IMO, Syracuse is the best team in the nation, with Kansas being a somewhat distant second.
- Thread starter Jeremy L.
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Trueblue25
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It's hard not to be when you have a...
Senior leader scoring 18 ppt
A sophomore shooting 50% from 3
A freshman with a 4:1 a/to ratio and 12 ppg
3 Centers
A top 15 draft prospect who doesn't even start
Spiderman (Gbinije)
and the best coach in college basketball.
Now all we need is a intimidating mascot.
Senior leader scoring 18 ppt
A sophomore shooting 50% from 3
A freshman with a 4:1 a/to ratio and 12 ppg
3 Centers
A top 15 draft prospect who doesn't even start
Spiderman (Gbinije)
and the best coach in college basketball.
Now all we need is a intimidating mascot.
Eric15
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Too early to tell? Is there a team better than Cuse? Is Duke better than KU? Let's talk
We're very good, but the idea that we're first and someone else is a "distant second" is looking through orange-colored glasses.
There are probably 8-10 teams that have a solid chance of winning it all.
Trueblue25
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Embliid and Wiggins will be nuts by March imo.
It all lays in how KU's guard play develops.
jekelish
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I certainly wouldn't put Duke up there - yet. They certainly have the potential, and Jabari could easily pull a Melo.
I haven't seen enough of Zona so I will let others speak to them. Kansas? Eh, maybe. They certainly have talent.
I didn't think we would really be in the discussion for the top team this early this season, but I have not been blown away by anyone else. Our guys are as good as almost anyone else's guys, and we have maybe the smartest point guard in the nation, one of the best shooters, and one of the best forwards who happens to be a senior leader. Damn good start.
I haven't seen enough of Zona so I will let others speak to them. Kansas? Eh, maybe. They certainly have talent.
I didn't think we would really be in the discussion for the top team this early this season, but I have not been blown away by anyone else. Our guys are as good as almost anyone else's guys, and we have maybe the smartest point guard in the nation, one of the best shooters, and one of the best forwards who happens to be a senior leader. Damn good start.
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Orangezoo
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Lol.. rankings discussions crack me up. Writeup on cnnsi on our game says zonas wins at michigan and over duke at msg give them an edge over us and we have plenty of time to boost our resume.. gotta love lazy journalists. Our wins over baylor in maui, @ sju, home against nova etc outweigh zonas.. but that is beside the point with conference play still to come.
Jeremy L.
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That's what I think. I'm not completely sold on Zona, KU has Wiggins and Embiid which can make the Jayhawks a big time threat, Duke has Parker obviously.
I just think Syracuse has been playing the best basketball, and look like the most complete team.
Orangezoo
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At this point I have not seen a team that looks better than us right now. KU has a talented frontcourt but a weak backcourt.
Trueblue25
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Duke they are weak and one dimensional as usual.
CaptainJ
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Kentucky made a pretty solid run today while their best player wasnt even on the bench due to injury, against the #6 team in the country. I'm not sure if that translates into them being in our universe yet, but maybe soon?
Like eao and the announcers said, there dont appear to be any clearly dominant teams(at least yet), and a whole bunch who can be included in final 4 talk. To Louisville's credit, they played a blue blood OOC on the opposing team's home floor. Does anyone know the last time we did that?
The Orange look great(unless you count when they were down 18 at home), but just like many were ready to hand Kentucky the title before the previous season ended, things can change in a hurry. Let's at least see if we can handle the many hurdles of the best conference ever before penciling us in a champions. I do think the OP has chance of being correct at some point in the season, but it's more to do with widespread mediocrity than this team being one of the top 2 or 3 SU teams at this point in time...but I think they have the potential to be one of them if a 4 or 5 makes an in-season jump and CJ can be the CJ we expect.
Keeping my fingers crossed, go Orange!!!
Like eao and the announcers said, there dont appear to be any clearly dominant teams(at least yet), and a whole bunch who can be included in final 4 talk. To Louisville's credit, they played a blue blood OOC on the opposing team's home floor. Does anyone know the last time we did that?
The Orange look great(unless you count when they were down 18 at home), but just like many were ready to hand Kentucky the title before the previous season ended, things can change in a hurry. Let's at least see if we can handle the many hurdles of the best conference ever before penciling us in a champions. I do think the OP has chance of being correct at some point in the season, but it's more to do with widespread mediocrity than this team being one of the top 2 or 3 SU teams at this point in time...but I think they have the potential to be one of them if a 4 or 5 makes an in-season jump and CJ can be the CJ we expect.
Keeping my fingers crossed, go Orange!!!
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EastCoast2
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Kansas is a 2 seed IMO
jordoo
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Kansas may be the 2nd best or best team at seasons end but right now I wouldn't put them that high. We just beat a very good team that beat them and their huge size advantage because they have poor PG play and shooting from the perimeter by the guards whenever I have watched them.
I think SU is playing as good as anyone but AZ is deserving to be way up there as are some others.
I think SU is playing as good as anyone but AZ is deserving to be way up there as are some others.
Shrmdougluvr
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This. And the fact that we are better than Arizona at every position, deeper bench, and better coach. The difference is marginal though, and i agree there are likely 8-10 teams that can win it all.
jordoo
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I actually think UNC may be one of our toughest matchups. Plenty of big athletic guys to crash the offensive glass which is a weakness of the zone. Also we have struggled at times in transition defense which is something that UNC excels at of makes and misses. Luckily we don't turn the ball over much but getting back and set up in the 2-3 will be the most important thing in that game.
Well, I thought we matched up well against Syracuse the last time we played, and we all know how that worked out. I grew up in upstate New York and two members of my immediate family went to Syracuse, so while I'll be pulling for Carolina to get the win, a loss to 'Cuse wouldn't be too tough to swallow, particularly because you all are pretty damn good right now.
jordoo
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That last match up was one where one team came in under rated and the other over rated plus we had one of those games where multiple guys were just lights out. I still feel that had we not lost Arinze before the NCAAT we would have been the favorite. That was just and excellent team we had that season and everyone fit together well. Reminds me a bit of this season, lost some really good players but somehow seem to be better mainly because the pieces fit together better and make the game easier for each other.
Orange87
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If you are not intimidated by this irate orange, then I don't know what to tell you.
Orange87
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While beating SJU and Baylor at those respective venues are good wins, a win @Michigan is significantly better than a win @St. John's and beating Duke on a neutral court is also better than beating Baylor on a neutral court.
Orangezoo
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Maybe... but duke isnt the same duke we are used to. They are undersized and inconsistent in the backcourt. Nova, @sju, baylor, minnesota, cal, indiana are a better pool of wins than zonas two highlight wins. Michigan is not a big win. They are much weaker and mcgary was never in shape or healthy..
