Surprisingly Good
Air Force - They just went on the road and beat Major Conference squads Stanford and Colorado on their own courts- by a combined 72 points! Duke should be able to handle them on Monday; but not without a fight.
Michigan State - topping Texas and almost beating Maryland with such a young team is impressive.
Oral Roberts - If a team that I don't even have pegged to win the Mid-Con over IUPUI can beat my #1 team Kansas on their home floor, they're surprisingly good.
Oregon - I had them being surprisingly good before the season, but if 5'6" freshman Tajuan Porter can score in the 20's every night (so far an avg. of 27.5 ppg), this team can SOAR.
Butler - I had them beating Notre Dame in an upset, but I though Indiana could handle them. Wrong. Butler looks really good and should be able to take the Horizon League.
Maryland - Beating MSU in the finals was good, but absolutely demoralizing St. John's in the semifinals was even better.
Pittsburgh - I don't like Pittsburgh. But they've proved that they're good. Even without Aaron Gray for much of yesterday's UMASS game, they pretty much dominated. I don't think this'll be the same story in Big East play, though. They'll have a lot of close games.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Open Letter to College Hoops Fans
Dear Friends,
The world is going to pot.
UNC almost lost to Winthrop. Kansas is losing by 5 right now to Oral Roberts. Northewestern State (not even the real Northwestern) has closed a double digit gap on Oklahoma State; they now trail by only one. Georgetown may very well lose later tonight at the hands of Vanderbilt.
My rankings are being exposed as fraudulent and my heart cannot take it. But soft, BEHOLD -beyond yonder wrath there lies a golden beach, the sands of which wedge between thine toes. Be aware that no trace of your presence will be left here after the sea washes over your eyelids.
The world is going to pot.
UNC almost lost to Winthrop. Kansas is losing by 5 right now to Oral Roberts. Northewestern State (not even the real Northwestern) has closed a double digit gap on Oklahoma State; they now trail by only one. Georgetown may very well lose later tonight at the hands of Vanderbilt.
My rankings are being exposed as fraudulent and my heart cannot take it. But soft, BEHOLD -beyond yonder wrath there lies a golden beach, the sands of which wedge between thine toes. Be aware that no trace of your presence will be left here after the sea washes over your eyelids.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Opening Week Observations
1. UPSETS
-Bradley has recently dropped to 9th in the MVC in most prediction magazines, and DePaul is climbing up the Big East ladder. Seems like an easy victory for Depaul on paper, right? Well Saturday they were PULVERIZED BY THE BRAVES, 78-58
- Marist is looked upon as one of the top small conference schools in the nation, but apparently they left their true colours behind this weekend as they got smashed by the Ohio Bobcats, 83-66.
-Washington State topped UAB 71-60 in a game where I would've picked UAB. Guess they need more time to be any good.
-In my favorite match-up of the weekend, Charlotte topped Hofstra like I predicted. The final score was 88-82, though Hofstra came back from a sizeable halftime deficit to make it interesting. The 49ers aren't a bunch of cupcakes just because Curtis Withers left. They'll compete heavily in the A-10 this season and probably be in the picture in March.
2. WEAKNESS AND VULNERABILITY
UCONN and Quinnipac. Both of Michigan's games. Georgetown and a pesky Hartford team. All of these games were uncomfortably close for these big-conference schools. Perhaps most noteably of all, Marquette had to squeak one out over...Hillsdale College?
3. INTERESTING WEEKEND FOR MURRAY STATE
First they were barely beaten by top-25 candidate San Diego State, on none other than a half-court prayer by Brandon Heath as the buzzer sounded. Apparently demoralized and zombified, they dropped their next game to Division II Seattle-Pacific.
-Bradley has recently dropped to 9th in the MVC in most prediction magazines, and DePaul is climbing up the Big East ladder. Seems like an easy victory for Depaul on paper, right? Well Saturday they were PULVERIZED BY THE BRAVES, 78-58
- Marist is looked upon as one of the top small conference schools in the nation, but apparently they left their true colours behind this weekend as they got smashed by the Ohio Bobcats, 83-66.
-Washington State topped UAB 71-60 in a game where I would've picked UAB. Guess they need more time to be any good.
-In my favorite match-up of the weekend, Charlotte topped Hofstra like I predicted. The final score was 88-82, though Hofstra came back from a sizeable halftime deficit to make it interesting. The 49ers aren't a bunch of cupcakes just because Curtis Withers left. They'll compete heavily in the A-10 this season and probably be in the picture in March.
2. WEAKNESS AND VULNERABILITY
UCONN and Quinnipac. Both of Michigan's games. Georgetown and a pesky Hartford team. All of these games were uncomfortably close for these big-conference schools. Perhaps most noteably of all, Marquette had to squeak one out over...Hillsdale College?
3. INTERESTING WEEKEND FOR MURRAY STATE
First they were barely beaten by top-25 candidate San Diego State, on none other than a half-court prayer by Brandon Heath as the buzzer sounded. Apparently demoralized and zombified, they dropped their next game to Division II Seattle-Pacific.
Preseason Conference Rankings
ACC
1. UNC
2. Duke
3. Boston College
4. Georgia Tech
5. Maryland
6. Florida State
7. Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Clemson
10. Wake Forest
11. Miami
12. NC State
Notes - The middle of the pack is the trickiest here. 5-8 will be closely knit, and only 2 of those teams will probably go to the NCAA tourney. The others will make serious noise in the NIT.
BIG 10
1. Ohio State
2. Wisconsin
3. Michigan
4. Illinois
5. Indiana
6. Penn State
7. Michigan State
8. Purdue
9. Iowa
10. Northwestern
11. Minnesota
Notes - Wisconsin will be a failure for those of you who have them #4 in the nation. Ohio State's talent will come together through the season, and they'll truly flourish with the debut of Greg Oden. Michgian and Illinois are both very good 3rd place candidates, while Indiana is a bit overrated by most. I like Penn State's chances as a sleeper team. I don't really have a strong feeling about MSU, Purdue, and Iowa; those 3 could all trade places. The bottom two are clear, though.
BIG 12
1. Kansas
2. Texas A&M
3. Oklahoma State
4. Texas
5. Texas Tech
6. Kansas State
7. Baylor
8. Oklahoma
9. Missouri
10. Colorado
11. Iowa State
12. Nebraska
Notes - Kansas should be close to dominating this league. They should only really fear Texas; as they could pose a serious threat if their youth can all come together. I fear that they'll face inconsistency. That's why Texas A&M and Oklahoma State are ahead of them. I think Texas A&M will be consistently good but never great, and Oklahoma State could steal some huge wins early in the season. Texas Tech and Kansas State are close, too, but I think Bobby Knight's Red Raiders are ready for the Big Dance. Colorado's fate hangs in Richard Roby's supporting cast. They could fall to last.
BIG EAST
1. Georgetown
2. Pittsburgh
3. Syracuse
4. UCONN
5. Villanova
6. Marquette
7. Louisville
8. St John's
9. DePaul
10. Cincinnati
11. Providence
12. Notre Dame
13. West Virginia
14. Rutgers
15. Seton Hall
16. South Florida
Notes - Georgetown over Pittsburgh and St John's over DePaul. Those were my two bold predictions that I'm standing by, though I've had my doubts. Syracuse is a clear #3 for me; I don't know where people who have them 7th are coming from. UCONN is a clear 4th. Villanova and Marquette will go down like this - VIllanova will have a better conference record and more consistency, Marquette has the ability to make a bigger splash on the national scene.
PAC-10
1. Arizona
2. UCLA
3. USC
4. Washington
5. Oregon
6. California
7. Stanford
8. Arizona State
9. Oregon State
10. Washington State
Notes - Arizona is a top four team. UCLA is a top 10 team. The rest are scrambled all over the place. I like Oregon more than Washington; however, it comes down to consistency again. Oregon will show flashes of greatness, and they'll show up in March. Washington will be consistent in the season then fall apart in the tourney. I just have an overall good feeling about USC though. Cal feels underrated in the bottom half of the conference, but the rest don't.
SEC
1. Florida
2. LSU
3. Alabama
4. Kentucky
5. Tennessee
6. Mississippi State
7. Vanderbilt
8. Arkansas
9. Georgia
10. South Carolina
11. Auburn
12. Ole Miss
Notes - The top 5 and the bottom 7 have a clear line between them. Maybe that can be blurred by the end of this season. The top 3 are very close, especially LSU and Alabama. Kentucky will be surprisingly good, and Tennessee will disappoint without 3 starters from last year. Chris Lofton can't do it all himself. Mississippi State will be a "flashes of greatness" team who's consistency will hurt them. Vandy could be really good, while Arkansas will disappoint.
Mid-Majors
A-10
1. Xavier
2. UMASS
3. Charlotte
4. St Louis
5. George Washington
6. Fordham
7. Dayton
8. St Joseph's
9. Temple
10. LaSalle
11. Rhode Island
12. Richmond
13. St Bonaventure
14. Duquesne
Notes - UMASS and Charlotte are interchangable. St Louis is a clear 4th and George Washington a clear 5th. Xavier clearly has the most talent. The bottom 4 are really bad; I had to put Duquesne last because their team was pretty much depleted further with a tragic shooting.
CAA
1. Hofstra
2. Old Dominion
3. George Mason
4. UNC-Wilmington
5. Drexel
6. Virginia Commonwealth
7. Towson
8. Northeastern
9. Georgia State
10. Delaware
11. William & Mary
12. James Madison
Notes -The top half is very strong. The bottom half is really, really bad. The bottomhalf is in complete shambles.
C-USA
1. Memphis
2. Houston
3. Rice
4. UAB
5. UTEP
6. Tulsa
7. Marshall
8. SMU
9. UCF
10. Tulane
11. East Carolina
12. Southern Miss
Notes - Memphis will have a dominant season, Houston may grab a tourney bid by winning the conference tourney. Rice will rise on Morris Almond's wings. UAB and UTEP are closely knit.
MAC
1. Akron
2. Toledo
3. Ohio
4. Kent State
5. Northern Illinois
6. Western Michigan
7. Miami OH
8. Ball State
9. Buffalo
10. Bowling Green
11. Eastern Michigan
12. Central Michigan
Notes - The top 7 is very good in the MAC. Without the burden of meeting expectations, Ohio may surprise. Akron and Toledo seem to be above the rest, but not by much. WMU's young talented squad could pull off some upsets, while Northern Illinois will be good after seeming "too good" last year.
MVC
1. Creighton
2. Southern Illinois
3. Wichita State
4. Missouri State
5. Bradley
6. Evansville
7. Northern Iowa
8. Drake
9. Illinois State
10. Indiana State
Notes - Bradley won't drop to 9th after being a Sweet 16 team last year. The loss of Patrick O'Bryant hurt them but it didn't completely destroy the school's dignity. Creighton will be consistently good while Southern Illinois should make an impact in March. Missouri State is hungry after being snubbed from our brackets last year.
MWC
1. San Diego State
2. Air Force
3. BYU
4. New Mexico
5. Utah
6. UNLV
7. Colorado State
8. Wyoming
9. TCU
Notes - San Diego State is easily the best team. Air Force and BYU will compete for a bid in March. New Mexico and Utah will be close, and both will ultimately have successful seasons. This conference isn't half as good all-around as some people are hyping it up to be.
WAC
1. Nevada
2. Fresno State
3. New Mexico State
4. Utah State
5. Hawaii
6. Boise State
7. LA Tech
8. San Jose State
9. Idaho
Notes - Nevada will dominate, Fresno State and New Mexico will compete for 2nd. A lot of mid-major conferences have this storyline. Utah State, Hawaii, and Boise State round out the winning records of the conference, as the rest could be in for ugly seasons.
WCC
1. Gonzaga
2. Loyola Maramount
3. St Mary's
4. San Francisco
5. Santa Clara
6. San Diego
7. Portland
8. Pepperdine
Notes - Without the stache, Gonzaga won't be as good, but they'll still be head and shoulders above the rest of the conference. The only way another team could sneak into the NCAA's is if Loyola Maramount, St Mary's, or San Francisco can step it up and upset them in the conference tourney.
1. UNC
2. Duke
3. Boston College
4. Georgia Tech
5. Maryland
6. Florida State
7. Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Clemson
10. Wake Forest
11. Miami
12. NC State
Notes - The middle of the pack is the trickiest here. 5-8 will be closely knit, and only 2 of those teams will probably go to the NCAA tourney. The others will make serious noise in the NIT.
BIG 10
1. Ohio State
2. Wisconsin
3. Michigan
4. Illinois
5. Indiana
6. Penn State
7. Michigan State
8. Purdue
9. Iowa
10. Northwestern
11. Minnesota
Notes - Wisconsin will be a failure for those of you who have them #4 in the nation. Ohio State's talent will come together through the season, and they'll truly flourish with the debut of Greg Oden. Michgian and Illinois are both very good 3rd place candidates, while Indiana is a bit overrated by most. I like Penn State's chances as a sleeper team. I don't really have a strong feeling about MSU, Purdue, and Iowa; those 3 could all trade places. The bottom two are clear, though.
BIG 12
1. Kansas
2. Texas A&M
3. Oklahoma State
4. Texas
5. Texas Tech
6. Kansas State
7. Baylor
8. Oklahoma
9. Missouri
10. Colorado
11. Iowa State
12. Nebraska
Notes - Kansas should be close to dominating this league. They should only really fear Texas; as they could pose a serious threat if their youth can all come together. I fear that they'll face inconsistency. That's why Texas A&M and Oklahoma State are ahead of them. I think Texas A&M will be consistently good but never great, and Oklahoma State could steal some huge wins early in the season. Texas Tech and Kansas State are close, too, but I think Bobby Knight's Red Raiders are ready for the Big Dance. Colorado's fate hangs in Richard Roby's supporting cast. They could fall to last.
BIG EAST
1. Georgetown
2. Pittsburgh
3. Syracuse
4. UCONN
5. Villanova
6. Marquette
7. Louisville
8. St John's
9. DePaul
10. Cincinnati
11. Providence
12. Notre Dame
13. West Virginia
14. Rutgers
15. Seton Hall
16. South Florida
Notes - Georgetown over Pittsburgh and St John's over DePaul. Those were my two bold predictions that I'm standing by, though I've had my doubts. Syracuse is a clear #3 for me; I don't know where people who have them 7th are coming from. UCONN is a clear 4th. Villanova and Marquette will go down like this - VIllanova will have a better conference record and more consistency, Marquette has the ability to make a bigger splash on the national scene.
PAC-10
1. Arizona
2. UCLA
3. USC
4. Washington
5. Oregon
6. California
7. Stanford
8. Arizona State
9. Oregon State
10. Washington State
Notes - Arizona is a top four team. UCLA is a top 10 team. The rest are scrambled all over the place. I like Oregon more than Washington; however, it comes down to consistency again. Oregon will show flashes of greatness, and they'll show up in March. Washington will be consistent in the season then fall apart in the tourney. I just have an overall good feeling about USC though. Cal feels underrated in the bottom half of the conference, but the rest don't.
SEC
1. Florida
2. LSU
3. Alabama
4. Kentucky
5. Tennessee
6. Mississippi State
7. Vanderbilt
8. Arkansas
9. Georgia
10. South Carolina
11. Auburn
12. Ole Miss
Notes - The top 5 and the bottom 7 have a clear line between them. Maybe that can be blurred by the end of this season. The top 3 are very close, especially LSU and Alabama. Kentucky will be surprisingly good, and Tennessee will disappoint without 3 starters from last year. Chris Lofton can't do it all himself. Mississippi State will be a "flashes of greatness" team who's consistency will hurt them. Vandy could be really good, while Arkansas will disappoint.
Mid-Majors
A-10
1. Xavier
2. UMASS
3. Charlotte
4. St Louis
5. George Washington
6. Fordham
7. Dayton
8. St Joseph's
9. Temple
10. LaSalle
11. Rhode Island
12. Richmond
13. St Bonaventure
14. Duquesne
Notes - UMASS and Charlotte are interchangable. St Louis is a clear 4th and George Washington a clear 5th. Xavier clearly has the most talent. The bottom 4 are really bad; I had to put Duquesne last because their team was pretty much depleted further with a tragic shooting.
CAA
1. Hofstra
2. Old Dominion
3. George Mason
4. UNC-Wilmington
5. Drexel
6. Virginia Commonwealth
7. Towson
8. Northeastern
9. Georgia State
10. Delaware
11. William & Mary
12. James Madison
Notes -The top half is very strong. The bottom half is really, really bad. The bottomhalf is in complete shambles.
C-USA
1. Memphis
2. Houston
3. Rice
4. UAB
5. UTEP
6. Tulsa
7. Marshall
8. SMU
9. UCF
10. Tulane
11. East Carolina
12. Southern Miss
Notes - Memphis will have a dominant season, Houston may grab a tourney bid by winning the conference tourney. Rice will rise on Morris Almond's wings. UAB and UTEP are closely knit.
MAC
1. Akron
2. Toledo
3. Ohio
4. Kent State
5. Northern Illinois
6. Western Michigan
7. Miami OH
8. Ball State
9. Buffalo
10. Bowling Green
11. Eastern Michigan
12. Central Michigan
Notes - The top 7 is very good in the MAC. Without the burden of meeting expectations, Ohio may surprise. Akron and Toledo seem to be above the rest, but not by much. WMU's young talented squad could pull off some upsets, while Northern Illinois will be good after seeming "too good" last year.
MVC
1. Creighton
2. Southern Illinois
3. Wichita State
4. Missouri State
5. Bradley
6. Evansville
7. Northern Iowa
8. Drake
9. Illinois State
10. Indiana State
Notes - Bradley won't drop to 9th after being a Sweet 16 team last year. The loss of Patrick O'Bryant hurt them but it didn't completely destroy the school's dignity. Creighton will be consistently good while Southern Illinois should make an impact in March. Missouri State is hungry after being snubbed from our brackets last year.
MWC
1. San Diego State
2. Air Force
3. BYU
4. New Mexico
5. Utah
6. UNLV
7. Colorado State
8. Wyoming
9. TCU
Notes - San Diego State is easily the best team. Air Force and BYU will compete for a bid in March. New Mexico and Utah will be close, and both will ultimately have successful seasons. This conference isn't half as good all-around as some people are hyping it up to be.
WAC
1. Nevada
2. Fresno State
3. New Mexico State
4. Utah State
5. Hawaii
6. Boise State
7. LA Tech
8. San Jose State
9. Idaho
Notes - Nevada will dominate, Fresno State and New Mexico will compete for 2nd. A lot of mid-major conferences have this storyline. Utah State, Hawaii, and Boise State round out the winning records of the conference, as the rest could be in for ugly seasons.
WCC
1. Gonzaga
2. Loyola Maramount
3. St Mary's
4. San Francisco
5. Santa Clara
6. San Diego
7. Portland
8. Pepperdine
Notes - Without the stache, Gonzaga won't be as good, but they'll still be head and shoulders above the rest of the conference. The only way another team could sneak into the NCAA's is if Loyola Maramount, St Mary's, or San Francisco can step it up and upset them in the conference tourney.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Matt's Final Pre-Season
1. Kansas Jayhawks - 1st Big 12
Out of more than just sheer instinct, I think Kansas will have the best season in college hoops. They are so well balanced and deep, I can hardly see them losing to anyone in the Big 12. They have crazy amounts of athleticism, a true leader in Brandon Rush, and the determination to tear it up after being thrown out the past 2 years in the first round. Their only problem might come in the middle, but that can be minimized by a more uptempo pace than most.
2. Florida Gators - 1st SEC
The defending champs are human too. They'll underestimate some opponents, they'll have some shaky games. They may have the best starting 5 in the nation, but they're not as deep as Kansas. They're a powerhouse to be sure, but I see them dropping a few games.
3. UNC Tarheels - 1st ACC
A similar situation as Kansas; a sweet recruiting class and returning most of a good team from last year. They have a leader in Tyler Hansborough, but his game is more limited than Brandon Rush's. They strike me as a powerhouse, no doubt, but they will have to eek out some close ones.
4. Arizona Wildcats - 1st Pac-10
The top 3 teams are the same in every ranking you see, but the 4th team is usually different from poll to poll. In this case, I'm going for Arizona, who a lot of people don't even have winning the Pac-10. Lute Olsen is hyping up Chase Budinger, but he's far from their only weapon. Marcus Williams and Mustafa Shakur are a year better. Ivan Radenovic will need to take a small step up. But overall I really like this team's chances.
5. Ohio State - 1st Big 10
This ranking isn't official till January comes around, when Greg Oden suits up in red. Even until then, I have confidence in the young guys to step it up and hold down the fort, being a top 15 or so team. They'll be a real threat in the NCAA tourney.
6. Georgetown - 1st Big East
Georgetown has more star power than Pittsburgh, assuming that my prediction of 7'2" Roy Hibbert rising to Aaron Gray's level comes true. Also throw into the equation that Jeff Green will be working for a high pick in the NBA draft next June, and you've got a great team, despite inexperience (not holes) in the backcourt.
7. Duke - 2nd ACC
Duke isn't going to plummet to 20th in the nation. Duke is Duke, and will be Duke for as far as I can see. McRoberts is primed for a huge year. Martynas Pocius is a sleeper for a big year. Greg Paulus is a key player for them, but it's not like they'll just be awful without him. There's just too much pure talent here.
8. UCLA - 2nd Pac-10
I believe that Farmar was this teams anchor. It seems like his loss would be absolutely devestating, but Darren Collison is gonna step in and do some good things, and Josh Shipp helps balance out the loss of Farmar. This won't be Afflalo and Mbah-Moute against the world.
9. LSU - 2nd SEC
I don't think Tyrus Thomas was that big of a loss for the Tigers. LSU still holds their anchor Big Baby Davis , but I question if his supporting cast can be consistent.
10. Pittsburgh - 2nd Big East
Aaron Gray is a force inside, no doubt, but I don't think their other players will have the great season they showed hints of last year. The loss of Krauser DOES hurt, too.
11. Boston College - 3rd ACC
Craig Smith? Sean Williams is primed.
12. Syracuse - 3rd Big East
Devendorf will shoot the rock freely without G-Mac
13. Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
It's a gut feeling that Wisconsin can't live up to their hype. If all their talent comes together they could take the Big 10 by gaining wins on the weakened Ohio State
14. Alabama - 3rd SEC
It hurts to rate them this low, because they have a sweet sweet trio of players.
15. Texas A&M - 2nd Big 12
Jones and Law, but much more?
16. Memphis - 1st C-USA
17. UCONN - 4th Big East
18. Nevada - 1st WAC
19. Marquette - 5th Big East
20. Oklahoma State - 3rd Big 12
21. Creighton - 1st MVC
22. Kentucky - 4th SEC
23. USC - 3rd Pac-10
24. Texas - 4th Big 12
25. Villanova - 6th Big East
26. Georgia Tech - 4th ACC
27. Southern Illinois - 2nd MVC
28. Michigan - 3rd Big 10
29. San Diego State - 1st MWC
30. Washington - 4th Pac-10
31. Xavier - 1st A-10
32. Illinois - 4th Big 10
33. Oregon - 5th Pac-10
34. Tennessee - 5th SEC
35. Texas Tech - 5th Big 12
36. Wichita State - 3rd MVC
37. Gonzaga - 1st WCC
38. Hofstra - 1st CAA
39. Maryland - 5th ACC
40. Indiana - 5th Big 10
41. Florida St - 6th ACC
42. Louisville - 7th Big 12
43. Virginia - 7th ACC
44. Kansas State - 6th Big 12
45. Charlotte - 2nd A-10
46. Akron - 1st MAC
47. Air Force - 2nd MWC
48. California - 6th Pac-10
49. UMASS - 3rd A-10
50. Houston - 2nd C-USA
Out of more than just sheer instinct, I think Kansas will have the best season in college hoops. They are so well balanced and deep, I can hardly see them losing to anyone in the Big 12. They have crazy amounts of athleticism, a true leader in Brandon Rush, and the determination to tear it up after being thrown out the past 2 years in the first round. Their only problem might come in the middle, but that can be minimized by a more uptempo pace than most.
2. Florida Gators - 1st SEC
The defending champs are human too. They'll underestimate some opponents, they'll have some shaky games. They may have the best starting 5 in the nation, but they're not as deep as Kansas. They're a powerhouse to be sure, but I see them dropping a few games.
3. UNC Tarheels - 1st ACC
A similar situation as Kansas; a sweet recruiting class and returning most of a good team from last year. They have a leader in Tyler Hansborough, but his game is more limited than Brandon Rush's. They strike me as a powerhouse, no doubt, but they will have to eek out some close ones.
4. Arizona Wildcats - 1st Pac-10
The top 3 teams are the same in every ranking you see, but the 4th team is usually different from poll to poll. In this case, I'm going for Arizona, who a lot of people don't even have winning the Pac-10. Lute Olsen is hyping up Chase Budinger, but he's far from their only weapon. Marcus Williams and Mustafa Shakur are a year better. Ivan Radenovic will need to take a small step up. But overall I really like this team's chances.
5. Ohio State - 1st Big 10
This ranking isn't official till January comes around, when Greg Oden suits up in red. Even until then, I have confidence in the young guys to step it up and hold down the fort, being a top 15 or so team. They'll be a real threat in the NCAA tourney.
6. Georgetown - 1st Big East
Georgetown has more star power than Pittsburgh, assuming that my prediction of 7'2" Roy Hibbert rising to Aaron Gray's level comes true. Also throw into the equation that Jeff Green will be working for a high pick in the NBA draft next June, and you've got a great team, despite inexperience (not holes) in the backcourt.
7. Duke - 2nd ACC
Duke isn't going to plummet to 20th in the nation. Duke is Duke, and will be Duke for as far as I can see. McRoberts is primed for a huge year. Martynas Pocius is a sleeper for a big year. Greg Paulus is a key player for them, but it's not like they'll just be awful without him. There's just too much pure talent here.
8. UCLA - 2nd Pac-10
I believe that Farmar was this teams anchor. It seems like his loss would be absolutely devestating, but Darren Collison is gonna step in and do some good things, and Josh Shipp helps balance out the loss of Farmar. This won't be Afflalo and Mbah-Moute against the world.
9. LSU - 2nd SEC
I don't think Tyrus Thomas was that big of a loss for the Tigers. LSU still holds their anchor Big Baby Davis , but I question if his supporting cast can be consistent.
10. Pittsburgh - 2nd Big East
Aaron Gray is a force inside, no doubt, but I don't think their other players will have the great season they showed hints of last year. The loss of Krauser DOES hurt, too.
11. Boston College - 3rd ACC
Craig Smith? Sean Williams is primed.
12. Syracuse - 3rd Big East
Devendorf will shoot the rock freely without G-Mac
13. Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
It's a gut feeling that Wisconsin can't live up to their hype. If all their talent comes together they could take the Big 10 by gaining wins on the weakened Ohio State
14. Alabama - 3rd SEC
It hurts to rate them this low, because they have a sweet sweet trio of players.
15. Texas A&M - 2nd Big 12
Jones and Law, but much more?
16. Memphis - 1st C-USA
17. UCONN - 4th Big East
18. Nevada - 1st WAC
19. Marquette - 5th Big East
20. Oklahoma State - 3rd Big 12
21. Creighton - 1st MVC
22. Kentucky - 4th SEC
23. USC - 3rd Pac-10
24. Texas - 4th Big 12
25. Villanova - 6th Big East
26. Georgia Tech - 4th ACC
27. Southern Illinois - 2nd MVC
28. Michigan - 3rd Big 10
29. San Diego State - 1st MWC
30. Washington - 4th Pac-10
31. Xavier - 1st A-10
32. Illinois - 4th Big 10
33. Oregon - 5th Pac-10
34. Tennessee - 5th SEC
35. Texas Tech - 5th Big 12
36. Wichita State - 3rd MVC
37. Gonzaga - 1st WCC
38. Hofstra - 1st CAA
39. Maryland - 5th ACC
40. Indiana - 5th Big 10
41. Florida St - 6th ACC
42. Louisville - 7th Big 12
43. Virginia - 7th ACC
44. Kansas State - 6th Big 12
45. Charlotte - 2nd A-10
46. Akron - 1st MAC
47. Air Force - 2nd MWC
48. California - 6th Pac-10
49. UMASS - 3rd A-10
50. Houston - 2nd C-USA
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Conference Rankings
With a dotted line, I've separated them teams into different tiers of which I see them finishing. For example, if there's a line above #3 and below #6, I could see the 6th place team finishing anywhere from 3rd to 6th because those teams are on a pretty equal playing field.
ACC
1. UNC - It's unanimous; UNC is primed to be a top 3 team in the nation.
2. Duke - They lost Redick, Shelden Williams, and Dockery to graduation. But this is Duke; their scars heal like Wolverine's.
3. Boston College - Losing Craig Smith won't hurt BC as bad as some people think. They can grab some monsterous wins.
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4. Georgia Tech - 4th place talent, but they could place between 3rd and 7th in the conference.
5. Florida State - Al Thornton can pick up the slack of fat-man Alexander Johnson in the paint and become a first team all-ACC'er.
6. Virginia - Strong backcourt but shaky frontcourt.
7. Maryland - Not sure what to think of this team. We'll see how they manage without crucial players Chris McCray and Caner-Medley, and see if DJ Strawberry stops playing like a fruit.
8. Virginia Tech - A bunch of decent players who should mount up and soar to greater heights!
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9. Wake Forest - Last years awful team lost its 2 best players, but I have faith in their Top 10 recruiting class.
10. Clemson - They might take down some big names, and be taken out by no-names.
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11. Miami (FL) - Depleted backcourt, lucky they're not last
12. NC State - With about a 4 player roster and a new coach, this mangled and inexperienced team will struggle violently.
Atlantic 10
1. Xavier - Experience and new big-impact players make Xavier the team to beat in the A-10 this year.
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2. Charlotte - With the loss of Curtis Withers, size and rebounding becomes a question for the 49ers. But with their sensational backcourt, they can be a major player if they only get a couple big guys to step it up
3. St Louis - There's no reason that the Billikens should take a step back this year; I think their stock is about steady.
4. UMASS - I originally had this team pegged as my ultra-sleeper. As more and more previews came out, I found I wasn't alone. Now I've turned on them. They'll take a step forward, sure, but this team is experienced only in mediocrity and they won't content for the best record in the A-10. However, they could make a run in the A-10 tourney...
5. George Washington - They lost a lot, yet somehow I feel bad ranking them this low. They could very well be a tourney team when all is said and done.
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6. Fordham - This is a good team that could take the league by surprise.
7. Dayton - They're tough inside, but they won't make a huge impact anywhere else.
8. St Joseph's - Another building year before the Hawks once again become the face of the A-10
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9. Temple - One less Mardy Collins and John Chaney = stuggles for Temple.
10. LaSalle - Their Batman and Robin have graduated. Now they will get crushed by the Joker's of the league.
11. Rhode Island - It's beyond my feeble mind how these last 4 teams will finish.
12. Duquesne - I'm not following the recovery of their players too closely, but they have a couple major impact players that could tear it up in the near future.
13. St Bonaventure - They were bad last year, and I don't see much of a turnaround
14. Richmond - They could be anywhere from 10-14.
BIG EAST
1. Georgetown - I think they'll run away with this conference. They boast one of the best frontcourts around, and they're ready to make an impact on this season
2. Pittsburgh - I'm not buying into all the Pittsburgh hype so much; I think they'll fight with Syracuse for this spot.
3. Syracuse - Without G-Mac, E-Dorf (or Eric Devendorf) has the green light to show off his excellent shot. Demetris Nichols and Darryl Watkins will step up in the frontcourt.
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4. UCONN - I can see why some are dropping UCONN to 6th and 7th, but this is still UCONN. AJ Price may be the best point guard in the nation, and their all-star recruiting class can step in.
5. Villanova - A weakened backcourt is going to slow down Villanova, but they're still a force to be reckoned with.
6. Marquette - People are getting carried away with Dominic James mania. They're going to need their shooters to step up for them to make an impact.
7. Louisville - It hurts to drop them this far, but after last year they just failed to live up to expectations, and their big time scorer is gone.
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8. St. John's - This defensive minded squad will be a minor surprise in the Big East this year.
9. DePaul - They need to stay consistent this year
10. Cincinnati - If the junior college players can step up, this scrappy team can compete for a tournament spot.
11. Providence - After a lot of thought, I've decided that Providence has the experience for a sleeper team, but doesn't really have Big East talent all around.
12. Notre Dame - The ghost of Chris Quinn haunts the Irish.
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13. West Virginia - Coming off a good NCAA tourney run, I don't think West Virginia will be ready for another one in a while.
14. Rutgers - The ghost of Quincy Douby leaves Rutgers hopeless...
15. Seton Hall - A few years away from doing anything...
16. South Florida - Recruits need to realize that this is a Big East school too.
BIG 10
1. Ohio State - I'm buying into all the Greg Oden hype. Also, I'm buying into the rest of Ohio State to hold down the fort until Oden debuts.
2. Wisconsin - A lot of talent, but they didn't prove much last year. The most disappointing of a season I can see them having is being 2nd in the weakened Big 10, though.
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3. Michigan - They have the athleticism and reason not to be the NIT team of years past. They could make a big splash this year.
4. Illinois - "In transition", although they are returning a load of talent. The loss of Dee Brown and James Augustine are rough, but outside than that, we have a well rounded team that could be the surprise of the Big 10.
5. Indiana - They're a wild card. D.J. White could disappoint if he doesn't immediately fill Killingsworth's shoes. They could finish anywhere from 3rd (which I doubt) to 7th, or even 8th behind hungry teams like Purdue and Penn State.
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6. Penn State - They're on their way up; while other teams rebuild, these guys are returning serious talent, including F Geary Claxton.
7. Michigan State - Izzo's most challenging coaching job yet. Minus their Big 3 and Matt Trannon from a mediocre MSU squad last year, it all depends on how fast the young guys are willing to step it up.
8. Iowa - They'll build around guard Adam Haluska, who's really all that remains from that surprising Iowa squad from a year ago.
9. Purdue - After being in shambles due to injuries last year, those guys are back. I can't rate them too high though, because they've proven nothing. This was a lousy team last year, and they're relying on 2 players to carry the responsibility
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10. Northwestern - A step back from the decent team that coach Bill Carmody was able to assemble.
11. Minnesota- Way too young, not ready to make any kind of noise except cries of despair and torture.
BIG 12
1. Kansas - They're so deep, talented, and athletic. After getting knocked out in the first round for the past 2 years, they are determined to step it up when March comes. Truly one of basketball's elite teams
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2. Texas A&M - A 12 seed who surprised last March, this year the expectations are high.
3. Texas - A championship team that got depleted by the NBA. Now they rely on freshman Kevin Durant to carry the load, as this young team has great talent but zero experience.
4. Oklahoma State - These rankings are based on how I think they'll do in the regular season. This team will face some inconsistencies, but come on strong at the end and be a team that can do some serious damage in the NCAA tournament.
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5. Kansas State - Bob Huggins. Cartier Martin. A guy with a long neck. These elements are what Kansas State has to work with this season.
6. Texas Tech - I liked this team a lot as a sleeper till they got rid of their star G Jarrius Jackson. I still like them, though, especially with the possibility that Jackson will return in time for conference play.
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7. Baylor - They'll be consistently good this year, and if a big named school has an off night, the Bears will pounce on the opportunity for a win.
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8. Oklahoma - A disappointing team last year is destroyed. If a young team from my bottom four develops really quickly, then Oklahoma could very well fall into their lower spot.
9. Missouri - I like Mike Anderson's philosophy, this will be a scrappy group of players who can steal some wins purely on effort.
10. Colorado - Richard Roby is their core, and outside of that core there is no one with any experience. If these players step up, Colorado will turn some heads. If not, they'll fall to 12th in a heartbeat.
11. Iowa State - They sucked last year, and their star guards are gone. Another young team that no one really knows what to think of.
12. Nebraska - I just don't like the looks of this young team. In 3 years they might make a small splash in the Big 12.
Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
1. Creighton - Nate Funk, after sitting out for last year's NIT season, is now the face of Creighton. I see them taking this conference's regular season crown with relative ease.
2. Southern Illinois - This team will be dangerous in the tournament. Returning their top 9 scores (top NINE freaking scorers) from last year's 11 seed team, I see them making a Sweet 16 run.
3. Wichita State - A shocker (lolz) from last year, this team can do damage again this year. Third is about right for them, though, after losing a couple key players to graduation.
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4. Missouri State - A screwjob; that's what it was when MO State's top 20 RPI couldn't get them into the NCAAs. This year it might be the same story; they won't take the conference, but they'll compete. Will that be enough though?
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5. Evansville - Absolutely underrated team. All 5 starters return from an improving squad, who's very well rounded and should surprise in the MVC.
6. Northern Iowa - They graduate their best player from a disappointing 05-06 club. I see them falling to the bottom half of the conference this year.
7. Drake - Bad luck last year with many losses by tiny margains. Now they're more experienced and ready to make a serious impact.
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8. Bradley - 8th looks ugly for last years Sweet 16 team, but the bottom half of the conference is pretty close-knit and they could finish anywhere from 5-10.
9. Illinois State - They're depending on a good recruiting class to put them over the edge.
10. Indiana State - They lost their one big scorer. This team will suffer.
PAC-10
1. Arizona - Lute's ready to take back the PAC, and he's got plenty of talent to do it. I'm expecting big years from Mustafa Shakur and Ivan Radenovic to complement Marcus Williams, to vault the Wildcats back into powerhouse status.
2. UCLA - Jordan Farmar doesn't replace himself. He was this team's MVP, and without him they might have a tough time.
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3. Oregon - Oregon has too much talent to have a losing record. With coach Ernie Kent in danger of losing his job, he'll need breakout seasons from his players. They can hang with anyone in the conference if they don't get al the bad breaks and miserable luck of seasons past.
4. USC - It hurts me to rank them this low, because I really like their talent. They'll have the ability to score like crazy, especially when Gabe Pruitt returns in December. They'll compete for the 3rd spot, and if Oregon fails to live up to my hype then USC will be the ones to fill in.
5. Washington - They return enough to be a solid Pac-10 team, and are hoping Spencer Hawes makes an instant impact. The young guy could feel a lot of pressure from the expectations of him having to step right in and lead them.
6. California - Even without Leon Powe, I like the looks of this team. Ayinde Ubaka will emerge as a star, and DeVon Hardin can fill Powe's spot well. They could compete for higher spots, and I don't see them finishing any lower than this.
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7. Stanford - Returning nobody that averaged more than 5 ppg from a half-decent Stanford team of last year, they'll be looking toward 2008.
8. Arizona State - I like their chances in coming years, and even right now they could surprise a few teams.
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9. Oregon State - The Beavers have a sweet sweet shooter in Sasa Cuic, and a solid returning frontcourt.
10. Washington State - New coach, loss of everyone over 10 ppg = Failing season for the Cougars.
ACC
1. UNC - It's unanimous; UNC is primed to be a top 3 team in the nation.
2. Duke - They lost Redick, Shelden Williams, and Dockery to graduation. But this is Duke; their scars heal like Wolverine's.
3. Boston College - Losing Craig Smith won't hurt BC as bad as some people think. They can grab some monsterous wins.
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4. Georgia Tech - 4th place talent, but they could place between 3rd and 7th in the conference.
5. Florida State - Al Thornton can pick up the slack of fat-man Alexander Johnson in the paint and become a first team all-ACC'er.
6. Virginia - Strong backcourt but shaky frontcourt.
7. Maryland - Not sure what to think of this team. We'll see how they manage without crucial players Chris McCray and Caner-Medley, and see if DJ Strawberry stops playing like a fruit.
8. Virginia Tech - A bunch of decent players who should mount up and soar to greater heights!
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9. Wake Forest - Last years awful team lost its 2 best players, but I have faith in their Top 10 recruiting class.
10. Clemson - They might take down some big names, and be taken out by no-names.
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11. Miami (FL) - Depleted backcourt, lucky they're not last
12. NC State - With about a 4 player roster and a new coach, this mangled and inexperienced team will struggle violently.
Atlantic 10
1. Xavier - Experience and new big-impact players make Xavier the team to beat in the A-10 this year.
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2. Charlotte - With the loss of Curtis Withers, size and rebounding becomes a question for the 49ers. But with their sensational backcourt, they can be a major player if they only get a couple big guys to step it up
3. St Louis - There's no reason that the Billikens should take a step back this year; I think their stock is about steady.
4. UMASS - I originally had this team pegged as my ultra-sleeper. As more and more previews came out, I found I wasn't alone. Now I've turned on them. They'll take a step forward, sure, but this team is experienced only in mediocrity and they won't content for the best record in the A-10. However, they could make a run in the A-10 tourney...
5. George Washington - They lost a lot, yet somehow I feel bad ranking them this low. They could very well be a tourney team when all is said and done.
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6. Fordham - This is a good team that could take the league by surprise.
7. Dayton - They're tough inside, but they won't make a huge impact anywhere else.
8. St Joseph's - Another building year before the Hawks once again become the face of the A-10
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9. Temple - One less Mardy Collins and John Chaney = stuggles for Temple.
10. LaSalle - Their Batman and Robin have graduated. Now they will get crushed by the Joker's of the league.
11. Rhode Island - It's beyond my feeble mind how these last 4 teams will finish.
12. Duquesne - I'm not following the recovery of their players too closely, but they have a couple major impact players that could tear it up in the near future.
13. St Bonaventure - They were bad last year, and I don't see much of a turnaround
14. Richmond - They could be anywhere from 10-14.
BIG EAST
1. Georgetown - I think they'll run away with this conference. They boast one of the best frontcourts around, and they're ready to make an impact on this season
2. Pittsburgh - I'm not buying into all the Pittsburgh hype so much; I think they'll fight with Syracuse for this spot.
3. Syracuse - Without G-Mac, E-Dorf (or Eric Devendorf) has the green light to show off his excellent shot. Demetris Nichols and Darryl Watkins will step up in the frontcourt.
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4. UCONN - I can see why some are dropping UCONN to 6th and 7th, but this is still UCONN. AJ Price may be the best point guard in the nation, and their all-star recruiting class can step in.
5. Villanova - A weakened backcourt is going to slow down Villanova, but they're still a force to be reckoned with.
6. Marquette - People are getting carried away with Dominic James mania. They're going to need their shooters to step up for them to make an impact.
7. Louisville - It hurts to drop them this far, but after last year they just failed to live up to expectations, and their big time scorer is gone.
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8. St. John's - This defensive minded squad will be a minor surprise in the Big East this year.
9. DePaul - They need to stay consistent this year
10. Cincinnati - If the junior college players can step up, this scrappy team can compete for a tournament spot.
11. Providence - After a lot of thought, I've decided that Providence has the experience for a sleeper team, but doesn't really have Big East talent all around.
12. Notre Dame - The ghost of Chris Quinn haunts the Irish.
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13. West Virginia - Coming off a good NCAA tourney run, I don't think West Virginia will be ready for another one in a while.
14. Rutgers - The ghost of Quincy Douby leaves Rutgers hopeless...
15. Seton Hall - A few years away from doing anything...
16. South Florida - Recruits need to realize that this is a Big East school too.
BIG 10
1. Ohio State - I'm buying into all the Greg Oden hype. Also, I'm buying into the rest of Ohio State to hold down the fort until Oden debuts.
2. Wisconsin - A lot of talent, but they didn't prove much last year. The most disappointing of a season I can see them having is being 2nd in the weakened Big 10, though.
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3. Michigan - They have the athleticism and reason not to be the NIT team of years past. They could make a big splash this year.
4. Illinois - "In transition", although they are returning a load of talent. The loss of Dee Brown and James Augustine are rough, but outside than that, we have a well rounded team that could be the surprise of the Big 10.
5. Indiana - They're a wild card. D.J. White could disappoint if he doesn't immediately fill Killingsworth's shoes. They could finish anywhere from 3rd (which I doubt) to 7th, or even 8th behind hungry teams like Purdue and Penn State.
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6. Penn State - They're on their way up; while other teams rebuild, these guys are returning serious talent, including F Geary Claxton.
7. Michigan State - Izzo's most challenging coaching job yet. Minus their Big 3 and Matt Trannon from a mediocre MSU squad last year, it all depends on how fast the young guys are willing to step it up.
8. Iowa - They'll build around guard Adam Haluska, who's really all that remains from that surprising Iowa squad from a year ago.
9. Purdue - After being in shambles due to injuries last year, those guys are back. I can't rate them too high though, because they've proven nothing. This was a lousy team last year, and they're relying on 2 players to carry the responsibility
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10. Northwestern - A step back from the decent team that coach Bill Carmody was able to assemble.
11. Minnesota- Way too young, not ready to make any kind of noise except cries of despair and torture.
BIG 12
1. Kansas - They're so deep, talented, and athletic. After getting knocked out in the first round for the past 2 years, they are determined to step it up when March comes. Truly one of basketball's elite teams
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2. Texas A&M - A 12 seed who surprised last March, this year the expectations are high.
3. Texas - A championship team that got depleted by the NBA. Now they rely on freshman Kevin Durant to carry the load, as this young team has great talent but zero experience.
4. Oklahoma State - These rankings are based on how I think they'll do in the regular season. This team will face some inconsistencies, but come on strong at the end and be a team that can do some serious damage in the NCAA tournament.
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5. Kansas State - Bob Huggins. Cartier Martin. A guy with a long neck. These elements are what Kansas State has to work with this season.
6. Texas Tech - I liked this team a lot as a sleeper till they got rid of their star G Jarrius Jackson. I still like them, though, especially with the possibility that Jackson will return in time for conference play.
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7. Baylor - They'll be consistently good this year, and if a big named school has an off night, the Bears will pounce on the opportunity for a win.
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8. Oklahoma - A disappointing team last year is destroyed. If a young team from my bottom four develops really quickly, then Oklahoma could very well fall into their lower spot.
9. Missouri - I like Mike Anderson's philosophy, this will be a scrappy group of players who can steal some wins purely on effort.
10. Colorado - Richard Roby is their core, and outside of that core there is no one with any experience. If these players step up, Colorado will turn some heads. If not, they'll fall to 12th in a heartbeat.
11. Iowa State - They sucked last year, and their star guards are gone. Another young team that no one really knows what to think of.
12. Nebraska - I just don't like the looks of this young team. In 3 years they might make a small splash in the Big 12.
Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
1. Creighton - Nate Funk, after sitting out for last year's NIT season, is now the face of Creighton. I see them taking this conference's regular season crown with relative ease.
2. Southern Illinois - This team will be dangerous in the tournament. Returning their top 9 scores (top NINE freaking scorers) from last year's 11 seed team, I see them making a Sweet 16 run.
3. Wichita State - A shocker (lolz) from last year, this team can do damage again this year. Third is about right for them, though, after losing a couple key players to graduation.
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4. Missouri State - A screwjob; that's what it was when MO State's top 20 RPI couldn't get them into the NCAAs. This year it might be the same story; they won't take the conference, but they'll compete. Will that be enough though?
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5. Evansville - Absolutely underrated team. All 5 starters return from an improving squad, who's very well rounded and should surprise in the MVC.
6. Northern Iowa - They graduate their best player from a disappointing 05-06 club. I see them falling to the bottom half of the conference this year.
7. Drake - Bad luck last year with many losses by tiny margains. Now they're more experienced and ready to make a serious impact.
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8. Bradley - 8th looks ugly for last years Sweet 16 team, but the bottom half of the conference is pretty close-knit and they could finish anywhere from 5-10.
9. Illinois State - They're depending on a good recruiting class to put them over the edge.
10. Indiana State - They lost their one big scorer. This team will suffer.
PAC-10
1. Arizona - Lute's ready to take back the PAC, and he's got plenty of talent to do it. I'm expecting big years from Mustafa Shakur and Ivan Radenovic to complement Marcus Williams, to vault the Wildcats back into powerhouse status.
2. UCLA - Jordan Farmar doesn't replace himself. He was this team's MVP, and without him they might have a tough time.
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3. Oregon - Oregon has too much talent to have a losing record. With coach Ernie Kent in danger of losing his job, he'll need breakout seasons from his players. They can hang with anyone in the conference if they don't get al the bad breaks and miserable luck of seasons past.
4. USC - It hurts me to rank them this low, because I really like their talent. They'll have the ability to score like crazy, especially when Gabe Pruitt returns in December. They'll compete for the 3rd spot, and if Oregon fails to live up to my hype then USC will be the ones to fill in.
5. Washington - They return enough to be a solid Pac-10 team, and are hoping Spencer Hawes makes an instant impact. The young guy could feel a lot of pressure from the expectations of him having to step right in and lead them.
6. California - Even without Leon Powe, I like the looks of this team. Ayinde Ubaka will emerge as a star, and DeVon Hardin can fill Powe's spot well. They could compete for higher spots, and I don't see them finishing any lower than this.
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7. Stanford - Returning nobody that averaged more than 5 ppg from a half-decent Stanford team of last year, they'll be looking toward 2008.
8. Arizona State - I like their chances in coming years, and even right now they could surprise a few teams.
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9. Oregon State - The Beavers have a sweet sweet shooter in Sasa Cuic, and a solid returning frontcourt.
10. Washington State - New coach, loss of everyone over 10 ppg = Failing season for the Cougars.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tony Top 66
- Florida - 1st SEC
- Kansas - 1st Big 12
- Georgetown - 1st Big East
- UNC - 1st ACC
- LSU - 2nd SEC
- Ohio State - 1st Big 10
- Arizona - 1st Pac 10
- Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
- Syracuse - 2nd Big East
- UCLA - 2nd Pac-10
- Memphis - 1st C-USA
- Texas - 2nd Big 12
- Texas A&M - 3rd Big 12
- Boston College - 2nd ACC
- UCONN - 3rd Big East
- Nevada - 1st WAC
- Oklahoma State - 4th Big 12
- Duke - 3rd ACC
- Pittsburgh - 4th Big East
- Tennessee - 3rd SEC
- Penn State - 3rd Big 10
- Xavier - 1st A-10
- Villanova - 5th Big East
- Alabama - 4th SEC
- Gonzaga - 1st WCC
- Marquette - 6th big East
- Louisville - 7th Big East
- Washington - 3rd Pac-10
- Kentucky - 5th SEC
- So Illinois - 1st MVC
- Illinois - 4th Big 10
- Creighton - 2nd MVC
- Hofstra - 1st CAA
- Georgia Tech - 4th ACC
- Wichita State - 3rd MVC
- Michigan State - 5th Big 10
- Indiana - 6th Big 10
- Mississippi St - 6th SEC
- USC - 4th Pac-10
- Michigan - 7th Big 10
- San Diego State - 1st MWC
- Kansas State - 5th Big 12
- Virginia - 5th ACC
- Rice - 2nd C-Usa
- Akron - 1st MAC
- Georgia - 7th SEC
- Florida State - 6th ACC
- Arkansas - 8th SEC
- Oregon - 5th Pac-10
- Texas Tech - 6th Big 12
- California - 6th Pac 10
- Maryland - 7th ACC
- Air Force - 2nd MWC
- Old Dominion - 2nd CAA
- Oklahoma - 7th Big 12
- Houston - 3rd C-Usa
- UMASS - 2nd A-10
- Fresno State - 2nd WAC
- Charlotte - 3rd A-10
- Western Michigan - 2nd MAC
- DePaul - 8th Big East
- Baylor - 8th Big 12
- St John's - 9th Big East
- St Louis - 4th A-10
- Bucknell - 1st Patriot
- George Washington - 5th A-10
Journalist's Word - With all of these bright teams, we are sure to have another great and exciting season of College Basketball.
Thank you and enjoy the season!
Tony Heyser
Monday, October 23, 2006
Pre-season Top 130
As if enough teams to fill up one NCAA tournament bracket wasn't enough, Matt Hamilton has DOUBLED the top 65 into a top 130, while also making some crucial changes around the top (and throwing in 9 other teams). This will be Matt's largest and maybe last pre-season ranking, and rankings will come weekly on Fridays after the start of the regular season.
List of edits made on November 3rd
List of edits made on November 3rd
- Kansas - 1st Big 12
- Florida - 1st SEC
- UNC - 1st ACC
- Arizona - 1st Pac-10
- Ohio St - 1st Big 10
- Georgetown - 1st Big East
- Duke - 2nd ACC
- LSU - 2nd SEC
- Pittsburgh - 2nd Big East
- UCLA - 2nd Pac-10
- Boston College - 3rd ACC
- Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
- Syracuse - 3rd Big East
- Alabama - 3rd SEC
- Texas A&M - 2nd Big 12
- Memphis - 1st C-USA
- UCONN - 4th Big East
- Nevada - 1st WAC
- Oklahoma St - 3th Big 12
- Creighton - 1st MVC
- Marquette - 6th Big East
- Texas - 4rd Big 12
- Georgia Tech- 4th ACC
- USC - 3rd Pac-10
- Kentucky - 4th SEC
- Villanova - 5th Big East
- So. Illinois - 2nd MVC
- Xavier - 1st A-10
- Michigan - 3rd Big 10
- San Diego St - 1st MWC
- Illinois - 4th Big 10
- Washington - 4th Pac-10
- Tennessee - 5th SEC
- Oregon - 5th Pac-10
- Texas Tech - 5th Big 12
- Wichita State - 3rd MVC
- Hofstra - 1st CAA
- Gonzaga - 1st WCC
- Louisville - 7th Big East
- Maryland - 5th ACC
- Indiana - 5th Big 10
- Florida St - 6th ACC
- Kansas St - 6th Big 12
- Virginia - 7th ACC
- Akron - 1st MAC
- Charlotte - 2nd A-10
- Air Force - 2nd MWC
- UMASS - 3rd A-10
- California - 6th Pac-10
- Houston - 2nd C-USA
- Penn State - 6th Big 10
- Winthrop - 1st Big South
- St Louis - 4th A-10
- Missouri State - 4th MVC
- Virginia Tech- 8th ACC
- Fresno State - 2nd WAC
- Baylor - 7th Big 12
- St John's - 8th Big East
- BYU - 3rd MWC
- DePaul - 9th Big East
- Michigan St - 7th Big 10
- Old Dominion - 2nd CAA
- Oklahoma - 8th Big 12
- Mississippi St - 6th SEC
- New Mexico St - 3rd WAC
- George Washington - 5th A-10
- Cincinnati - 10th Big East
- Bucknell - 1st Patriot
- George Mason - 3rd CAA
- Marist - 1st MAAC
- Stanford - 7th Pac-10
- Rice - 3rd C-USA
- Toledo - 2nd MAC
- Vanderbilt - 7th SEC
- Arkansas - 8th SEC
- New Mexico - 4th MWC
- Ohio - 3rd MAC
- Providence - 11th Big East
- Iowa - 8th Big 10
- Clemson - 9th ACC
- Arizona State - 8th Pac-10
- UAB - 4th C-USA
- Purdue - 9th Big 10
- Utah State - 4th WAC
- Missouri - 9th Big 12
- Georgia - 9th SEC
- Utah - 5th MWC
- Notre Dame - 12th Big East
- Long Beach State - 1st Big West
- South Carolina - 10th SEC
- Wake Forest - 10th ACC
- Loyola Maramount - 2nd WCC
- Pennsylvania - 1st Ivy
- Northern Illinois - 4th MAC
- Loyola Chicago - 1st Horizon
- Northern Iowa - 5th MVC
- UNLV - 6th MWC
- St Mary's - 3rd WCC
- West Virginia - 13th Big East
- UNC-Wilmington - 4th CAA
- Fordham - 6th A-10
- Hawaii - 5th WAC
- Northern Arizona - 1st Big Sky
- Cal St Fullerton - 2nd Big West
- Colorado - 10th Big 12
- Eastern Washington - 2nd Big Sky
- IUPUI - 1st Mid-Con
- San Francisco - 4th WCC
- Auburn - 11th SEC
- Drexel - 5th CAA
- Evansville - 6th MVC
- Western Kentucky - 1st Sun Belt
- Dayton - 7th A-10
- Rutgers - 14th Big East
- Vermont - 1st America East
- Iowa State - 11th Big 12
- Virginia Commonwealth - 6th CAA
- Drake - 7th MVC
- Tulsa - 5th C-USA
- Oral Roberts - 2nd Mid-Con
- Miami Ohio - 5th MAC
- Northwestern - 10th Big 10
- Western Michigan - 6th MAC
- Colorado State - 7th MWC
- Bradley - 8th MVC
- College of Charleston - 1st Southern
- Kent State - 7th MAC
- Butler - 2nd Horizon
- Albany - 2nd America East
- UTEP - 6th C-USA
- St. Joe's - 8th A-10
- Sam Houston State - 1st Southland
- Murray State - 1st OVC
- Temple - 9th A-10
- Boise State - 6th WAC
- Montana - 3rd Big Sky
- Holy Cross - 2nd Patriot
- Oregon State - 9th Pac-10
- Miami FL - 11th ACC
- Pacific - 3rd Big West
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Conference Rankings
ACC
1. UNC - It's unanimous; UNC is primed to be a top 3 team in the nation.
2. Duke - They lost Redick, Shelden Williams, and Dockery to graduation. But this is Duke; their scars heal like Wolverine's.
3. Boston College - Losing Craig Smith won't hurt BC as bad as some people think. They can grab some monsterous wins.
4. Georgia Tech - 4th place talent, but they could place between 3rd and 7th in the conference.
5. Florida State - Al Thornton can pick up the slack of fat-man Alexander Johnson in the paint and become a first team all-ACC'er.
6. Virginia - Strong backcourt but shaky frontcourt.
7. Maryland - Not sure what to think of this team. We'll see how they manage without crucial players Chris McCray and Caner-Medley, and see if DJ Strawberry stops playing like a fruit.
8. Virginia Tech - A bunch of decent players who should mount up and soar to greater heights!
9. Wake Forest - Last years awful team lost its 2 best players, but I have faith in their Top 10 recruiting class.
10. Clemson - They might take down some big names, and be taken out by no-names.
11. Miami (FL) - Depleted backcourt, lucky they're not last
12. NC State - With about a 4 player roster and a new coach, this mangled and inexperienced team will struggle violently.
Atlantic 10
1. Xavier - Experience and new big-impact players make Xavier the team to beat in the A-10 this year.
2. Charlotte - With the loss of Curtis Withers, size and rebounding becomes a question for the 49ers. But with their sensational backcourt, they can be a major player if they only get a couple big guys to step it up
3. St Louis - There's no reason that the Billikens should take a step back this year; I think their stock is about steady.
4. UMASS - I originally had this team pegged as my ultra-sleeper. As more and more previews came out, I found I wasn't alone. Now I've turned on them. They'll take a step forward, sure, but this team is experienced only in mediocrity and they won't content for the best record in the A-10. However, they could make a run in the A-10 tourney...
5. George Washington - They lost a lot, yet somehow I feel bad ranking them this low. They could very well be a tourney team when all is said and done.
6. Fordham - This is a good team that could take the league by surprise.
7. Dayton - They're tough inside, but they won't make a huge impact anywhere else.
8. St Joseph's - Another building year before the Hawks once again become the face of the A-10
9. Duquesne - I'm not following the recovery of their players too closely, but they have a couple major impact players that could tear it up in the near future.
10. Temple - One less Mardy Collins and John Chaney = stuggles for Temple.
11. Rhode Island - It's beyond my feeble mind how these last 4 teams will finish.
12. LaSalle - Their Batman and Robin have graduated. Now they will get crushed by the Joker's of the league.
13. St Bonaventure - They were bad last year, and I don't see much of a turnaround
14. Richmond - They could be anywhere from 10-14.
BIG EAST
1. Georgetown - I think they'll run away with this conference. They boast one of the best frontcourts around, and they're ready to make an impact on this season
2. Pittsburgh - I'm not buying into all the Pittsburgh hype so much; I think they'll fight with Syracuse for this spot.
3. Syracuse - Without G-Mac, E-Dorf (or Eric Devendorf) has the green light to show off his excellent shot. Demetris Nichols and Darryl Watkins will step up in the frontcourt.
4. UCONN - I can see why some are dropping UCONN to 6th and 7th, but this is still UCONN. AJ Price may be the best point guard in the nation, and their all-star recruiting class can step in.
5. Villanova - A weakened backcourt is going to slow down Villanova, but they're still a force to be reckoned with.
6. Marquette - People are getting carried away with Dominic James mania. They're going to need their shooters to step up for them to make an impact.
7. Louisville - It hurts to drop them this far, but after last year they just failed to live up to expectations, and their big time scorer is gone.
8. St. John's - This defensive minded squad will be a minor surprise in the Big East this year.
9. DePaul - They need to stay consistent this year
10. Cincinnati - If the junior college players can step up, this scrappy team can compete for a tournament spot.
11. Providence - After a lot of thought, I've decided that Providence has the experience for a sleeper team, but doesn't really have Big East talent all around.
12. Notre Dame - The ghost of Chris Quinn haunts the Irish.
13. West Virginia - Coming off a good NCAA tourney run, I don't think West Virginia will be ready for another one in a while.
14. Rutgers - The ghost of Quincy Douby leaves Rutgers hopeless...
15. Seton Hall - A few years away from doing anything...
16. South Florida - Recruits need to realize that this is a Big East school too.
BIG 10
1. Ohio State - I'm buying into all the Greg Oden hype. Also, I'm buying into the rest of Ohio State to hold down the fort until Oden debuts.
2. Wisconsin - A lot of talent, but they didn't prove much last year. The most disappointing of a season I can see them having is being 2nd in the weakened Big 10, though.
3. Michigan - They have the athleticism and reason not to be the NIT team of years past. They could make a big splash this year.
4. Illinois - "In transition", although they are returning a load of talent. The loss of Dee Brown and James Augustine are rough, but outside than that, we have a well rounded team that could be the surprise of the Big 10.
5. Indiana - They're a wild card. D.J. White could disappoint if he doesn't immediately fill Killingsworth's shoes. They could finish anywhere from 3rd (which I doubt) to 7th, or even 8th behind hungry teams like Purdue and Penn State.
6. Penn State - They're on their way up; while other teams rebuild, these guys are returning serious talent, including F Geary Claxton.
7. Michigan State - Izzo's most challenging coaching job yet. Minus their Big 3 and Matt Trannon from a mediocre MSU squad last year, it all depends on how fast the young guys are willing to step it up.
8. Iowa - They'll build around guard Adam Haluska, who's really all that remains from that surprising Iowa squad from a year ago.
9. Purdue - After being in shambles due to injuries last year, those guys are back. I can't rate them too high though, because they've proven nothing. This was a lousy team last year, and they're relying on 2 players to carry the responsibility
10. Northwestern - A step back from the decent team that coach Bill Carmody was able to assemble.
11. Minnesota- Way too young, not ready to make any kind of noise except cries of despair and torture.
Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
1. Creighton - Nate Funk, after sitting out for last year's NIT season, is now the face of Creighton. I see them taking this conference's regular season crown with relative ease.
2. Southern Illinois - This team will be dangerous in the tournament. Returning their top 9 scores (top NINE freaking scorers) from last year's 11 seed team, I see them making a Sweet 16 run.
3. Wichita State - A shocker (lolz) from last year, this team can do damage again this year. Third is about right for them, though, after losing a couple key players to graduation.
4. Missouri State - A screwjob; that's what it was when MO State's top 20 RPI couldn't get them into the NCAAs. This year it might be the same story; they won't take the conference, but they'll compete. Will that be enough though?
5. Evansville - Absolutely underrated team. All 5 starters return from an improving squad, who's very well rounded and should surprise in the MVC.
6. Northern Iowa - They graduate their best player from a disappointing 05-06 club. I see them falling to the bottom half of the conference this year.
7. Drake - Bad luck last year with many losses by tiny margains. Now they're more experienced and ready to make a serious impact.
8. Illinois State - They're depending on a good recruiting class to put them over the edge.
9. Bradley - 9 looks ugly for last years Sweet 16 team, but the bottom half of the conference is pretty close-knit and they could finish anywhere from 5-10.
10. Indiana State - They lost their one big scorer. This team will suffer.
PAC-10
1. Arizona - Lute's ready to take back the PAC, and he's got plenty of talent to do it. I'm expecting big years from Mustafa Shakur and Ivan Radenovic to complement Marcus Williams, to vault the Wildcats back into powerhouse status.
2. UCLA - Jordan Farmar doesn't replace himself. He was this team's MVP, and without him they might have a tough time.
3. Oregon - Oregon has too much talent to have a losing record. With coach Ernie Kent in danger of losing his job, he'll need breakout seasons from his players. They can hang with anyone in the conference if they don't get al the bad breaks and miserable luck of seasons past.
4. USC - It hurts me to rank them this low, because I really like their talent. They'll have the ability to score like crazy, especially when Gabe Pruitt returns in December. They'll compete for the 3rd spot, and if Oregon fails to live up to my hype then USC will be the ones to fill in.
5. Washington - They return enough to be a solid Pac-10 team, and are hoping Spencer Hawes makes an instant impact. The young guy could feel a lot of pressure from the expectations of him having to step right in and lead them.
6. California - Even without Leon Powe, I like the looks of this team. Ayinde Ubaka will emerge as a star, and DeVon Hardin can fill Powe's spot well. They could compete for higher spots, and I don't see them finishing any lower than this.
7. Stanford - Returning nobody that averaged more than 5 ppg from a half-decent Stanford team of last year, they'll be looking toward 2008.
8. Arizona State - I like their chances in coming years, and even right now they could surprise a few teams.
9. Oregon State - The Beavers have a sweet sweet shooter in Sasa Cuic, and a solid returning frontcourt.
10. Washington State - New coach, loss of everyone over 10 ppg = Failing season for the Cougars.
1. UNC - It's unanimous; UNC is primed to be a top 3 team in the nation.
2. Duke - They lost Redick, Shelden Williams, and Dockery to graduation. But this is Duke; their scars heal like Wolverine's.
3. Boston College - Losing Craig Smith won't hurt BC as bad as some people think. They can grab some monsterous wins.
4. Georgia Tech - 4th place talent, but they could place between 3rd and 7th in the conference.
5. Florida State - Al Thornton can pick up the slack of fat-man Alexander Johnson in the paint and become a first team all-ACC'er.
6. Virginia - Strong backcourt but shaky frontcourt.
7. Maryland - Not sure what to think of this team. We'll see how they manage without crucial players Chris McCray and Caner-Medley, and see if DJ Strawberry stops playing like a fruit.
8. Virginia Tech - A bunch of decent players who should mount up and soar to greater heights!
9. Wake Forest - Last years awful team lost its 2 best players, but I have faith in their Top 10 recruiting class.
10. Clemson - They might take down some big names, and be taken out by no-names.
11. Miami (FL) - Depleted backcourt, lucky they're not last
12. NC State - With about a 4 player roster and a new coach, this mangled and inexperienced team will struggle violently.
Atlantic 10
1. Xavier - Experience and new big-impact players make Xavier the team to beat in the A-10 this year.
2. Charlotte - With the loss of Curtis Withers, size and rebounding becomes a question for the 49ers. But with their sensational backcourt, they can be a major player if they only get a couple big guys to step it up
3. St Louis - There's no reason that the Billikens should take a step back this year; I think their stock is about steady.
4. UMASS - I originally had this team pegged as my ultra-sleeper. As more and more previews came out, I found I wasn't alone. Now I've turned on them. They'll take a step forward, sure, but this team is experienced only in mediocrity and they won't content for the best record in the A-10. However, they could make a run in the A-10 tourney...
5. George Washington - They lost a lot, yet somehow I feel bad ranking them this low. They could very well be a tourney team when all is said and done.
6. Fordham - This is a good team that could take the league by surprise.
7. Dayton - They're tough inside, but they won't make a huge impact anywhere else.
8. St Joseph's - Another building year before the Hawks once again become the face of the A-10
9. Duquesne - I'm not following the recovery of their players too closely, but they have a couple major impact players that could tear it up in the near future.
10. Temple - One less Mardy Collins and John Chaney = stuggles for Temple.
11. Rhode Island - It's beyond my feeble mind how these last 4 teams will finish.
12. LaSalle - Their Batman and Robin have graduated. Now they will get crushed by the Joker's of the league.
13. St Bonaventure - They were bad last year, and I don't see much of a turnaround
14. Richmond - They could be anywhere from 10-14.
BIG EAST
1. Georgetown - I think they'll run away with this conference. They boast one of the best frontcourts around, and they're ready to make an impact on this season
2. Pittsburgh - I'm not buying into all the Pittsburgh hype so much; I think they'll fight with Syracuse for this spot.
3. Syracuse - Without G-Mac, E-Dorf (or Eric Devendorf) has the green light to show off his excellent shot. Demetris Nichols and Darryl Watkins will step up in the frontcourt.
4. UCONN - I can see why some are dropping UCONN to 6th and 7th, but this is still UCONN. AJ Price may be the best point guard in the nation, and their all-star recruiting class can step in.
5. Villanova - A weakened backcourt is going to slow down Villanova, but they're still a force to be reckoned with.
6. Marquette - People are getting carried away with Dominic James mania. They're going to need their shooters to step up for them to make an impact.
7. Louisville - It hurts to drop them this far, but after last year they just failed to live up to expectations, and their big time scorer is gone.
8. St. John's - This defensive minded squad will be a minor surprise in the Big East this year.
9. DePaul - They need to stay consistent this year
10. Cincinnati - If the junior college players can step up, this scrappy team can compete for a tournament spot.
11. Providence - After a lot of thought, I've decided that Providence has the experience for a sleeper team, but doesn't really have Big East talent all around.
12. Notre Dame - The ghost of Chris Quinn haunts the Irish.
13. West Virginia - Coming off a good NCAA tourney run, I don't think West Virginia will be ready for another one in a while.
14. Rutgers - The ghost of Quincy Douby leaves Rutgers hopeless...
15. Seton Hall - A few years away from doing anything...
16. South Florida - Recruits need to realize that this is a Big East school too.
BIG 10
1. Ohio State - I'm buying into all the Greg Oden hype. Also, I'm buying into the rest of Ohio State to hold down the fort until Oden debuts.
2. Wisconsin - A lot of talent, but they didn't prove much last year. The most disappointing of a season I can see them having is being 2nd in the weakened Big 10, though.
3. Michigan - They have the athleticism and reason not to be the NIT team of years past. They could make a big splash this year.
4. Illinois - "In transition", although they are returning a load of talent. The loss of Dee Brown and James Augustine are rough, but outside than that, we have a well rounded team that could be the surprise of the Big 10.
5. Indiana - They're a wild card. D.J. White could disappoint if he doesn't immediately fill Killingsworth's shoes. They could finish anywhere from 3rd (which I doubt) to 7th, or even 8th behind hungry teams like Purdue and Penn State.
6. Penn State - They're on their way up; while other teams rebuild, these guys are returning serious talent, including F Geary Claxton.
7. Michigan State - Izzo's most challenging coaching job yet. Minus their Big 3 and Matt Trannon from a mediocre MSU squad last year, it all depends on how fast the young guys are willing to step it up.
8. Iowa - They'll build around guard Adam Haluska, who's really all that remains from that surprising Iowa squad from a year ago.
9. Purdue - After being in shambles due to injuries last year, those guys are back. I can't rate them too high though, because they've proven nothing. This was a lousy team last year, and they're relying on 2 players to carry the responsibility
10. Northwestern - A step back from the decent team that coach Bill Carmody was able to assemble.
11. Minnesota- Way too young, not ready to make any kind of noise except cries of despair and torture.
Missouri Valley Conference (MVC)
1. Creighton - Nate Funk, after sitting out for last year's NIT season, is now the face of Creighton. I see them taking this conference's regular season crown with relative ease.
2. Southern Illinois - This team will be dangerous in the tournament. Returning their top 9 scores (top NINE freaking scorers) from last year's 11 seed team, I see them making a Sweet 16 run.
3. Wichita State - A shocker (lolz) from last year, this team can do damage again this year. Third is about right for them, though, after losing a couple key players to graduation.
4. Missouri State - A screwjob; that's what it was when MO State's top 20 RPI couldn't get them into the NCAAs. This year it might be the same story; they won't take the conference, but they'll compete. Will that be enough though?
5. Evansville - Absolutely underrated team. All 5 starters return from an improving squad, who's very well rounded and should surprise in the MVC.
6. Northern Iowa - They graduate their best player from a disappointing 05-06 club. I see them falling to the bottom half of the conference this year.
7. Drake - Bad luck last year with many losses by tiny margains. Now they're more experienced and ready to make a serious impact.
8. Illinois State - They're depending on a good recruiting class to put them over the edge.
9. Bradley - 9 looks ugly for last years Sweet 16 team, but the bottom half of the conference is pretty close-knit and they could finish anywhere from 5-10.
10. Indiana State - They lost their one big scorer. This team will suffer.
PAC-10
1. Arizona - Lute's ready to take back the PAC, and he's got plenty of talent to do it. I'm expecting big years from Mustafa Shakur and Ivan Radenovic to complement Marcus Williams, to vault the Wildcats back into powerhouse status.
2. UCLA - Jordan Farmar doesn't replace himself. He was this team's MVP, and without him they might have a tough time.
3. Oregon - Oregon has too much talent to have a losing record. With coach Ernie Kent in danger of losing his job, he'll need breakout seasons from his players. They can hang with anyone in the conference if they don't get al the bad breaks and miserable luck of seasons past.
4. USC - It hurts me to rank them this low, because I really like their talent. They'll have the ability to score like crazy, especially when Gabe Pruitt returns in December. They'll compete for the 3rd spot, and if Oregon fails to live up to my hype then USC will be the ones to fill in.
5. Washington - They return enough to be a solid Pac-10 team, and are hoping Spencer Hawes makes an instant impact. The young guy could feel a lot of pressure from the expectations of him having to step right in and lead them.
6. California - Even without Leon Powe, I like the looks of this team. Ayinde Ubaka will emerge as a star, and DeVon Hardin can fill Powe's spot well. They could compete for higher spots, and I don't see them finishing any lower than this.
7. Stanford - Returning nobody that averaged more than 5 ppg from a half-decent Stanford team of last year, they'll be looking toward 2008.
8. Arizona State - I like their chances in coming years, and even right now they could surprise a few teams.
9. Oregon State - The Beavers have a sweet sweet shooter in Sasa Cuic, and a solid returning frontcourt.
10. Washington State - New coach, loss of everyone over 10 ppg = Failing season for the Cougars.
MATT HAMILTON PRESEASON TOP 65
last updated October 14
last updated October 14
1. Kansas - 1st Big 12
2. Florida - 1st SEC
3. UNC - 1st ACC
4. Arizona - 1st Pac 10
5. LSU - 2nd SEC
6. Georgetown - 1st Big East
7. Ohio State - 1st Big 10
8. Alabama - 3rd SEC
9. Duke - 2nd ACC
10. UCLA - 2nd Pac 10
11. Wisconsin - 2nd Big 10
12. Boston College - 3rd ACC
13. Pittsburgh - 2nd Big East
14. Syracuse - 3rd Big East
15. Texas A&M - 2nd Big 12
16. Nevada - 1st WAC
17. UCONN - 4th Big East
18. Oklahoma St. - 3rd Big 12
19. Villanova - 5th Big East
20. Texas - 4th Big 12
21. Creighton - 1st MVC
22. Memphis - 1st C-USA
23. USC - 3rd Pac 10
24. So. Illinois - 2nd MVC
25. Marquette - 6th Big East
26. Washington - 4th PAC 10
27. Kentucky - 4th SEC
28. Michigan - 3rd Big 10
29. Georgia Tech - 4th ACC
30. Tennessee - 5th SEC
31. Hofstra - 1st CAA
32. Wichita St - 3rd MVC
33. Louisville - 7th Big East
34. Texas Tech- 5th Big 12
35. Florida State - 5th ACC
36. Gonzaga - 1st WCC
37. Illinois - 4th Big 10
38. Xavier - 1st A-10
39. San Diego State - 1st MWC
40. Virginia - 6th ACC
41. Indiana - 5th Big 10
42. Kansas State - 6th Big 12
43. Akron - 1st MAC
44. Oregon - 5th Pac 10
45. Fresno St - 2nd WAC
46. Charlotte - 2nd A-10
47. Arkansas - 7th SEC
48. Houston - 2nd C-USA
49. Oklahoma - 7th Big 12
50. Penn St - 6th Big 10
51. Baylor - 8th Big 12
52. Maryland - 7th ACC
53. Michigan St. - 7th Big 10
54. St John's - 8th Big East
55. St Louis - 3rd A-10
56. New Mexico St - 3rd WAC
57. DePaul - 9th Big East
58. Missouri State - 4th MVC
59. UMASS - 4th A-10
60. Old Dominion - 2nd CAA
61. Providence - 10th Big East
62. Virginia Tech - 8th ACC
63. California - 6th Pac 10
64. Air Force - 2nd MWC
65. George Washington - 5th A-10
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