NCAA Basketball 2010-11 - A Preview

[Big Pappa]

Here is something to get it rolling: Vitale's preseason Top 40 from a few hours ago.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/dickvitale/news/story?id=5292918

Love the quote from Dickie V, "When it's all said and done, I like Coach K and the Dukies to go back-to-back, à la 1991 and 1992, baby!" No one ever accused him of being impartial... baby!

[_TheFakeJWill_]

I read that also. IMO id rather be on top then "under the radar" which Duke never is by the way but Dickie V does wear Duke blue glasses IMO though, but i love it :D

[MisterRoddy]

Here is something to get it rolling: Vitale's preseason Top 40 from a few hours ago.

[url]

Love the quote from Dickie V, "When it's all said and done, I like Coach K and the Dukies to go back-to-back, à la 1991 and 1992, baby!" No one ever accused him of being impartial... baby!

I also read this earlier. Surprised he didn't have NC State in his Top 40.

My Top 10 would look like:

1. Duke
2. MSU
3. Purdue
4. Ohio St.
5. Kansas St.
6. Villanova
7. Baylor
8. Pittsburgh
9. Kentucky
10. Kansas

[Newton_14]

I also read this earlier. Surprised he didn't have NC State in his Top 40.

My Top 10 would look like:

1. Duke
2. MSU
3. Purdue
4. Ohio St.
5. Kansas St.
6. Villanova
7. Baylor
8. Pittsburgh
9. Kentucky
10. Kansas

I agree with 90% of this although due to experience and a slight edge in the paint, I favor Purdue over MSU at the starting point. I will qualify that though, with saying that assumes Hummel is 100% healthy. Purdue will be a tough out if he is.

I am not sold on Kentucky being quite that high yet, but the talent is there to be a top ten team for sure. I also strongly agree that Dickie V is nuts not to have NCSU in the Top 40. He will regret that one before all is said and done.

[MisterRoddy]

I agree with 90% of this although due to experience and a slight edge in the paint, I favor Purdue over MSU at the starting point. I will qualify that though, with saying that assumes Hummel is 100% healthy. Purdue will be a tough out if he is.

I am not sold on Kentucky being quite that high yet, but the talent is there to be a top ten team for sure. I also strongly agree that Dickie V is nuts not to have NCSU in the Top 40. He will regret that one before all is said and done.

Yeah, Purdue and MSU are basically interchangeable at 2 and 3. What gives the edge to MSU, IMO, and why I think they'll be back in the Final Four next year is Coach Izzo, the 2nd Best active College Basketball coach in the game.

[Newton_14]

Yeah, Purdue and MSU are basically interchangeable at 2 and 3. What gives the edge to MSU, IMO, and why I think they'll be back in the Final Four next year is Coach Izzo, the 2nd Best active College Basketball coach in the game.

That we agree on 100% no qualifiers required.

[Olympic Fan]

I wouldn't mind being under the radar either -- but we essentially had that this past year. That was about as under the radar as it can get for Duke and Coach K. This year, the Devils will have to win from the lead.

That's okay -- that's basically what happened in '91 (under the radar) and '92 (No. 1 every week of the season).

Like everybody, I agree that Michigan State and Purdue are either 2-3 or 3-2. If everything else is equal, you've got to give MSU the edge because of Izzo.

But I want to wait and see if things are equal -- both teams have a key player (maybe THE key player) coming off a major injury. Of the two, I think Hummell's ACL has a slightly better chance of coming back all the way than Lucas' ruptured Achilles tendon -- I may be behind the curve, but my observation is that almost nobody comes all the way back from that injury. It killed Laettner's career when he was an all-star and it turned Elton Brand from a 20/10 guy to just another post body.

I will say I've read reports from MSU that Lucas is making good progress. We'll just have to wait and see on those.

PS I respect Vitale's judgment, but I think he's nuts to leave off NC State (which he has FSU and Maryland in his top 40).

[dukemsu]

I agree with 90% of this although due to experience and a slight edge in the paint, I favor Purdue over MSU at the starting point. I will qualify that though, with saying that assumes Hummel is 100% healthy. Purdue will be a tough out if he is.

I am not sold on Kentucky being quite that high yet, but the talent is there to be a top ten team for sure. I also strongly agree that Dickie V is nuts not to have NCSU in the Top 40. He will regret that one before all is said and done.

I'd favor Purdue over State based solely on JaJuan Johnson. Not sure I buy the experience bit. MSU returns all but one player (Chris Allen will likely return, though he is on some sort of probation) from a unit that has now gone to back to back Final Fours. The Boilers have yet to break through.

As many have said, though, Purdue and State are interchangable as they are currently built. The Devils are a clear step ahead at the start. It's going to be one hell of a season.

dukemsu

[Big Pappa]

I also read this earlier. Surprised he didn't have NC State in his Top 40.

My Top 10 would look like:

1. Duke
2. MSU
3. Purdue
4. Ohio St.
5. Kansas St.
6. Villanova
7. Baylor
8. Pittsburgh
9. Kentucky
10. Kansas

I also like Purdue ahead of State, but this is a good list. The only thing I would change would be Nove dropping down to 8 with Baylor up to 6 and Pitt up to 7. I wasn't sold on Nova with Reynolds, and I'm less sold on them without him.

[MisterRoddy]

I also like Purdue ahead of State, but this is a good list. The only thing I would change would be Nove dropping down to 8 with Baylor up to 6 and Pitt up to 7. I wasn't sold on Nova with Reynolds, and I'm less sold on them without him.

I also think Baylor has Top 5 potential but for right now, I'll put Villanova ahead. they return everybody from last year, with the exception of Reynolds (including Stokes, Fisher, Pena, and both SO's Yarou and Cheek, who I believe are both primed for breakout years.) They also bring in some solid recruits including James Bell who I've heard is a real baller and McD's AA Jayvaughn Pinkston. The players, and the coach, combined with the determination of going farther than they did last year will, IMO, prove to make a solid Villanova squad.

I think if Baylor can finish like they did last year and Perry Jones (their sensational freshman) lives up to expectations, they could move into the top 5 and possibly sneak into the top 3 by seasons end. IMO, led by Lacedarius Dunn, Baylor has the potential to be that good.

[wolfpackdevil]

Surely most people will agree that NC State should have been on this list, but being left off preseason polls should be a good thing for the Wolfpack.

A few years back when the team has Fell, Grant, Costner, McCauley and Hickson they were ranked in the top 20 to begin the season, and hyped up to the max. They ended up finishing last in the ACC and not playing in the postseason. So respect will have to be earned in Raleigh this year.

[Big Pappa]

I think if Baylor can finish like they did last year and Perry Jones (their sensational freshman) lives up to expectations, they could move into the top 5 and possibly sneak into the top 3 by seasons end. IMO, led by Lacedarius Dunn, Baylor has the potential to be that good.

I agree 100%. I think it will have the most to do with Perry Jones. I just posted this article in the KI thread but it has a bit about Perry too including this quote, "Jones just might be the most talented player in the class" :

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=16501

Think about how good they would have been if Udoh had stayed.

[MisterRoddy]

I agree 100%. I think it will have the most to do with Perry Jones. I just posted this article in the KI thread but it has a bit about Perry too including this quote, "Jones just might be the most talented player in the class" :

[url]

Think about how good they would have been if Udoh had stayed.

Ehhh, I wouldn't agree with this statement in the article as we have our own player out of that class who's pretty talented. He's still very talented in his own right.

BTW, I looked up the definition of "freak" in the dictionary and this is what I found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quxsxSe1YTo

[Big Pappa]

It's looking more and more like Mich. State will be without Chris Allen. According to Delvon Roe's father, he wasn't at the player's meeting about a week ago and he was the only player not on the stage during Izzo's announcement that he was returning.

"To achieve any of that [Big Ten and National Championships], the Spartans certainly would like to have a focused and happy Chris Allen. But when Allen declined to step to the podium with his teammates to thank Izzo for staying, it underscored the senior-to-be guard’s strange purgatory, after the coach hinted last month that one of his players might transfer. Internet sites are rampant with unconfirmed rumors about why Allen is persona non grata, but whatever the reason is, it clearly seems he is something of an outsider these days."


http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2010/06/tom_izzos_flirtation_with_cava.html

[Olympic Fan]

I think if Baylor can finish like they did last year and Perry Jones (their sensational freshman) lives up to expectations, they could move into the top 5 and possibly sneak into the top 3 by seasons end. IMO, led by Lacedarius Dunn, Baylor has the potential to be that good.

I'm not quite as sold on Baylor being a top 5 or even a top 10 team.

I love Dunn, as explosive a wing guard as there is in the country. But don't forget they lost Tweety Carter, their point guard and their No. 2 scoring option. That's 5.9 assists a game -- and I don't see a strong replacement (Nolan Dennis? Anthony Walton?)

Their No. 2 assist man? That was Epke Udoh (2.7) who is also gone. He was also their No. 3 scorer and their top rebounder (by a wide margin). They also lost starting center Josh Lomars, who wasn't great, but gave them a big body for all their athletes to work around.

I've heard a lot about Perry Jones' talent -- but you must be aware that their are plenty of question marks about his maturity, his focus and his inability to fit in a team concept. I think it's asking a lot to expect him to be as good a player as Udoh was at that position last year. You do have Quincy Acy to take over Lomars spot up front, but then who takes over Acy's role as the team's dynamic sixth man?

I'm not saying that they will not be good. Dunn is a great building block and Acy is a nice talent. Jones is a spectacular physical talent. Maybe lastv year's freshman flop, Cory Jefferson will bounce back and have a good sophomore year.

But they don't have a point guard. They lost three starters -- one sure to be a first-round NBA pick -- and added one top flight recruit (neither of their other two freshmen are rated as top 200 prospects).

I'd be surprised if this is a top 10 team.

[MisterRoddy]

I'm not quite as sold on Baylor being a top 5 or even a top 10 team.

I love Dunn, as explosive a wing guard as there is in the country. But don't forget they lost Tweety Carter, their point guard and their No. 2 scoring option. That's 5.9 assists a game -- and I don't see a strong replacement (Nolan Dennis? Anthony Walton?)

Their No. 2 assist man? That was Epke Udoh (2.7) who is also gone. He was also their No. 3 scorer and their top rebounder (by a wide margin). They also lost starting center Josh Lomars, who wasn't great, but gave them a big body for all their athletes to work around.

I've heard a lot about Perry Jones' talent -- but you must be aware that their are plenty of question marks about his maturity, his focus and his inability to fit in a team concept. I think it's asking a lot to expect him to be as good a player as Udoh was at that position last year. You do have Quincy Acy to take over Lomars spot up front, but then who takes over Acy's role as the team's dynamic sixth man?

I'm not saying that they will not be good. Dunn is a great building block and Acy is a nice talent. Jones is a spectacular physical talent. Maybe lastv year's freshman flop, Cory Jefferson will bounce back and have a good sophomore year.

But they don't have a point guard. They lost three starters -- one sure to be a first-round NBA pick -- and added one top flight recruit (neither of their other two freshmen are rated as top 200 prospects).

I'd be surprised if this is a top 10 team.

You have a very compelling argument but I still have to disagree. Outside of the Top 3 teams in the nation, there's no real obvious choice for the Top 5. i believe Baylor is as strong of a candidate as any of the teams vying for at 4th spot (except for maybe Ohio St.).

Lacedarius Dunn, IMO, has to be a candidate for Player of the Year this upcoming season. Quincy Acy has the potential to breakout in games. Nolan Dennis has to prove he is ready for a starting spot. I know about the issues with Perry Jones and his attitude but Demarcus Cousins also had attitude problems and we see how well he performed. Fact is, this kid has talent and just because he might have a little attitude problems doesn't mean he won't perform up to expectations. As long as this team has good leadership, I believe Jones will be just fine. Also, Baylor has another espnu100 Point guard in Stargell Love. I've heard that he is a pretty solid player. Maybe he can challenge dennis for the starting spot. (similar to Brandon Triche's impact with Syracuse)

Fact is, Baylor doesn't have a lot of competition (IMO, only Ohio St, Villanova, Kansas St. Pitt, potentially Kentucky) for the last 2 spots in the Top 5 and relatively less competition for a Top 10 spot and I believe they have a good enough core, along with some good role players to have the potential to solidify a spot in the top 5. But also, rankings don't mean a thing, as long as your team is there in the end, and I believe Baylor can make it to the Final 4 if they live up to their potential. (notice I highlighted the word if and how many times I used the word potential).

[Olympic Fan]

Also, Baylor has another espnu100 Point guard in Stargell Love. I've heard that he is a pretty solid player. Maybe he can challenge dennis for the starting spot. (similar to Brandon Triche's impact with Syracuse)


If Love, who played prep ball with Quincy Miller at Quality Education in Winston-Salem can be an effective college point guard (which I doubt), then I'll revise my estimate of Baylor.

Scouts are divided about whether Love is a point guard (ESPN and Scout) or a wing guard trying to play the point (Prep Stars).

Yeah, ESPN has him as No. 88 in their top 100 ... Scout ranks him as a three-star prospect ... Prep Stars (which ought to be pretty clued in to a kid who plays in North Carolina) does not have in in their top 200 prospects. The RSCI does not have him listed among the concensus top 100 players in the country.

Okay, that doesn't mean they are right -- great players have been missed before, but it doesn't look like this kid is Kyrie Irving or Ryan Harrow or even Kendall Marshall ... heck Ian Miller is a higher rated PG prospect. Heck, Terrence Stoglin is higher rated prospect.

I can't see putting Baylor in the top five by default. To say the competition is weak ... baloney. North Carolina doesn't have a player as good as Dunn, but Barnes is higher rated that Jones, Marshall AND Drew have better point guard chops than Dennis or Love, and I'll take McAdoo, Zeller and Henson over Acy and Jefferson. On paper, North Carolina looks a LOT better to me than Baylor.

You take Dunn, Acy and Jones ... I'll take Harrow, Leslie and Tracy Smith. State has proven the last four seasons what happens when you try to play without a point guard ... I think Baylor will find that out this season. At least until they prove they somebody who can do a better job there that, say, Larry Drew did at UNC (and he's MUCH higher rated than any option they have there), then I can't see them as a top 10 team.

[MisterRoddy]

If Love, who played prep ball with Quincy Miller at Quality Education in Winston-Salem can be an effective college point guard (which I doubt), then I'll revise my estimate of Baylor.

Scouts are divided about whether Love is a point guard (ESPN and Scout) or a wing guard trying to play the point (Prep Stars).

Yeah, ESPN has him as No. 88 in their top 100 ... Scout ranks him as a three-star prospect ... Prep Stars (which ought to be pretty clued in to a kid who plays in North Carolina) does not have in in their top 200 prospects. The RSCI does not have him listed among the concensus top 100 players in the country.

Okay, that doesn't mean they are right -- great players have been missed before, but it doesn't look like this kid is Kyrie Irving or Ryan Harrow or even Kendall Marshall ... heck Ian Miller is a higher rated PG prospect. Heck, Terrence Stoglin is higher rated prospect.

I can't see putting Baylor in the top five by default. To say the competition is weak ... baloney. North Carolina doesn't have a player as good as Dunn, but Barnes is higher rated that Jones, Marshall AND Drew have better point guard chops than Dennis or Love, and I'll take McAdoo, Zeller and Henson over Acy and Jefferson. On paper, North Carolina looks a LOT better to me than Baylor.

You take Dunn, Acy and Jones ... I'll take Harrow, Leslie and Tracy Smith. State has proven the last four seasons what happens when you try to play without a point guard ... I think Baylor will find that out this season. At least until they prove they somebody who can do a better job there that, say, Larry Drew did at UNC (and he's MUCH higher rated than any option they have there), then I can't see them as a top 10 team.

IMO, it all depends on Perry Jones, if he can be a dominant force, either Dennis/Stoglin step up to be an effective Robin to Lacedarius in the backcourt, and they get effective contributions from the role players such as Acy, Jones, and Walton, they can definitely be a Top 5 team.

If I understand correctly, you are basically saying that you don't think this will happen, but I am saying that I think there is a good chance of all this happening, and if it does happen, like I said, they are probably a Top 5 team, but if it doesn't, like you said, they are probably no better than Carolina. My argument is not saying that all of this will happen, just that I won't be surprised if it does, and if it does, Baylor can be a Top 5 team.

As for my ranking them 7th in my Top 10, I, honestly don't see a better team to put ahead of them.

[NSDukeFan]

IMO, it all depends on Perry Jones, if he can be a dominant force, either Dennis/Stoglin step up to be an effective Robin to Lacedarius in the backcourt, and they get effective contributions from the role players such as Acy, Lomers, Jones, and Walton, they can definitely be a Top 5 team.

If I understand correctly, you are basically saying that you don't think this will happen, but I am saying that I think there is a good chance of all this happening, and if it does happen, like I said, they are probably a Top 5 team, but if it doesn't, like you said, they are probably no better than Carolina. My argument is not saying that all of this will happen, just that I won't be surprised if it does, and if it does, Baylor can be a Top 5 team.

As for my ranking them 7th in my Top 10, I, honestly don't see a better team to put ahead of them.

I don't know if this affects your view of them, but Lomers, last year's starting center, was a senior and is the third starter who will not be returning for Baylor.

[MisterRoddy]

I don't know if this affects your view of them, but Lomers, last year's starting center, was a senior and is the third starter who will not be returning for Baylor.

thanks for catching my mistake, I'll fix it, but his absence really wouldn't be the deciding factor in changing my opinion.

[dukemsu]

It's looking more and more like Mich. State will be without Chris Allen. According to Delvon Roe's father, he wasn't at the player's meeting about a week ago and he was the only player not on the stage during Izzo's announcement that he was returning.

"To achieve any of that [Big Ten and National Championships], the Spartans certainly would like to have a focused and happy Chris Allen. But when Allen declined to step to the podium with his teammates to thank Izzo for staying, it underscored the senior-to-be guard’s strange purgatory, after the coach hinted last month that one of his players might transfer. Internet sites are rampant with unconfirmed rumors about why Allen is persona non grata, but whatever the reason is, it clearly seems he is something of an outsider these days."


http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2010/06/tom_izzos_flirtation_with_cava.html

Allen is on some sort of double-secret probation, enrolled in summer school and working out individually. He's apparently being held out of all team-related activities. Izzo recently had an interview with Andy Katz in which this came up, and he quoted that Allen was "on a short leash".

No one's really sure what happened, but it appears that Allen has a long way to go to get back in everyone's good graces, and it appears that he is working at it.

dukemsu

[Olympic Fan]

IMO, it all depends on Perry Jones, if he can be a dominant force, either Dennis/Stoglin step up to be an effective Robin to Lacedarius in the backcourt, and they get effective contributions from the role players such as Acy, Jones, and Walton, they can definitely be a Top 5 team.

But you can play the what-if game with a lot of teams. To say they can be a top 5 team if all those things happen is like saying UNC will be a top 5 team if Harrison Barnes can be a dominant force (he's higher rated than Jones), if either Drew (better last year than Dennis) or Marshall (much higher rated than Love) can step up to be an effective point guard and if players like Henson, Strickland, Zeller and Bullock (better as a group than Acy, Walton and Jefferson) can step up to be effective role players ...

The question is how likely are ALL those things to happen for Baylor?

Well, I think it's a good bet that Acy and Walton will be effective role players. Jefferson is a little more of a stretch, but it's possible even though he was useless last year.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think Jones might become a dominant force as a freshman. As I said earlier, I think the odds are that he won't be as effective as Udoh, the NBA first-round pick he's replacing, but everybody agrees that Jones is a great talent ... he could be an immediate star.

But where your projection flounders IMHO is the dependence on Dennis or Love becoming anywhere close to as good a point guard as Carter was a year ago. Could it happen? I guess anything is possible, but there were more than a dozen point guards in the ACC last year (including backups) who were more effective players than Dennis ... there are at least eight PGs coming into the league this year that are rated higher than Love (Irving, Harrow, Marshall, Miller, Chennault, Stoglin, Howard, Baron and maybe Stanton).

I think the odds of either Dennis/Love emerging as a top 5 or top 10 quality point guard are a lot longer than you seem to think.

Look at it this way -- Baylor wasn't a top 10 team last year. Their highest ranking was their final No. 19.

So you try and replace Udoh with Jones ... he might be better, but he's probably not. Be generous and call it a wash.

You replace Lomars, the starting center with Acy and Acy as sixth man with Jefferson, so in reality, you're replacing Lomars, an effective role player (he was sort of Zoubek before the beard), with Jefferson, who was a waste of space last season. No big deal either way, but hardly a significant improvement.

Then you replace Tweety Carter, one of the team's big three, with a medocre sub and a very low rated freshman combo guard.

You're telling me that's a better team that the one that finished No. 19 a year ago? They lost two of their big three and they have one quality recruit to replace them. And they have a HUGE question mark at the single most important position in the college game.

Sure, anything could happen, but the ODDS of it happening are extremely long. Baylor looks like a borderline second-10 team to me. Ifv you can't find more than six teams with better prospects than Baylor, then you are not looking very hard.

[MisterRoddy]

But you can play the what-if game with a lot of teams. To say they can be a top 5 team if all those things happen is like saying UNC will be a top 5 team if Harrison Barnes can be a dominant force (he's higher rated than Jones), if either Drew (better last year than Dennis) or Marshall (much higher rated than Love) can step up to be an effective point guard and if players like Henson, Strickland, Zeller and Bullock (better as a group than Acy, Walton and Jefferson) can step up to be effective role players ...

The question is how likely are ALL those things to happen for Baylor?

Well, I think it's a good bet that Acy and Walton will be effective role players. Jefferson is a little more of a stretch, but it's possible even though he was useless last year.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think Jones might become a dominant force as a freshman. As I said earlier, I think the odds are that he won't be as effective as Udoh, the NBA first-round pick he's replacing, but everybody agrees that Jones is a great talent ... he could be an immediate star.

But where your projection flounders IMHO is the dependence on Dennis or Love becoming anywhere close to as good a point guard as Carter was a year ago. Could it happen? I guess anything is possible, but there were more than a dozen point guards in the ACC last year (including backups) who were more effective players than Dennis ... there are at least eight PGs coming into the league this year that are rated higher than Love (Irving, Harrow, Marshall, Miller, Chennault, Stoglin, Howard, Baron and maybe Stanton).

I think the odds of either Dennis/Love emerging as a top 5 or top 10 quality point guard are a lot longer than you seem to think.

Look at it this way -- Baylor wasn't a top 10 team last year. Their highest ranking was their final No. 19.

So you try and replace Udoh with Jones ... he might be better, but he's probably not. Be generous and call it a wash.

You replace Lomars, the starting center with Acy and Acy as sixth man with Jefferson, so in reality, you're replacing Lomars, an effective role player (he was sort of Zoubek before the beard), with Jefferson, who was a waste of space last season. No big deal either way, but hardly a significant improvement.

Then you replace Tweety Carter, one of the team's big three, with a medocre sub and a very low rated freshman combo guard.

You're telling me that's a better team that the one that finished No. 19 a year ago? They lost two of their big three and they have one quality recruit to replace them. And they have a HUGE question mark at the single most important position in the college game.

Sure, anything could happen, but the ODDS of it happening are extremely long. Baylor looks like a borderline second-10 team to me. Ifv you can't find more than six teams with better prospects than Baylor, then you are not looking very hard.


I never said anything about Dennis or Stoglin being anywhere near what Tweety Carter was for the Bears last season. I just said they need to be an effective robin to Lace. Meaning All they have to do is be good at ball-handling, good enough shooter, and an efficient enough passer. You don't have to be a star exactly when you are playing next to one of the best guards in college basketball. If either Dennis or Stoglin can be an efficient enough PG (and thats a realistic expectation), Baylor will be a Top 5 team. Another possibility is maybe Walton stepping up to play the point guard spot, that was his position in High School, and had games with assists of 5, 5, 8, 6, 5, and 3 games of 4 assists last year as the backup. Last year was this kids freshman year and there's no doubt he can make a big enough improvement to be an efficient enough point guard alongside stars Dunn and Jones.

Also, whose to say that one of if not many of these players will not significantly improve next year (such as us suspecting our Duke players to improve). You are going widely off of performances last year when it's likely that some of these players significantly improve their game, enough so to, along with Dunn and Jones, elevate Baylor to elite status.

UNC is a different story, IMO, last year, they had enough talent to be a Top 10 team but injuries, lack of confidence, and bad coaching derailed their season. This year, if John Henson plays up to expectations, they should have the talent to be a Top 10 team next year but there are too many variables other than talent to consider on whether a team will perform up to expectations, like UNC didn't last year (and I'm sure most agree that they had the talent).

[Olympic Fan]

I never said anything about Dennis or Stoglin being anywhere near what Tweety Carter was for the Bears last season. I just said they need to be an effective robin to Lace. Meaning All they have to do is be good at ball-handling, good enough shooter, and an efficient enough passer. You don't have to be a star exactly when you are playing next to one of the best guards in college basketball. If either Dennis or Stoglin can be an efficient enough PG (and thats a realistic expectation), Baylor will be a Top 5 team.

You keep saying STOGLIN. Are you confusing Terrell Stoglin, who is going to Maryland, with Stargell Love, the much lower-rated (by most services) combo guard who is going to Baylor?

(Don't mean to rip on you ... I have mental gliches like that all the time)

My point is that I think you are wrong to dismiss the problems that having a mediocre point guard can cause -- even with a great scoring guard such as Dunn also in the backcourt. I just keep bringing up Carter because you keep overlooking how much he meant to last year's team and they have no real replacement for him.

Can Baylor survive with an "efficient enough" point guard? Survive yes ... be a top 5 team? I doubt it.

And what are the odds that Dennis/Love (not Stoglin)/Walton can be even that? Was Larry Drew an "efficient enough" point guard last season? Yet, he brought far more credentials into last season than any of the Baylor PG candidates.

Yeah, people can get better ... they can improve. But kids are trying to do that everybody in the country. To say that you project a Baylor team that on paper should be a second ten team into the top 5 or even top 10 because players on that team may get much better is a game that you can play with almost any team.

Yeah, Jones or Dennis might make a quantum leap. So might Terrell Bell or Jeff Allen (a player with immense potential) at Virginia Tech. Heck, they have a much stronger core coming back that Baylor -- a similar quality guard (except for his 3-point accuracy, Delaney's numbers are better than Dunn's in a lot of areas) ... they have five returning starters, add a Florida transfer that's highly regarded,m plus a freshman guard and a wing who are higher rated than Baylor's two recruits other than Jones ... if you play the "what if they get better game" you can argue the Hokies should be a top 5 team.

As for UNC, they had a lot of problems last year as you mention. But the one that kept them out of the NCAA Tournament was erratic play at point guard. I think that should be a warning for Baylor ... I think they have a better, more experienced starting cast and that will keep them in the top 20, but I don't think their talent is anywhere near overwhelming enough to crack the top five with an "efficient enough" point guard.

[MisterRoddy]

You keep saying STOGLIN. Are you confusing Terrell Stoglin, who is going to Maryland, with Stargell Love, the much lower-rated (by most services) combo guard who is going to Baylor?

(Don't mean to rip on you ... I have mental gliches like that all the time)

My point is that I think you are wrong to dismiss the problems that having a mediocre point guard can cause -- even with a great scoring guard such as Dunn also in the backcourt. I just keep bringing up Carter because you keep overlooking how much he meant to last year's team and they have no real replacement for him.

Can Baylor survive with an "efficient enough" point guard? Survive yes ... be a top 5 team? I doubt it.

And what are the odds that Dennis/Love (not Stoglin)/Walton can be even that? Was Larry Drew an "efficient enough" point guard last season? Yet, he brought far more credentials into last season than any of the Baylor PG candidates.

Yeah, people can get better ... they can improve. But kids are trying to do that everybody in the country. To say that you project a Baylor team that on paper should be a second ten team into the top 5 or even top 10 because players on that team may get much better is a game that you can play with almost any team.

Yeah, Jones or Dennis might make a quantum leap. So might Terrell Bell or Jeff Allen (a player with immense potential) at Virginia Tech. Heck, they have a much stronger core coming back that Baylor -- a similar quality guard (except for his 3-point accuracy, Delaney's numbers are better than Dunn's in a lot of areas) ... they have five returning starters, add a Florida transfer that's highly regarded,m plus a freshman guard and a wing who are higher rated than Baylor's two recruits other than Jones ... if you play the "what if they get better game" you can argue the Hokies should be a top 5 team.

As for UNC, they had a lot of problems last year as you mention. But the one that kept them out of the NCAA Tournament was erratic play at point guard. I think that should be a warning for Baylor ... I think they have a better, more experienced starting cast and that will keep them in the top 20, but I don't think their talent is anywhere near overwhelming enough to crack the top five with an "efficient enough" point guard.

Whoops, I have been meaning to say Love, my mistake.

Your problem with UNC and the comparison with them is that Drew was playing alongside mostly freshman and sophmores for the majority of the year (Ginyard was out for a good portion of last year) including a string-bean of a PF that wasn't ready for the college game on the offensive side and an inconsistent freshman guard that turned the ball over too often. UNC didn't have those obvious scoring options last year that Baylor will have this year in Dunn and Jones. Last year, Walton showed sign that he can be relied on as point guard and I have no doubt that he can be an efficient enough point guard for Baylor (if not him then Dennis or LOVE).

I'm not relying that heavily on big leaps by players, only the average leap that college players make with every year. Acy averaged around 10 points per last year and I don't think it'd be too much to look for around 12-14 from an increased role in the offense. Anthony Jones showed signs that he can be a scorer and he averaged around 6 per last year, in an increased role, he could be expected around 7-9 ppg. The only thing Im looking for in Walton is efficient point guard play. A core of Dunn and Jones, along with these role players certainly has the potential to be a Top 5 team, IMO, but they also have the potential to drop to the lower half of the Top 25, if players don't live up to their expectations.

[Big Pappa]

My point is that I think you are wrong to dismiss the problems that having a mediocre point guard can cause -- even with a great scoring guard such as Dunn also in the backcourt. I just keep bringing up Carter because you keep overlooking how much he meant to last year's team and they have no real replacement for him.


Don't mean to jump in on this two-person conversation, but I'd like to weigh in. My old roommate is very connected at Baylor and I have been hearing about AJ Walton for a long time. Basically, they will surely miss Carter, but they are very excited about Walton. He is a lock-down defender and a very good 3-point shooter. He isn't as much a creator as Carter was, but he can do other things much better than Carter could. The biggest one of those is defense. Carter was an adequate defender, but AJ gives them a great defender at the point guard position.

If Baylor isn't a top team this coming year it will not be because of their point guard.

[Big Pappa]

Allen is on some sort of double-secret probation, enrolled in summer school and working out individually. He's apparently being held out of all team-related activities. Izzo recently had an interview with Andy Katz in which this came up, and he quoted that Allen was "on a short leash".

No one's really sure what happened, but it appears that Allen has a long way to go to get back in everyone's good graces, and it appears that he is working at it.

dukemsu

You are obviously much better connected at MSU than I am, but I do remember Izzo saying something a few weeks back about a player possibly transferring. He certainly may not transfer, but IMO he won't be a big part of the rotation next year, which will hurt the Spartans.

[MisterRoddy]

Here is one of the few Bleacher Report articles that I actually enjoyed reading.

A Preview of Duke vs. Michigan State Next Year (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/420757-duke-vs-michigan-state-an-early-preview-of-big-ten-acc-battle)

[MisterRoddy]

The Big Ten looks to be one of, if not, the best conference next year. I want to hear you guys' opinion on the Top 5 in the conference and who makes 1st and 2nd teams for all Big Ten.

Here are my $.02.

1. Michigan State - A lot will depend on how Kalin Lucas recovers from his injury and if Delvon Roe can perform up to his potential. I expect freshman Appling to get some key minutes off the bench after the departure of Allen and freshman Payne to also get some good minutes as a defensive stopper and clog in the middle, especially after the loss of Raymar Morgan.

2. Purdue - Yes, they have the Big 3, but after them...who else?

3. Ohio State - I believe Will Buford, who has been overshadowed by Evan Turner for the past few years will step up and have a breakout year and end up their best player. Add in frosh stud Sullinger (and Thomas) and reliable seniors David Lighty and Jon Diebler and I believe OSU is a Final Four caliber team.

4. Illinois - McCamey will be one of the best guards in the country and Mike Davis is one of the best big men in the conference. Add in freshmen stud Richmond and sophomores Richardson and Paul and they can end up big players in the conference.

5. Wisconsin - Don't know too much about this team but they always end up in the upper echelon of the conference.


1st Team All Big Ten

G Demetri McCamey
G Kalin Lucas
G Will Buford
F Robbie Hummel
F Jajuan Johnson

2nd Team All Big Ten

G Etwuan Moore
G Talor Battle
G/F Durrel Summers
F Draymond Green
F/C Jared Sullinger

[basket1544]

This Mich St game is going to be a very real test to see what these Devils can do. I'm worried about the "first time in more than 10 years" thing catching up with them this year, but then I think... this is Cameron - nothing to worry about.
Of course, I worry about everything...

[DevilDan]

This Mich St game is going to be a very real test to see what these Devils can do. I'm worried about the "first time in more than 10 years" thing catching up with them this year, but then I think... this is Cameron - nothing to worry about.
Of course, I worry about everything...

I have a feeling we are going to give the SPARTANS fits. My prediction? The same that Clubber Lang had for Rocky: P A I N . Michigan State cannot hang with KYLE or NOLAN ... and they are only TWO of our weapons.

A final piece of advice for the Green & White ... BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID ... ! GO DUKE !

[gumbomoop]

I also think Baylor has Top 5 potential....

I think if Baylor can finish like they did last year and Perry Jones (their sensational freshman) lives up to expectations, they could move into the top 5 and possibly sneak into the top 3 by seasons end. IMO, led by Lacedarius Dunn, Baylor has the potential to be that good.

Good news for Baylor: immediate eligibility for UCLA-transfer Morgan, who was highly ranked coming out of HS.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/news/story?id=5569189

[Slackerb]

Laughable rankings RE: UNC and NC State

UNC may bounce back...but to go from NIT to top 10 team....that is just Vitale's bias.

NC State being left out in favor of at least FSU and Maryland in this list is also ridiculous. What does Maryland have left? Compare that roster and NC State's...even despite the coaching advantage...

[Bob Green]

Bad news for Baylor: LaceDarius Dunn indefinitely suspended from team.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/05/722931/baylor-guard-dunn-suspended-after.html

This article has more details: http://www.kxxv.com/global/story.asp?s=13272744 Dunn allegedly punched his girlfriend in the face and broke her jaw.

[cbnaylor]

Good find. I think this deserves it's own post.

[El_Diablo]

Andy Katz on Maryland:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5673965/will-maryland-surprise-acc-again

[uh_no]

The Big Ten looks to be one of, if not, the best conference next year. I want to hear you guys' opinion on the Top 5 in the conference and who makes 1st and 2nd teams for all Big Ten.

Here are my $.02.

1. Michigan State - A lot will depend on how Kalin Lucas recovers from his injury and if Delvon Roe can perform up to his potential. I expect freshman Appling to get some key minutes off the bench after the departure of Allen and freshman Payne to also get some good minutes as a defensive stopper and clog in the middle, especially after the loss of Raymar Morgan.

2. Purdue - Yes, they have the Big 3, but after them...who else?

3. Ohio State - I believe Will Buford, who has been overshadowed by Evan Turner for the past few years will step up and have a breakout year and end up their best player. Add in frosh stud Sullinger (and Thomas) and reliable seniors David Lighty and Jon Diebler and I believe OSU is a Final Four caliber team.

4. Illinois - McCamey will be one of the best guards in the country and Mike Davis is one of the best big men in the conference. Add in freshmen stud Richmond and sophomores Richardson and Paul and they can end up big players in the conference.

5. Wisconsin - Don't know too much about this team but they always end up in the upper echelon of the conference.


1st Team All Big Ten

G Demetri McCamey
G Kalin Lucas
G Will Buford
F Robbie Hummel
F Jajuan Johnson

2nd Team All Big Ten

G Etwuan Moore
G Talor Battle
G/F Durrel Summers
F Draymond Green
F/C Jared Sullinger

Every year everyone says this is the year for the big10....this is the year they put 9 teams in the tournament and they all have a shot to make the final four...and every year the big10 disappoints....

[El_Diablo]

More from Katz:

Missouri
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5651597/mike-anderson-missouri-rolling-along

Vanderbilt
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5655844/dores-realize-need-win-march

West Virginia (focus on injury-prone Huggins)
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5647371/wvu-plan-take-step-back

New Mexico (focus on incoming transfer Emmanuel Negedu)
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5662226/emmanuel-negedu-feeling-fine-unm

Texas A&M (focus on recently deceased recruit Tobi Oyedeji)
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5659105/tobi-oyedeji-forgotten

Arkansas (focus on recruiting)
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5637700/hogs-appear-back-upswing

[Duke: A Dynasty]

http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/9875390/article-A-season-of-promise?instance=main_article

another good article to read if you got time

[Greg_Newton]

http://www.heraldsun.com/view/full_story/9875390/article-A-season-of-promise?instance=main_article

another good article to read if you got time

You got to love our coach... it's exciting how focused he seems to be on Mason and Miles making a big jump:


"I love coaching," Krzyzewski said. "I want to see what Kyle and Nolan can do their senior years. I want to see where Miles and Mason are at. How cool would that be if two brothers vault to another level? What does Kyrie Irving do as a freshman? Those are the exciting things for me."

I also thought this was cool:


But last year's group left a lasting lesson he'll carry into this season.

"One thing they instilled on the entire team was having a final mentality," Smith said. "For the seniors, it is our last go-around it is our last year. You want to go out the best way you can. What the seniors did last year was make sure they established that high standard. They made that mentality rub off on everybody. We all felt like it was our last year and we played and practiced like it was our last practice and last game."

^That really showed... I even felt that way as a fan!