ESPN "experts" make 2015/2016 predictions

[JFCats22]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14090938/espn-2015-16-preseason-predictions

I am shocked by the amount of people picking KU to win the title. I'm just not seeing it.

Only 2 pick UK and just 13 of the 28 pick UK to make the Final Four.

 

[caneintally]

LOL at the Maryland crap . UK , UNC and I guess Duke are the only reasonable guesses this year IMO. KU is lacking inside bigtime without diallo and maryland just doesn't have it , yet.

 

[UK2005_24]

Very Suprised Jamal Murray isnt getting any love for POY....

 

[UKrazycat2]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14090938/espn-2015-16-preseason-predictions

I am shocked by the amount of people picking KU to win the title. I'm just not seeing it.

Only 2 pick UK and just 13 of the 28 pick UK to make the Final Four.

The post topic should read Espn "twerps" make 2015/2016 predictions. Experts work elsewhere.

 

[Smashcat]

Only 2 pick UK and just 13 of the 28 pick UK to make the Final Four.

Doesn't bother me a bit. If we stay healthy, we create our own outcome.

 

[WeWant9]

Seth G picked Vandy to go to the FF?
I'm fine with where were at, some other teams are getting the early hype that has been on our shoulders the last few seasons. Looking at people's list it's clear there isn't one dominant team, which should make for a fun season.

Come March though, guards tend to win games. I would like someone to show me a better backcourt than ours.

 

[docholiday51]

They have to come up with stuff to capture ears and eyes,UNC will be about what they were last year,Duke will probably be a notch or two down,the Cats will be so different it will take a little while to see what they are.

The UK/Duke game, being so early, will interesting to an amazing degree because both will be good but so different than the teams they were last year.

I think there will be more surprise teams come out of the woodwork this year and 1 or 2 of them could be in the SEC.Texas will be a different type of team than the big 12 is used to seeing and the Zags will win their usual bunch of games without anyone having any idea how god they really are.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

KU returns everybody meaningful and added 4 star Vick and 5 star Bragg...and if cleared 5 star Diallo.

Experienced, talented, deep...they have what it takes to make a run.

 

[UKrazycat2]

KU returns everybody meaningful and added 4 star Vick and 5 star Bragg...and if cleared 5 star Diallo.

Experienced, talented, deep...they have what it takes to make a run.

Including a coach with a dead squirrel on his head. #Secondroundself.

 

[CATFanINChampaign]

KU returns everybody meaningful and added 4 star Vick and 5 star Bragg...and if cleared 5 star Diallo.

Experienced, talented, deep...they have what it takes to make a run.

If by "make a run", you mean lose in the 2nd round to a double digit seed, then yes, absolutely, I agree.

 

[thecatsareback#8]

KU returns everybody meaningful and added 4 star Vick and 5 star Bragg...and if cleared 5 star Diallo.

Experienced, talented, deep...they have what it takes to make a run.

A run at the B12 title. What did last years team show you that they have the makeup for a deep run? Of course it could happen, but more then likely Self will flame out in the 2nd round per usual. He didnt even make it out of the first week with Wiggins.

Wasnt it a 10 point game with 10 mins left against 15 seed New Mexico St just last year? Come on

 

[bigbluelou]

I don't see any dominant teams this year. What I see are a number of very, very good teams...of course UK included. With all else being relatively "equal", it's not uncommon to go with the more experienced teams.

Not really surprised or worried by these predictions. I like our chances.

 

[Dallas-Wild]

It's a year with balance, which will make this Basketball season really fun to watch.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

A run at the B12 title. What did last years team show you that they have the makeup for a deep run? Of course it could happen, but more then likely Self will flame out in the 2nd round per usual. He didnt even make it out of the first week with Wiggins.

Wasnt it a 10 point game with 10 mins left against 15 seed New Mexico St just last year? Come on

Same argument they are making for UNC, Maryland, and Vandy...all had good (not great) seasons but return most starters and bring in great talent. Same reason we went from a 10+ loss team to a 38-1 team last year.

You can think what you want, but for someone else to look at KU and say "yeah, those guys have what it takes to make a FF and title", that isn't a crazy notion.

 

[caneintally]

A run at the B12 title. What did last years team show you that they have the makeup for a deep run? Of course it could happen, but more then likely Self will flame out in the 2nd round per usual. He didnt even make it out of the first week with Wiggins.

Wasnt it a 10 point game with 10 mins left against 15 seed New Mexico St just last year? Come on

This KU has a bunch of decent players , that is it . well outside of Diallo who is a boss, but he might not play.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

If by "make a run", you mean lose in the 2nd round to a double digit seed, then yes, absolutely, I agree.

I mean they have what every other top 5 team has and we had last year. Could they lose in 2nd round? Sure. Could they win it all? Yeah, it's possible.

Would I predict they win it all? No.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

Including a coach with a dead squirrel on his head. #Secondroundself.

His hairpiece isn't out there on the court.

 

[thecatsareback#8]

Same argument they are making for UNC, Maryland, and Vandy...all had good (not great) seasons but return most starters and bring in great talent. Same reason we went from a 10+ loss team to a 38-1 team last year.

You can think what you want, but for someone else to look at KU and say "yeah, those guys have what it takes to make a FF and title", that isn't a crazy notion.

I say they have what it takes if Diallo gets cleared. Other then that, I truly dont see it. Its not a bad thing that our opinion differs, one of us will be right and one will be wrong. If i was a betting man i sure as hell wouldn't put my money on KU in the FF but thats just me.

 

[dckala2]

There is absolutely no way in hell Oklahoma is making the final four this year.

 

[Roe07]

What a shocker, Goodman doesn't have us in the Final Four.

 

[EvilMD]

I like being the underdog. I hope Cal stays in stealth mode all season long, downplaying how good we are.

 

[thecatsareback#8]

What a shocker, Goodman doesn't have us in the Final Four.

He is on the expert list?

 

[UKrazycat2]

His hairpiece isn't out there on the court.

Wait till he breaks a good sweat. It could happen. #Superglueself.

 

[EvilMD]

If I was Jeff Goodman's waiter I would ask him how his food is while his mouth was full, then post his response on youtube.

 

[Primedfor9]

Seth Greenberg picks Vandy to make the final four. I've been thinking about picking a second SEC team but for the life of me haven't been able to figure who I like the most between TAMU, Vandy, and LSU. I think I have a little more faith in Vandy and TAMU especially now that they got Eubanks.

 

[SilentsAreGolden]

Love how this list shows the abject bias of ESPN in whom they hire.

Corey Alexander - Virginia (ACC)
Jay Bilas - Duke (ACC)
Adrian Branch - Maryland (until very recently ACC)
CL Brown - went to UNC (ACC)
Brad Daugherty - UNCheat (ACC)
LaPhonso Ellis - ND (ACC)
Dino Gaudio - coach of Wake Forest (ACC)
Seth Greenberg - coach of Virginia Tech (ACC)

This list doesn't even include Jay Williams, former analyst Hubert Davis, Alaa Abdelnaby, former analyst Jim Spanarkel, former analyst Dan Bonner, former analyst Dan Brant, Scott Van Pelt, Stuart Scott, and so on and so on and so on......

Love that diversity.

 

[SilentsAreGolden]

Corey Alexander is the worst. Of course he picks UVA for the FF and Brogdon for POTY, but the worst of all is picking Jay Wright for COTY. Wright is by far the most overrated coach in the game.

I really don't get the point of picking a COTY before the season starts. I guess it's no different than picking POTY, but usually the COTY goes to the coach who does the most with less, or goes almost undefeated or something. Just seems impossible to do that at this point. I also love how Self gets half a dozen picks and Cal gets none.

 

[qwesley]

Hope this is plastered around the Craft Center.

Only way KU has a shot is if Diallo plays and Selden puts it together.

UCal is wildcard.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

I say they have what it takes if Diallo gets cleared. Other then that, I truly dont see it. Its not a bad thing that our opinion differs, one of us will be right and one will be wrong. If i was a betting man i sure as hell wouldn't put my money on KU in the FF but thats just me.

Agreed on Diallo...he's not as important as us getting Skal, but without him their chances of a FF greatly reduce. I wonder if these guys assumed Diallo would get cleared when making picks.

 

[Aike]

I mean they have what every other top 5 team has and we had last year. Could they lose in 2nd round? Sure. Could they win it all? Yeah, it's possible.

Would I predict they win it all? No.

Our team last year had 4 guys talented enough to be drafted in the lottery. Does Kansas have that?

 

[kyjeff1]

KU returns everybody meaningful and added 4 star Vick and 5 star Bragg...and if cleared 5 star Diallo.

Experienced, talented, deep...they have what it takes to make a run.

Yeah, they return everyone from last year's final four squad. That's valuable experience. They should be the odds on favorite to win it all.
You know what's funny though is when people think that a sweet 16 team from the previous year is going to somehow be good enough to get to a FF. But KU, they don't have that problem.
Oh wait…

 

[Tampa_cat54]

KU returns everybody meaningful and added 4 star Vick and 5 star Bragg...and if cleared 5 star Diallo.

Experienced, talented, deep...they have what it takes to make a run.

That lottery pick last season in Oubre wasn't meaningful to Kansas?

He bailed them out on SO MANY possessions where they had nothing going offensively and he would get fouled or hit a 3. SO MANY.

Who does that for them this year?

Plus, their front court without Diallo is a joke.

 

[Shawn (uk7spd)]

There is absolutely no way in hell Oklahoma is making the final four this year.

Not a single Big 12 team (other than Kansas) has made the Final Four during Kansas' streak of conference titles, and Kansas has only made it twice.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

That lottery pick last season in Oubre wasn't meaningful to Kansas?

He bailed them out on SO MANY possessions where they had nothing going offensively and he would get fouled or hit a 3. SO MANY.

Who does that for them this year?

Plus, their front court without Diallo is a joke.

I'm not here to defend KU...I'm simply stating for someone to say they have a chance at winning a title isn't outrageous.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

Yeah, they return everyone from last year's final four squad. That's valuable experience. They should be the odds on favorite to win it all.
You know what's funny though is when people think that a sweet 16 team from the previous year is going to somehow be good enough to get to a FF. But KU, they don't have that problem.
Oh wait…

Again, and maybe you have a reading comprehension issue...I'm not saying they should be the odds-on favorite.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

Our team last year had 4 guys talented enough to be drafted in the lottery. Does Kansas have that?

Did Duke? Did UCONN the year before?

 

[JerseyCat84]

A lot of these "experts" picked UK last year. The point is, these are just guesses and most of the time they are wrong.

 

[JerseyCat84]

Also, did anyone really expect Goodman, Dana O'Neil or Eammon Brennan to pick UK?

 

[thecatsareback#8]

Also, did anyone really expect Goodman, Dana O'Neil or Eammon Brennan to pick UK?

I hate Dana O'neil
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[Aike]

Did Duke? Did UCONN the year before?

You said they have what we had last year. They do not.

They aren't nearly as talented as we were. They don't return several key contributors from a Final Four team. In fact, last we saw them they were struggling to perform against WSU's guards.

They should be a good team. They usually are. But picking them as a title team isn't in the same ballpark as picking us was last year.

Btw, Duke was extremely talented last year with 3 first rounders.

UConn 2 years ago? Decent team that got hot at the right time. But nobody was picking them to win the title preseason.

Could Kansas win it? Of course. They just don't look like a very smart pick to me.