This topic contains 13 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar jmarg25 10 years, 11 months ago.

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  • #763242
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    J_01
    Participant

    Monster recruits put Wildcats atop best 25 teams heading into next season
    Updated: April 12, 2013, 9:05 AM ET
    By Jay Bilas | ESPN Insider

    Cal Sport Media via AP Images, Icon SMI, AP Photo
    Kentucky’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class includes Andrew Harrison, Julius Randle and Dakari Johnson.
    The ridiculous reliability of The Bilas Index almost rendered the 2012-13 college basketball season irrelevant. The Bilas Index, which combines all of the best features of the most reliable metrics in the game with the raw and awesome power of The Bilastrator’s incomparable basketball mind, has pinpoint accuracy. Simply put, it’s never wrong, and the entire landscape of the game is put into context and simplified by The Bilastrator. Case in point, prior to the 2013 NCAA tournament, The Bilas Index tapped Louisville as the best team in college basketball. Notwithstanding the ups and downs of the Cardinals, you’re welcome.

    Still, it was good that the 2013 NCAA tournament was played anyway so the NCAA could earn some badly-needed cash. Paying for all those mascots and “spirit squads” for graduated athletes on job interviews would have been a challenge without it. Of this, The Bilastrator is certain.

    While The Bilas Index usually makes use of analytics such as KenPom.com, the Sagarin Ratings, the UPS Team Performance Index, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, and many of the most subtle metrics in the game kept meticulously by The Bilastrator’s minions, this prescient, perceptive and hyper-clairvoyant “look ahead” to the 2013-14 season is based primarily upon The Bilastrator’s massive brain and unparalleled basketball expertise and knowledge.

    Even without the metrics as a baseline of on-court accomplishment, The Bilastrator’s basketball mind and experience can serve to predict the upcoming basketball season, much like Nostradamus predicted the future in his quatrains (except The Bilastrator’s predictions are far more accurate). As always, you’re welcome.

    1. Kentucky Wildcats
    The Wildcats will take their NIT disappointment out on the rest of the field with the nation’s top recruiting class and some very confident returnees. John Calipari’s incoming class is ridiculous, with Julius Randle, James Young, Dakari Johnson and Andrew and Aaron Harrison. This Kentucky team will be the first in basketball history where players declared for the NBA draft because they feared they couldn’t play on their college team if they came back.

    2. Louisville Cardinals
    Rick Pitino’s Cardinals should not be expected to contend after losing a backcourt that led him to two straight Final Fours. But he has a juco point guard, Chris Jones, who will help make up for the loss of Peyton Siva and Russ Smith. Jones is the real thing.

    3. Michigan State Spartans
    Tom Izzo has another Final Four team as long as his backcourt of Keith Appling and Gary Harris stays healthy. Adreian Payne should blossom into a frontcourt star and Matt Costello will take off in the middle.

    4. Duke Blue Devils
    The Blue Devils lose a trio of seniors who led the way, but incoming freshman phenom Jabari Parker and Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood will provide punch to a small but very talented lineup. Duke will be quick, athletic and attacking, and will be a Final Four threat.

    5. Arizona Wildcats
    The Wildcats were as talented as any team they played this season, but weren’t as experienced or mentally tough as they will be in 2013-14. Mark Lyons will be replaced with Duquesne transfer T.J. McConnell, and newcomers Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be immediate factors in making Arizona a title contender.

    6. North Carolina Tar Heels
    Roy Williams gets high marks for his flexibility and decision-making when he went to the smaller, quicker and simply better lineup in 2013. The Tar Heels add newcomers Isaiah Hicks, Nate Britt and Kennedy Meeks and have an outside shot at No. 1 recruit Andrew Wiggins.

    7. Florida Gators
    Billy Donovan has solidified his Hall of Fame resume with three straight Elite Eight appearances, falling short of the Final Four all three times. Florida can defend in the half court and can score. Freshmen Kasey Hill and Chris Walker should play right away, and Virginia Tech transfer Dorian Finney-Smith can really rebound and defend.

    8. Marquette Golden Eagles
    The Golden Eagles return Vander Blue, Jamil Wilson and Davante Gardner. Buzz Williams will have a new point guard, but he has had new pieces every year and has been money in the NCAA tournament.

    9. Michigan Wolverines
    John Beilein has always done more with less. This year, Beilein did more with more, and he’ll have more and less next season. The key will be the development of a new backcourt, as Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely be gone.

    10. Indiana Hoosiers
    Without Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller, Indiana will have players in new roles. However, Tom Crean has an excellent forward in Noah Vonleh coming in. Indiana will be competitive with anyone.

    11. Syracuse Orange
    Jim Boeheim returns a veteran group of winning players and brings in Tyler Ennis to run the point and Tyler Roberson up front. Losing Michael Carter-Williams hurts, but when was the last time Syracuse didn’t lose top talent? The most important returnees are Boeheim and assistant Mike Hopkins.

    12. Tennessee Volunteers
    Cuonzo Martin flirted with the NCAA tournament and has most of his roster back, including Jeronne Maymon. A key for them will be the play at the point with Trae Golden and Darius Thompson.

    13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
    The Irish have a good core returning, including an outstanding backcourt in Jerian Grant and Eric Atkins, plus a top-rated recruiting class with point guard Demetrius Jackson leading the way.

    14. Virginia Commonwealth Rams
    The Rams return everyone from a near-dominant team, and head coach Shaka Smart was the most important person retained. VCU can shoot it and guard.

    15. Kansas Jayhawks
    Breaking news … Kansas loses all five starters, but is still a national contender because Bill Self decided not to declare for the NBA draft. That’s good enough for The Bilastrator. Plus, Kansas brings in Conner Frankamp to run the point and Wayne Selden to light it up.

    16. Connecticut Huskies
    After the ridiculous postseason ban, the Huskies return one of the best backcourts in the country in Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright.

    17. Memphis Tigers
    The Tigers lose Tarik Black and Adonis Thomas but bring in a top-rated group of newcomers to one of the most athletic teams in the nation. This will be Josh Pastner’s best team at Memphis.

    18. Colorado Buffaloes
    The Buffs bring back the heart of Tad Boyle’s team and will continue to defend and rebound. However, Colorado needs to score more efficiently.

    19. Villanova Wildcats
    The Wildcats made the NCAA tournament with a young team and will continue to get better. Ryan Arcidiacono will be one of the nation’s best guards.

    20. Wichita State Shockers
    Gregg Marshall loses Malcolm Armstead and Carl Hall, but returns the core of his Final Four team, including Cleanthony Early and Ron Baker.

    21. New Mexico Lobos
    The Lobos lost Tony Snell to the NBA draft and Steve Alford to UCLA, though everyone else will be back. Craig Neal inherits a really good program.

    22. Harvard Crimson
    Tommy Amaker retains most of his rotation from a team that won its third Ivy League title in a row, earned its second straight NCAA tournament bid and its first-ever NCAA win. Amaker also brings in star recruit Zena Edosomwan and gets Kyle Casey and Brandyn Curry back.

    23. Virginia Cavaliers
    The Cavaliers were an NCAA tournament team in 2013; it’s just that the selection committee didn’t notice. Four of five starters return, including All-ACC guard Joe Harris.

    24. Wisconsin Badgers
    Sam Dekker should take over as a star for Bo Ryan, and even though the Badgers don’t look it on paper, Ryan will make this into a top 25 team.

    25. Stanford Cardinal
    The Cardinal return Dwight Powell, Chasson Randle, Aaron Bright and Josh Huestis from a team that won 19 games and lost a ton of close ones.

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  • #48119
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    Wahoo757
    Participant

    It would be much appreciated if someone could post Jay Bilas’ early top 25 rankings for next season.

    http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9160600/bilas-index-jay-bilas-provides-top-25-teams-entering-2013-season-college-basketball

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  • #763245
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    Mikez
    Participant

    I guess Ohio State isn’t going to play this year.

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    • #763286
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      ph90702

      It’s sad, isn’t it? Freshtucky gets more credit than Ohio State who actually has some players who played D1 basketball.

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  • #763253
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    ph90702

    Kentucky at #1 is absurd. They haven’t even played a game at the D1 level yet. What have they earned?

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    • #763255
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      J_01
      Participant

      Where would you rank them?

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      • #763278
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        ph90702

        I wouldn’t have them in the top 25. They don’t deserve anything until they earn it. They haven’t earned shit. They started off at #3 last year, and they didn’t even make the tournament. I don’t want to hear any excuses either. They had the #1 recruiting class. So, don’t say the class wasn’t any good.

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        • #763294
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          J_01
          Participant

          That class was #2 in the nation lol.

          Being serious now this class is the highest ranked freshman class ever. They have players who are the number 1 ranked players at their postions at the 1,2,4 and 5. Pre-season top 25s are all about expections and this team is expected to do very well. Saying they wouldn’t be in the top 25 is just plain hate. An argument can be made to put them lower in the ranking but they for sure deserve to be in the rankings.

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          • #763483
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            jmarg25
            Participant

            Plus they have potential lottery picks Poythress and WCS coming back.

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  • #763252
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    jmarg25
    Participant

    Idk about Michigan, there is a good chance they lose Burke, Hardaway, Glenn Rob III, and Mcgary.

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  • #763298
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    Ghost01
    Participant

    Not sure I agree with Louisville No.2…Bilas is severely underrating how much Siva, Smith, and Dieng did for them. Even if Behanon and Blackshhear improve, they don’t have a ton of depth, and really no sure thing. Top 15 team? Yes. #2? C’mon.

    And OSU guy – Thomas was litterally the only guy on this team that could put the ball in the bucket. Where are they going to get scoring?

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    • #763338
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      khoon24

      They will have plenty of depth, at least 2 deep at every position. It will be interesting to see how they play with an entirely new backcourt, but Jones/Rozier and Ware/Gill will step in admirably I think. Louisville at 2 makes a lot more sense than UK at 1.

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  • #763304
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    Dlesnie
    Participant

    ph90702 has been so annoying about this subject. I’d bet my house on Kentucky next year.

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  • #763306
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    Mad Max
    Participant

    UK next yr will literally be like a minor league NBA team, heck they’ll be more talented then some NBA teams, not better, but more overall talent, espescially if Wiggins joins.

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