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Preseason predictions 22-23

I can see a 2 seed but ill give you 3:1 odds ku doesnt make the final four next year.
It will be hard and this team will certainly have more molding to do than normal. Self is better than anyone at that though.

Your point is very valid and is more likely to be right than wrong, but I am curious as to why you do not believe they return to the final four other than it is hard and unlikely.
 
Didn't Self quit recruiting due to the NCAA hammer about to be thrown down? You guys might not even be in the tourney.
It’s a self-imposed (pun intended) sanction. A postseason ban is just wishful thinking by the haters. I’m sure Rafters discusses it daily.
 
I wonder how many will have issues with IU becoming great again? It's going to happen.
I guess it depends on your definition of great.

I'm going to wait until they finish above .500 in conference before I declare them anywhere close to back. They've only done that once in the last decade and that was in 2016 and 2 coaches ago.
 
I guess it depends on your definition of great.

I'm going to wait until they finish above .500 in conference before I declare them anywhere close to back. They've only done that once in the last decade and that was in 2016 and 2 coaches ago.
I can see IU breaking the national champion drought for the B1G. As an outsider, that will be funny they took "a break" for so long and still carry the conference.
 
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I can see IU breaking the national champion drought for the B1G. As an outsider, that will be funny they took "a break" for so long and still carry the conference.
Eventually? Sure. Not this year though. They were a poor offensive team last year that lost their best shooter and didn’t replace them with high level transfers.

They’re a top 25 team to me but I don’t think they have offense unless basically everyone improves a lot to contend to a Natty.
 
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That Big10 has some real high level coaching. I don't know the personnel overall like others do.

But I look @ Illinois as that boom or bust. They look like they may play a completely different style from kind of half court relying on Kofi to getting out and going with it, maybe spreading that floor more. They got a couple real nice transfers the kids from TX Tech and Baylor are instant impact, and I think they hit a couple nice FR through recruiting too.

Sorry Illini fans!
 
That Big10 has some real high level coaching. I don't know the personnel overall like others do.

But I look @ Illinois as that boom or bust. They look like they may play a completely different style from kind of half court relying on Kofi to getting out and going with it, maybe spreading that floor more. They got a couple real nice transfers the kids from TX Tech and Baylor are instant impact, and I think they hit a couple nice FR through recruiting too.

Sorry Illini fans!
Illinois is the team I’m most interested in watching. A lot of talent, but a ton of new pieces and I’m interested to see how it all fits together.

I think they have the best talent overall in the league.
 
They would be better off adding KU
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I don't hate just curious. Self-imposed ban seems like something is on its way. If not then why the ban?

It’s a “self-imposed ban”. Self and Townsend basically took vacations for month of July. The staff hasn’t been very aggressive with 2023 class outside of a few prospects. It’s considered one of the weakest classes in last decade because of all the guys who have gone GL or OTE or reclassified up a year and KU has limited scholarships so they can be more selective. They still had multiple guys at the events just didn’t have Self front and center. KU didn’t come out and announce any self-ban or anything because it really isn’t that. That’s just what guys who noticed Self and Townsend weren’t there called it and everyone ran with it.
 
Arkansas will be one of the biggest disappointments in college basketball this year. Seeing then ranked 11 here and as high as top 5 by others. They have some of the least amount of continuity among the top 25 teams from last year to the coming season. They’re going to be relying completely on grad-transfers and freshmen. On paper sure look good but that lack of continuity and experience usually leads to a ton of struggles especially early on.
 
I’d take Illinois and Michigan for sure.
Why? Not saying you're, wrong----but curious at to the "for sure"?

Illinois will basically have 5 new starters...Freshman dominated so to speak. Only major returning contributor is Coleman Hawkins(5.9ppg). Some very good freshman, and two solid transfers.

Michigan lost Brooks, Houstan, Diabte, Johns and Jones. They do however return Dickinson. Will also rely on freshman as well....

Indiana returns basically everyone. Adds two Top 25 recruits in Reneau and JHS.

Just curious...
 
Eventually? Sure. Not this year though. They were a poor offensive team last year that lost their best shooter and didn’t replace them with high level transfers.

They’re a top 25 team to me but I don’t think they have offense unless basically everyone improves a lot to contend to a Natty.
Not sure why people keep saying this....Stewart shot slighlty better than XJ: 39% to 38.3%. And Stewarts numbers were boasted due to a crazy start to the season. After Dec, he disappeared. XJ was just as good of a shooter....Kopp shot 36%. IU added scoring punch with Reneau/JHS---although fresman, bnoth can score.

IU doesn't need everyone to improve a lot----Bates having a breakout year would be more than enough.

Do I htink they are national title contenders? No, not really. BUt if they are decent from "3", they have a very high ceiling...

TBH, I don't think to many like the idea of Indiana being good....Never seen such questioning over a team that won 21 games, made the NCAAT, returns 80% of their production, added a Top 10 class, that includes two Top 25 kids...I mean beating a dead horse here, but at the end, IU was playing really good basketball and seemed to had finally bought in to Woodsons system---especially XJ. I mean this was 9-11, sure----but 6 of those 11 losses were by 5 points or fewer.

Indiana has the capability of being really good----especially if they can shoot a respectable clip from 3.
 
Why? Not saying you're, wrong----but curious at to the "for sure"?

Illinois will basically have 5 new starters...Freshman dominated so to speak. Only major returning contributor is Coleman Hawkins(5.9ppg). Some very good freshman, and two solid transfers.

Michigan lost Brooks, Houstan, Diabte, Johns and Jones. They do however return Dickinson. Will also rely on freshman as well....

Indiana returns basically everyone. Adds two Top 25 recruits in Reneau and JHS.

Just curious...
It starts with the fact that I'm not sold on Woody and think Underwood and Juwan have proven to be better coaches.

And secondarily, I'm not remotely convinced yet that IU fixed their primary deficiency. Only Maryland, Nebraska and Wisky were worse from three in conference. And you were 324th nationally in 3PA, which I think is just a bad idea in today's college basketball.

I think Dickinson is the biggest problem in the Big Ten. He's such a difficult matchup with his ability to stretch the defense. I really wanted Purdue to get Llewellyn and I think he will do well at Michigan and Joey Baker is a damn good shooter who just got lost in Duke's parade of 5 stars. I also think Juwan was handcuffed by having to play Diabite alongside Dickinson so much (similar to the TJD/Race conundrum). With a 4 who can shoot, they can stretch the floor much better.

On Illinois, Hawkins/Melendez/Goode is a great core to start with and they added the right additions with Terrance Shannon and Matthew Mayer via transfer (both coming from the B12 shouldn't be as difficult a transition as many transfers will have). Plus, as much as a beast as Kofi was, he really handcuffed what Underwood likes to do.
 
It starts with the fact that I'm not sold on Woody and think Underwood and Juwan have proven to be better coaches.

And secondarily, I'm not remotely convinced yet that IU fixed their primary deficiency. Only Maryland, Nebraska and Wisky were worse from three in conference. And you were 324th nationally in 3PA, which I think is just a bad idea in today's college basketball.

I think Dickinson is the biggest problem in the Big Ten. He's such a difficult matchup with his ability to stretch the defense. I really wanted Purdue to get Llewellyn and I think he will do well at Michigan and Joey Baker is a damn good shooter who just got lost in Duke's parade of 5 stars. I also think Juwan was handcuffed by having to play Diabite alongside Dickinson so much (similar to the TJD/Race conundrum). With a 4 who can shoot, they can stretch the floor much better.

On Illinois, Hawkins/Melendez/Goode is a great core to start with and they added the right additions with Terrance Shannon and Matthew Mayer via transfer (both coming from the B12 shouldn't be as difficult a transition as many transfers will have). Plus, as much as a beast as Kofi was, he really handcuffed what Underwood likes to do.
Yeah that turned out terrible for Wisconsin.
 
Not sure why people keep saying this....Stewart shot slighlty better than XJ: 39% to 38.3%. And Stewarts numbers were boasted due to a crazy start to the season. After Dec, he disappeared. XJ was just as good of a shooter
XJ shot 27.3% from three against KenPom tier A opponents and 30.0% from three against KenPom A+B opponents. Dude feasted on bad teams.

And he made basically just 1 three per game (36 in 34 games). That's not very many for a guy you consider your most proven shooter. St Mary's beat you by 29 in the tourney and dude didn't even attempt a three.
 
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