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ESPN Top 10 Non Power-6 Teams - Printable Version

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ESPN Top 10 Non Power-6 Teams - EPJr - 08-06-2012 11:03 PM

ESPN Top 10 Non Power-6 Teams

link:
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/story?id=8176357&_slug_=ranking-best-2012-13-non-big-six-conference-teams-ncb&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncb%2fstory%3fid%3d8176357%26_slug_%3dranking-best-2012-13-non-big-six-conference-teams-ncb

1. Memphis
2. UNLV
3. Saint Louis -Saint Louis is a team that, like Memphis, was beloved by the advanced rating systems but largely shrugged off by the traditionalists. BPI rated the Billikens No. 15 overall team entering the NCAA tournament, but they received just a 9-seed and the tall order of facing fellow advanced metric darling Memphis in the first round. They beat the Tigers and put a real scare into the 1-seeded Michigan State Spartansbefore bowing out. Saint Louis can be underrated by the eye test because it plays slow, grinding, defense-first basketball.
The good news is that the keys to the Billikens' defense are all back -- the extraordinary 25 percent defensive rebounding rate of junior Dwayne Evans, the ball pressure of juniors Mike McCall Jr. and Jordair Jett and the rim protection of junior Rob Loe. The bad news is that their offense went through departed senior Brian Conklin, a combo forward who was one of the most dominant post scorers in the nation. Point guard Kwamain Mitchell and forward Cody Ellis are both proven 3-point bombers. If the Billikens can put together an interior attack that still gets Mitchell and Ellis shots, they should be top-25 material.

4. Creighton
5. Gonzaga
6. San Diego St.
7. New Mexico
8. Davidson
9. VCU - It shouldn't be considered a shock if the Rams' defense is the best in the country. They placed six players in the top 350 in steal percentage last year, and they're all back, including national leader Briante Weber.
Star forward Bradford Burgess has graduated, though, and that means points will be harder to come by.

10. Butler - Defensive superstar Ronald Nored graduated, but Butler has plenty of talent on the roster.
Last year's biggest issue was 27 percent 3-point shooting, and that should be remedied nicely with transfer Rotnei Clarke and freshman Kellen Dunham -- two of the best shooters in the country -- in the 2013 rotation.


Next tier: BYU, Harvard, Murray State, Ohio, South Dakota State, Saint Mary's