Top 25 Evaluations

TPowell · 11-05-09, 10:12 PM

1. Kansas

Last year, many people expected Kansas to be a borderline top 25 team. It was a logical assumption after losing the corps of a National Championship team. Many people forget that Kansas earned a #3 seed last year in a rebuilding year (for Kansas). This team played Michigan State MUCH better than Louisville and UConn did. Kansas returns two Naismith Award caliber players in point guard Sherron Collins and center Cole Aldrich. The Jayhawks also return the Morris twins and shooting guard Tyshawn Taylor. Taylor will have plenty of competition this year as prized freshman Xavier Henry decided to attend Kansas. Henry is a long and athletic 6'6 guard who can flat out score the basketball. With the addition of Henry, Kansas remains on a level of its own. Henry should be able to provide the spark to ignite the experienced players that Kansas has.

TPowell · 11-05-09, 10:13 PM

oh by the way, these are the ESPN polls rankings, I'm just giving opinions on them

TPowell · 11-05-09, 10:20 PM

2. Michigan State

I'm sure I will receive plenty of hate for this, but I don't expect this Michigan State team to sniff the Final 4 this year. I do believe that they will be around the top of the league in the Big 10 though. They return 5 of their top 6 scorers and if Delvon Roe gets healthy, they could be a force. I don't expect this to happen myself, but I'm throwing that out there. The loss of Goran Suton will be MUCH tougher than making up for the mere 10 points he averaged. To an outsider of the MSU program, it seemed like Suton was the glue that held that team together. Will Kalin Lucas or Raymar Morgan be able to be the glue this year? Also, Morgan is currently not healthy because of minor ankle problems. One thing I tend to notice with Tom Izzo's teams is that they seem to never be healthy. The run last year to the National Title game was an amazing feat, but that team was nowhere near that good. It is very premature to think that this Michigan State team is a top 5 team after having to fight in a relatively soft Big 10 conference, losing Suton, and not bringing anybody in of significance. I would feel very confident that this MSU team will be a top 10 team by the end of the year, but I don't see them challenging like most others do

whatsgood5 · 11-05-09, 10:22 PM

Looking forward to this. Don't follow college basketball in the offseason too much so this will refresh my memory nicely. Thanks

TPowell · 11-05-09, 10:31 PM

3. Texas

What can you say about Rick Barnes? The guy just never seems to get it done when it matters most, even with the great talent he has had in the past. They return Damion James, who seems to be very popular for some reason. I've always saw him as a big SF who has no jump shot. The kid is a great rebounder and player, but he tends to force way too many shots. Another key playe returning is big man Dexter Pittman. I'll keep the fat jokes to a minimum, but this guy could really become a star this season after a breakout year last year. Avery Bradley was the centerpiece of the Texas 09 class (#1 SG) and should bring a toughness to this team of flat out pansies. From what I've heard about Bradley, he has shown great defensive instincts on a team that isn't exactly known for defense. In the long run, I think this Texas team COULD go to a Final 4 but with Rick Barnes, who knows? I wouldn't consider betting Texas early on because they have a couple freshman that are impact players, but they are so deep at guard, that it will be tough establishing good chemistry.

TPowell · 11-05-09, 10:40 PM

4. North Carolina

How can this UNC team be as good as last years? Simply put, they cant be. With Larry Drew starting at PG, this team shouldnt be considered a top 5 team IMO. Nothing against Drew, but he isn't the PG of a top 5 team. According to Gary Parrish, this UNC team is headlined by Ed Davis, John Henson, and Marcus Ginyard...... sounds like two solid role players and a solid 4 man. North Carolina will have many problems to start the year because of how reliant they will be on freshman. I truly think that freshman SG Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald will be big time scorers for this team. Both can really fill it up for a team that loses basically all of its top players. Deon Thompson and Ed Davis should form a pretty solid frontcourt. In the back court, Ginyard and Drew aren't going to make many top teams fear them. I would consider fading the Heels until they prove they are a legit top 10 team. This UNC team could come close to a Final 4, but I honestly don't see it. I see this UNC team as a Sweet 16 lock, but depending on the draw, that could be all for them.

TPowell · 11-05-09, 10:48 PM

5. Kentucky

Anybody want to explain how Kentucky plans to learn the "dribble drive" offense in one season? It takes a lot of time to get used to playing rec. style basketball again. This Kentucky team has chemisty problems out the ass IMO. John Wall and Eric Bledsoe should be solid at the point guard spot but who knows how they will play under pressure, as both are freshmen. At shooting guard, Darnell Dotson, a Juco, could be counted on to fill in. Nothing wrong with this kid, but he will not be the man to stop teams from packing it in defensively. Darius Miller should strive in this system but he also is not a particularily good shooter from outside. Up front, Kentucky returns Patrick Patterson and brings in 5 star big men Daniel Orton and DeMarcus Cousins. These boys are both well over 6'9 and 250 pounds. I question Orton's ability to play in this kind of system and I question Cousins' ability to work hard enough to warrant becoming a star. The only constant on this team will be Patrick Patterson. These other guys could be complete duds or complete studs. I would range this Kentucky team like Wake Forest last season. They may beat top 10 teams, but they will certainly lose head shakers like Vanderbilt. In the end, I see this UK team as top 5 team.... FOR NOW. They could end up much worse IMO

TPowell · 11-06-09, 10:40 AM

am off today so i will try to get 6-10 up this afternoon

gmcarroll33 · 11-07-09, 12:22 AM

Originally posted by TPowell

4. North Carolina

How can this UNC team be as good as last years? Simply put, they cant be. With Larry Drew starting at PG, this team shouldnt be considered a top 5 team IMO. Nothing against Drew, but he isn't the PG of a top 5 team. According to Gary Parrish, this UNC team is headlined by Ed Davis, John Henson, and Marcus Ginyard...... sounds like two solid role players and a solid 4 man. North Carolina will have many problems to start the year because of how reliant they will be on freshman. I truly think that freshman SG Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald will be big time scorers for this team. Both can really fill it up for a team that loses basically all of its top players. Deon Thompson and Ed Davis should form a pretty solid frontcourt. In the back court, Ginyard and Drew aren't going to make many top teams fear them. I would consider fading the Heels until they prove they are a legit top 10 team. This UNC team could come close to a Final 4, but I honestly don't see it. I see this UNC team as a Sweet 16 lock, but depending on the draw, that could be all for them.

I'm a Tar Heel fan and your analysis here is not spot on. Ed Davis as raw as he was last year (and he definitely benefited from Zeller going down to a wrist injury) was basically top 20 pick if he wanted to come out as a Freshman last year so I think that he qualifies as being more than a role player. And I don't know exactly who your saying is the solid 4 man, but Henson is going to be on the wing this year, not the 4, and despite not being the best shooter in the world, he's widely considered one and done and will be a 6'10 nightmare for other SF's to score on with his length. So I'd say you have more than solid role players that you're trying to analyze as an outsider. Basically consider this UNC offense and defense to be a whole lot different looking. Roy is always going to want to get out and push it and get as many possessions as possible, but this year there will be no bullet speed in Ty Lawson, no Ellington and Green on the wing to light it up from 3 point range early on, and no Hansbrough pounding down low. This looks to be a nightmare of length on defense with Ginyard rotating to SG instead of SF who's always been one of the better defenders in the country, 6'10 Henson at SF, 6'9 Davis at PF who was very effective last year on defense and rebounding, and Deon Thompson at C at 6'9, with Zeller at 7 ft filling in at either spot. The guard play will be very suspect early. The front court will be filthy nasty in talent and length

TPowell · 11-07-09, 12:37 AM

obviously Davis the solid 4 man. Henson may be a solid player but he's a role player on any top 10 team, as is Ginyard. Thompson and Davis should be very good in the frontcourt.

TPowell · 11-07-09, 12:38 AM

role players arent bad by the way, I just mean guys who shouldnt be counted on night in and out. Henson starting at the 3 is interesting

gmcarroll33 · 11-07-09, 12:44 AM

Originally posted by TPowell

obviously Davis the solid 4 man. Henson may be a solid player but he's a role player on any top 10 team, as is Ginyard. Thompson and Davis should be very good in the frontcourt.

From everything I've heard about Henson so far through practices and exhibitions is that he's going to the play at the 3 because he's too good to come off the bench at any position vs starting full time and just being on the court, and that Ed Davis is too good to sit behind him at the 4, and Deon Thompson with SR leadership can't be benched with a young team. Henson is supposed to be the real deal. A lot people claim that he is longer than Brandan Wright and UNC is putting him at the 3 (I guess you can reflect back on Brandan Wright's been pole producing like he did down low in his one and only year) compare that to putting a supposedly longer Henson at the 3. I just expect his point production and defensive efficiency will result in a whole lot more than just being a role player. I basically just think you had your wording reversed, in that UNC has 2 really good players in Davis and Henson and 1 role player in Ginyard vs 2 role players and one really good one like you originally stated

TPowell · 11-07-09, 12:48 AM

Henson will be a role type player until about January IMO. I just think that he will struggle playing the 3 at first. Teams should pack it in big time against them to start with, but with Henson at the 3 they will really do it. Should give McDonald and Strickland good looks though. I really liked both of them in high school

TPowell · 11-07-09, 12:51 AM

I posted another thread in Players Talk. It has teams 6-10 previewed as well

http://forum.sbrforum.com/players-talk/264146-tpowells-college-basketball-preview.html