that may not need it as much as other offenses. Somehow they need to shoot well on the road to get this bid, which is on them to prove because they really haven't done it in my lifetime. If they can do that, they're in, simple as that.
Lumped in: -Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue and Minnesota are all the same to me. They all have huge question marks and don't seem solid enough to count on. Izzo and Painter are great coaches, but they don't have the talent to be on the list with the Illini and the Gophers. I wouldn't be shocked if a couple on this list make it, but at this point I don't like their chances.
Breakout team: Indiana -It's been a long three years for Tom Creane, but I like his squad with the addition of a Zeller. This Zeller, Cody, has huge expectations and is staying in his home state. I doubt he'll be anywhere near how polished his brother is, but having him means a lot. I grouped them with the possible NCAA teams in the bottom of that tier because they have a bunch of pieces. Watford, Jones III, Hulls and Pritchard have shown they can do good things on this level, and Zeller can only add to that. No Maurice Creek is unfortunate, but it's not a new thing so I'm sure the Hoosiers won't miss him too much.
I couldn't agree more about Baylor. If you were going based just on how a team looks, Baylor would be a Top 10 team but they play so undisciplined at times they are tough to get a read on. It will be interesting to see if they can put it all together this year.
I was watching Midnight Madness and I think it was Jay Bilas who said to watch out for Iowa State too. He thinks they are going to surprise people this year.
much like your Baylor comment, Iowa State looks great on paper. They have a bunch of talent, even if that talent was seen elsewhere. Hoiberg will need to figure something out to replace the loss of Diante Garrett, but if he can do that they will be a postseason team maybe even flirting with an NCAA tournament bid
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Quote Originally Posted by The_Outfit:
I couldn't agree more about Baylor. If you were going based just on how a team looks, Baylor would be a Top 10 team but they play so undisciplined at times they are tough to get a read on. It will be interesting to see if they can put it all together this year.
I was watching Midnight Madness and I think it was Jay Bilas who said to watch out for Iowa State too. He thinks they are going to surprise people this year.
much like your Baylor comment, Iowa State looks great on paper. They have a bunch of talent, even if that talent was seen elsewhere. Hoiberg will need to figure something out to replace the loss of Diante Garrett, but if he can do that they will be a postseason team maybe even flirting with an NCAA tournament bid
Big Ten Tiers:
tOSU-MICH-WIS-NW/ILL/MSU/PUR/MINN/IND/Iowa-NEB-PSU
pre-season winner: Ohio State
Explanation: -Not much to say about Ohio State. They are solid everywhere and should be playing in Nawlins -Michigan is a team I had pegged late last year to play in Maui as they'll be really good, but Morris going pro was a big hit. They have no PG and they'll have to figure that out because he was huge allowing their shooters to get open looks. They'll still shoot the ball well, but until they won't be what I was hoping for until they can get a guy to prove he can drive the ball. UM is gonna need to prove they can rebound the basketball, too. -Bo Ryan's squad will be good as always. Jared Berggren impressed me a lot last year although he didn't play much, and I think he'll have the keys to the car by default this year with his polished post moves. Jordan Taylor brings greatness to the point for another year and the team won't give away possessions. They lost a lot when Leuer got drafted and when Nankivil graduated, so expect growing pains while still making the tournament. -I'll call for Northwestern to finally get a bid. They return a lot of talent everywhere besides the point, which is key but they run a weird offense that may not need it as much as other offenses. Somehow they need to shoot well on the road to get this bid, which is on them to prove because they really haven't done it in my lifetime. If they can do that, they're in, simple as that.
Lumped in: -Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue and Minnesota are all the same to me. They all have huge question marks and don't seem solid enough to count on. Izzo and Painter are great coaches, but they don't have the talent to be on the list with the Illini and the Gophers. I wouldn't be shocked if a couple on this list make it, but at this point I don't like their chances.
Breakout team: Indiana -It's been a long three years for Tom Creane, but I like his squad with the addition of a Zeller. This Zeller, Cody, has huge expectations and is staying in his home state. I doubt he'll be anywhere near how polished his brother is, but having him means a lot. I grouped them with the possible NCAA teams in the bottom of that tier because they have a bunch of pieces. Watford, Jones III, Hulls and Pritchard have shown they can do good things on this level, and Zeller can only add to that. No Maurice Creek is unfortunate, but it's not a new thing so I'm sure the Hoosiers won't miss him too much.
I don't think any team had a bigger defection to the NBA than Michigan losing Morris. I still think the Wolverines will be good but that's a huge loss for that team.
0
Quote Originally Posted by GWarner27:
Big Ten Tiers:
tOSU-MICH-WIS-NW/ILL/MSU/PUR/MINN/IND/Iowa-NEB-PSU
pre-season winner: Ohio State
Explanation: -Not much to say about Ohio State. They are solid everywhere and should be playing in Nawlins -Michigan is a team I had pegged late last year to play in Maui as they'll be really good, but Morris going pro was a big hit. They have no PG and they'll have to figure that out because he was huge allowing their shooters to get open looks. They'll still shoot the ball well, but until they won't be what I was hoping for until they can get a guy to prove he can drive the ball. UM is gonna need to prove they can rebound the basketball, too. -Bo Ryan's squad will be good as always. Jared Berggren impressed me a lot last year although he didn't play much, and I think he'll have the keys to the car by default this year with his polished post moves. Jordan Taylor brings greatness to the point for another year and the team won't give away possessions. They lost a lot when Leuer got drafted and when Nankivil graduated, so expect growing pains while still making the tournament. -I'll call for Northwestern to finally get a bid. They return a lot of talent everywhere besides the point, which is key but they run a weird offense that may not need it as much as other offenses. Somehow they need to shoot well on the road to get this bid, which is on them to prove because they really haven't done it in my lifetime. If they can do that, they're in, simple as that.
Lumped in: -Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue and Minnesota are all the same to me. They all have huge question marks and don't seem solid enough to count on. Izzo and Painter are great coaches, but they don't have the talent to be on the list with the Illini and the Gophers. I wouldn't be shocked if a couple on this list make it, but at this point I don't like their chances.
Breakout team: Indiana -It's been a long three years for Tom Creane, but I like his squad with the addition of a Zeller. This Zeller, Cody, has huge expectations and is staying in his home state. I doubt he'll be anywhere near how polished his brother is, but having him means a lot. I grouped them with the possible NCAA teams in the bottom of that tier because they have a bunch of pieces. Watford, Jones III, Hulls and Pritchard have shown they can do good things on this level, and Zeller can only add to that. No Maurice Creek is unfortunate, but it's not a new thing so I'm sure the Hoosiers won't miss him too much.
I don't think any team had a bigger defection to the NBA than Michigan losing Morris. I still think the Wolverines will be good but that's a huge loss for that team.
Should be some great spots for unders in Providence games... also should be some nice chances to get them as big underdogs...
This is different from most coaching changes.... Cooley is gonna completely revamp the style and toughness of the team.... They are no longer gonna be an out of control run and gun team... they are probably gonna play almost 10 less possessions per game.... He's also stressing 100% on defense, and not focusing much on offense.
I have a feeling they will struggle to win many games... but they will be in every game because of the toughness that Cooley brings. They will play defense and won't get blown out very often. Players are gonna actually be accountable for there actions, so they have to fight harder then under Keno and even Welsh.
I could see them with the same record as last year in the Big East (4-14) , but it will be a much more satisfying 4-14 record....
i agree that there should be under opportunities with them because they may play something that resembles defense considering how much of an improvement that would be compared to whatever the hell Keno told them to play. I will not be backing them much because their roster is awful without Marshon and I fear trying to predict how many times we'll say "what the f*ck, Council" this season.
hope things are good BL
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Quote Originally Posted by BrianLaverty:
Should be some great spots for unders in Providence games... also should be some nice chances to get them as big underdogs...
This is different from most coaching changes.... Cooley is gonna completely revamp the style and toughness of the team.... They are no longer gonna be an out of control run and gun team... they are probably gonna play almost 10 less possessions per game.... He's also stressing 100% on defense, and not focusing much on offense.
I have a feeling they will struggle to win many games... but they will be in every game because of the toughness that Cooley brings. They will play defense and won't get blown out very often. Players are gonna actually be accountable for there actions, so they have to fight harder then under Keno and even Welsh.
I could see them with the same record as last year in the Big East (4-14) , but it will be a much more satisfying 4-14 record....
i agree that there should be under opportunities with them because they may play something that resembles defense considering how much of an improvement that would be compared to whatever the hell Keno told them to play. I will not be backing them much because their roster is awful without Marshon and I fear trying to predict how many times we'll say "what the f*ck, Council" this season.
Ohio St. is definitely the team to beat in the Big Ten.
Until Michigan proves they've found a capable replacement for Morris, they're behind Wisconsin in my book.
I think Indiana finds a way to make it into the tournament this year.
Iowa will beat a few teams that they shouldn't, and with a few right bounces, could see themselves on the NCAA bubble. They'll play some sort of postseason basketball (my guess is NIT).
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Ohio St. is definitely the team to beat in the Big Ten.
Until Michigan proves they've found a capable replacement for Morris, they're behind Wisconsin in my book.
I think Indiana finds a way to make it into the tournament this year.
Iowa will beat a few teams that they shouldn't, and with a few right bounces, could see themselves on the NCAA bubble. They'll play some sort of postseason basketball (my guess is NIT).
Ohio St. is definitely the team to beat in the Big Ten.
Until Michigan proves they've found a capable replacement for Morris, they're behind Wisconsin in my book.
I think Indiana finds a way to make it into the tournament this year.
Iowa will beat a few teams that they shouldn't, and with a few right bounces, could see themselves on the NCAA bubble. They'll play some sort of postseason basketball (my guess is NIT).
I'm not sure how much they really need a PG in that offense to make it work, but when they have one and he's as good as Morris they're a really difficult team to beat considering they could space the floor and knock down shots with all four other guys while still having enough size to compete. Can't zone them because they'll shoot you out of it, can't play man because Morris would get to the rim. Sad to see him gone because they would have been very good this year, but oh well.
I really like Indiana, but I'm being cautious before annointing them because they have no PG either and that's big for them. Plus I'm not sure about Zeller until I can watch him play...
Agree that Fran will steal a few, need more than Masabe to compete with everybody though
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Quote Originally Posted by TRoe15:
Ohio St. is definitely the team to beat in the Big Ten.
Until Michigan proves they've found a capable replacement for Morris, they're behind Wisconsin in my book.
I think Indiana finds a way to make it into the tournament this year.
Iowa will beat a few teams that they shouldn't, and with a few right bounces, could see themselves on the NCAA bubble. They'll play some sort of postseason basketball (my guess is NIT).
I'm not sure how much they really need a PG in that offense to make it work, but when they have one and he's as good as Morris they're a really difficult team to beat considering they could space the floor and knock down shots with all four other guys while still having enough size to compete. Can't zone them because they'll shoot you out of it, can't play man because Morris would get to the rim. Sad to see him gone because they would have been very good this year, but oh well.
I really like Indiana, but I'm being cautious before annointing them because they have no PG either and that's big for them. Plus I'm not sure about Zeller until I can watch him play...
Agree that Fran will steal a few, need more than Masabe to compete with everybody though
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