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Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky

Kansas isn’t as good as I initially thought we could mainly because of Garrett’s struggles at PG and inconsistency from McCormack. Wilson has hit a wall.

I do think there still a developmental period going on with this team and they can get better. They usually do under Self.

Definitely not a great team but my hope is they start to play their best ball in February and March. They can play with anyone I know that. They just aren’t consistent and have flaws like most teams.
 
It’s still true. Those 4 teams have collectively finished below their preseason rankings like 85% of the time

In a dozen years of the Champions Classic, KU's finished below their preseason ranking 3 times. All three had depleted rosters, missing players like Embiid and Azubuike. 2019 was 10-0 with several good wins before the roster fell apart.
 
In a dozen years of the Champions Classic, KU's finished below their preseason ranking 3 times. All three had depleted rosters, missing players like Embiid and Azubuike. 2019 was 10-0 with several good wins before the roster fell apart.

I said collectively
 
Highly expectations (early rankings) will do that. Pretty basic math really.

Standard of excellence does that.....

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Preseason vs Final AP rankings:

2019/20
#1 Michigan St..... 9
#2 Kentucky..... 8

#3 Kansas..... #1
#4 Duke..... #11

2018/19
ESPN didn't have a final for AP poll

2017/18
#1 Duke..... #4
#2 Michigan St...... #11

#4 Kansas..... #3
#5 Kentucky..... #17

2016/17
#1 Duke..... 13
#2 Kentucky..... #5
#3 Kansas..... #4
#12 Michigan St...... Unranked


2015/16
#2 Kentucky..... #16
#4 Kansas..... #3
#5 Duke..... #18
#13 Michigan St...... #7
 
Preseason rankings are pretty inaccurate generally, at least with young teams. There have been many years UNC was ranked high and fans knew it was BS. There have to be rankings though and good coaches will tend to get a bump. Good programs will as well. Just something to talk about more than anything else. I think one thing that usually holds true is experience in college basketball is crucial. Talent matters but experience is so important.
 
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All three of these teams have a lot of freshmen who are going to be really good players but are not dominate now.You couple that with less practice time and games the outcomes are to be expected
 
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Preseason vs Final AP rankings:

2019/20
#1 Michigan St..... 9
#2 Kentucky..... 8

#3 Kansas..... #1
#4 Duke..... #11

2018/19
ESPN didn't have a final for AP poll

2017/18
#1 Duke..... #4
#2 Michigan St...... #11

#4 Kansas..... #3
#5 Kentucky..... #17

2016/17
#1 Duke..... 13
#2 Kentucky..... #5
#3 Kansas..... #4
#12 Michigan St...... Unranked


2015/16
#2 Kentucky..... #16
#4 Kansas..... #3
#5 Duke..... #18
#13 Michigan St...... #7
Gd we need more titles.
 
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Not an amazing last few weeks Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas.

- Duke- 3 game losing streak.
- Kentucky - 3 game losing streak (though they’ve jumped off to a nice lead against LSU so they might break it).
- Kansas - 3 game losing streak.
- UNC - 2 game winning streak, but I don’t think they’ve had a quad 1 win yet.
 
Not an amazing last few weeks Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas.

- Duke- 3 game losing streak.
- Kentucky - 3 game losing streak (though they’ve jumped off to a nice lead against LSU so they might break it).
- Kansas - 3 game losing streak.
- UNC - 2 game winning streak, but I don’t think they’ve had a quad 1 win yet.
I’m not sure last year’s UNC team wouldn’t steamroll all of these teams right now (except Kansas)
 
UNc seems to be getting a little better but UK and Duke....sucking balls! Big fat hairy balls!!!
 
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What’s the likelihood all 4 of KU, Duke, UK, and UNC miss the tournament? I would say Duke and UK are on the outside right now. KU needs to avoid suffering a surprising loss over the next few weeks to right the ship or they may start to be a bubble team. Not sure about UNC at this point. Just crazy times.
 
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What’s the likelihood all 4 of KU, Duke, UK, and UNC miss the tournament? I would say Duke and UK are on the outside right now. KU needs to avoid suffering a surprising loss over the next few weeks to right the ship or they may start to be a bubble team. Not sure about UNC at this point. Just crazy times.
I just don't see Kansas missing it, and UNC is trending the right direction. I think another tournament stalwart who is on the fence is Michigan St, considering they are on Covid hiatus. Most teams after that have struggled to regain form and that is not a conference that you can do that in. Duke and Kentucky have a ton of work to do, especially UK, who might have to plan to get the auto bid
 
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What’s the likelihood all 4 of KU, Duke, UK, and UNC miss the tournament? I would say Duke and UK are on the outside right now. KU needs to avoid suffering a surprising loss over the next few weeks to right the ship or they may start to be a bubble team. Not sure about UNC at this point. Just crazy times.
I would predict only one of them will miss it, guess who. RollLaugh
 
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It’s definitely not looking good for UK. They got a nice run last night, but that’s just because LSU isn’t smart. The only way UK can win is if you speed the game up. UK has no halfcourt offense, but they'll score a lot of points in an up tempo game.
But looking at the schedule, yeah, not good.
@alabama Tuesday
Texas Saturday
@Missouri
Tennessee
Arkansas
Auburn

Alabama is must see TV. I believe they are right there with Gonzaga, Baylor, Nova, FSU and Michigan. They hit 23 threes the other night. Blew LSU out by 30, but pulled their starters with over 4 minutes left in a 40 point game. Already blew UK out by 20 in Rupp.
We all know about Texas and Missouri just beat UT last night pretty good.

Probably looking at another 3 game losing streak. Ugh
 
It’s definitely not looking good for UK. They got a nice run last night, but that’s just because LSU isn’t smart. The only way UK can win is if you speed the game up. UK has no halfcourt offense, but they'll score a lot of points in an up tempo game.
But looking at the schedule, yeah, not good.
@alabama Tuesday
Texas Saturday
@Missouri
Tennessee
Arkansas
Auburn

Alabama is must see TV. I believe they are right there with Gonzaga, Baylor, Nova, FSU and Michigan. They hit 23 threes the other night. Blew LSU out by 30, but pulled their starters with over 4 minutes left in a 40 point game. Already blew UK out by 20 in Rupp.
We all know about Texas and Missouri just beat UT last night pretty good.

Probably looking at another 3 game losing streak. Ugh
Alabama is like any other team 5 thru 25, if they are hot then they are tough. I watched them against WKU, Bassey punked them.
 
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I’m not sure last year’s UNC team wouldn’t steamroll all of these teams right now (except Kansas)
If healthy, they would. College basketball is pretty bad right now. Don’t be surprised to see undefeated Baylor meet undefeated Gonzaga for the title
 
Alabama is like any other team 5 thru 25, if they are hot then they are tough. I watched them against WKU, Bassey punked them.
If they played WKU today, they would beat the brakes off if them. They are a totally different team now, that WKU game was in December snd Alabama only lost by 2.
 
If they played WKU today, they would beat the brakes off if them. They are a totally different team now, that WKU game was in December snd Alabama only lost by 2.
If I coach against a team like Bama, I just play man, crowd them beyond the arc and make them drive to score. Rather they be more efficient from inside than to get streaky from 3. For us, we have a much longer team, so I'd hope to press them inside on the other end of the floor and hopefully get them in foul trouble.
 
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If they played WKU today, they would beat the brakes off if them. They are a totally different team now, that WKU game was in December snd Alabama only lost by 2.
So they have somebody to match up with Bassey now? I’m going off what actually happened, you’re just using your opinion and trying to make it a fact.
 
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