Conference Preview: Pac-12

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

It is not unusual for a power conference to have a bad season every now and then.  However, calling 2017-18 a bad season for the Pac-12 would be a gross understatement.  At the end of the day, the league only put three teams in the Big Dance (though many felt USC belonged in as a fourth).  Two of those three (UCLA and Arizona State) played and lost First Four games.  The third, Arizona, was upset in the first round by Buffalo.  In other words – 3 bids, 0 wins.  Things will be better this season because, quite frankly, there is almost no way they could be worse.

The pick to win the conference is UCLA, a team stacked with talent despite having lost two of their top players from last season.  The key for the Bruins will be a frontcourt filled with newcomers (and a redshirt freshman) including star recruit Moses Brown.  Oregon should be right there as well with one of the nation’s top frontcourts, while Washington, USC, Arizona State, Arizona and even Colorado could all be in the hunt for a Dance Ticket.  The Arizona Wildcats may be one of the hardest teams to forecast this season, as head coach Sean Miller returns very little from last season, and lost some key recruits following an ESPN report that was never substantiated, but has a history of success that simply cannot be overlooked.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. UCLA – Although they no longer have Aaron Holiday and Thomas Welsh, this may be the year that head coach Steve Alford finally breaks through and wins the Pac-12 regular season title. Kris Wilkes and Jaylen Hands both passed on the NBA to return in the backcourt.  Look for Prince Ali to have a breakout season as well.  Down low, Moses Brown has a chance to be something really special in the middle, while Cody Riley looks for redemption after taking a redshirt last season following a small criminal matter in China.
  2. Oregon – Despite missing the NCAA Tournament last season and losing three double-digit scorers from that squad, the Ducks should be back with a vengeance this season. Oregon has one of the strongest looking frontcourts not only in the Pac-12, but in the entire nation.  Kenny Wooten was the conference’s leading shot blocker in his freshman year last season, and he is joined by a pair of players who should contend for conference Freshman of the Year – Manute Bol’s son, Bol Bol (7-2 with a mid-range jump shot) and Louis King.  In the backcourt, Payton Pritchard made more 3’s than any returning Pac-12 player and will get help from the likes of Victor Bailey and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi transfer Ehab Amin, the nation’s leader in steals two years ago.
  3. Washington – To say that Mike Hopkins did a great job in his first season in Seattle would be an understatement. The Huskies, who were supposed to be in rebuild mode, won 21 games and finished with a winning conference record.  More importantly, the team went from one of the worst defenses in the league to one of the better ones.  This year – with the majority of last season’s squad back including leading scorer Jaylen Nowell and big man Noah Dickerson – it would not be a shock at all to see UW in the battle for the conference title and celebrating their selection to the NCAA Tournament in March.
  4. USC – The Trojans had 23 wins and an RPI of 34 on Selection Sunday when the committee left them out last March. One piece of good news is that the RPI is gone, replaced with the new NET ranking system.  The other piece of good news is that this team may be even better than last year’s even without Chimezie Metu and Jordan McLaughlin.  The key will be heralded recruit Kevin Porter Jr who may prove to be a big-time scorer…and if so will likely be in the pros next season.  The frontcourt will be a strength for this team with Bennie Boatwright back healthy, Nick Rakocevic returning as a nightly double-double threat, and Charles O’Bannon Jr in position to have a breakout season.
  5. Arizona State – The Sun Devils lost their top three scorers, all guards, from a team that barely squeezed into the First Four in the NCAA Tournament last season. Despite that, they could actually be better this year with a completely reloaded backcourt.  Pac-12 co-Sixth Man of the Year Remy Martin will be joined by Cleveland State transfer Rob Edwards (who led his former team in scoring both seasons he was there) and highly regarded freshman Luguentz Dort.  The frontcourt should be better with experience gained, led by sophomore Romello White (a double-double threat) and De’Quon Lake.  Of course, there is also head coach Bobby Hurley, who will almost definitely have a couple of sideline blow-ups and ejections that will be worth watching many times over.
  6. Arizona – The Wildcats lost the top five players from last season’s team that flamed out in the first round against Buffalo. There are, however, enough pieces here to at least contend for an NCAA bid, led by freshman guard Brandon Williams and a pair of transfers – guard Justin Coleman (Samford) and forward Ryan Luther (Pittsburgh).
  7. Colorado – The Buffaloes return three sophomore starters from last season’s team that failed to qualify for postseason play after finishing 17-15 overall. The good news is that one of those starters is McKinley Wright IV, the point guard who averaged over 14 points and 5 assists per game last season.  As he continues to improve, and players like Tyler Bey improve, this young team could make some noise this season, and be very dangerous by next.
  8. Utah – The Utes only return one double-digit scorer (Sedrick Barefield) from last season’s team that missed the NCAAs but did make a run to the NIT Championship game. This season, they will need a pair of transfers — reigning Junior College D-1 Player of the Year Charles Jones Jr and 7-0 Novak Topalovic (Idaho State) — to prove they can contribute significantly at this level if they want to even sniff a dance ticket.
  9. Oregon State – The Beavers have a pair of high scorers returning in guard Stephen Thompson (15.8 points per game) and forward Tres Tinkle (17.6 points per game).  However, even with both of them and the departed Drew Eubanks (13.2 points per game), they only managed a .500 overall record last season.  There are some huge questions at the point guard position, which might have to end up being manned by Stephen Thompson, and while the team has size down low, they do not have much experience there beyond Tinkle.  Things could click like they did three years ago and this team could contend for a dance ticket, but the Beavers will more likely spend the season hovering around the .500 mark again.
  10. Stanford – This should have been the year for the Cardinal to dance, but star Reid Travis decided to transfer to Kentucky and likely took those hopes with him. A pair of sophomores, Daejon Davis and KZ Okpala, should both shine and, given their youth and the addition of a solid recruiting class, the future is still bright in Stanford.
  11. California – Wyking Jones’ first season as head coach at Cal was a long one, with his team going 8-24 overall and only winning 2 conference games. With two double-digit scorers from that team gone, Coach Jones’ second season could be just as long.  The good news is that the roster is stacked full of freshmen and sophomores, including leading returning scorer Justice Sueing, so the future is still bright even if this season’s prospects are not.
  12. Washington State – Senior forward Robert Franks averaged over 17 points per game last season and could be a contender for Pac-12 Player of the Year this season. Unfortunately for the Cougars and head coach Ernie Kent (who is on the hot seat), there is not much else on the team to help Franks.  Washington State lost 19 times in the 2017-18 season.  2018-19 could be worse.
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Conference Preview: Big Twelve

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The Big 12 belongs to Kansas.  It has belonged to the Jayhawks for the last 14 consecutive seasons, and all signs point to them winning the league title once again.  Bill Self’s team is stacked with talent and, if the newcomers can gel quickly enough with the veterans, this team could be something truly special – special enough to make a trip to Minneapolis in April.  If anyone can dethrone the Jayhawks this season, Bruce Weber’s Kansas State Wildcats appear to be the top contender, although TCU and West Virginia could be in the hunt as well.

The Big 12 should also once again be one of the toughest and deepest conferences in the nation.  All ten members were in the discussion for NCAA Tournament bids last season and it would not be a shock if that happened again this season.  At least six teams from this conference should be dancing in March, and seven or even eight would not be a total shock.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Kansas – Who else? The Jayhawks are clearly the best team in one of the best conferences and winning at least share of their 15th straight Big 12 championship seems to be almost a given.  In fact, winning the national championship is within their grasp with returnees such as Lagerald Vick ad Udoka Azubuike, huge transfers such as Dedric Lawson (Memphis), his brother K.J. (Memphis), and Charlie Moore (California).  Oh, and they have three freshmen McDonald’s All-Americans led by likely one-and-done Quentin Grimes.  The Jayhawks are simply stacked, top to bottom.
  2. Kansas State – If there is any possibility that Kansas does not win the Big 12 again this season it will be because their in-state rivals from Kansas State stole the crown. The Wildcats return virtually every significant player from a team that won 25 games and made the Elite Eight, led by guard Barry Brown Jr. and forwards Dean Wade and Xavier Sneed.
  3. TCU – Rumor has it that students at the University of Pittsburgh are trying to invent a time machine for the sole purpose of undoing Jamie Dixon’s termination there. Dixon has been amazing, to say the least, at TCU, guiding a perennial doormat program to an NIT championship and an NCAA berth – and an upper division finish in the conference and return to the Big Dance this season appear likely.  They key may once again be Jaylen Fisher.  After going down with an injury mid-season, the then 13-4 Horned Frogs finished the year only 8-8.  He is healthy again and ready to help lead his school to their first back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances more than 65 years!
  4. West Virginia – The Mountaineers should be fine down low again this season with Esa Ahmad and Sagaba Konate leading the way. The problem is the backcourt, as two players who combined for over 30 points and 10 assists per game are gone – Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles.  Players like James Bolden will have to step up big this year if the team wants to press for one of the league’s top spots.
  5. Texas – Making up for the loss of Mo Bamba will not be easy, but the Longhorns should once again be right in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth with their other four starters all returning. The key will be getting scoring from the backcourt and getting better from beyond the arc.  Senior guard Kerwin Roach needs to have a big year and guys like Dylan Osetkowski and Jericho Sims need to help make up for the loss of Bamba.
  6. Iowa State – The Cyclones were hit hard by injuries last season and ended up losing 18 games. With four starters back, including the Big 12’s leading returning scorer Lindell Wigginton, and the addition of Virginia transfer Marial Shayok, all signs point to an improved team in Ames this season that should contend for a tourney berth.
  7. Texas Tech – Chris Beard has done an amazing job so far in Lubbock but, with six of the top eight scorers from last year’s Elite Eight team gone, this team should take a step back this season. They do welcome South Dakota graduate transfer Matt Mooney, who averaged over 18 points per game last season, as well as a deep and talented group of freshmen that could at least have the Red Raiders challenging for a dance ticket this year.
  8. Oklahoma – Trae Young and his constant on-screen stat-tracker are gone, but the Sooners do return three starters and a total of six seniors. They also welcome in a couple strong transfers including Aaron Calixte who averaged almost 17 points per game for Maine.  There should be enough here to challenge for a tournament bid, especially if they can avoid having another horrific (4-12 in the final 16 games) end to the season like they did last year.
  9. Baylor – The Bears missed the Big Dance last season, and then lost their top four scorers from that team in the offseason. This definitely looks like a rebuilding year, although a pair of transfers are intriguing – Mario Kegler (Mississippi State) and Makai Mason (Yale).  Mason has only played one game the past two seasons due to injuries and needs to stay on the court this season.
  10. Oklahoma State – The Cowboys were a surprise last year when they won 21 games, but with only one starter returning, this looks like a rebuilding season. Newcomer Michael Weathers, a transfer from Miami (Ohio) where he was MAC Freshman of the Year two seasons ago, could have been a big piece for the Cowboys, but he is presently suspended indefinitely following criminal charges.
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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews CSUN assistant coach Mo Williams

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

We continue (and perhaps conclude, depending on whether a couple of people respond later this week!) our season preview coverage with CSUN assistant coach Mo Williams. There are plenty of current D-1 head coaches who had successful NBA careers (Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Penny Hardaway, etc.), but Coach Williams is 1 of the few D-1 assistants in the country with an NBA championship on his resume. In addition to winning a title with Cleveland in 2016, he was an All-Star in 2009 and remains 1 of the best FT shooters in NBA history. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Williams about being a former player for his current boss and scoring 52 PTS in an NBA game.

In the 2001 McDonald’s All-American Game you scored 7 PTS for the East in a 6-PT loss to the West: which of your fellow honorees impressed you the most (Tyson Chandler/TJ Ford/David Lee/other)? We had a really good class. I have been good friends with TJ for a long time but the 1 guy who impressed everyone was Dajuan Wagner: he had scored 100 PTS in a high school game and had about 100 friends/relatives in the crowd.

You played for Coach Mark Gottfried at Alabama: what was it like to play for him, and what is it like to work for him almost 2 decades later? Our relationship is very strong: he started recruiting me when I was just 14-15 years old. We have formed a bond of friendship that has carried over to working on his staff: it has been remarkable for me because I have learned from him at every level.

In 2002 you started all 35 games at PG, averaged 10.4 PPG, and were named SEC ROY: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I worked my behind off to put myself in a position to play. They agreed to give me the ball even though we had a lot of juniors/seniors on the team (such as Erwin Dudley/Rod Grizzard). It gave me a lot of confidence to see that the staff believed in me.

In 2009 as a member of the Cavaliers you were named an NBA All-Star: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? Personally it meant a lot but I did not really care about it until my name was actually called. After that I started to appreciate it and understood that only a select few guys get to play in that game every winter. It was a testament to what kind of season my team and I were having. I took full advantage of it and took it all in: it was like Christmas! I went to everything they had and tried to get into as many events as I could: I enjoyed every minute of it.

In January 2015 as a player for Minnesota you scored a franchise-record 52 PTS/19-33 FG in an 8–PT win over Indiana: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? It was 1 of those days where I did not really warm up before the game. I did not have the energy and did not feel like playing…but after making a couple of plays I had about 15 PTS at halftime. I came out in the 3rd quarter and just exploded with 28 PTS, and since it was a close game my competitive juices started flowing. We were on a 15-game losing streak at the time so it was real sweet to finally get a win.

In the 2016 NBA Finals with Cleveland, you become the 1st team in NBA history to win a title after being down 3-1 to Golden State: how were you able to win 3 in a row against the budding Warriors dynasty, and what did it mean to you to win a title? We just played our behinds off and took it 1 game at a time. I know it is a cliché but we really did: once you get to Game 7 anything can happen. There were a lot of stressful days because Golden State is such a good team but it showed who we were as a team and how together we were as a unit. When you are facing adversity the only factor that can turn things around is togetherness. I do not think that winning 3 games in a row when you are down 3-1 in the Finals will ever be done again.

Your 87.1 career FT% still remains in the top-30 all-time: what is the secret to making FTs? Concentration, repetition, and shooting it off your fingertips the same way every single time.

Last year PG Terrell Gomez was named conference ROY: as someone who played 13 years in the NBA as a 6’1” PG, how impressed are you to see someone succeed in college as a 5’8” PG? He shoots the ball at a high clip and does not miss very often. It allows him to stretch the floor and he is quicker than 99% of his opponents so he can use his height to an advantage.

Your non-conference schedule includes a game against Washington State: how do you prepare to face a team from a power conference? We have New Mexico on opening night so we are focused on them right now: they were 3rd in their conference last year. We are fortunate enough that those teams might overlook us so we will try to jump on them early and not look back.

What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? We want to get better every single day: we are a young team with 8 freshmen but we are still good enough to win some games.

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Conference Preview: Big Ten

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

Assessing the 2017-18 season for the Big Ten is not easy.  On one hand, the conference had a 2 seed, a pair of 3 seeds and a 5 seed in the Big Dance, advanced two teams to the Sweet 16, and saw Michigan advance all the way to the national championship game.  In addition, Penn State cut down the nets as NIT champions.  On the other hand, only four teams made it to the Big Dance, a number that the conference felt was way too low.  Do not expect so few participants this coming March.

Michigan State is the pick to win the conference, but the race for the league title should be exciting with Purdue and Michigan in the hunt, Nebraska expected to contend, and both Wisconsin and Indiana looking like they are ready for big years.  Do not be surprised to see at least eight teams in the hunt for tourney bids by the end of the season.  If the conference has that level of success this year, it should also continue into the future as some of the brightest stars in the league are among its newcomers, and it is hard to argue with the level of coaching talent in this conference, top to bottom.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Michigan State – Despite Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson departing, the Spartans should once again be at or near the top of the Big Ten standings. This year, they will look for Joshua Langford and Cassius Winston to lead the way in the backcourt, and keep an eye on Nick Ward down low.
  2. Wisconsin – After missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time this century last season, the Badgers should be back with a vengeance. The top eight scorers return, led by Ethan Happ and his near double-double averages.  D’Mitrik Trice and Kobe King both missed much of last season with injuries but are back healthy now for a team that last season, with no seniors, gained a ton of experience.
  3. Purdue – The Boilermakers were in the Sweet 16 last season despite Isaac Haas going down for the season to injury during their first round tournament game. Haas and three other starters are gone now, but prolific scorer Carsen Edwards is back, and should have plenty of help including 7-3 Matt Haarms and Dartmouth transfer Evan Boudreaux.  A return to the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend is definitely possible.
  4. Nebraska – The Cornhuskers return four out of five starters from a team that went 13-5 in Big Ten play last year, even if they did not get a bid to the Big Dance. Expect another big year from the likes of Isaac Copeland, Glynn Watson and James Palmer.  The key to the season may be how much junior forward Isaiah Roby improves.
  5. Michigan – The Wolverines are reloading this season now that Moritz Wagner and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman are gone, but the defending national runners-up still have weapons, especially in the backcourt with Charles Matthews, Jordan Poole and Zavier Simpson. Head coach John Beilein has also brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the nation and should get some immediate help from his newcomers.
  6. Indiana – The Hoosiers should be markedly improved from last season’s 16-15 campaign, thanks to the leadership expected from senior Juwan Morgan and the addition of likely one-and-done star recruit Romeo Langford. Head coach Archie Miller has Indiana heading in the right direction, and it would not be a complete shock to see them finish even higher than this.
  7. Ohio State – The Buckeyes lost their top two players from last year’s 25-win team, but head coach Chris Holtmann has a very strong recruiting class this year, and maybe an even better one coming in next, so the future remains very bright in Columbus. On the court this season, C.J. Jackson will be looked on to lead the way, though keep an eye on freshman guard Luther Muhammad.
  8. Iowa – The Hawkeyes return the majority of their key contributors, led by the Big Ten’s top 3-point scorer Jordan Bohannon and a solid frontcourt manned by Tyler Cook and Luka Garza. The problems last season were on defense, where allowing 78.7 points per game was worst in the conference.  If head coach Fran McCaffery can correct that problem, this team should be good enough to contend for an NCAA bid.
  9. Minnesota – The Golden Gophers were snake-bitten by injuries last season and must now find a way to replace Nate Mason and Reggie Lynch. Having Jordan Murphy and Amir Coffey will help, as will hopefully having guys like Eric Curry back healthy.  Speaking of healthy, keep an eye on freshman big man Daniel Oturu who is returning from shoulder surgery back in May.
  10. Maryland – The Terps are one of the hardest teams to project in the Big Ten, as they have talent in both the frontcourt (led by Bruno Fernando) and in the backcourt (Anthony Cowan). The key whether or not they contend for a dance ticket may be a highly-regarded freshman class, led by potential one-and-done Jalen Smith.
  11. Rutgers – Despite losing Corey Sanders and Deshawn Freeman, the Scarlet Knights may finally be ready to take the first step forward under head coach Steve Pikiell. Eugene Omoruyi returns to lead a strong defensive squad, and the addition of Quinnipiac transfer Peter Kiss could help answer the team’s outside shooting woes.  The best new for Rutgers may be the team’s age – only one senior on the roster could make next year very exciting.
  12. Northwestern – The good news is that the $110 million renovations at Welsh-Ryan Arena are done and the Wildcats will be back on their home floor this season. The bad news is that Scottie Lindsey and Bryant McIntosh, two of the leaders of the best four-year run in Northwestern history, are gone.  Some of the scoring load will be taken on by Evansville transfer Ryan Taylor, and both Vic Law and Dererk Pardon are back, but a return to what this team did two years ago, when they made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, is unlikely.
  13. Penn State – The Nittany Lions ended last season with a championship – in the NIT. Had star guard Tony Carr not opted to turn pro early, Penn State would be among our picks to end this season in the NCAA Tournament.  Without him, the offensive load will fall on Lamar Stevens’ shoulders, but there probably are not enough pieces around him to make a serious run at a dance ticket.
  14. Illinois – Only four scholarship players return for Brad Underwood from last year’s 14-18 team, making this a rebuilding year in Champaign. Trent Frazier and Aaron Jordan will try to lead the way in the backcourt, and keep an eye on Kent State transfer Adonis De La Rosa, who is recovering from a torn ACL and probably will not be able to play until January.
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Conference Preview: Big East

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Chad

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Preseason Coverage

The Big East put six teams in last year’s NCAA Tournament, including a pair of 1 seeds and, of course, the eventual national champion in Villanova.  It just does not appear possible for the league to replicate that level of success this season, with nearly all of the top programs having to rebuild.  At the end of the day, it should once again come down to Villanova and Xavier for the regular season title, though Butler will make some noise as well.

Two teams that do appear to be on the rise are teams that did not make the NCAA Tournament last season.  Chris Mullin may have the league’s best player at St. John’s in Shamorie Ponds, and a ticket to the Big Dance could definitely be in the cards this season.  Although we are not picking DePaul to join them in the NCAA Tournament, the Blue Demons have as much talent this season as they have had in any year in recent memory, and a winning overall record should at least be within their grasp.

Predicted Order of Finish

  1. Villanova – The defending national champions lost four players to the NBA Draft, but will still be a force to reckon with due to the return of Eric Paschall in the frontcourt and Phil Booth in the backcourt. Keep an eye on Albany transfer Joe Cremo and heralded freshman point guard Jahvon Quinerly as well.
  2. Xavier – The Musketeers not only lost a ton of talent, including three double-digit scorers, but saw their head coach head to Louisville in the offseason. Travis Steele takes over for Chris Mack and, given the school’s track record with head coaching hires, fans can rightfully have big expectations.  This season, Steele will need returnees Tyrique Jones and Quentin Goodin to lead the way for a solid group of graduate transfers and freshmen.  Don’t be shocked if the Musketeers are right back at or near the top of the league standings again.
  3. Butler – The Bulldogs were on the small side last season and lost their two best frontcourt players to graduation in Kelan Martin and Tyler Wideman. The team should be set in the backcourt, led by Kamar Baldwin, but will need to find some size, especially during the first semester when Duke transfer and former top 100 recruit Jordan Tucker is ineligible.
  4. John’s – This could be the year the Johnnies get back to the Big Dance as Shamorie Ponds may be the best player in the conference, and having Justin Simon and Marvin Clark II, plus a strong defense, should help the team a ton. They key may be a pair of transfers – Mikey Dixon (Quinnipiac) averaged over 16 points per game, while Mustapha Heron (Auburn) did the same and has just received word that he will be eligible to play this season.
  5. Marquette – Even without Andrew Rowsey, the Golden Eagles should still score a ton of points led by Markus Howard and Sam Hauser. The questions will still be on defense where the Golden Eagles ranked dead last in the Big East and 315th nationally last season.
  6. Providence – The Friars have a ton of question marks, especially at the point guard position. Alpha Diallo should be a star for the team this season, but they need Emmitt Holt to be back close to 100% after missing last season with an injury if they want any shot at a sixth consecutive NCAA tournament bid.
  7. Seton Hall – Myles Powell will have to step up his scoring even more this season with three of last season’s top four point-producers gone. A pair of transfers – Taurean Thompson (Syracuse) and Quincy McKnight (Sacred Heart) will help, but a return to the Big Dance is probably a stretch.
  8. DePaul – The Blue Demons have a serious chance to avoid the basement this year with Devin Gage back healthy, allowing Eli Cain to return to the wing. Illinois transfer Jalen Coleman-Lands and North Carolina A&T transfer Femi Olujobi will be the keys to the team possibly posting a winning record and maybe even playing in a postseason tournament.
  9. Creighton – The Bluejays will likely take a step back this season without Marcus Foster and Khyri Thomas. However, there is still enough talent here to cause opponents problems, especially if junior forward Martin Krampelj can remain healthy.
  10. Georgetown – The Hoyas only won 5 Big East games in Patrick Ewing’s first season but that was 6 or 7 more than some of us predicted! Don’t expect a big improvement this season, but the team does appear to be building in the right direction.
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Bracketology: The 2018-19 Preseason Media Bracket

Posted on October 30, 2018 by John Stalica

One of our favorite traditions at HoopsHD is to make a preseason bracket based on both the major polls (AP Poll and Coaches Poll) as well as preseason polls from all 32 Division I conferences. The 1-68 S-Curve is based on positions in the major polls along with Matt Norlander’s (of CBS Sports.com) comprehensive ranking of all 353 Division I programs.

This bracket is separate from what Chad Sherwood will be unveiling next week, so without further ado:

The top 4 ranked teams in order are Kansas, Kentucky, Gonzaga and Duke respectively. All 4 teams except Gonzaga meet in the State Farm Champions Classic next Tuesday – but even after that, there is a good chance that Duke and Gonzaga could meet in the championship of the Maui Invitational.

Elsewhere in the bracket, I did bump Western Kentucky up to the 11-seed line and the Miami/Texas opening round game down to the 12-line for bracketing considerations. I also had Alabama and Louisville flipped because the Cardinals cannot be in the South Region as the host institution for the Sweet 16/Elite 8 games in Louisville. Buffalo is also above the bubble since they got votes in the preseason polls, and if they have a strong regular season, it is not far-fetched to think that they could wind up this high. This is also why Saint Louis is down on the 12-line; they did not get any votes in either poll but were the media pick to win the Atlantic 10 Conference.

If you have any comments, feel free to tweet @jstalica78, @HoopsHD, @csherwood_1973, @jonteitel, @roccomiller8 or @DavidGPuppet.

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