ESPN: No-Longer-Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2015-16 (MBB)
Michigan... not on the list.
B1G: Maryland (1), Indiana (14), Michigan State (19), Wisconsin (24)
I was honestly shocked when I read this a few minutes ago. I had to scroll through twice, being sure that I somehow missed our team's write up.
With everyone staying healthy this year, this is an Elite 8 team.
We very well could be an elite 8 team by the end of the year because Beilein makes his players BETTER (looking at you Brady Hoke).
However, we're not right now and I think anyone who says otherwise is truly being a homer.
We didn't even make the NIT last year. You don't go from not making the NIT to preseason Elite 8 without some type of UK/Duke recruiting class.
You have to remember, we lost to EMU and NJIT WITH LeVert and Walton last year.
We're a #25-35 type team right now.
Give our guys another year to progress and we'll certainly be where we want to be by the end of the year.
yea i have to agree, we where healthy at the start of last season and played dismally. It just got worse as players went down to injury. There is talent on this team, it was just young. I'm hoping for some cohesion and more winning :D.
We were undefeated until Walton got hurt against Villanova. Then we weren't.
At the time of the NJIT and EMU games, I think the team was still in a regrouping mode, trying to adjust to the departure of half the 2014 team. Irvin still resembled his freshman self, and Caris had too much on his plate.
that choesiveness might not carry forward too much into this year. Barring a surprise Walton and Caris are probably going to start. There'll be a big feeling out process with them and the younger guys who stepped up. Not to mention, it'll be real interesting to see how Beilein allocates minutes to the wings.
Michigan lost in OT to two teams that made the Final Four and the Villanova (#1 seed last season) game came down to the last possession.
August 5th, 2015 at 10:15 PM ^
August 5th, 2015 at 11:05 PM ^
Exactly. Walton is the key to this team, as PG usually is.
Good. UM can shock the world by winning the national championship.
Michigan will be in the top ten at the end of the season, when it counts. They will be the deepest team in college basketball this season. Duncan Robinson will be like Stauskas with a longer wingspan. Growth at the 5 is the only issue this season. I can't imagine there not being someone at the 5 who will step up and perform at a high level this year.
Stauskas? Duncan Robinson will be like Michael Jordan. but faster!
I'm as hopeful as anyone but Duncan Robinson being Stauskas but with longer arms sounds like Fred Jackson talk.
is bumming me out...
Indiana is not a top 25 team until they prove it. Plus, they could have an entirely different roster by the time the season rolls around. Give Tom Crean 3 months and you could have a whole new squad.
Yogi + Blackmon + Williams = Walton + Levert + Irvin
Outside of those three for each team, there are a lot of question marks. I'd put both IU and UM right on the cusp of the top 25, but just outside.
Indiana is going to have a more talented frontcourt than Michigan. Whether they actually play better is a different story but they have one of the top centers in the country coming in for them in their recruiting class. I think its great we all think Michigan will have a good year but it is almost entirely predicated on how the bigs develop. If the bigs play well sweet 16 is probably the floor for this team, if they play poorly we are probably sweating on selection sunday. That is a huge range but I don't think Michigan fans are acknowledging the back half of it. You might have liked how Dawkins and Rahk and Irvin looked at the end of last year but the team still only beat one team with a pulse down the stretch, its not like they upset a bunch of top 25 teams and it was just too little too late.
Frontcourt is the big question mark for both teams. And as for Thomas Bryant, he's done jack squat in college. Five-star ratings aren't worth anything when it comes time to perform. Just ask Kam Chatman.
Bryant may be good right away. Maybe not. IU doesn't have much proven behind him, so can't see how the poster above can say they're going to have a much better front court. Michigan can at least throw out some bodies.
IU had an effective offense last year with their small roster, so not sure if it really matters if Bryant makes a big difference at that end of the court. They have scorers. They just couldn't defend to save their lives. He may make the biggest contribution there if he can protect the rim and rebound.
of those 4 B1G ranked teams, the only one we play 2x is Maryland
Good. I like becoming good when no one expects it.
Don't see how IU ranked over spartans...they've got nothing returning compared to M or spartans.
Actually they return quite a bit. Ferrell, Blackmon, Williams, Johnson. Not to mention they add a highly rated center. IU likely won't be great because of Crean, but they have a lot of talent.
IU is like the Notre Dame of college basketball. Overhyped every year. I do think Blackmon Jr. will be a beast this year.
Notre Dame was bad in 2013-2014 very similar to our squad last year. Brought back everyone in 2014-2015 and should have beaten Kentucky in the NCAA tounrament. I expect a similar turn around this year for Meeechingan.
Lot of talent on their team, a Duke transfer, talented incoming freshmen, and also, Melo Trimble is a year older.
Maybe they're overrated, but for now, methinks they're the team to beat in the Big Ten.
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Yeah beating Iowa State in a nuetral site and winning at oklahoma state were just normal games against middle of the road teams. Their best player is also going from a freshman to sophmore which usually goes with a pretty big jump, think burke here, and they bring in the top center in the country along with a transfer who averaged nearly a double double as a freshman at georgia tech. If you can find me a better staring five than melo, sulaimon, layman, carter, and stone I'd like to see it. Pre-season rankings are not based on what you did last year it is based on what people think you will do this year. Having the most talented starting 5 in the country will make people think you will do pretty well.
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It won't happen until sometime early in the fall, but I am rather interested to see how last season affected the baseline predictions that would normally come out of algorithms like those at TeamRankings or Massey. That being said, I am always a fan of coming into the season quietly like this and then being a pleasant surprise to everyone, so I will take it for now.
Belein will have these guys ready to go. With all the Mark Dantonio jabbing that has been going on the last few days, it's interesting to compare the two. Both have turned around their respective programs, and overachieve with lower ranked recruits. However, one does it with class and leadership, not screaming disrespect, offensiveness, and being overall insufferable.
Belein, is what he is (and will be). A great coach who over achieves and prepares under the radar players for the NBA. We will never be a one and done factory, but we will always be good and highly respected.
Are you thinking plastic surgery? Or maybe just a little more makeup on the cheekbones? We all know a coach's sex appeal is what wrangles in the 5*s these days (damn you Calipari!).