Over the last couple of weeks we have spent some time reviewing the AP’s Pre-Season poll. First we looked at 1-5, then 6-10, moved on to 11-15, looked at 16-20, and finished with 21-25.
Any time a poll like this is published, skepticism has to be expected. I scratched my head at a few of these picks. Then I considered last year’s pre-season poll – many thanks to crossword pete who dug up this one for me. I hit a researching road block the other night and turned to pete for a detour. As always pete delivered.
2007-08 NCAA Division I Men’s Pre-Season Poll
1. North Carolina
2. UCLA
3. Memphis
4. Kansas
5. Georgetown
6. Louisville
7. Tennessee
8. Michigan State
9. Indiana
10. Washington St.
11. Marquette
12. Oregon
13. Duke
14. Gonzaga
15. Texas
16. Texas A & M
17. Arizona
18. USC
19. Arkansas
20. Kentucky
21. NC State
22. Pittsburgh
23. Stanford
24. So. Illinois
25. Kansas St.
Not a bad job by the pollsters. They actually picked the Final Four – just got the order tangled. They even had Louisville in the Elite Eight, and they weren’t far off with Texas. After that the rest of the picks run a muck.
For a final look at the pre-season poll (especially considering we are past the pre-season) here are five teams to keep in mind as they may surprise a few people.
Have I mentioned my daughter goes to school 504 miles away? Go ahead question my objectivity. Call it nepotism, or whatever you want. The Musketeers will get it done again. First of all they play in the Atlantic 10 – the most underrated conference in the country. Xavier will not come away from their conference schedule soft.
Drew Lavender and Josh Duncan have graduated, but Coach Sean Miller and his Musketeers have reloaded.
The Musketeers led the A-10 in rebounding margin last year, and junior Derrick Brown, who led the X-Men with 6.5 boards per game, returns to the front court. He’ll be joined by 6’9” Jason Love. The junior grabbed bounds at a rate of 5.5 per game.
Senior BJ Raymond will present match up problems. At 6’6”and 212 pounds, Raymond is tough to stop off the dribble. Last year he hit from behind the arc at a rate of 42%. Combine that with 80% free throw shooting and Brown will carry the load for Xavier.
Senior CJ Anderson will join the starting five. He scored 10 points and grabbed 5 boards per game.
True freshman, Terrell Hollaway will run the point.
The Musketeers have already knocked off Va Tech. They have match ups with Auburn, Duke, and Butler before they enter conference play. As every year, the Musketeers have their Cross-Town Shootout with Cincinnati.
Remember how the Saints whacked Vanderbilt in the first round of last year’s NCAA? Four starters return from that squad.
Fran McCaffery will start two seniors and three juniors.
6’6” Edwin Ubiles led the Saints with 17 ppg. He’ll be joined in the front court by Josh Duell and Alex Franklin. The trio combined for 15 boards per game a year ago.
Ronald Moore had 5 assists per game, and he’ll run the point.
Pre-season MAAC Conference Player-of-the Year, Kenny Hasbrouck rounds out the starting five. Last year the senior nailed 16 points per game.
Rochester connections, Cory Magee and Kyle Downey will see minutes off the bench as will sophomores, Clarence Jackson and Ryan Rossiter.
So sure of his Saints is McCaffery that the fourth-year coach has loaded his non-conference schedule with challenges – Tennessee, St. Joe’s, Pittsburgh, and Kansas.
Since Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver have exited the Cougars look vulnerable. Taylor Rochestie will need to shoulder the load in the back court.
I can’t count out a team coached by Tony Bennett. His teams always play a hard-nosed style of defense that keeps them in every game.
Seniors Daven Harmeling and Aron Baynes will play in the front court.
Nikola Koprivica and Abe Lodwick will finish the back court.
Klay Thompson, Fabian Boeke, and Caleb Forrest will come off the bench.
Michigan’s victory over UCLA was no fluke. Rather it was another stop in John Beilein’s basketball odyssey.
The Wolverines already showed a deft ability to play Beilein’s 1-3-1 half-court zone. They also have showed the ability to seamlessly switch to man-to-man with little drop off. This combination of defenses will make the Wolverines tough to beat.
Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims look right at home in Beilein’s offensive system. The two have combined for 38 points per game thus far.
Zack Gibson, Stu Douglass, and Anthony Wright complete the starting five.
Temple’s run to last year’s Atlantic 10 championship and the subsequent automatic bid was no mistake. Fran Dunphy has the Cherry and White moving in the right direction.
Leading scorer Dionte Christmas has returned and is ready to lead the Owls in Dunphy’s third season. The senior from Philly has led the A-10 in scoring the last two years.
Christmas is one of four returning starters.
7’0” Sergio Olmos will be a presence in the paint. The senior had 49 blocked shots and led the squad with a shooting percentage of 56.3.
Sophomore Lavoy Allen was an A-10 All-Rookie player last year. The 6’9” forward averaged eight points and five rebounds per game while leading the team with 52 blocks.
Junior Luis Guzman will run the point. He dished out 54 assists last year.
Junior Ryan Brooks completes the starting five. Brooks play his best when the pressure is on. As a sophomore Brooks knocked down 15 in the A10 championship victory. For an encore Brooks drilled 14 in the NCAA opening round loss to MSU.
Ramon Moore and Semaj Inge will see plenty of time from the bench.
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