HoopsReport Countdown - Top 68 Teams 2011-2012

[tornado]

Here we go -- they've started their countdowns....and of course that gives us all a chance to debate their picks...

http://thehoopsreport.com/

Here's what they have released so far...
#68 Rutgers
#67 UAB
#66 USC
#65 Indiana

I guess to each his own...but Rutgers will be one of the bottom 2 or 3 teams in the Big East again, and Indiana will likewise be one of the worst 2-3 teams in the Big Ten -- and will still lose to teams like Lipscomb and Northeastern Louisiana...so how can those guys be in the Top 68 team???

[LittleBrave]

Here we go -- they've started their countdowns....and of course that gives us all a chance to debate their picks...

http://thehoopsreport.com/

Here's what they have released so far...
#68 Rutgers
#67 UAB
#66 USC
#65 Indiana

I guess to each his own...but Rutgers will be one of the bottom 2 or 3 teams in the Big East again, and Indiana will likewise be one of the worst 2-3 teams in the Big Ten -- and will still lose to teams like Lipscomb and Northeastern Louisiana...so how can those guys be in the Top 68 team???

The only one I really pay attention to is the CHN Top 144 (CollegeHoops.net), which is still way off.

I bet Wichita will find their way in the Top 25 in some pre-season picks, though I don't think they're even a Top 40-caliber team. The Valley will have more good teams (Overall winning record - hovering around .500 in conference) than really good teams (20+ wins before post-season / NIT or better) this season. I would pick that Wichita & Creighton stay ahead of the pack, but neither are powerhouses going into the season.

[tornado]

#64 Dayton and ex-Saluki Kevin Dillard
#63 - Duquesne

http://thehoopsreport.com/

[tornado]

HoopsReport continues...
#62 - George Washington
#61 - Minnesota
#60 - NC State


Here's yet another pre-season countdown..

http://www.thesportsbank.net/college-bball/college-basketball-111-in-111-109-penn-state-nittany-lions/

#111- Utah
#110- Boston College
#109- Penn State

[tornado]

The Hoops Report-
#59 Princeton - Dr. Cross' old stomping grounds..

The Sports Bank
#108 Texas Tech - lot of faith in 1st year head coach Billy Gillispie despite massive loss of players, NINE newcomers, and they will likely be starting 4 freshmen and sophomores.

http://www.thesportsbank.net/college-bball/college-basketball-111-in-111-108-texas-tech-red-raiders/

Lastly Jake Eastman's dad Kevin Eastman is putting on a coaching clinic...
"Coaching U Live"

http://today.ucf.edu/basketball-u-coaching-the-coaches/

"UCF director of program development Brendan Suhr and Boston Celtics assistant coach Kevin Eastman are two of the most respected figures in basketball.

For two days, starting on Wednesday, the Venue at UCF will be the central point of the basketball coaching community. Over 300 coaches from the high school,
college and even professional ranks will be on hand to learn from Suhr, Eastman and an all-star group of guest speakers."


BTW -- if the NBA and the NFL are out this coming year - then NCAA basketball will be bigger than ever!!

[tornado]

Updated...

The Sports Bank
#111- Utah
#110- Boston College
#109- Penn State
#108- Texas Tech
#107- South Carolina
#106- Auburn
#105- Providence
#104- Seton Hall
#103- Wake Forest
#102 Georgia Tech
(hard to believe teams that dumped their coaches and had massive player losses like Providence, Texas Tech, and Wake are ranked!)

HoopsReport
#68 - Rutgers
#67 - UAB
#66 - USC
#65 - Indiana
#64 - Dayton
#63 - Duquesne
#62 - George Washington
#61 - Minnesota
#60 - NC State
#59 - Princeton
#58 - Maryland
#57 - California

[tornado]

Here's a good summary of what Providence is facing...Link
Many players left -- only 8 returning scholarship players, only one post player, and not much experience returning

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Sports Bank
#101 DePaul -- OK there's goes whatever remaining credibility
#100 Colorado
#99 LSU


HoopsReport
#56 Kansas State
#55 Northwestern

[tornado]

The first Valley team inside the Sports Bank Top 111 shows up - Creighton at #75

http://www.thesportsbank.net/college-bball/75-creighton-bluejays-college-basketball-111-in-111/

[SFP]

OK I'm a Maryland fan but #77??? They will be lucky to finish over .500. They lost a ton from graduation, de-commits from recruits, and their number one player leaving early for the draft. I also like Turgeon and believe he will do a great job but not this season.

[TheAsianSensation]

If you look carefully at the sports bank, they say they're ranking every one of the 74 power conference teams and the top 37 other teams.

Never mind how asinine it is to do a ranking with that criteria, but at least that explains a couple curious rankings.

[tornado]

The Sports Bank has Indiana State at #70 -

http://www.thesportsbank.net/college-bball/70-indiana-state-sycamores-college-basketball-111-in-111/

....where I find this preview a bit insane and absurd is this comment...
"The Missouri Valley has gotten two bids into the tournament recently,
but as always, the safest bet for the Sycamores is to win the
conference tourney and earn the league’s automatic bid."

...say what???? Where has this writer been for about five seasons???
If the Valley is fortunate enough to get 2 bids this year it'll be the first time in FIVE seasons!!!



and they have one of BU's upcoming opponents, George Washington at #69

http://www.thesportsbank.net/college-bball/69-george-washington-colonials-college-basketball-111-in-111/

[Bravesfan]

If you look carefully at the sports bank, they say they're ranking every one of the 74 power conference teams and the top 37 other teams.

Never mind how asinine it is to do a ranking with that criteria, but at least that explains a couple curious rankings.

This is beyond ridiculous! That makes no sense in the least. Is anyone with a supposed knowledge of college basketball going to tell me that DePaul is better than the remaining 240 or so teams not named in this ranking? I don't think so! DePaul would have trouble beating mid level teams from the Sun Belt conference (as an example) with the players they have!

[tornado]

What was always known previously as the CollegeHoopsNet Top 144 preseason preview is now being done on another web site...
by the same writer - Joel Welser...

And it's already well underway....all the way down to #75 which is UNI..

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/2077

Other schools that have already been revealed..
144 - Alabama State
143 - Iowa
142 - Nevada - possible Bradley opponent in Chicago Classic - LINK
141 - Cal Poly
140 - Ball State
139 - Iowa State
138 - Morgan State
137 - Quinnipiac
136 - North texas
135 - Liberty
134 - Lehigh
133 - Texas Arlington
132 - Murray State
131 - Valparaiso
130 - South Florida
129 - Hofstra
128 - weber State
127 - Coastal Carolina
126 - Houston
125 - Chattanooga
124 - Robert Morris
123 - Rider
122 - Rutgers
121 - Long Beach State
120 - Dayton
119 - College of Charleston
118 - Boston U.
117 - Austin Peay
116 - DRAKE - 6th in the MVC - LINK
115 - Providence
114 - IUPUI
113 - Davidson
112 - New Mexico State
111 - Oregon
110 - Miami (OH)
109 - Middle Tennessee State
108 - Maryland
107 - Oakland
106 - Vermont
105 - Boise State
104 - Nebraska
103 - Missouri State - 5th in the MVC - even after losing 4 of 5 starters - LINK
102 - Rhode Island
101 - Oklahoma
100 - San Francisco
99 - Washington State
98 - UW-M
97 - Montana
96 - UTEP
95 - Seton Hall
94 - Georgia
93 - James Madison
92 - South Carolina
91 - Bucknell
90 - Akron
89 - Princeton
88 - Florida Atlantic
87 - St. John's
86 - San Diego State
85 - Long Island
84 - Stanford
83 - Santa Clara
82 - UAB
81 - Iona
80 - Georgia Tech
79 - Arkansas
78 - USC
77 - Louisiana Tech
76 - Minnesota
75 - Northern Iowa - 4th in the MVC - LINK

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/mens-basketball/top-144-previews?page=4

[LittleBrave]

No Evansville to be found on the Top 144 list.

I would think they'd be considered a Top 5 Valley team - pre-season, ahead of Missouri St. I guess they base a lot on last year's results. Then again, I know very little about MSU other than losing a huge chunk of scoring from last year - maybe they have some guys to take the load off of Weems (???)

UNI at #75 is about right IMO.

Georgia must have lost a few key players to be at #94.
Weren't they runner-up in the NIT tourney?