2004/05 NCAA basketball thread [R]

[Lucid]

What? It's too early to start this thread? No way, never too early. Especially considering KU kicked off it's pre-exhibition season with a 4-0 trouncing of our neighbors to the north. I especially enjoyed this one.... Kansas rookies demolish Canadians 101-46 (http://kuathletics.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/090504aab.html). How about that... the freshmen class combines for 77 points. Sure, they're not the best competition in the world, but c'mon, that's impressive.

Florida (Bahamas), UNLV (Canada), and Pitt (Canada) also kicked off their pre-exhibition season. Let's get some predictions going. I'll get mine together in the next few days/weeks, haven't had a chance to sit down and take a look at everyone.

[WarrenWallace]

I would say that Kansas, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest could be called early favorites.

My Badgers were going to be a Top 10 team, but then Devin Harris went pro. They are now expected to be a 14-16 team in the country now. Have been getting some great recruits lately.

Damn, Lucid, the college football season is just starting.....tough enough to be talking about basketball already! :p

[Narmec]

It's never too early, Lucid.

One quick prediction, Arizona will be better than last year.

Also, add UNC to City's list.

[metroflip73]

Hoping BC finds another big man to fill in the shoes of Uka Agbai.

[nicodemus]

Not looking forward to another year of Mark Gottfried coaching. Nothing's more frustrating than being an Alabama basketball fan. You know you're never going to amount of much of anything, you just want to have a good run and be respected.

[Toolhead]

I think Villanova is going to surprise alot of people this year, at least I hope so. They return their top 8 players from last season plus adding a couple of prized recruits. Look for Allen Ray and Curtis Sumpter to have break out years.

[Narmec]

I think Villanova is going to surprise alot of people this year, at least I hope so. They return their top 8 players from last season plus adding a couple of prized recruits. Look for Allen Ray and Curtis Sumpter to have break out years.

Toolhead, who is coaching Villanova these days?

Also, are they still in the Big East? What teams now make up the Big East?

It's pretty sad what's happened in the last few years with the conferences. I remember being in high school and looking forward to ESPN's Big East Monday. They had so many great players, Mullin, Ewing, Washington, etc..

P.S. Oh yeah, and Pinckney, too. :D

[stevewhit0]

Illinois should be really good this year
Predictions for Top Teams out of Each Conf.
Big Ten: Illinois
Big East:Syracuse
ACC: Wake
Big 12: KU
Pac 10: Arizona
SEC: Mississippi State

Possible Final Four: UNC, Duke, Illinois, Arizona
Champion: Anyone of these teams, best guess UNC

[metroflip73]

I think Villanova is going to surprise alot of people this year, at least I hope so. They return their top 8 players from last season plus adding a couple of prized recruits. Look for Allen Ray and Curtis Sumpter to have break out years.

I saw that kid Nardi play for St. Pat's in a NJ HS playoff game, he's lightning quick. Billmeier played on that team as well and he's playing at the Hall.

[Toolhead]

Toolhead, who is coaching Villanova these days?

Also, are they still in the Big East? What teams now make up the Big East?

It's pretty sad what's happened in the last few years with the conferences. I remember being in high school and looking forward to ESPN's Big East Monday. They had so many great players, Mullin, Ewing, Washington, etc..

P.S. Oh yeah, and Pinckney, too. :D

Sorry for taking so long to answer, been busy and haven't visited BS in about a week.

Jay Wright is the coach, he took over 3 years ago, before that he coached at Hosftra(sp?). His last year there they made a good run in the tourney with Speedy Claxton, anyway 'Nova is his "dream" job. He was an assistant under Lappas at 'Nova and has always been part of the family there.

Yeah, we're still in the Big East, or the new look Big East you should say(next year). Boston College is still in this year, but leave for the ACC next year to join fellow traitors Miami & Va. Tech. Next year Louisville, Cinncinati, DePaul, Marquette and a couple other schools join the conference(16 teams total), some are begining to refer to the new Big East as a "Super Conference".

Yeah, those were the days, still remember '85 like it was yesterday, I wonder why? :D

[Toolhead]

I saw that kid Nardi play for St. Pat's in a NJ HS playoff game, he's lightning quick. Billmeier played on that team as well and he's playing at the Hall.

Billmeier, isn't he that 6'10" kid who's an inside banger? Sort of remember him from last year, think maybe he had his best game of the year against Nova. Back to Nardi, he's quick alright, but he has a little Jason Williams in him. He tries to be too flashy at times, he needs to keep the turnovers down, but he's a dangerous 3 pt. shooter and can penetrate also.

[metroflip73]

Billmeier, isn't he that 6'10" kid who's an inside banger? Sort of remember him from last year, think maybe he had his best game of the year against Nova. Back to Nardi, he's quick alright, but he has a little Jason Williams in him. He tries to be too flashy at times, he needs to keep the turnovers down, but he's a dangerous 3 pt. shooter and can penetrate also.

he was lightning quick at the RAC when I saw him. Looks as thin as a rail. At least he'll be banging guidettes from all points in NJ and LI.

[Narmec]

Sorry for taking so long to answer, been busy and haven't visited BS in about a week.

Jay Wright is the coach, he took over 3 years ago, before that he coached at Hosftra(sp?). His last year there they made a good run in the tourney with Speedy Claxton, anyway 'Nova is his "dream" job. He was an assistant under Lappas at 'Nova and has always been part of the family there.

Yeah, we're still in the Big East, or the new look Big East you should say(next year). Boston College is still in this year, but leave for the ACC next year to join fellow traitors Miami & Va. Tech. Next year Louisville, Cinncinati, DePaul, Marquette and a couple other schools join the conference(16 teams total), some are begining to refer to the new Big East as a "Super Conference".

Yeah, those were the days, still remember '85 like it was yesterday, I wonder why? :D

Shooting 70-something percent in the NCAA Final would jog anyone's memory.

P.S. Thanks for the info.

[WFU03]

Not a huge shock here...but I like Wake Forest. ;)

Seriously, if I had to give a top 5, I would probably go with:

1. Wake
2. UNC
3. Illinois
4. Georgia Tech
5. Kansas

In spite of the fact that I'm clearly an ACC fan, I think winning the ACC tournament this year may be harder than making the final four. You could make a good argument that ANY of the top 6 ACC teams (WFU, UNC, GT, Maryland, Duke, NCSU) could/should be top 5 in the country.

I can't wait for basketball season.

[odg78]

Not a huge shock here...but I like Wake Forest. ;)
--That makes two of us. I can't wait until the season starts.

http://www.wfu.edu/users/browjf2/pics/DSC_0179.jpeg

[WFU03]

I hope Paul can live up to the hype this year. It's as if everyone keeps saying he's better and better and he hasn't played a college game since last March.

The biggest player for Wake this coming year, though, is Vytas. If he can play like he did as a sophomore, I don't think they'll lose more than 3 games.

[skipshady]

I'm hoping Sean May went through puberty this summer - you know, come back a couple of inches taller, drop the baby fat and start beating people up in the low post. Maybe then, he can be the poor man's Elton Brand.

There's no question that the Deacons are the team to beat in the ACC.

[odg78]

I hope Paul can live up to the hype this year. It's as if everyone keeps saying he's better and better and he hasn't played a college game since last March.

The biggest player for Wake this coming year, though, is Vytas. If he can play like he did as a sophomore, I don't think they'll lose more than 3 games.
--He hasn't played a college game since March, but he was one of our past players, along with Justin Gray, during World Championship qualifying this summer.

http://www.usabasketball.com/men/main-08_01_04.jpg

--I'm not that worried about Vytas. He came into the season injured and suffered all year. If he can come in healthy, I'm expecting a return to form. I'm worried about the same thing I was worried about last year. Eric Williams staying out of foul trouble. When he's able to stay out trouble and play his game, he's almost unstoppable. Hopefully he can overcome foul difficulties like Darius Songaila did late in his career.

[odg78]

--He hasn't played a college game since March, but he was one of our past players, along with Justin Gray, during World Championship qualifying this summer.
--And when I say past, I mean best.

[Scoey]

Obligatory Gonzaga post.

Look for America's favorite so-called mid-major team to struggle a bit in non-conf action as they find their rotation and learn to play without the seniors they lost, but also look for them to put up a few Ws in non-conf (schedule includes GTech, UW, Illinois, OK St, Umass and others), and to get on a roll in WCC play. Turiaf will be better than ever, Adam Morrison will blossom into a bona-fide star, and their sick freshman class (most of whom were recruited by the bball factory schools such as Arizona, Kansas, and various ACC schools) will turn heads. This Gonzaga team will be better positioned to advance in tournament play than last year, though they will not have the hype going in because they'll lose a few more games.

I was seriously thinking about canceling my cable, then I remembered that college hoops is just around the corner. Can't wait.