UK Basketball 8th Edition

[WVRed]

Getting close to the 1000 post mark, so thought it was time to go with a new thread.

Just saw where Sean Woods was just named coach at Morehead State. Hopefully he has better success than Kyle Macy did and can continue what Donnie Tyndall brought to the program.

[jmac]

Bennett picks UNLV and Jefferson to announce on tuesday. While AJ is a top notch type player, I was hoping for a big body type banger on the inside to compliment our other recruits. Hopefully Cal will come up with something.

[WVRed]

Julius Mayes commits. 6'2 combo guard from Wright State who will be eligible to play immediately as a senior. Adds three point shooting and veteran leadership.

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[cincy jacket]

Originally Posted by jmac

Bennett picks UNLV and Jefferson to announce on tuesday. While AJ is a top notch type player, I was hoping for a big body type banger on the inside to compliment our other recruits. Hopefully Cal will come up with something.

I agree with the need of getting a bigger body type guy for the post for next year. I wonder how Cal goes about filling that role though. Seems to be no "One and done" type guys left and with a loaded 2013 and 2014 class I wonder if there is a hesitancy to offer a guy who might fill a scholarship spot for people in that class.

The way things are shaping up the 2013 UK class could just be the most ridiculous class ever. Also Wiggins in 2014 might be the best prospect since LeBron. Not as good as LeBron, but the best prospect we have seen in High School since him.

[Scrap Irony]

Calipari seems to enjoy short benches-- he's used a seven-, six-, and seven-man rotation the past three years at Kentucky.

That would mean the rotation of:

Harrow PG
Goodwin SG
Mays G
Pothress SF/PF
Wiltjer PF
Noel C
Cauley-Stein C
Hood F

It's not as talented a roster as last season or the Wall/ Bledsoe/ Patterson/ Cousins monster, but it's good enough to win the SEC if all things shake out properly.

What's interesting about his squad, IMO, is that it might be best as a frenetic, full-court press style team. Harrow, Goodwin, Poythress, and Wiltjer all run fantastically well. The press would help the team shooting percentage, as only Harrow, Wiltjer, and Mays shoot well at all from long distance.

This team could go Final Four again, but, more likely, is Calipari's first "rough" season at UK.

They might lose 8-10 games.

[WMR]

College basketball is going to be WAY down next year. The "best" teams heading into next season are UL and IU? I'll take my chances.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by WMR

College basketball is going to be WAY down next year. The "best" teams heading into next season are UL and IU? I'll take my chances.

Next year is the year a "mid major" wins it all.

[Assembly Hall]

Originally Posted by WMR

College basketball is going to be WAY down next year. The "best" teams heading into next season are UL and IU? I'll take my chances.

LOL......Way down next year? I dont see it that way. There are several teams out there that didnt lose much if anything.

[Assembly Hall]

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

Next year is the year a "mid major" wins it all.

Really? What are the odds in Vegas?

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Assembly Hall

LOL......Way down next year? I dont see it that way. There are several teams out there that didnt lose much if anything.

All of the experts disagree with you but your opinion is pretty typical for an Indiana fan I would guess.

Let's look at UL: Lost to South Florida on Senior night... Several head scratching results throughout the season... Fans wanted to run Pitino off before the run in BE Tournament and NCAAs.

IU: Lost some absolutely horrible games away from Assembly Hall. Nebraska? Really? Hoosiers need to show they can win without home cooking.

If these are your "best" teams, it is a down year for hoops.

This is why they play the games...

Could easily see a mid major winning it next year like Dab said; a senior-laden mid major especially.

[WMR]

Getting Julius Mays was absolutely huge at this point. A senior who will provide leadership and can absolutely stroke it from 3. Desperately needed another sure-fire 3 pt shooter to go along with Kwilt.

Also, there's an excellent chance that Andrew Wiggins reclassifies to 2013. He loves UK. It is a two team race for Wiggins between UK and Florida State. Both of his parents were athletes at FSU.

[Scrap Irony]

Originally Posted by Assembly Hall

LOL......Way down next year? I dont see it that way. There are several teams out there that didnt lose much if anything.

If you don't have much to begin with, is it all that impressive to keep it?

IU's team is good, no doubt. In a normal year, it'd be top ten, IMO, not vying for the top pre-season spot in the land. Same for Louisville (who overachieved and benefitted from a weak bracket in getting to the Final Four last season).

Who's behind those two, though? Nobody in the SEC. Kentucky is a shell of last season's national champion. Missouri lost three top scorers. Florida lost Beal. Maybe Tennessee comes on. Maybe not.

The Big 10 lost a ton of good players. Perhaps only Michigan looks to have restocked rather than rebuilt. I'd count OSU here, but the losses of Buford and Sullinger with no replacements will hurt more than many Buckeye fans think, IMO.

In the Big 12, Kansas lost their two top players. Maybe Texas finds a way to win something, but do you really trust Rick Barnes to deliver anything beyond recruits?

Syracuse lost three starters in the Big East. Maybe Notre Dame has something cooking in South Bend, but whatever it is will be a step slow come tournament time. Only Louisville looks halfway decent at this point.

In the west, UCLA is young and talented. That hasn't worked for Ben Howland for a decade now. Arizona's inmates are running the asylum, and Gonzaga lost Sacre (who I really like as an NBA sleeper big).

In the ACC, UNC re-tooled three-quarters of its roster, and Duke's struggles recruiting are beginning to show on its roster. NC State might make some noise, but that's a Mark Gotfried-coached team-- he's done less with more his entire coaching career.

Expect to see a lot of "You can't count out a team coached by..." articles between now and December of next season. When sportswriters have absolutely no clue what can happen, that's the cliche that gets hammered.

[WMR]

Expect to see a lot of "You can't count out a team coached by..." articles between now and December of next season. When sportswriters have absolutely no clue what can happen, that's the cliche that gets hammered.

That's classic, Scrap.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by Assembly Hall

LOL......Way down next year? I dont see it that way. There are several teams out there that didnt lose much if anything.

And how good were those teams this year?

VCU is one of those teams that doesn't lose much. I'd expect to see them high in the rankings early and often. Creighton, Butler (adding Rotnei Clark), San Diego State all look to be ready (and more experienced) for a run.

Look at those early top 25 projections for next year and see if any of those teams stop you and make you think about how good they should be based on what they have coming back.

Yes, even Louisville and IU are reaches, if you will. As Wily points out, they were inconsistent last year.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by WMR

That's classic, Scrap.

And true!

The one guy that I'd say the cliche is true about is Izzo. If you gave Izzo a blind draw 5th grade rec league team, I bet he'd have em holding trophies at the end of the year.