NBC's early bracket

[Olympic Fan]

Just came across this (posted Wednesday):

http://beyondthearc.nbcsports.com/20...am-bracket.php

It's Dave Ommen -- NBC's version of Joe Lunardi -- offering his early take on the 2010 NCAA Tournament bracket.

He's got Duke as his top seed, unsurprisingly. And Michigan State and Purdue also rated No. 1 seeds. All no brainers so far.

Okay, I could take issue with his choice of Kentucky as the fourth No. 1. I love their talent (provided Kanter is cleared to play), but I don't think it's quite as good as last year ... and they don't have a veteran anchor who is anywhere near as good as Patrick Patterson. Still, it's not ridiculous. I think I could pick apart any other candidate for the fourth No. 1 -- I'd probably go with Ohio State, but when March comes around, I doubt any one conference has three No. 1s -- two No. 1s is rare enough. Maybe Kansas (if Shelby is cleared). Who else?

My real problem with the bracket is how this guy has the ACC ranked. I've got to admit, I'm happy to see that he includes NINE ACC team (funny, the accompanying notes list the ACC with eight, but look at the bracket, he includes nine).

He sees the ACC this way:

1. Duke (a No. 1 seed)
2. North Carolina (a No. 4 seed)
3. Wake Forest (a No. 6 seed)
4. Maryland (a No. 7 seed)
5. (tie) Florida State (No. 9 seed)
Georgia Tech (No. 9 seed)
7. Virginia Tech (No. 10 seed)
8. (tie) N.C. State (in the new 12 vs. 13 game)
Miami (in the new 12 vs. 13 game)
10. Virginia (listed as teams also given consideration
11. (tie -- no mention) Clemson
Boston College

I'd argue that he has Wake w-a-a-a-y too high; Virginia Tech w-a-a-ay to low. I'm pretty sure when the ACC media votes in late October, Va Tech will be 2 or at worst 3 (personally, I think UNC bounces back, but Va Tech will get a lot of support, plus they have a much easier ACC schedule). Wake won't be picked last, but they'll be in the bottom three.

I'd also contend that Maryland and Georgia Tech are rated too high. I respect Gary as much as anybody, but he's not a miracle worker -- he has missed the NCAA three times in the last six years and he has some huge holes to fill in his backcourt; Georgia Tech has no frontline left -- they're going to have to win with a backcourt that was their weakness last year.

I like both NC State and Miami to be young teams on the rise -- the way Miami played in Greensboro last March after losing Collins makes be think they have huge potential -- I love Durand Scott. And I think State's new starting backcourt of Harrow and Brown will have much more impact than adding Leslie.

But I can see why they are ranked where they are.

But how can you not at least consider Clemson (when you DO consider Virginia?). They've won 20-plus four straight times and they've added a coach who has improved every program he'd ever taken over.

Anyway, we can argue about that stuff any time ... I just thought you'd like to see the projection, for what it's worth.

[just_wondering]

Paul Ricci is one of the best conditioning coaches around and is a big reason that the Terps of the last two years made the NCAA Tournament even though they weren't that much better than the Terp teams that did not.

The talent is not that bad and Maryland has a chance to have a very solid front line. A lot depends on the three seniors that will form the nucleus of the team. If they see opportunity and play freely the Terps will be good. If they see pressure and become afraid of making a mistake then the freshman will have to step up. I thought that Bowie, Gregory and Tucker improved over the course of last season and are ready for more playing time.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/spor...rob_ehsan.html

[ACCBBallFan]

Olympic Fan - I agree with all your comments and would add that BC may be top 6 in ACC with alll their seniors, despite having new coach.

Duke - VA T- UNC - NC St - FSU and BC at top with UVA and GA Tech at bottom and Miami, Clemson, MD and Wake in some order somewhere in between.

Thanks for the link.

[SCMatt33]

I think that nine teams is pretty unreasonable for a twelve team conference. I don't that that any conference ever has gotten that many. To even have a chance for that, the league, including bottom feeders would have to have an unbelievable non-conference performance, while at the same time, the bottom feeders would have to completely roll over dead once the conference schedule starts.

I do like, however, that he made some bold predictions through his bracket. It's not just a preseason ranking list put into bracket form. He's projecting UK to move up throughout the year. He also thinks that Steve Lavin will turn things around fast at St. John's. He has Memphis as a 3, but the bracket was posted the day BEFORE the Will Barton news broke, so that will likely change.

The ACC has some of his wildest predictions as mentioned in the original post with Wake and Maryland getting the third and fourth highest seeds out of the conference and Va Tech dropping off all the way to a 10 seed from likely being ranked preseason.

I'm not sure how much of that will come true, but it was certainly more interesting to read than a regurgitation of the essentially the same preseason rankings that every outlet has been publishing since the NBA deadline passed.

[hurleyfor3]

I think that nine teams is pretty unreasonable for a twelve team conference. I don't that that any conference ever has gotten that many.

In percentage terms the ACC did just that several times in the 1980s, getting six teams in out of eight. I agree with you with a 12-team league, however.

I have a hunch Florida State should be pretty good next year too, although there may be departures there I have missed.

[Olympic Fan]

In percentage terms the ACC did just that several times in the 1980s, getting six teams in out of eight. I agree with you with a 12-team league, however.

I have a hunch Florida State should be pretty good next year too, although there may be departures there I have missed.

Well, they lost Alabi -- their top scorer, rebounder and shotblocker -- plus Reid, who was a big body with a lot of experience. Everybody else is back.

They're rebuilding around Singleton, the ACC defensive player of the year. Kitchen is solid in the backcourt. Dulkys is a good 3-point shooter. Xavier Gibson has a lot lof potential in the post and he'll get to show it now that Alabi is gone.

I think the three keys for them are:

-- Michael Snaer. He had a decent freshman year, but not as good as a lot of us thought. He has a lot of offensive potential -- if he can break out ...
-- Ian Miller. I think maybe the most underrated prospect signed by the ACC last year. Great combo guard.
-- Bernard James ... a juco power forward who has a great backstory. He never played high school basketball. He enlisted in the service at age 17 and served in Iraq. He was the MVP of the Service All-Stars, then a two-year juco star. I suspect he'll add a certain level of toughness to their frontline.

I like them as a first-division ACC team. Borderline top 25 to start (until they prove they have the scoring punch). I'd be surprised if Hamilton doesn't get them in the NCAA for a third straight year.

[gofurman]

Olympic Fan - I agree with all your comments and would add that BC may be top 6 in ACC with alll their seniors, despite having new coach.

Duke - VA T- UNC - NC St - FSU and BC at top with UVA and GA Tech at bottom and Miami, Clemson, MD and Wake in some order somewhere in between.

Thanks for the link.

agree that Clemson has to be over UVA - they had one guy and he is gone at UVA... CLemson may not have Booker (he was a stud) but they still have some talent. I dont' see much talent at all at UVA

[ACCBBallFan]

agree that Clemson has to be over UVA - they had one guy and he is gone at UVA... CLemson may not have Booker (he was a stud) but they still have some talent. I dont' see much talent at all at UVA

Mike Scott is pretty decent but won't have much help, plus PF is the position where most ACC teams have talent this year, more than at any other position with Kyle Singler at times particularly when facing these guys except Plumlee and Kelly: Jeff Allen; Joe Trapani; Chris Singleton; Mike Scott; Mason Plumlee; John Henson; among others like Dino Gregory; Tony Woods; Richard Howell; Julian Gamble; Ryan Kelly; Cortney Dunn; and Devin Booker.

UVA did play somewhat decently when Sylvan Landesberg was sitting out at end of last year, but relative to other ACC teams, they will be bottom feeders.

MD and Wake are getting a but more national pre-season press than I would have expected, and BC getting none where I think some, not a lot but some, is deserved with their seniority despite having a new coach.

[gumbomoop]

MD and Wake are getting a bit more national pre-season press than I would have expected...

I'm very surprised that the NBC way-early-bracketologist has Wake in the NCAAT at all, much less as a 6-seed. This is a real puzzler to me, bordering on the bizarre. One could quibble with this or that in the total bracket, but it's sound enough.... except for Wake. The OP, OF, had it right in describing a 6-seed for Wake as "w-a-a-a-y too high."

It would take break-out seasons from 3 or 4 still-young Wake guys for them to be a top-25 team.

[CampbellBlueDevil]

-- Bernard James ... a juco power forward who has a great backstory. He never played high school basketball. He enlisted in the service at age 17 and served in Iraq. He was the MVP of the Service All-Stars, then a two-year juco star. I suspect he'll add a certain level of toughness to their frontline.

Looks like I'll be pulling for him to have a successful year... his story is movie worthy haha

[sagegrouse]

Well, they lost Alabi -- their top scorer, rebounder and shotblocker -- plus Reid, who was a big body with a lot of experience. Everybody else is back.

They're rebuilding around Singleton, the ACC defensive player of the year. Kitchen is solid in the backcourt. Dulkys is a good 3-point shooter. Xavier Gibson has a lot lof potential in the post and he'll get to show it now that Alabi is gone.

I think the three keys for them are:

-- Michael Snaer. He had a decent freshman year, but not as good as a lot of us thought. He has a lot of offensive potential -- if he can break out ...
-- Ian Miller. I think maybe the most underrated prospect signed by the ACC last year. Great combo guard.
-- Bernard James ... a juco power forward who has a great backstory. He never played high school basketball. He enlisted in the service at age 17 and served in Iraq. He was the MVP of the Service All-Stars, then a two-year juco star. I suspect he'll add a certain level of toughness to their frontline.

I like them as a first-division ACC team. Borderline top 25 to start (until they prove they have the scoring punch). I'd be surprised if Hamilton doesn't get them in the NCAA for a third straight year.

Hey, Olympic fan. Another great post, but we are getting intimidated by all your pitchforks. Maybe you could dumb it down a bit until some of the others catch up?

sagegrouse