College Hoops Thread - 2014

[packsyd2284]

Holy shit what a dunk!!

That dunk was FILTHY.

[LetsGoPeay]

Watching Calipari coach is hysterical.

Rex Chapman says he'll be doing it for the Lakers next year.

[jsence2]

James Young just baptized the entire state of Connecticut. If we win, that dunk will be the catalyst.

Dear God it was nasty

[Cnasty]

If uconn loses, Napier and boatwright are going to blows.

[jsence2]

FTs will cost us the title. So will being out rebounded

[nick]

congrats Dave!

[I_S33M_THAB33T_U]

TY UCONN

[packsyd2284]

Only person on the planet that thought UCONNS would win this whole thing was any one on staff and the players, what a weird and crazy run.

[autiger730]

I'm pulling for that guy with the shitty tattoo.

you'll see him on TV tonight. CBS gave him tickets and flew him in for the game.

It was a local CBS station that bought the tickets, it wasn't the network itself. And the guy and a friend had to drive to Texas for the game in his friends mom's car. Doesn't sound so glamorous. But then again, if someone got me tickets to the game, I'd have my ass in a car driving to Texas too...

Glad UK lost. This kind of behavior doesn't need to be encouraged. What costs more: gas to Dallas, the tat, or the laser tat removal?

[shel311]

One Shining Moment!

[autiger730]

One Shining Moment!

This is the worst.

[buckeye76]

good for UConn..... Love that a team won it. UK, over the past years, they have recruited people that are selfish. Good game.

[BIGmike]

So, did Drake manage to get his hands on a uconn sweatshirt after the game?

[DRiccio21]

crazy game.

i actually thought Calipari coached well. the zone really helped or it was going to get ugly.

our D was so great thru the tourney. we won without the bonus which was a shock, a few big threes.

some thoughts:

- 4 titles since 99, basically 1/4 of the tournies since 99.
- its not really being talked about alot but the story about the NCAA ban last season is such a huge story. UConn lost a legendary coach who literally created the program, they lost the big east, they lost a few recruits, they gave all the players free reign to leave the program cause of the sanctions. Ollie had never coached a team and was given a temporary deal. He beat a top ranked Michigan St in his first game and now won a title and he got guys like Napier to stay in the program when he could have transferred elsewhere. amazing story that saved the program. i literally thought there was a 30-40% we became a low upper level school and fall off that elite level for good like a Maryland type.
- this run is eerily similar to Kemba's run a few years back. nobody picked UConn that season either. Jeremy Lamb = Deandre Daniels. Kemba = Shabazz.
- having Ollie is like a god send. He is so strong minded, well spoken and fresh. I find it hard to believe he won't get the pick of the litter recruiting wise given his championship and how much NBA guys respect him. I just hope he is a UConn lifer. its alot to ask but he seems loyal.
- 10 years ago the men and women won the National title on back to back nights, UConn women play tomorrow night

[DRiccio21]

another thing i just read on twitter thats pretty incredible:

In this tourney, Ollie beat: Phil Martelli, Jay Wright, Fred Hoiberg, Tom Izzo, Billy Donovan, John Calipari

[jsence2]

As I already texted you, congratulations Dave. Don't mind losing a game like that when it's a friend who gets a win, and especially when they played as well and as hard as they did.

This one is gonna sting for a while. We didn't play well, we missed nine FTs, and we got out-rebounded, and we still had a chance to win this game. This team really fought for one another these past few weeks and really gave their all. I'm not sure where Matt thinks they were selfish, or how Cal went after "selfish" players (only one was, Archie Goodwin, and he's gone). These guys were still crying and sitting around 30 min after the game. They're talking about after the game how much they fought for one another, and how much they grew together. They didn't make it this far by being selfish--they made it this far by banding together like they hadn't all year.

Even in the loss, this team goes down as special. They beat four teams in a row that were ranked in the top 10 at the end of the year (Wichita St, UofL, Michigan, and Wisconsin); they fought through one of the hardest roads ever to get to this point and they did it with contributions from all over the team, even guys who didn't get to play much but stepped up huge when they did. Guys like Hawkins who came in and shut down his man when he was in there; guys like Lee who had a break-out when he came in. Guys like Poythress, who never once complained or sulked about being on the bench. They will be celebrated loudly, as they should, when they raise the runner-up banner tomorrow. Runner-up out of over 300 teams in NCAA D-1 basketball....it was a hell of a run.

UConn.....damn, that was the best defense I've seen all year--and we played Florida three times, MSU, UNC, Baylor, UofL twice, Michigan, Wisconsin, etc. That defense held the Harrisons out of the lane most of the night, which nobody else did all year. They wouldn't let Randle post up, which limited his ability to impact the game. And they rebounded like a team twice their size, which was a major reason why they won the game. Napier hit dagger after dagger. Every time we got to within one, we would miss and it seemed like he'd come down and just bury a tough shot. Threes from NBA range, step-back jumpers in the lane....it was a flashback of Kemba and 2011 for me all over again, with the same result. He was quite impressive. And Ollie is a hell of a coach, he's going to do great things at that program.

As for next year....don't want to think about it right now, really. We could lose two, or we could lose six. I really do think that the Harrisons return (their stock is just not good enough right now), I think that Young leaves, we all know Randle is gone. The wild card will be Willie Cauley-Stein. He said tonight that he doesn't want to leave UK "until they make me leave", that he loves the school, loves going to class, loves playing there. And he truly appears to be the kind of kid who wants to stay a while. If he returns along with Dakari, Lee, the Harrisons, Poythress, plus the studs we have coming in next season....it's the 2012 team all over again in my mind. And it gives me something to look forward to. Despite the loss, I'm proud of our kids, and I'm happy that the team that beat us was deserving and showed they earned it (esp w who they also beat, damn impressive)

Congrats to Dave, drinks on me.

At least I'll always have the dunk

[jsence2]

So, did Drake manage to get his hands on a uconn sweatshirt after the game?

He took off his UK jacket and posed with the UConn guys.

The term "Bandwagon fan" has now been replaced by simply, "Drake".

[Cnasty]

Tough loss J. Free throws had to sting.

And yes that dunk is up there in ncaa lore with the great Hill one handed alley oop from back in the day.

Amazing run by the huskies. Congrats Dave

[Hoos]

Congrats to Dave and UConn. Great tourney!

[Hoos]

and just for fun, the always way too early ESPN top 20 for next season.


. Arizona Wildcats

While Sean Miller fell agonizingly short of his first-ever Final Four, he (and that legion of hungry Arizona fans) can be comforted by knowing that their Wildcats will be every bit the national title contender next season. Miller has delivered so well in recruiting that Arizona could lose star freshman forward Aaron Gordon and junior All-American Nick Johnson and still project as one of the best, deepest teams in the country. Gordon's departure seems a given, and Johnson is reportedly leaning toward it. Center Kaleb Tarczewski and athletic pivot player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson seem likely to be back. Point guard T.J. McConnell will still be running the show. Brandon Ashley will have recovered from the foot injury that ended his season in February. And incoming recruit Stanley Johnson -- the No. 1-ranked small forward and the prize of a loaded five-man haul -- might be the most skilled all-around player in the class of 2014. Miller's team had one real flaw in 2013-14: its dearth of depth after Ashley's injury . Even if Johnson, a probably second-round pick, leaves -- and that's a 50-50 proposition right now -- this team might be even deeper and more versatile on the offensive end, if not nearly as dominant defensively. Either way, it's a title favorite. Maybe the title favorite. The future in Tucson is as bright as the midday Arizona sun.

For more on how the Wildcats will look in 2014-15, check out Arizona's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.


2. Duke Blue Devils

By all accounts, gifted Duke freshman Jabari Parker is genuinely weighing the notion of coming back to school. Stranger things have happened, we guess, but let's be real: Parker is almost certainly going pro. Same goes for smooth lefty wing Rodney Hood. And you know what? Duke should be even better. How? By replacing one of their best freshmen ever with perhaps the most highly touted recruiting class of Mike Krzyzewski's career. Point guard Tyus Jones and center Jahlil Okafor are the top-ranked players at their positions, according to the ESPN 100 (No. 4 and No. 1 overall, respectively). Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen are five-star prospects in their own right. That group will mix in with a solid core of returners, from skilled guards Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon to rebound-gobbling forwards Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee. Two big questions here: Will Myles Turner, who is still considering Duke, pair with Okafor in a frightening frontcourt? And can Coach K, who has never had a team as young as this, get the Blue Devils up to speed (particularly defensively) in time to make a national title run?

For more on how the Blue Devils will look in 2014-15, check out Duke's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

3. Kentucky Wildcats

Surprise, surprise: The Kentucky Wildcats have another stellar recruiting class arriving in Lexington next fall. Power forward Trey Lyles and center Karl Towns Jr. are two of the 10 best players in the class, per the ESPN 100, and shooting guard Devin Booker might grade out as one of the most efficient perimeter scorers in the country. As is custom, Kentucky is losing much of this season's roster, but it could return some important pieces, especially hyper-promising center Marcus Lee, who played a key, sudden role in UK's Final Four run. Whether John Calipari's latest batch of future NBA pros is as good as the world-destroying 2013 class -- which began with Fab Five comparisons and talk of an undefeated season, and then waited until March to show everybody why -- is beside the point. What matters is how good the 2014-15 Wildcats will be relative to their competition at other schools. After four Elite Eights, three Final Fours, and one national title (and nearly his second Monday night) Calipari's five seasons at UK, that answer should be fairly self-explanatory.

For more on how the Wildcats will look in 2014-15, check out Kentucky's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

4. Wisconsin Badgers

Don't get it twisted: Wisconsin's Final Four run was no fluke. Save a rough patch in January, the Wisconsin offense you saw in March -- the one that was a possession away from a crack at the national title -- really was that good all season long. Next season, almost everyone is back. Ben Brust is the only significant contributor graduating this spring. Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker both declared their intentions to return almost immediately following their loss to Kentucky on Saturday night; both could compete for national player of the year honors next season. Josh Gasser and Traevon Jackson will be seniors. Rising sophomore Nigel Hayeswill be a seasoned and even more polished frontcourt force. And if Bronson Koenig can re-create his stellar work against Kentucky on a regular basis, the Badgers have every chance of getting back to the Final Four a year from now.

For more on how the Badgers will look in 2014-15, check out Wisconsin's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

5. Wichita State Shockers

Losing senior Cleanthony Early hurts for all the reasons he displayed in his remarkable 31-point performance in the Shockers' second-round loss to Kentucky. (Has any player helped his draft stock so much with one game? What a stud.) And role players Nick Wiggins, Chadrack Lufile and Kadeem Coleby won't be easy to replace. But Gregg Marshall has another crop of sturdy junior college reinforcements on the way, who will join with hyperefficient point guard Fred VanVleet and NBA-eschewing shooting guard Ron Baker -- to say nothing of Darius Carter and Tekele Cotton. The Shockers aren't going anywhere.

For more on how the Shockers will look in 2014-15, check out Wichita State's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

6. North Carolina Tar Heels

Leslie McDonald graduated and James Michael McAdoo declared for the NBA draft, and those are the only two departures Roy Williams has to worry about. In other words, the Tar Heels are going to be good. Marcus Paige came of age in his sophomore year. McAdoo's departure creates room (and loads of deserved touches) for uber-efficient Brice Johnson. That swap may be addition by subtraction. Then there is addition by addition: Williams has the No. 3-ranked class en route to Chapel Hill, which includes Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson and Joel Berry, none of whom ranks lower than third at his respective perimeter position. With Paige running the show, UNC will be within range of national title contention once more.

For more on how the Tar Heels will look in 2014-15, check out North Carolina's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

7. Virginia Cavaliers

Much was made of the Cavaliers' experience and their long road to 2014's ACC title sweep, and the team's seniors -- lights-out shooter Joe Harris and imposing forward Akil Mitchell -- were crucial to this season's success. But that's it. Those are Virginia's only two senior contributors. Everybody else is back. Team usage leader Malcolm Brogdon will be a junior, as will Justin Anderson, Anthony Gill and Mike Tobey (the latter of whom looks capable of replacing some of Mitchell's interior work). Freshman London Perrantes shot 44 percent from 3 and should get many more looks with Harris gone; Perrantes is a breakout candidate waiting to happen. And Tony Bennett's team is still going to play the same brand of smothering, stifling pack-line defense.

For more on how the Cavaliers will look in 2014-15, check out Virginia's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

8. Florida Gators

Billy Donovan, as is his wont, has another strategically perfect class coming in. It's a group of four-star players who should be able to contribute and fill needs right away, but they won't necessarily need major minutes or lots of touches right off the bat. That's good, because losing Scottie Wilbekin, Casey Prather and Patric Young creates a need for a smooth, structured transition. The talent is here: Kasey Hill flashed brilliance in a backup role before wilting in the Final Four; Michael Frazier II is a knockdown shooter; Dorian Finney-Smith is a highly skilled forward; and rising sophomore center Chris Walker is a complete athletic freak whose late start to the season gave him no time to develop. When he does, look out. Florida may have some growing pains, but Donovan will get them there.

For more on how the Gators will look in 2014-15, check out Florida's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

9. Kansas Jayhawks

The general rule with lottery picks -- especially top-five picks -- is to plan for their departure. That's why it seems unlikely Kansas, having already lost Andrew Wiggins to the draft, will keep currently undecided center Joel Embiid on campus for another season. It just doesn't happen often. But if Embiid does leave, a spot would open up for Myles Turner, who has kept Kansas near the top of his list throughout his recruitment. The Jayhawks already have the No. 1 power forward in the country (Cliff Alexander) signed, as well as No. 4 small forward Kelly Oubre, and will put those two alongside Wayne Selden Jr., Perry Ellis, Naadir Tharpe, Frank Mason, Brannen Greene and Conner Frankamp -- a deep and versatile core. After 10 straight regular-season Big 12 titles, the first rule of Bill Self is to never doubt Bill Self.

For more on how the Jayhawks will look in 2014-15, check out Kansas' recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

10. Connecticut Huskies

Losing Shabazz Napier is tough. (That's the kind of hard-hitting analysis you get from the Way-Too-Early Top 25.) Napier is the Huskies' heart and soul, and he was also a massively productive, efficient player -- replacing him won't be possible. But even without him, UConn has a promising 2014-15 on deck. If Ryan Boatright's jump shot develops, he could be a devastating ball-dominant point guard. DeAndre Daniels is rounding into an unstoppable wing scorer. Freshman center Amida Brimah blocked 15.4 percent of opponents' shots this season, fourth-most in the country; his future is limitless. Kevin Ollie could get contributions from still-promising guard Omar Calhoun and incoming talent Daniel Hamilton. And NC State transfer Rodney Purvis -- whom Ollie referred to as "a Ferrari in the garage that I can't drive" in Arlington this week -- may be the best player of them all. The Huskies are in excellent hands.

For more on how the Huskies will look in 2014-15, check out UConn's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's Insiderclass rankings.

11. SMU Mustangs

Wait ... what? Don't refresh your browser, folks. This isn't a mistake. Larry Brown got a long-moribund SMU program into tournament contention in 2013-14, just his second season, thanks to a deep and scrappy group of homegrown recruits and transfers. Nearly everyone will return in 2014-15. Meanwhile, Brown's aggressive staff managed to land fifth-ranked 2014 prospect Emmanuel Mudiay, a 6-foot-5 lead guard with physical scoring skills, a tight handle, and a well-developed, crafty midrange game. (Think the Harrison twins, maybe. Or Tyreke Evans.) An already excellent defense will benefit next season from serious scoring punch, with a legendary head coach still running circles around his contemporaries on a play-by-play basis. This is a fascinating team to watch moving forward.

For more on how the Mustangs will look in 2014-15, check out SMU's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

12. Louisville Cardinals

The Cardinals are losing a ton. There's Russ Smith, an All-American and the lead force on the Cardinals' 2013 national title team. There's Luke Hancock>, the Most Outstanding Player of that Final Four. Stephan Van Treese leaves with size and hoops IQ in tow. And Montrezl Harrell, who became a dominant interior force this season, looks likely to enter the NBA draft. Yet Rick Pitino's team might still be a title contender by next March, and not just because Pitino has been masterful in working through roster changes in recent seasons. He also brings in the No. 4-ranked recruiting class -- including four solid, top-100 players in Shaqquan Aaron, Quentin Snider, Anas Osama Mahmoud and Chinanu Onuaku. Pitino may need to get more out of Mangok Mathiang and (especially) Wayne Blackshear, but the Cardinals won't lack for talent.

For more on how the Cardinals will look in 2014-15, check out Louisville's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

13. Villanova Wildcats

After a two-year lull, Jay Wright got Villanova back among the elite in 2013-14, and expectations will be similarly high next season. Four starters (Ryan Arcidiacono, Darrun Hilliard II, JayVaughn Pinkston and Daniel Ochefu) return alongside promising rising sophomore Josh Hart (who posted a 126.8 offensive rating this season). Two top-100 prospects (forward Mikal Bridges, guard Phil Booth) should be able to contribute right away. Villanova's season didn't end the way Wright wanted, but some of the sting comes off when the No. 7 seed that "upset" you streaks all the way to the Final Four. Wright's program is back in a big way.

For more on how the Wildcats will look in 2014-15, check out Villanova's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

14. VCU Rams

Could next season be VCU's best ever? Shaka Smart will lose two four-year contributors this spring, but he has his best-ever recruiting class (and it's not even close) on the way, including three top-100 players. Oh, and Briante Weber (maybe the most disruptive defender in the country) is back, along with Treveon Graham and Melvin Johnson. The Rams are going to be super-deep; Smart's ball-pressuring, turnover-inducing style may get its best exhibition yet.

For more on how the Rams will look in 2014-15, check out VCU's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

15. Gonzaga Bulldogs

When Przemek Karnowski arrived at Gonzaga, he was little-known outside international circles, and his early struggles didn't earn him much fanfare. The 2014-15 season may be his coming-out party. He was excellent down the stretch for Gonzaga this past season. Next year's Bulldogs will keep Kevin Pangos, Gary Bell Jr. and Kyle Dranginis on the perimeter, with the 7-foot-1 Karnowski as the featured post player, and they'll add former Kentucky forward Kyle Wiltjer. It's easy to see Mark Few playing a four-out, one-in configuration, with Wiltjer occasionally rotating into high-low and post sets with Karnowski. The results could be devastating.

For more on how the Bulldogs' will look in 2014-15, check out Gonzaga's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

16. Iowa State Cyclones

Fred Hoiberg hasn't merely had successful seasons in his brilliant four-year run at Iowa State. He's also built the Cyclones into a program that can sustain annual losses and still expect to be really good. So it is in 2014-15, when the Cyclones will lose DeAndre Kane and Melvin Ejim -- both seniors, and two of the best players in the country -- but will still have Georges Niang and Dustin Hogue in even bigger roles, Monte Morris and Naz Long emerging from the wings, 3-point threat freshman Clay Custer, and frontcourt transfers Abdel Nader and Jameel McKay.

For more on how the Cyclones will look in 2014-15, check out Iowa State's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

17. Michigan Wolverines

Early in the season, as Nik Stauskas morphed into an all-court killer, his father let slip that his son's sights were focused on the NBA. Stauskas had to deny it at the time, but there's little reason to pretend otherwise now: Stauskas' comprehensive offensive season (not just scoring but passing, ballhandling, you name it) have made him a bona fide lottery pick. NBA people have fallen head over heels. So where does that leave Michigan? It depends: Will Glenn Robinson III leave? What about Mitch McGary, who missed most of the 2013-14 season thanks to back surgery? If both are back, the Wolverines are the Big Ten favorite. If one or both are gone, things are more fluid -- but the return of Caris LeVert and the ongoing development of Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin will keep John Beilein's team in the mix.

For more on how the Wolverines will look in 2014-15, check out Michigan's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

18. Michigan State Spartans

Last week, Tom Izzo told reporters that star sophomore shooting guard Gary Harris was "torn" on the NBA draft. Izzo admitted it probably makes sense for Harris to enter the draft, and he probably will. Adreian Payne will be there already, and Keith Appling graduates this spring. Branden Dawson is reportedly 50-50. Izzo has one top-100 player inbound -- No. 15-ranked point guard Lourawls Nairn -- and a good backcourt in Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine. But if four of Michigan State's five starters go missing, 2014-15 may see the Spartans take at least a half-step back.

For more on how the Spartans will look in 2014-15, check out Michigan State's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

19. Texas Longhorns

Rick Barnes needed a quality campaign to shore up support in Austin, Texas, and he got exactly that this season. Next season holds the promise of much more. Barnes will return all five starters from this season -- including Cameron Ridley, Javan Felix and productive rising senior Jonathan Holmes -- while adding wing Jordan Barnett, who combines explosive athletic ability with 3-point shooting.

For more on how the Longhorns will look in 2014-15, check out Texas' recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.

20. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma has been ahead of the typical rebuilding schedule almost from the moment Lon Kruger took over. Next season, the Sooners have a chance to take another step. Buddy Hield, Jordan Woodward, Isaiah Cousins and Ryan Spangler all return to a team that finished in the top 20 in adjusted offensive efficiency, and the loss of second-leading scorer Cameron Clark should be offset by the addition of top-100 power forward Dante Buford and lanky four-star center Khadeem Lattin. The Sooners are adding a ton of size to a skilled offensive team. If they perk up even a smidge defensively, be forewarned.




For more on how the Sooners will look in 2014-15, check out Oklahoma's recruiting profile Insider and ESPN RecruitingNation's class rankings.