Official College Basketball Thread

[SnB]

So out of the high ranked teams who is the pretender, and who out of the unranked teams, comes out of no where to surprise people???

expecting illinois to finish at the highest in the 20's and like already said, i think oklahoma will fall relatively quickly.

[Buehrle>Wood]

I can see a TON of overrated teams this year. UCONN and their offcourt problems, Louisville losing their 3 best players yet being ranked in the top 10, and Memphis who has been this good on paper before and fallen apart being 3 examples.

 

Last year, I correctly picked the Final 4 in the Preseason. This year, I can't say I see 4 great teams. Michigan State, Duke, and Gonzaga are head and shoulders above the rest. That 4th team, however, is giving me nightmares. No idea who it will be due to all of these pretenders, and therefore, I will not pick one.

[Palehosefan]

Texas should be on the list, over MSU in my opinion. Here's Texas' likely starting lineup...

 

PG. Gibson, as good as it gets at the PG position in college basketball

SG. Paulino, small at 6'1, but a senior, and is a great shooter all around

SF. PJ Tucker

PF. Brad Buckman

C. Lemarcus Aldridge

 

With Mike Williams a Mickey D's AA on the bench at PF, that might be the best frontcourt in the nation, combine it with possibly the best PG in the nation and you could have alot of success. Their main question is depth.

[Heads22]

Heh, Texas will still blow it at Hilton, somehow. I remember the last time they were here it wasn't on Tv, ISU got down by like 11 at the half then Boddicker chokes. Good times.

[Buehrle>Wood]

As expected, Cornell routs St. Francis(PA) 75-54 to kick off the 2005-06 season.

 

 

'Cuse on now.

[Heads22]

Team's with Nell are doing well lately.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Little early to be predicting Final fours

[Buehrle>Wood]

Little early to be predicting Final fours

Meh, not really. You can usually see the best teams in the preseason. I know its not an exact science but I and others can tell you whose going to be good and whose not. Heck, I correctly predicted the Final 4 in the preseason last year. Or may be I'm just arrogantly blinded by that.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

I have a question for Depaul fans.

 

As a Virginia alum, and huge UVa basketball fan, I am interested in hearing your opinions about Dave Laiteo from a fans point of view. I've heard a lot about him from a media (mine) point of view, but I'd be interested to know a fans point of view. I followed him enough last year with the prospect of him being a candidate if Gillen was fired, and read enough to know that he is a no-nonsense coach who will have them rebounding and playing good defense. But what about offense? I saw some awfully low scores in Depaul's games from his team last year. Is it just because it's a ball control offense, or did you guys not have very many good offensive players beyond Greer and Diener (he was a shooter at least; and I hope I got those two players right).

 

So in general. What did you think of him and what should we be expecting down here?

 

Ah, a question close to my heart (or maybe the opposite).

 

Traitao was a good coach, but I would not consider him great. He was still growing and developing at DePaul, and I think he will continue to do so.

 

He is a very good recruiter. He has an eye for talent. He found Dorell Wright before he became NBA material, and also Wilson Chandler who will be a freshman, who rose to become Mr. Michigan and a high-ranked recruit, among other. Our current freshman are a top 20 recruiting class. I thank him for that because Wainwright has had as much as weber so far.

 

His offense is not good, to be honest. Last year the offense consisted of passing the ball around the perimeter with very little ideas of what to do with it. Then guys like Greer or Diener had to bail the team out and hoist up a shot. Sometimes it worked, but usually it didn't. Quemont was hot to start the season, but then he cooled off A LOT and resorted to throwing up ill-advised shots. If you like screens, cuts, give-and-go's, and inside-outside passing, Leitao's offense would have made you cringe last year. The defense was the key last year.

 

Full blame goes to Leitao for DePaul not making the NCAA tournament last year. For the most part, they were able to beat the teams they should and lose to the better teams, but the few games that they lost to inferior (talent-wise) teams is what kept them out. All they needed to do was pull out ONE win out of two tries against UAB, a team not at the level talent-wise of DePaul, but one that played harder, smarter, had a much better game plan, and was better-coached. They lost both, and UAB took their spot in the Tournament. I was extremely disappointed by that.

 

Leitao is young. He has room to improve. He is a solid recruiter, good defensive coach, but he needs a better game plan on offense. I am not bitter that he left because it did not seem like he wanted to be here in the first place. He was not very active in the city. I also do not blame him for taking the money that Virginia threw at him. Just be careful because it seems that he'll want the UConn job if given the opportunity and he is worthy of being a candidate when the time comes.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Meh, not really. You can usually see the best teams in the preseason. I know its not an exact science but I and others can tell you whose going to be good and whose not. Heck, I correctly predicted the Final 4 in the preseason last year. Or may be I'm just arrogantly blinded by that.

 

 

Well good luck on that.

[jphat007]

Ah, a question close to my heart (or maybe the opposite).

 

Traitao was a good coach, but I would not consider him great.  He was still growing and developing at DePaul, and I think he will continue to do so.

 

He is a very good recruiter.  He has an eye for talent.  He found Dorell Wright before he became NBA material, and also Wilson Chandler who will be a freshman, who rose to become Mr. Michigan and a high-ranked recruit, among other.  Our current freshman are a top 20 recruiting class.  I thank him for that because Wainwright has had as much as weber so far.   

 

His offense is not good, to be honest.  Last year the offense consisted of passing the ball around the perimeter with very little ideas of what to do with it.  Then guys like Greer or Diener had to bail the team out and hoist up a shot.  Sometimes it worked, but usually it didn't.  Quemont was hot to start the season, but then he cooled off A LOT and resorted to throwing up ill-advised shots.  If you like screens, cuts, give-and-go's, and inside-outside passing, Leitao's offense would have made you cringe last year.  The defense was the key last year.

 

Full blame goes to Leitao for DePaul not making the NCAA tournament last year.  For the most part, they were able to beat the teams they should and lose to the better teams, but the few games that they lost to inferior (talent-wise) teams is what kept them out.  All they needed to do was pull out ONE win out of two tries against UAB, a team not at the level talent-wise of DePaul, but one that played harder, smarter, had a much better game plan, and was better-coached.  They lost both, and UAB took their spot in the Tournament.  I was extremely disappointed by that.

 

Leitao is young.  He has room to improve.  He is a solid recruiter, good defensive coach, but he needs a better game plan on offense.  I am not bitter that he left because it did not seem like he wanted to be here in the first place.  He was not very active in the city.  I also do not blame him for taking the money that Virginia threw at him.  Just be careful because it seems that he'll want the UConn job if given the opportunity and he is worthy of being a candidate when the time comes.

 

Thanks for all the great info. It will be interesting to see how he does. He's already pulled in a couple of Top 100 kids, even though he got into the game really late on both (and he's close to getting another one in Will Harris) so he has definitely opened some eyes recruiting wise.

 

People from both Depaul and UConn that I've heard from really mirrored what you said. Very good defensive coach with an emphasis on rebounding and defense and a questionable offensive coach. Runs a system similar to Calhoun's (well, its almost exactly the same) and it can be very stagnant at times.

 

It'll be interesting to see what happens. We are all fairly excited about Dave, with some raising a few questions about his offense. If he has a good enough stay at UVa to where he would go to UConn when Calhoun steps down, I suppose that would mean he left us in pretty good straights so that would be okay.

 

Thanks again for the info.

[thedoctor]

So you're saying he just started to recruit illegally once he went to Kansas?  The thing I don't get when Illini fans b**** that Self is cheating now is that it would also implicate that he cheated in signing Deron, Dee, etc.

 

at least this illini fan does not think self cheats, or is cheating. he's just a very good recruiter and i think he works the system very well.

 

here's how i see it:

 

bill self's recruiting>bruce weber's recruiting

bill self's coaching

bill self's recruiting

 

war bucknell.

[ZoomSlowik]

I can see a TON of overrated teams this year. UCONN and their offcourt problems, Louisville losing their 3 best players yet being ranked in the top 10, and Memphis who has been this good on paper before and fallen apart being 3 examples.

 

Last year, I correctly picked the Final 4 in the Preseason. This year, I can't say I see 4 great teams. Michigan State, Duke, and Gonzaga are head and shoulders above the rest. That 4th team, however, is giving me nightmares. No idea who it will be due to all of these pretenders, and therefore, I will not pick one.

 

I seriously disagree with your pretenders lists. UConn is quite simply one of the most talented teams out there. Even without Williams, they'll get by for a long time, and everything I've read says he'll be back after the first semester. Without him, they could be similar to Michigan State last year, with enough talent to get around the fact that they don't have a PG. With Williams, they'd be the #1 team in the country in virtually every pre-season poll. They might lose a few early, but they should make some serious noise come tournament time unless Williams has a setback. Even without him, they could easily be Sweet 16 material.

 

Louisville is in a somewhat similar situation. They have some injury problems right now that could hurt their chances early (Padgett, Palacios, and I think someone else). However, they're a very talented team. Dean is still a fabulous shooter and scorer, and when Palacios and Padgett get healthy they'll be tough. Plus their top recruit last year (Brian Johnson) is close to healthy, and he's another potential impact player. They might not be top 10, but they have some talent.

 

Memphis could be an issue, but it's hard to argue with their talent. They could be a major player, or they could struggle. However, considering the strength of their conference, I don't see them struggling too much. Conference USA is pretty bad right now.

 

It's hard to pick 4 teams that are really good right now. The 3 that you mentioned are pretty good, but they still have issues. Gonzaga looks really good, but it's going to be hard to tell how good they really are because of their schedule. Duke's relying on a lot of young players and former role players outside of their big 2. They're good, but far from unbeatable. Michigan State doesn't exactly have a whole lot of depth, Neitzel is a bit of a question mark, and Davis is their only legit big guy. A couple of other teams to look at are: Texas, who is very deep, very talented, and the only flaw I see is somewhat suspect perimeter shooting; Villanova has a lot of upperclassmen with some talent. The only issue they have right now is questionable health for Sumpter and Fraser, although they probably should have beaten UNC last year even without Sumpter; UConn, with or without Williams. They've got good talent with Anderson, Gay, Boone, and Armstrong starting with Brown and Nelson coming off the bench. If Williams gets back or one of their freshmen PG's develops, they'll be very tough to beat.

 

As for top teams that will struggle, one of the big ones I see is Kentucky. They've got a serious hole in the middle until Randolph Morris gets back, and even when he does they can't afford to have him in foul trouble. Sparks and Rondo are good, but not good enough to carry the team. Some other players are going to have to step up. Another is Boston College. They rely very heavily on Smith and Dudley, and their schedule is going to be a lot tougher than it was last season. Alabama is another. They've got talent, but almost all of it is in the post. Davis is good and Hendrix is a hell of a recruit, but Davidson offers little on offense. They need some guys to hit outside shots, otherwise teams will simply collapse inside. Syracuse is another team I think might struggle. McNamara is their only proven player, and he wasn't that good last year. He seriously needs another major offensive threat to develop, otherwise he'll have a rough year. They have talented players, but all are young and unproven.

 

One team I think is rated way too low is Maryland. Talent-wise, they belong in the top 10. Strawberry is a much better fit with the rest of their team than Gilchrist was. They're very deep and very talented, and a healthy Strawberry at the point will make them a very dangerous team.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Thanks for all the great info. It will be interesting to see how he does. He's already pulled in a couple of Top 100 kids, even though he got into the game really late on both (and he's close to getting another one in Will Harris) so he has definitely opened some eyes recruiting wise.

 

People from both Depaul and UConn that I've heard from really mirrored what you said. Very good defensive coach with an emphasis on rebounding and defense and a questionable offensive coach. Runs a system similar to Calhoun's (well, its almost exactly the same) and it can be very stagnant at times.

 

It'll be interesting to see what happens. We are all fairly excited about Dave, with some raising a few questions about his offense. If he has a good enough stay at UVa to where he would go to UConn when Calhoun steps down, I suppose that would mean he left us in pretty good straights so that would be okay.

 

Thanks again for the info.

 

Not a problem. Always happy to talk a little DePaul basketball with anyone willing to listen.

 

We're interested in Will Harris too, but it looks like he's already taken a visit to Virginia.

 

Wainwright has already lost out on recruits who DePaul followers thought he had a very good chance with, so I am already disappointed with that and am not surprised when he loses out on more good ones.

 

I also went to FSU for a couple of years, so I watched a little ACC basketball in person. I visited Clemson and Miami for football but never made it to UVa. I've heard great things about your school and the campus.

[Palehosefan]

One team I think is rated way too low is Maryland. Talent-wise, they belong in the top 10. Strawberry is a much better fit with the rest of their team than Gilchrist was. They're very deep and very talented, and a healthy Strawberry at the point will make them a very dangerous team.

 

Dang, I just checked their roster and you are completely right. I forgot about who all they had returning. IF Bowers continued to develop over the offseason and can give 20 mins a game, I honestly think they can challenge Duke for the ACC title. He has always played well against Duke. Maryland is the only team in the ACC with enough size to match up with Duke. The ACC is at its worst possibly in history at the PG position, so Strawberry should be able to take advantage of that.

 

Maryland returns 83% of their offense, and will likely have Strawberry, an elite defender, for more than half a season like last year.

 

Maryland is another that I believe will end up in the top 10, great call there.

[fathom]

Dang, I just checked their roster and you are completely right. I forgot about who all they had returning. IF Bowers continued to develop over the offseason and can give 20 mins a game, I honestly think they can challenge Duke for the ACC title. He has always played well against Duke. Maryland is the only team in the ACC with enough size to match up with Duke. The ACC is at its worst possibly in history at the PG position, so Strawberry should be able to take advantage of that.

 

Maryland returns 83% of their offense, and will likely have Strawberry, an elite defender, for more than half a season like last year.

 

Maryland is another that I believe will end up in the top 10, great call there.

 

Maryland needs Ibekwe to stop being so inconsistent. Gist is probably a better overall player than he is. Strawberry will be the best defensive pg in the country this season, but he might struggle against tough defense against himself. They should get 3rd or 4th in the ACC, but they better do good this season, because the ACC is absolutely loading up for future seasons, especially UNC and Ga Tech.

[thedoctor]

how has bobby frasor been faring so far for the heels? i'd read somewhere he was going to start. hat's off to a fellow southsider if that's the case.

[fathom]

how has bobby frasor been faring so far for the heels? i'd read somewhere he was going to start. hat's off to a fellow southsider if that's the case.

 

I've heard very good things about him. Even though most Illini fans I know want him to fail, I've heard he's looked great in practice and has an excellent chance at starting sooner, rather than later.

[Buehrle>Wood]

how has bobby frasor been faring so far for the heels? i'd read somewhere he was going to start. hat's off to a fellow southsider if that's the case.

He's a good friend of mine. He had a nice game the other night and I believe PaleHose was telling me he might start the other night.

[thedoctor]

I've heard very good things about him.  Even though most Illini fans I know want him to fail, I've heard he's looked great in practice and has an excellent chance at starting sooner, rather than later.

 

yeah, some illini fans aren't too happy. but oh, well. kids make decisions for their own reasons and i have a difficult time faulting them for those decisions. i know i would not want my actions as a 17 year old up for analysis on a message board.

[jphat007]

I've heard very good things about him.  Even though most Illini fans I know want him to fail, I've heard he's looked great in practice and has an excellent chance at starting sooner, rather than later.

 

From what I've heard, he'll be starting opening night. Quentin Thomas has been extremely dissapointing. Frasor will probably be starting, and not necessarily because he's been lights out. It might be that he gets the spot by default over QT.

 

I guess it just shows that rankings don't mean everything.

 

Oh, and Carolina sucks.

 

Even though we finished last in the ACC last year.

[Buehrle>Wood]

I've heard very good things about him.  Even though most Illini fans I know want him to fail, I've heard he's looked great in practice and has an excellent chance at starting sooner, rather than later.

Just wondering why would Illini fans want him to fail? It's not like Weber ever came after him.

 

 

He was very high on UNC and Marquette. He never even mentioned the Illini.

[fathom]

Just wondering why would Illini fans want him to fail? It's not like Weber ever came after him.

He was very high on UNC and Marquette. He never even mentioned the Illini.

 

Read the illiniboard often? Nearly every post after he went to UNC was how he'd never amount to anything at UNC, and he'd be transferring to some mid-major school by '07.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Read the illiniboard often?  Nearly every post after he went to UNC was how he'd never amount to anything at UNC, and he'd be transferring to some mid-major school by '07.

I still don't get why Illini fans hate him or want him to fail. Questioning talent is another thing.

[whitesoxfan101]

http://fightingillini.collegesports.com/sp.../110905aaa.html

 

Carlwell and Semrau Sign With Illinois Men's Basketball

 

 

Two high school seniors sign national letters of intent with Illini

 

Illinois head coach Bruce Weber announced today the signing of Brian Carlwell and Richard Semrau to national letters of intent.

 

Men's Basketball Home

 

Nov. 9, 2005

 

Champaign, Ill. - University of Illinois men's basketball coach Bruce Weber announced today the signing of Brian Carlwell and Richard Semrau to national letters of intent on the first day of the fall signing period.

 

Brian Carlwell is a 6-11, 260-pound center from Maywood, Ill. He attends Proviso East High School under the direction of head coach David Chatman. Carlwell averaged 15 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks per game last year as a junior, earning All-State honors by the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette. He is the top-ranked big man in the state of Illinois and is a multi-sport athlete, also competing on the Proviso East football team at both tight end and wide receiver. Carlwell is a consensus national Top-50 recruit, receiving four stars by both Scout.com (No. 33) and Rivals.com (No. 40). He played on the Chicago Ferrari AAU team coached by Tyrone Slaughter that captured the 17-and-under AAU National Championship last summer in Orlando, Fla.

 

"Brian is an unbelievable athlete," Weber said. "He runs the court so well for a big guy; he's very similar to James Augustine in that way. Brian is competitive, a great shot blocker and rebounder, and continues to improve offensively. I went to one of his football games and saw him do some incredible things for a player his size. I also like his toughness from having played football.

 

"We're also pleased to continue the pipeline of Chicago-area players signing with Illinois," Weber added. "Proviso East has enjoyed great success in basketball and has produced outstanding student-athletes in a number of sports, and Brian is the latest in that great line. We lose Dee Brown after this year; now Brian can come in and carry on that Proviso East tradition."

 

Richard Semrau is a 6-9, 215-pound forward from Rocky River, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. He attends Lutheran West High School, under the direction of head coach Phil Argento. A three-star recruit by both Scout.com and Rivals.com, Semrau was a first-team Division III All-Ohio selection by the Associated Press last season after averaging 22.3 points and 10 rebounds per game. He played on the AAU circuit for Blessed IJN, coached by Eric Vaughn.

 

"Richard is a very skilled player and is also a good athlete," Weber said. "His high school coach played at the University of Kentucky for Adolph Rupp and has instilled an old school work ethic and discipline from which Richard has definitely benefited. He is a perimeter-oriented forward who has an all-around game. He likes facing the basket, shoots very well, and possesses great passing skills."

 

Great news, they are both great talents. Hopefully the Illini get a guard during the spring signing period (I expect they will) and this should be quite a class.

 

As for Bobby Frasor, I would say the majority of Illini fans are just a bit frusterated by all the press and recruiting high marks Frasor got for going to UNC, despite the fact that he really isn't all that great of a player.

 

But really, who cares? Jamar Smith is the guard from this state that Illinois ended up with in the class of 2005, and he's going to be quite a player. I wish Frasor the best at UNC, and besides, recruiting bitterness is simply stupid.