pantherhawk17's Ballot for Preseason of 2017-18
Submitted on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 at 7:43PM EDT
| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Duke
|
For the first time that I can remember, I'm not sure about Duke's shooting. This could be a very different looking Duke team. |
| 2 |
Arizona
|
Subject to change if any Arizona players end up ineligible. This roster feels like a preseason #1 roster, though. |
| 3 |
Kansas
|
Frontcourt depth may be a concern, but Azubuike and Preston may be able to hold it down. My bet for best backcourt duo in Graham and Newman. |
| 4 |
Michigan State
|
They return a lot of talent (and get some back from injuries), but I keep coming back to the fact that they weren't very good last year. |
| 5 |
Villanova
|
Can Brunson shoulder the load as THE guy? Hart was so important to this team the past few years. Brunson is great but can he be the man? |
| 6 |
Kentucky
|
Guard play? Feels like we're going to see college 4 men playing the 2 this year. |
| 7 |
Florida
|
Really high defensive potential. Florida will be tested in the nonconference regularly. Likely 7 straight Top 100 (ish) noncon opponents. |
| 8 |
Wichita State
|
I'm concerned about the moved to the AAC as Shamet dominated MVC play (144 ORtg) but was weak against Tier A opponents (104 ORtg). |
| 9 |
USC
|
#9 is probably underselling their talent, but I want to see it work before I get too excited about it. |
| 10 |
West Virginia
|
The names on the back of the jersey don't matter. WVU may be less deep than previous years, but talent level of depth barely matters at WVU. |
| 11 |
Cincinnati
|
No Caupain, now it's Cane Broome running the show. And it may mean more running. I'm interested to see if they actually play more uptempo. |
| 12 |
Gonzaga
|
It's hard to imagine a Gonzaga team not being a Top 15 squad. Definitely some roster turnover, but I imagine they will be steady as always. |
| 13 |
North Carolina
|
A lack of big men will make this UNC team different from previous iterations and makes me question their upside this year. |
| 14 |
Xavier
|
Bluiett seems primed for a Big East POY level season. |
| 15 |
Louisville
|
I have no idea what is going to happen with Louisville. This seems like a happy medium. |
| 16 |
Miami (FL)
|
Miami should be very good if Bruce Brown is as good as everyone thinks he will be. |
| 17 |
Notre Dame
|
Bonzie Colson is apparently still at Notre Dame and so is Mike Brey. The two of them keep Notre Dame's floor high. |
| 18 |
TCU
|
Brodzianksy and Fisher make for a dangerous duo. Fisher has been injured, so hopefully that doesn't prevent a sophomore leap. |
| 19 |
Minnesota
|
This is sort of a peer-pressure ranking. I don't really trust this team, but most people have Minnesota higher. |
| 20 |
Seton Hall
|
Delgado is the double-double king and I'm excited and hopeful that his play translates to more wins his senior year. |
| 21 |
UCLA
|
Thomas Welsh' midrange game is fascinatingly elite and a great ancillary weapon last year. But will that translate to a larger role? |
| 22 |
Baylor
|
Is Scott Drew a good coach? Yeah, he is. And that's the primary reason why Baylor is being slotted in my top 25. |
| 23 |
Saint Mary's
|
Despite an overall decent foul rate, Landale struggled with fouls against virtually every quality opponent last year. Will that improve? |
| 24 |
Northwestern
|
Lots of hype. NU brings back most of their contributors but are probably being overrated due to a single game vs Gonzaga in the tournament. |
| 25 |
Missouri
|
I do not trust their guard play. Inconsistent guard play will likely make Missouri a very up-and-down team this season. |