Official NCAA 2004 College Basketball Thread

jimmycoasterman · #1 11-17-2003, 05:18 PM

I figured this was needed as the greatest sports competiton of them all begins.

As most of you know, I am a Cameron Crazy (well, not officially since I don't go to Duke yet) but am as passionate and a die-hard Duke fan as they come. After suffering through the end of football season Saturday, we kick off winning time Sunday vs. Detroit.

This year we're ranked #2 behind UConn, and have a great chance to win it all (again). Last year was more of a rebuilding year even though we still got to the Sweet 16 for the sixth year in a row.

Who we got this year:
Chris Duhon, Sr. PG- his final season. Last year he was preseason ACC player of the year and had a dissapointing season. Scoring for him was lower than expected but he will continue to rack up assists and steals.

Daniel Ewing, Jr., SG- Should be our leading scorer. Last year had 18 pts a game and continues to improve and play well.

Luol Deng, Fr., EVERYTHING- This guy is incredible. He was the #2 recruit in the nation (behind LeBron) and everyone thinks after this year he will jump to the NBA. All the players already say he is the best all-around player on the team. I expect a whole lot from him.

J.J Redick, So., G- Last year had incredible freshman year, averaging nearly 15 pts. a game, and showing his incredible ability from 3-pt. range, leading the nation in 3's and 3 pt. accuracy.

Shelden Williams, So., PF- Another of 4 incredible freshman returning for sophmore year. Broke out at the end of last year with 6 double-double (RB and Pt) game out of the last 10.

Shavlik Randolph, So., F- Again, incredibly talented. He's the grandson of NC State legend Ronnie Shavlik, and was one of the most highly recruited players before last year. Could have a breakout sophomore year.

And as usual, the best coach in the nation, Coach K (Mike Kryzewtski), will be back.

The Preseason Top 25:
1. Connecticut (67)
2. Duke (3)
3. Michigan St. (1)
4. Arizona
5. Missouri
6. Kansas (1)
7. Syracuse
8. Florida
9. North Carolina
10. Gonzaga
11. Kentucky
12. Texas
13. Illinois
14. Oklahoma
15. Wisconsin
16. Louisville
17. St. Joseph's (PA)
18. Cincinnati
19. Stanford
20. Wake Forest
21. Notre Dame
22. Pittsburgh
23. Marquette
24. N.C. St.
25. Oklahoma St.

Gonzaga was way overrated and has already lost to St. Josephs, and will move down to around 17.

**Phil** · #2 11-17-2003, 05:45 PM

Duke is overrated this year, I don't see them making the Final Four.

I don't really know who will win the national championship this year. I have to watch a few of each of the contenders games first.

cedarpointfreak · #3 11-17-2003, 05:51 PM

i think arizona will be a big contender

**Andrew P** · #4 11-17-2003, 07:57 PM

Damn it Jimmy, I was thinking of making a thread like this.

Duke will be a front runner, always will be. Kent State is looking good this year. Though we lost one player to the NFL, another to graduation and a starter to knee surgery, we still have two strong starters and a great bench. We open Friday and from what I saw in the exhibition game, our bench will provide depth, range and ball control. Oh yes, and crashing the boards looks to have drastically improved. We are picked to finish mid-pack like last year. Then again last year, we reeled off our 5th straight 20 win season and made the MAC finals.

Other teams I see being good, Illinois, Mich State, Creighton, Uconn, Duke and Akron. Akron has former SVSM teammate of LBJ in Romeo Travis. I am looking forward to the KSU/Akron matchup later on.

Tim · #5 11-18-2003, 06:47 PM

When I was still in school I was a bigger college basketball fan than football, including season tickets in Mackey - which are fairly hard to come by. Now though, since it's easier to follow football as I'm nowhere near Purdue, I'm drawn to that. Come March though, I get my full-seasons worth of college basketball. I don't think there's any denying that March Madness is the best sporting event of any kind... anywhere.

**Phil** · #6 11-18-2003, 06:49 PM

No doubt.

If I had to pick a team, I would probably take Michigan State.

jimmycoasterman · #7 11-18-2003, 07:37 PM

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by coasterphil [/i]
[B]No doubt.

If I had to pick a team, I would probably take Michigan State. [/B][/QUOTE]

and you think Duke's overrated??? If I had to take a team to move up, I'd pick Syracuse. Even without Carmelo, Hakim Warrick is incredible, and they have McNamara coming back strong as a sophomore.

I'm a Mizzou fan since both my parents went there, and even they will admit Mizzou is overrated. Yes, they're good, and Arthur Johnson and Ricky Paulding will be incredible, but #5? And winning the Big XII?? No way.

Coasterphil, Dec. 3 is the MSU-Duke game. I'll guarantee you a Duke win and hand you 8 pts.

Anyone see the UConn-Yale game? For a #1 to be down at the half to a pitiful Ivy League school is pretty weak.

**Andrew P** · #8 11-22-2003, 02:16 AM

Just read this in Toledo's paper. Bowling Green (little MAC school) had Duke on the schedule, scheduled to play AT Duke, when a conflict came up and Duke could not fulfill the committment. Oh well, BG then took on Urbana instead. I never knew where Urbana was located until May of this year and never knew there was a school with such a name until a year ago when Kent State throttled them 93-39. BGSU had their fun in a 103-78 victory.

Kent drew Houghton, a school out of New York, for their first game. It was close in the first few minutes, but as halftime came (58-28 KSU) and time flew towards the end of the game, it became clear that Houghton was clearly overmatched. Final was 111-52, KSU led everywhere, comitted only 7 turnovers and not one Golden Flash had more than one TO.

And one other thing...as the players were getting set to be introduced, we heard drums, but passed it off as the PA music. The marching band had completed practice and headed to the MAC Center for the game. Yes, Kent State has a small band too. What a way to get some spirit kickin...

Last, USC travelled to Western Michigan. Only reason that happened was so that a USC player could play in front of hometown fans. It didn't matter as Western Michigan upset USC 83-65.

Look for my Kent State basketball sig to return...KSU Women also beat Rice. [I]Kent State Athletics, where Lightning Always Strikes![/I]

**BryanWood** · #9 11-22-2003, 08:26 PM

Not only does Akron have Romeo Travis, but they return all 5 starters, including Tarver and Hollingsworth, both pre-season 1st team All-MAC. Akron will be what Kent has been in the MAC in the past few years. They open the season at a very tough #18 Cincinnati team.

Ohio State will be a surprise in the Big Ten. They have Ivan Harris from Oak Hill Academy, the school of basketball superstars. Local product Tony Stockman is now eligible after transferring back from Clemson, giving OSU a great jump shooter. And of course, anchoring the front court is big Velimir Radinovic. Ohio State will compete with Indiana, Michigan State, Illionis and Wisconsin this year. The Big Ten is going to have another great season, with these teams looking at a legitimate shot at a Tourney bid: OSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Illionis and M!ch!g@n. That's nine teams out of 11, not too shabby.

jimmycoasterman · #10 11-22-2003, 09:30 PM

But lets be realistic, 9 of 11 Big Ten teams won't make it. Most likely six teams will make it.

Cincy beat Akron pretty badly today, 81-59, but it wasn't exactly a mauling. Still no major upsets.

I will be really interested in the Georgia Tech-UConn game coming up. This will show me whether or not the Huskies really deserve their #1 ranking. They should beat Tech by at least 15 if they are really that good.

Duke opened up its season with a shaky win 67-56, but it never was really close. Yes, Duke should be Detroit by much more than 11, but then again UConn only beat Yale by 10. I think the next few games including the Michigan State game will show how good we really are.

The heralded freshman Luol Deng had 21 points and 8 rebounds. Pretty good for his college debut. J.J Redick picked up right where he left off, with 19 points...

and to cap it all off a win today in Chapel Hill over rival UNC in football. Not a bad day in Durham.

**BryanWood** · #11 11-22-2003, 10:24 PM

I know nine teams won't make it. I said that nine teams are [i]looking[/i] at a legitimate shot of making the tournament. Any of those nine teams are capable of making a run deep into the tourney.

Bencerisback · #12 11-23-2003, 03:24 PM

[SIZE=4]CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY WON THEIR OPENING GAME LAST NIGHT[/SIZE] AND I WAS there in the box seats at the top of the brand new Quest Center in Omaha, at half time it was 38 - 12 (i think or something like that) and the end was 79-52 (again i think)
it was a pretty boring game because we kicked the crap outta San Diego that game, but at least we won!!!!

[SIZE=4]CREIGHTON IS FRIGGIN AWESOME[/SIZE]

**Andrew P** · #13 11-23-2003, 04:23 PM

Let's go mid-majors!!

Bryan, Akron has been picked for first in years past and not done anything about it. Since the MAC tourney was moved to Gund, they have only been there once. They are going to have to go through us, Miami (OH), Bowling Green and possibly Ohio U.

antfarm007 · #14 11-26-2003, 09:30 AM

MSU lost last night. They were way overrated anyways. I see them falling out of the top 25 pretty quick and I'm seeing Michigan beat them for the second year in a row.

jimmycoasterman · #15 11-26-2003, 03:47 PM

Like antfarm said, last night in the first big game this year Michigan State lost to Kansas.

I think MSU was a bit overrated, and will suffer a bit due to a tough non-conference schedule (Kentucky, Duke, Oklahoma, UCLA). They still should be a tough team to be though.