College Basketball 2002-2003

[justin]

Not much chatter here, so I figured I'd start a thread.

 

Random comments:

 

I was very surprised to see James White quit the team at Florida. I saw this kid play last year a few times and he has some talent.

 

I was also suprised to the the MD Terps ranked so low in many of the pre-season polls. They did win it all last year, and I realize that they lost four starters, but they still have some seasoned vets on that squad, plus some incoming talent. Then again, these writters are the same polsters who did'nt even place Arizona in the Top 25 last year.

 

This year, Arizona seems to be the favorite early on for #1 - with props to the Big 12 teams as well.

 

Any other thoughts?

[up the middle]

I'm not too surprised to see James White walk away from Florida.He saw him play several times while he was in High School,and if I remember correctly he played for 3 schools in 4 years.

I would not be surprised to see him play over seas for a year then turn pro.He's a top 15 NBA talent pick.

 

Arizona is the team to beat,but I also like Kansas.

As for Maryland,I love Blake at the point and their low-post players/game.I'm just not sold on their outside shooting and overall team depth.

 

The Big12,SEC,and Pac10 are as strong as ever,but I still gotta go with the ACC.

The Big10 is down a bit this year.

 

Talking Big12:Oklahoma made a nice recruiting pick-up in hoops,getting Andrew Lavender(PG) and Brandon Foust(WF) both from Columbus Brookhaven high school,a preseason top 10 USA Today program(they are the defending big school state champs & a high flying powerhouse!).Both kids can flat-out play.I am looking forward to seeing them play again this December when they take on Akron St.Vincent-St.Mary with all everything and SI cover boy LeBron James.LeBron IS the next Kobe,and the #1 pick in next year's NBA draft.

[justin]

I watched Oklahoma get whalloped by Alabama in the Garden last week.

I was quite surprised by the lack of touches/shots that Price took. I thought that Hollis was going to be OKL go to guy, but he really didn't take that many shots. Towards the end of the game, it appeared that he tried to take over - but it was to late.

I know it's only the first game, but it was dissapointing in that they (OKL) didn't look that good. Taking nothing away from 'Bama, though - who did look good.

[justin]

up the middle:

SI cover boy LeBron James.LeBron IS the next Kobe,and the #1 pick in next year's NBA draft.

Just read a more recent article on LeBron by Tom Friend.

[up the middle]

This Ohio High School site has a LeBron forum & message board.

 

http://ohiopreps.rivals.com/forum.asp?FID=856

[billay]

I think Duke is overrated at # 6. Of course the press just loves them. They returned Duhon and that junior college transfer...i can't remember his name. Got alot of freshman though.

 

Speaking of freshman... GO TAR HEELS! I think will be seeing the tar heels return to the top 25 pretty soon.

[justin]

Maryland v. Puke TODAY.

 

There is no better "rivalry" in college basketball today. I'm not talking history/tradition here - obviously there are much better traditional rivalries - but in the game over the past 3-5 years, there has been no better rivalry or amount of quality games between two schools. And of course your talking about the past two NCAA basketball winners.

 

I think that the defending National Champions take this game in their new arena!