Jeff Goodman's Preseason Top 25 (Plus 25 More)

[boksooner]

http://espn.go.com/blog/jeff-goodman/insider/post?id=5033

It's ESPN Insider, so I will post some highlights for those without access.

1) Maryland
2) North Carolina
3) Kansas
4) Iowa State
5) Duke
6) Kentucky
7) Virginia
8) Cal
9) Wichita State
10) Oklahoma Sooners

Projected starting lineup: G Isaiah Cousins, G Buddy Hield, PG Jordan Woodard, PF Khadeem Lattin, C Ryan Spangler

The Sooners return every starter except for TaShawn Thomas. Look for the 6-foot-9 Lattin to battle with 7-foot junior college product Akolda Manyang for the final spot. Manyang is a shot-blocker who runs the floor and could ultimately enable Spangler to move to the power forward spot.

Other Big 12 teams
30) Baylor
32) WVU
43) Texas

 

[DenverSooner]

Where are the worthless aggies?

 

[Eielson]

I don't mind that everybody keeps rating ISU and KU both ahead of us, but I don't agree with it.

 

[jackson_supersooner]

I don't mind that everybody keeps rating ISU and KU both ahead of us, but I don't agree with it.

We've done nothing to prove we are better then them. Lost 2 of 3 to ISU last year and KU won it's 50th straight big 12 title last year...soooo I think we are right where we deserve to be.

 

[Max Power]

I don't mind that everybody keeps rating ISU and KU both ahead of us, but I don't agree with it.

Until we beat them, thats the way it will be

 

[skyvue]

So you guys are saying that if Spangler hits that layup and we win by one in OT, we'd be ranked #4 preseason? Sorry, not buying that for a second.

Rankings from year to year aren't based on the head-to-head the prior season -- especially not in a year when we were a fluke blown layup away from going to OT in our rubber game against ISU. And to refresh your memories, we tied with the Cyclones for second in the Big 12. You really think that blown lay-up justifies them being ranked several spots ahead of us?

If anything, our much better run in the tourney should supersede the Cyclone's razor-thin regular-season margin over us. It certainly did in the final rankings last season, where we finished six spots ahead of them in the USA Today poll and 10 spots ahead of them in the ESPN Power Rankings.

I'm amazed at how little credit some of our fans give our program at times. We've tied or finished ahead of ISU in the Big 12 the past three seasons, but the perception among many of the posters here is that their program has been better than ours, when in fact the two programs couldn't be more equal over that span.

And Hoiberg gets accolades he hasn't really earned -- is he a good coach? Absolutely, I don't have anything bad to say about him. But to hear some of our fans tell it, he's an elite coach, and that status he's not yet earned.

I totally understand saying "until we beat them" about KU, but not about ISU. I can find no real justification for ISU being ranked so far ahead of us in the preseason rankings this year, and I've seen no convincing argument for it presented here.

 

[Eielson]

We've done nothing to prove we are better then them. Lost 2 of 3 to ISU last year and KU won it's 50th straight big 12 title last year...soooo I think we are right where we deserve to be.

We split with KU, and the ISU series was about as even as it gets. A few lucky breaks and we could have swept them both. KU won the regular season, ISU won the Conference Tourney, and we went the farthest in the NCAA Tourney. We were all pretty even last year, and we're all bringing back similar teams/coaching staffs.

I get it if we're not #1, but we're not a distant 3rd.

 

[Eielson]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings/_/poll/2/week/4/seasontype/3

OU was #13, KU was #17, and ISU was #19.

Tell me again which Big XII team had the best season? The coaches have spoken. ESPN has as well.

 

[Zimwillett]

I get it if we're not #1, but we're not a distant 3rd.

This. I couldn't fault someone if they wanted to rate KU and/or ISU slightly ahead of OU, but 6/7 spots seems a bit much. OU returns a roster that went toe to toe with both those teams in every possible way.

And I agree with skyvue. I can understand the impulse to give KU and Bill Self the benefit of the doubt. I'm not sure what ISU and Hoiberg have done to earn a similar level of respect/hype.

Thankfully this will all play itself out by next March. I personally like OU's chances to turn these rankings on their head. I think Lon's got something special brewing for 2015-16.

 

[scrybe]

Zimwillet, Eielson and skyvue: You guys should get papers on some of the other posters in this thread. You really owned them. :ez-laugh:

 

[usedtobe1]

Let's see how ISU is ranked if Fred Holberg decides to jump to the Chicago Bulls. Of course they will be strong no matter who coaches them with Georges Niang, Monte' Morris, Jameel McKay, and Naz Long all returning along with some of their transfers becoming eligible. They have a strong nucleus just like the Sooners do. Losing Holberg would be a big hit to their chances.

 

[Max Power]

So you guys are saying that if Spangler hits that layup and we win by one in OT, we'd be ranked #4 preseason? Sorry, not buying that for a second.

Rankings from year to year aren't based on the head-to-head the prior season -- especially not in a year when we were a fluke blown layup away from going to OT in our rubber game against ISU. And to refresh your memories, we tied with the Cyclones for second in the Big 12. You really think that blown lay-up justifies them being ranked several spots ahead of us?

If anything, our much better run in the tourney should supersede the Cyclone's razor-thin regular-season margin over us. It certainly did in the final rankings last season, where we finished six spots ahead of them in the USA Today poll and 10 spots ahead of them in the ESPN Power Rankings.

I'm amazed at how little credit some of our fans give our program at times. We've tied or finished ahead of ISU in the Big 12 the past three seasons, but the perception among many of the posters here is that their program has been better than ours, when in fact the two programs couldn't be more equal over that span.

And Hoiberg gets accolades he hasn't really earned -- is he a good coach? Absolutely, I don't have anything bad to say about him. But to hear some of our fans tell it, he's an elite coach, and that status he's not yet earned.

I totally understand saying "until we beat them" about KU, but not about ISU. I can find no real justification for ISU being ranked so far ahead of us in the preseason rankings this year, and I've seen no convincing argument for it presented here.

All three team return a strong nucleus of 3-4 starters, Kansas has won the conference for what 11 straight years and Iowa St finished 2nd to our 3rd. It's not a slap in the face for ou to be preseason 3rd in the conference amd preseason top 10.

 

[Max Power]

Let's see how ISU is ranked if Fred Holberg decides to jump to the Chicago Bulls. Of course they will be strong no matter who coaches them with Georges Niang, Monte' Morris, Jameel McKay, and Naz Long all returning along with some of their transfers becoming eligible. They have a strong nucleus just like the Sooners do. Losing Holberg would be a big hit to their chances.

Of course it would be. But so far he is still the coach at isu

 

[skyvue]

Iowa St finished 2nd to our 3rd. It's not a slap in the face for ou to be preseason 3rd in the conference amd preseason top 10.

Are you relying solely on memory? You must be, because you've got it wrong. OU and ISU tied for second in the Big 12; they both finished 12-6 in conference play.

ISU won a tight one against us in the conference tourney; we outdid them by a wide margin in the NCAA tourney. We finished well ahead in the final polls last season.

So tell us again why they should be ranked six spots above us? And this time, please have your facts straight.

 

[Max Power]

Are you relying solely on memory? You must be, because you've got it wrong. OU and ISU tied for second in the Big 12; they both finished 12-6 in conference play.

ISU won a tight one against us in the conference tourney; we outdid them by a wide margin in the NCAA tourney. We finished well ahead in the final polls last season.

So tell us again why they should be ranked six spots above us? And this time, please have your facts straight.

Facts are Iowa St was the 2 seed, we were the 3 seed. They won the conference tournament. We lost to them 2 out of 3 times. We lost our best Inside player. Those are all facts that someone would take into account.

As far as the tight one in the conference tourney, we are a buddy tip in with .2 left from 4th in the conference at home against Kansas without all their players. That can cut both ways.

Now if they lose Hoiberg that all changes.

 

[skyvue]

Facts are Iowa St was the 2 seed, we were the 3 seed. They won the conference tournament. We lost to them 2 out of 3 times. We lost our best Inside player. Those are all facts that someone would take into account.

As far as the tight one in the conference tourney, we are a buddy tip in with .2 left from 4th in the conference at home against Kansas without all their players. That can cut both ways.

Now if they lose Hoiberg that all changes.

You’ve cited some carefully cherry-picked factors in ISU’s favor. But characterizing our win over KU as if it’s almost a negative? That’s laughable. As if ISU didn’t sneak by on some razor-thin margins in conference play.

You’re the perfect example of what I was talking about above: A purported OU fan who goes out of his way to build up another program and downplay our own. You’re entitled, I guess, but I don’t get it.

Two months ago, OU was ranked higher than ISU in virtually every national ranking, by as many as ten spots. So we can both talk about what happened last season but at the end of that season, OU was ranked well ahead of ISU. And the only factor you’ve mentioned that might lead to our spots in the ranking now being reversed is Thomas.

But what you neglected to mention (because it favors OU, no doubt) is that ISU lost some players, too. They had three seniors who collectively averaged 23 points per game and 12 rebounds per, and two of them are ranked much higher than Thomas in the NBA draft rankings.

Meanwhile, Thomas, Booker, and DJ combined to average just 19 and 10.

 

[usedtobe1]

Of course it would be. But so far he is still the coach at isu

It's just a matter of time.

 

[Max Power]

It's just a matter of time.

And then Iowa St will most likely fall out of the top 10 on almost every pre season poll

 

[Eielson]

And then Iowa St will most likely fall out of the top 10 on almost every pre season poll

We'll get to see how this plays out, but unless they have some other people leaving, I highly doubt it.

 

[Zimwillett]

And then Iowa St will most likely fall out of the top 10 on almost every pre season poll

To me that says a lot about ISU's ranking. Losing a coach who has never advanced past the Sweet 16 relegates them from a top 5 ranking to not in the top 10?

Again, I think ISU is very good. But pre-season top 5? I just don't see it. I feel like people are underestimating how important Hogue and DeJean-Jones were for them. That's 20 points, 10 rebounds, and ISU's best defensive player (BJD). Sure, they're rolling out some quality transfers, but I don't think you can automatically assume those guys will step in and immediately replace that kind of production.