College Basketball Top Teams; Now and In the Future
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Currently No. 5, Kyle Singler has his eyes set on bringing Duke to No. 1 with one of the toughest schedules in the country.
Top 5 Seeds Now & What Should Follow
- Kansas: Not to sound like a frontrunner, but the Jayhawks have been and continue to be my favorite team this year, and for good reason. Take the dominance in the paint of big man Cole Aldrich, who's averaging a double double on their so far undefeated season, cue in the smart back court play of Sherron Collins, and you have yourself a great basketball team. Now add to that one of the best freshmen this year in Xavier Henry, and you might just be unstoppable. Henry, Collins, Aldrich and Sophomore Forward Marcus Morris combine for almost 53 points a game, with the rest of the team combining for over 30. However, it's not the 87.5 points per game that has won me over this season, it's the fact they have been holding teams to an average of 58.1 points per game. That's an almost a 30 point differential in points every game. With the way they dismantled Temple, I think they will remain to be a superior force throughout the rest of the season. With 18 games still left (and conference play coming a few games from now) Kansas certainly does not have it easy. Playing under rated Nebraska twice, Baylor, Missouri, and Texas A&M is tough as it is, but the Jayhawks also still have to face Tennessee, currently No. 2 Texas and currently No. 10 Kansas St twice. While a complete undefeated season seems far fetched, don't be surprised if Bill Self's Rock Chalk Jayhawks finish out the season with under 3 losses.
- Texas: A shell of himself in comparison to just a couple of years ago, slimmed down Dexter Pittman has taken on the roll of senior leader, along with fellow big-man Damion James, making one of the most feared front courts in the country. Yet it's not just the seniors leading the Longhorns this year, Freshmen Guards J'Covan Brown, Avery Bradley and Jordan Hamilton have unquestionably come into their own as well combining for over 30 points per game. I think Texas will stay in the top 5 for the rest of the season, and as far as determining their fate goes, the biggest game of the season is obviously the Kansas game in just a couple of weeks. After that game we will see who the true No. 1 team is.
- Kentucky: The fact that the Wildcats are No. 3 this year just goes to show how talented the top 2 teams are. You can't go more than 10 minutes on any sports TV or Radio Station without hearing about Freshman John Wall and his spectacular play so far this year. On top of that, Kentucky has something that is a sure recipe for success at any level of basketball; 3 players averaging over 15 points per game. While I'm a firm believer that a solid defense is key to winning games, if your starting 5 can combine for almost 70 points a game (as Kentucky's has done) you're in for a great season. Additionally, as for solid defense goes, the Wildcats are holding teams to an average of 64.3 points per game. While that number is somewhat high, if they continue to score in the 80's, they should be okay for the year.
- Purdue: While the Boilermakers have definitely been impressive so far, I would be surprised to see them in the top 5 at the end of the season. While they are still undefeated, and have beaten Wake Forest, West Virginia and stunned Tennessee, the rest of the teams they have played haven't been the most acclaimed schools. Having to play both Wisconsin and Michigan St. twice, it's very possible that Purdue ends up with 3 losses just from those 4 games. Mostly, what it comes down to in the end is the strength of your schedule, and when it comes to that for Purdue, there's not much there.
- Duke: No stranger to heartbreakers, the Blue Devils suffered one early in the season with a loss to Wisconsin, and with conference play around the corner they're prone to even more. With 7 games against ranked opponents remaining, Duke is truly in control of their own destiny. The two games against UNC are always exciting, but will also play a huge roll in how the rankings end up for both teams. In the end of the season, I could see Duke in the top 3, maybe even No. 1 depending on how well Kansas and Texas do.
Other Notable Teams Outside of the Top 10
- BYU: I see a lot of potential in the Cougars, they just need a little more help from some roll players. Jimmer Fredette has surely played impressive basketball, averaging over 20 points per game while showing his unselfish side with about 6 assists per game. If players like Jackson Emery, Tyler Haws or Jonathan Tavernari can step up and add to the scoring, I could see BYU doing some damage in the Tournament. The key games for them will be both games against New Mexico and both games against UNLV.
- PITT: While being in the Big East makes it tough to succeed, if you have the talent, it also gives you a chance to shine. Although the Panthers lack a dominant inside force so far, if Pitt can do well against the many ranked teams they still have to play, it could give them the strength to push through into March. They have many key games for the season left as conference play approaches, the biggest of them being No. 5 Syracuse No. 13 UCONN, No. 12 Georgetown, No. 8 West Virginia and No. 6 Villanova. While many of those teams are probably better than Pitt, don't count them out just yet.
- Gonzaga: Don't let 3 losses fool you. The Bulldogs lost in a hard fought, close game against Michigan State and heartbreaker to a talented Wake Forest. The shocker, however, was the blowout by Duke where they lost 76-41. With 3 straight wins since, and not a single ranked opponent remaining, Gonzaga can not afford too many more losses. With talented teams like Saint Mary's and San Diego capable of upsetting the Bulldogs, they will definitely need to buckle down through the rest of the season.
- New Mexico: With their only real tough opponent remaining being BYU, New Mexico might just sneak by wit a 2 or 3 loss season, thanks to the great play of Junior Forward Darington Hobson and Senior Forward Roman Martinez. The two have combined for 32.3 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. However, if winning a championship is on their minds, they'll need more help from players like Philip McDonald or Dairese Gary.
- Kansas State: With both current No. 1 and No. 2 seeds on the schedule, Kansas State has a great chance of proving themselves if they can pull off a win against either Kansas (who they will play twice) or Texas. Jacob Pullen has really done a great job of leading his team so far, with just over 20 points per game, and Denis Clemente, Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels have done their part to make sure he's not alone. Much talent on this team, I'm curious to see what they will do with it.
- Clemson: While the Tigers lack a superstar type player, they still have the aptitude to be a success this season. Like Pitt, Clemson is a team in control of their destiny, and with Georgia Tech and Florida State twice, UNC and Duke still to be played, Clemson has a great chance of proving themselves by pulling of an upset or two.
- Baylor: Texas twice, Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State still remain for the Bears, but with court savvy players like LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter and Ekpe Udoh, they have a great chance of stunning any or all of them. Ekpe Udoh, in my opinion, is an under rated Center, who has been averaging about 14 points and 11 rebounds per game. But it gets better, LaceDarius Dunn is averaging 17.8 points with Tweety Carter not far behind with 16.4, making Baylor my favorite unranked team.
- Vanderbilt: Having four core players as Vanderbilt does is always a good formula, especially when playing against tough teams and being in the SEC they will have plenty of that, beacause if a team shuts down a star, you have three more capable of picking up the slack. Although they have started off with an alright 11-3, I'm not entirely impressed just yet. When conference play begins is when we'll see if this relatively young team can do some damage. Still lying ahead are Tennessee and Kentucky both twice, and once against Mississippi, if they can as much win 2 of those 5 but remain close in the other 3, I might pick them to make a run in the tournament.
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Think I Left a Team Out? Let Me Know Who and I'll Tell You What I Think...
Jason Roatan says:
2 months ago
You know your stuff. Thanks for the team posts!