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ESPN.com Updated Way To Early College Basketball Top 25
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Maize Offline
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ESPN.com Updated Way To Early College Basketball Top 25
This is after Noel & Muhammad made their decisions:

1. Indiana

Indiana stays put at No. 1 after surviving the draft deadline unscathed. Cody Zeller and Christian Watford decided to stay in school and that means each of IU's top five scorers return from last season's Sweet 16 team, in addition to a top-10 recruiting class. So yes, the Hoosiers will still be the pick in the Big Ten and a preseason favorite for the national title. It took awhile, but Indiana is back. Get used to it.

2. Louisville

Louisville didn't have to deal with any draft issues. The Cardinals are as untouched now as they were in New Orleans after losing in the national semifinal to Kentucky. The losses of Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith can't be dismissed, but everyone else returns, Wayne Blackshear will be around for a whole season, Mike Marra and (perhaps) Rakeem Buckles will return from injury, double-digit scorer Luke Hancock arrives from George Mason and Peyton Siva should be the preseason Big East player of the year. No reason the Cards can't make it back-to-back trips to the Final Four.

3. Kentucky


The Wildcats will almost certainly lose Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to the NBA, and likely Doron Lamb and Marquis Teague as well. Senior Darius Miller also is gone, and he was one of the best glue guys in the country. So how is Big Blue still No. 3? All about the newcomers. John Calipari has hauled in the nation's No. 1 class for the fourth straight year at UK, led by the nation's No. 1 player, shot-blocking extraordinaire Nerlens Noel. The additions of NC State transfer Ryan Harrow and freshmen Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley -- along with a former top recruit like Kyle Wiltjer who will get his chance to shine -- will keep Kentucky near the top again.


12. Syracuse


Four of the top six scorers are gone. Dion Waiters left early. Fab Melo did, too. Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine were seniors. But the depth and talent is still there with Rakeem Christmas and Michael Carter-Williams, as well as Brandon Triche and C.J. Fair. The addition of big man DaJuan Coleman is huge. Don't expect the Orange to fall off in their likely last season in the Big East.

14. Memphis

The Tigers are losing Will Barton, but don't dismiss this team one bit. Memphis was on a roll before landing a bad matchup with Saint Louis in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers didn't get much national buzz in large part because they were in Conference USA and didn't have many stellar nonconference wins. But sleeping on Josh Pastner's crew would be a mistake. Barton is the only major loss and the Tigers add a big-time recruit in Shaq Goodwin, so the final season of C-USA for Memphis should end in yet another conference title. The Big East beckons, and this program will be in the mix once it arrives there as well.

15. Duke

The Blue Devils lost Austin Rivers after one season. Miles Plumlee also departs. But Miles' brother, Mason, surprised some by returning. Huge. Duke also brings back Ryan Kelly, Seth Curry, Quinn Cook, Tyler Thornton, Andre Dawkins and yet another Plumlee, Marshall. If Rasheed Sulaimon delivers as an impact player, the Blue Devils will still be an ACC contender.

16. San Diego State

Steve Fisher is confident he has a top-25 team. We agree. Jamaal Franklin, Chase Tapley and James Rahon make the Aztecs the team to beat in the Mountain West in the final season before they head off to the Big West. They also add transfers J.J. O'Brien (Utah), James Johnson (Virginia) and Dwayne Polee (St. John's). Fisher will have SDSU in the mix nationally, like he has the past four seasons.

19. Notre Dame

This will be interesting. Whenever the Irish are supposed to be good, there tends to be disappointment. And the opposite. So Notre Dame exceeded expectations in 2012, and now the Irish are a possible Big East favorite? Well, Pat Connaughton, Jack Cooley, Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant offer quite a lineup that should succeed in the Big East. The great unknown is whether Tim Abromaitis and/or Scott Martin can get a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA. But everyone else is back in South Bend. No reason this team can't contend.

23. UNLV

The Runnin' Rebels ran out of gas toward the end of the season, including in their NCAA tournament loss to Colorado. But the return of Mike Moser as the anchor inside should make Vegas a favorite with San Diego State and New Mexico in the Mountain West. Don't forget, this team also adds ESPNU 100 recruit Katin Reinhardt and transfers Bryce Jones (USC) and Khem Birch (Pitt).

Don't sleep on: VCU, Kansas State, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Saint Louis, Harvard, Pitt, Ohio, Florida State, Stanford, Iowa State, New Mexico, Butler, Miami (Fla.), Saint Mary's, Maryland, Xavier, Nevada, Murray State, Marquette, Valparaiso.

Andy Katz is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketba...-elsewhere
(This post was last modified: 04-12-2012 12:17 PM by Maize.)
04-12-2012 11:43 AM
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ULdave Offline
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RE: ESPN.com Updated Way To Early College Basketball Top 25
(04-12-2012 11:43 AM)Maize Wrote:  1. Indiana
2. Louisville
3. Kentucky
Just think how crazy the Louisville media market (which covers all three) will be if these predictions hold firm.
04-12-2012 05:55 PM
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vabearcat Offline
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RE: ESPN.com Updated Way To Early College Basketball Top 25
No way, Bellarmine finishes ahead of all three of them.
04-12-2012 06:03 PM
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RE: ESPN.com Updated Way To Early College Basketball Top 25
I'm amazed how undervalued the Bearcats are. Losing Gates hurts, but he is replaceable at some level. Dixon is the only other guy the Bearcats lose. I think the Wright, Killa, Parker combo is going to really shine next year. I'm also stoked to add Shaq Thomas to the mix. If UC gets any production from the center position they are going to be a top 15 team.
04-12-2012 08:25 PM
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Maize Offline
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RE: ESPN.com Updated Way To Early College Basketball Top 25
CBS Sportsline after Signing Day...surprised they only have 2 current BIG EAST schools.

1. Kentucky
Last season: 38-2 (won the national title)
Notable players definitely gone: Darius Miller, Eloy Vargas
Others expected to leave: Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb
Notable players expected to return: Kyle Wiltjer
Notable newcomers: Nerlens Noel, Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress, Willie Cauley, Ryan Harrow (N.C. State)
Other likely newcomers: Anthony Bennett

2. Indiana
Last season: 27-9 (lost to Kentucky in the Sweet 16)
Notable players definitely gone: Verdell Jones, Tom Pritchard, Matt Roth
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Cody Zeller, Christian Watford, Jordan Hulls, Victor Oladipo, Will Sheehey, Maurice Creek
Notable newcomers: Yogi Ferrell, Hanner Perea, Jeremy Hollowell

3. Louisville
Last season: 30-10 (lost to Kentucky in the Final Four)
Notable players definitely gone: Kyle Kuric, Chris Smith, Jared Swopshire
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Gorgui Dieng, Peyton Siva, Russ Smith, Chane Behanan, Wayne Blackshear, Rakeem Buckles, Mike Marra Notable newcomers: Luke Hancock (George Mason), Terry Rozier

7. Syracuse
Last season: 34-3 (lost to Ohio State in the Elite Eight)
Notable players definitely gone: Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters, Fab Melo, Kris Joseph
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Brandon Triche, C.J. Fair, James Southerland, Michael Carter-Williams, Rakeem Christmas, Baye Keita Notable newcomers: DaJuan Coleman, Jeremi Grant

9. San Diego State
Last season: 26-8 (lost to N.C. State in the round of 64)
Notable players definitely gone: Garrett Green, Tim Shelton
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Jamaal Franklin, Chase Tapley, Xavier Thames, James Rahon, DeShawn Stephens, LaBradford Franklin
Notable newcomers: JJ O'Brien (Utah), Dwayne Polee (St. John's), James Johnson (Virginia -- mid-year), Winston Shepard, Skylar Spencer, Matt Shrigley

10. North Carolina
Last season: 32-6 (Lost to Kansas in the Elite Eight)
Notable players definitely gone: Tyler Zeller, Kendall Marshall, John Henson, Harrison Barnes
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Dexter Strickland, Reggie Bullock, P.J. Hairston, James Michael McAdoo, Leslie McDonald
Notable newcomers: Marcus Paige, J.P. Tokoto, Joel James, Brice Johnson

12. Duke
Last season: 27-7 (lost to Lehigh in the round of 64)
Notable players definitely gone: Austin Rivers, Miles Plumlee
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Mason Plumlee, Seth Curry, Ryan Kelly, Andre Dawkins, Quinn Cook, Tyler Thornton, Josh Hairston
Notable newcomers: Alex Murphy, Marshall Plumlee, Rasheed Sulaimon

13. Ohio State
Last season: 31-8 (lost to Kansas in Final Four)
Notable players definitely gone: William Buford, Jared Sullinger
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Aaron Craft, Deshaun Thomas, Lenzelle Smith, Sam Thompson, Shannon Scott, Evan Ravenel, Amir Williams, LaQuinton Ross, Jordan Sibert
Notable newcomers: None

14. Memphis
Last season: 26-9 (lost to Saint Louis in the round of 64)
Notable players definitely gone: Will Barton, Wesley Witherspoon
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Adonis Thomas, Joe Jackson, Tarik Black, Chris Crawford, Antonio Barton, Ferrakohn Hall, Stan Simpson, D.J. Stephens
Notable newcomers: Shaq Goodwin, Damien Wilson, Geron Johnson

15. UNLV
Last season: 26-9 (Lost to Colorado in round of 64)
Notable players definitely gone: Chace Stanback, Oscar Bellfield, Brice Massamba, Kendall Wallace
Others expected to leave: None
Notable players expected to return: Mike Moser, Anthony Marshall, Justin Hawkins, Carlos Lopez, Quintrell Thomas, Reggie Smith
Notable newcomers: Bryce Jones (USC), Khem Birch (Pitt -- midyear), Katin Reinhardt, Daquan Cook, Demetris Morant

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...te-move-up
04-13-2012 06:50 AM
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