Espn Early Pre-Season Top 25 Basketball 2013-2014

[VolFreakJosh]

Here's an early look at the top 25 basketball rankings 2013-2014. Tennessee is currently sitting at 19th. That's not bad but I expect us to move up on the next update.:good!:

An updated look at the Top 25 for 2013-14 season - NCAA men's college basketball - ESPN

 

[vol2002]

This is great. I'm excited about next season!

 

[VolFromNashville]

We've got a really good team returning. I hope they can put it together in the tournament

 

[terrypedigo]

We've got a really good team returning. I hope they can put it together in the tournament

We will bring on the little pussy cats.

 

[Persian Vol]

Hopefully everyone stays healthy!

 

[Vol_51]

Id hope we would be ranked in year 3

 

[iKrager]

Id hope we would be ranked in year 3

You have very high standards, and clearly don't know how hard it is to build a team capable of being in the top 25.

 

[Special Ed]

"Tennessee, which won eight of its final nine regular-season games, will tout as much experience as any team in the SEC."
Which really puts the onus on Cuonzo in his third year at the helm.

 

[Shaun1985]

Excited to talk about next season!

Overrated IMO is Duke, Arizona and Memphis. Underrated is Oklahoma State, UConn and Tennessee

I'm fine with UT starting 19th but if everyone stays healthy, I see no reason we aren't top 10 all season long. I could also see UConn as a top 10 team. Solid backcourt, tough defense and Ollie can flat out coach IMO. Duke is weak in the paint and is banking on a transfer, a freshman and a role player contributing a lot more. Just doesn't fit. And does Black not have to wait at all? How can he play right away??

My preseason Top 10

1.) L-Ville
2.) Oklahoma State
3.) Ohio State
4.) Kentucky
5.) Florida
6.) Wichita State
7.) Michigan State
8.) Michigan
9.) Syracuse
10.) Baylor (as long as their pg is half way decent, so dangerous)

 

[notabed22]

Wichita State, Memphis and Baylor are too high.

Tennessee, Kansas and UConn are too low.

 

[Shaun1985]

Wichita State, Memphis and Baylor are too high.

Tennessee, Kansas and UConn are too low.

Curious why you think Wichita State and Baylor are too high? Also, Kansas lost pretty much everyone. I agree with the others though.

 

[notabed22]

Curious why you think Wichita State and Baylor are too high? Also, Kansas lost pretty much everyone. I agree with the others though.

I don't think Baylor will be able to easily replace Jackson at the point, and I'm of the opinion that Wichita State was just a flash in the pan. I think Baylor will be a Top 25 team this season (just not deserving of a 5 seed), but the Shockers don't impress me. No real reason why considering they made the Final Four this year, but I think you reshuffle the seeding and they'd have been out in the round of 32. Also, I don't like the idea of betting against Bill Self.

Villanova, in my mind, should also be in the Top 25.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Excited to talk about next season!

Overrated IMO is Duke, Arizona and Memphis. Underrated is Oklahoma State, UConn and Tennessee

I'm fine with UT starting 19th but if everyone stays healthy, I see no reason we aren't top 10 all season long. I could also see UConn as a top 10 team. Solid backcourt, tough defense and Ollie can flat out coach IMO. Duke is weak in the paint and is banking on a transfer, a freshman and a role player contributing a lot more. Just doesn't fit. And does Black not have to wait at all? How can he play right away??

My preseason Top 10

1.) L-Ville
2.) Oklahoma State
3.) Ohio State
4.) Kentucky
5.) Florida
6.) Wichita State
7.) Michigan State
8.) Michigan
9.) Syracuse
10.) Baylor (as long as their pg is half way decent, so dangerous)

Tarik Black graduated, he can play immediately, a la John Fields.

I'm with you on UK, wouldn't put then 1, need to see them prove themselves.

As for Wichita State, maybe I missed something, but how you have them top 10 is beyond me. They lose their best player in Carl Hall, and their clutch PG Armstead. Even with those guys returning I wouldn't put them top 10, I would say they're 20-25 IMO.

Also think okie state is way too high, much of the same team they had last year that choked...I don't think much of Ford, I'd have them around 13-15. Same for Bayor, I think Drew is a tool bag and somehow usually underachieves, I would expect much of the same next year.

With you on Memphis, not sure when people are gonna learn to quit ranking them so high preseason (Jeff Goodman gets it), but all 4 years since Pastner has been there they haven't met their preseason ranking. I'm not sure how playing in a tougher conference is going to result, but should be interesting.

 

[Shaun1985]

I don't think Baylor will be able to easily replace Jackson at the point, and I'm of the opinion that Wichita State was just a flash in the pan. I think Baylor will be a Top 25 team this season (just not deserving of a 5 seed), but the Shockers don't impress me. No real reason why considering they made the Final Four this year, but I think you reshuffle the seeding and they'd have been out in the round of 32. Also, I don't like the idea of betting against Bill Self.

Villanova, in my mind, should also be in the Top 25.

Nice.

I agree with Nova being in the top 25. I can see the "flash in the pan" thing with Wichita State but it's tough to leave them out with everything they did last year. That conference will be fun to watch again this year. Self is amazing but it's crazy to lose 5 starters and do something decent.

Also teams I'm curious about is Wisky and what Iowa State can do this year. Can't wait for basketball season to start!!!!!!!!!

 

[TigerFan386]

Tarik Black graduated, he can play immediately, a la John Fields.

I'm with you on UK, wouldn't put then 1, need to see them prove themselves.

As for Wichita State, maybe I missed something, but how you have them top 10 is beyond me. They lose their best player in Carl Hall, and their clutch PG Armstead. Even with those guys returning I wouldn't put them top 10, I would say they're 20-25 IMO.

Also think okie state is way too high, much of the same team they had last year that choked...I don't think much of Ford, I'd have them around 13-15. Same for Bayor, I think Drew is a tool bag and somehow usually underachieves, I would expect much of the same next year.

With you on Memphis, not sure when people are gonna learn to quit ranking them so high preseason (Jeff Goodman gets it), but all 4 years since Pastner has been there they haven't met their preseason ranking. I'm not sure how playing in a tougher conference is going to result, but should be interesting.

Memphis: Started slow, finished strong with a loss to Michigan State in the second round of the tournament. Bring in a 5 star, four 4 stars, and you whine they are ranked in the top 20.

UT: Started slow, finished pretty well with a loss to Mercer in the first round of the NIT. Bring in one 5 star, two 3 stars, and you say they should be ranked top 10.

Seems a little biased. If you want to argue it's a trend for Pastner to underachieve, that's fine. I could argue that Martin has never had a ranked team and never made it to the tournament.

 

[bigsteve13]

It's all about starting strong. Martin will lose this fan base if we start slow and miss the tournament because of it.

 

[GoobieVol]

It's all about starting strong. Martin will lose this fan base if we start slow and miss the tournament because of it.

Yeah the seat would start warming at that point.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Memphis: Started slow, finished strong with a loss to Michigan State in the second round of the tournament. Bring in a 5 star, four 4 stars, and you whine they are ranked in the top 20.

UT: Started slow, finished pretty well with a loss to Mercer in the first round of the NIT. Bring in one 5 star, two 3 stars, and you say they should be ranked top 10.

Seems a little biased. If you want to argue it's a trend for Pastner to underachieve, that's fine. I could argue that Martin has never had a ranked team and never made it to the tournament.

I agree...that's why Tennessee is showing up in the high teens to 20s and not 10-13 range.

You could easily argue Martin hasn't ever had top 25 talent, the same cant be said for Pastner that's for sure.

I'm not whining that Memphis is ranked top 20, infact I'm not whining at all but giving my opinion, if it hurts your feelings go back to your tigers board. I think Memphis should be ranked top 20, but I've seen them as high as 12 iirc, that's too high IMO. And where the hell did I ever say UT should be ranked top 10 preseason, I'll wait for that one bruh........gotta love someone who has to make $hit up to try and prove their point.

 

[SCowlsVOL]

UT: Started slow, finished pretty well with a loss to Mercer in the first round of the NIT. Bring in one 5 star, two 3 stars, and you say they should be ranked top 10.

We bring the recruiting class in and return pretty much everyone back but mcbee and add a maybe healthy maymon. I don't think we should be in the top 10 but we deserve where we are at for sure.

 

[notabed22]

It's all about starting strong. Martin will lose this fan base if we start slow and miss the tournament because of it.

If Tennessee misses the tournament, Martin doesn't have to worry about UT's fanbase. He'll be looking for a new head coaching job.

Of course, this won't happen... not by a long shot. Martin's a great coach who, after a solid first year, was hampered by injuries in year two and still kept the ship level. There's not a doubt in my mind that this will be his breakout season.

I'm not sure that Tennessee ever cracks the Top 5 (hell, they finished #8 after losing by one to MSU in the Elite 8... weird), but depending on schedule I think you'll see the Vols in the Top 10 before SEC play. There's Elite 8 talent on this year's squad (perhaps more, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here) for certain, it just depends on where the chips fall on selection Sunday.

 

[TigerFan386]

I agree...that's why Tennessee is showing up in the high teens to 20s and not 10-13 range.

You could easily argue Martin hasn't ever had top 25 talent, the same cant be said for Pastner that's for sure.

I'm not whining that Memphis is ranked top 20, infact I'm not whining at all but giving my opinion, if it hurts your feelings go back to your tigers board. I think Memphis should be ranked top 20, but I've seen them as high as 12 iirc, that's too high IMO. And where the hell did I ever say UT should be ranked top 10 preseason, I'll wait for that one bruh........gotta love someone who has to make $hit up to try and prove their point.

I quoted you, but the guy you were responding too said something to the effect that he believed UT would be top 10. Last year Martin had a 5 star and three 4 stars, some would argue that is top 25 talent, at least top 40 talent that should have made the tournament. I'll agree that the most important thing for him is getting off to a good start, Pastner has had the same problem and it always kills seeding. More importantly, are people still saying "bruh"? How many surfers live in East Tennessee?

 

[Aesius]

Tennessee has a top 10 starting lineup, maybe top 5. Quality depth is an issue though.

 

[Donvolson]

Memphis .wich st, should not be ahead of the vols. They always rank memphis really high, they win a lot of games against lame teams, then we usually whip their ass. Memphis sux as a whole.

 

[dixiebullfrog]

With you on Memphis, not sure when people are gonna learn to quit ranking them so high preseason (Jeff Goodman gets it), but all 4 years since Pastner has been there they haven't met their preseason ranking. I'm not sure how playing in a tougher conference is going to result, but should be interesting.

[from the ESPN Rankings menu]

'09-10 --- not ranked pre-season / NIT 1 - 1

2nd/3rd season --- pre-seasons ranked ridiculously too high

'12 - '13 --- AP pre-season #17 / finished #19
USA/Coaches pre-season #16 / finished #15

Goodman used Memphis' previous history as a lightning rod to get hits on CBS site. CBS 25 + 1 ranking didn't have UM ranked while most others did TIFWIW.

 

[Kusotate]

Memphis .wich st, should not be ahead of the vols. They always rank memphis really high, they win a lot of games against lame teams, then we usually whip their ass. Memphis sux as a whole.

You can't be serious with this garbage, your current head coach is 0-3 vs Memphis.