Chris Dortch, who runs the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, passed on his preseason top-25:
1. North Carolina
2. Pittsburgh
3. Notre Dame
4. UCLA
5. Connecticut
6. Oklahoma
7. Louisville
8. Duke
9. Tennessee
10. Texas
11. Memphis
12. Purdue
13. Michigan State
14. Miami
15. Arizona State
16. Baylor
17. Kansas
18. Marquette
19. Saint Mary’s
20. Syracuse
21. Gonzaga
22. Villanova
23. Southern Cal
24. Wisconsin
25. Washington
What do you guys think? If I am an AP top-25 voter again this year (I haven’t heard from the AP on that yet), I’ll be inclined not to rank Pitt and Notre Dame quite that high, though I think they are legitimate top-10 teams. Oklahoma is a sleeper Final 4 team, but I don’t know if I can rank them that high in the preseason. I think Louisville an UConn are a little bit under-ranked here. Gonzaga is definitely under-ranked.
Still don’t have a sense of where I’ll rank Memphis in the preseason. I think Dortch’s guess is as good as any, given what we know right now.
in Tiger Basketball
Responses to “An early top-25”
September 24th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Preseason rankings don’t really mean much. It will be difficult for all those Big East teams to stay on top since they will beat up on each other. Wow, what a conference! Tennessee may end up higher than ninth, since the SEC looks down this year. I agree that Gonzaga is under-ranked. They will be very good. I think the Tigers are about right for the preseason. If all the pieces fall into place, they could also be very good. Can’t wait to get started!
September 24th, 2008 at 10:07 am
How can this guy have Pitt and the Irish that high? Once again they are being overhyped as they are each year. I like the Tigers starting out around 15 or so. We dont have any proven stars yet and I would love for us to be a sleeper team that slips up on everyone this year.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Dan I don’t know where the Tigers should start the season ranked but looking at the schedule the over/under is 2.5 games.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:01 am
I think this season is going to look a lot like 2006-2007. 3 or 4 losses, #2 or #3 seed, Elite Eight.
Not bad for a “rebuilding” year.
September 24th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Not being biased here but no way is UT better or even deserve to be ranked ahead of the Tigers. No way in Hell!
September 24th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I dont understand the UCLA love. They lost as much as Memphis did, but Memphis won’t be able to recover. However, UCLA will? Doesn’t make sense to me. They have a great incoming class but top 5 after losing Westbrook and Love, I don’t think so!
September 24th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Mphs Fan if you look at the UT squad they are very deep and very athletic. They lose Jujuan Smith and Lofton (along with Crews/Ramar Smith) but return a very good team. Tyler Smith, Chism, Prince will be the main guys, but they have some other talent as well in Maze,Tatum, Hopson, Williams & Tabb. I don’t say this in dislike of the Tigers as I am a fan of both teams (but a fan of the Tigers longer). I just think this UT team will be good, if not better than last year. The main question for them is will they have any octane in March? The SEC schedule has taken it’s toll on them the last few seasons. For the Tigers I wonder about chemistry and point guard play. Rose is not replaceable.
September 25th, 2008 at 7:10 am
first off for the ut fan we really don’t care what you think! its the preseason so this means nothing at all in my eyes. what till march then evaluate your team at that time. go tigers!!!!
September 25th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Pitt is way too high and what do people think about UCLA at #4? Is their recruiting class good enough to replace Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute? I haven’t seen any of their new guys, but that’s quite a task to fill (similar to Memphis); however, nobody is putting Memphis in at #4 after losing our 3 guys.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Pitt is legit at #2. I think Duke will be ranked higher when the AP and ESPN polls are released. Notre Dame, UCLA and UConn are a bit high IMO, but all are top 10. I’d put memphis at #10 instead of Texas. Oklahoma is a surprise! Overall I say this list favors the Big East too much, with exception of Pitt & Notre Dame. Syracuse has a lot to prove. Among those omitted: Xavier should be included in there somewhere between 18-25.
September 28th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Like it or not, the volun_ueers are no flash in the pan; they appear to be here to stay. They’re a legitimate Sweet 16, maybe Elite 8 prospect, just as the Tigers are, but the key will be how each team develops as the season wears on. I’ll take our depth over theirs any day. Cal’s got it rolling.
Oklahoma has a brute of a power forward in Blake Griffin; he’s why they’re the pick to win the Big 12. You guys don’t remember him from the MSG game last November? Dude’s a year older and projected to be the #1 pick in the ‘09 draft. He’ll have a quality point guard to run the show with him, too.
Pitt’s a media darling, being a Big East club and all with NYC players. Everyone, including Bobby Knight, had them upsetting us in the 3rd round last year. Alas, Izzo had something to say about that, though I’m betting he wishes that he’d lost to Pitt versus experience the beatdown we gave him.
It’s Izzo’s team that I can’t see being all that great. The Big 10 is slipping in BOTH major sports, it seems.
September 28th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I have high hopes for this team. I haven’t studied the other teams but I do know our team and our schedule pretty well and feel I can give an honest opinion.
Fact, we lost 3 starters. Opinion, the new starters will not be as good as those they are replacing.
Fact, we lost 1 games last year against the 27th ranked schedule. Opinion, we will lose more games against a tougher schedule.
Fact, we had four starters that played together for at least three years and added Derrick Rose, the top pick in the NBA draft. Additionally the coaching staff had been in place for a long time. Opinion, our team will consist of many new players, and Derrick Rose’s athleticism and ability to take over games will be missed. Our coaching staff will have to come together early and get this team to gel.
In my opinion, we have too many questions to be in the top 20. Maybe I’m sandbagging a little here, but I’d rather be slightly surprised come January than be disappointed after a slow start.
September 30th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Fact, we return 2 starters who have been significant contributors to the Tigers 3 straight elite 8s and NC runner-up.
Fact, we had depth last year that will turn into significant PT this year: Shawn Taggart, Jeff Robinson, and Willie Kemp.
Fact, we have a Top 5-10 (depending on your source) recruiting class coming in with talent (Tyreke Evans), experience (Roburt Sallie), versatility (Wesley Witherspoon), maturity (CJ Henry), and size (Angel Garcia).
Based on that information, we should definitely be in the Top 20.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:57 am
people understand this is preseason rankings not the end of the world! i dont care bout anyother team in the top 25 except the tigers! ready for midnight madness hope to see everyone there so lets fill up the forum! go TIGERS!!!!
October 4th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Why is it that I have to read about the visiting recruits for 10/4/08 from a New York site and not here or the CA, I mean come on!!!
October 5th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Hey Its Pat Look at your dates , I wrote this Saturday 10/4 and read the other articles before that.
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