"I Know the Game Like I'm Reffing It"















Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Tonight's Games To Watch

Minnesota (2-1) vs. St. John's (2-0) 7PM, New York, NY, ESPNU

St. John's and their fans have been begging to get back to prime time. This is a game the Johnnies must win in order to do so. It won't be easy. St. John's has had a light schedule so far, while Minnesota has tested itself already in a loss to Louisville. This should come down to the wire. Expect the Garden to play a role for the Red Storm. Prediction: St. John's 67, Minnesota 66.

Pittsburgh (2-2) vs. Kansas State (3-2) 7:30PM, Lahaina, HI, ESPN2

Pitt has struggled so far this season and is coming off a sound beating from San Diego State. K State gave Arizona all they could handle yesterday and looks to be a little further along than Pitt right now. Prediction: K State 66, Pitt 56.

Florida (2-1) vs. Georgetown (3-0) 9:30PM, Nassau, Bahamas

If you can find this on TV, more power to you. It should be a good one. Florida has been short-handed, missing multiple players due to injuries, some of who may or may not play tonight. However, it's still Florida and Billy Donovan, so you can bet they will be competitive, regardless. GTown has yet to play anyone of significance, so this will be a barometer game for them. The Hoyas do have more fire power than they had last year, with the return of Josh Smith and some talented freshmen, led by L.J. Peak. Prediction: GTown 66, Florida 62.

#9 Gonzaga (3-0) vs. Georgia (3-1) 9:30PM, New York, NY, ESPN2

Gonzaga is super talented this year and has looked dominant. Just ask poor St. Joe's who traveled up to Spokane only to be obliterated, 94-42. Georgia has NCAA Tourney aspirations, but the season didn't start as they would've liked, losing at Georgia Tech on opening night. Prediction: Gonzaga 81, Georgia 64.

#16 San Diego State (5-0) vs #6 Arizona (5-0) 10PM, Lahaina, HI, ESPN

The match-up of the night is one with two undefeated teams that play a lot alike. Both play rugged half court defense that keeps opponents' field goal percentage down. The main difference between these two squads is that Arizona has superior talent on the offensive end. Expect that to put the Wildcats over the top, again. Prediction: Arizona 70, SDSU 65.

Other games to peek at:

Richmond (2-1) vs. NC State (4-0) 7PM, Raleigh, NC, ESPN3
Wisconsin GB (2-1) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (4-0) 8:30PM, Estero, FL
Northwestern (5-0) vs. Northern Iowa (5-0) 9:30PM, Riviera Maya, Mexico, CBSS
Oklahoma State (4-0) vs. Tulsa (3-1) 11:30PM, Las Vegas, NV, ESPN2

Other Top 25 Games:
UAB (1-2) vs #1 Wisconsin (4-0) 7PM, Nassau, Bahamas
Cleveland State (1-2) vs #3 Louisville (4-0) 7PM, Louisville, KY, ESPN3
Campbell (0-2) vs #15 Ohio State (3-0) 7PM, Columbus, OH, BTN
VMI (1-2) vs #25 West Virginia (5-0) 7:30PM, Charleston, WV, ROOT

Today's Early Games to Watch

Butler (3-0) vs. #7 North Carolina (3-0) 12PM, Nassau, Bahamas, ESPN2

I don't blame you if you think this game is just a blowout waiting to happen. But, a closer look should give you caution. Butler will be, by far, UNC's stiffest competition to date. What's more, the Bulldogs are actually pretty good, with an experienced lineup, and the Big East in general has been strong. Still, the Tar Heels are loaded with talent and should be able to escape with a W. Prediction: UNC 73, Butler 71.

Northeastern (4-0) vs. Massachusetts (4-1) 2PM, Amherst, MA

This is a sneaky good game. UMass has started the season strong, despite suffering its only loss to Notre Dame last week. Northeastern, from the Colonial, is undefeated, including a win at Florida State. Both teams will be ready for this New England battle. Prediction: UMass 68, N'eastern 66.

UCLA (4-0) vs. #24 Oklahoma (2-1) 2:30PM, Nassau, Bahamas, ESPN2

This will be the first real test for the high-scoring Bruins. Oklahoma failed its first test when they lost at Creighton a week ago today. These are two high-powered offenses, so there should be some fun in the sun and a lot of points on the board. Prediction: Okla 84, UCLA 80.

Purdue (4-1) vs. BYU (3-1) 5PM, Lahaina, HI, ESPN2

This is an interesting under the radar game that could have ramifications later in the season. Both these teams have the look of solid teams that could vie for a spot in the dance. BYU looks to be in better shape at the moment, especially considering the league that Purdue plays in. However, besides their first half vs. Kansas State, the Boilermakers have looked good. Prediction: Purdue 72, BYU 70.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Tonight's Games to Watch

First, let me say, after seeing Villanova in person last night in Brooklyn, I was very impressed.

A friend of mine, a long time Big East antagonist, tweeted me during the game saying that this Nova team reminded him of their teams from the mid 2000s.

While they don't have the NBA-ready guards those teams had, they have a bunch of very good guards and forwards who can attack you in a variety of ways and play unselfishly.

Ryan Arcidiacono is as solid of a PG as there is in the country and plays with a football mentality. Darrun Hilliard and Josh Heart can score. JayVaughn Pinkston is a do-it-all forward and Daniel Ochefu has turned into a solid big man, who seems to have more ability than he is showing at the moment.

But, the glue-guy, at least last night, was sophomore Kris Jenkins. He always seems to make the right play, whether it's the assist, the hockey assist, or scoring the basketball. He had 13 points (2-4 from 3pt) in Villanova's 77-53 win over VCU.

This is a team that looks like it is just hitting their stride and will only improve as the season progresses.

VCU, on the other hand, was exposed in the 2nd half of the game (outscored 45-23).

They are a team that currently lacks go-to scorers and will struggle if their system (pressure defense creating quick buckets) fails to provide points.

Briante Weber, however, is a pleasure to watch and can create havoc all by himself.


#10 Villanova (4-0) vs. #14 Michigan (3-0), 10PM, Brooklyn, NY, ESPN2

This will be a fun match-up, particularly on the perimeter. If Nova plays anything like they did last night, it could be difficult for the Wolverines. Michigan has weapons, but they are relying on youth down low. Prediction: Nova 74, Mich 66.

#11 VCU (3-1) vs. Oregon (3-1), 7:30PM, Brooklyn, NY, ESPNU

VCU will have to regroup from last night's embarrassing loss. It won't be easy against another strong perimeter team that can put up points. This should be nip and tuck. Prediction: VCU 78, Oregon 75.

#17 Iowa State (3-0) vs. Maryland (4-0), 9:30PM, Kansas City, MO, ESPNU

This will be a nice test for both teams. Iowa State has looked good so far. Is Maryland for real this year? This will give us our first look. Prediction: Iowa State 70, Maryland 64.

Kansas State (3-1) vs. #6 Arizona (4-0), 7:30PM, Lahaina, HI, ESPN

Arizona has cruised so far by putting opponents in the grinder. K State bounced back from a surprising loss at Long Beach with a solid win over Purdue yesterday. Prediction: Arizona 71, K State 61. 

#23 Arkansas (3-0) vs. SMU (2-2), 7:30PM, Dallas, TX, ESPNews

We get to see tonight whether either of these two teams are any good. SMU needs this home game for their resume, after dropping two away games already. Arkansas winning on the road could change their perception, as well. Prediction: SMU 75, Arkansas 74.

Pittsburgh (2-1) vs. #16 San Diego State (4-0), 10PM, Lahaina, HI, ESPN

Pittsburgh lost at Hawaii last weekend and decided to stick around for the Maui Invitational. SDSU needed two OTs to finish off a solid BYU squad, last night. This should be a serious defensive struggle where shots are tough to come by and even tougher to watch. Prediction: SDSU 51, Pitt 44.

Others games to keep an eye on...

#18 Miami (5-0) vs. Charlotte (3-1), 9PM, Charlotte, NC
Arizona State (3-1) vs. Alabama (3-1), 7PM, Kansas City, MO, ESPN3
Houston (2-0) vs. Harvard (2-1), 7PM, Boston, MA

Monday, November 24, 2014

Top 25 - Week 2

1. Wisconsin (4-0) - the Badgers destroyed Wisconsin GB and a not-so-bad Boise State squad. They are at UAB on Wednesday.
2. Kentucky (5-0) - we all saw or heard what they did to Kansas. They face up-start Providence on Sunday.
3. Louisville (3-0) - the Cardinals took care of business this week versus Jacksonville State and Marshall. No real tests until December 2nd vs. Ohio State.
4. Duke (5-0) - the Dukies looked mighty impressive in wins over Michigan State, Temple and Stanford this week.
5. Virginia (4-0) - it looks like UVA has picked up where they left off last season. See their dominant 2nd half performance versus a solid GW team.
6. Arizona (3-0) - the Wildcats have yet to face a tough opponent, but they face Missouri from the SEC today in Hawaii.
7. North Carolina (3-0) - UNC also has yet to be tested. However, they face a sneaky tough Butler team on Wednesday in the Bahamas.
8. Texas (4-0) - the Longhorns opened eyes by easily beating Iowa and California at Madison Square Garden. The loss of PG Isaiah Taylor will hurt, particularly versus UConn on Sunday.
9. Gonzaga (3-0) - the Bulldogs annihilated poor St. Joe's, 94-42. They face Georgia at the Garden on Wednesday.
10. Villanova (3-0) - Jay Wright's squad has struggled with a couple of Patriot League teams so far. We'll see what they're really made of tonight vs. VCU in Brooklyn.
11. VCU (3-0) - the Rams have gotten off to a hot start. They will be tested versus Villanova and at ODU this week.
12. Wichita State (2-0) - the Shockers beat up on a DII team yesterday. They'll take a big step up in competition December 3rd at Utah.
13. Kansas (1-1) - the Jayhawks have been off since their no-show vs. Kentucky. This week they face a Rhode Island team that upended Nebraska.
14. Michigan (2-0) - Michigan is in Brooklyn tonight, as well, to face Oregon.
15. Ohio State (3-0) - the Buckeyes have cruised so far versus subpar competition. Louisville up next week, though.
16. San Diego State (3-0) - the Aztecs won an ugly game vs. Utah. They'll have to put up a few more points to beat BYU tonight.
17. Iowa State (2-0) - ISU blew out Georgia State last week. They face Alabama tonight in Kansas City.
18. Miami (5-0) - the Hurricanes came from almost nowhere onto the National scene by winning at Florida and taking the Charleston Classic with relative ease.
19. Michigan State (2-1) - Tom Izzo & co. were overwhelmed by Duke early this week. They're off to the Orlando Classic on Thursday.
20. Providence (5-0) - The Friars impressed with wins over FSU and Notre Dame at Mohegan Sun. If PG Kris Dunn stays healthy, this could be a special year.
21. Stanford (3-1) - The Cardinal was looking good until they ran into Duke over the weekend. But, there's no shame in that. As long as Chasson Randle is around, Stanford will be a factor.
22. Connecticut (3-1) - UConn was rolling through the Puerto Rico Tip-Off until they were tripped up by a game West Virginia team. They face Texas on Sunday.
23. Arkansas (3-0) - the Razorbacks throttled Danny Manning's Wake Forest squad by 30 last week. We will know more after they travel to SMU tomorrow.
24. Oklahoma (2-1) - the talented Sooners were shocked at Creighton last week. They get a chance to redeem themselves vs. UCLA in the Bahamas, Wednesday.
25. West Virginia (5-0) - Bob Huggins and Juwan Staten led their team to a Puerto Rico Tip-Off title after taking it to favored UConn.

On the outside looking in: Florida; Nebraska; Georgetown; Syracuse; Illinois; Utah; N. Iowa; Notre Dame; Xavier.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

MARATHON WRAP UP


Yes, the college basketball season started Friday, but the official start was Monday night and the outset of the 29-hour marathon.

Yes, 29 hours.

It may be early, as in the beginning, but all these games count and will have serious bubble and seeding implications.

Yes, seriously.

So, let’s take a look at some of the notable games and their serious implications.

Miami (2-0) 69, Florida (1-1) 67

The Hurricanes, who I projected would be one of the “first four out,” (2014-15 Preseason Bracketology) definitely helped their case with a road win over a Gator team that figures to be a tournament team. Miami can use the win as a confidence builder as well, as they head into the gauntlet that is the ACC.

Winthrop (2-0) 77, Clemson (1-1) 74

We figured Clemson would struggle to even gain sight of the bubble, but a home loss to a Big South team puts the Tigers even further behind the 8-ball.

Gonzaga (2-0) 72, SMU (1-1) 56

The Zags are stacked and expected to be one of the better teams in the country. They got off to a good start with an impressive win over an SMU squad many expect to be in the big dance.

Colorado (2-0) 90, Auburn (1-1) 59

Colorado is one of those teams we don’t know what to expect from, but we think they could and should be pretty good. That prognosis looked on point early this morning when the Buffaloes throttled Bruce Pearle’s Auburn team. Pearle will just try to establish some credibility for his new program this year.

UMass (3-0) 77, Manhattan (0-2) 68

Massachusetts continued its strong start, holding on to beat a pesky Manhattan team in overtime. While still without a marquee win, the Minutemen avoided what would have been looked at as a bad loss.

Baylor (2-0) 69, South Carolina (1-1) 65

I had Baylor on the outside looking in in my tourney projections, but their play today may force me to reevaluate. The Bears looked solid in their road win vs. Frank Martin’s Gamecocks. It looks as if it may be a struggle for Martin to get South Kak back into the dance.

Wichita State (2-0) 71, Memphis (0-1) 56

We knew Wichita State was good and we knew Memphis was not. But the Shockers did what a good team is supposed to do to a not-so-good team: handle them easily. Wichita State, for the moment, solidified their rightful spot as a top 15 squad.

San Diego State (2-0) 53, Utah (1-1) 49

Two preseason top 25 teams met in this one. The Aztecs won an ugly game at home, but that’s what they do. Utah actually impressed in the loss, by keeping it close on the road against a good team and doing so with their best player, Delon Wright, shooting 2-13 from the field and scoring 7 points. Expect both of these teams to stay right in the thick of things.

VCU (2-0) 87, Toledo (1-1) 78

This may have seemed like a nothing game for VCU, but it was another solid win for the Rams. Toledo is a good team, expected to win the MAC, and they gave VCU all they could handle for about 36 minutes. VCU looks like a legit top 15 team.

Northeastern (2-0) 76, Florida State (1-1) 73

Just when I was about to put FSU in the upper-echelon of the ACC, they go and lose at home to a CAA team. Or maybe that CAA team just beat them. Northeastern is a favorite in their league and it may have helped the Seminoles’ preparation if their coach had actually heard of the CAA, which he claimed he hadn’t after the game. This game serves as a caution light for Florida State.

Duke (3-0) 81, Michigan State (1-1) 71

Duke looks really good, better than that 3 seed I predicted for them. The Spartans actually looked better in the loss than they did in their season opening win versus Navy. MSU looked solid and gritty and will only improve as the season progresses, barring injury, of course.

Saint Louis (2-0) 69, Indiana State (1-1) 56

This game could have been easily overlooked, but the retooled Bilikens were actually underdogs at the MVC’s Indiana State. Saint Louis showed that they may be better than the bottom tier Atlantic 10 team many projected them to be.

Kentucky (3-0) 72, Kansas (1-1) 40

Um, yes, you read that score correctly, and yes, Kentucky is good. But let’s remember, this is the same team that trailed Buffalo at the half on Sunday, so the undefeated talk seems a bit hyperbolic to me. I will say, Big Blue Nation does seem to be a lock for a 1 seed. Bill Self and Kansas shouldn’t cry too much over this one. They’re very young, will improve greatly and be formidable in the next few weeks.



Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Half Marathon Recap


Yes, the college basketball season started Friday, but the official start was yesterday with the outset of the 29-hour marathon.

Yes, 29 hours.

It may be early, as in, the beginning, but all these games count and will have serious bubble and seeding implications.

Yes, seriously.

So, let’s take a look at some of the notable games that have taken place thus far and their serious implications.

Miami (2-0) 69, Florida (1-1) 67

The Hurricanes, who I projected would be one of the “first four out,” (2014-15 Preseason Bracketology) definitely helped their case with a road win over a Gator team that figures to be a tournament team. Miami can use the win as a confidence builder as well, as they head into the gauntlet that is the ACC.

Winthrop (2-0) 77, Clemson (1-1) 74

We figured Clemson would struggle to even gain sight of the bubble, but a home loss to a Big South team puts the Tigers even further behind the 8-ball.

Gonzaga (2-0) 72, SMU (1-1) 56

The Zags are stacked and expected to be one of the better teams in the country. They got off to a good start with an impressive win over an SMU squad many expect to be in the big dance.

Colorado (2-0) 90, Auburn (1-1) 59

Colorado is one of those teams most people are not quite sure about. But, the general feeling is they could and should be pretty good. That prognosis looked on point early this morning when the Buffaloes throttled Bruce Pearle’s Auburn team. Pearle will just try to establish some credibility for his new program this year.

UMass (3-0) 77, Manhattan (0-2) 68 OT

Massachusetts continued its strong start, holding on to beat a pesky Manhattan team in overtime. While still without a marquee win, the Minutemen avoided what would have been looked at as a bad loss.

Baylor (2-0) 69, South Carolina (1-1) 65

I had Baylor on the outside looking in in my tourney projections, but their play today may force me to reevaluate. The Bears looked solid in their road win vs. Frank Martin’s Gamecocks. It looks as if it may be a struggle for Martin to get South Kak back into the dance.




Friday, November 14, 2014

2014-15 Preseason Bracketology

It’s never too early for the Blacketologist to start thinking Bracketology, so here is my 2014-15 preseason NCAA Tournament field. Don’t fret, if your team’s not in here, they still have about 5 months to prove themselves.

*hypothetical automatic bids in CAPS.

1 SEEDS: WISCONSIN; KENTUCKY; ARIZONA; LOUISVILLE.
2 SEEDS: KANSAS; North Carolina; VILLANOVA; Virginia.
3 SEEDS: Texas; Duke; GONZAGA; CONNECTICUT.
4 SEEDS: Michigan; VCU; WICHITA STATE; Michigan State.
5 SEEDS: Oklahoma; Ohio State; SAN DIEGO STATE; Iowa State.
6 SEEDS: Florida; Nebraska; Kansas State; Georgetown.
7 SEEDS: Florida State; Syracuse; Arkansas; Colorado.
8 SEEDS: Illinois; Louisiana State; Brigham Young; Southern Methodist.
9 SEEDS: St. John's; Dayton; Minnesota; Providence.
10 SEEDS: Utah; Xavier; Stanford; Pittsburgh.
11 SEEDS: HARVARD; Iowa; ucla; Notre Dame.
12 SEEDS: Oklahoma State vs. Miami; Georgia vs. Colorado State; LOUISIANA TECH; TOLEDO.
13 SEEDS: GREEN BAY; NORTHEASTERN; IONA; DENVER.
14 SEEDS: GEORGIA STATE; HOLY CROSS; LONG BEACH STATE; NEW MEXICO STATE.
15 SEEDS: MURRAY STATE; SF AUSTIN; FLORIDA GC; WEBER STATE.
16 SEEDS: CENT. CONNECTICUT STATE; COASTAL CAROLINA; STONY BROOK vs. ALABAMA STATE; WOFFORD vs. NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL.

First Four Out: Boise State; Miami; St. Mary’s; NC State.

Next Four Out: West Virginia; Cincinnati; George Washington; Memphis.

Conference Breakdown: ACC (9); B1G (8); Big 12 (6); SEC (5); Pac 12 (5); Big East (5); Atlantic 10 (2); AAC (2); West Coast (2); Mountain West (2)

Big East Preview

Ahh, the Big East. What is there to say?

Poor Big East.

No longer is it the big, bad bully of college basketball. No longer does it possess multiple Hall of Fame coaches and get 9 or 10 of its teams into the Big Dance. Those attributes have likely been passed to the once rival ACC.

Now, the poor Big East simply has 10 purely basketball schools.

The thing is, those 10 little basketball schools are all currently pretty good and all have rich basketball traditions, to varying degrees.

This is the second season in its new form and for all the talk of its demise and irrelevance, the Big East was actually the 4th rated conference, according to the RPI, ahead of BCS conferences such as, the aforementioned ACC (5th) and the SEC (7th).

Of course, the league struggled in the only important category, the post season. If the Big East wants to gain recognition in this new chapter, they will have to make noise in the NCAA Tournament. Don't be surprised if they do just that come March.

ALL CONFERENCE TEAM:

G – D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Jr., Georgetown
G – D’Angelo Harrison, Sr., St. John’s
G – Kellen Dunham, Jr., Butler
F – JayVaughn Pinkston, Sr., Villanova
F – LaDontae Henton, Sr., Providence

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Jr., Georgetown

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR:

Isaiah Whitehead, Fr., Seton Hall

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Chris Holtmann/Brandon Miller, Butler

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:

1. Villanova – Almost everyone is back to avenge their Round of 32 loss to eventual champion UConn. Jay Wright has things back on track at Nova. Best Player: JayVaughn Pinkston. Key Player: Josh Hart

2. Georgetown – The Hoyas are looking to avenge their entire 2013-14 season. An influx of youth and talent, plus the return of Josh Smith, should put them on the right path. Best Player: D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera. Key Player: Josh Smith

3. St. John's – The Johnnies have a slew of talented and experienced guards, as well as one of the best rim protectors in college basketball, Chris Obekpa. They will build off last year’s strong finish. Best Player: D’Angelo Harrison. Key Player: Rysheed Jordan

4. Providence – Ed Cooley’s program arrived last season with a surprising run to the Big East Tournament championship. Don't expect the Friars to regress. Best Player: LaDontae Henton. Key Player: Kris Dunn

5. Xavier – Coach Chris Mack infuses a strong recruiting class with some experienced and intriguing leftovers. Best Player: Matt Stainbrook. Key Player: James Farr

6. Butler – With coach Brandon Miller sidelined indefinitely due to a medical condition, highly regarded assistant, Chris Holtmann, takes over. The Bulldogs lost a lot of close games last year, so it won't take much for them to be a surprise team in the conference. Best Player: Kellen Dunham. Key Player: Roosevelt Jones

7. Seton Hall – The Hall pulled off a recruiting coup and enticed some of the New York area’s finest to settle in Jersey, led by Isaiah Whitehead. The Pirates were surprisingly scrappy last year and they have some talent returning, so it could be interesting. Best Player: Isaiah Whitehead. Key Player: Brandon Mobley

8. Creighton – It doesn't take a tarot card reading to let you know the Bluejays will be less potent, post McBuckets. However, Greg McDermott can coach and his team will still be a scrappy, three-point shooting bunch. Best Player: Austin Chatman. Key Player: Devin Brooks

9. Marquette – We absolutely know new coach Steve Wojciechowski brings outstanding pedigree and enthusiasm with him from Duke. Unfortunately, he’ll have little to work with in this tough conference. Best Player: Matt Carlino. Key Player: Deonte Burton

10. DePaul – The Blue Demons have finished last in the Big East the past six seasons. Yes, that's right, SIX. Can they reverse their fortunes this season? Can Oliver Purnell survive another year in Chicago? I’ll believe it when I see it. Best Player: Billy Garrett Jr. Key Player: Myke Henry



ACC PREVIEW


Many people are calling this new ACC the New Big East.

During its various heydays, the Big East dominated with its larger-than-life coaching fraternity and later with its sheer size and depth.

Though the ACC struggled and failed to live up to its billing last season, sometimes, as LeBron James can attest, it takes a season or so to truly reach your potential.

With the arrival of Louisville and Rick Pitino, the ACC now has four Hall of Famers on its sidelines (Coach K, Boeheim, and Roy Williams being the others), along with many other top-flight coaches looking to attain similar status.

The league will truly be a beast this year, as there should be no prohibitive favorite. Tobacco Road is strong, but so are the Big East transplants. Don't sleep on Virginia or Florida State either.

It should be a fun ride this season. Let's just hope the in-league carnage that is sure to take place doesn't wear them out come Tourney time.

All Conference Team:

G - Marcus Paige, Jr, North Carolina
G - Malcolm Brogdon, Jr, Virginia 
G - Olivier Hanlan, Jr, Boston College
F - Montrezl Harrell, Jr, Louisville
C - Jahlil Okafor, Fr, Duke

Player of the Year:

Montrezl Harrell, Jr, Louisville 

Newcomer of the Year:

Jahlil Okafor, Fr, Duke

Coach of the Year:

Rick Pitino, Louisville

Predicted Order of Finish:

1. Louisville - the Cards are still loaded and they have my choice for Player of the Year in Harrell. Depth could be an issue for Pitino, however. Best Player: Montrezl Harrell. Key Player: Wayne Blackshear

2. North Carolina - they are talented across the board, typical of the Tar Heel teams we're used to. Paige is one of the best guards in the country, along with one of the most clutch. This could be a retribution year for ole Roy. Best Player: Marcus Paige. Key Player: Brice Johnson

3. Virginia - the Cavs won both the regular season and tournament titles last year. A repeat is a lot to ask, but they will be in the mix with most of their squad returning. Best Player: Malcolm Brogdon. Key Player: London Perrantes

4. Duke - once again, the Blue Devils are very talented, but young. That has not been Coach K's recipe for ultimate success. They will be good, but how good? And how long will it take? Best Player: Jahlil Okafor. Key Player: Rasheed Sulaimon

5. Florida State - it looks like Leonard Hamilton has his type of team again: experienced, deep and talented enough. The rest of the ACC is forewarned. Best Player: Aaron Thomas. Key Player: Montay Brandon

6. Syracuse - there's been a whole lot of changeover since last season, but Boeheim and the 2-3 are still there. It could be a struggle and the coach may have to use smoke and mirrors, but they will find a way to stay in the mix. Best Player: Trevor Cooney. Key Player: Chris McCullough

7. Notre Dame – Jerian Grant returns to form a sleeper backcourt for the Irish. Mike Brey is too good of a coach not to rebound from last season’s disappointment. Best Player: Jerian Grant. Key Player: Demetrius Jackson

8. Pittsburgh – the roster doesn't look all that impressive, but Jamie Dixon has some experienced kids returning and he always finds a way. Best Player: James Robinson. Key Player: Cameron Wright

9. Miami – speaking of coaches who find a way to get the job done, Larranaga is one of them. A slew of ready transfers will give him the talent to work with. Best Player: Angel Rodriguez. Key Player: Sheldon McClellan

10. NC State – it will be a struggle for the Wolfpack to get back to the NCAA Tournament for a fourth straight season. But that last sentence lets you know that Mark Gottfried will have his team in the thick of things. Best Player: Ralston Turner. Key Player: Trevor Lacey

11. Clemson – K.J. McDaniels’ early departure is an obvious big blow, but Coach Brownell will have the Tigers playing hard and they will be a nuisance to the league’s upper echelon. Best Player: Rod Hall. Key Player: Jaron Blossomgame

12. Virginia Tech – Buzz Williams will change the culture, but a twelfth place finish in this league is pretty much their ceiling. Best Player: Devin Wilson. Key Player: Ahmed Hill

13. Wake Forest – new coach Danny Manning (along with assistant Randolph Childress) will breathe much needed life into the program, but their championship aspirations won't be easy in this league. Best Player: Codi Miller-McIntyre. Key Player: Devin Thomas

14. Georgia Tech – the Yellow Jackets have struggled mightily the last three years under Brian Gregory. Expect those struggles to continue. Best Player: Marcus Georges-Hunt. Key Player: Robert Sampson

15. Boston College – the cupboard was left bare for new coach, Jim Christian. They have a player, in Olivier Hanlon, but think Kobe and the 2014 Lakers. Best Player: Olivier Hanlon. Key Player: Lonnie Jackson.