Norlander's Top 100 & 1.
It's time for the biggest preview of 'em all: Matt Norlander's exhaustive ranking of the squads you need to know going into November
www.cbssports.com
Buffs are #98. Fair write up.
I'm gonna let someone else who isn't running on fumes do the Big XII breakdown and how brutal the conference is, but I've been solo parenting for 24 hours and in that time period one child got a 101.4 fever and the other had her face break out with a rash so clearly I'm just trying to survive until the wife returns from her trip.
I could never replace Goose, but some thoughts:
-Maui Invitational: Michigan St #26 (in CBS rankings above), Auburn #27, and Memphis #29 (this last ranking seems biggest outlier; Memphis not Top-35 elsewhere):
-Michigan St's Booker 1 of top PFs in nation, deep Gs & Ws maybe tougher match-up for us, Izzo continuing 2 Big line-ups vs Booker at 5-spot biggest question?
-Memphis in CU's 2nd game our best shot at win in Maui? Penny's new investigation, & almost complete turnover of staff and players really hard to see how good transfers fit together. But Hunter & Haggerty tough starting guards(?), 7' Cisse matches up well with Dak?, & (Dainja off bench?) matches up well with Malone?
-Auburn (upsets North Carolina?) tough 3rd game! Auburn w/ elite big in Broome, both Auburn and UNC elite depth, either match-up great uptempo teams!
BIG 12's Top-5 to stay in Top-10 nationally? 6 in Top-25?
-Kansa, Houston, Iowa St, Baylor: obviously elite teams, to stay in Top-10? CBS outlyer in dropping Iowa St from Top-10 to #21 (as finished #1 in D last year).
-Arizona: really feels like Top-15 more than Top-10? But have personnel to build on last year's improved D? Obviously will continue as elite uptempo/O team?
-Cinci: most consistently in early Top-25 lists. CBS's Top-30 feels like floor? Bandaogo Elite 5, experienced guards, consistent D, O should be improved?
-7-9 to Tourney?: K-State & TX Tech are teams to crack early Top-25 lists the next most consistently. BYU occasionally making Top-25 to Top-35 lists.
-K-State: guard heavy attack to rely on diminutive Dug McDaniel, & limited guard help? But deep w/ size: N’Guessan & Achor Achor at 3/4;
Onyenso & Baye Fall at 5; & Top Big12 transfer Coleman Hawkins to eat up minutes at 4? Tang needs to repeat success of 2 years ago, after under-achieving w/ transfers last year?
-Tech has 1 of best (& most experienced) first 8, but limited depth & size? Can't afford injuries to Federiko @5, Toppin @4, and 6'6 do-everything Darrion Williams @3/4? Coach MacCasland finished Top-4 1st year in league, & joined Tad & Baylor's Drew in showing D-1st coach can adjust to personnel by becoming more O-1st? (of these 3 coaches, MacCasland seems least likely to keep up Elite-O, w/ Elite-D, at same time? Tad, arguably, may not have personnel for that now?)
- BYU: Maybe joins Baylor as best combo of experience w/ elite youth? (Cinci Top-3 there also?) New Coach Young has personnel to jump-start NBA-factory of 5-OutO guys? Has guard & shooting depth, w/ Pt G/W Egor Demin Frosh of Year? (or Baylor's Edgecombe?) Weakness lack of depth outside Keita & 6'6 Traoré?
-Fight for 10-13? TCU, Arizona St, UCF, WV teams that get ranked in next group the most?
-TCU; elite guard depth means 4 guard line-ups w/ Udeh & Frosh Diallo @5? 6'6's White & Frosh Punch @4; Manning & Frosh Robinson @3 need to show-out?
-Arizona St: also guard-reliant, w/ Phillips & Frosh Quaintance @5; 1 True PF in Jihad; Freeman & Gardner to play up to 4; Freshman Sanon & Ali to play up to 3?
-UCF w/ some guards & D, can Mikey Williams & Dior Johnson overcome gun charges for elite guard-corps? 17 year-old 7' Thiam probably beats out other 2 BIgs for minutes? Coach Johnny Dawkins (& Cinci's Wes Miller) bring consistent D from North Carolina Dean Smith Tree (like KU & Tad's Larry Brown's UNC tree).
-WV biggest question w/ all new roster (BYU & Oklahoma St big turn-over & new coaches also)? Seniors DeVries & Small need help at guard from Frosh Powell? Hansberry needs help from Eduardo Andre & Haris Elezovic in frontcourt? Decent additional transfer help at G & W may make difference, if they can guard?
-Colorado: I still think CU can pass 4 teams above, but passing BYU, Tx Tech, or K-State to get 9th and Tourney Invite may be tall order? CU's front court's ability to guard smaller guys & stay on court- to go big more than they need to go small- may be surprise in league? Julian, Ruff, RJ, & Felix may be enough at G?
-Utah getting a bad rap in getting rated at bottom of league, as have size to pass TCU/Arizona St/UCF/WV w/ Colorado to finish 10 & 11? Go Mtn Teams!
-Anyone picking Oklahoma St to finish outside of cellar may know more about only 2 transfer guards joining Bryce Thompson as potential double digit scorers? Or know more about coach Steve Lutz, who does seem to be rising star (got last 2 mid-major teams to tourney) & already making some noise on recruiting trail?