Pre-Season BB Poll

[Johnny Mac]

The first preseason poll that I have seen has now been published. Lindy's College Basketball annual is on the newstands. Not a good report. In the Big East UC picked to finish 15th, only Rutgers is worse. Louisville, Georgetown and Marquette are the top 3. West Virginia is #10. Xavier picked to win the A-10. Ole Miss sixth place out of 6 in the SEC West. Kansas State 5th in the BIG 12. Memphis #4 in country, Louisville #5, UK#21. UC recruiting class for this year rated 15th. Yancy Gates rated #82 in class of 2008. No mention of McElroy in class of 2009 top100.

John

[Bearcat Jeff]

I believe we will finish some where between 8th and 10th. The 'Cats are still very thin on the frontline and McClain needs to add bulk. We will win 6-7 league games and qualify for the BEast tourny. Vaughn will have a good season and so will Mike Williams. John Williamson could be the X factor in all this. If they can consistently hit outside shots to keep teams from clogging the middle it could be a "bit" of a surprising season on the positive side.

[Kindog202]

I think they will win more than 6-7 league games. This year, they will not have guys playing out of position as much. I don't know that they are very thin in the frontline. Adam H, McClain and Williams are all better than Sikes, Allen and McGowan individually and collectively and depending on how Belton's conditioning goes, he may be better as well. Last year, we were very thin up front, this year we will be adequate up front and could be above average depending on how quickly McClain develops. I do agree that he needs to add some weight though and I believe that will come with time. I truly believe this team is much better at every position than last year's team. Sikes goes from a starter on last year's team playing out of position at center to a specialist on this year's team who could play some center if injuries or foul trouble were to occur to the frontline. From last year's team, you lose Allen who is more know for his fashion sense than his basketball skills, Crowell who is not a Big East talent and McGowan, who at best is Big East bench/role player. You add a year of experience to the guys returning from last year and the incoming class and you have a team that is much better this year than last. If you catch a few breaks, last year's team could have won 5-6 Big East games, this team is not only 1-2 games better than last year's team.

I predict anywhere from 8-11 wins in conference for this team. This team will be much better at the end of the year than at the beginning. If the Big East schedule is favorable and schedules some of the tougher conference games towards the end of the year, then I see them winning closer to 11 games, if not, it may be closer to 8 wins.

[jplog]

I agree with kingdog. People playing out of their natural positions killed us last year (among lack of BE talent and a new system). I fully expect 10 BE wins this year. This is a much improved basketball team and the polls always underrate UC in every sport.

Originally Posted by jplog

I agree with kingdog. People playing out of their natural positions killed us last year (among lack of BE talent and a new system). I fully expect 10 BE wins this year. This is a much improved basketball team and the polls always underrate UC in every sport.

UC is Top 50 team by the end of the season with (maybe) 20 W and postseason play.

[james jr]

Originally Posted by Kindog202

I think they will win more than 6-7 league games. This year, they will not have guys playing out of position as much. I don't know that they are very thin in the frontline. Adam H, McClain and Williams are all better than Sikes, Allen and McGowan individually and collectively and depending on how Belton's conditioning goes, he may be better as well. Last year, we were very thin up front, this year we will be adequate up front and could be above average depending on how quickly McClain develops. I do agree that he needs to add some weight though and I believe that will come with time. I truly believe this team is much better at every position than last year's team. Sikes goes from a starter on last year's team playing out of position at center to a specialist on this year's team who could play some center if injuries or foul trouble were to occur to the frontline. From last year's team, you lose Allen who is more know for his fashion sense than his basketball skills, Crowell who is not a Big East talent and McGowan, who at best is Big East bench/role player. You add a year of experience to the guys returning from last year and the incoming class and you have a team that is much better this year than last. If you catch a few breaks, last year's team could have won 5-6 Big East games, this team is not only 1-2 games better than last year's team.

I predict anywhere from 8-11 wins in conference for this team. This team will be much better at the end of the year than at the beginning. If the Big East schedule is favorable and schedules some of the tougher conference games towards the end of the year, then I see them winning closer to 11 games, if not, it may be closer to 8 wins.

I agree with your assessment. I see 8-10 wins in the BE and see the team as the surprise of the conference.

[tophat]

UC will surely be much better, but even a good team can struggle to get more than 8 wins in the BE. I think last year's win total was appropriate for the talent level, perhaps better than the talent level.

Mick faces a very difficult coaching job with so many new players, altho it's a nice problem to have compared to last yr. With so many young players I wouldn't make bold predictions of success.

The issue with McClain isn't bulk or weight as much as strength and the learning process (he weighed in at 248 lbs when he got here).

Originally Posted by tophat

UC will surely be much better, but even a good team can struggle to get more than 8 wins in the BE. I think last year's win total was appropriate for the talent level, perhaps better than the talent level.

Mick faces a very difficult coaching job with so many new players, altho it's a nice problem to have compared to last yr. With so many young players I wouldn't make bold predictions of success.

The issue with McClain isn't bulk or weight as much as strength and the learning process (he weighed in at 248 lbs when he got here).

Agree with most of that. But new players does not mean More L Than W.

UC regularly produced good seasons over the past 15+ years despite losing players and replacing them with new ones (particularly JuCo transfers).

[jeffto]

I don't think any of us has a "real" understanding of how good this team will be. Too many unknowns. Mick hasn't shown he is Big East caliber bench coach - I think he is, but some scary moments last year. A whole bunch of newcomers added to a team who were newcomers last year.

There's no outcome that would surprise me. Well, maybe a NC would.

[Mick's Da Man]

The only games UC got drilled in last year was against "big" teams. They almost upset Syracuse away, and hung with many other teams only to run out of gas. Consider zero heighth, zero depth, 2 primary scorers in Vaughn and Williamson, and guys playing out of position......and then consider how we were in alot of games.........I see us surprising and finishing in the middle of the pack next year. We have solved the size, depth, and scoring issues. We have a ton of talent and scoring ability. Last year that's all that held us back.

This is a surprise team if ever I saw one.

[Jtarchcincy]

Originally Posted by Mick's Da Man

This is a surprise team if ever I saw one.

I couldn't agree with that more... Here's to hoping it happens!