AP Top 25

RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS
1	Duke (33)	0-0	1,572
2	Michigan State (13)	0-0	1,520
3	Arizona (18)	0-0	1,506
4	Kansas (1)	0-0	1,439
5	Kentucky	0-0	1,340
6	Villanova	0-0	1,284
7	Wichita State	0-0	1,270
8	Florida	0-0	1,100
9	North Carolina	0-0	1,047
10	USC	0-0	995
11	West Virginia	0-0	840
12	Cincinnati	0-0	837
13	Miami	0-0	836
14	Notre Dame	0-0	814
15	Minnesota	0-0	642
16	Louisville	0-0	570
17	Xavier	0-0	544
18	Gonzaga	0-0	500
19	Northwestern	0-0	473
20	Purdue	0-0	362
21	UCLA	0-0	340
22	Saint Mary's	0-0	333
23	Seton Hall	0-0	274
24	Baylor	0-0	163
25	Texas A&M	0-0	130

Others receiving votes: Alabama 86, Virginia 57, Rhode Island 49, TCU 46, Providence 34, Missouri 19, Virginia Tech 16, Wisconsin 14, Butler 13, Texas 10, Oklahoma 7, Maryland 7, Nevada 7, Michigan 6, Dayton 5, Middle Tennessee 4, Ball State 4, SMU 3, Oakland 2, Oregon 2, UCF 1, South Carolina 1, Harvard 1

Champions take a step back, Duke and UK with idiotic recruiting classes. The rich get richer!

Kickoff game is Spring Arbor @ Eastern Michigan 10am Friday. RIP 24 hours of cbb on opening day

Let us NCAAB

Let us BONZIE

Can Ol' Roy make it 3 title games in a row?

I've got my popcorn ready...

Question for dlk9s:

Jerome will get the bulk of the PG minutes this season at UVa, who runs the point when Jerome is on the bench getting a spell? Do you think PG efficiency will suffer a lot when compared to 2017 UVa PG efficiency (we can say there probably will be a decline in efficiency after losing the senior Perrantes).

It's interesting that BPI has UVa winning the ACC regular season title (and kenpom has them finishing a game back of Dook in a three-way tie for 2nd). I think there may be some value in placing a bet on UVa, but I want to get a better understanding of the PG spot this year for UVa.

Thx in advance.

Wisconsin not ranked, Northwestern ranked. If my head hadn't already asploed that might do it.

Watched Michigan's exhibition game, they look like about the #32 team in the country.

I'll be honest, I don't really study up on the team in the offseason, but I would expect Jerome and Guy to start at the 1 and 2. I think Guy will get some time at the 1 depending on how the subbing goes.

The true backup PG is probably Rutgers graduate transfer Nigel Johnson. I've read he's quick and a good ball handler, but of course in Tony Bennett's system, defense will be key.

Devon Hall, the old man on the team, can handle the PG spot, too. He's a wing, but he can play pretty much anywhere.

As for PG efficiency, that's a good question. Perrantes was very underrated nationally and was as steadying an influence as you'll see at the position. I have a feeling, though, that Ty Jerome will be very good this year - he already looked pretty poised and mature as a freshman last year. I have an inkling that assuming he stays all four years, he will end up as one of the best PG's UVa has ever had.

I think a bigger question for Virginia is inside. Last year, we had zero post offense. None. Jack Salt, as good of a defender as he is and for as good of an athlete as he is (it's not often you see a 6'11"-ish guy built like him), he had no ability to do anything with the ball. Wilkins is our glue and is a really good player, but his offensive game is more mid-range and hustle boards. We didn't have a Gill or Tobey who could just take a pass in the lane and do something with it.

That said, Diakite showed signs that he could become something (he was also just a freshman last year) and two redshirt freshmen in Huff and Hunter should get lots of run. The former is more of a stretch-four and the latter is the springy 3/4.

I can't IMAGINE that Virginia has any chance to win the ACC this year, but we should be good. Not top 5-10 like we've been recently, but top 20-25 sounds reasonable. The big question is will scorers step up. For the first time in a while, we don't really have established veteran scorers returning. It's a very young team, but deep. Could be growing pains and probably a bit of a step back this year, but should also be an enjoyable team to watch.

EDIT: I am actually quite excited to see Ty Jerome run the point. He reminds me a bit of Joe Harris, but with more athleticism. He has good size, good handles, seems to have very good vision, and can shoot the lights out. He and Guy could be a fantastic backcourt.

So this is going to be the youngest team Cal has ever had. As such

I expect Kansas to beat us pretty solidly

drop some other random games we shouldn't and look terrible

drop near the bottom of the polls

everyone call UK overrated

finally start to figure it out in the SEC tourney

be the 4 seed no 1 seed wants to see in the tourney

You just described the Tom Izzo special

umass only has 8 scholarship players due to turnover with new coach, but im excited anyways. people are expecting us to go like 9-21 but im hoping for like 13-17. people around the program have nothing but good things to say about our new coach matt mccall. we beat siena in a scrimmage without our best player, rashaan holloway. play a scrimmage against a local d2 school on friday.

Duke is in the same boat with the youngest team Coach K has ever had.

thx dlk... good stuff.

here's the espn acc bpi pre-season:



and in case you don't subscribe to kenpom, his pre-season acc:



i've got some things to say abou UVa (based on your post). but i have to run for now.

The best player UK has returning (well except for Brad Calipari obviously) is Wenyen Gabriel who averaged 4.6 ppg last year. Hell Gabriel wasn't even playing at the end of the year, he scored 9 points total in the last 10 games. I think UK will be fine by the end of the year but I expect UK to look bad against Kansas.

LOL UCLA

I really like Louisville.

Anas Mahmoud + Ray Spalding makes for one hell of a frontcourt. Going to be tough to score on them as always with those 2

How dumb do you have to be to shoplift in a country where they don't even publicly state how many people they execute each year? The good news is they're on a path of leniency as the list of capital crimes has dropped from 68 to 46 in the last 6 years. Hopefully for their sake "shoplifting by dumb foreigners" isn't on the list. Robbery is a capital crime so they might be trying to dodge a bullet soon (literally).

Let's see if they get the Onionesque punishment of "Death with a 2 year probation" where you get your death sentence commuted to a 10-15 year term usually if you're a good boy in prison during your 2 year probation.

maybe he can serve his sentence as hard labor in the factory making his dads shoes

Shoplifting is probably about equivalent to grand theft auto in the US. Maybe they will just be flogged like that American kid who committed vandalism in the Philippines

Fire Stallings

They stole stuff from a Louis Vuitton store so it might be a significant amount. It wasn't like they a stole a pack of gum or a magazine from a convenience store. They could be in serious trouble though at least it wasn't like they got arrested in North Korea where they'd be lucky to ever get released.

Looks like 3-10 years is the likely punishment unless the USA#5 State Department can talk them out of it. Trump is in the region so who knows if he can help get them released or will he pour gasoline on the fire intentionally or otherwise?

now this is how it's done.

Collin Sexton ineligible, Bama all caught up in that bull ****

https://bamahoopshype.com/2017/11/07...ge-basketball/

also:

#Alabama's @CoachAvery6 says soph. wing Braxton Key will undergo meniscus surgery tomorrow & team will determine status afterwards.

re UVa:

I think UVa is going to have a strong season. Sure the loss of Perrantes will be felt, but the pieces are there for an E8 type run imo.

Guy (sans bun I've heard) is a guy who will be looked upon to provide consistent scoring. I think he'll be up for and meet the challenge. Hall and Jerome round out a solid backcourt. We'll see how well Johnson adjusts to the bright lights of the ACC.

Obviously having a healthy Wilkins back will serve the team well. Let's hope he's able to take the court at full-strength throughout the season. The key piece in UVa's season though could very well be the play of Diakite. Can the second year player log consistent minutes (i.e. stay out of foul trouble) and provide the anchor in the paint as a rim protector night in and night out? If yes, UVa is going to enjoy a memorable season imo.

Merry Christmas boys!

Ton of ganes today, best one appears to be Texas AnM vs West Virginia in Germany. WVU only a six point favorite even though Robert Williams is suspended for the game so theres something weird there.