Collins/Aldrich staying put

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

This probably makes KU the team to beat next year. See you guys again in March, hopefully for the chance to cut down the nets (once again)...

[Mook]

This probably makes KU the team to beat next year.

This is music to my ears!! :D

[King Crimson]

Kansas is the favorite but Texas will be pretty talented...they have a lot of new talent with bigtime freshmen Avery Bradley and Jordan Hamilton (rivals #4 and #6) and Florida transfer the legendary Jai Lucas coming in. Lucas will share time with Balbay at the point. If D. James doesn't declare (he'll be a star in Israel or Morocco when it's all said and done), he gives them a solid post player (who wants to play the 3) and Pittman should be improved as a space-eater. Varez Ward really played well down the stretch last year but may be in a 6th man role with Bradley and Hamilton coming in. remaking his squad every year hasn't been too much of a problem for Barnes the last 4-5 years.

group 1:

KU, UT (edge to KU)

group 2:

no real order: OU (too many new faces to know for sure--may have trouble scoring the ball IMO...but will be improved at the FT line. :wink: ), KSU (talent is there, but?), ATM (big front line, Turgeon has recruited well for being such a whiny prick in the media), OSU (Anderson is back, Muenolo is streaky and a very good class coming in...I like Ford), possibly MU (but they lose a lot with Carroll, Lyons and Lawrence. Carroll was about the perfect Mike Anderson player)

group 3:

Baylor, only because they have more talent than:

group 4:

ISU, NU, CU, Tech. don't know much about ISU, NU, or Tech (other the kid who went off in the Conference tournament and they inevitably have some huge dude from the Balkans who looks like Pete Townsend). CU: could maybe be a middle of the pack team....they'll be better and win some "system" games against teams of equal talent but need a big Aussie kid to produce in the paint (big IF) to not get killed inside again. no depth inside, no fouls to give. second chance points after playing good D for 25 seconds in the shot clock--not fouling--in the last couple minutes of close games cost them 2-3 conference last year, at minimum. Higgins is a player.

[SunCoastSooner]

I don't think Texas is going to be in KU's league next season. It's the Jayhawks conference to take IMHO.

I also think that you are undervaluing the Cyclones in Ames next season KC.

Other than that pretty spot on.

[King Crimson]

I think UT will be pretty tough come february. but, yeah, KU is the clear cut fave. ISU without Brackins, you'd have to convince me....but, like i said (outside of seeing ISU in person in Boulder), i don't know much about them.

[Harvdog]

The analysis is good. I think Texas will rely on Pittman and James early and will be better balanced as Bradley and Hamilton get used to College. Lucas will help, as our major problem was point guard play. Having watched the all-star games, I think we have some major talent coming to Austin. I still give the edge to KU but I think Texas could be like KU in 2006.

[Shine]

This probably makes KU the team to beat next year.

Not sure yet. I don't know what KU has coming in next year but after seeing them in person against MSU in the tourney I came away more impressed with Self as a coach than the KU players. No doubt that Collins and Aldrich are stud collegiate players but IMO without some solid improvement by some of their frosh the rest of the guys are role players. Very capable role players to be sure but the KU team I saw was clearly a 2 man team. When the Sparty D kept those 2 in check (easier said than done I know) the Jayhawks struggled to get anything done.

So KU will be in the mix but right now I don't see a clear cut "team to beat". UNC was clearly that coming into this year, and ended up justifying those predictions. As crazy as this may sound if both Meeks and Patterson come back to school Kentucky may be the team to beat next year. Calipari will have to juggle lots of egos but with those two back and the incoming kids UK will have as much talent, or more, than anyone.

[King Crimson]

Brackins stays. Nobody is happier than Greg McDermott, but now he's got to produce. no more excuses.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

This probably makes KU the team to beat next year.

This is music to my ears!! :D

Keep in mind when posting that I was very humbled at the time after the UNC thrashing. You guys need to beat MSU before I call you the best. :wink: