I don't mean to alarm anyone, but...

[Marsh01]

I think it's too early to be passing judgement on most teams, especially teams that are integrating guys into new roles. Though Carolina did look pretty bad, from the parts I watched.

But I always have trouble buying stuff like "i can't see them making the second weekend of the tournament". Even if you thought Carolina (or whoever) was overrated, double digit seeds make the Sweet 16 all the time.

I will admit, watching the parts of the game last night, I was wondering to myself if UNC could be like the team a few years ago that we spanked. We all thought they were good; turned out they weren't any good.

To me they are very similar to Duke this year. Weak on the interior and will have a tough time defending inside when they face teams with a big athletic frontcourt. They are both very dependent on making the three and if they dont then its going to be very difficult to overcome. Duke has much better guards than UNC does.

 

[Knicks411]

Duke at least has Plumlee; I think he will be a better defender than McAdoo.

Definitely like Duke better than UNC so far.

 

[jncuse]

UNC also has the gameday coaching of Roy Williams to bring them down.

 

[SUintheVille]

Kentucky will gel at some point during the conference season. I'm 'afraid' of their talent. Indiana will be there. Carolina, despite a loss today, will be there.

Kansas will be there.

Louisville will be there.

How about Syracuse will be there?!

 

[edowd26]

How about Syracuse will be there?!

It was implied.

 

[reedny]

Yup. They looked pretty darn good the other night.

No doubt. Scary balance with Withey in the middle, releford and mclemore (sp) outside.

 

[reedny]

It was implied.

TU, ED. I absolutely love our guards. Before the season, I was focused on our youth and lack of depth outside. That's not turning out to be an issue, with TC/MCW looking very talented and BT playing like a senior.

Inside, we're a WIP... as we all wait for the light to go on for DC2.

 

[edowd26]

TU, ED. I absolutely love our guards. Before the season, I was focused on our youth and lack of depth outside. That's not turning out to be an issue, with TC/MCW looking very talented and BT playing like a senior.

Inside, we're a WIP... as we all wait for the light to go on for DC2.

We'll stumble a few times but the talent is undeniable. I really like this team, we have all the piecea required.

 

[jncuse]

Another team that has really impressed me is Gonzaga. For the most part they have been underacheivers in the tourney the last 7-8 years, (after their run as a cinderella team)

A very talented frontcourt in Elias Harris (who seems to be finally returning to what he was as a frosh), Sam Dower, and that new Polish kid. Pangos is a very good guard. Got good defensive role players and depth. They are a team that will be top 10 by season's end. and a good final 4 candidate in my view.

 

[orangefan13]

If I were coach there are 5 things I would be working really hard on for the best of the team. Things that can be fixed and would make anyone really afraid of us.

1. turnovers- would rather have them early and get ball rotation up to speed. This team will utilize more ball movement and less iso which will mean more turnovers.

2. Rebounding on both ends.

3. Dajuan/Rak on offense- Can't do a dropstep when teams are double/triple teaming you with the ball low. Its going to get stripped or blocked. Got to be in motion to score before the double adjusts or get the ball high and layup over it. Love the length of raks hook in the lane if he can start making those he will be one of the greatest wingspan scorers in the country. He had one lastgame he missed but the defender looked like he was about to roll over and die on. If he finds the confidence its going to be hell for opposing defenders.

4. Grant.- High post up game - He looks more like a perimeter 3/4 combo right now when we need another high post threat. He can't weight that much less then freshmen CJ, the truth is in his handle, expolsiveness and quick midrange release. We have plenty of perimeter scorers already, and I won't ask him to be something hes not.

5. Dajuans recovery defense. Hes doing a pretty good job rebounding. Hes got to recover baseline better. Offense is his main focal point right now. We already have Rak and Baye back there.

Of course I am alittle tough on the freshmen. They have the furthest to go. It was always in my philosophy its a honor to be tough on some one. It says they can make the team better. Tough on Rak becuase I think his hook could be nicknamed the destroyer if he starts making those.
We haven't even began to see the best of MCW, CJ, Triche, Southerland, Cooney, Rak this year yet. They have so much waiting to come out. Can't wait to see us make three perimeter passes each guy spotting up for three then finally the forth guy knocks one down. That will look awfully intimidating when it happens.
Who are you tough on right now?

 

[pfister1]

I think it's too early to be passing judgement on most teams, especially teams that are integrating guys into new roles. Though Carolina did look pretty bad, from the parts I watched.

But I always have trouble buying stuff like "i can't see them making the second weekend of the tournament". Even if you thought Carolina (or whoever) was overrated, double digit seeds make the Sweet 16 all the time.

I will admit, watching the parts of the game last night, I was wondering to myself if UNC could be like the team a few years ago that we spanked. We all thought they were good; turned out they weren't any good.

I didn't watch the UNC - Butler game until, UNC was down 30. My son kept talking about how UNC was getting thrashed so I finally decided I had to see it for myself and put down my work and watched the rest of the game. I thought they looked pretty darn good for the part of the game I watched...approx. the last 10-12 minutes.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

You may not have intended to alarm me, but you have...

 

[PoppyHart]

Doesn't UNC have a completely new starting five compared to the end of last season? Their key will be Paige and whether he can get the pieces moving in the right direction. If he plays well, they can make a deep, FF-type run. If he's mediocre, they could be a 6 seed and bounced early.

 

[zeekay]

We'll stumble a few times but the talent is undeniable. I really like this team, we have all the piecea required.

The only thing we lack right now is a 7' center that always works so well in zones. DC2 doesn't look like a major shot blocker to me. XMAS is very good at blocking shots but undersized for that position. BMK plays good position defense but, again, not a shotblocker. Looking forward to seeing these guys get better on defense. If they do we can be unstoppable.

If we play a team with a really good scoring center (Indiana, L'ville, UK), do we have a reliable guy to stop him? I'm not confident we do right now.

 

[edowd26]

The only thing we lack right now is a 7' center that always works so well in zones. DC2 doesn't look like a major shot blocker to me. XMAS is very good at blocking shots but undersized for that position. BMK plays good position defense but, again, not a shotblocker. Looking forward to seeing these guys get better on defense. If they do we can be unstoppable.

If we play a team with a really good scoring center (Indiana, L'ville), do we have a reliable guy to stop him? I'm not confident we do right now.

One scoring center wont beat us, but I bet we could hold our own with the trio we have.

 

[Upstate]

SU certainly has the best defense in the top 10

 

[CorduroyG]

I didn't watch the UNC - Butler game until, UNC was down 30. My son kept talking about how UNC was getting thrashed so I finally decided I had to see it for myself and put down my work and watched the rest of the game. I thought they looked pretty darn good for the part of the game I watched...approx. the last 10-12 minutes.

haha same here, i put it on in the 2nd half right when carolina was making their run, they looked damn good to me. theyll be a top 4 seed in the dance.

kansas is very impressive

 

[orangejunkie]

In the Big East the early predictions are Louisville and Syracuse. Georgetown looks pretty good over the weekend too. Very impressed with how they played Indiana. Indiana has two more potential players waiting NCAA approval. They are still my pick.

 

[The Governor]

I live in Louisville so I've seen just about every game IU, UL, and UK have played and they'd be bottom end of the top 10 last year.

IU can't defend, UL is a horrendous 3 point shooting team, and UK has no point guard with Harrow out. All are fatally flawed. This thing is wide open.

 

[ORRange]

I think it depends upon which UNC team steps forward. They looked awful for the first 20 - 25 minutes against Butler but for most of the 2nd half they looked really great. They got slaughtered by FSU last year but were still one of the elite teams heading into the Tourney.

You can't win it all without steady guard play and NC has serious issues in the backcourt.