College Basketball List

10 Teams To Watch Next Year: The College Basketball List

Greg Mengelt — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 07:15:21 -0800

Each week, CollegeHoops.net's Greg Mengelt presents a different College Basketball List. This week, Greg takes a look at 10 teams that are setting up well for next year..

Note: This is not a list of next year’s top 10 teams. It’s simply 10 teams to keep an eye on.. The list can't take into account possible surprise defections to the NBA..

1. Syracuse: The Orange will have to replace Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine, but C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters are more than capable of filling their roles. Expect Brandon Triche to take a larger scoring role, and Fab Melo and Rakeem Christmas to improve under the basket. There are two keys to Syracuse's 2013 season: The NBA Draft and James Southerland. If no more than Melo or Waiters go pro and Southerland becomes the star he’s capable of being, Syracuse could win it all in 2013.

2. Duke: The Blue Devils only lose light-scoring senior Miles Plumlee and aside from Austin Rivers, who could jump to the NBA, the entire Duke roster should return in intact. Mason Plumlee will continue to dominate on the boards and on defense. Quinn Cook, Tyler Thornton and Marshall Plumlee will take more prominent roles, and Ryan Kelly may become the Devils’ go-to player.

3. Texas: One of the best freshman classes in the country in 2011-12 should return intact for the 2012-13 season, along with leading scorer J’Covan Brown, who should have a big senior season. Myck Kabongo – the only Longhorn who could conceivably leave for the NBA – will benefit from a rough freshman season that will show him where he needs to improve. Jonathan Holmes, Julien Lewis, Sheldon McClellen and Jaylen Bond will give Texas a deep and talented roster. Freshman big man Cameron Ridley, a 5-star recruit, should add much needed size.

4. Indiana: Tom Crean’s rebuilding process will be complete. Indiana loses nothing of significance and Maurice Creek could return from a knee injury. Cody Zeller (assuming he stays) will only improve. Victor Oladipo, Christian Watford, Will Sheehy and Jordan Hulls are also expected to return. Add in two Top 20 recruits, Hanner Perea and Kevin Ferrell, and the Hoosiers have a shot at a Final 4 run.

5. Creighton: The Blue Jays will miss Antoine Young, but their current depth – led by freshman PG Austin Chatman – should more than make up for his absence. Doug McDermott will continue to refine his game and center Gregory Echenique will become more dominant. Sharpshooters Ethan Wragge, Grant Gibbs and Jahenns Mangiat are all expected to return, as well.

6. Saint Joseph’s: There’s not a single senior on a Hawk roster dominated by its talented sophomore class. Junior Carl Jones and sophomore Langston Galloway are already an explosive scoring threat and will only improve. C.J. Aiken will continue to dominate the paint defensively, and Halil Kanacevic is expected to play a bigger role.

7. Stanford: The Cardinal have one of the deepest and most talented sophomore classes in the country, led by PF Dwight Powell and SG Chasson Randle, who is technically a redshirt freshman this season. Aaron Bright is a strong shooter and John Huestis is an incredibly savvy player. Stanford will be one of the best teams in the Pac-12 next season and should be a national championship threat in 2013-14.

8. Davidson: The Wildcats have five players averaging in double-figures this season and none of them are seniors. Sophomore De’Mon Brooks is the team’s leading scorer at 15.5 points per game. Jake Cohen, Nik Cochran and J.P. Kuhlman are also juniors for a Davidson team that is 14-2 in the SoCon and knocked off Kansas in Lawrence in December.

9. Long Island: The Blackbirds are 22-7 and have dominated the NEC without a single senior who is a significant contributor. Juniors Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere combine for 34.2 points per game and both should be back next season along with sophomore Jason Brickman, who leads LIU at seven assists per game.

10. South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits will have to replace their best shooter in Griffan Callahan, but he is the only senior on the SDSU roster. Nate Wolters will no longer be considered a hidden gem after this season, in which he’s averaging 21.8 points, 6.1 assists, five rebounds and 1.6 steals. With Dominique Morrison graduating from Oral Roberts, South Dakota State should be the Summit League favorite heading into next season.

Coach of the Year Candidates: The College Basketball List

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:19:37 -0800

Each week, CollegeHoops.net's Greg Mengelt presents a different College Basketball List. This week, Greg takes a look at the top candidates for Coach of the Year:

1. Steve Fisher, San Diego State: What Fisher done in San Diego is near miraculous, and until the Aztecs flounder down the stretch, he’s the clear National Coach of the Year. Most expect San Diego State to be NIT bound (at best) after losing Kwahi Leonard, D.J. Gay, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White and the 49 points and 24 rebounds per game that went with them. No one expected anything near last year's 34-3 record and run to the Sweet 16, yet, Fisher has the Aztecs at 18-2 overall and on top of the Mountain West again at 4-0.

2. Frank Haith, Missouri: Haith wasn’t the first choice of Missouri fans, but even the most strident skeptics can’t deny he’s had a great impact on the program. With only seven scholarship players available – and only two of them 6-8 or taller – Haith has the Tigers at 18-2 overall and 5-2 in the Big East and ranked second in the nation.

3. Steve Prohm, Murray State: Murray State was predicted to finish second in the Ohio Valley, but Prohm has led the Racers to only unbeaten mark in the nation through Jan. 26. And he’s done it after losing three starters from last year’s team. At 20-0, the first-year Murray State head coach has his team on the precipice of history.

4. Tom Crean, Indiana: Indiana was expected to make a huge leap forward after finishing last in the Big Ten in the past three years under Crean. But few expected the leap the Hoosiers have made. Under Crean’s direction, Indiana has knocked off No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Ohio State this season. The Hoosiers are ranked 17^th in the nation and, at 16-4 overall, are on the verge of making their first NCAA Tournament since 2008.

5. Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State: Of course, it helps that Royce White transferred from Minnesota, but the job The Mayor has done in his second season in Ames is undeniable. After a 16-16 mark in his first season, including 3-13 in the Big East, Hoiberg has the Cyclones at 14-6 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12. They have a great opportunity to make their first NCAA appearance since 2005.

6. Mick Cronin, Cincinnati: After home losses to Presbyterian and Marshall early in the season – then the brawl that got several Bearcats suspended – it looked like Cincinnati’s season was headed nowhere. Since the brawl, however, Cronin has guided Cincy to a 10-3 record and at 15-6 overall and 5-3 in the Big East, they’re back into the NCAA Tournament mix.

7. Ron Hunter, Georgia State: Hunter guided a fledgling IUPUI program to the NCAA Tournament in 2003. Now, he’s trying to do the same thing in Atlanta. The Panthers went 12-19 a year ago and the Panthers were predicted to finish ninth in the Colonial. Instead, Georgia State is 14-7 overall and 6-4 in the CAA under Hunter’s direction.

8. Bill Self, Kansas: Self probably won’t get the credit he deserves for merely keeping the Jayhawks on top of the Big 12 standings. But getting Kansas to the top of the league was a more difficult task than the last eight seasons. Despite returning on one starter and one valuable sub, the Jayhawks are ranked fifth in America at 17-3. At 7-0 in the conference, Kansas is vying for its ninth straight league crown under Self.

9. Tony Bennett, Virginia: Like Crean at Indiana, Bennett’s Cavaliers were expected to make a move in the right direction. And like the Hoosiers, Virginia has surpassed expectations. As of Jan. 26, the Cavs are 15-3 overall behind Bennett’s defensive philosophy. The 21^st-ranked Cavaliers have allowed 60-plus points just one time this season, and that was in a victory.

10. John Thompson III, Georgetown: The way the Hoyas finished the past two seasons with blowout losses in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, it was hard to know what to expect from Georgetown this season. With the losses of Austin Freeman, Chris Wright and Julian Vaughn, the Hoyas were expected to finish near the middle or back of the Big East pack. Instead, Thompson has No. 10 Georgetown at 16-3 overall and in second place in the conference at 6-2.

Others Worthy of Note: Larry Eustachy, Southern Miss; Bob Hoffman, Mercer; Steve Masiello, Manhattan; Scott Sutton, Oral Roberts; Tom Izzo, Michigan State; Gary Waters, Cleveland State; Dan Hurley, Wagner; Rick Majerus, Saint Louis; Derek Kellogg, UMass; Saul Phillips, North Dakota State; Kermit Davis, Middle Tennessee; David Carter, Nevada; Bruiser Flint, Drexel; Dan Monson, Long Beach State; Frank Martin, Kansas State; Kevin Willard, Seton Hall; Wayne Tinkle, Montana; Bryce Drew, Valparaiso; Mike Anderson, Arkansas.

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