College Basketball Preview 2013-14: Preseason Top 25
By Nathan Giese
The Kansas Jayhawks logo. Photo Credit: Sportslogos.net
For the first time ever, Hoops Habit will be covering college basketball this season and it all begins here.
Schools have been practicing for a solid week now and the beginning of the season is just around the corner. Louisville is coming off a national championship in the 2013 NCAA tournament and Kentucky has once again loaded up on McDonald’s All-Americans. This coming season has no shortage of storylines heading forward.
Now the question is, where do we begin to break everything down?
The answer is quite simple: by examing the top teams in the country. Starting at the top is usually the easiest thing to do.
So we begin here with the Hoops Habit preseason Top 25. And here. We. Go.
Hoops Habit Top 25:
1. Michigan State Spartans – losing Derrick Nix and his big, physical presence is going to take some adjusting, but Adreian Payne and Gary Harris both returned to school rather than take the NBA money for another shot at a national championship. Keith Appling should have a solid senior season and be a proven leader for the favorites in the Big Ten.
2. Duke Blue Devils – Andre Dawkins took a medical redshirt and Rodney Hood is eligible to play this season, meaning that the Duke offense that struggled from beyond the arc last season will have more overall firepower than they’ve had in years. Rasheed Suliamon and Quinn Cook will be focal points in the offense and Jabari Parker is one of the top recruits in the country. Duke may be more dangerous than ever.
3. Kentucky Wildcats- John Calipari is trying to recoup the lost season last year, where they were ranked in the top five in all preseason top 25s, but failed to make the NCAA tournament and lost in the first round of the NIT to Robert Morris. With only two seniors on the roster, Kentucky is relying on the loaded recruiting class featuring Aaron and Andrew Harrison, James Young and Julius Randle are setting the bar for expectation in Lexington extremely high. Willie Caulie-Stein will anchor the post for the young Wildcats.
4. Louisville Cardinals – The defending national champions, Louisville brings back one of the most exciting and head-scratching relationships in sports: All-American candidate Russ Smith and basketball Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino. Luke Hancock, Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and Wayne Blackshear will play huge roles in how Louisville fares beyond the American Athletic Conference, which isn’t very deep with talented teams.
5. North Carolina Tar Heels – This ranking is contingent on P.J. Hairston staying out of trouble, something that’s proved difficult for him to do this summer. James Michael McAdoo is returning to school, again, in an attempt to prove that the hype around his recruitment is finally realistic. Isaiah Hicks will help bring a formidable trio for the rest of the nation to deal with.
6. Oklahoma State Cowboys – Marcus Smart’s return to Stillwater is huge not only for Oklahoma State but for the Big 12 as a whole. Smart could’ve been the top overall selection in the 2013 NBA Draft had he declared, but he has a new goal: being a winner in college. He and Le’Bryan Nash will make one of the best scoring combos in the nation. They return everybody and will be looking to lay claim to a Big 12 championship.
7. Florida Gators – Patric Young is a force in the paint and has some great scoring options behind him. Scottie Wilbekin and Will Yeguete can be great assets to the presence Young has in the paint, if Wilbekin can stay out of trouble and on the court. Florida and Kentucky are games to have circled on the calendar
8. Michigan Wolverines – National Player of the Year Trey Burke is now making money in the NBA and Tim Hardaway Jr. is now a New York Knick, but Mitch McGary returned to Ann Arbor and that may be the biggest victory of them all. McGary came on so strong during the Wolverine’s NCAA tournament run they began being considered for a top 10 selection in the NBA Draft, a great feat accomplishment for a guy who barely saw the court during the regular season of his freshman year. Glenn Robinson III also came up huge in the postseason and Spike Albreicht and Derrick Walton Jr. should be a good competition to see who takes over for Burke at the point guard position. Battles between the Spartans and Wolverines should be marquee matchups all season.
9. Ohio State Buckeyes – Despite the loss of DeShaun Thomas, Aaron Craft has returned to Columbus and will help keep the Buckeyes in contention for a Big Ten championship. Lenzelle Smith Jr. and LaQuinton Ross will be the key components to the offense for Ohio State and Craft is going to anchor the defense. The scoring battles may not be great, but the game should be good for Ohio State.
10. Kansas Jayhawks – Bill Self has a completely new team headlined but the man most NBA teams will be fighting to draft, Andrew Wiggins. While most feel that Kansas is deserving of a top five ranking, the idea of having only one top recruit and no returning players scares this basketball fan. Only Naddir Tharp returns averaging significant minutes from last season. But consider Tarik Black comes in from Memphis and a solid, if not great, recruitment class for Kansas helps Kansas remain in the top ten.
11. Syracuse Orange – Their first season in the ACC will keep Syracuse from being a spotlight team but C.J. Fair is a star in the making and will keep them in contention in a new conference.
12. Arizona Wildcats – Nick Johnson is the top returning scorer but Aaron Gordan will garner most of the spotlight for the top team in the Pac-12.
13. Wichita State Shockers – The “shocker” of the 2013 NCAA tournament is ready to take over all mid-majors. Cleanthony Early is a stud and Gregg Marshall is a great coach. Creighton leaving the Missouri Valley Conference helps some, too.
14. Virginia Cavaliers – Joe Harris is going to be a name worth watching for top scorer in the country and All-American honors. The ACC as a whole is weak and Virginia could sneak into the top 10 this season.
15. Memphis Tigers – Gerron Johnson and Joe Jackson are a dynamic duo that will keep Memphis in the race for the American Athletic Conference crown against Louisville.
16. Connecticut Huskies – Ryan Boatright, Shabazz Napier, DeAndre Daniels and Omar Calhoun make Connecticut a formidable group that will make the American Athletic Conference a great three-team race throughout the season.
17. Gonzaga Bulldogs – It’s going to be a fun race between Gonzaga and BYU in the West Coast Conference but Kevin Pagos and Gary Bell Jr. keep the Bulldogs ahead in the conference and in the rankings.
18. Indiana Hoosiers – Yogi Ferrell gets the call to lead the Hoosier offense. Will Sheehey and Evan Gordan make up for losses from last season’s Sweet 16 squad.
19. VCU Rams – Shaka Smart stayed put and the havoc defense continues to be a force throughout the mid-major landscape in college basketball.
20. Creighton Blue Jays – Doug McDermott’s return to school is huge but Grant Gibbs’ eligibility may just more important as everything after McDermott runs through Gibbs.
21. Baylor Bears – Isaiah Austin is ready to go and Baylor is ready to make another run at a Big 12 championship.
22. Notre Dame Fighting Irish – Jack Cooley may be gone, but Mike Brey knows how to coach winners. Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant will help lead a mixture of young and experience Notre Dame squad.
23. UCLA Bruins – Steve Alford comes in with some controversy but has Kyle Anderson, Tony Parker and the Wear twins to help make his job easier.
24. Colorado Buffaloes – Spencer Dinwiddie is an underrated star for Colorado and has Asika Booker and Josh Scott to help make his job easier.
25. New Mexico Lobos – New coach, new attitude. Kendall Marshall and Alex Kirk will make a great inside-out duo for the best team in the Mountain West Conference.
Just outside the Top 25: (with 2012-13 record)
Oregon: 28-9
Butler: 27-9
Iowa: 25-13
Harvard: 20-10
Marquette: 26-9
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