2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 29-8, 14-2 (1st ACC), lost to Kentucky in the Elite 8

Head Coach: Roy Williams

Key Losses: Justin Knox, Larry Drew

Newcomers: James Michael McAdoo, PJ Hairston, Desmond Hubert,

Projected Lineup:

- G: Kendall Marshall, So.
- G: Dexter Strickland, Jr.
- F: Harrison Barnes, So.
- F: John Henson, Jr.
- C: Tyler Zeller, Sr.
- Bench: PJ Hairston, Fr.; James Michael McAdoo, Fr.; Reggie Bullock, So.; Desmond Hubert, Fr.; Justin Watts, Sr.


Outlook: The Tar Heels went through a fairly incredible transition last season. After struggling to find any kind of rhythm through the first two months of the season -- and seeing their freshman all-american play like a senior reserve -- UNC became a different team when Larry Drew left the program. Roy Williams turned the keys over to Kendall Marshall, and the Heels went changed from a Pinto into a Porsche. All of a sudden, the UNC fast break was thriving and Barnes was playing to a level that supported all of the hype that he entered the program with. And thanks to a dominating victory at home over Duke on the last day of the regular season, the Tar Heels are, surprisingly, the reigning ACC regular season champions.

What makes that fact all the more terrifying is that UNC brings back just about everyone from that team, with the exception being that they added all-americans as their first two bodies off the bench. Think about this: there are four first-round picks on this roster, and that's not counting PJ Hairston, Reggie Bullock or Kendall Marshall. Ol' Roy may have won two titles since he's been in Chapel Hill, but there is an argument to be made that this is his most talented team to date.

We'll start with their best player -- Harrison Barnes. There's not much to say about this young man that hasn't already been written to death. A smooth, 6'8" scorer, Barnes is at his best when he's not settling for tough jumpers. He's got an excellent mid-range game and proved to be an above-average three-point shooter once Marshall was feeding him the rock and he had his confidence. He's the most talented perimeter player in the country and he should be an 18-20 ppg scorer this season. I say should because there is no guarantee that Barnes will be the player that he was at the end of last season. What happens if the timid, unassertive Barnes that we all saw for the first 15 or so games last year reappears? I don't think it will, but can we be sure?

Joining Barnes in the Carolina front court will be a trio of future first rounders in John Henson, Tyler Zeller and James Michael McAdoo. Zeller, in my opinion, will be the most important player of this group. UNC's offense relies on the fast break, but the key component is their secondary break. It essentially becomes a four-around-one set with Zeller inside. His ability to score on the block and is a key for opening things up for the rest of that offense, just like Tyler Hansbrough and Sean May were crucial in keeping defenses honest on the 2005 and 2009 title teams.


Henson will be the shot-blocker and the rebounder. His offensive game is no where near as refined as Zeller's -- he's mostly a catch-and-dunk player right now -- but his length and athleticism make him a terrific shot blocker and one of the best rebounders in the country despite his slender build. McAdoo will be their physicality this season. He's a much better scorer in the post than he will have the opportunity to consistently show this season simply because he isn't going to get a ton of opportunities. Freshman Desmond Hubert will also see minutes.

The shooting guard spot will be the most interesting to keep an eye on this year. Junior Dexter Strickland will be the starter. He's the best perimeter defender they have on their roster, but he's also enough of an offensive threat to keep defenses honest. He's not a great spot-up shooter, but he can create off the dribble better than either of UNC's other options. Freshman PJ Hairston and sophomore Reggie Bullock, who, at 6'7", will also be the guy that spells Barnes at the three, will have to take over the role of shooter. Hairston is a big-time scorer that will have to make the most of his opportunities this year. Bullock came into UNC last season with the reputation of being a shooter, but he struggled through the season with a lack of confidence and a bum knee.

The most important player on this team will be Kendall Marshall. He's a different kind of point guard than Ty Lawson or Ray Felton. He's not the kind of player with amazing speed that will beat every down the floor in transition. He's not a great scorer either; he had the same number of points as he did assists as a freshman. But he is a sensational passer. He has the kind of vision that will get his teammates the ball in a position to score before they even know that they are open. With the weapons that UNC has on their roster, they don't need a point guard that has to score to be effective. There is a reason that UNC was so much better with him in the lineup than Larry Drew.

UNC, along with Kentucky, is the most talented team in the country. They get the nod over the Wildcats simply due to their experience; they have freshmen playing roles, not being relied upon to be stars. I don't think anyone would complain if their December 3rd matchup at Rupp was a preview of the national title game.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 29-9, 10-6 (2nd SEC), lost in the Final Four to UConn

Head Coach: John Calipari

Key Losses: Brandon Knight, Josh Harrellson, DeAndre Liggins

Newcomers: Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, Kyle Wiltjer

Projected Lineup:

- G: Marquis Teague, Fr
- G: Doron Lamb, So.
- F: Darius Miller, Sr.
- F: Terrence Jones, So.
- C: Anthony Davis, Fr.
- Bench: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Fr.; Kyle Wiltjer, Fr.; Eloy Vargas, Sr.; Twany Beckham, Jr.


Outlook: John Calipari did it again. For the third straight season while heading up the Kentucky program, Coach Cal has brought in a freshmen class that is absolutely stocked. This difference this year, however, is that instead of bring those freshmen into a program that has nothing else left, he actually returns two potential first-round picks from last years team. It sounds weird saying this, but this may actually be the most talented team that Coach Cal has had in the Kentucky tenure, including the 2010 team that had John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and three other first round draft picks.

The strength of this team is going to be their front court as Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones both have a chance to be first team all-americans. Jones is the more intriguing of the two. Early last season, Jones looked like a potential player of the year candidate. He was scoring everywhere on the floor, he was dominating the glass, he was blocking shots and he was hitting threes. But something happened midway through the season. He lost his confidence, he worked his way into John Calipari's doghouse for being selfish and by the end of the year he was the third or fourth option for the Wildcats offensively. Which player shows up this season? Based on the amount of work Jones put in this summer (he's now built like a tight end) and the 52 point performance he had in UK's Blue-White scrimmage, it will be the former.

Davis has a chance to be just as good, if not better, than Jones. Davis sprouted from 6'3" to 6'10" before his junior year in high school, meaning that he still has the perimeter skills he had spent his life cultivating, just now in the frame of a power forward. He also managed to keep all of his coordination and athleticism -- a fact that may actually be more impressive than the growth spurt itself -- which makes him just a scary prospect. There are two issues for Davis heading into the season. The first is obvious: strength. He's rail thin and it will take him some time to adjust to the physicality of SEC basketball. The second problem is whether or not he actually knows how good he is as a player. This is a kid who, if possible, has been talked up even more than Harrison Barnes was last season. Just a year ago he was a run-of-the-mill, 6'3" guard on an average high school team in Chicago. Does he get the fact that people are saying he can be somewhere between the next Kevin Garnett and the next Kevin Durant?

Coming off the bench will be Eloy Vargas and Kyle Wiltjer. Wiltjer is a top 25 recruit and a player that would be the jewel of any other program's recruiting class. He's a face-up four with range beyond the three-point line. Vargas is a 6'11", 250 lb center that has never lived up to his ranking as a top 50 recruit in high school. He's going to be an important piece this year, however. It sounds weird saying this, but the player that Kentucky is going to miss the most this season will be Josh Harrellson. They don't have that physical presence in the paint, the guy that can get them eight or ten rebounds a game, block a few shots and make opposing big men work to get position or a post touch. I don't think Vargas can be that guy, but it sure wouldn't hurt the Wildcats if he did.


The most interesting positional battle on the UK roster is going to happen at small forward between Darius Miller and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Miller has kind of taken over the role of leader for this team. He's a veteran presence that has been through his share of battles with these Wildcats. He's a sniper from distance, a more-than capable rebounder and a guy that seems ready to embrace the role of being the defensive stopper for this team.

The problem? That's everything that makes Kidd-Gilchrist the player that he is. I'm not sure that there is a player in the country that I'm more intrigued by than MKG (yes, I'm making that a thing). We're talking about a kid that was considered by most analysts to be the best high school player in the country, regardless of age, heading into his junior season. He fell in the rankings by the time he committed to Kentucky, but that doesn't take away from the raw talent MKG possesses. He's a grinder, a guy that is perfectly suited to playing a role on a team loaded with other future lottery picks.

The other two perimeter players for the Wildcats will be Marquis Teague and Doron Lamb. Lamb is a guy that has taken a ride on John Calipari's hype machine already. Over the summer, the Kentucky head coach referred to him as the best player on the roster. While its tough to agree with that sentiment, I do think that Lamb is a terrific player. Coming in with the reputation of being a player that thrives in the mid-range, Lamb proved himself to be a dangerous three-point threat and capable of getting the ball to the basket. Teague will be intriguing to follow this year. He comes in with quite a bit of expectation -- the past four Calipari point guard recruits have gone 1st, 4th, 1st and 8th in the Draft -- but without the same level of hype. He's the best point guard in this recruiting class, but he's not necessarily a great NBA prospect. He's a terrific penetrator and scorer, but he will have to learn how to be a leader and a guy willing to kick the ball out when he draws an extra defender.

Kentucky has as much talent as any team in the country, and the only reason they are currently sitting behind North Carolina on this list is because of their youth and their question marks. Kentucky does have some unknown quantities that will be starting and/or playing major minutes. But, barring injury, this team will win the SEC and will certainly be a favorite to win the national title.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 3 UConn Huskies

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 32-9, 9-9 (9th Big East), won the national title

Head Coach: Jim Calhoun

Key Losses: Kemba Walker

Newcomers: Andre Drummond, DeAndre Daniels, Ryan Boatright

Projected Lineup:

- G: Shabazz Napier, So.
- G: Jeremy Lamb, So.
- F: DeAndre Daniels, Fr.
- F: Alex Oriakhi, Jr.
- C: Andre Drummond, Fr.
- Bench: Tyler Olander, So.; Roscoe Smith, So.; Ryan Boatright, Fr.; Niels Giffey, So.


Outlook: Everyone in the country knows what UConn was able to accomplish last season. Its not a secret. Riding the coattails of Kemba Walker, UConn shot out of the gates with a dominating performance in Maui, heading into Big East play undefeated. They struggled in conference, however, has teams started to figure out how to slow down the Huskies one-man show. But as Kemba's supporting cast of youngsters developed, so did the Huskies. They became a different team in March, winning five games in five days to take home the Big East Tournament title before riding the wave of momentum to a national title with a win over Butler.

The scary thing about UConn is that they are probably going to be better this season. Losing Kemba is going to hurt, but they bring in a loaded recruiting class and keep head coach Jim Calhoun for at least one more season.

The strength of this year's Husky team is going to be in the front court. It starts with the addition of Andre Drummond, who finally opted to enroll at UConn in late August is what was a bit of a controversial decision. Big man prospects don't get much more impressive that Drummond. He's 6'11", 275 lb and reportedly has a 41" vertical. He's got great hands and a soft touch around the basket. His post game is still developing, but he does have moves on the block. He's also capable of stepping out of the perimeter and knocking down a jump shot or putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim. To top it all off, he's an excellent passer and plays with a high IQ. What more can you ask for?

Joining Drummond up front will be Alex Oriakhi, who is a beast on the block in his own right. Oriakhi is a big, physical post presence. He doesn't have an overwhelming post game, but he started to show some solid back-to-the-basket moves as his sophomore season progressed. Where Oriakhi is the most effective is as a space-eater inside. He's one of the best rebounders in the country, particularly when he's going to the offensive glass, and he blocks more than his fair share of shots. His ruggedness will really set the tone for the Huskies. Tyler Olander, and to a lesser extent Enosch Wolf and Michael Bradley (when he gets healthy), will provide front court depth.

The other forward spot will be headlined by sophomore Roscoe Smith and freshman DeAndre Daniels. The two players have similar athletic profiles, but the way they play is slightly different. Daniels is a more perimeter oriented player, less of a power forward and closer to a true small forward. Daniels knows how to score, getting his buckets as a slasher, although he is capable of knocking down an outside shot. He'll also be very effective in transition. Smith is more of a face-up power forward. His perimeter skills are still developing, and while he is capable of spreading the floor and hitting an open three, he's most effective when he's getting to the glass and blocking shots.


The star of this UConn team will be Jeremy Lamb. After a relatively slow start to the season, Lamb came on strong late in the season. The biggest reason that UConn had so much success in March is that Lamb developed into a second go-to scorer. He punished teams for game-planning around stopping Kemba. That success will have to continue into next season, as the Huskies will once again be in need of a go-to scorer to emerge. Lamb's strength lies in his ability to slash and score in the mid-range -- for a player with his size, length and athleticism, Lamb has a sensational floater. Expect him to showcase a more complete game this season.

Joining Lamb in the back court will be Shabazz Napier, who may actually be the most important player on this UConn team. He didn't start last season, but he played huge minutes late in the season, and his ability to facilitate this team from the point guard spot allowed Kemba to work off the ball and focus on being a scorer. Napier is going to have to become a better creator off the dribble, a guy that can get into the lane and the multitude of athletes on this team for dunks. He'll also need to be a better decision maker -- he forced the issue too often when he put the ball on the floor last year. Along those same lines, Napier shot 32.6% from three, which is not representative of how well he can stroke the three as much as it is a sign of his poor shot selection. Simply put, UConn needs Napier to be a poor man's AJ Price. Ryan Boatright is a terrific athlete that will back up Napier at the point, while Niels Giffey will spell Lamb along side him.

This year's UConn team is going to look like the UConn teams from the early-to-mid 2000's. They are big, they are long and they are athletic. They are going to be a terror on the defensive end of the floor. Napier is a terrific on-ball defender, while Daniels and Lamb will be terrors in the passing lanes. The Huskies will also be able to gamble thanks to the myriad of shot blockers they will have sitting in the paint. This group should also thrive running the floor in transition.

There are question marks on this roster. No one knows how good Drummond or Daniels will actually be. Its unclear if Napier and Lamb will be ready for their expanded roles or capable of fulfilling the expectations currently placed on them. What isn't unclear, however, is just how much talent there is on this roster. Repeating as national champs is a very real possibility.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 34-3, 16-2 (1st Big Ten), lost in the Sweet 16 to Kentucky

Head Coach: Thad Matta

Key Losses: David Lighty, Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale

Newcomers: Shannon Scott, Amir Williams, Sam Thompson, Trey McDonald

Projected Lineup:

- G: Aaron Craft, So.
- G: William Buford, Sr.
- F: DeShaun Thomas, So.
- F: Jared Sullinger, So.
- F: Amir Williams, Fr.
- Bench: Jordan Sibery, So.; Lenzelle Smith, So.; JD Weatherspoon, So.; Shannon Scott, Fr.; Sam Thompson, Fr.; Trey McDonald, Fr.


Outlook: Last season didn't end the way that Buckeye fans had hoped. It was almost a consensus that, heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes were the best team in the country. They had just two losses on the season, and those came at Wisconsin and at Purdue. Losing on the home court of a talented conference rival is nothing to be ashamed of. After rolling through the Big Ten Tournament and the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes were shocked by Kentucky. William Buford couldn't hit a shot to save his life, Jared Sullinger was outplayed by Josh Harrellson and the Buckeyes were sent home early.

The good news heading into this season is that Ohio State not only gets Sullinger back for his sophomore season, they are likely getting an even more dominant version of the all-american. Sully has dropped a good 15-20 pounds heading into the year, streamlining his body and giving himself more endurance and explosiveness while maintaining the strength and the girth that allowed him to average 17.2 ppg and 10.2 rpg in his first year out of high school. Sullinger is the most dominating physical presence in the country. He's impossible to keep from gaining position on the block, he's an immovable object when he boxes out on a shot attempt and he's got a soft-touch and a solid array of post moves, which is why he shoots 55.0% from two-point range. Barring injury, Sullinger is going to be a monster.

How Thad Matta fills out his front court rotation will be an interesting saga to follow. Last year, he liked starting shot blocker and rebounder Dallas Lauderdale, bringing point guard Aaron Craft off the bench and playing the majority of the game with four perimeter players on the floor. It will be a bit different this year, as Lauderdale graduated along with David Lighty, who allowed Matta to play that style (more on that in a bit). The one certainty we have is that DeShaun Thomas is going to get a lot of minutes. Thomas is a 6'7", lefty combo-forward that can flat-out score. He played limited minutes as a freshman, but was able to post some impressive numbers. Amir Williams might end up being the guy that plays the Lauderdale role. He's not going to be as physical as Lauderdale, but he's got the length and the athleticism to be a shot-blocker. BC transfer Evan Ravenel should also see some minutes in the front court.


The perimeter attack for Ohio State is going to have some question marks, but it also has quite a few answers as Aaron Craft and William Buford are both back for another season. Buford really turned a corner as a junior. After thriving as a mid-range shooter that comes off of screens in his first two seasons in Columbus, Buford's all-around game really started to show last season. He knocked down 44.2% of his threes and he proved to be a capable creator off the bounce. Craft had a sensational freshman year. It was enough that putting listing Craft as the best point guard in the Big Ten, while incorrect, wouldn't be complete insanity. The beauty in his game is the simplicity -- he's a tenacious on-ball defender, he's a capable shooter when he's left open and he's a terrific creator off the dribble. He plays within himself and understands his role on this team is not to be a big-time scorer, but to be a facilitator offensively and a leader in the locker room. He plays that role to absolute perfection.

The rest of the OSU perimeter attack will take time to determine. A trio of sophomores -- Jordan Sibert, J.D. Weatherspoon and Lenzelle Smith Jr. -- and freshman Sam Thompson will be battling for minutes at the small forward spot.

The key to this season for Ohio State -- and something that is not nearly being discussed enough -- will be replacing Diebler and Lighty. Losing those two will hurt more than any Buckeye fan will care to admit. Those two were role players, but they were the absolute best in the country at playing their specific role. Diebler was one of the best shooters I've ever seen at the college level, so lethal that you couldn't leave him open. Ever. He also was a terrific passer into the post, which made it extremely difficult for opposing defenses to double Sullinger on the block. Lighty could do everything. He was a leader, he defended every position 1-5, he could shoot from three, he could rebound the ball in the paint, he could play the point and create off the dribble. That versatility, on both ends of the floor, was what allowed the Buckeyes to play the way they did. Lighty could defend power forwards on the block. They couldn't defend him on the perimeter.

Ohio State is going to be a very good team this year. When you have a player as good as Jared Sullinger, its difficult not to be very good. They will win the Big Ten and will have a real shot at making the Final Four. But until someone proves they can fill the void left by Diebler and Lighty, the Buckeyes are going to sit just below the elite teams this season.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 5 Syracuse Orange

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 27-8, 12-6 (t-3rd Big East), lost to Marquette in the second round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Jim Boeheim

Key Losses: Rick Jackson

Newcomers: Rakeem Christmas, Michael Carter-Williams, Trevor Cooney

Projected Lineup:

- G: Scoop Jardine, Sr.
- G: Brandon Triche, Jr.
- F: Kris Joseph, Sr.
- F: CJ Fair, So.
- C: Fab Melo, So.
- Bench: Rakeem Christmas, Fr., Dion Waiters, So. Michael Carter-Williams, Fr.; James Southerland, Jr.; Baye Moussa-Keita, So.; Trevor Cooney, Fr.


Outlook: Last season was a bit disappointing for Syracuse fans. They started the season out 18-0, climbing to as high as third in the national polls. But they followed that up with a four games losing streak and six losses in eight games. The Orange were able to rebound by closing out the regular season on a five game winning streak, but they were never quite able to find the rhythm that made them so successful early in the season. Scoop Jardine was at times an all-american and at times deserving to be benched. Fab Melo was no where to be found. Kris Joseph never quite became the superstar that everyone expected. And despite all of those issues, Syracuse still managed to finished tied for third in a very strong Big East and make it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The only player that the Orange lost off that team was Rick Jackson. And while Jackson was one of the best players in the conference last season, with the amount of talent that Syracuse brings back there should be no surprise that folks in Upstate New York consider this the Orange's best team since Carmelo Anthony was a collegian. This team lacks the star power that group had, but what it lacks in name-recognition it makes up for with depth and balance.

Syracuse will have one of the most experienced back courts in the country this season. Scoop Jardine is one of the more polarizing players in the Big East. He's clearly a talented scorer and playmaker; he averaged 12.5 ppg and a league-high 5.9 apg last season. The knock on Jardine is his decision-making and his consistency. He shot the ball just 41.5% from the floor and turned it over nearly three times per game. Some games he was sensational -- he went for 20 points and eight dimes at Villanova and 13 points and 13 assists against Marquuette. Some games he was atrocious -- like the two points and three assists he had on 1-8 shooting at home against Villanova or the 2-11 performance, including a number of atrocious decisions late in the game, he had in a loss to UConn. If Jardine can eliminate the questions about which player shows up in a given games -- keeping his off-nights less, well, off -- he becomes much more valuable as a leader.

Joining Triche on the perimeter will be the same two players as last season. Kris Joseph is an uber-athletic small forward with the potential for being a lottery pick. He was hyped as the replacement to Wes Johnson last season, and while he didn't quite live up to those expectations, he's still a mighty-good Big East swingman. Its says something about you as a player when 14.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, and 1.5 spg is considered a bit of a disappointing year. Triche needs to be a steadying influence in the back court. He's more of a natural point guard than he is an off-guard, but with Jardine joining him, he doesn't need to be the primary playmaker for this group. He needs to avoid turning the ball over, facilitate the sets Boeheim wants to run offensively and knock down open threes when he has them. There's no reason he can't succeed in that role.

There is more than enough depth on the Syracuse perimeter. Dion Waiters was expected to transfer during the offseason, but the sophomore is back in the fold and should be an important piece of Boeheim's bench. Waiters is a big-time scorer and should be a weapon as instant offense. Freshmen Michael Carter-Williams is another talented scorer coming off the bench. He became more of a playmaker throughout his high school career. Trevor Cooney will also see minutes as a sharp-shooter off the bench.


The front court is where the issues lie for the Orange. Most importantly, who is going to fill the role vacated by Rick Jackson? His value as a defender and a rebounder in the middle of that zone cannot be overstated. There are three players that will get the opportunity to proof their worth up front. The first will, in all likelihood, end up being Fab Melo. Melo has had all kinds of issues since the native Brazilian enrolled at Syracuse. He was out of shape and in Boeheim's doghouse much of last season, getting the start a number of games only to never see the court again when he was pulled. Then there was the incident over the summer where he was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, which may not have been the first time that happened. If Melo does put it all together, he's a legitimate seven-footer that is a potential lottery pick. As of now, that's still a big 'if'.

If Melo can't figure it out this year, freshman Rakeem Christmas and sophomore Baye Moussa-Keita will likely reap the playing time benefits. Moussa-Keita didn't play much last season, but when he did he had a fairly significant impact on the glass and blocking shots. His length and athleticism is ideal for the 2-3 zone Boeheim likes to play. Christmas may be an even better shot blocker than Moussa-Keita. He's another lauded freshman that is long and athletic. The issue with those two is that there won't be much offense, or size -- combined, they may not weight 400 lb --provided from the center spot when they are on the floor.

The x-factor for this lineup will be CJ Fair. Fair was the least touted of the Syracuse freshmen last season, but he had the biggest impact. He came on strong late in the season, and the athletic combo-forward will push for the starting power forward spot this year. He can do a lot of different things on the floor and should have a major impact this season. James Southerland, who had a couple of big games in the middle of the year, is a perfect fit for Boeheim's system given his size, length and ability to shoot the ball.

Syracuse has all the pieces this season. They are as talented as any team in the Big East. It will be interesting to see just how all the pieces come together -- who starts in the front court, where does the Orange three point shooting come from, will Jardine be a leader, etc. -- but there is no reason that this team can't compete for the Big East title and a trip to the Final Four.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 6 Duke Blue Devils

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 32-5, 13-3 (2nd ACC), lost to Arizona in the Sweet 16

Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski

Key Losses: Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, Kyrie Irving

Newcomers: Austin Rivers, Michael Gbinije, Quinn Cook, Marshall Plumlee, Alex Murphy,

Projected Lineup:

- G: Seth Curry, Jr.
- G: Austin Rivers, Fr.
- F: Alex Murphy, Fr.
- F: Ryan Kelly, Jr.
- C: Miles Plumlee, Sr.
- Bench: Marshall Plumlee, Fr.; Mason Plumlee, Jr.; Ty Thornton, So.; Quinn Cook, Fr.; Michael Gbinije, Fr.; Andre Dawkins, Jr.; Josh Hairston, So.


Outlook: The Blue Devils had a wild ride in 2010-2011. With essentially everyone returning from their 2010 National Title team, Duke was the consensus favorite to repeat as champs in 2011. Early in the season, that prediction appeared accurate, as Kyrie Irving was having a Player of the Year kind of season. Irving went down with a toe injury in December that eventually kept him off the court until March. In the meantime, Nolan Smith turned into a legitimate Player of the Year candidate. All of this happened while Kyle Singler continued to have his standard, ho-hum, first-team all-ACC caliber season.

But despite all that talent, the Blue Devils had a crippling flaw -- they never got the production for the interior that they needed. Combine that lack of balance with the disarray that Duke was thrown into when Irving returned from his injury, and Duke bowed out of the NCAA Tournament after their worst defensive performance of the season against Arizona.

This season, the Blue Devils are almost devoid of hype. That's what happens when you play in the same conference as the team everyone is projecting to be the best in the country (UNC this year). And while the rest of the country is talking about UNC and Kentucky, UConn and Ohio State, the Blue Devils have quietly reloaded.

It will start with the back court for Duke. Austin Rivers is going to be the guy that gets all of the attention, and that isn't necessarily wrong. A superstar freshman that will remind folks of a young Jay Williams, Rivers is the total package when it comes to being a scorer. He can shoot from anywhere on the court, he can get to the basket and finish above the rim, and he can score in the mid-range. He tends to be a bit streaky, but when he gets it going, Rivers can put on some absolutely incredible scoring displays. If there is a knock on Rivers, its that he may be too cocky. He carries himself with an arrogance that will instantly make him hated by every rival fan. Sometimes that cockiness can lead to Rivers being, for lack of a better term, a ballhog. Shot selection and limiting turnovers will be a key for him this season.

While Rivers gets all the press, Seth Curry may actually end up being the more valuable back court player. Steph's little brother will get the chance to start this season at the point, and there are some that are predicting a huge year out of the fourth-year junior. I'm not as sold as them. What we do know about Curry is that he is a lights-out shooter that is dangerous when he gets in a rhythm. We also know he is a capable creator than doesn't turn the ball over. But is he truly a point guard? Is he prepared to run a team? He may be, but we will have to wait and see.

Duke's back court will have quite a bit of depth as well. Sharp shooting Andre Dawkins will see time on the wing, as will talented freshman Michael Gbinije, a fundamentally sound, 6'7" small forward. Another talented freshman, Quinn Cook, and a gritty sophomore, Ty Thornton, will back-up Curry at the point. The x-factor of this perimeter attack may end up being Alex Murphy. Murphy was a top ten recruit in the Class of 2012, but he decided to enroll at Duke a year early. He's a versatile forward with range and surprising athleticism, a guy that Duke fans are already comparing to Kyle Singler.


The Blue Devil's front court will be much more of a question mark, however, but its not due to a lack of size or a lack of potential. Enter the Plumlees. With Marshall entering the fray this fall, there are now three Plumlees on the Duke roster, and they will play the majority of the minutes at the center position for Coach K this season. Mason is probably the best out of the group, as he led the Blue Devils in rebounding and blocks last season. He needs to become more of an offensive threat, however. Miles has been inconsistent throughout his career, but early reports have said that he's impressed as much as anyone. Marshall is probably the tallest and the most athletic of the trio, but he'll need some muscle and weight before he's really effective in the ACC.

The x-factor will be Ryan Kelly. Kelly is a stretch four, a 6'11" forward with three-point range. He has a lot of expectations coming into the season, as he has apparently bulked up during the summer. Kelly was terrific during Duke's trip through Asia and the Middle East, as being stronger has allowed him to become a more physical and aggressive presence in the paint. He'll never be Quincy Acy, but if he can provide a strong rebounding and shot-blocking presence -- he averaged 1.4 bpg last year -- it will make Duke that much tougher inside.

There is, unquestionably, loads of talent on this Duke roster. But so much of that talent will be connected with an 'if' heading into the season. 'If' Seth Curry becomes a point guard; 'if' the Plumlees can live up to their potential; 'if' Austin Rivers is as good as advertised; 'if' Ryan Kelly truly did get better. There is no question that Duke is the second best team in the ACC. They can be much more than that on a national scale if everything breaks right. One this we do know -- it will be a fun ride to follow.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 7 Memphis Tigers

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 25-10, 10-6 (4th Conference USA), lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Arizona

Head Coach: Josh Pastner

Key Losses: Will Coleman, Angel Garcia

Newcomers: Adonis Thomas, Stan Simpson

Projected Lineup:

- G: Joe Jackson, So.
- G: Charles Carmouche, Sr.
- G: Will Barton, So.
- F: Wesley Witherspoon, Sr.
- C: Tarik Black, So.
- Bench: Adonis Thomas, Fr.; Stan Simpson, Jr.; Chris Crawford, So.; Antonio Barton, So.; DJ Stephens, Jr.; Ferrakhon Hall, Jr.


Outlook: The Tigers were one of the most enigmatic teams in the country last season. Boasting a roster that was made up of primarily freshmen, the Tigers suffered through the ups-and-downs that come with that much youth. They struggled against inferior competition throughout the non-conference portion of their schedule and lost games they had no business losing during league play. Some of that was the result of a lack of leadership from their upperclassmen. Some of it was due to midseason defections. Some of that disappointment was due to expectations that far outweighed what should be expected of a group of kids playing their first season of college basketball. And, spreading the blame to everyone in the program, some of it was the result of having a greenhorn running the program in the form of second-year head coach Josh Pastner.

It all came together for the Tigers in the conference tournament, however, and Memphis earned themselves a trip to the NCAA Tournament when Joe Jackson knocked off UTEP in a de facto road game by hitting two free throws late in the C-USA title game. It was the culmination of a long and trying season for Jackson, who came into school with the most pressure of the entire freshmen class. He was the most heralded recruit in a long time to make the decision to play at home, in front of his hoops-crazed city. People were expecting greatness from the second he stepped on the court, and it took Jackson a while to adapt to that pressure. He struggled to get consistent minutes during the middle of the year, he struggled to shoot the ball throughout the year and he end the season with more turnovers than assists. But Jackson really came on strong during the Conference USA Tournament. While he's an ultra-quick lead guard that can put up big scoring numbers, Jackson is going to be asked to be a facilitator as much as anything this year. I'm expect a big season out of him.

Joining Jackson in the back court is Will Barton. Barton is an intriguing player for Memphis. He has all the physical tools to be a star -- he's a 6'6" two-guard with long arms, quickness and explosiveness, a decent-looking jump shot and the ability to do a lot of different things on a basketball court. Barton's issue, however, stems from his decision-making. Will he ever learn the difference between a good shot and a bad shot? Will he stop settling for tough pull-up jumpers? Has he learned to protect the ball? Barton is a terrific rebounder for his position, his a playmaker on the defensive end of the floor and he's a talented slasher that can hit an open three. If he plays within himself and stop trying to be the next Kobe Bryant, and Barton will be one of the best wings in the country.

The rest of the perimeter attack will be rounded out by a very solid group of guards in senior Charles Carmouche and sophomores Chris Crawford and Antonio Barton. Carmouche will likely get the start -- he started 28 games last year -- but both Crawford and Barton will see significant minutes off the bench. Barton is the biggest surprise of the group. He came in with the reputation of being not much more than his brother's brother, but he proved to be the best scoring option at the off-guard spot. He's a lights-out three point shooter and made a number of big shots throughout the year. Carmouche hit a couple big shots of his own last season, and while he's not as dangerous as Barton beyond the arc, he's still a very good shooter and the best fit within a system. Crawford is the best defender and playmaker of the three, he's also a bit of a gunner (147 threes, 29.9% clip) and a turnover machine (he led the team in assists, but turned the ball over more than twice a game).


The front court is where this team gets interesting. We'll start with Tarik Black, a 6'8" sophomore that didn't come in with much hype as a freshman. But by the end of the season, he was in the starting lineup and was easily the most consistent front court presence Pastner had at his disposal. He plays hard, he goes after the glass as well as anyone in the conference and he blocks shots and defends with a toughness around the rim. Black needs to work on his feel for the game -- passing out of the post, staying out of foul trouble, a soft touch, his hands -- but the consensus around the Memphis program is that Black, not Jackson or Barton, is going to be the guy that breaks out this season. There is legitimate speculation from people that would know these things that Black will be the Player of the Year in the conference this season.

Adonis Thomas and Wesley Witherspoon will both be spending quite a bit of time alongside Black on the Memphis front line. Both are incredibly versatile players that should, in theory, be able to be on the court at the same time, giving Pastner the option of playing Thomas at the three and Will Barton at the two. That's a big lineup. Thomas is a 6'6" combo-forward that some believe is the best prospect in the Class of 2011. He's big and physical enough to overpower a smaller defender, but he's got three point range and the quickness and ball-handling to blow past a bigger defender on the perimeter. That should compliment Witherspoon's game well. Witherspoon struggled to deal with expectations last season. There was talk that he could end up being a lottery pick with a big year. But after knee issues wiped out the early part of the season, Witherspoon struggled with his maturity and failed to embrace the role of leader. He was suspended, lost his spot in the starting lineup, and fizzled out by the end of the season. As a senior this year, it appears he is buying into the program, that he wants to be nothing more than a cog in the Memphis machine. And given his skill-set and all-around ability, he will be quite effective.

There is plenty of depth in the front court as well. Stan Simpson was originally an Illinois-commit. He's on campus and will provide size off the bench. Seton Hall transfer Ferrakhon Hall will be eligible in December and will provide some length, athleticism and shot-blocking ability. Drew Barnham and DJ Stephens give Paster athleticism and versatility off the bench as well.

All the pieces are there for Memphis this season. They have as much talent, top-to-bottom, as any team outside of UNC, Kentucky, UConn and Ohio State. The question for the Tigers is figuring out a way to get all the pieces to fit together. Will Jackson handle the pressure of playing in his hometown? Will Thomas? Can Will Barton and Witherspoon find a way to be players within a system, instead of players that need a system to revolve around them? Is Black as good as advertised?

Perhaps the most important question -- is Pastner prepared for this task? Anything short of a Conference USA title and a trip past the NCAA Tournament's first weekend will be a major disappointment for this group.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 8 Louisville Cardinals

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 25-10, 12-6 (t-3rd Big East), lost to Morehead State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Rick Pitino

Key Losses: Preston Knowles, Terrence Jennings

Newcomers: Wayne Blackshear, Chane Behanan, Zach Price, Angel Nunez, Mark Jackson Jr.

Projected Lineup:

- G: Peyton Siva, Jr.
- G: Chris Smith, Sr.
- G: Kyle Kuric, Sr.
- F: Chane Behanan, Fr.
- C: Gorgui Dieng, So.
- Bench: Rakeem Buckles, Jr.; Jared Swopshire, Jr.; Zach Price, Fr.; Mark Jackson, Fr.; Elisha Justice, So.; Wayne Blackshear, Fr.; Mike Marra, Jr.; Stephen Van Treese, Jr.

Outlook: Louisville doesn't have a star on their roster. They didn't have one last year, either, but that didn't prevent the Cardinals from going out and winning 25 games and finishing tied for third in the toughest conference in the country. That's the way Rick Pitino likes his team. He's taken up the motto of "Louisville first" for his team's, and it makes sense -- at this point, Pitino has become a system coach. Louisville should be mentioned in the same breath as teams like Pitt and Wisconsin and Texas A&M. They aren't successful because they have more talent than their opponents. They are successful because the whole, the product that they put on the floor, is better than the individual parts wearing the jerseys.

What Louisville does is simple, really. They run a full-court press that is partially designed to try and force a turnover and partially an attempt to force their opponents to chew up the shot clock. They force a lot of turnovers and make their opponents take tough shots. Once the Cardinals get possession of the ball, they attack in transition, looking to get an layup or an open three. If nothing is there immediately, they'll pull the ball back out, spread the floor and allow their playmakers to create. They run a lot of high pick-and-rolls and they take a lot of threes, and when those threes are going down, the Cardinals are very tough to beat.

The engine that makes the Louisville machine run is Peyton Siva. While standing just 5'11", the junior point guard is one of the most explosive athletes in the country. He's tremendously quick with the dribble (when he's playing well, he's as difficult to stay in front of as Kemba Walker was) and can finish around -- and above -- the rim, but he's also excellent at finding open shooters and dumping the ball off to his big men when he finds himself in a crowd. His end-to-end speed is perfect for leading the Louisville break, and while his size is a bit of a hindrance, he's an excellent on ball defender due to his quickness.

Joining Siva in the back court will be Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith. Kuric is one of the best shooters in the conference and the leading returning scorer for the Cardinals. He's a perfect fit for this style of play, as he is a terrific athlete and a guy that is willing to defend any position on the court, perimeter or interior, despite standing just 6'4". Smith can also knock down an open three, but he's a better creator off the dribble than Kuric. Louisville will spend the majority of their time with (at least) three guards on the floor, and Kuric and Smith are a perfect compliment to Siva.

There is plenty of perimeter depth as well. Freshman Wayne Blackshear is the first name that must be mentioned. He's a high-profile recruit and a big-time scorer on the perimeter. He's battling injuries -- and was only recently cleared to play -- but when he is healthy he's a guy that will be capable of coming off the bench and putting up 20 points. Blackshear may end up cutting into the minutes that junior Mike Marra sees. Kevin Ware was ruled ineligible, but his loss won't even be felt as Russ Smith and Elisha Justice have both already spent a year in the system. Freshman Angel Nunez is a player to keep an eye on. The 6'7" wing has drawn some comparisons to Francisco Garcia.

The front court will be anchored by Gorgui Dieng, a 6'11" sophomore from Senegal. Dieng is the best shot-blocker on the team and should be an excellent replacement for Terrence Jennings, who left for the NBA a year early. Dieng needs to become a better rebounder -- as do the Cardinals as a whole, they finished in the bottom half of the country in defensive rebounding percentage -- and it would be nice if he can provide any kind of post presence offensively, but his role is to be an eraser around the rim. He should fill role role beautifully. Junior Stephen Van Treese will be the guy that spells Dieng in the middle. Van Treese had a better-than-expected sophomore season, and he even managed to work his way into the starting lineup for a handful of games. Freshman Zach Price should see time in the middle as well.

Who joins Dieng at the four will likely vary throughout the year. Freshman Chane Behanan, if he can get healthy (like Blackshear, he is battling some nagging injuries), will likely be the best option that Pitino has at the four. He's a burly, 6'7" combo-forward that will remind some of a slimmer Big Baby Davis. He's got a solid face-up game and the mobility and footwork to score in a variety of ways. His girth should allow him to compete on the glass. Rakeem Buckles and Jared Swopshire will also see time -- and their share of starts -- for the Cardinals this season. Both have started in the past, but are coming off of serious injuries. Buckles tore his acl after coming back from a badly broken finger, while Swopshire is still recovering from what was thought to be a potentially career-ending groin injury. They are lankier and more athletic than Behanan and should be better fits in Louisville's 2-3 zone. They also both have more extended range than Behanan.

Louisville has plenty of pieces. This issue is going to be keeping attitudes and egos in check. There are only so many minutes and so many shots to go around. If Pitino can get his team to buy into the idea that they can play 15-20 minutes off the bench, playing balls-to-the-wall defense and sprinting in transition, the Cardinals are going to be a tough team to matchup with. They should compete with UConn, Syracuse and Pitt for the Big East title.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 25-9, 13-5 Big Ten (3rd Big Ten), lost in the Sweet 16 to Butler

Head Coach: Bo Ryan

Key Losses: Jon Leuer, Keaton Nankivil, Tim Jarmusz

Newcomers: Jared Uthoff, Frank Kaminsky, George Marshall, Traevon Jackson, Jordan Smith

Projected Lineup:

- G: Jordan Taylor, Sr.
- G: Josh Gasser, So.
- F: Ryan Evans, Jr.
- F: Mike Bruesewitz, Jr.
- C: Jared Berggren, Jr.
- Bench: Jarrod Uthoff, Fr.; Evan Anderson, Fr.; Duje Dukan, Jr.; Rob Wilson, Sr.; Ben Brust, So.; Traevon Jackson, Fr.


Outlook: Eventually, we are all going to learn to stop overlooking Wisconsin when posting preseason polls. As Rush The Court proved last week, no team in the country is more consistently undervalued heading into the season than Wisconsin. The Badgers are the epitome of what it means to be a "program" in college hoops. In a way, Bo Ryan runs his team like a mid-major. He recruits players to fit hi system as opposed to the guys that sit atop the top 100 lists. The guys on hi team aren't being prepared for a career at the next level, they are being groomed to slide into starting roles as juniors and seniors. That's why a team that graduates three starters can confidently be considered a legitimate challenger to Ohio State in the Big Ten.

Well, that, and Jordan Taylor. There is no player in the country as underrated on a national scale as Taylor. What he did as a junior was flat-out unbelievable. Playing on a team that averaged the second fewest possessions in the country last year, Taylor managed to average 18.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, and 4.7 apg. He also shot 42.9% from the floor and turned the ball over just 42 times in 34 games despite playing 36.5 mpg as the primary ball handler. From an efficiency guru's point of view, there is a legitimate argument to be made that Taylor was the best player in the country last season, but it took his ridiculous performance over the last 15 minutes of Wisconsin's comeback win over then-undefeated Ohio State for the country to take notice.

Joining Taylor in the back court will be sophomore Josh Gasser. Gasser, who is the only player in Wisconsin basketball history to notch a triple-double, started from day one as a freshman. Gasser is a solid all-around contributor -- he defends, he rebounds the ball, he's a good passer and he doesn't turn the ball over -- but where he struggled in his first season in Madison was as a shooter. He hit 13 of his last 29 threes, however, so there is reason to be optimistic for an improvement. Rob Wilson is a senior that is going to be counted on for leadership and a significant improvement on his junior year, where he appeared to lose his confidence as the season moved along. Wilson is 6'4", but he's more of a forward than a guard and he'll be counted on to take up some of the minutes lost with the graduation of Tim Jarmusz. Sophomore Ben Brust as some potential as a shooter off the bench, but he struggled to see the floor as a freshman. Freshman Traevon Jackson will see time as well. He's a solidly built combo-guard that is the son of former Ohio State Buckeye Jim Jackson.

Jared Berggren will likely get the first crack at starting in the middle. Wisconsin loses a ton from their front court with Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil graduating, and its difficult to expect Berggren to fill that role. He's a different player. The 6'10" junior has the ability to step out and hit a perimeter jumper -- a skill that made Leuer and Nankivil so dangerous last season -- but he is more of a low-post threat than either of those two. Wisconsin will need him not only to cut down on his fouls and his turnovers, but to become a more consistent rebounder as well. Evan Anderson, a 6'10" redshirt freshman, is going to be counted on to play quite a few minutes up front, as will true freshman Jarrod Uthoff.


The forward spot is going to be the most interesting position for Wisconsin. Mike Bruesewitz had a very promising sophomore season. The 6'6" combo-forward began the year as the starting small forward, but it was eventually determined that he was most effective coming off the bench. Bruesewitz is a high-energy player that works on the defensive end of the floor and was the team's best offensive rebounder last season. His offensive also came around late in the year, and he double his scoring and rebounding output in March and hit a number of big shots late in the season. He'll need to become a legitimate second-scoring option for the Badgers.

The other guy that Bo Ryan will have his eye on is junior Ryan Evans, who is in his fourth-year in the program. At 6'6", Evans is a tough defender with potential, but he's yet to live up to that potential on the offensive end of the floor. There is always going to be a spot in the rotation for a guy that plays the style that Evans does, but he's an offensive liability that makes head-scratching decisions at times. Wisconsin will be counting on him for a breakout season.

What will be interesting this season is to see exactly how Wisconsin adapts to losing Nankivil and Leuer. The way that those two shot the basketball was a huge reason that Taylor was able to be as successful as he was last season. This year, the Badgers will likely be playing smaller, with Bruesewitz playing more of the four spot. He's more than capable of doing so, and that role will allow Ryan to have some of that perimeter shooting still linger on his front line. But it will also make a team that struggled defensively and on the glass that much smaller.

I believe in Bo Ryan, and I think that he has enough talent surrounding Taylor that his team will once again be able to compete with anyone in the country. The Badgers will look different, but with a veteran all-american like Taylor running the show, the change in philosophies shouldn't have a huge impact on the output from the program.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 10 Pitt Panthers

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 28-6, 15-3 (1st Big East), lost to Butler in the second round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Jamie Dixon

Key Losses: Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee, Gilbert Brown

Newcomers: Khem Birch, Malcolm Gilbert, Durand Johnson, John Johnson

Projected Lineup:

- G: Travon Woodall, Sr.
- G: Ashton Gibbs, Sr.
- F: Lamar Patterson, So.
- F: Nasir Robinson, Sr.
- C: Dante Taylor, Jr.
- Bench: Talib Zanna, So.; Khem Birch, Fr.; Malcolm Gilbert, Fr.; JJ Moore, So.; Durand Johnson, Fr.; Isaiah Epps, Fr.; John Johnson, Fr.


Outlook: The names change for the Panthers, but the product on the floor is always the same. Pitt is a physical defensive team, they force you to take tough shots, they execute offensively and they pound the offensive glass as well as anyone in the country. They are the definition of a program. Want proof? This year, they lose three starters to graduation, but they bring back every member of their very deep bench. Jamie Dixon recruits players that he knows are willing to wait their turn, that are willing to spend a couple of years developing before becoming starters. That formula is one of the reasons they are always going to compete at the top of the Big East, and on the years that they have a star like Ashton Gibbs, they do things like they did last year and win the Big East.

Gibbs is one of the most unique stars in the country. He is a lights out shooter, whether he's spotting up from beyond the arc or hitting a 15 footer curling off of a screen. He's not unlike most stars in that he can create his own shot, but he does it in a way that very few in the country are able to. Gibbs is sensational at using screens to get open. He's so good that Dixon uses Gibbs as his go-to guy at the end of a clock. But instead of isolating him on the wing and allowing him to try and create a shot by going 1-on-1, Dixon runs Gibbs off of screens and allows him to try and lose his defender to create a shot. There's not a player in the country as good at getting open off of a screen as Gibbs.

Joining Gibbs in the back court will be Travon Woodall. Woodall came off the bench last season, but with Brad Wanamaker graduating, he'll be moving into the starting lineup this year. It will be interesting to see what Woodall can accomplish as the team's primary point guard. He's a much different kind of player than Wanamaker, who was the team's point guard last season. Wanamaker was bigger and a better rebounder than Woodall, but Woodall is much quicker. He should be a problem to keep out of the lane, where his 2.3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio (second in the Big East to Wanamaker last season) should allow him to thrive as a playmaker. Beyond Woodall and Gibbs, however, Pitt is going to have an inexperienced back court. Three freshmen -- Cameron Wright, Isaiah Epps, and John Johnson -- will provide the depth.

It will be interesting to see who ends up replacing Gilbert Brown and starting at the small forward spot for Pitt as there are a number of candidates. The most likely seems to be Lamar Patterson, a versatile, 6'5" sophomore that can play any position, shooting guard to power forward. He's the best defender of the group, although he's not nearly the athlete or the shooter that Brown was. Freshman Durand Johnson, a 6'6" native of Baltimore, is, but he's also a freshman, which makes it seems unlikely that he'll start immediately. JJ Moore, another sophomore small forward, will also see time at that position.


The power forward spot will be a bit of a question mark, at least early in the season. Senior Nasir Robinson underwent minor surgery on his meniscus, the same injury that cost him the first three games of last season. Robinson is a perfect fit for this Pitt system. He's only 6'5", but he's a terrific glue-guy, a blue-collar defender that really understands how to use his body to gain position and always seems to find himself open around the basket. If he does miss any time, expect sophomore Talib Zanna to slide in and start at the four again. He did the same thing last season and had a couple of big games.

At the center spot, junior Dante Taylor -- a top 15 recruit when he came out of high school -- will finally slide into the starting role, taking over for Gary McGhee. Khem Birch is a top 10 freshman this year and should see plenty of time up front, as will Malcolm Gilbert, another freshman that comes in with less hype. When it comes to Pitt's quartet of bigs -- Zanna, Taylor, Birch and Gilbert -- the names don't exactly matter. Taylor may be a bit stronger and Birch may be more athletic and Zanna may have a flat top, but they all serve the same purpose. They are in there to take up space on the defensive end and attack the glass on the offensive end. Despite barely having a player with a post-move, Pitt was top five in offensive efficiency all year in 2010-2011. That's a tribute to how well this group gets on the offensive glass and how well they are able to finish their easy looks around the rim when they get those offensive boards.

The Panther's philosophy is simple. There is nothing flashy about this group. They play a tough, physical and disciplined brand of defense. They don't gamble for steals or force many turnovers, they simply force you to work the shot clock and take a difficult shot, cleaning the defensive glass. Offensively, they execute their sets and attack the glass as hard as any team in the country. It works. Pitt doesn't have egos on their roster. They simply have a group of hard-working kids that buy into the program that Jamie Dixon is selling. The Big East is once again going to be loaded at the top, but the Panthers should battle with UConn, Syracuse and Louisville for the Big East title.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 11 Florida Gators

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 29-8, 13-3 (1st SEC), lost to Butler in the Elite 8

Head Coach: Billy Donovan

Key Losses: Chandler Parsons, Vernon Macklin, Alex Tyus

Newcomers: Brad Beal, Walter Pitchford

Projected Lineup:

- G: Erving Walker, Sr.
- G: Kenny Boynton, Jr.
- G: Bradley Bear, Fr.
- F: Erik Murphy, Jr.
- C: Patric Young, So.
- Bench: Mike Rosario, Jr.; Cody Larson, Fr.; Will Yeguete, So.; Scottie Wilbekin, So.


Outlook: After the way that Florida started the season, I don't think many people would have predicted the way that it ended up. The Gators struggled early on in the year. They were embarrassed on national television by Ohio State in their first game of the season. Then they lost to UCF. Then they dropped a game to Jacksonville at home. With conference play bearing down, the Gators looked like they were doomed to once again disappoint with a talented team. But something clicked on New Year's Eve. Florida went to Cincinnati and knocked off Xavier, sparking a run through the SEC that didn't stop until the Gators were league champions -- by three games, no less, despite playing in the loaded Eastern Division. Florida had their fare share of postseason success as well, making it all the way to the SEC title game and taking a trip to the Elite eight, where they eventually were knocked off by Butler.

In 2010-2011, the Gators strength was their front court. Vernon Macklin and Alex Tyus provided size, athleticism and shot blocking inside while Chandler Parsons, who was the SEC Player of the Year, gave the Gators the kind of versatility and playmaking they needed on the perimeter. All three of those guys are gone, leaving a team that will be overloaded with back court talent next season.

There will be essentially five players in the back court for Florida this year -- senior Erving Walker, juniors Mike Rosario and Kenny Boynton, sophomore Scottie Wilbekin and freshman Bradley Beal. Walker will be the primary ball-handler to start, a role he has never quite appeared suited too. Walker's a natural scoring guard, but part of the reason that Florida experienced so much success in SEC play last season was his ability to embrace the role of being the facilitator offensively. Walker needs to be a playmaker and a distributor as much as he is a scorer, although he has proved that he can be a guy that is relied upon to make big shots in the clutch.

Rosario and Boynton are both very similar players to Walker in that they are volume shooters that need the ball in their hands to be effective. But, like Walker, neither are true point guards. Rosario is a transfer from Rutgers, where he was allowed free reign to shoot whenever and from wherever he liked. And while he will likely be playing the role of the hired gun off of the bench this season, that is still not a quality that you like to see out of one of your star back court players on a team with this much talent. Boynton is similar. He's not quite as good of a ball handler as either of those two, but he has no conscience when it comes to firing away from beyond the arc. He got much more consistent as the season went on, however, and upped his percentages. The other positive about Boynton is that he is a terrific on-ball defender.

Beal and Wilbekin will round out the Florida back court. Wilbekin is young, but he looked promising as a facilitator is his limited minutes as a freshman. Beal, on the other hand, will likely start, as he was one of the most sought after freshman in the country in high school. He's not an overwhelming athlete, but he can still get it to the rim if he needs to. Where Beal should help Florida the most is in the fact that he can score on the perimeter, and he doesn't needed to do. Beal thrives as a catch-and-shoot guy that excels at coming off of a screen.


The front court will be anchored by Patric Young, who is a freak of an athlete. Standing 6'9", 250 lb, the sophomore spent the summer playing with the U19 Team USA in Latvia. Young possesses the kind of size and athleticism that had some using the name "Dwight Howard" as a comparison when he was in high school. That may be a bit much, but if he ever adds touch around the bucket, he's already the kind of physical specimen that can change the game defensively and as a shot blocker. It will be interesting to see how he develops, considering that he is going to be relied on so heavily to carry the Florida front court.

Joining Young will be three players vying for the power forward spot. The most likely to start is probably junior Erik Murphy, a 6'10" big man with range out to the three point line. He's going to have to get tougher in the paint, but having a weapon like Murphy that is capable of spreading the floor will be important for Donovan's club. Will Yegeute, a sophomore, and Cody Larson, a redshirt freshman, are both physical players that will need to bring physicality to a team that doesn't have an overabundance of it.

There are two key issues here for Florida. This first is how they are able to divvy up the shots. There are four guys in their back court that are probably capable of scoring 15 ppg. Will they be able to handle sharing shots and making sure they get the ball to the hot hand? Will anyone else on the team be involved offensively? If Florida is struggling, can they avoid falling into the trap of playing one-on-one streetball?

The other issue is at the four. Does Donovan go with four guards? Can Murphy or Yeguete or Larson emerge as a reliable fifth starter? Depending on how those problems are solved, Florida will be competing with Vanderbilt for the right to call themselves the second best team in the SEC.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 12 Baylor Bears

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 18-13, 7-9 (t-7th Big 12), lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament

Head Coach: Scott Drew

Key Losses: LaceDarius Dunn, Nolan Dennis, Stargell Love

Newcomers: Quincy Miller, Deuce Bello, Pierre Jackson, Brady Heslip, Gary Franklin

Projected Lineup:

- G: Pierre Jackson, Jr.
- G: Brady Heslip, So.
- F: Anthony Jones, Sr.
- F: Perry Jones, So.
- C: J'Mison Morgan, Sr.
- Bench: Quincy Miller, Fr.; Quincy Acy Sr.; Gary Franklin, So.; AJ Walton, Jr.; Deuce Bello, Fr.; Fred Ellis, Sr.


Outlook: Baylor's 2010-2011 season started out rocky and ended even worse. LaceDarius Dunn, a preseason all-american, was suspended for three games stemming from an assault that left his girlfriend with a broken jaw. After a season in which the Bears were never able to live up to the talent on their roster, the year ended with Perry Jones getting suspended for receiving improper benefits from his AAU coach, part of which was used -- and paid back -- by his mom in an effort to pay rent. Despite the suspension, however, Jones opted to return to school, giving Baylor one of the biggest, most versatile front line in the country in a long, long time.

The main issue for the Bears this season is precisely the problem that plagued them all of last season -- who will run the point for this team? There are three legitimate options. The first is the most obvious -- AJ Walton. Walton was the starter as a sophomore last season, and he was up and down. His numbers looked good -- 7.9 ppg, 4.2 apg -- but Walton turned the ball over far too often -- 3.4 per game -- and left much to be desired with his shot selection. Sophomore Gary Franklin is another option, but he has major red flags as well. He transferred out of Cal after just one semester that included 11 starts because he wasn't happy with how he was being used (or yelled at) under Mike Montgomery. Franklin is a shoot-first point guard with an attitude problem. I don't think he's the answer, either.

The consensus seems to be that Pierre Jackson is the guy that is going to earn the starting job. Standing just 5'10", Jackson is a superb athlete that spent the past two years racking up all-american honors while playing at the College of Southern Idaho, who he led to the JuCo national title last season. That run is what vaulted him up recruiting rankings. Jackson can shoot the ball, but he is at his best when he is penetrating to pass. He's not going to be able to score in the lane all that often in the Big 12 given his size, but if he can draw help defenders, there are enough big bodies for the Bears that Jackson should be able to rack up the assists.

That brings us to our second issue for Baylor -- perimeter shooting. If Baylor is unable to shoot the ball from the perimeter, part of their size advantage (which we will get to in a minute) will be mitigated by defenses collapsing on the paint. With LaceDarius Dunn gone, the Bears now lack a serious three-point shooting threat. Walton shot near 40% from beyond the arc last season, and if he is teamed with Jackson in the back court it will allow Walton to be more of a spot-up shooter. Brady Heslip, a transfer from Boston College, will be able to fill this role as well as Anthony Jones, a 6'10" small forward that knocked down 39.4% of his threes last season. Deuce Bello, a highly-regarded back court recruit, is an electric athlete that will make a couple of Sportscenter top tens this season, is not yet a three-point threat. Bello will force Baylor to give him minutes, however, as he will be able to make players defensively on the top of their zone.


For all the question marks in Baylor's back court, the reason they are ranked so high is the absurd amount of talent they have in their front court. I'd expect Anthony Jones to start, at least at the beginning of the year, at the small forward, but its impossible to ignore the talent level of the freshman that Scott Drew brought in behind him. Quincy Miller is a 6'9" combo-forward that has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant and Danny Manning. He's probably not as much of a pure-wing as Durant is just yet, but the resemblance is there.

Amazingly enough, Miller isn't even the most versatile forward on Baylor's roster with Perry Jones back in the mix. Jones is a seven-foot small forward. He can block shots and clean the defensive glass, but he's also capable of taking a defensive rebound and dribbling the length of the floor to lead the break. He can create a shot from inside or out. He can finish off a pass with a dunk or a jumper. If both Miller and Jones are hitting from the perimeter, they give Baylor a terrifying 1-2 punch offensively that happen to both be a perfect fit for Drew's defensive system.

In the middle, its still unclear exactly who is going to start between J'Mison Morgan and Quincy Acy. Morgan is bigger and worked his way into the starting lineup at the end of last season. Acy is a much better player, however. He's big, he's strong, he's athletic and he's aggressive. Acy doesn't have much in the way of a post move, but he goes to the glass as hard as anyone in the country and he knows how to block shots.

Baylor has a ton of questions that need to be answered this season. Who runs the point? Where do they make up that perimeter shooting? How are the minutes going to be divided in the front court? Scott Drew is going to earn his salary coaching this team. But if he can find a way to get all the pieces to fit together, the Bears are talented enough to make a run at the Final Four.
Continue reading...

2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: No. 13 Vanderbilt Commodores

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.

Last Season: 23-11, 9-7 (t-4th SEC), lost to Richmond in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

Head Coach: Kevin Stallings

Key Losses: Andre Walker

Newcomers: Dai-Jon Parker, Kedren Johnson, Shelby Moats

Projected Lineup:

- G: Brad Tinsley, Sr.
- G: John Jenkins, Jr.
- F: Jeff Taylor, Sr.
- F: Lance Goulbourne, Sr.
- C: Festus Ezeli, Sr.
- Bench: Steve Tchiengang, Sr.; Rod Odom, So.; Kedren Johnson, Fr.; Dai-Jon Parker, Fr.; Kyle Fuller, So.


Outlook: Last year was all too familiar for Vanderbilt fans. The Commodores ended up winning 23 games, spent much of the year ranked in the top 25 and eventually earned a five seed in the NCAA Tournament. All in all, things could have been much worse. But they also could have been so much better. Vanderbilt was just 1-5 in games decided by three points or less. They lost another game by four points and also blew a double-digit second half lead before losing to South Carolina in overtime. That is seven of their 11 losses right there.

The good news for Vandy is that they basically return everyone from last season. They only player that isn't back is Andre Walker, who started early in the season but battled injuries late in the year. But beyond that, Kevin Stallings will have exactly the same team he did last year, with the only difference being he adds three talented freshmen.

The first guy you have to talk about with the 'Dores is John Jenkins. Jenkins might just be the most dangerous shooter in the country. As a freshman, he was a spot-up shooter, a deadly three-point sniper that camped out beyond the arc and waited for a shot to be created for him. Last season, however, Jenkins' game really expanded. He became a much more dangerous presence running off of screens and became more adept at attacking a close out, improving his ability to shoot off the dribble and in the mid-range. Jenkins still isn't great at getting all the way to the rim -- and he probably won't ever be -- but he doesn't need to in order to score. He averaged 19.5 ppg last season, and its feasible that number can go up this year.

Joining Jenkins on the perimeter will be Jeff Taylor, who is one of the most athletic small forwards in the conference. Taylor expanded his game as a junior, becoming a threat from beyond the arc, although his jump shot is not yet what you can call consistent. Taylor's best attribute is his ability to make plays on the defensive end of the floor. Starting at the point will be Brad Tinsley, who has a bit of a bad reputation among college basketball fans. He's probably a better player than he gets credit for -- he averaged double figures while dishing out 4.6 apg and shooting 36.9% from deep -- but there are limitations to his game, including his ability to create off the dribble and his limited athleticism, which can make him a liability defensively. Those three all played well over 30 mpg -- Jenkins tops out at 34.6 -- so expect the back court back ups to see limited action, but sophomore Kyle Fuller and freshmen Dai-Jon Parker and Kedren Johnson will be the guys that are called upon when necessary.


The front court will have some question marks, starting with who plays while Festus Ezeli is suspended? Ezeli accepted dinner and a hotel room from booster while he was traveling this summer, which cost him six games to start the season. He'll miss the opener against Oregon, four games in the Legends Classic (the best opponent being Texas), and a visit from Monmouth. The good news is that Ezeli will be back when the 'Dores face Xavier on the 28th of November. Ezeli is one of the most underrated big men in the country. A legitimate 6'11", Ezeli has a solid frame and an even better game. Playing just over 23 mpg last season, he averaged 13.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 2.6 bpg. If he can stay out of foul trouble and on the court, he'll put up some impressive numbers. Steve Tchiengang will be Ezeli's back up.

Joining Ezeli up front will probably be Lance Goulbourne with Rod Odom coming off the bench. Both Goulbourne and Odom are versatile power forwards with the ability to knock down a three, which will spread the floor for Vanderbilt and allow Ezeli more space to operate inside.

The question for Vanderbilt is not whether they bring players back, because there is not question that they have as much experience as any team in the country. The question is just what kind of experience they are returning. Vanderbilt was a mediocre team a season ago. They lost 11 games, earned themselves a five-seed in the tournament, and finished in a three-way tie for fourth in a league that went six deep. That's mediocre. And while they are bringing in a couple of freshmen, those freshmen aren't going to have a significant impact until this crop of seniors is gone.

To complicate matters further, Vandy returns a team that does not know how to win games. Performance in the clutch in a skill. Knowing how to win as a team is a learned trait. Being able to execute down the stretch on the offensive end and getting crucial stops on the defensive end is not an easy thing to do, and the Commodores have not proven that they can do it under Kevin Stallings. The poll makers are going to love Vanderbilt because of what they return, but impressing voters and winning games are two very different things.
Continue reading...