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You mean both of them? Why?
AAC > Big East
You mean both of them? Why?
Sure, Gtown is 49, not 9, because ESPN hates them. Makes sense.
What about CBS:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...15-preseason-top-25-and-one-national-rankings
Or SI:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...20140410/top-25-college-basketball-2014-2015/
Hate to? Big conspiracy against the BE (who fell on their face in the NCAA tournament)?
ESPN rankings:
48. Georgetown Hoyas
Gone: Markel Starks, Nate Lubick, Moses Ayegba, Stephen Domingo
Returning: D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Joshua Smith, Jabril Trawick, Mikael Hopkins, Reggie Cameron, Aaron Bowen
Coming in: PF Isaac Copeland (ESPN No. 16), SF L.J. Peak (ESPN No. 31), PFPaul White (ESPN No. 34), PG Tre Campbell
Key Riser: Jabril Trawick -- He had a solid season as a junior, averaging 9.1 points per game. However, look for him to become more of a focal point of the offense with Starks gone.
Analysis: The Hoyas struggled, finishing 8-10 in the new Big East, and will lose their point guard in Starks and also a veteran big man in Lubick, who started for much of his time at Georgetown. However, John Thompson III returns his leading scorer in Smith-Rivera, also brings back Trawick and hopes to have Smith, who was academically ineligble for the second half of the season, back in the fold. He'll also bring in a talented recruiting class that features three players all ranked in the Top 35 nationally.
Summer Buzz: The Hoyas have a verbal from local power forward Marcus Derrickson, but still have three more scholarships in the class. They are trying for heralded big men Ivan Rabb and Diamond Stone, as well as Chance Comanche and wings Dwayne Bacon, Joshua Reaves and P.J. Dozier.
^^^^^^One of the things I was hoping to see out of this thread was some "hey, you missed this team" posts. It feels like the Top 20-25 schools from the end of this year are experiencing larger losses than you would normally see from that group. There were a lot of veteran teams like Iowa State, Baylor, Memphis and Florida that are losing a bunch of key players to graduation. I think there are going to be 5-7 teams that were either first round exits or not in the Dance at all this year that are going to be really good next year.
I came up with Georgetown, Nebraska, SMU and Clemson before I found out that Clemson's best player was gone. I was poking around the ACC but no one, other than Clemson, really popped out at me. None of the traditional powers that had down years like Indiana or Purdue seemed poised for an immediate turnaround. Providence played well at times but loses Cotton. St. Johns continues to be St. Johns. Temple will be better, but an NIT bid next year would get Dunphy CoY votes, that team has a long climb to an NCAA Tournament bid. So who am I missing?
I agree about Cuse. They were bad on offense last year and lose Ennis and Fair. Grant was good on D but can be replaced by McCullough. They just project to be brutal on offense unless Kaleb Joseph is a let better then anyone thinks. They didn't develop any young talent last year and their fans are depending on Roberson to make a leap from 0 PT to leading scorer.
I would probably have Duke and UF 5-10 spots higher but I agree they are overrated. Most have both in the top 5. UF might gel and be great by the end of the year, but not to start. Duke is going to be weak on D again. Neither Jones or Okafor are known for their athleticism or defense. Duke fans expect Jones to be a 2 or 3 year player and Allen to get no burn so why would UConn fans have higher expectations? Cook is also a mediocre player but I do like Sulaimon and Jefferson. Good pieces but not game changers.
Hate to say it but I like UK big at number 1. Iowa State will be bringing in 3 more impact transfers and Hoiberg is a good coach so I expect them to be very relevant.
Good call on Utah. I am surprised I missed them.
If Hamilton starts or sees major minutes at the "4"...the team better shoot 65% from the field or we are going to get beat by 20 - 25 every night. Hamilton weighs about 17 pounds....maybe 18.5. He is a natural 2/3 type. Quick, sleak, good range, decent handle.
I don't know what this obsession is with the sky is falling if Hamilton is checking a 4 on defense. Ollie, like Calhoun before him, will play lineups that include his 5 best players, no matter what their position. To me, that means you will see some Boat, Purvis, TSam, Hamilton and Brimah. No biggie.
Bump. I am sticking by my ranking for the most part. Clemson stays off, replacing them with Utah. I am dropping SMU about 14 slots to 20 because Mudiay is gone. It feels like the ACC will be a lot of bubble teams this year, because I think the league will be good but other than the teams previously mentioned, i don't see anyone sticking out.
We'll see Purvis at the 4 before Hamilton and we won't see much of him at the 4 either.Other than your insistence on Hamilton playing the 4 (I don't think he'll see time there), I think this is a nice list, Nelson. It's easy to nitpick, and I do think you have some teams too high (UNC, Villanova, Pitt, Clemson may all be a little too high, Georgetown a lot), and some teams to low (Virginia jumps out, but I get your logic). But this is a hard list to do, and this is as good as any. And I also think you are right about UK.
Bump. I am sticking by my ranking for the most part. Clemson stays off, replacing them with Utah. I am dropping SMU about 14 slots to 20 because Mudiay is gone. It feels like the ACC will be a lot of bubble teams this year, because I think the league will be good but other than the teams previously mentioned, i don't see anyone sticking out.
I like seeing Memphis fly under the radar. It seems recently we get rated high, and drop fast after our first L. In your first predictions you said "Iowa State and Memphis - huge losses" and this seems to be what folks are thinking about Memphis...but with Austin Nichols, Shaq Goodwin, Nick King, Kuran Iverson, Pookie Powell...and adding guys like Kedren Johnson, Calvin Godfrey, Trahson Burrell, and Dom Magee...Memphis will have lots of talent.
I still have Memphis finishing third behind UConn and SMU...just ahead of Cincy and Tulsa.
Tulsa is a team to watch in the American. They will prolly start 5 Juniors. This is a good team that lost to UCLA in the 1st round last year. The 2015-16 version could be a great sleeper pick to make a very deep run in March.
Tulsa tore up a bad CUSA after starting 1-6. I think even AAC competition will be too much for them.
Statistically Tulsa was ranked #30 in defensive efficiency per Kenpom. That is a pretty good starting point to give them some respect. Top 50 in defensive turnover %. I like those #'s. Good defense should be able to make up for some of their shooting shortcomings. IF Tulsa can crack the top 100 in offensive efficiency next year with a roster comprising of NINE Juniors I expect them to make the tourney out of the AAC. They may not even have to reach that goal. My point is next year (2015-16) they could be very dangerous despite the Haith haterz chiming in. Any roster with NINE seniors with tournament experience is a true wildcard.
You mean both of them? Why?
Statistically Tulsa was ranked #30 in defensive efficiency per Kenpom. That is a pretty good starting point to give them some respect. Top 50 in defensive turnover %. I like those #'s. Good defense should be able to make up for some of their shooting shortcomings. IF Tulsa can crack the top 100 in offensive efficiency next year with a roster comprising of NINE Juniors I expect them to make the tourney out of the AAC. They may not even have to reach that goal. My point is next year (2015-16) they could be very dangerous despite the Haith haterz chiming in. Any roster with NINE seniors with tournament experience is a true wildcard.
What did there schedule look like?