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| Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images North America |
The 2011-12 NCAA basketball season concluded with a terrific
championship game, and, for once, the best team won it all. The Kentucky
Wildcats, littered with NBA Draft talent, won it all and John Calipari finally
got the elusive championship that he’s been clamoring for his entire career.
Now, with just a few days left until the 2012-13 NCAA basketball season, the
Wildcats, along with some other national powers, are back to claim stake to
being the best team n the entire country. Who will win it all in early April?
Who will surprise? What player stands out above the rest? We’ll have most of
those questions answered, as well as some other tidbits, in this 2012-13 NCAA
basketball preview. Friend of the blog Jeff Parles will be picking alongside.
***
Atlantic Coast
Conference
Jeff:
1. North Carolina
State
2. Duke
3. North Carolina
4. Maryland
5.
6.
7. Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Clemson
10. Wake Forest
11. Georgia Tech
12. Boston College
ACC Freshman of the
Year: Marcus Paige, G, North Carolina
ACC Coach of the
Year: Mark Gottfried, North Carolina State
ACC Player of the
Year: C.J. Leslie, F, North Carolina State
Me:
1. North Carolina
State
2. North Carolina
3. Duke
4. Florida State
5. Miami (FL)
6. Maryland
7. Virginia Tech
8. Virginia
9. Clemson
10. Georgia Tech
11. Wake Forest
12. Boston College
Overall, I think North Carolina State is the most talented
team in the ACC this season. That’s saying a lot considering that by the
namesakes, you’d think that Duke and North Carolina would be. I really like
this team that nearly beat Kansas in the Sweet 16 last year, and I think they
take a big step forward this year. C.J. Leslie and Lorenzo Brown are both
fantastic players and Mark Gottfried will show his coaching prowess this upcoming
season.
Between Duke and UNC, I trust UNC a lot more than I trust
Duke, who I think is getting overrated based upon who they are. If Marcus Paige
can pick up the offense without many growing pains then the Tar Heels will be
as dangerous as ever. James Michael McAdoo really impressed me when I saw him
in person in the Sweet 16 last year and he’s definitely one of the best players
in the country. I could see Duke
being as low as a 4-seed this season in the tournament. Just not buying into
them as much as some others are, even though Coach K will probably make me look
like a total fool in a couple months.
Elsewhere, I think Miami (FL) is going to be a bit of a
surprise team in the ACC and make the tournament for the first time since 2008.
Reggie Johnson, when healthy, can
be ferocious down low. Florida State won’t nearly be as good as they were last
year but Michael Snaer has a legitimate shot at being ACC POTY. There are few
guards that are as good on both sides of the ball as Snaer is, if there are even
any.
ACC Freshman of the
Year: Rodney Purvis, G, North Carolina State
Unlike my colleague, I’m going to “cop out” and say that
Rodney Purvis will be the ACC’s Freshman of the Year. He was cleared two months
ago to play and that is very good news for the Wolfpack. Purvis, from Upper
Room Christian Academy in Raleigh, is a guard that brings great end-to-end
speed, is a fiery competitor and is great when finishing at the rim. He has
some issues with his ball handling and his mid-range shooting, but he seems to
have too much potential to disappoint. He’s going to bring scoring to a
talented group of players already.
ACC Coach of the
Year: Mark Gottfried, North Carolina State
Are we on our way to a clean sweep for the Wolfpack? Time
will tell, but there’s no other coach that I think has the distinction to win
Coach of the Year than Gottfried, with the expectations that I have for this
Wolfpack squad. Now while he did coach this team to a 9-7 ACC record last year,
he flashed some brilliance in the NCAA Tournament and late in the season, which
is why this team has so much hype coming into the year. I’m a believer in
Gottfried, and with good company around him, he’ll stand out this season.
ACC Player of the
Year: Michael Snaer, G, Florida State
Not so fast, my friend. While we have C.J. Leslie from North
Carolina State and James Michael McAdoo from North Carolina to choose from, I’m
going wild card and saying that the ACC Player of the Year is going to be
Michael Snaer. As already mentioned, he’s an elite two-way guard and perhaps
the best two-way guard in the country. With Florida State slightly on the mend
after a surprisingly good season last year, Snaer has the chance to really step
up as a leader on this squad and be the best all-around player in the conference.
Big 12 Conference
Jeff:
1. Kansas
2. Baylor
3. Oklahoma State
4. West Virginia
5. Kansas State
6. Texas
7. Oklahoma
8. Iowa State
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU
Big 12 Freshman of
the Year: Ben McLemore, G, Kansas
Big 12 Coach of the
Year: Travis Ford, Oklahoma State
Big 12 Player of the
Year: Pierre Jackson, G, Baylor
Me:
1. Kansas
2. Baylor
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma State
5. West Virginia
6. Kansas State
7. Oklahoma
8. Iowa State
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU
When you talk Big 12 basketball, at this point it pretty
much starts and ends with Kansas. As much as Missouri despises them, it’s hard
to disagree with what they have done for their program’s long, illustrious
history. They come into this year after losing the dynamic Thomas Robinson to
the NBA and will once again have a pretty talented roster. Freshman Ben
McLemore is a stud and Jeff Withey will bring a ton of defensive presence to
the paint. The team is also returning Travis Releford and Elijah Johnson, who
is the returning scorer (10.2 PPG in 2011-12). If all of the freshmen gel on
this team they will once again be National Championship contenders.
Meanwhile, Baylor showed me last year that they are now in
it for the long haul and Scott Drew is the correct man for the job. In a fairly
weak conference Baylor is going to contend for the Big 12 title with Kansas.
The Texas Longhorns, despite losing J’Covan Brown to the NBA, will make their
15th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. It won’t be easy, but Myck
Kabongo who averaged 9.6 PPG and 5.8 APG last season, will help lead Texas to
the Dance.
Oklahoma State will be your surprise team in the Big 12 as
Marcus Smart and LeBryan Nash are two young studs who are going to help the
Cowboys in a big way. Huggy-bear and the Mountaineers might have a tough time
adjusting to the Big 12 after doing well in the Big 12, but they will make the
tournament again, and I see Kansas State, led by new head coach Bruce Weber,
just sneaking in.
Big 12 Freshman of
the Year: Ben McLemore, G, Kansas
This really comes down to how Marcus Smart and Ben McLemore
play. I do like Marcus Smart’s chances but I have to agree with my colleague.
McLemore is a stud that was redshirted last year thanks in part to the fact
that Kansas was loaded at the guard position. This year he’ll get his chance to
play and I see him shining in Bill Self’s system. He’s a guy who can dish it
out and score with the best of them and I think he outduels Smart in this race,
which will be heavily contested until the end.
Big 12 Coach of the
Year: Travis Ford, Oklahoma State
As I prefaced, Oklahoma State is going to be the surprise
team in the conference. So, with that said, who else would I have being the
Coach of the Year? It seems to be formulaic each and every year in every sense,
whether or not you disagree with how it is given out is semantics. But
nonetheless, Ford has a good group of talent in the town of Stillwater and I
think they will have some good chemistry and play pretty well. They might not
beat any of the big dogs but I think they’re going to challenge them all and
give them a run for their money. Ford will be a very big reason why and I think
he gets the young players on this team to buy into what he’s selling and
they’ll be a very fun team to watch.
Big 12 Player of the
Year: Pierre Jackson, G, Baylor
Pierre Jackson was one of the stars on the Baylor Bears team
last year and I think that’s going to carry over to the 2012-13 season. Jackson
showed a lot of promise last year as the point guard for the Bears and he’s
going to continue to make strides this year. Jackson’s 233 assists last year
was a school record and despite the fact that there was some talent that left
last year in Quincy Acy, Quincy Miller, and Perry Jones III, they have reloaded
with Isaiah Austin who will be the starting power forward for the Bears.
Jackson will be able to be let loose and he’s going to have a lot of fun with
Austin, as well as sensational shooter Brady Heslip who broke out last year in
the NCAA Tournament. All in all, it’s hard to imagine Jackson NOT being the Big
12 Player of the Year instead of him being it.
Big East Conference
Jeff:
1. Louisville
2. Syracuse
3. Marquette
4. Cincinnati
5. Notre Dame
6. Pittsburgh
7. Georgetown
8. Providence
9. St. John’s
10. South Florida
11. Rutgers
12. Villanova
13. Connecticut
14. Seton Hall
15. DePaul
Big East Freshman of
the Year: Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh
Big East Coach of the
Year: Buzz Williams, Marquette
Big East Player of
the Year: Peyton Siva, G, Louisville
Me:
1. Syracuse
2. Louisville
3. Marquette
4. Cincinnati
5. Notre Dame
6. Pittsburgh
7. Georgetown
8. Providence
9. South Florida
10. St. John’s
11. Rutgers
12. Villanova
13. Seton Hall
14. Connecticut
15. DePaul
When faced between the decision of picking Syracuse or
Louisville, it to me is like splitting hairs. You have Louisville, who is
returning so much talent and is a definite Final Four contender this year with
players like Peyton Siva and Gorgui Dieng. You also have Syracuse, who lost a
lot, but still has enough talent and potential to make a run at a Big East
Conference Championship. When it came down to it, I took the latter, and that
mainly is because that I believe in Jim Boeheim and some of the talent that
still remains on the team. They lost Scoop Jardine, Kris Joseph, Dion Waiters and
Fab Melo. They still though have Brandon Triche, C.J. Fairx, Rakeem Christmas,
, and Michael Carter-Williams. The latter, I think, is going to be sensational
this year (and you will see why later).
As for the rest of the Big East, it’s not as insanely deep
as it usually is. For once, this conference is actually pretty top heavy. I’d
go as far as to say the top-3 are really the only title contenders, and only
seven teams from the conference will make the tournament. While it seems like a
lot compared to others, this conference isn’t very stellar. Marquette will be a
very well coached team again as Buzz Williams is one of my favorites. A Sweet
16 appearance for them seems logical and it really depends on the filling of
the roles left by Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Cincinnati is going to
be deadly from the perimeter once again, but I would like to see how they
replace Yancy Gates. Pittsburgh will get back into the mix and Steven Adams
will be the best freshman in the conference. (Spoilers?)
Big East Freshman of
the Year: Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh
Steven Adams is coming into the University of Pittsburgh
with a lot of promise and for good reason. He’s a 7’, lengthy big man who
outplayed the much-touted Nerlens Noel of Kentucky in an earlier showdown.
Adams brings a solid defensive presence down low that will be much needed when
he goes up against big men in the Big East like Gorgui Dieng, among many
others. There simply isn’t going to be another freshman in the Big East that
can contend with Adams, unless someone breaks out. Don’t count on it in my
opinion.
Big East Coach of the
Year: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
Since nobody is really “surprising” anybody in the Big East
this year, it has to go to this guy, right? Most people are predicting
Louisville to win the Big East, so naturally, if Syracuse wins the conference
like I think they will, Jim Boeheim will once again be recognized as the Big
East’s Coach of the Year. Even if his tournament success is a bit lacking, with
few Elite Eight appearances, the man simply knows how to get it done in the
regular season. That’s what this is all about, right? Boeheim will coach up a
team that lost four players to the NBA and bring them to a 1 seed in the NCAA
Tournament and look pretty damn impressive doing it.
Big East Player of
the Year: Michael Carter-Williams, G, Syracuse
Among the likes of Peyton Siva, Gorgui Dieng, Otto Porter,
Chane Behanan, and Wayne Blackshear, I not only think Michael Carter-Williams
is going to break out, I think he’s going to be the Big East Conference’s
Player of the Year. Why? Well let’s run some things down. One, most of the
scoring from last year is going to be gone (four of Syracuse’s top six
scorers), so Carter-Williams will carry most of the load that Brandon Triche
and C.J. Fair will not account for. Two, Carter-Williams has all of the
potential to do this. He’ll have to take on a much larger role, yes, but I
believe in this kid and I think he’s going to take the conference by storm and
be the go-to guy that Syracuse has been clamoring for. Watch out, folks.
Big Ten Conference
Jeff:
1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Wisconsin
7. Purdue
8. Illinois
9. Iowa
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska
Big Ten Freshman of
the Year: Yogi Ferrell, G, Indiana
Big Ten Coach of the
Year: Tom Crean, Indiana
Big Ten Player of the
Year: Cody Zeller, C, Indiana
Me:
1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan State
5. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue
8. Illinois
9. Iowa
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska
Been a while since you’ve seen that name up at the top of
the Big Ten Conference, right? Well don’t adjust your eyes, because Indiana is
as for real as they come. With lofty expectations and a superb bunch returning,
there’s nor eason to think that for much of the year, Indiana is going to be
one of the top squads in the country. Impact freshman Cody Zeller is now a
super sophomore, and he’s going to be bringing a ton of scoring to the paint.
Tom Crean has a great group to coach and it won’t be a surprise to see them cut
the nets down in April.
Meanwhile as for the rest of the conference, it’s arguably
the best in the nation. It’s not so much top heavy either, because 1-through-6
are all very strong teams, and it won’t surprise me if each of them are in the
Top 25 at most parts of the season, perhaps all of them. Michigan, to some, are
overrated, but John Beiline is one heck of a coach and Trey Burke is one of the
best point guards in the country. A strong recruiting class has the Wolverines
primed for a possible run at the Elite Eight and maybe even the Final Four.
Ohio State might have lost Jared Sullinger, but DeShaun Thomas and Aaron Craft
remain, and of course, head coach Thad Matta is one of the most unheralded
coaches in America.
Tom Izzo seems to pull a rabbit out of his hat every year it
seems and Sparty has a lot of talent including freshman Gary Harris, who we’ll
get to later. As for Minnesota and Wisconsin, they’re interchangeable in my
opinion but I trust Bo Ryan and his consistency a little more than Tubby Smith
at Minnesota. Though I will say Trevor Mbakwe will be one of the best big men
in the country and I can definitely see six or even seven teams making it in
from this conference, if Purdue can surprise.
Big Ten Freshman of
the Year: Gary Harris, G, Michigan State
Jeff picked Yogi Ferrell to be the Big Ten’s Freshman of the
Year, but I’m going to differentiate from him and pinpoint guard Gary Harris to
be my Freshman of the Year. Here’s why: Ferrell has a lot of talent as a young
floor general but I think that he’s going to be asked to do a lot and I think
that for that reason, it’s going to take a while for him to get totally
comfortable in Crean’s system despite the array of talent around him. I like
Harris as a scorer who has a lot of athleticism and versatility. He can score
in just about anyway possible and under the direction of the great Tom Izzo, he
will be, as Dick Vitale says, a ‘Diaper Dandy.’ Look out for Harris to steal
the FOTY award from Ferrell.
Big Ten Coach of the
Year: Tom Crean, Indiana
Indiana’s supposed to do well this year, yes. But with great
expectations, there should be great recognition, right? It’s not always the
easiest thing to coach up players that are supposed to be great. Sometimes they
have their downfalls, and they can get complacent. That’s why I think Tom Crean
will win the Big Ten Coach of the Year award. He’s going to get the most out of his guys and help lead the
charge in the conference to win it, besting some damn good opponents also. The
Crimson and Crea(n)m will be thankful for Crean’s efforts by the end of the
season, I’m sure. So long as everything goes their way, of course.
Big Ten Player of the
Year: Cody Zeller, C, Indiana
Cody Zeller is not only the best player in the Big Ten, but
he’s arguably the best player in the country. He does everything that you could
want out of a big man. He defends the paint, he can rebound, he can score, and
he’s great in transition. Last year he averaged 15.6 points per game and 6.6
rebounds per game, and I think with more opportunities down low he can easily
up those numbers. Zeller is the best player in the conference on the, arguably,
best team in the country. No reason why he shouldn’t be the Big Ten Player of
the Year. None.
Pac-12 Conference
Jeff:
1. UCLA
2. Arizona
3. Colorado
4. California
5. Stanford
6. Oregon State
7. USC
8. Oregon
9. Washington
10. Washington State
11. Arizona State
12. Utah
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year: Kyle Anderson, UCLA
Pac-12 Coach of the
Year: Tad Boyle, Colorado
Pac-12 Player of the
Year: Kyle Anderson, UCLA
Me:
1. UCLA
2. Arizona
3. Colorado
4. California
5. Stanford
6. Oregon State
7. Washington
8. USC
9. Oregon
10. Washington State
11. Arizona State
12. Utah
Even though I think the Pac-12 will be sending five teams to
the Big Dance, this is no doubt the weakest Power Six conference in the
country. The two teams at the top have the biggest chance of making some noise
in the Tournament, but other than Colorado, I can’t see a way that the Pac-12
gets more than two teams in the Sweet 16. Ben Howland damn well knows he has a
match lit under him and his seat is going from lukewarm to hot after some
dismal performances in the last few years after UCLA was a consistent Final
Four team. The Bruins though, are reloaded and have some freshman phenoms
coming in, so long as the NCAA clears all. Kyle Anderson is a certainty at this
point, and he is one of the best players in the entire country, let alone the
division. Should Shabazz Muhammad get cleared the Bruins will have arguably the
best wing player in the country at their disposal.
Meanwhile, Arizona is going to be about as good as they have
been since the Lute Olson days ended. Sean Miller and his boys missed the
Tournament last year, but don’t expect that to happen again. He’s one of the
best coaches in the country, Solomon Hill is one of the best players in the
conference on the wing, as is Kevin Parrom and it will be interesting how
senior transfer Mark Lyons from Xavier blends in. He’s a bit of an interesting
case, but I think the Wildcats will be strong contenders in this conference.
The defending Pac-12 Tournament Champions are back and I
think after their stellar run, they’re going to be the best team that isn’t
UCLA or Arizona in this conference. Thad Boyle proved himself to be a pretty
good coach last year and even though there are some doubters, I agree with my
colleague in that this team, returning Andre Roberson, Askia Booker, and
Spencer Dinwiddie will be very good.
Pac-12 Freshman of
the Year: Shabazz Muhammad, F, UCLA
Going to have to shy away from Kyle Anderson like my friend
here picked and I’m going to go with Shabazz. I’m banking on him getting an
assist from the NCAA Clearinghouse sooner rather than later and when he does
play, he’s going to take the conference (and country) by storm. He’s a lottery
pick in the making and is, at his full potential, easily the best wing player
in the U.S.A. Any team that has the issue of playing against him when he takes
the floor is going to be in for some problems, that’s for sure.
Pac-12 Coach of the
Year: Thad Boyle, Colorado
We don’t agree with anything else inside the Pac-12, but we
do agree that Thad Boyle is going to be the Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Boyle’s
bunch was picked 10th in the Pac-12 last year and we all saw what happened
there. The Buffs won the Pac-12 Conference in their first year as a member of
the conference. Despite the loss of some talent I don’t see a reason why they
can’t surprise again. I don’t think they’re going to win the Pac-12 Tournament
again (although there always seems to be something zany that happens in that
Tourney) but I think they’re going to compete and make the NCAA Tournament once
again. Boyle will be a big, big
reason why.
Pac-12 Player of the
Year: Shabazz Muhammad, F, UCLA
Makes sense, right? If I go with anybody else on the Bruins,
it would seem absurd, and there’s nobody on the Wildcats that I think is going
to be good enough to win the Conference Player of the Year title. So, by
elimination, the award will go to Muhammad. I certainly hope that he gets
cleared early because from what I’ve seen via YouTube of this kid, he’s got all
the potential in the world to be a very good player at not only the collegiate
level, but the professional level as well. I will say that if Shabazz doesn’t
get cleared in time, this will probably be Kyle Anderson’s award to lose.
Southeastern
Conference
Jeff:
1. Kentucky
2. Missouri
3. Florida
4. Alabama
5. Tennessee
6. Arkansas
7. Texas A&M
8. Vanderbilt
9. Georgia
10. Ole Miss
11. Auburn
12. Mississippi State
13. LSU
14. South Carolina
SEC Freshman of the
Year: Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky
SEC Coach of the
Year: Anthony Grant, Alabama
SEC Player of the
Year: Phil Pressey, G, Missouri
Me:
1. Florida
2. Kentucky
3. Missouri
4. Alabama
5. Tennessee
6. Arkansas
7. Vanderbilt
8. Texas A&M
9. Georgia
10. Auburn
11. Ole Miss
12. Mississippi State
13. South Carolina
14. LSU
Nothing is fun in life if you aren’t bold, right? Well
here’s my boldest prediction of all so far. I think that the Florida Gators,
despite the loss of Bradley Beal and Erving Walker, are going to win the SEC.
Here’s why: I thought last year specifically that they were drastically
under-seeded. I didn’t think they had any business in being a 7 seed and they
proved why when they made another run to the Elite Eight, their second
consecutive I might add. Yes, they once again couldn’t get over the hump, but
the fact that they wre there showed me a lot about Billy Donovan and his
coaching prowess. This team is also returning Patric Young, who I think is
going to have a banner year, as well as Kenny Boynton, Mike Rosari and Casey
Prather, among many others. Young
is healthy at this point in time and that’s all that the Gators need to hear.
Look out folks; if you’re underrating the Gators, and I know that there are a
lot of people out there that are doing that, be prepared to be very surprised.
Kentucky at this point, you can’t expect anything less of.
John Calipari finally got his championship, and the team once again has an incoming
class of freshmen that are going to be very, very good. Nerlens Noel is no
Anthony Davis, at least on the offensive side of the ball, but defensively he’s
very stout and he’s a premier shot-blocker. Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress
are the other two freshmen you’ll have to hear about eventually, and both I
think are going to be very good. Especially Poythress, who possesses enough
talent to translate to the NBA in about a year or so. He’s a great
combo-forward who is extremely aggressive and should give teams fits both
inside and outside of the paint. Kentucky, once again, is going to be very,
very good, but I think Florida bests them, just because this isn’t the same
Kentucky team that we saw last year and I did think they lost a bit too much.
If there’s a season that the Missouri Tigers can prove that
they are a legitimate basketball team, it’s this season. Last year, on a team
with just seven scholarship players, they amazingly won 30 wins and won the Big
12 Conference Tournament in their last year in the conference. Now they switch
locales and are in the SEC, which isn’t a basketball conference by any means,
but it’s very top heavy as we have seen in the past. Mizzou now has depth and a
loaded transfer class, perhaps the best in the history of the game. No
backcourt is better in America and Phil Pressey has a strong, strong case to be
SEC Player of the Year and be in contention for National Player of the Year as
well. Earnest Ross, Keion Bell, and Alex Oriahki are going to have to accept
their new roles and all indications are that that’s going to happen. When they
get Michael Dixon back from his suspension, this team is going to be filthy.
As for the rest of the conference, I really like Anthony
Grant’s team in Tuscaloosa. I thought they were going to be solid last year,
but they did run into some disciplinary issues and some bumps in the road. This
year I think they turn it around a bit and are the best team not named
“Missouri,” “Florida,” or “Kentucky.” The team is very good defensively (58.1 PPG
allowed last season, a conference low) and I think that Devonta Pollard, a
freshman who averaged 23.8 PPG, 15.7 RPG and 5.1 BPG as a senior in high school
is going to step in and from day one make an impact. This team will, at the
very least, just squeak into the tournament or who knows? Maybe they make a
reputable case and get in with ease.
SEC Freshman of the
Year: Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky
On a team loaded with freshman, Nerlens should no doubt have
the potential to stand out amongst the rest. If he works on his offensive game,
forget about it, but I will say that his defensive impact is going to make the
difference. He brings a lot of what Anthony Davis had on the defensive end, if
not a little more or a little less. He will obviously have big, big shoes to
fill (and perhaps a unibrow too), but I like the makeup of this kid and really
think his potential is going to continually flash while he’s on the court. If
there’s anybody in the conference that can swipe away the award from him, it’s
either Davonta Pollard or teammate Alex Poythress.
SEC Coach of the
Year: Billy Donovan, Florida
How Billy Donovan doesn’t have multiple SEC Coach of the
Year awards, I will never know, but the reigning Coach of the Year will once
again have that title I think. It makes sense, given the fact that nobody
really thinks, outside of me, that Florida is going to win the conference.
Well, with some talent leaving and the veterans to coach up, I think Donovan
once again does a marvelous enough job with the Gators to get him recognized
inside the SEC. The guy is just a legend, and I personally cannot wait for him
and the Gators to come to Columbia. It will be awesome to have greatness in the
building.
SEC Player of the
Year: Patric Young, C, Florida
It’s a three, maybe four-horse race for SEC Player of the
Year. You have Phil Pressey of Missouri, you have Nerlens Noel at Kentucky and
maybe Alex Poythress also, and you also have this man. Big, 6’9 center Patric
Young who I think is poised for an incredible season in the paint. Young is
extremely talented defensively and brings a solid offensive game to the table
as well. I think out of this bunch, he breaks through the glass ceiling and
shines and helps lead Florida to the SEC Championship that nobody is willing to
give them.
***
Non-Power
Conferences:
Atlantic-10
Conference
Jeff:
1. Saint Louis
2. Temple
3. VCU
4. Butler
5. St. Bonaventure
6. UMass
7. St. Joseph’s
8. La Salle
9. Xavier
10. Richmond
11. Dayton
12. George Washington
13. Rhode Island
14. Charlotte
15. Fordham
16. Duquesne
A-10 Freshman of the
Year: Jordan Burgess, G, VCU
A-10 Coach of the
Year: Jim Crews, Saint Louis
A-10 Player of the
Year: Khalif Wyatt, G, Temple
Me:
1. Saint Louis
2. VCU
3. St. Joseph’s
4. UMass
5. La Salle
6. Temple
7. Xavier
8. Butler
9. Dayton
10. Richmond
11. St. Bonaventure
12. George Washington
13. Rhode Island
14. Charlotte
15. Fordham
16. Duquesne
A little differentiation here from Jeff’s picks. After doing
some research, it occurred to me that he might have been slighting St.
Joseph’s. They return just about everybody from last year and I think that’s a
good step in the right direction for St. Joe’s. Remember when this team was a
No. 1 seed? Well, they won’t nearly be as good as that year, but I think
they’re going to be good enough to give the A-10, a loaded conference in
itself, a bid in the Tournament.
The two teams at the top should come at no surprise. VCU
switched conferences and joins a pretty solid league and Shaka Smart still
remains as one of the best coaches in America. Look out for freshman Jordan
Burgess to make an impact from day one for the Rams. This team has the
potential to make another run to the Sweet 16 behind great coaching and great
play from their impact players. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did, and
neither should you.
The conference winner should be the Saint Louis Billikens.
Despite Rick Majerus’ unfortunate health problems, this SLU team is too
talented not to make the Tournament and win the Atlantic-10. They can give the
teams of the Power Six fits with how they play and I wouldn’t be surprised,
should they match up with a team from there in the Tournament, for them to make
a little noise. Jim Crews is going to step in immediately and help coach this
team through it all, and he’ll be recognized at the end of the day.
A-10 Freshman of the
Year: Jordan Burgess, G, VCU
A-10 Coach of the
Year: Jim Crews, Saint Louis
A-10 Player of the
Year: Chaz Williams, G, Massachusetts
Jeff and I agreed for the first two items, but we disagreed
on the Player of the Year. We both see Jordan Burgess being very, very good
amongst a weak field in terms of freshmen, and we both see Jim Crews as the
consensus Coach of the Year in the Atlantic-10. However, the Player of the Year
we disagreed at. He has Khalif Wyatt from Temple, and that’s fine. Wyatt last
year averaged 17.1 PPG on 47.9% shooting from the field. I think though that
Chaz Williams is really going to take another step in the right direction. Chaz
Chaz last year after missing the 2010-11 season due to a transfer from Hofstra,
averaged 16.9 PPG on 41% from the field, but shot 41.9% from three. I think he
improves that shooting percentage and really stands out in a stacked
conference.
Missouri Valley
Conference
1. Creighton
2. Wichita State
3. Northern Iowa
4. Illinois State
5. Drake
6. Evansville
7. Missouri State
8. Indiana State
9. Bradley
10. Southern Illinois
Missouri Valley
Freshman of the Year: Nevin Johnson, F, Creighton
Missouri Valley Coach
of the Year: Greg McDermott, Creighton
Missouri Valley Player
of the Year: Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
Me:
1. Creighton
2. Illinois State
3. Wichita State
4. Northern Iowa
5. Drake
6. Missouri State
7. Evansville
8. Indiana State
9. Bradley
10. Southern Illinois
Once again, aside from the top at least, we have a bit of
mixing up. I’m higher on Illinois State than he is, because I’m a believer in
Dan Muller and the players that he has. The ISU Redbirds have a lot of
returning players from last year including Jackie Carmichael, who last year
averaged 13.9 PPG and 9.7 RPG, which both led the team. Look out for on Ekey as
well to make an impact after having an impressive 40.7% from three in 2011-12.
The Redbirds fell short of the NCAA Tournament last year with a loss to
Creighton in the MVC Tournament Final, but I think they get a bid this year
into the Dance.
Speaking of Creighton, they’re once again going to be very,
very good. Doug McDermott is back and he’s a very, very strong candidate for
National Player of the Year (spoilers, perhaps?). He’s a lethal scorer and can
shoot and connect from almost everywhere on the floor. The rest of the team
ain’t that bad either. Grant Gibbs and Austin Chatman will be in to replace
Antoine Young, and I think they’ll do a good job of that. Not only that, but I
think those that have their eyes on Creighton need to also look at Isaiah
Zierden, who is going to be a terrific scorer for the Jays. And also Nevin
Johnson, whom Jeff and I agree will be the MVC Freshman of the Year.
Missouri Valley
Freshman of the Year: Nevin Johnson, F, Creighton
Missouri Valley Coach
of the Year: Dan Muller, Illinois State
Missouri Valley
Player of the Year: Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
We once again found a way to agree on two things, but
couldn’t agree on one thing. The Coach of the Year award in the MVC will be Dan
Muller’s after he leads the Redbirds to a second-place finish in the conference
and also the NCAA Tournament. I really like the makeup of this ISU squad after
doing some research on them, and I think they won’t be disappointing either. If
not him, then I do believe that it probably will be Greg McDermott to complete
the clean sweep for the Creighton Jays.
Mountain West
Conference
Jeff:
1. UNLV
2. San Diego State
3. New Mexico
4. Colorado State
5. Nevada
6. Air Force
7. Wyoming
8. Boise State
9. Fresno State
Mountain West
Freshman of the Year: Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV
Mountain West Coach
of the Year: Dave Rice, UNLV
Mountain West Player
of the Year: Mike Moser, F, UNLV
Me:
1. UNLV
2. San Diego State
3. New Mexico
4. Colorado State
5. Nevada
6. Air Force
7. Wyoming
8. Boise State
9. Fresno State
Well I can’t say I disagree with Jeff here. The Mountain
West should definitely look like this when the season ends. I think this is
UNLV’s most talented team since the Jerry Tarkanian days. This team definitely
has Final Four potential written all over it as long as they can, you know,
reach that potential and have things go their way. Mike Moser is one of the
best forwards in the country, and the former UCLA Bruin (think about that one
for a second) is going to dominate the Mountain West Conference with his
abilities. Finally UNLV will have something to cheer for, and not have to
painfully be obligated to watch their abhorrent football team.
The San Diego State Aztecs took the country by storm two
years ago when they got a 2 seed and only had to get past UConn to make the
Elite Eight. Unfortunately they couldn’t do that and last year they had a
pretty off year. This year though, Steve Fisher’s club looks primed for another
very solid season and Jamaal Franklin is going to show why he’s one of the best
players in the nation. Franklin averaged 17 PPG and 8 RPG, and while I think he
does need some consistency with his jump shot, the kid is tremendously athletic
and will bring a lot to the table to an already good-looking Aztecs team. It’s
hard not to like them.
Mountain West
Freshman of the Year: Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV
Mountain West Coach
of the Year: Dave Rice, UNLV
Mountain West Player
of the Year: Mike Moser, F, UNLV
A clean sweep for the Runnin’ Rebels and Jeff and I, for
once, completely agree. The frontcourt of Anthony Bennett and Mike Moser is
arguably the best in the entire country. Bennett is extremely versatile on
offense and has the size and strength to translate well to the collegiate
level. He’s only going to get better as the season progresses, which is a scary
thought for the country. Dave Rice is going to run away with the Coach of the
Year honors I think, mainly because nobody aside from SDSU can challenge the
Rebels, and Mike Moser is just terrific. He’ll not only win the MWC Player of
the Year but I foresee him being a very legitimate contender for National
Player of the Year honors.
West Coast
Conference:
Jeff:
1. BYU
2. Gonzaga
3. Saint Mary’s
4. Loyola Marymount
5. San Diego
6. San Francisco
7. Pepperdine
8. Santa Clara
9. Portland
WCC Freshman of the
Year: Przemek Karnowski, C, Gonzaga
WCC Coach of the
Year: Dave Rose, BYU
WCC Player of the
Year: Matthew Dellavedova, G, Saint Mary’s
Me:
1. Gonzaga
2. BYU
3. Saint Mary’s
4. Loyola Marymount
5. San Diego
6. San Francisco
7. Pepperdine
8. Santa Clara
9. Portland
Similar order here for the two of us, but we disagree on who
is going to win the WCC. He thinks BYU, but I’m thinking the Gonzaga Bulldogs
will and here’s why. Mark Few is one of the best coaches in the country. The
roster has everything that you could want out of it; size, speed, scoring,
veteran presence, and talented youth. While the Bulldogs will feel the loss of
Robert Sacre, Kevin Pangos, David Stockton and newcomer Przemek Karnowski are
going to help heal those wounds. They are a very, very good team that has
improvesd since last year in the frontcourt as well as the backcourt.
BYU, no doubt, is a very good team. I just think Gonzaga is
better. However, there is a lot of talent on this Cougars team, especially
Brandon Davies, who you might remember as the man who violated BYU’s honor
code. He’s a sensational player in the paint however and he’s more than capable
of helping the Cougars out a lot this year. Head coach Dave Rose has not ever,
according to CBS Sports, finished worse than third in a conference, or had four
conference losses in his seven years as a head coach. That’s consistency, and
that’s a reason why you shouldn’t automatically think that the transition for
BYU will be difficult.
WCC Freshman of the
Year: Przemek Karnowski, C, Gonzaga
WCC Coach of the
Year: Dave Rose, BYU
WCC Player of the
Year: Matthew Dellavedova, G, Saint Mary’s
No sense of disagreement here I think. It’s pretty obvious to
me that the best players and coaches will be recognized in this conference and
aside from Brandon Davies and maybe Anthony Ireland of Loyola Marymount, nobody
will touch Dellavedova in terms of being the West Coast Conference’s Player of
the Year.
***
National Awards:
Jeff:
National Freshman of
the Year: Kyle Anderson, G, UCLA
National Coach of the
Year: Mark Gottfried, North Carolina State
National Player of
the Year: Isaiah Canaan, G, Murray State
Me:
National Freshman of
the Year: Shabazz Muhammad, F, UCLA
As already noted I think that Shabazz is going to take the
Pac-12 as well as the nation by storm. So it seems like a pretty obvious choice
here for me. He’ll have to go up against some strong contenders, in Nerlens
Noel, Alex Poythress, Rodney Purvis, Przemek Karnowski, Steven Adams, Yogi
Ferrell among many others, as well as his own teammate Kyle Anderson, but I see
big things for Mr. Muhmamad this season. Assuming, you know, he gets cleared.
If he doesn’t, give me Nerlens as the Freshman of the Year.
National Coach of the
Year: Billy Donovan, Florida
The SEC Coach of the Year will be your National Coach of the
Year, and frankly, amongst the rest of the bunch, I think it’s too obvious.
Jeff’s pick of Mark Gottfried is a very solid pick and I definitely think he
will be in contention, but with the job that I think Donovan’s going to do this
year it’s going to be very, very tough to ignore. Billy Donovan is already a
two-time National Champion and after two consecutive Elite Eight appearances, Donovan’s
best coaching job might just be this year.
National Player of
the Year: Mike Moser, F, UNLV
I struggled to find a player that I think could stand above
the rest, because I’ll be honest: there are about seven or eight guys that are
in contention for this award at the start of the season. From Doug McDermott to
Cody Zeller, from Isaiah Canaan (Jeff’s pick) to Shabazz Muhammad, from Nerlens
Noel to even dark horse candidates like Phil Pressey and Trey Burke, this is a
loaded competition for the award. However, I’m going to stick with some
convictions of mine and say that Mike Moser will win the National Player of the
Year. Bold? Yes. Crazy? Not really. I’m going to shy away from the usual picks
of McDermott and Cody Zeller, as well as the picking of Canaan, and say that
Moser will win the award. He’s the best player on an absolutely loaded Rebels
squad, and I think he’s going to grab the nation’s attention with his
versatility, his aggressiveness at rebounding the basketball, and I think he’s
going to average a double-double this year. Remember this in March when the
award is handed out. I’ll look like a fool, or a million bucks.
***
Tournament Field
Jeff:
North Carolina State, Duke, UNC, Miami (FL), Florida State
Stony Brook
Saint Louis, Temple, VCU
Mercer
Kansas, Baylor, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Kansas State,
Texas
Louisville, Syracuse, Marquette, Cincinnati, Notre Dame,
Pittsburgh, Georgetown
Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Minnesota,
Wisconsin
Montana
Charleston Southern
Long Beach State
Delaware
Memphis
Detroit
Harvard
Ohio
Manhattan
Delaware State
Creighton, Wichita State
UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State
LIU-Brooklyn
Murray State, Belmont
UCLA, Arizona, Colorado, California, Stanford
Lehigh
Lehigh
Kentucky, Missouri, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee
Davidson
Stephen F. Austin
South Dakota State
North Texas
Jackson State
BYU, Gonzaga, St. Mary’s
Denver
*=Conference Tournament Champion
Me:
North Carolina State*, North Carolina, Duke, Florida State,
Miami (FL)
Stony Brook*
Saint Louis*, VCU, St. Joseph’s
Mercer*
Kansas*, Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Kansas
State
Marquette*, Louisville, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh,
Georgetown
Michigan*, Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Minnesota
Montana*
Charleston Southern*
Cal State Fullerton*
Drexel*
Memphis*
Valparaiso*
Harvard*
Ohio*
Manhattan*
Delaware State*
Illinois State*, Creighton
UNLV*, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State
LIU-Brooklyn*
Murray State*, Belmont
UCLA*, Arizona, Colorado, California, Stanford
Lehigh*
Lehigh*
Missouri*, Florida, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee
Davidson*
Oral Roberts*
South Dakota State*
North Texas*
Jackson State*
BYU*, Gonzaga, St. Mary’s
Denver*
***
Tournament
Seeding:
Jeff:
1’s: Louisville,
Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas
2’s: North
Carolina State, Michigan, Ohio State, UCLA
3’s: Missouri,
Syracuse, Duke, UNLV
4’s: Baylor,
Marquette, Arizona, North Carolina
5’s: Michigan
State, Cincinnati, Murray State, Oklahoma State
6’s: Memphis,
Saint Louis, Notre Dame, Florida
7’s: Temple, BYU,
San Diego State, Creighton
8’s: Pittsburgh,
Alabama, Gonzaga, Minnesota
9’s: West
Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, VCU
10’s: Kansas
State, Miami (FL), California, Wisconsin
11’s: Texas,
Georgetown, Tennessee, Belmont/Colorado State
12’s: Lehigh,
Wichita State, St. Mary’s, Stanford/Florida State
13’s: Davidson,
Montana, Ohio, Long Beach State
14’s: Delaware,
Harvard, Denver, South Dakota State
15’s: Detroit,
Manhattan, North Texas, Stephen F. Austin
16’s: Mercer,
Stony Brook, Delaware State/Charleston Southern, Jackson State/LIU-Brooklyn
Me:
1’s: Indiana,
Florida, Syracuse, Kansas
2’s: UCLA, North
Carolina State, Louisville, Kentucky
3’s: North
Carolina, Michigan, UNLV, Missouri
4’s: Baylor, Ohio
State, Duke, Arizona
5’s: Marquette,
Cincinnati, Michigan State, Memphis
6’s: Saint Louis,
Texas, San Diego State, Notre Dame
7’s: Creighton,
Florida State, Gonzaga, Oklahoma State
8’s: Pittsburgh,
Alabama, BYU, Murray State
9’s: VCU,
Colorado, West Virginia, Wisconsin
10’s: New Mexico,
Miami (FL), Minnesota, California
11’s: Drexel,
Tennessee, Saint Mary’s, Belmont
12’s: Kansas
State, St. Joseph’s, Illinois State/Colorado State, Stanford/Georgetown
13’s: Lehigh, Davidson,
Ohio, Montana
14’s: Harvard,
Denver, South Dakota State, North Texas
15’s: Cal State
Fullerton, Manhattan, Delaware State, Charleston Southern
16’s: LIU-Brooklyn,
Mercer, Stony Brook/Oral Roberts, Jackson State/Valparaiso
***
Final Four
Jeff: Louisville,
Indiana, North Carolina State, Kentucky
Me: Indiana,
UCLA, UNLV, Michigan
National Champion
Jeff: Louisville
over Kentucky
Me: UCLA over
UNLV
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