May 7, 200818 yr Who will UL have inside to replace Padgett and Caracter as well as Palacios? I don't think they will be a top 5 or 10 team during the season especially early. What are others thoughts on UL being ranked so high?
May 7, 200818 yr Notre Dame at 4 is too high. The Irish are a very good home team, but they still haven't proven themselves on the road or even on neutral courts. They are also losing a solid forward in Rob Kurz - not the best player on the team by any stretch, but a good, quiet leadership type guy. Harangody needs to learn how to finish instead of just draw the contact (as was shown by the NCAA tourny) and Zach Hillesland needs to step up where Kurz left off. Some solid, consistent defense will also help... I suppose that from my perspective, there are too many questions for them to be No. 4 at the beginning of the season. The Big East as a whole will be very tough - not as tough as rivals makes it out to be - but I would be willing to say it will be the best conference in NCAA basketball next year. IMO, Pitt gassed themselves this year just trying to make the NCAA's and Georgetown ran into Cinderella. Though their rankings are a bit inflated, I don't think they are too far off either.
May 7, 200818 yr Author With Williams, Henderson and Smith out on the perimeter I don't see it being much of a problem either... Just have to shore up the inside. What about when they play Paulus and if he stays Jon Sheyer? Going up against really quick guards has been an issue for Duke basically since Chris Duhon graduated.
May 7, 200818 yr I couldn't get the link I put up to work, but here is a rundown. 1. UConn 2. Pittsburg 3. Purdue 4. Notre Dame 5. UNC 6. Duke 7. Oklahoma 8. UL 9. UT 10. Wake Forest 11. Georgetown 12. Mich St. 13. Villanova 14. Florida 15. UCLA 16. Kansas 17. Gonzaga 18. Memphis 19. Marquette 20. USC 21. Texas 22. Davidson 23. UNLV 24. Ohio St. 25. Wisconsin Recieiving votes: Arizona St, Xavier, Arizona, UK, West Virginia, Miami (fl), Sandiego, Baylor, Syracuse Texas and Carolina could have players coming back from the draft and would raise their stock. I am pretty they have not signed with an agent.
May 7, 200818 yr Author Texas and Carolina could have players coming back from the draft and would raise their stock. I am pretty they have not signed with an agent. So might Florida with Speights I believe, and Memphis had a couple guys not hire an agent yet. Maybe more, I just can't think of anyone else off the top of my head.
May 7, 200818 yr So might Florida with Speights I believe, and Memphis had a couple guys not hire an agent yet. Maybe more, I just can't think of anyone else off the top of my head. I figured there was more but those two is the only ones I knew...
May 7, 200818 yr What about when they play Paulus and if he stays Jon Sheyer? Going up against really quick guards has been an issue for Duke basically since Chris Duhon graduated. Scheyer really isn't TERRIBLE at defending so I can deal with him. Paulus was improved from previous years but you are right he will have a bit of trouble with real quick guards. My point was that they are getting more and more quick and athletic players in the system.
May 8, 200818 yr With Earl deciding to come back next year, I expected UL to be pre-season Top 10. I just hope they can play to their potential early and often.
May 8, 200818 yr Author Scheyer really isn't TERRIBLE at defending so I can deal with him. Paulus was improved from previous years but you are right he will have a bit of trouble with real quick guards. My point was that they are getting more and more quick and athletic players in the system. Not much of a ringing endorsement. I actually do think Duke will have a good record and be a very good team this year. I just don't see them making a deep run in March. Too many weaknesses.
May 8, 200818 yr Not much of a ringing endorsement. I actually do think Duke will have a good record and be a very good team this year. I just don't see them making a deep run in March. Too many weaknesses. I see Duke being about the same as they were last season. Lots of heart and effort, a little challenged athletically. Should hang around the top 10 all season, but will live and die by the three. Could make a run in March, but it would not be a suprise to see them eliminated in the first weekend.
May 11, 200818 yr ^ Dead on....you can sense though, that Duke is close to being back to dominant...that excites me.
May 11, 200818 yr ^ Dead on....you can sense though, that Duke is close to being back to dominant...that excites me. Really? Cause I feel like they're heading the opposite way. Seems like they're becoming less and less relevant every season. And that's not just UK fan speak.
May 11, 200818 yr Really? Cause I feel like they're heading the opposite way. Seems like they're becoming less and less relevant every season. And that's not just UK fan speak. I don't...they won a championship in 2001, went to the Final Four in 2004, have won the ACC most of this decade. Duke was crippled by Deng and Livingston's decisions. They are almost back, IMO. They are recruiting a lot of athletes now, and I think they will be a major factor in the next 2-3 seasons.
May 11, 200818 yr Lawson and Ellington will return to UNC and they will be the # 1 team in the country.
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