2008-2009 NCAA basketball Top 10...

#27
#27
I started this thread halfway joking about the media leaving us out of the top 10 because they will stop believing in us, but my top 10 are legit with the exception of Zona and UCONN.. I was just trying to think of 10 teams off the top of my head that they would rank ahead of us giving that ESPN hates us...
 
#31
#31
I have some sleepers just off of the top of my head.

Gonzaga - An improving Austin Daye and a motivated Josh Heytvelt could take them to the next level. The backcourt of Pargo and Bouldin isn't too bad either. They have a lot of depth and shooting with Micah Downs and Steven Gray potentially coming off the bench.

Notre Dame - Kyle McAlarney and Luke Harangody return, as does floor general Tory Jackson. Rob Kurz is the only playing who earned significant playing time that is leaving.

Southern Cal - Taj Gibson, Davon Jefferson, and Dwight Lewis all return and averaged in double figures. Combo guard Daniel Hackett returns as well and could be a 10-5-5 guy next season. Mayo is likely gone, but some may feel Demar Derozan could be an upgrade.

Miami - Return leading scorers Jack McClinton and James Dews as well as ultra-althletic forwards Brian Asbury and Dwayne Collins. Big men Anthony King and Ray Hicks are the only contributers leaving, and incoming freshman Dequan Jones, a 6-6 wing, is one of the countries most athletic prep players. The big hole is point guard play. Either Lance Hurdle must embrace the role of distributor or rising Soph. Eddie Rios must show he is capable of playing in ACC and adjust much better the the speed and strength of the rest of the conference. If one of those two things happen, Miami could be the second best team in the ACC next season.

Illinois St. - the Redbirds finished last season on a tear and would have gained an NCAA birth if they hadn't been so brutally beaten by Creighton in the Valley Conference tourny. Osiris Eldrige averaged 16-6-2 last season and expect the rising junior to be among the leading candidates for MVC POY. Joining him on the wing is Oregon transfer Chamberlain Oguchi. Oguchi, at 6'5, is an elite athlete with a deadly outside stroke who never seemed to find any kind of consistancy in Eugene. Look for Sead Odzic, a former USC Trojan, to be more of a factor shooting the ball. ISU brings in 5 recruits, the best of which is 3star big man Jeremy Robinson.

Brigham Young - Returns top three scorers in Lee Cummard, Trent Plaisted, and Jon Tavernari. Rising Soph. Jimmer Fredette is a big time shooter and should be more of a factor behing the arc this season. Plaisted is arguably the MWC's most talented player, but Cummard is the team's most valuable. The lankly 6'7 rising senior does a little bit of everything averaging close to 16 points, over 6 boards, and 3.5 assists per. He also shot 47% from three, and 86% from the line.

Syracuse - If Donte Greene comes back they are a legit contender, IMO. But odds are he is gone. The Orange await the returns of Eric Devandorf and Andy Rautins as well as incoming wing Mookie Jones. The Cuse need rising Soph. Rick Jackson to play up to potential this season, because they are very thing inside with wide-body Arinze Onuaku the only established presence. Jonny Flynn is back as quarterback and he should flourish alongside Devandorf and do-it-all forward Paul Harris. Devendorf was off to a blistering start last season putting up 17pts and 4 dimes before a torn ACL ended his season ten games in. As far as I know Donte Greene hasn't declared, but I expect that news to come soon. If somehow he decides to stay Syracuse will be most talented team in the Big East and the most talented team they've had since Carmelo and Hakim ruled the Carrier Dome.
 
#32
#32
*Just as we speak a source has confirmed Donte Greene will enter and hire an agent.
 
#35
#35
TennNC said:
FWIW, Vitale doesn't. Shocker.

His top 5 included UNC, Texas, GTown, UCLA and Louisville.
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Collison and Love declared for the draft last night. I'd say that's the end of UCLA in the national title picture.
 
#37
#37
pricevol5 said:
Give them a year. They'll be right back in the Final Four by 2010.
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I was under the impression that we were talking about next season.

I wasn't trying to say they'll be gone forever. They have too many recruiting advantages to completely drop from the national basketball scene.
 
#38
#38
BigPapaVol said:
I was under the impression that we were talking about next season.

I wasn't trying to say they'll be gone forever. They have too many recruiting advantages to completely drop from the national basketball scene.
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I completely agree. In fact, i was agreeing with you all the way. This will be somewhat of a rebuilding year although I still expect them to challenge USC and Arizona St. in the Pac10 and make the tourny. However, two years from now I expect them to scary if they land Renardo Sidney and Nolan Dennis to go along with Reeves Nelson for the 2009 class and the star power they have coming in with Holliday, Lee, and Drew Gordon in the 2008 class.
 
#39
#39
i'm not sure ASU has the talent to challenge for the top of the pac-10 even in a down year.

SC will be good, UCLA should be good, the furd wont make the tourney, cal will be much better.
 
#40
#40
pricevol5 said:
I completely agree. In fact, i was agreeing with you all the way. This will be somewhat of a rebuilding year although I still expect them to challenge USC and Arizona St. in the Pac10 and make the tourny. However, two years from now I expect them to scary if they land Renardo Sidney and Nolan Dennis to go along with Reeves Nelson for the 2009 class and the star power they have coming in with Holliday, Lee, and Drew Gordon in the 2008 class.
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and I understand now that Collison has not made a decision as to whether to jump or stay.
 
#41
#41
BigPapaVol said:
and I understand now that Collison has not made a decision as to whether to jump or stay.
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Coming to his senses I hope. The last images of him in college would've been the way Derrick Rose manhandled him in final 4. He isn't even the top PG prospect on his own team either.
 
#42
#42
droski said:
i'm not sure ASU has the talent to challenge for the top of the pac-10 even in a down year.

SC will be good, UCLA should be good, the furd wont make the tourney, cal will be much better.
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ASU has a lot of talent, and they have everyone coming back next season. James Harden has committed to coming back and I would be surprised if he wasn't 1 or 2 in scoring in the conference (first if Ryan Anderson goes pro). Jeff Pendergraph and Ty Abbott are double figure scorers, and Derek Glasser is a very polished and heady point guard. Eric Boateng should be more of a factor this season, at least on the glass and the defensive end, and incoming recruit John Coy, from the Kansas City area, chose ASU over Kansas and Missouri, and has a very impressive all-around game. You should see a big improvement after a full season together in Herb Sendek's princeton style offense.
 
#43
#43
pricevol5 said:
ASU has a lot of talent, and they have everyone coming back next season. James Harden has committed to coming back and I would be surprised if he wasn't 1 or 2 in scoring in the conference (first if Ryan Anderson goes pro). Jeff Pendergraph and Ty Abbott are double figure scorers, and Derek Glasser is a very polished and heady point guard. Eric Boateng should be more of a factor this season, at least on the glass and the defensive end, and incoming recruit John Coy, from the Kansas City area, chose ASU over Kansas and Missouri, and has a very impressive all-around game. You should see a big improvement after a full season together in Herb Sendek's princeton style offense.
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Boateng flat can't play.
 
#45
#45
I really like the 1-2 punch of Blake Griffin and Willie Warren Oklahoma will have next season, assuming Griffin comes back.
 
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