Yahoo Sports has updated it’s Pre-Season Top 25 list (and yes we’re talking about basketball). Kentucky now comes in at #2! Anyone surprised?..eh, not really….
Oh, and Loserville manages to come in at #9. I’m sure they’ll still choke in the first round. After all, that’s what little brother does 😉
The Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll won’t be out for about three more months. Here is my projection of what the initial rankings should look like.
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[QUOTE][B]1. North Carolina[/B] – The Tar Heels could have as many as four first-round NBA draft picks in their lineup with Harrison Barnes, John Henson, James McAdoo and Tyler Zeller. Then there’s point guard Kendall Marshall, who will likely be among the country’s leaders in assists. Roy Williams hasn’t been this excited about a team since the fall of 2001, when his Kansas squad featured Drew Gooden, Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison.
[B]2. Kentucky[/B] – Unlike the past two years, the latest version of the Wildcats has a decent amount of experience to blend with its youth. Terrence Jones was one of the top two players on last year’s Final Four squad while Darius Miller and Doron Lamb played key roles, as well. The biggest stars, however, will probably be a pair of freshmen. Forward Anthony Davis and point guard Marquis Teague are both projected to be top 10 picks in next summer’s NBA draft.
[B]3. Ohio State[/B] – Chemistry-wise, not many teams in the country will mesh as well as the Buckeyes, who return first-team All-American Jared Sullinger in the paint along with standout guards Aaron Craft and William Buford. Ohio State should be the heavy favorite to win a Big Ten conference that will likely be down a bit this year. Buckeyes fans, however, have higher aspirations.
[B]4. Duke[/B] – As much as it stings on the court, the loss of Nolan Smith, Kyrie Irving and Kyle Singler will also hurt the Blue Devils from a leadership standpoint. Hopefully newcomers such as guard Austin Rivers are ready to be the catalysts of a talented team that returns Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins on the perimeter and the Miles and Mason Plumlee in the paint.
[B]5. Syracuse[/B] – Other than leading rebounder Rick Jackson, the Orange return every key player from a team that went 27-8 last season. Jim Boeheim’s club will tout one of the deepest backcourts in the country with Brandon Triche, Scoop Jardine, Michael Carter-Williams and Dion Waiters. Senior Kris Joseph is one of the top forwards in the Big East. He averaged 14.4 points last season. Syracuse is hoping 7-foot center Fab Melo makes significant strides following a disappointing freshman season.
[B]6. Vanderbilt[/B] – The Commodores in the Final Four? Hey … stranger things have happened. Kevin Stallings returns every key player from one of the SEC’s most solid teams last season. John Jenkins is a future first-round draft pick and Festus Ezeli and Jeffrey Taylor are both battle-tested veterans. Give Stallings credit for turning Vanderbilt into one of the league’s top teams.
[B]7. Connecticut[/B] – Even without Kemba Walker, the Huskies will be back in the NCAA title mix and may be even stronger than the squad that won it all in Houston last spring. Emerging star Jeremy Lamb is back along with key players such as Alex Oriakhi, Roscoe Smith and Shabazz Napier. Look for versatile freshman forward DeAndre Daniels to start immediately.
[B]8. Wisconsin[/B] – One of these days, people will learn their lesson and start picking Wisconsin near the top of the Big Ten instead of in the middle. Point guard Jordan Taylor should be on everyone’s preseason All-American squad. He’s a big-time scorer who rarely turns it over. Mike Bruesewitz needs to have a big season following the departure of Jon Leuer.
[B]9.Louisville[/B] – The Cardinals surprised some folks by finishing in a tie for third in the Big East standings last season, but nothing they do this season will come as a shock. Kyle Kuric is back, but the real keys to the team will be freshman guard Wayne Blackshear and big man Chane Behanan. Look for Rick Pitino’s squad to contend for the title in the nation’s toughest league.
[B]10. Florida[/B] – Will the Gators have the best backcourt in the country? Perhaps. Returning starters Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton will have to share time with high-scoring Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario and all-everything freshman Brad Beal. The problem is that Florida is thin and inexperienced down low with Erik Murphy and talented-but-raw Patric Young. Don’t be surprised if Billy Donovan occasionally uses a four-guard lineup.
[/QUOTE]You can [URL=”http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=jn-king_revised_college_hoops_top_25_080111″]read the complete article here…[/URL]
Oh, and for those that didn’t know, we’re coming for that #1 Spot! Just ask Ludda!
