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USA Today writer's basketball pre-season Top 25
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:38 pm
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:38 pm
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6. Kentucky
7. Florida
22. Alabama
24. Missouri
Others Receiving a vote: Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
What do we think? I think it's no question who the top 2 teams in the conference are. After that it seems like a smattering of teams. Alabama is expected to make a jump finally, it's up to Johnson to make it happen. He's got experience and talent now, so no excuses really. I feel like A&M should be next up with that ridiculous front court of Williams, Davis, Hogg and Trocha-Morelas. Vanderbilt seems to be a sleeper team as well as Auburn IMO. Not sure why the overreaction to Missouri. They wil lstill be one of the worst teams in the conference and struggle to win more than 6 or 7 conference games. I also think there's no clear cut awful team(s) in the conference. 14th place could realistically have a 5-13 type record and be a 15+ game winner overall, not 2-16 or 3-15 type record with barely 10 win overall season.
6. Kentucky
7. Florida
22. Alabama
24. Missouri
Others Receiving a vote: Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
What do we think? I think it's no question who the top 2 teams in the conference are. After that it seems like a smattering of teams. Alabama is expected to make a jump finally, it's up to Johnson to make it happen. He's got experience and talent now, so no excuses really. I feel like A&M should be next up with that ridiculous front court of Williams, Davis, Hogg and Trocha-Morelas. Vanderbilt seems to be a sleeper team as well as Auburn IMO. Not sure why the overreaction to Missouri. They wil lstill be one of the worst teams in the conference and struggle to win more than 6 or 7 conference games. I also think there's no clear cut awful team(s) in the conference. 14th place could realistically have a 5-13 type record and be a 15+ game winner overall, not 2-16 or 3-15 type record with barely 10 win overall season.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:42 pm to thunderbird1100
Group A - Final Four Contenders
Kentucky
Florida
Group B - NCAA Tournament Contenders
Alabama
Arkansas
Missouri
Texas A&M
Auburn
Ole Miss
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
Group C - NIT Contenders/Possible NCAA Tournament
Tennessee
Mississippi State
Georgia
Group D - Ugly Year 1 of Rebuild
LSU
Kentucky
Florida
Group B - NCAA Tournament Contenders
Alabama
Arkansas
Missouri
Texas A&M
Auburn
Ole Miss
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
Group C - NIT Contenders/Possible NCAA Tournament
Tennessee
Mississippi State
Georgia
Group D - Ugly Year 1 of Rebuild
LSU
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:43 pm to thunderbird1100
quote:
Not sure why the overreaction to Missouri. They wil lstill be one of the worst teams in the conference and struggle to win more than 6 or 7 conference games.
Missouri will definitely be a NIT/Bubble team. Their talent level will be really, really good.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:44 pm to SummerOfGeorge
Laugh out loud if you think that about LSU.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:47 pm to BayouBengals03
quote:
Laugh out loud if you think that about LSU.
Best returning players are....Patterson and Sampson? Reath? Bring in 1 Top 50 players and 3-stars?
Where exactly would you put them? What are you expectations? More importantly, who would have them ahead of?
This post was edited on 7/27/17 at 2:50 pm
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:52 pm to SummerOfGeorge
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:54 pm to thunderbird1100
Arkansas is being slept on because of Kinglsey leaving. A lot of talent is returning on a team that made it to the 2nd round and played the national champs down to the wire.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:55 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:Ban bet they make the Dance
What are you expectations?
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:55 pm to thunderbird1100
Not trying to be a homer hear but, Mississippi State should have a really good team this year we are returning most of our starters and have a top 10 player coming in. Our starting SG played with a broken wrist.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:56 pm to The Sultan of Swine
Yes, and quite frankly I think we should be in top 25, but I'm fine with that happening during the season instead of months before it actually starts.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:57 pm to thunderbird1100
Arkansas will be a top three team. This is supposedly Mike's best team and even generally pessimistic/realistic fans agree.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 2:59 pm to CrabInMyShoeMouth
quote:
Arkansas will be a top three team. This is supposedly Mike's best team and even generally pessimistic/realistic fans agree.
You mean in the Western division right? Anything above that is really hopeful.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 3:02 pm to dawgman15
quote:Did you just not watch much basketball last season or? We only lost graduates and Kingsley. Both Barford and Macon are back (no one expected either to return, especially both). Arkansas will be top two and go back to the SEC title game. Arkansas is getting slept on way too much for what we have coming back plus the recruits we're adding. We'll see if the coaches have a different opinion in their poll. The fact that we didn't even get votes is comical.
Anything above that is really hopeful.
This post was edited on 7/27/17 at 3:07 pm
Posted on 7/27/17 at 3:04 pm to dawgman15
I think State could obviously make a nice jump, but they just seem to have had a bit more adversity and still be a step behind the other teams making a charge (Alabama, Auburn, Missouri). Wouldn't shock me at all if they were a solid team, though.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 3:04 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Group D - Ugly Year 1 of Rebuild
LSU
I'm not going to sit here and suggest LSU is an NCAA team yet. I think LSU is one more post player away from that, but unless we pull the unthinkable with Jamarko Pickett, we won't be a contender until next season.
Still that's ridiculous to say LSU isn't an NIT contender and maybe even outside bubble chance. there is definitely talent on the roster, and teams usually play beyond their capabilities with a first year guy (see even 2012 LSU).
Also I would hope for State's sake that they make the tournament. State has a good looking roster
Posted on 7/27/17 at 3:04 pm to thunderbird1100
Gawd I cant wait til basketball season.
Posted on 7/27/17 at 3:05 pm to tigerbait2010
quote:
Still that's ridiculous to say LSU isn't an NIT contender and maybe even outside bubble chance. there is definitely talent on the roster, and teams usually play beyond their capabilities with a first year guy (see even 2012 LSU).
I'm really not trying to be a dick here, but where?
If this was 2015, sure, maybe, but LSU's talent is at best 11th best or so in the SEC for next season. At best. It is not better than : Kentucky, Florida, Missouri, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Arkansas and is at best even with Ole Miss, Tennessee and South Carolina.
Would you disagree?
This post was edited on 7/27/17 at 3:08 pm
Posted on 7/27/17 at 3:07 pm to GnashRebel
quote:
Gawd I cant wait til basketball season.
Not piling on here, but would you have ever bet that Andy Kennedy would be the solid rock foundation of OM Athletics?
I guess Bianco can reclaim that spot next year, though
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