Early early Top 25 after draft deadline

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k-town_king

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#1
The summer’s official top-25 college basketball ranking for the 2019-2020 season

15. Tennessee Volunteers

2018-19 Record: 31-6

2018-19 Finish: Sweet 16

Few teams were hit harder by the stay or go decisions of the last two months than Tennessee. The Vols lose their top three scorers from last year’s 31-win team, but Lamonte Turner and Jordan Bowden are back to form what should be one of the best backcourts in the country.
 
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#2
#2
k-town_king said:
The summer’s official top-25 college basketball ranking for the 2019-2020 season

15. Tennessee Volunteers

2018-19 Record: 31-6

2018-19 Finish: Sweet 16

Few teams were hit harder by the stay or go decisions of the last two months than Tennessee. The Vols lose their top three scorers from last year’s 31-win team, but Lamonte Turner and Jordan Bowden are back to form what should be one of the best backcourts in the country.
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Like I keep saying, anything less than a NCAA Tourney bid, next year, will be a disappointment, imo
 
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#4
#4
Six SEC teams in the top 33 in that poll. Can you finish in the top 6 in the SEC next season and not get a spot in the NCAA?
 
#8
#8
I've been saying we should be shooting for the tourney with our guard play.

The good teams do it like this all the time. The other contributors need to step up when the star leaves.

If we get anything at all from James and Burns we are good
 
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#9
#9
NCAA tournament bid or bust next season. No excuse why we shouldn't in year 5 (fact check please could be off) of the Barnes tenure.
 
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#10
#10
JoAllan said:
I don’t think Tennessee “should be” preseason top 15. I do expect Tennessee to make the tourney, and depending on front court play Tennessee could be really good...........we just don’t know much of anything about that yet.
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Agree. Dont think you can lose 4 of your top 6 (especially when you only played a 7 man rotation late) and add only 1 recruit expected to heavily contribute as a freshman.

Too many questions and not enough development from last 2 classes to be in Top 15. I'd think 25 would be fair...
 
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#11
#11
JoAllan said:
I don’t think Tennessee “should be” preseason top 15. I do expect Tennessee to make the tourney, and depending on front court play Tennessee could be really good...........we just don’t know much of anything about that yet.
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I agree. I don't think Alexander was in the top 3 for scoring, at least per game either.
 
#13
#13
We have a lot of questions to answer with this team is they are all answered effectively we'll be a very good team. The major concerns is what are we gonna get inside with Burns, Fulkerson and the incoming players. They are the ones that have a lot of slack to take up both in scoring, defending, and rebounding. If they can do the job we'll be a very good team our guard play should not fall off very much even with the loss of Bone.
 
#14
#14
If we don't win it all next year it will be because some else was better than us.
 
#16
#16
I think we will be around the 30-40 best team in the country.

However, we have no clue what our post is rn or if it will be talented/chemistry so we just as well might not make the tourney. People need to make peace with that possibility beforehand.
 
#19
#19
JoAllan said:
I don’t think Tennessee “should be” preseason top 15. I do expect Tennessee to make the tourney, and depending on front court play Tennessee could be really good...........we just don’t know much of anything about that yet.
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Year to year college basketball, the teams are completely different. It is just crazy. There is no way of knowing how team chemistry will mesh with so many new faces.

Duke loses Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish and still are ranked #2.
Kentucky loses Reid Travis, PJ Washington, Tyler Herro, Keldon Johnson yet still are ranked #3.
North Carolina loses Coby White, Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye, Kenny Williams, Nassir Little yet still are around #10.
Virginia loses De'Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, Kyle Guy, Jack Salt and still are top 10.

I’m skeptical over all these rankings, and see a significant question mark with UT’s frontcourt, but Turner and Bowden give us a degree of experience that few teams have. James will in my opinion have similar stats to Bone but will do it with size and strength rather than speed and quickness. The key is all about Burns, Kent, and Plavsic (if eligible) and to a lesser extent Nkamhoua in my opinion. Lastly, Jalen Johnson finally has an opportunity....his development is especially critical on the perimeter. The other somewhat established players (Fulky and Pons) while they may improve a touch, suspect we know what we will get out of them.
 
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#20
#20
Guards win college basketball games and if James is the player I think he is, UT will have one of the best backcourts in the nation. Bowden and Turner could both be drafted if they take the next step. Turner was probably UT's best passer/assist guy in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments. Bowden has a NBA range jumper and NBA athleticism/hops. Both need to continue to improve their 3 ball and dribble drives, but both already play pretty damn good defense. If Turner fine tunes his PG skills and Bowden becomes more aggressive, then both will be drafted in the 2nd round, imo.
 
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#21
#21
The Dog said:
Guards win college basketball games and if James is the player I think he is, UT will have one of the best backcourts in the nation. Bowden and Turner could both be drafted if they take the next step. Turner was probably UT's best passer/assist guy in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments. Bowden has a NBA range jumper and NBA athleticism/hops. Both need to continue to improve their 3 ball and dribble drives, but both already play pretty damn good defense. If Turner fine tunes his PG skills and Bowden becomes more aggressive, then both will be drafted in the 2nd round, imo.
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One of your best posts. Still a bit of optimism, but all grounded in fairly sound reasoning.
 
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