Coaches Poll Out Today at Noon

[Tenspro2002]

We are # 15. Playing the preseason #3, #7 and # 10 OOC.

Link

I wish we were playing Florida earlier in the regular season to get a nice bump. I doubt they are ranked #7 when we play.

For what it's worth, last year Florida was #15 when we beat them. Come Tournament time, they were #1, and everyone rightfully gave us credit for having beaten the #1 team. At the end of the day (year), it's how teams finish that matter, not how they start.

On the other hand, I agree with you that in terms of perception/hype/relevance, beating a highly ranked team and then becoming highly ranked ourselves is helpful.

 

[upstater]

It's good that UConn plays these teams early, before they have a chance to crater. Especially Texas.

 

[CL82]

completely missing the boat on unc. they lose to a niang-less isu team, but are top 6 in the country? still no shooting anywhere.

texas, florida, duke all ranked tiers above us. put that up in the locker room

Damn straight. Boat should definitely have it up on his locker. We don't win the NC without him.

(Bazz, Daniels and Giffey are a huge loss, though, so I get the skepticism.)

 

[Kitaman]

I've got my eye on Wisconsin, I think they are better than given credit.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I've got my eye on Wisconsin, I think they are better than given credit.

Tough to give them more credit than #4 but I agree. All the pieces back and I expect Nigel Hayes to take a leap this year.

SMU is underrated. Moore and Kennedy are as good an inside out combo in the country, it's a team of Juniors and Seniors and a 5 star stud sophmore in Frazier. They are well coached and added depth via transfer. Even without Muiday I like them to make a run, especially as they are this years "Chip on their shoulder" special. I've seen them between 65:1 and 100:1. They are worth a few shickles.

 

[dogpause]

The only thing Kentucky led in was coaching blunders! They blew us out there!

But they were playing 5 freshman...

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

While I tend to agree, Gonzaga may actually have their best collection of talent they've ever assembled this year. They've got great size and are laden with upperclassmen. I'm excited to see their 7-1, 290 pound center Przemek Karnowski, who averaged 10/7 and nearly 2 blocks last year as a sophomore.

Though again, like most Gonzaga teams, the WCC simply doesn't do enough to prepare them for the NCAA tournament. Mark Few is a nice coach, but he's no Kevin Ollie.

Gonzaga will start 3 Seniors (Pangos year 25) and two Juniors (Wiltjer a vet red shirt). Few up until this point has proven to be 1 of the worse tournament coaches to walk the face of the earth and that is being quite gracious. I think McClellan is the true wildcard for Gonzaga. McClellan becomes eligible in December. IF Few buries him in the bench it will be Sweet 16 max. If he takes some of Gary Bell's minutes they could be Final4 caliber. Sabonis may be better than Karnowski right now. Perkins off the bench with Silas Melson is a very respectable Frosh duo. SMU vs Gonzaga early will be interesting.

 

[KingOPancakes]

Am I missing something on Florida? Didn't they graduate 4 of their 5 starters from last year? Isn't Hamilton on par with any of Florida's freshmen? Isn't Purvis a safe bet to contribute more than any of Florida's freshmen? How does UCONN fall so much further than Florida? Yes, I'm nitpicking, but I'm genuinely curious.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

But they were playing 5 freshman...

Cal's game management in the last minute + was equivalent to a guy sitting at a strip club front stage and running out of singles to tip. It was really really embarrassing.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

We have arrived. We are ranked 1 spot ahead of VCU in the preseason coaches poll. Someone needs to screenshot this to Mack so he realizes we have a strong program.

Can you imagine if the shoe was on the other foot and UConn was #16 and VCU #15???? That would be the end of civilization as we know it. VCU twitter'ers would prolly resort to hard copy mailings of the rankings to Mack's high school sent express mail return receipt requested. It which case UConn would be forever DOOMED AGAIN...

Mo Allie Cox is the X factor for VCU. He must produce big in the defense and rebounding categories for VCU to avoid last years fate. He is a tough kid. VCU could hit the sweet spot in its first 19 games.

 

[HomeKing93]

Am I missing something on Florida? Didn't they graduate 4 of their 5 starters from last year? Isn't Hamilton on par with any of Florida's freshmen? Isn't Purvis a safe bet to contribute more than any of Florida's freshmen? How does UCONN fall so much further than Florida? Yes, I'm nitpicking, but I'm genuinely curious.

I thought the same thing, and I'd throw Duke & Kansas in there as well if you look at the points walking out of the door from the previous season. We should be closer to Duke/Kansas/Florida in the first preseason ranking, but whatever.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

nobody gives a rats a regarding smu except 'yarders, joke

nobody gives a about aac except, you guessed it

same ole list of pretenders that bankroll the talking hds in the head to dis uc

 

[MattMang23]

15th is pretty generous for us I'd say. We play in a bad conference, which is why we only got a 7 seed in the tournament. We got a clear message with the way tournament seeds went last year that our conference sucks and that's all that matters, and yet, here we are in the same conference still, but we are in the top 15 to start the season.

We should count our lucky stars. We don't deserve a top 25 spot because we are only a mid-major. What did we ever do to earn a place this high in the rankings?

 

[ctchamps]

Cal's game management in the last minute + was equivalent to a guy sitting at a strip club front stage and running out of singles to tip. It was really really embarrassing.

More like a guy tossing in 1oo's, the women were smiling until they saw the bills were counterfeit.

 

[huskiesouth]

Cal's game management in the last minute + was equivalent to a guy sitting at a strip club front stage and running out of singles to tip. It was really really embarrassing.

Maybe more accurately a guy at a strip club with nothing but a credit card and a roll of quarters. Anyone coaching a YMCA sixth-grade travel team could have provided his players with a better plan than Cal, who in essence was just hoping for the game to end ASAP (while his team was behind that is).

 

[AstarIsBorn31]

Brimah is the game changer this year to keep us in the Top 25 talks #lesgofam

 

[Husky25]

Maybe more accurately a guy at a strip club with nothing but a credit card and a roll of quarters. Anyone coaching a YMCA sixth-grade travel team could have provided his players with a better plan than Cal, who in essence was just hoping for the game to end ASAP (while his team was behind that is).

It was truly unbelievable.

I understand that UConn was other worldly from the charity strip, but to actually admit to that they didn't fouling because they thought UConn would hit them is mindboggling.

Fine don't Hack a 'Bazz, but you at least have to go for the steal. Don't you (Harrison got his hand on the ball once, but there was no real threat that UConn was giving up possession)? UConn wasn't even running 4 corners.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Seriously when will the world learn to stop bothering with giving Gonzaga any degree of hype? Calling it now, they won't make it past the Sweet Sixteen unless by some miracle they end up against a 15 seed or something

curious, isn't that where you'd typically expect the #13 team to make it to...
that's like saying 'calling it now, ECU is not making the tourney'...

 

[Gurleyman]

It was truly unbelievable. I understand that UConn was other worldly from the charity strip, but to actually admit to that they didn't fouling because they thought UConn would hit them is mindboggling. Fine don't Hack a 'Bazz, but you at least have to go for the steal. Don't you (Harrison got his hand on the ball once, but there was no real threat that UConn was giving up possession)? UConn wasn't even running 4 corners.

That possession was insanity. 45 seconds of clock melted away because Cal was convinced we never miss. Well, we hadn't missed to that point, but it isn't like players get much experience shooting key FTs in the final minute of a national title game. You never know. Maybe the moment gets to one of us and we do miss a key one or two (turns out Kromah was a guy they would have loved on the line and he made both, but there was a little less pressure with 20 seconds left up by four than there would have been with 45), Kentucky was down by multiple possessions and managed the clock so they only had one possession in the last minute. That should go in a textbook as an example of how not to do it.

Not to mention, the attempt at a surprise double team in the final seconds of the shot clock was poorly executed because Young was coming from so far away and Napier had a clear view of the whole floor and could see where to throw the ball (and Poythress never rotated until after the pass - making it even easier).

 

[huskiesouth]

That possession was insanity. 45 seconds of clock melted away because Cal was convinced we never miss. Well, we hadn't missed to that point, but it isn't like players get much experience shooting key FTs in the final minute of a national title game. You never know. Maybe the moment gets to one of us and we do miss a key one or two (turns out Kromah was a guy they would have loved on the line and he made both, but there was a little less pressure with 20 seconds left up by four than there would have been with 45), Kentucky was down by multiple possessions and managed the clock so they only had one possession in the last minute. That should go in a textbook as an example of how not to do it.

Not to mention, the attempt at a surprise double team in the final seconds of the shot clock was poorly executed because Young was coming from so far away and Napier had a clear view of the whole floor and could see where to throw the ball (and Poythress never rotated until after the pass - making it even easier).

You are totally correct about players having to make FTs in final minute of NCAA title game (think the Big O, one of greatest ever who chunked a FT when his team really needed it). Alas KY will never know...

"Surprise double team" must have been very much on KO and the staff's mind - they had obviously reminded all three forwards to stay home and look for pass especially if their defender left to double ball. One team had Class A coaching, the other did not - and it really showed in last 90 seconds.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

More like a guy tossing in 1oo's, the women were smiling until they saw the bills were counterfeit.

and by then Cal would on to the next club

Here's the list. We're at 15.

Top 25 for the lazy:

1) Kentucky (24)
2) Arizona (3)
3) Duke (2)
4) Wisconsin (3)
5) Kansas
6) North Carolina (Pinson, Berry & Jackson could make NC legit though)
7) Florida (Arkansas could finish ahead of Florida easily)
8) Virginia (Pack Line is tough but Mike Tobey & Jack Salt up front?)
9) Louisville
10) Texas
11) Wichita State (Northern Iowa could win MVC)
12) Villanova
13) Gonzaga
14) Iowa State
15) UConn
16) VCU
17) San Diego State (Finishes behind Boise in MVC)
18) Michigan State ( has NO front court at all)
19) Oklahoma (with Thomas not overrated)
20) Ohio State
21) Nebraska (Finishes behind Illinois in Big10)
22) SMU
23) Michigan
24) Syracuse
25) Iowa

For our AAC brethren, Memphis is also receiving votes.

Overrated in Bold. ^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[champs99and04]

I actually think UNC will be very good (they're the favorite to win the ACC, in my mind). Shooting will be a concern like it was last season, but they rebound like a pack of wolves, defend well, and when you have one of the best point guards in the country, you can overcome a lot of shooting deficiencies. In the front court, they rotate four or five big-bodied athletes who are a nightmare to deal with. I was actually really glad Iowa State beat them - they wouldn't have been a good match-up, and sans McAdoo (who I thought was overrated anyway), they return pretty much everybody.

 

[Rocktheworld]

curious, isn't that where you'd typically expect the #13 team to make it to...
that's like saying 'calling it now, ECU is not making the tourney'...

Given the unpredictability of the tournament, and assuming we are talking about eventual tournament performance (vs more simply who the best teams in the country are), I like to think the top 15 or so consists of teams who have a legitimate chance of making a deep run. It's not necessarily predicting 1-4 will be in the FF, 5-9 in the EE etc. And as I said, I don't think any person with knowledge of Gonzaga's recent tournament performance would/should mark them as a team that has a good chance of getting to at least the Elite Eight. We simply have minimal tangible evidence to believe as such.

Maybe I'm wrong with my perception of the rankings.

 

[Leebo]

Well, yeah, teams outside the top 8 are considered capable of making the elite 8, but it's not a damning indictment of a team ranked 13 to not make it to the elite 8.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Am I missing something on Florida? Didn't they graduate 4 of their 5 starters from last year? Isn't Hamilton on par with any of Florida's freshmen? Isn't Purvis a safe bet to contribute more than any of Florida's freshmen? How does UCONN fall so much further than Florida? Yes, I'm nitpicking, but I'm genuinely curious.

That ranking is based more on the strength of Florida's returning guys (most of which came off the bench last year) as opposed to the strength of their freshman. Kacey Hill, Finney-Smith, Michael Frazier, Chris Walker, etc.