2009-2010 College Basketball Preview: Preseason Rankings
Okay here's my updated version of my preseason top 25.
1. Michigan St.- Sure, they lose Suton and Walton, but Kalin Lucas, Chris Allen, and Raymar Morgan are back. Look for the in-coming 6-10 recruits to make an impact.
2. Kansas- All five starters will return, add-in recruit Xavier Henry and this team looks like a national title threat.
3. Purdue- Will Purdue be 2009's Spartans? The 2010 Final Four is in home state Indianapolis and return 7 of their top 8 scorers.
4. Kentucky- The Cats are on the rise once again with John Calipari taking over. Patrick Patterson returns but the loss of Jodie Meeks will be a huge blow. Recruits DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall will make this team the favorite in the SEC.
5. Texas- The Longhorns were a PG away from being an elite team; Florida transfer Jai Lucas should help fill that void.
6. Villanova- Nova will once again have a dominant backcourt lead by Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher.
7. West Virginia- With Devin Ebanks returning they will be one of the best in the Big East. Da'Sean Butler, Darryl Bryant, Joel Mazzula, and Kevin Jones are back as well.
8. North Carolina- This will be a totally different Heel team, but there will still be plenty of talent.
9. Connecticut- Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson will be back. A decent recruiting class is coming in as well to help fill some voids.
10. Duke- It will be very tough to replace Gerald Henderson and Elliot Williams. But look for frosh Mason Plumlee to finally give them a valuable inside presence.
11. Butler- This past season was supposed to be a rebuilding year after losing a lot. All five starters are back.
12. Washington- Look for Isaiah Thomas and Quincy Pondexter to keep the Huskies atop the Pac 10.
13. Tennessee- the Vols had some problems last year, but there's still too much talent to go around. I think they'll be back again.
14. Ohio St.- The Buckeyes will be good and I mean that.
15. California- This will be a senior-laden team that has been scratching the surface waiting to break open. Next year will be that year.
16. Clemson- 3 of the top 4 scorers are back including ACC POY Trevor Booker. Plus star recruit Milton Jennings should help.
17. Louisville- They lose Terrence Williams and Earl Clark, but still have plenty in the stable. Samardo Samuels should have a breakout year.
18. Siena- A nice nucleus (5 of Top 6 scorers) returns for the Saints.
19. Dayton- The Flyers are flat-out athletic and talented.
20. Illinois- With another year of experience under sophomores Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis, and Mike Tisdales' belts, they'll improve.
21. Oklahoma- They lose the Griffin brothers but Willie Warren is one of the best guards in the country and their role players are outstanding.
22. Mississippi State- With Jarvis Varnado back and top recruit Renardo Sidney coming in they will challenge Kentucky and Tennessee for the SEC Crown.
23. Michigan- The Wolverines were very inconsistent but looked good in March. The dynamic duo of Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims will keep them in the thick of things.
24. Minnesota- Keep an eye on the Gophers. Royce White is a top recruit who will make the Gophers a top contender in the Big Ten.
25. Gonzaga- The Zags will reload with Demetri Goodson, Matt Bouldin and Stephen Gray all back.
Just missed the cut:
Georgia Tech, Florida State, Wake Forest, Missouri, Texas A&M, Oklahoma St., Wisconsin, Mississippi, Florida, Georgetown, Syracuse, Creighton, UNLV, UCLA, Northern Iowa, Oakland
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