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Way too early Top 25 thread

boilerzz

boilerzz

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Jul 5, 2002
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These are dumb in the transfer portal era because a big chunk of these rosters are not set and several have changed since published but what the hell, let's post them anyway. First up, ESPN:


www.espn.com

Men's WTE Top 25: The biggest question for each ranked team

Can Kansas find the right combo? Can Flagg prove he's the best player in the country? Here are key questions for each top-25 team two months before the season.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

 
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Here is nice consensus graphic for several:

Screenshot_2024-04-09_154150.png
 
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UConn in the top 10 is outrageous imo even if Karaban returns. They're losing their 4 best players and they don't have stud recruits coming in.

Ball, Johnson and Diarra are solid role players but you're basically saying they're all taking massive jumps.

Now of course UConn could kill it in the transfer portal and make me look stupid but if they don't they might be a closer to a fringe NIT team if Karaban leaves than a potential Final 4 team.

I know Hurley is the best coach in the game but he's got a bare cupboard next year.
 
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boilerzz said:
These are dumb in the transfer portal era because a big chunk of these rosters are not set and several have changed since published but what the hell, let's post them anyway. First up, ESPN:


www.espn.com

Men's WTE Top 25: The biggest question for each ranked team

Can Kansas find the right combo? Can Flagg prove he's the best player in the country? Here are key questions for each top-25 team two months before the season.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

View embedded media
Click to expand...

#3 is definitely too high for KU based on that projected starting five, but I highly doubt that's what they'll end up with. I expect Dickinson to be back and a couple more transfers coming in.
 
LMAO @ ESPN ranking UConn #4 while projecting a starting five of dudes who scored 1-5 ppg and the #31 recruit. They apparently think Hurley can win with anything. So why didn't he before last year?
 
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ExitFlagger said:
LMAO @ ESPN ranking UConn #4 while projecting a starting five of dudes who scored 1-5 ppg and the #31 recruit. They apparently think Hurley can win with anything. So why didn't he before last year?
Click to expand...
Its absurd. Fanta ranked UConn #1.

Apparently Hurley is now a God like Jesus, Allah and Vishnu.
 
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Let’s wait until the portal closes and the nba draft declaration is over, right now this is just pure speculation we don’t even know rosters for half of these teams.
 
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I think most of these sites are giving certain coaches (like Hurley, Self and Painter) the benefit of the doubt and expect them to have a team and scheme that keeps them among the elite.
 
boilerzz said:
I think most of these sites are giving certain coaches (like Hurley, Self and Painter) the benefit of the doubt and expect them to have a team and scheme that keeps them among the elite.
Click to expand...

I think Self has a little work to do before I'm confident they're a title contender, but assuming Dickinson's back, he's off to a pretty good start. 3 or 4 starters back, with one of the top freshman classes and a couple quality transfers. No one's left yet (although there's a pretty good chance Furphy goes to the draft and stays).
 
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Tennessee does not need to be on there for now. We have been pillaged by the portal. Going to have to work a miracle to build a team next year 7 open spots
 
Agreed. Just look at the Final Four Starters and see how many new players were added last offseason, via the portal.

UConn
Cam Spencer

Alabama
Aaron Estrada
Grant Nelson
Latrell Wrightsell (didn't usually start, but 5th in minutes p/game)

Purdue
Lance Jones

NC State
Michael O'Connell/Jayden Taylor (both started, but both transferred in this past offseason)
DJ Horne
Mohamed Diarra

Essentially 40% of the FInal Four starters came in through the portal last year. These are guys that no one knew would be playing for their respective schools a year ago. We have a very limited view of what most of these rosters will look like in the fall.
 
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ExitFlagger said:
Woodson has no excuses this year.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-b...-way-too-early-top-25-rankings-2024-25-season

Projected starting lineup

Myles Rice (14.8 PPG at Washington State)
Kanaan Carlyle (11.5 PPG at Stanford)
Mackenzie Mgbako (12.2 PPG)
Malik Reneau (15.4 PPG)
Oumar Ballo (14.2 PPG at Arizona)
Click to expand...
If we can get the 3pt shooters Anderson and Goode along with a backup 5 I'd be happy. Happy meaning it'll give Woodson the tools. I do think the guard additions will do well in his system, just to be seen how well his system will work.
 
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ExitFlagger said:
LMAO @ ESPN ranking UConn #4 while projecting a starting five of dudes who scored 1-5 ppg and the #31 recruit. They apparently think Hurley can win with anything. So why didn't he before last year?
Click to expand...
Well, lets see...
Hurley lost Sanago(17ppg), Hawkins(16ppg) and Jackson(7ppg). Along with two others. Off a ntional title team. Replaced them with Cam Spencer...a stud FR in Castle. Saw Clinigan go from a role player, to a 14ppg, possible 1st round guy... Karban went from 8ppg-13ppg....Diara made a good jump as well.

All he did was go 37-3, and win another Natty.

I'd say he and UCONN have earned such.
 
IUfanBorden said:
Well, lets see...
Hurley lost Sanago(17ppg), Hawkins(16ppg) and Jackson(7ppg). Along with two others. Off a ntional title team. Replaced them with Cam Spencer...a stud FR in Castle. Saw Clinigan go from a role player, to a 14ppg, possible 1st round guy... Karban went from 8ppg-13ppg....Diara made a good jump as well.

All he did was go 37-3, and win another Natty.

I'd say he and UCONN have earned such.
Click to expand...

He has a lot more work to do this time.

But my point was that projected starting five wouldn’t be anywhere near #4. Obviously they’ll add some pieces.

One of these rankings had Arkansas #20 before they had a single commitment. 😂
 
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This is an exercise in stupid. A lot of these teams have been gutted in regard to returning players. Tennessee is one of the gutted teams and it would be silly to suggest that we will be top 10 contenders. The portal makes any "early" list of contenders meaningless. Maybe we will luck up and hit the Portal jackpot, but until we do, it is stupid tp predict it. This goes for a lot of other teams too.
 
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della said:
This is an exercise in stupid. A lot of these teams have been gutted in regard to returning players. Tennessee is one of the gutted teams and it would be silly to suggest that we will be top 10 contenders. The portal makes any "early" list of contenders meaningless. Maybe we will luck up and hit the Portal jackpot, but until we do, it is stupid tp predict it. This goes for a lot of other teams too.
Click to expand...

Its working as intended though, as we are here discussing it. And I agree, its a dumb exercise at this point.
 
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Deepelm said:
Its working as intended though, as we are here discussing it. And I agree, its a dumb exercise at this point.
Click to expand...
Yeah, we had 7 spots to fill, that is Kentuckiest level of turnover. We have some promising newcomers, but I think the teams need to at least know the names of the players before predicting anything.

That said, I'm all for the portal. I like the idea of talented players getting floor time and I don't like some teams hoarding talent that won't see any playing time.
 
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