2010 College Basketball Power Rankings

1. Kentucky

The return of Jodie Meeks really has little impact on my decision to make this team number 1. He might have been one of the top 5 players in basketball last year but whether he returns to Kentucky does not really matter at this point. This program arguably had the top recruiting class in the country. NOW, Kentucky just signed John Wall, the top guard recruit in the country, making this recruiting class one of the best in the history of college basketball. Think about this lineup logically for a second. If Meeks does stay which is looking likely, they will have Wall and Meeks in the backcourt and a frontcourt of Patrick Patterson, along with big time freshman DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton, which makes this lineup the deepest and most gifted in the country. All we can do now is wait and see what Calipari will do with this extremely gifted team. This team might have more talent then they actually want. 5 star recruit Eric Bledsoe may not even get minutes. However, a team without tournament experience is susceptible to early round departure. HA.

2. Kansas

The return of Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins make this team battle tested and experienced within the Bill Self system. Along with this understanding come some of the most talented high school recruits in the nation led by wing Xavier Henry. If Wall had decided not to go to Kentucky and Meeks ends up in the NBA draft, then Kansas is my number 1, but it looks like Kansas has themselves a deep enemy in the Wildcats.

3. Purdue

Readers may hate me for putting Purdue so high on this list, but all you have to think about how good this team was last year. This team made the sweet 16 and almost went further than that. This team loses no one and is returning Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson, and E’Twaun Moore who all can play score as well as play solid defense. This teams starting 5 has played together the last two years and experience will most likely trump the lack of freshman talent on this team.

4. North Carolina

This team loses one of the greatest cores in college basketball history with Hansbrough, Ellington, Lawson, and Danny Green all leaving. However If Larry Drew can step into Lawson’s role as a solid point guard, then the Tar Heels have little to worry about because they have a solid returning frontcourt in Thompson and Davis, and a highly touted freshman named John Henson. Roy Williams will have his work cut out for him but I have no doubt that UNC will be back in the national spotlight in no time.

5. Michigan State

I have some doubts about this team but apparently no one else does, so I finished out the top 5 with the Spartans. I will give this team some credit. I think they are very well coached. Kalin Lucas is a great point guard and Raymar Morgan can be lethal, but I think this team is going to miss Goran Suton and Travis Walton more than they think. The only way I see this team getting back to another final four is if Izzo develops Delvon Roe or freshman Derrick Nix into elite big men quickly. Otherwise I do not think this team has a spot in the top 5.

6. Villanova

One big question mark still stands in the way of putting this team into the top 5. Will Scottie Reynolds be back next year? They did lose big time players in Dante Cunningham and Shane Clark, but they bring in transfer Taylor King and particularly talented freshman Mouphtauo Yarou along with guards Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayans. Even without Reynolds there guard play is good enough to crack the top 10.

7. Texas

Another team with a ton of talent but a question mark. His name is Damion James. If he comes back, this team will be a national contender for sure. Pittman is a beast. He looks like Al Horford (LOL), but will he play like him next year is a question? This team is bringing in elite talent in Jordan Hamilton and Avery Bradley. The Longhorns are almost always a lock for the preseason top 10 but looked what happened last year.

8. Washington

I wrote about Abdul Gaddy in my incoming freshman prediction and I am sticking with the fact that he and Isaiah Thomas will be one of the most lethal backcourts in the country. The loss of Brockman and Dentmon will hurt, but if coach Romar can develop one of the returning players such as Darnell Gant into an elite big, then Washington is going to be really good.

9. Clemson

After last seasons downhill slide it will be interesting to watch how this team rebounds. They lose one player in K.C Rivers but they gain Milton Jennings, one of the highest ranked recruits to ever choose Clemson. A solid return core along with newcomer Jennings will give this team another chance to do great things.

10. West Virginia

I predict that the Mountaineers will rebound from their disappointing tournament last year and have one of the best years the program has had in a while. Bob Huggins is a great coach and they are bringing back a lot of developing young talent. Joe Mazzula who was injured almost the entire year last season, will be back, and I expect him along with freshman Dan Jennings to take this team into the depths of march madness.

11. UCONN

This team lost the majority of their scorers last season in Thabeet, Adrien, Price, and Austrie. I have two words for all you skeptics out their, KEMBA WALKER. This kid will single handedly win games for the Huskies. An interesting story that has arisen is with an international player named Ater Majok. He verbally committed to UCONN but he declared for the NBA draft. However, he did not sign with an agent so there is a chance he will end up back with the Huskies. He was born in Sudan and has been playing for the last few years in Australia. Apparently, he can ball, so this may be the only thing keeping UCONN from being back in the final four.

12. Wake Forest

Jeff Teague has not decided yet, so the Demon Deacons rank will change drastically based on this. I am a big believer in this team even after the embarrassing early round exit they took last year at the hands of Cleveland St. This is still a ridiculously athletic team and they keep a great forward in Al Farouq-Aminu. We can only wait to make a greater prediction about this team.

13. Butler

Do not sleep on Butler. Although I rarely am a fan of the horizon league, it will be hard to keep Butler out of the championship talk this year, whether you like rooting for the underdogs or not. As usual with highly ranked mid-major teams and especially with Butler, they are bringing back all 5 starters from a team that was a shot away from the second round of the tourney.

14. Duke

Finally Duke. The only constant on this team is Kyle Singler. They lost Henderson to the draft and Paulus to football. They did not sign John Wall and now Coach K will have to do incredible things in order to create a backcourt. Oh wait, did I mention that the blue devils don’t have anyone that can score down low. This team is broken. If I didn’t have so much faith in their coach, they would not even be in the top 25.

15. Xavier

How could a team this talented lose their coach? I just feel bad for these guys. Give them Calipari and they will win a championship. I will coach them and they will be top 15. I digress.

16. Oklahoma

This team has some big shoes to fill with the loss of the Griffin brothers but they are bringing in bigger shoes literally with Keith “Tiny” Gallon and a ridiculous point guard in Tommy Mason-Griffin. Willie Warren was better than anyone had hoped and if this team can develop quickly do not be surprised when they make another elite 8 run.

17. Minnesota

Tubby Smith loses no one from last years tournament team and even adds a bit of talent. However, this ranking may be a stretch in a Big Ten conference that could be the toughest in years.

18. Ohio State

They lose B.J Mullens, but who cares, what did he ever do to make this team better. If the buckeyes can develop one of their newcomers into a real point guard then they could fight for the Big Ten title.

19. Michigan

This is personally my favorite Big Ten team and I have a personal friend that will most likely start at point guard in Darius Morris. Otherwise the Wolverines, who made the second round of the tourney last year, lost no one of any significance. I expect this team, one of the most athletic and lethal in the nation, to be ready for an explosive run next season. The rankings will shift once the season starts and rarely will three Big Ten teams be back to back to back in the rankings, but at this moment in time it is hard to distinguish which team will make the jump to challenge Mich St. If I were to guess, Michigan is certainly athletic enough.

20. Tennessee

Another team that is extremely athletic and has a great upside but has yet to show their true strength is the Vols. They bring back almost everyone except Tyler Smith who is draft eligible. They are talented enough in Wayne Chism and Bobby Maze that you can not leave them out of any preseason top 25.

21. Illinois

After last years mediocre season and first round loss, no one would have thought that this team could be any good, but the Illini are always good. They have a good freshman class coming in and I would not be surprised if Illinois made another tourney bid.

22. Louisville

Rick Pitino is washed up and I think this team is too. I am only putting them in the ranks because of pure athletic upside and potential. They lose their two best players to the draft, and with it lost their soul. Actually they lost their soul when they got worked in the tourney last year. Bye Bye Cardinals.

23. Mississippi St.

I do not know if this team will be ranked immediately but they should be. If not, by the time March roles around everyone will be picking this team as their sleeper. In my opinion they will be last years Florida St. It took until the end of the season to realize how good they were. Jarvis Varnado has decided to come back to school, most likely based on the fact that they landed one of the top big men in the country in Renardo Sidney. VARNADO/RENARDO are going to be like peanut butter/jelly baby. (I said that in a dick vitale voice by the way).

24. Cal

They lose no one and they have learned a lot in the past year under Mike Montgomery. In a weaker Pac-10 then usual, expect the golden bears to make a name for them selves. Oh and if you have not heard of Jerome Randle by now, well I feel bad for you, because he may be a player of the year candidate.

25. Gonzaga

Well because you can’t have a top 25 list, especially a preseason top 25 list, without the Zag’s.

Other teams to watch out for

Siena

UCLA

Kansas St.

Texas A&M

Ole Miss

Notre Dame

Florida

By Grant Friedman

Basketball Senior Analyst For Scouting The Sports

ScoutingTheSports.com Exclusive Content

Ricky Rubio SCOUTING REPORT

Ricky Rubio is one of the top overall 2009 draft prospects, a point guard with a bevy of skills. First off, his ball handling is excellent for an 18 year old. Keep in mind that he would be a freshman in college in the U.S. next year, so this kid still has room to develop.  He brings a calm, cool demeanor at the point position, and is an excellent distributor of the basketball. He also brings an advanced defensive acumen to the game of basketball, which he has probably developed from playing in European Pro Leagues that put more of an emphasis on defense than American high school basketball. Rubio is extremely flashy with his passes, sometimes too flashy for the situation. However, he continues to get results time in and time out. At 6′4 he has great size for a point guard, although he is no Shaun Livingston. Defending his position, he is able to use his long frame to alter and block jump shots. Rubio is exceptionally good at looking for backdoor cutters and hits them with perfectly executed passes. He has fairly good elevation, although he does not always finish in the open court with a slam. He has an enormous amount of experience playing on big stages, whether it be in pro European leagues or at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, so the move to the NBA should not be too intimidating for him. Overall, Ricky is a flashy point guard, who is not afraid to work hard on both ends of the floor and get physical when required. A sure-fire lottery pick, if he decides to declare, which according to many sources, he has.

By: John Kenchelian

ScoutingTheSports.com Contributor

Tournament Update: THE BUBBLE

It’s almost that time of year to pick who’s in and who unfortunately is out, so which teams will find there way into the madness and which teams will be left in the dust, or the sorry NIT. I will do my best to predict which teams from which conferences will be given the last few spots. Last week my article covered the Big East and why the competitiveness of the conference might make it hard to get teams into the tournament. Well I think that there is no doubt that a few of these schools out of the Big East and especially the ACC will get snubbed. The conference that might get the most teams in is the surprising Big Ten, although I really do not think they deserve the most teams in the tournament. If the BIG EAST gets 9 and the ACC gets 8, then no doubt this tourney will be filled with high caliber programs. Next week I will be zeroing in on the teams that will miss the tournament, but right now I will do my best telling you which teams will be celebrating on selection Sunday.

Teams that SHOULD make the tourney:

ACC:

1. Florida State [21-6 (8-4), RPI: 16, SOS: 26] The Seminoles are most likely a lock now after a huge win at Virginia Tech 67-65 last Saturday night. FSU is tied for second in the ACC standings with an 8-4 record, and has an RPI rating in the top 20. If they can get one or two more wins with four pretty difficult regular season games left, they should definitely find themselves in the madness. With an impressive 7-3 road record the Seminoles are showing everyone their ability to do what they have never done in the past as well as their versatility. Even if FSU lost its last four games — at Boston College on Tuesday, home against Clemson on Saturday, at Duke on March 3 and home against Virginia Tech on March 8 — they would still have a good chance at getting a bid. This would be the first tourney for FSU since 1998. Do not be surprised if this team wins a couple more games and ends up with a five or six seed.

BIG EAST:

2. West Virginia [19-8 (8-6), RPI: 14, SOS: 6] The Mountaineers had two huge home wins this past week against Notre Dame and a rout against Villanova which almost ensures them an at-large bid. These two wins also improve their record to 8-6 in Big East play. With an RPI rating inside the top 15, the Mountaineers can probably lock up an at-large bid with a winning record in Big East play. With games left at Rutgers on Sunday and home against DePaul, West Virginia is a lock, but I do not see them going far in the tourney.

3. Syracuse [19-8 (7-8), RPI: 19, SOS: 17] I would not even be questioning this teams tourney status had they not lost the last 6 of 8 games. However, the Orange have five victories over RPI top-50 opponents. All the Orange really need is a winning record in Big East play and with games left against St. John’s and Rutgers; they should be able to get it done.

BIG TEN:

4. Ohio State [17-8 (7-8), RPI: 33, SOS: 41] The Buckeyes were in really good shape until they lost 72-69 at Northwestern on Wednesday night and lost another close one at home versus Illinois on Sunday. They face tough teams to end the season. If the Buckeyes can get a win vs. Penn State on Tuesday night and then win one of two road games at Purdue on March 28 and at Iowa on March 3, they should definitely be playing in the tournament. Ohio State has six wins over RPI top-50 opponents: Butler, Purdue, Minnesota, Miami and Michigan twice.

5. Minnesota [20-7 (8-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 60] The Gophers got a much needed win crushing Northwestern Sunday but prior to that they had lost six of their past nine games to fall into somewhat serious bubble trouble. Minnesota is still in decent shape because it has four victories over RPI top-50 opponents: Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Louisville (neutral site). The Gophers have little room for error. If they can beat Illinois on Thursday I think that the selectors will give Tubby Smith a much needed birth into the tourney.

PAC-10:

6. CAL [20-7 (9-5), RPI: 31, SOS: 59] Another loss to Oregon St. on Saturday will not help their chances but California still seems to be in very good shape with a 9-5 record in Pac-10 play. The Bears have beaten five RPI top-50 opponents including two huge wins against Washington. Cal faces a tough four-game stretch to close the regular season, with home games against USC and UCLA this week and road games at Arizona and Arizona State next week. If they can get one, maybe two wins, Mike Montgomery will lead the Bears into the tourney in his first year.

7. Arizona [18-8 (8-5), RPI: 43, SOS: 44] The Wildcats had won seven games in a row until their two point loss to Arizona St. Sunday. Arizona has six RPI top-50 victories, beating Kansas, Washington, UCLA, Gonzaga, San Diego State and USC. Their road record will surely hurt them but if they can do well up in Washington next weekend as well as in the bay to close out the season, the Wildcats and their high powered offense should be getting ready for a magical run.

BIG 12:

8. Texas [18-8 (7-5), RPI: 34, SOS: 33] At the beginning of the season, there was no doubt the Longhorns would be a top contender for the NCAA title, but this last month has proved rather costly for the program. However, with a recent victory over red hot Oklahoma, Texas now has six victories over RPI top-50 opponents. If the Longhorns get one more win they should secure a bid. They play struggling Texas Tech at home Wednesday but then play at Oklahoma State, Baylor at home and Kansas on the road to finish the regular season. I fully expect this team to win out, and also compete for the Big 12 tourney. Don’t worry people; Texas is still in the mix.

These are the teams I think will be in from the major conferences. Next week I will examine the SEC, Mountain West, and all the other mid-major schools in the mix. I will also have a better idea of who will not be making the tournament from the major conferences listed above. If you have opinions on who should be in or out, shoot me an email with your thoughts or comment on the article below.

By Grant Friedman

Grant_friedman@pitzer.edu

ScoutingTheSports.com Contributor

ScoutingTheSports.com Exclusive Content

Scouting The Sports: College Basketball Rankings 2.0

“The Way NCAA Basketball Rankings Should Be.”

1. North Carolina
2. Connecticut
3. Oklahoma
4. Duke
5. Gonzaga
6. Pittsburgh
7. Georgetown
8. Wake Forest
9. Michigan State
10. Villanova
11. Notre Dame
12. Memphis
13. Ohio State
14. UCLA
15. Purdue
16. Arizona State
17. Texas
18. Tennessee
19. Louisville
20. Kansas
21. Marquette
22. Miami (FL)
23. Florida
24. Wisconsin
25. Illinois

Scouting The Sports: College Basketball Rankings Week 1

“The Way NCAA Basketball Rankings Should Be.”

1. North Carolina
2. UCLA
3. Connecticut
4. Louisville
5. Michigan State
6. Duke
7. Oklahoma
8. Gonzaga
9. Memphis
10. Georgetown
11. Arizona State
12. Pittsburgh
13. Notre Dame
14. Purdue
15. Texas
16. Tennessee
17. Kansas
18. Marquette
19. Miami (FL)
20. Wake Forest
21. Ohio State
22. USC
23. Florida
24. Villanova
25. Wisconsin