A&M has a veteran team returning, and OU is reloading with young talent. They return 4 good starters, and add a very nice recruiting class to it as well. They signed some good shooters, and return Elonu, Davis, and Loubeau in the post. They get a 7 footer out of redshirt, and add a couple of post guys from the recruiting class. In the backcourt they return Sloan, Roland, Walkup, Dash, and BJ Holmes. They signed 2-3 real nice players to the backcourt this year as well.
I guess I just don't hold Turg in very high regard as a coach. Losing Carter is going to hurt them, but you are right, in that they do have an awful lot of depth coming back. I am not a big fan of their recruiting class. Ray Turner is extremely overrated per the recruiting guy that I talk to in Texas. The Hibbert kid will give them some good shooting. I think they make the dance, but I don't think they will finish ahead of OU or OSU.
Baylor lost a lot from a team that finished 11th in the Big 12 last year. Yea, they return Lace and some others, but they have yet to show that they can win. They were loaded last year and sucked.
Too loaded....with ball hogs. I think that they have some talent coming in. Walton is the best player in Arkansas imo. I don't think they make the dance, but I think they are going to finish better than 11th.
Tech should be good. They have a good point, good shooting guards, signed some juco small forwards, and have Singletary and Lewandowski in the post. But again, they shouldnt have been so awful this year.
You may be on to something with Tech. You know I don't put much stock in JUCOs here of late, but Pat Knight really grew on me as a coach (maybe beating the gawks helped! :dance005
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Colorado has an Australian center coming in that Fran said is going to be a real nice player for CU. He is 6'11'' and is an excellent shooter, passer, and rebounder. They get Higgins and Thorne back who are legit guards, especially Higgins. Dufault and Tomlinson had nice freshman seasons and started every game (both will be significantly better next year). They signed a contributor in Aleks Burks at guard.
CU had to be the youngest team in the country last year, or one of the youngest. They were starting and playing freshman all over the place, and yet lost to K-State by 2 in OT, Kansas by 5 in Lawrence, Oklahoma by 5 in Norman, Nebraska by 2, to Texas in overtime, in Lincoln by 5, and to A&M by 6.
They were right there in several games, including ones against legit competition. Hell, all of the above mentioned teams were postseason teams.
Colorado will get better next year.
Better? Yes. Still a bottom feeder? Oh heck yes. That being said, it sucks that we have to go there. It always seems to bring out the worst in us.