USA Today College Basketball Preview - Review

[tornado]

Got my USA Today College Basketball Preview issue today, it's dated Nov. 27, and it it as current as any of the issues I have seen yet.

It starts with a nice story on Florida, then Bob Huggins, Bob Knight, and other new stuff like new coaches and incoming freshmen (Oden).

Nice review of last year's NCAA tourney with a 3/4 page photo of the Illini.

Lots of one and two page stories on interesting college features like 7'6" Kenny George (UNC-Asheville) and Candace Parker, several other players, and then conference previews.

They have more up to the minute coverage of all the top teams and conferences, and have four MVC teams making the NCAA - SIU (automatic bid qualifier, but still a #8 seed!), CU (10 seed), MSU (11 seed), WSU (11 seed).

They have WSU & MSU one and done, SIU winning one game then losing, and they have Creighton winning 3 games to reach the Elite Eight!! ....and name CU their overall sleeper to go all the way!!!!

The full Valley coverage is on page 49 and selects the order of finish this way:

1-SIU
2-CU
3-MSU
4-WSU
5-Evansville
6-UNI
7-Drake
8-Illinois State
9-Bradley
10-Indiana State

All Conference predictions:

1st team--Tatum, Funk, Tolliver, Couisnard, Stout
2nd Team--Ahearn, Tony Young, Eric Coleman, Kyle Wilson, Randall Falker

POY -- PJ Couisnard

BU-DePaul is one of FIVE "Don't Miss" games they cite

They have a review of thge best incoming players and talk of CU's new players, ISU's, UNI's, and even WSU, no mention of BU's new guys.

A summary of what's said describing Bradley:
"Bradley is left with the daunting task of replacing C Patrick O'Bryant, an NBA first-round pick. However, the returnees will be battle-tested after Bradley's magical run to the Sweet 16. Head coach Jim Les will have the Braves playing pressure defense to combat a lack of height. Junior G Daniel Ruffin is one of the Valley's best passers."

Overall, they seem to even have knowledge of things from within the past month or so giving this issue the most current appearing reviews of all that I have read yet.

Given the price of only $4.95, I think it's the best value yet, although the reviews of the smaller conferences are pretty abridged.
They also have a complete listing of all the games presently scheduled to be on network & national TV.

If anyone has any specific questions about any of the preseason mags, let me know.
If you PM me I can probably do a bit better revealing the copyrighted stuff.

[MacabreMob]

Re: USA Today College Basketball Preview - Review

Nice review of last year's NCAA tourney with a 3/4 page photo of the Illini.

...and have four MVC teams making the NCAA - SIU (automatic bid qualifier, but still a #8 seed!), CU (10 seed), MSU (11 seed), WSU (11 seed).

I am guessing maybe it was regional... therefore a 3/4 page for the Illini? But then again, if it was regional, Bradley was the best performer in the post season last season and they would have gotten the 3/4 page photo.

Once again, BCS-bias will carry through on predictions of seeds. Sadly, they may not be too far off.

Mid-majors and the MVC just don't get the recognition and respect to warrant anything higher than a 7 seed except for in rare situations. So they fill the 7-8-9-10 seeds.... get a dog-fight of a 1st round game against someone similar to them wanting to prove so much... then get to face a top 8 team in the nation and most likely get sent packing.

Best case scenario is for Mid-Majors to continue to get overlooked and under-rated... get 11-12-13 seeds and knock off over-rated BCS schools riding on reputations.

But what do I know... I posed this theory to Molinari on his talk show years back and he told me he'd rather get an 8-9 seed if it is the seed they deserve. And Mo, that's why the 96 Braves did what they did and the 06 Braves did what they did.

[Roll with the Funches]

Re: USA Today College Basketball Preview - Review

Best case scenario is for Mid-Majors to continue to get overlooked and under-rated... get 11-12-13 seeds and knock off over-rated BCS schools riding on reputations.

I agree with you 100%. I'd much rather have BU go in facing a power school team that is more likely to overlook us or view us as a first step to the final four than face another team in a similar position to us that just wants to get to round 2.

As far as the preaseason mags and what not go, what is the high and low that BU is projected at in the MVC? are they all 8-9?

[MacabreMob]

Re: USA Today College Basketball Preview - Review

As far as the preaseason mags and what not go, what is the high and low that BU is projected at in the MVC? are they all 8-9?

I can't recall what all have posted and I don't have any copies to refer to.... but I think you stuck the fork in just about the right spot.

I like the 9th place projection the most.

Bring it on!

[Roll with the Funches]

Re: USA Today College Basketball Preview - Review

As far as the preaseason mags and what not go, what is the high and low that BU is projected at in the MVC? are they all 8-9?

I can't recall what all have posted and I don't have any copies to refer to.... but I think you stuck the fork in just about the right spot.

I like the 9th place projection the most.

Bring it on!

I just can't believe that we'd fall from Sweet 16 to 9th in one year. I obviously don't think we'll be as good, but I think we'll compete for the top of the second tier of MVC teams, basically 5 or 6, but maybe I'm just optimistic.

[collegehoopjunkie]

If the talk of expanding the NCAA Tourney to 100 teams becomes reality, then in all likelihood each regional will be seeded such that some of the top seeds in each regional get a first round bye.
If that happens, like it does in the hjigh school regionals, then a team that gets an 8 seed would play their first round game against a far lower seeded team, perhaps a 23 seed or so.

[tornado]

Here's yet another article about SIU--- nice that they are getting so much press.
It again highlilghts how SIU's schedule is going to be so tough.

http://www.morningsentinel.com/news/2006/1017/Sports_Cent/034.html

But BU's schedule is every bit as tough, and I am surprised nobody seems to see that.

First-- the exhibitions, BU plays the #1 and #3 ranked D-II teams in the nation....SIU plays a couple of real patsy D-II's.

Then SIU plays D-III Washington U. of St. Louis as their regular season opener, a pretty laughably easy game.

The Big Ten school SIU plays (Indiana) is by no means any better than the Big Ten team BU plays (Michigan State).

Then I can't see where Arkansas is going be any tougher than 2 Big East teams and a Big XII team that BU plays.
Other than that, Marist, Murray State, St. Louis Univ., St. Mary's, and Central Mich. don't come close to Illinois and Loyola.

So SIU fans, prove me wrong. I want to know what about the Saluki schedule deems it that much tougher than Bradley's?

[MacabreMob]

... don't come close to Illinois...

So SIU fans, prove me wrong. I want to know what about the Saluki schedule deems it that much tougher than Bradley's?

Well, it hasn't been decided yet whether we face UIUC.

As for SIU getting all the ink on their schedule... I think it is because they are projected to be pretty strong this year.

But I agree with Bradley's schedule being very strong.

I'd rather wait and see what the SOS numbers are after the games are played. If the stats support the opinions... I will be letting people know all about it.