Post by roxycontin on Oct 19, 2016 12:21:08 GMT -5
in 2016:
www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/duke-kentucky-kansas-top-cbs-sports-1-351-college-basketball-rankings/
1-351 college basketball rankings
by Matt Norlander
@mattnorlander
7. Oregon
Dana Altman has a loaded roster. This team was a 1-seed last year that got upended by Oklahoma and the Buddy Band in the Elite Eight. Dillon Brooks is the team's MOP, but there's so much more. Chris Boucher, Tyler Dorsey, Jordan Bell, Dylan Ennis with a sixth year of eligibility. The Ducks have to be considered the favorites in the Pac-12.
11. UCLA
This looks like the most loaded roster on a UCLA squad since Ben Howland was going to Final Fours. Isaac Hamilton is on my short list for super-breakout players. Lonzo Ball is a very good freshman point guard, and he'll be teamed up with Bryce Alford, who's been more valuable than people realize over the past two seasons. The Bruins have another fab frosh in T.J. Leaf, and that's not even accounting for a bump in volume from Thomas Welsh. A complete script-flip for Uckluh this year, as last season's 15-17 campaign is a distant memory.
13. Arizona
I am all-in on Arizona's talent. Sean Miller's team is young but boy will they be fun to watch grow. Let's cover the vets first. Kadeem Allen and Dusan Ristic are level-above glue guys. Allonzo Trier will be an All-American candidate, as he's likely to lead the team in scoring. Lauri Markkanen's going to be a top-five freshman of impact nationally. Kobi Simmons and Rawle Alkins are five-star frosh as well. If Ray Smith, who sat out last year with an ACL tear, is healthy enough to play 20 minutes per game, then what's not to like here? Gobs of potential.
22. Cal
An ambitious ranking to be certain. But Ivan Rabb is going to compete with anyone and everyone for Pac-12 player of the year. Cuonzo Martin should have a breakout player in Kam Rooks. Throw in Kingsley Okoroh and its a top-three front line in the conference. Jabari Bird, this has to be your season. Cal being a top-30 team falls on Bird's shoulders. We think he's up for it.
38. Colorado
People tend to underrate Colorado every year. Maybe that's because it's not a national program and it doesn't land top-five seeding in the NCAAs. This should be a top-five Pac-12 team this season, though. Tad Boyle continues to do a great job; I wonder how long it is before he lands an even bigger gig. George King, Josh Fortune and Dominique Collier will shoot the Buffs into the Big Dance.
44. Washington
UW gets this high because Markelle Fultz is that good. It's not just him, though. Matisse Thybulle is a lean sophomore whose game should blend beautifully with Fultz's. Lorenzo Romar's team might be on the bubble all season long, but that would be a step up from last year's 19-15 group.
53. Utah
Larry Krystkowiak gonna make me look silly, I bet. He's got another player who I think should find his way to draft night in Kyle Kuzma. He'll be helped by the combo-guard stylings of Lorenzo Bonam. I don't put Utah higher, because I wonder about the depth here, the quality of the Pac-12 and a defense that's probably not going to be keeping most top-100 opponents under 72 points per game.
66. USC
Got into the NCAAs as an 8 seed last year, then lost Julian Jacobs and Nikola Jovanovic -- their two best players -- to pro dreams. So the Trojans have to take a drop. The good news is Chimezie Metu will step in for Jovanovic and should be a producer. Jordan McLaughlin takes over as lead guard. Questions abound but talent is still here.
77. Oregon State
I was probably the biggest Gary Payton II fan that was not related to GP2 or connected to the Beavers. He's gone now, and I don't know if Tres Tinkle and Stephen Thompson are ready to take on a really good top half of the Pac-12. Wayne Tinkle, go ahead and prove me wrong. At least this program is moving forward and has optimism like it hasn't seen in a decade-plus.
81. Arizona State
Bobby Hurley will need two more years to turn ASU into a top-50 program. The Sun Devils are unproven up front. Tra Holder is the go-guy. The Curtain of Distraction is one of the best sights in college hoops.
87. Stanford
Jerod Haase takes over. He gets Reid Travis, who will be the key to getting the Cardinal above .500 in Haase's first year. Stanford needs shooting and long-distance threats in a bad way.
137. Washington State
Ernie Kent's Cougars got off to a solid start in conference play last year, going 1-1! Then WSU lost 17 straight to end the season at 9-22. But this is unquestionably going to be a better team this season. A trunkload of seniors return. Fifteen wins is doable.
My Notes:
-- He obviously doesn’t understand the issues that plagued UCLA last season regarding defense, as I-Ham and Bryce are presented as pure positives, and the loss of Bolden is not mentioned. The argument that this team will be “the most loaded roster” for UCLA since 2008 pretty much ignores the teams with Shabazz, Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams and Norman Powell … and the one the following season with Zach Lavine.
-- The idea of Kam Rooks having a breakout season for Cal … what would that look like exactly?? In 748 minutes of college basketball, Rooks has scored 153 points and committed 129 fouls; projecting his stats over 30 minutes per game leave you with about 6 points and over 5 fouls (i.e., a disqualification). This projection is a major reach by any standard.
-- I don’t care how good Markelle Fultz is, the idea that Washington is going to be better after losing Dejounte Murray, Marquese Chriss and Andrew Andrews is just loopy.
-- Calling Julian and Nikola SC’s “two best players” obviously reflects that he never saw us play last season.
