Most Surprising Team In College Basketball

With the season roughly half way over or somewhere close, who do you guys think is the most surprising team in basketball?

My vote goes to Butler. After nearly upsetting Tennessee last year, they graduated five seniors. There leading scorer was a sophomore in Matt Howard. They were predicted to finish 5th in the Horizon. Plus, they came into the season with three freshman starting. However, after beating UIC today, they are 16-1 and the only undefeated left in their conference and ranked 17th in the nation. Mighty impressive for a young squad.

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Originally Posted by DukieBoy

With the season roughly half way over or somewhere close, who do you guys think is the most surprising team in basketball?

My vote goes to Butler. After nearly upsetting Tennessee last year, they graduated five seniors. There leading scorer was a sophomore in Matt Howard. They were predicted to finish 5th in the Horizon. Plus, they came into the season with three freshman starting. However, after beating UIC today, they are 16-1 and the only undefeated left in their conference and ranked 17th in the nation. Mighty impressive for a young squad.

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Because they are now the team to beat for the NC.

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Originally Posted by dukelifer

Because they are now the team to beat for the NC.

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I agree completely. I thought Wake was vastly underrated heading into the season (I still have no idea how anyone could think Miami would finish 3rd ahead of them in the ACC), but I didn't expect them to be the team I thought was most likely to win the national title.

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Originally Posted by dukelifer

Because they are now the team to beat for the NC.

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Lets calm it down a bit. They have 0 tourney experience in their starting lineup, a coach who's never been a head coach in the NCAAs, and could be subject to some of the same issues we've run into the last few years of young players getting worn down as the season goes on. A great start is wonderful, but as plenty of people on this board will tell you, it doesn't matter if you can't sustain it.

Would it be blasphemy to suggest that Louisville, who is currently struggling, might be better positioned to succeed in the tourney than Wake?

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Originally Posted by shadowfax336

Lets calm it down a bit. They have 0 tourney experience in their starting lineup, a coach who's never been a head coach in the NCAAs, and could be subject to some of the same issues we've run into the last few years of young players getting worn down as the season goes on. A great start is wonderful, but as plenty of people on this board will tell you, it doesn't matter if you can't sustain it.

Would it be blasphemy to suggest that Louisville, who is currently struggling, might be better positioned to succeed in the tourney than Wake?

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I am not saying they will win- but they are definitely built to win it all. They are huge up front and all three are capable of big nights. Teague is a pro-ready. So they are really built to win- but you are right- they will face pressure down the stretch and it is hard to make a run without experience- but it has been done in the past- Florida being a good example.

I gave Miami more props at the beginning of the year than I gave Clemson, and I gave Wake squat. They weren't even on my radar. I'm dying to see us play them, they are the real deal for now.

I'm going with Wake and Syracuse. I knew Wake was talented but I thought they'd collapse during the first real competitive team they faced, that hasn't happened yet. 'Cuse looked bad against G'town but has been pretty solid other than that game, enough to get a top 10 ranking. They'd fallen off the radar after McNamara graduated.

Top disappointment goes to ND, they played so well last year but they seem really inconsistent this year, not very deep either.

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Originally Posted by RelativeWays

I'm going with Wake and Syracuse. I knew Wake was talented but I thought they'd collapse during the first real competitive team they faced, that hasn't happened yet. 'Cuse looked bad against G'town but has been pretty solid other than that game, enough to get a top 10 ranking. They'd fallen off the radar after McNamara graduated.

Top disappointment goes to ND, they played so well last year but they seem really inconsistent this year, not very deep either.

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Wake and Syracuse are the two that come to my mind and I really did not think Oklahoma would be this good. Go Duke!

I guess the fact that the best college basketball team ever assembled has two losses isn't a surprise to readers of this board!:)

I'd add Illinois to the discussion.

Based on preseason expectations, I'd have to say the most surprising team is UNC. This team was supposedly invincible with all the balance, talent, depth, experience...etc. Did anyone in their right minds think they would start the ACC season 0-2? That has to be the biggest surprise.

Ofcourse they're still probably the best team in the country and I fully expect them to handle Miami tonight despite their sporadic, poorly prepared D. I also still expect them to fulfill preseason expectations in March and April, sadly.

arizona st looking pretty good. Go Herb! I guess he wasn't the problem after all down the road.

I agree with the Louisville call. Pitino typically has his teams in ferocious physical condition, and this year they seem even fitter than usual. They played like it today.

Good: Wake and Syracuse.
Both teams are off to great starts. Hopefully, that will continue for both teams.

Bad: UNC.
I didn't believe they'd go undefeated, but I also didn't think they would start conference play by losing their first two games.

Go DUKE!!!

I'd have to go with Syracuse. Thought they'd be close to the bottom of the Big-Touted-Big East. (And can't believe that the pundits are still hawking the Big East as the top league in the NCAA. Ridiculous).

Almost every team in the ACC, on a given night could wipe the floor of the Big East teams. --- Pitt might be the exception.

The most surprising team has to be the Heels. Not only is it surprising that they have two losses, it's also surprising that teams are bothering to show up to play them. Didn't these teams read the preseason reports and don't they know that resistance is futile in the face of the Heels?