(yahoo images)20. Wisconsin Badgers:
Last Year: 25-9
League: Big 10
Studs: Jordan Taylor, Sr. G, Josh Gasser, Soph. G, Mike Bruesewitz, Jr. F
I feel stupid picking Wisconsin here, but then again I feel stupid for not putting them higher. No matter what they lose, they seem to always plug guys in to run their swing offense and end up ranked most of the season. Jordan Taylor is back and he's a potential All-American. Mike Bruesewitz had a nice NCAA tourney, and he has cool hair. Other than that, you're guess is as good as mine. Gasser could be very important, as he blended in for the most part, but had his moments like posting a triple-double in one game, and hitting a buzzer beater against Michigan. If Gasser plays the Jeff Ament role to Taylor's Vedder, then don't sleep on the Badgers.
(yahoo images)19. UCLA Bruins
Last Year: 23-11
League: Pac 10
Studs: Reeves Nelson, Jr. F, Joshua Smith, Soph. C, Lazeric Jones, Sr. G
It's good to see the Pac 12 back to being somewhat relevent once again. Two years ago was brutal, as the Mountain West was arguably better. Zona made some noise last year, and now they've got 4 teams in my Top 25. As for the Bruins, they have maybe the best frontline outside of UNC and Kentucky. Smith will be huge, literally and figuratively, but if he can keep his weight down and his stamina up, he'll be a difference maker. Nelson has a nice David Lee type of game, and his 14 and 9 from last year will go up with Tyler Honeycutt gone. The guards are the key. If they get anything from Jones, and newcomers Norman Powell and De'End Parker, this will be the best UCLA team since the Kevin Love-Russell Westbrook days.
18. Xavier Musketeers
Last Year: 24-8
League: Atlantic 10
Studs: Tu Holloway, Sr. G, Mark Lyons, Jr. G, Kenny Frease, Sr. C
Why Terrell Holloway changed his name to Tu, I do not know. Why he came back to school is because he has a chance to carry the flag for the next potential mid-major juggernaut and have an iconic senior season to boot. Getting Brad Redford back is large because he can hit 3's, and last time I checked this is a pretty important aspect of college basketball. Frease is suspended right now, but if/when they get him back, they'll have the guards and a big man to make a nice little run and get back in the Sweet 16, if not further.
17. Florida State Seminoles
Last Year: 23-11
League: ACC
Studs: Bernard James, Sr. C, Michael Snaer, Jr. G, Ian Miller, Soph. G
I'd say I'm swinging for the fences here a little bit with this pick, but in actuality, the rest of America is just not paying attention. It's almost hurting FSU that the ACC has been so horrid outside of Chapel Hill and Durham the last couple of years that it has put a bias in peoples brains that their can't be another good team from this conference. Last time I checked, the Seminoles went to the Sweet 16 last year, only lost Chris Singleton (who they played most of the season without anyway), and Derwin Kitchen. Everyone else is back, they are a matchup problem for everyone they play against with their size, and have two highly regarded guards in Snaer and Miller that are poised to make the leap. As a Carolina fan, they scare the shit out of me.
16. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Last Year: 25-10
League:WCC
Studs: Elias Harris, Jr. F, Robert Sacre, Sr. C, Marquise Carter, Sr. G
Pretty amazing that a college basketball preview paying homage subliminally to Seattle grunge rock has Gonzaga only 16th. (To be fair, they're located in Spokane. So I should have said this about Washington. My bad). The Zags best player probably should be in the NBA by now, but Elias Harris regressed quite a bit last year. If he's healthy, and can regain his play of his freshman year, the Bulldogs will run through the WCC. Throw in Bobby Sacre, John Stockton's kid, and a couple of highly regarded freshman guards in Gary Bell and Aussie Kevin Pangos, and just sit back and watch the Zags put together they're usual 25 win season.
15. Arizona Wildcats
Last Year: 30-8
League: Pac 12
Studs: Kyle Fogg, Sr. G, Jordan Hill, Jr. F, Jesse Perry, Sr. F
This is the only team that I've had the chance to see play, and so far I'm not impressed. I think this ranking is about right however, because the pieces are definitely in place for Arizona to win the Pac 12. Jesse Perry has had double-figure rebound games in the first two, proving maybe that he can pick up where Derrick Williams left off. Zona is loaded with freshman, and I like what I've seen out of Nick Johnson and Angelo Chol so far. They still need to get athletic wing Kevin Parrom back (he got shot), and when they do, they'll be rolling. Lots of depth, Sean Miller as a coach, and the number one recruiting class next year have people in Tuscon thinking championships again.
(yahoo images)14. Michigan Wolverienes
Last Year: 21-14
League: Big 10
Studs: Tim Hardaway Jr. Soph. G, Jordan Morgan, Soph. C, Zach Novak, Sr. G
This really has no reason to be in this post, but I can't wait for "White Thunder", aka Mitch McGary to suit up in the Maize and Blue next season. He broke a damned backboard already and he's like 17. Anywhoo, This seasons Michigan squad will feature Tim Hardaway Jr, a taller and better scoring version of his famous father. Hardaway had a break out freshman campaign, and good be a First Team All Big 10 player if things break right. Morgan showed flashes of being a legit big man, and with a plethora of role players that can all shoot, as Beilein's teams tend to need in his system, Michigan can maybe challenge Ohio St. and be an Elite 8 team.
13. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Last Year: 17-14
League: SEC
Studs: Dee Bost, Sr. G, Renardo Sidney, Jr. F, Arnett Moultrie, Jr. F
Alright so MSU has already lost to Akron. And this is probably way too high for them to be ranked. I almost changed my whole rankings and reevaluated ever writing about basketball ever again. But then I realized, it's one game. This pick is based upon potential anyway, and I never said they would be undefeated heading into the SEC slate. The reason I have them this high is because I'm drinking the Renardo Sidney koolaid. I'm banking on him finally getting it together, being a dominant force, and combining with UTEP transfer Moultrie to cause some havoc mixing it up with the Kentucky's and Vandy's of the world. Dee Bost is undervalued, as I remember him going blow for blow with John Wall in the SEC Championship two years ago. Throw in a 6'8 freshman shooter in Rodney Hood, and you have a team that is being slept on, that could be dynamic, throwing another wrinkle in what could be a 5 team SEC race.
12. Memphis Tigers
Last Year: 25-10
League: Conference USA
Studs: Joe Jackson, Soph. G, Will Barton, Soph. G, Wesley Witherspoon, Sr. F
All the hype surrounding Memphis is with their sophomore class. The key for the Tigers is Witherspoon however. He started out last year as the best player on the team, then got suspended, turning into a role player. He's a talented underachiever that hasn't fufilled expectations( there seems to be a theme here with he extolling the virtues of these type of players. Maybe it's like looking in a mirror for me), but if Memphis gets anything from him, in addition to all of the sophomores getting a lot better with a year under their belt, Memphis could be in the Final Four.
(yahoo images)11. Louisville Cardinals,
Last Year: 25-10
League: Big East
Studs: Peyton Siva, Jr. G, Kyle Kuric, Sr. G, Chane Benahan, Frosh. F
It's argued that Louisville was a year ahead of schedule being as good as they were last year. Losing freshman Wayne Blackshear to injury will hurt them, but they get back Jared Swopshire after a medical redshirt, so this should cancel this out a bit. Elsewhere, Louisville is stupid deep, they have the best white boy dunker in the country in Kuric (Notre Dame's Scott Martin is still having nightmares), and a bunch of quality wings to go along with him. Two large variables to keep an eye on will be; how good can Peyton Siva be as a point guard and as a leader, and can they get Gorgui Dieng to protect the rim like Terrance Jennings did. If Siva and Dieng can do this, and Benahan becomes a go to scorer like he has been in the exhibition games, then Louisville will be a national factor.
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