AP Preseason Poll: Kentucky #1, Duke #4

[duke4ever19]

Didn't see this posted (mods, feel free to move) but... UK gets the top spot with our Dukies ranked #4 with a couple No#1 votes.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...asketball-poll

Not that the preseason poll means much, but it is interesting to see where the prognosticators have teams before the whole thing blows up after about a month

[hurleyfor3]

Raw poll (rather than article):

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...ar/2014/poll/1

[Duvall]

UNC must have had a great offseason to jump 14 spots in the polls.

[Bob Green]

...but it is interesting to see where the prognosticators have teams before the whole thing blows up after about a month

I doubt it takes that long.

[luburch]

Interesting tidbit:

@RealJayWilliams: #CollegeBasketball: * 7 of the last 10 national champions have been ranked in the Top 5 of the preseason AP poll: UK,Mich St,Ville,Duke & KU

[duke4ever19]

Interesting tidbit:

@RealJayWilliams: #CollegeBasketball: * 7 of the last 10 national champions have been ranked in the Top 5 of the preseason AP poll: UK,Mich St,Ville,Duke & KU

The exceptions were Uconn in 2011, Duke 2010, and Florida 2006 if memory serves. Syracuse was not in the top 5 either in '02-'03.

[matt1]

The exceptions were Uconn in 2011, Duke 2010, Florida 2006, and Syracuse in 2003 if memory serves.

The first three, as Syracuse in 2003 is now the 11th most recent champion. It is interesting that 2010 was a low starting spot for us, as was 2013, the only other year we made it past the Sweet 16. Still, I would rather be #4 than #8 or #9.

[duke4ever19]

I still scratch my head with when I think about Uconn winning in 2011.

[Potato Head]

How weak is the field if UNC gets in at #12?

[Olympic Fan]

The release of this poll extends Duke's streak of consecutive top 10 appearances to 114 straight AP polls (from Nov. 2007 to now).

Duke's 114 straight top 10s are the second-longest in AP poll history. UCLA has 155 straight top 10 weeks in the Wooden glory years (1966-76)

[moonpie23]

wasn't UK Ranked #1 last pre-season?

[dukebballcamper90-91]

they were ranked 3 when we smacked em upside the head 2nd game of the season. Indy was 1

[roywhite]

Just heard Jay Bilas doing a season preview piece on ESPN.

His pick for National Champion? Duke

Said they will improve during the year; Jabari Parker being a key player all over the court, the "queen on the chess board" for Coach K.

[OldPhiKap]

they were ranked 3 when we smacked em upside the head 2nd game of the season. Indy was 1

Ky had a bad player injury early, and never came together last year. They may be the most talented collection of players, we will have to see how good of a TEAM they become. I am fine with letting them take the pressure of #1 early.

Just heard Jay Bilas doing a season preview piece on ESPN.

His pick for National Champion? Duke

Said they will improve during the year; Jabari Parker being a key player all over the court, the "queen on the chess board" for Coach K.

Jay is trill. And very insightful. If Jay is saying this, you know it so NOT to run the hype machine and definitely not because he is a homer. I am sure he has seen our practices and talked to K.

[Kedsy]

Ky had a bad player injury early, and never came together last year. They may be the most talented collection of players, we will have to see how good of a TEAM they become. I am fine with letting them take the pressure of #1 early.

If you're talking about Nerlens Noel, he wasn't injured until mid-February. Kentucky underachieved on merit last season.

[weezie]

Just heard Jay Bilas doing a season preview piece on ESPN.

His pick for National Champion? Duke

Said they will improve during the year; Jabari Parker being a key player all over the court, the "queen on the chess board" for Coach K.

This is the kind of post that catches my eye. In addition to Jay's opinion piece in the latest ESPN mag, he does know his stuff.
His suggestions for improving college ball and helping it to maintain relevance were spot on.

[davekay1971]

How weak is the field if UNC gets in at #12?

It's not the question of how weak is the field, it's the question of how much of a boost does UNC get on name. UNC was, I think, top 10 heading into the 2010 season. However, UNC has three big "ifs" that, if they go UNC's way, could make UNC at least a legitimate top 20 team.

1) Marcus Paige - he's already shown tremendous growth at UNC. If he continues that kind of growth, especially if he makes a "leap", UNC becomes a much better team.
2) PJ Hairston - can he stay out of trouble and play within the team concept? If so, his value as a shooter is unquestioned, and, like Paige, if he grows his game (in PJ's case, becoming a better driver/finisher), he becomes one of the better players in the ACC
3) The always overrated JMM - can he either benefit from Paige getting him the ball in scoring position close in, or can he actually develop an offensive game that doesn't involve athletic dunks and put-backs.

Freshmen, of course, are a question for everyone, UNC no different, and Britt has talent. If he can contribute well this year to improve UNC's front court, and if Paige is better than last year, and if Hairston grows a brain, and if JMM hits a shot from 12 feet away...

Lots of ifs, and rarely do all the ifs break right for any team. But IF all those ifs work out, UNC ain't gonna be awful.

[devildeac]

It's not the question of how weak is the field, it's the question of how much of a boost does UNC get on name. UNC was, I think, top 10 heading into the 2010 season. However, UNC has three big "ifs" that, if they go UNC's way, could make UNC at least a legitimate top 20 team.

1) Marcus Paige - he's already shown tremendous growth at UNC. If he continues that kind of growth, especially if he makes a "leap", UNC becomes a much better team.
2) PJ Hairston - can he stay out of trouble and play within the team concept? If so, his value as a shooter is unquestioned, and, like Paige, if he grows his game (in PJ's case, becoming a better driver/finisher), he becomes one of the better players in the ACC
3) The always overrated JMM - can he either benefit from Paige getting him the ball in scoring position close in, or can he actually develop an offensive game that doesn't involve athletic dunks and put-backs.

Freshmen, of course, are a question for everyone, UNC no different, and Britt has talent. If he can contribute well this year to improve UNC's front court, and if Paige is better than last year, and if Hairston grows a brain, and if JMM hits a shot from 12 feet away...

Lots of ifs, and rarely do all the ifs break right for any team. But IF all those ifs work out, UNC ain't gonna be awful.

Not sure if it was intentional or not, Dave, but great job working shooter, driver and finisher into a sentence with PJ. Next thing we know, you'll want him to become a better (puff, puff) passer.

[Ichabod Drain]

wasn't UK Ranked #1 last pre-season?

I believe they were #3, Indiana was #1

[flyingdutchdevil]

wasn't UK Ranked #1 last pre-season?

3. Indiana and Louisville were 1 and 2, respectively.