[UNCbasketballbumParticipant]

Cody Zeller and Christian Watford are returning for the Hoosiers next year.  Does Tom Crean have the preseason number 1 team in Bloomington next year?

[HaleParticipant]

Most likely, yes. They will be probably be number one and NC State will probably be two.

[phila9012Participant]

 this is why it is always best for coaches to go to tradtional top programs, because if your team stinks, and you are a great coach it wont for long and it will be a lot easier to rebuild with in 4 years. Indiana went from 6-25 to 27-9 in 3 years. He deserves credit for sticking it out, and making this team a winner. I respect Indiana a lot now. Because of kelvin sampson being stupid Indiana has a great coach for the next 20 years, they should thank him

[apb540Participant]

I really like Oladipo as a prospect.  I see a ton of potential in this kid.  He’s pretty big at like 6’5" but I see a little bit of Jrue Holiday in his game: perimeter D, progressing jumper, dedcent handle, tends to get a bit out of control, long arms, but he’s more athletic than Jrue.

[UNCbasketballbumParticipant]

Tom Crean has done a remarkable job turning that program around after Kelvin Sampson ran it into the ground,  Should be a fun team to watch next year.

[uknationParticipant]

Yes preseason number one. State would/should not be two… You forget about Louisville. And the talent they return. I can see them in the 3-5 range depending on who UK gets and who The Cuse get

[BiggysmallsParticipant]

Indiana will be 1

Kentucky could be top 3 if they get Noel and/or Muhammad

Louisville brings back a bunch of guys and a healthy Blackshear

NC State should be top 5, but I feel like they will be in that 7 to 12 range just because of program noteriety. Most people dont have the balls to pick them over Duke or UNC in the preseason (thats not my projections, just my feeling of others feelings)

Michigan could be a top 10 team as well with Burke returning and their recruting class.

Gonzaga could get top 10 hype with the core they have coming back as well

[BiggysmallsParticipant]

I am not a big fan of Oladipo…hes athletic, but seems to really lack basketball IQ. It just looks to me like he either hates Zeller or he is just plain tunnel visioned when he has the ball because in the handful of games I have seen IU play, he seems to not pass Zeller the ball ever. That goes for alot of IUs guards actually. It will be interesting to see that play out next year because if he wasnt the BMOC last year, he will surely be that this year.

[uknationParticipant]

 Can’t write off UNC or Duke. Strickland,Bullock,Hariston,McAdoo

Duke. Mason Seth Dre Sulomon 

[TRC1991Participant]

you guys have to be kidding me… louisville is in the top 2 with indiana and i dont think its even close

[Bill Walton’s KneesParticipant]

The Elijah Johnson/Jeff Withey combo won’t be as productive as the Taylor/Robinson duo, but they have a much better supporting cast then they did last year.  5-star PF Perry Ellis comes in and should start immediately next to glue guy Travis Releford and last years recruiting gem Ben McLemore.  McLemore’s going to be a flat out stud in time; he reminds me a lot of JR Giddens without the me-first attitude.  

 

The bench will include Nadir Thaarpe, Jamari Traylor, top 50 player Andrew White, and Kevin Young, who played a pivitol role on the squad this past season.  Anrio Adams and Landon Lucas, two incoming recruits, could potentially play a key role in the teams success as well.

Will the Jayhawks be top 5? Possibly (Katz has them top-3 pre season), but I see a realistic pre season rank of about 6 or 7. 

[HaleParticipant]

Louisville loses two of there three best scorers and have one recruit. NC State loses the 5th and 7th leading scorers on the team while adding Tyler Lewis (really nice true PG), Alex Warren, and Rodney Purvis who will be a scoring machine next year. It’s at very least close, if not NC State over them. They nearly beat the runner up team in the Nation, when Louisville forced UK into their worst game of the year and still nearly lost by double digits.

[uknationParticipant]

 Just because you lose your scores doesn’t mean awhile lot when you have guys capable of replacing them. Blackshear has better up side and will be better all around than th person he replaces. Ware is a baller. Don’t forget they add Rozier who is pretty. Good. Behanen will make that fr to soph jump. And they have a HOF coach.  Who did Kansas lose the year before and how did they do this year?  Plus everyone else losses more than Louisville

 

 

Also don’t sleep on Kansas as Walton pointed out

[HaleParticipant]

The Kansas example is extremely flawed. They were a far better team last year, who got unlucky and had to play the hottest team in the country in VCU. This year they were fortunate enough to play UNC without their floor leader, had Marshall played KU would’ve lost badly.

You’re entire post is based on speculation. Blackshear shot 29% from the field, and you expect him to immediately replace a near 14 ppg scorer. Ware is another 29% shooter. Neither of those guys are guaranteed to do anything special next year, atlhough I believe Blackshear will be solid. Every recruit NC State gets is better then Rozier imo. Purvis is a dynamic scorer, Lewis is a great floor general and Warren is polished and has good size.

[scbe2223Participant]

 Feel free to call me out if I’m wrong, but in my opinion Pitino doesn’t utilize freshmen that well. Behanan was decent, Blackshear was awful (although that had more to do with injury). The same issues that bothered Louisville in the past year will nag them again next year. They can Defend very well, but the offensive presence isn’t there. Marra is streaky, Siva can’t shoot to save his life, Dieng will never be an offensive force, Swopshire doesn’t score, etc. Rozier can shoot it well but what will they do with him? Russ can really score but he is a chucker ala Marcus Thornton. Too many question marks for my taste. Indiana, NC State, are tops for right now in my eyes.

[atlienkevParticipant]

i think im the only guy who doesnt agree with Indy’s preseason no. 1 status…

[HaleParticipant]

 Let me word it another way. I have no problem with someone having Louisville over NC State as I have Louisville #3. I personally prefer them, but that’s me. What I’m arguing is TaylorCondrin’s statement about it not being close.

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

 Yogi Ferell will get the ball to Zeller.

[uknationParticipant]

 What’s the difference between Wayne stepping up as a soph and State freshman doing work in year one?  They are both assumptions

[HaleParticipant]

Yes they are both assumptions. But my assumption seems to be safer consdering Blackshear shot 29% and hardly played, where Lewis brings in near elite PG skills, and Purvis has awesome scoring ability.

[TRC1991Participant]

dude NC State was just a little bit above average this season with a loaded squad, + cj leslie may not even be returning…

[HaleParticipant]

I already responded in your thread. A sweet 16 team that nearly beatt the national runner up isn’t that average to me.

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