Doomed Jay Bilas best 68 CBB teams

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The Bilas Index: The only men's hoops preview you need

Just catching up on the men's college basketball season? Have no fear. Jay Bilas is here with all the information you need.

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[NewBlood]

MF DOOMED!!!

 

[CL82]

 

[Gutter King]

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It definitely feels like a "bridge" year. If CBB doesn't snipe us this year, it feels like next year and beyond will be in overdrive. Along with us, there look like a couple of high end teams out there this year, none of them on the level of our '24 though.

Single elim tourney is probably the only silver bullet moving forward so long the staff stays in place. It's weird to put a statue out while he's still coaching, so the University has PLENTY of time to avoid the DWade debacle.

 

[Stasher599]

I really don’t understand how some of these experts are passing us by as final four picks. Have they not watched college basketball the last couple years. Our depth is amazing and we just have so many options on offense and the unselfishness that is instilled by the coaching staff goes a long way.

 

[EricLA]

Plus this team is going to be ridiculously fun to watch. I know it's early, and Ross didn't play in game 1, but it seems like there are at least 8 or 9 legit players Hurley can go to at any time (and Nowell could be a wild card). And the other guys off the bench are no slouches either.

It will be very interesting to see how the minutes pan out. I think on any given night, anyone having an off night for any reason can be replaced easily by someone off the bench who seems to be every bit as good, even if in a different way. Lots of room for growth for sure as it's been 1 game and 1 exhibition game, but I'm excited for every game I get to have the privilege to watch...

Not sure I love Bilas listing us as #1, but how blessed are we to have that particular "problem" to deal with?!!

 

[B1GEast]

On the CBS sports site, Gary Parrish doesn't even have UConn in his Final 4 prediction.

But watch him change his tune before the tournament starts.

 

[ted920]

On the CBS sports site, Gary Parrish doesn't even have UConn in his Final 4 prediction.

But watch him change his tune before the tournament starts.

Think about this statement and how immensely far the UCONN program has come that we are very disappointed and incredulous that someone would NOT include in a list of Final Four schools.
I remember the days that we just wanted to avoid the Big East 8 vs. 9 game.

Glory Days. TRULY GLORY DAYS.

 

[jibsey]

On the CBS sports site, Gary Parrish doesn't even have UConn in his Final 4 prediction.

But watch him change his tune before the tournament starts.

He didn’t have us beating Purdue..

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Not sure I love Bilas listing us as #1, but how blessed are we to have that particular "problem" to deal with?!!

He knows what he's doing. He knows the winning formula is us ranked outside the top 5, so he intentionally made us #1 to screw with our mojo. Damn Dukie!

 

[TheChamps990411]

Along with us, there look like a couple of high end teams out there this year, none of them on the level of our '24 though.

To be fair though `24 is an all time great team. I mean if not for injuries that team is likely 39-1 with the only real L at full strength we took being the Crayton road game. Yes i know its spelled wrong its an inside joke.

 

[willie99]

Has long as Seth Davis doesn't pick us, we'll be fine

 

[Kitaman]

I hope Yarders are no longer offended when pundits overlook us. I just feel we are in a different world now as 6 time Champions.

Personally I welcome the oversight, being ignored or wrong predictions. Its actually entertaining. However come February I forget who predicted what anyways.

 

[RuffRuff]

It definitely feels like a "bridge" year. If CBB doesn't snipe us this year, it feels like next year and beyond will be in overdrive. Along with us, there look like a couple of high end teams out there this year, none of them on the level of our '24 though.

Single elim tourney is probably the only silver bullet moving forward so long the staff stays in place. It's weird to put a statue out while he's still coaching, so the University has PLENTY of time to avoid the DWade debacle.

What I’m feeling with this team is that it would be one that actually has to win close games, which is not something we’ve had to do in a long time. It’s in part why I think Hurley continues to call out Mahaney, as you do need a great PG in close games. Whether he establishes that role is TBD.

I’m not expecting a lot of runaway games like last year, as the team doesn’t have that level of defensive firepower to just suffocate the opposition into submission. In a lot of ways it’s normalizing to the pack, the top of the pack. The last two years they’ve been in a tier of their own. One of the remaining beefs with Hurley has always been ability to win close big games and I think this year he’ll have some chances.

This team is not “bullet proof” so will have be scrappy and opportunistic, situationally smart and efficient, learn how to manufacture wins rather than just run over the opponent.

 

[superjohn]

What I’m feeling with this team is that it would be one that actually has to win close games, which is not something we’ve had to do in a long time. It’s in part why I think Hurley continues to call out Mahaney, as you do need a great PG in close games. Whether he establishes that role is TBD.

I’m not expecting a lot of runaway games like last year, as the team doesn’t have that level of defensive firepower to just suffocate the opposition into submission. In a lot of ways it’s normalizing to the pack, the top of the pack. The last two years they’ve been in a tier of their own. One of the remaining beefs with Hurley has always been ability to win close big games and I think this year he’ll have some chances.

This team is not “bullet proof” so will have be scrappy and opportunistic, situationally smart and efficient, learn how to manufacture wins rather than just run over the opponent.

Disagree, we're going to blow a lot of teams out.

 

[RuffRuff]

Disagree, we're going to blow a lot of teams out.

Beauty of a message board!

 

[HuskyHawk]

It doesn't matter. Not all surprising. People will shuffle those top 4 teams but almost every list I have seen has those four in some order.

What I notice from that list is really that the SEC is just loaded this year. The Big XII is too, but is more top heavy. The SEC has become a basketball conference.

 

[B1GEast]

Last year before the season started, I felt that last years team could be better than the 2022 team.

This year, I think this team can be as good as the 2022 title team. The 2023 team is a tough comparison.

 

[RuffRuff]

Palm is on the UConn train. He’s traditionally had a much better track record than Lunardi, picked us to win again this year in his preseason picks. Any way you slice it, seems most have us on a patch to be in the east with Duke - love it, very due.

2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Predictions - Bracketology - College Basketball

CBS Sports is helping you get ready for March Madness with the latest news, picks, and predictions for the 2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket.

www.cbssports.com

Have heard SEC and Big12 could field as many as 11 teams each into the tourney.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

What UConn is doing isn't normal. It is, in fact, unprecedented. We have won back to back titles with different teams. That's freaking insane. Doing it again would be bananas. I do not blame "experts" for being skeptical. Plus, coach uses that doubt as jet fuel, which is all good.

 

[HooperScooper]

What I notice from that list is really that the SEC is just loaded this year.

They haven't started out so well.

The SEC will not finish as the sport's best conference​

It was notable in the preseason when the SEC replaced the Big 12 as the nation's top-rated conference, according to KenPom.com, and when CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm put 11 SEC teams in his first projected bracket for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Long season, obviously. But the first few days of it haven't been great for the "It just means more" league. Nationally ranked Texas A&M opened with a 64-61 loss to unranked UCF. Nationally ranked Texas opened with an 80-72 loss to unranked Ohio State. Missouri opened with an 83-75 loss to unranked Memphis. South Carolina opened with a 74-71 loss to unranked North Florida.

In the meantime, the only Big 12 team that's lost so far is Baylor -- and that loss, lopsided as it was, is more understandable because that loss was a loss to No. 6 Gonzaga in downtown Spokane. And exactly zero Big Ten teams have already taken a loss. So will the SEC still be good and deep? Sure. But if the first three days of the season are any indication, it will not finish the season rated as the sport's best league.

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www.cbssports.com

 

[gsmooth]

What I’m feeling with this team is that it would be one that actually has to win close games, which is not something we’ve had to do in a long time. It’s in part why I think Hurley continues to call out Mahaney, as you do need a great PG in close games. Whether he establishes that role is TBD.

I’m not expecting a lot of runaway games like last year, as the team doesn’t have that level of defensive firepower to just suffocate the opposition into submission. In a lot of ways it’s normalizing to the pack, the top of the pack. The last two years they’ve been in a tier of their own. One of the remaining beefs with Hurley has always been ability to win close big games and I think this year he’ll have some chances.

This team is not “bullet proof” so will have be scrappy and opportunistic, situationally smart and efficient, learn how to manufacture wins rather than just run over the opponent.

When you wrote about defense, it reminded me of the win at Gampel against Creighton, the first game UConn got their #1 ranking. That was my favorite non NCAAT and non BE tournament win. They had a vice grip and suffocated and choked the life out of Creighton's high powered offense that game. Watch it again if you have time, especially the 2nd half, where Creighton had 2 TOs and 3 shot clock violations if my memory serves me correct. They were having trouble even getting a shot up. UConn was impeccable with their communication on defense and their switches on screens. It was a complete 180 degree difference from when they played Creighton later in Omaha.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Disagree, we're going to blow a lot of teams out.

I have to agree. This team seems to me once the players get comfortable with running the offense they are going to score a lot of points and are going to be a team that can get away from teams quickly. I think itll take some time to get there and it may be frustrating at times but once it clicks this team could be one of the most explosive offenses in the country.