By JON WILNER | jwilner@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group Mercury News
June 12, 2017 at 6:00 am
Early-April Rankings
25: Virginia (previous: 23). Tony Bennett and the defense are more than enough for a spot in the rankings but not nearly enough for a deep NCAA run. Cavs have to find some offense.
24: TCU (previous: 25). Never discount the impact an NIT title can have on the ensuing season, both because of the experience and confidence gained.
23. Gonzaga (previous: 3). That’s a long fall. But Zach Collins and Nigel Williams-Goss are huge losses (on top of the departing seniors).
22. Baylor (previous: 19). Enough returning to remain on the fringes of contention for … for everything.
21. Butler (previous: 14). The drop is entirely rooted in coach Chris Holtmann’s move to Ohio State last week. It’s an odd time, and he’s a good coach.
20. Miami (previous: NR). Jim Larranaga will turn 68 this fall. The 2017-18 Canes might be his last best chance to return to the Final Four.
19. Florida (previous: NR). Not all-in with the Gators because of Devon Robinson’s departure but, admittedly, didn’t give their returning core enough credit with the April rankings.
18. Saint Mary’s (previous: 24). No roster changes and a five-spot jump thanks to attrition elsewhere, including in Spokane. Now the Gaels find themselves as the WCC favorite.
17. Northwestern (previous: 16). Wildcats aren’t getting as much love as Team X would if all five starters were returning. Then again, Team X probably didn’t 75+ years without making the NCAAs.
16. Xavier (previous: NR). The jump from the also-considered category to No. 16 is due, entirely, to Trevon Bluiett’s return. Had figured him for the NBA at the time of the original writing.
15. Cincinnati (previous: 18). Top scorer Jacob Evans and Kyle Washington lead what should be the best team in the American that didn’t just join the American.
14. UCLA (previous: 15). What I wrote in April still holds: The recruiting class is loaded, but Lonzo Ball’s departure counts double given how he made everyone else better, including Steve Alford.
13. Notre Dame (previous: 13). First-rate inside-outside combo of Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell make the Irish a Sweet 16 contender yet again.
12. West Virginia (previous: 17). Jevon Carter’s return fueled the five-spot jump. Only team capable of challenging Kansas for the Big 12 title.
11. North Carolina (previous: 12). Lost a lot, returns a lot. The issue isn’t so much UNC, which returns Joel Berry and a handful of key contributors, but the ACC, which is loaded once again.
10. Minnesota (previous: 9). The top challenger to Michigan State in the Big Ten has five of its top-six scorers back for Richard Pitino.
9. Louisville (previous: 1). Donovan Mitchell’s decision to remain in the draft was the prime driver in the Cardinals’ fall from No. 1 in the early-April ranking. Plenty to like, but not quite enough.
8. Kansas (previous: 10). Might be a tad lower than KU’s placement in similar rankings. Bill Self typically gets the most out of his roster in the regular season, but replacing Frank Mason and Josh Jackson without some slippage is a tall task.
7. USC (previous: 11). Not a misprint and not South Carolina. The Trojans were a big winner on the draft decision front and have all their key pieces back to make a run for the Pac-12 title.
6. Duke (previous: 8): Returnee Grayson Allen will team with freshmen Trevon Duval and Gary Trent Jr. to make a formidable core.
5. Kentucky (previous: 7). Same old story for Big Blue: Lose a load of talent, bring in a load of talent. Is the 2017-18 freshman class, led by Hamidou Diallo, good enough to power a Final Four run? It would certainly seem that way.
4. Villanova (previous: 4). Easy to discount the Wildcats with the departures of Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins and the disappointing end to 2016. But that would be foolish, especially with a lead guard like Jalen Brunson.
3. Arizona (previous: 6). Loss of Chance Comanche and Kobi Simmons more than offset by the returns of Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins and the arrival of heralded big man DeAndre Ayton.
2. Wichita State (previous: 2). Everyone’s back from a team that pushed Kentucky to the brink in the round of 32. Move to the American will simply serve to toughen and sharpen the Shockers for the NCAAs.
1. Michigan State (previous: 5). The return of big man Miles Bridges, combined with all the other proven production (i.e., No. 2 scorer Nick Ward) vaults the Spartans into the top spot in a season that appears to lack a team to beat.
Also considered: Seton Hall, Utah, South Carolina, Maryland, Creighton, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, Missouri, Rhode Island, Purdue, Alabama, SMU, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Michigan, Arkansas and Wake Forest
Do you guys agree with the top 10????
AlohaCat
June 12, 2017 at 6:00 am
Early-April Rankings
25: Virginia (previous: 23). Tony Bennett and the defense are more than enough for a spot in the rankings but not nearly enough for a deep NCAA run. Cavs have to find some offense.
24: TCU (previous: 25). Never discount the impact an NIT title can have on the ensuing season, both because of the experience and confidence gained.
23. Gonzaga (previous: 3). That’s a long fall. But Zach Collins and Nigel Williams-Goss are huge losses (on top of the departing seniors).
22. Baylor (previous: 19). Enough returning to remain on the fringes of contention for … for everything.
21. Butler (previous: 14). The drop is entirely rooted in coach Chris Holtmann’s move to Ohio State last week. It’s an odd time, and he’s a good coach.
20. Miami (previous: NR). Jim Larranaga will turn 68 this fall. The 2017-18 Canes might be his last best chance to return to the Final Four.
19. Florida (previous: NR). Not all-in with the Gators because of Devon Robinson’s departure but, admittedly, didn’t give their returning core enough credit with the April rankings.
18. Saint Mary’s (previous: 24). No roster changes and a five-spot jump thanks to attrition elsewhere, including in Spokane. Now the Gaels find themselves as the WCC favorite.
17. Northwestern (previous: 16). Wildcats aren’t getting as much love as Team X would if all five starters were returning. Then again, Team X probably didn’t 75+ years without making the NCAAs.
16. Xavier (previous: NR). The jump from the also-considered category to No. 16 is due, entirely, to Trevon Bluiett’s return. Had figured him for the NBA at the time of the original writing.
15. Cincinnati (previous: 18). Top scorer Jacob Evans and Kyle Washington lead what should be the best team in the American that didn’t just join the American.
14. UCLA (previous: 15). What I wrote in April still holds: The recruiting class is loaded, but Lonzo Ball’s departure counts double given how he made everyone else better, including Steve Alford.
13. Notre Dame (previous: 13). First-rate inside-outside combo of Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell make the Irish a Sweet 16 contender yet again.
12. West Virginia (previous: 17). Jevon Carter’s return fueled the five-spot jump. Only team capable of challenging Kansas for the Big 12 title.
11. North Carolina (previous: 12). Lost a lot, returns a lot. The issue isn’t so much UNC, which returns Joel Berry and a handful of key contributors, but the ACC, which is loaded once again.
10. Minnesota (previous: 9). The top challenger to Michigan State in the Big Ten has five of its top-six scorers back for Richard Pitino.
9. Louisville (previous: 1). Donovan Mitchell’s decision to remain in the draft was the prime driver in the Cardinals’ fall from No. 1 in the early-April ranking. Plenty to like, but not quite enough.
8. Kansas (previous: 10). Might be a tad lower than KU’s placement in similar rankings. Bill Self typically gets the most out of his roster in the regular season, but replacing Frank Mason and Josh Jackson without some slippage is a tall task.
7. USC (previous: 11). Not a misprint and not South Carolina. The Trojans were a big winner on the draft decision front and have all their key pieces back to make a run for the Pac-12 title.
6. Duke (previous: 8): Returnee Grayson Allen will team with freshmen Trevon Duval and Gary Trent Jr. to make a formidable core.
5. Kentucky (previous: 7). Same old story for Big Blue: Lose a load of talent, bring in a load of talent. Is the 2017-18 freshman class, led by Hamidou Diallo, good enough to power a Final Four run? It would certainly seem that way.
4. Villanova (previous: 4). Easy to discount the Wildcats with the departures of Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins and the disappointing end to 2016. But that would be foolish, especially with a lead guard like Jalen Brunson.
3. Arizona (previous: 6). Loss of Chance Comanche and Kobi Simmons more than offset by the returns of Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins and the arrival of heralded big man DeAndre Ayton.
2. Wichita State (previous: 2). Everyone’s back from a team that pushed Kentucky to the brink in the round of 32. Move to the American will simply serve to toughen and sharpen the Shockers for the NCAAs.
1. Michigan State (previous: 5). The return of big man Miles Bridges, combined with all the other proven production (i.e., No. 2 scorer Nick Ward) vaults the Spartans into the top spot in a season that appears to lack a team to beat.
Also considered: Seton Hall, Utah, South Carolina, Maryland, Creighton, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, Missouri, Rhode Island, Purdue, Alabama, SMU, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Michigan, Arkansas and Wake Forest
Do you guys agree with the top 10????
AlohaCat
