Top 25
Top 10 (includes top 3 players with stats, and comments on team)
1. Syracuse
Tyler Ennis 11.6 PPG 5.7 APG, Jerami Grant 12.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, CJ Fair 17.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG
This is the easiest choice, they are far and away the best team in the country right now. Jerami Grant is phenomenal, he is a great defender, and can shoot from anywhere, and is also a huge post presence. Tyler Ennis is one of the three best PGs in the country, along with Aaron Craft, and Marcus Smart. CJ Fair is an all-american. Behind that, they have 3 other athletic big men who also have awesome names: Baye-Moussa Keita, Dajuan Coleman, and Rakeem Christmas (so does Duke transfer guard Michael Gbinije). Anyways, Keita, Coleman, and Christmas could start on almost any team in the country, and lead the team (and maybe the league) in blocks. In Syracuse's famous 2-3 zone, it is critical to have these big, strong and athletic big men.
2. Michigan St
Keith Appling 16.4 PPG, 4.6 APG, Gary Harris 17.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, Adreian Payne 16.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG
This team has impressed me SO much. They have three guys that can score at any time, and they all defend. This is the best threesome in the country. I think they are in a class of their own with the way they can score with these three and more. Appling really starts it all of as a point guard who can not only pass and run the offense, but who can shoot and score
3. Wisconsin
Sam Dekker 14.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, Frank Kaminsky 13.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, Traevon Jackson, 10.8 PPG, 4.3 APG
Bo Ryan is a genius. He is the best coach in the country. If you give him any 8 players, he will make them into a tournament team. This year he is showing what he can turn a top 25 team into. I think that could be a final four team, and possibly a national title winner. Although he may look a bit weird when he yells, I think he is a witty coach who knows how to use statistics to his advantage. Any team with Dekker, Kaminsky, and Jackson could be a top 25 team, but with Ryan's coaching, they could win a title.
4. Arizona
SG Nick Johnson 16.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, SF Aaron Gordon 12.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, PF Brandon Ashley 11.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG
Arizona is really good, a top 5 team, but not number one. They haven't had a great win yet. Before I move them up, they need to prove themselves. Their best win is against Duke, who is a good team, but it wasn't a road game, and Duke has no good wins either. The talent is there, they just need to prove they have what it takes. They probably have the best defense in the country. Nick Johnson is a top 10 defender in the country, and he has an Aaron Craft-like grittiness (I would bet money that word is in the dictionary in a couple years). Although at the beginning of the year I thought Gordon wasn't very good, I am starting to come around (key word: starting). I think he is overrated as a rebounder, and adds minimal value on offense. However, I think that he is a tremendous, maybe as good as Nick Johnson. He has the athleticism to cut guys off and block them, but also is a smart and hard-working defender. He is definitely the leader of this exceptional team defense.
5. Villanova
JayVaughn Pinkston 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, James Bell 13.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, Darrun Hilliard II 13.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG
Villanova has one loss: Syracuse. If that is your only loss, and you have wins over Kansas and Iowa, then you are a pretty good team. I watched them play Syracuse, and they dominated the first 10 minutes of the game. If they hadn't lost steam, they could have won that game. They may be the most athletic team in the country. All of these guys can jump and run with the best of them. Their athleticism has really helped on defense.
6. Wichita St
Cleanthony Early 16.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, Ron Baker 13.1 PPG, 3.5 APG, Fred Van Vleet 12.2 PPG, 5.4 APG
Wichita St is like Arizona. They are talented, but have an even worse schedule than Arizona. Fred Van Vleet starts it all. He can really defend and pass. In my opinion, Early should be a first rounder. He is like a poor man's Kevin Durant. Baker can really shoot the ball as well.
7. Iowa St
Melvin Ejim, 18.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, DeAndre Kane 16.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 6.1 APG, Dustin Hogue 12.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG
Iowa St would have been at number 3 or 4 if not for their loss to Oklahoma over the weekend. That is not a bad loss, as I have them ranked number 24, and it was a road game, but it still put them down a few slots. Melvin Ejim is a great scorer and rebounder, and is a freaky athlete. Hogue does a remarkable job on the offensive boards, and Georges Niang, a big man that can shoot (Georges not George) averages 15.3 PPG. Even though all these guys are very good, DeAndre Kane is their best player. He is the definition of a stat-sheet-stuffer, and a possibility for a triple double any day. He is one of the best rebounding guards in the country, and an extraordinary passer. He can score the basketball with the best as well. If I had to make an All-American team, he would be on it.
8. Florida
Casey Prather 17.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, Scottie Wilbekin 12.9 PPG, 3.7 APG, Dorian Finney-Smith 10.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG
Prather used to just be a glue guy, but now he is a star. He is one of the best scorers in the SEC (and has a great first name). I think he will play up to the level of Randle when Florida plays Kentucky. Finney-Smith is a great rebounder, and he works really hard down low. I have always loved Wilbekin for his passing, but he scored 18 against Arkansas to lead them to a win.
9. Oklahoma St
Marcus Smart 17.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, Markel Brown 16.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, Le'Bryan Nash 13.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG
Marcus Smart might be the best player in the country, and Markel Brown is not too far behind, especially athletically, where he excels. These 2 form an amazing duo. They both can score, rebound and pass as well as anyone. The thing that sets these 2 apart is their defense. They are both phenomenal defenders, and this is why Oklahoma St has been so successful.
10. Ohio St
Aaron Craft 9.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.4 SPG, Shannon Scott 8.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.2 SPG, LaQuinton Ross 13.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG
They had a rough week, with losses to Michagan St and Iowa, who are both great teams. Aaron Craft should be in the player of the year conversation if he is not already. In my opinion, he is the best defender in the country, and also has great hustle. Scott is another great defender, and is also a great passer. LaQuinton Ross is their leading scorer, and has an NBA type game. I think he could be a first round pick at some point. Ohio St needs to bounce back from the two losses and play like the have all year.
Rest of the Top 25
11. Baylor
12. San Diego St
13. Kansas
14. Iowa
15. Kentucky
16. Colorado
17. Massachusetts
18. Memphis
19. Creighton
20. Illinois
21. Louisville
22. Oregon
23. Pittsburgh
24. Oklahoma
25. Duke
1. Syracuse
Tyler Ennis 11.6 PPG 5.7 APG, Jerami Grant 12.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, CJ Fair 17.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG
This is the easiest choice, they are far and away the best team in the country right now. Jerami Grant is phenomenal, he is a great defender, and can shoot from anywhere, and is also a huge post presence. Tyler Ennis is one of the three best PGs in the country, along with Aaron Craft, and Marcus Smart. CJ Fair is an all-american. Behind that, they have 3 other athletic big men who also have awesome names: Baye-Moussa Keita, Dajuan Coleman, and Rakeem Christmas (so does Duke transfer guard Michael Gbinije). Anyways, Keita, Coleman, and Christmas could start on almost any team in the country, and lead the team (and maybe the league) in blocks. In Syracuse's famous 2-3 zone, it is critical to have these big, strong and athletic big men.
2. Michigan St
Keith Appling 16.4 PPG, 4.6 APG, Gary Harris 17.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, Adreian Payne 16.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG
This team has impressed me SO much. They have three guys that can score at any time, and they all defend. This is the best threesome in the country. I think they are in a class of their own with the way they can score with these three and more. Appling really starts it all of as a point guard who can not only pass and run the offense, but who can shoot and score
3. Wisconsin
Sam Dekker 14.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, Frank Kaminsky 13.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, Traevon Jackson, 10.8 PPG, 4.3 APG
Bo Ryan is a genius. He is the best coach in the country. If you give him any 8 players, he will make them into a tournament team. This year he is showing what he can turn a top 25 team into. I think that could be a final four team, and possibly a national title winner. Although he may look a bit weird when he yells, I think he is a witty coach who knows how to use statistics to his advantage. Any team with Dekker, Kaminsky, and Jackson could be a top 25 team, but with Ryan's coaching, they could win a title.
4. Arizona
SG Nick Johnson 16.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, SF Aaron Gordon 12.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, PF Brandon Ashley 11.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG
Arizona is really good, a top 5 team, but not number one. They haven't had a great win yet. Before I move them up, they need to prove themselves. Their best win is against Duke, who is a good team, but it wasn't a road game, and Duke has no good wins either. The talent is there, they just need to prove they have what it takes. They probably have the best defense in the country. Nick Johnson is a top 10 defender in the country, and he has an Aaron Craft-like grittiness (I would bet money that word is in the dictionary in a couple years). Although at the beginning of the year I thought Gordon wasn't very good, I am starting to come around (key word: starting). I think he is overrated as a rebounder, and adds minimal value on offense. However, I think that he is a tremendous, maybe as good as Nick Johnson. He has the athleticism to cut guys off and block them, but also is a smart and hard-working defender. He is definitely the leader of this exceptional team defense.
5. Villanova
JayVaughn Pinkston 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, James Bell 13.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, Darrun Hilliard II 13.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG
Villanova has one loss: Syracuse. If that is your only loss, and you have wins over Kansas and Iowa, then you are a pretty good team. I watched them play Syracuse, and they dominated the first 10 minutes of the game. If they hadn't lost steam, they could have won that game. They may be the most athletic team in the country. All of these guys can jump and run with the best of them. Their athleticism has really helped on defense.
6. Wichita St
Cleanthony Early 16.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, Ron Baker 13.1 PPG, 3.5 APG, Fred Van Vleet 12.2 PPG, 5.4 APG
Wichita St is like Arizona. They are talented, but have an even worse schedule than Arizona. Fred Van Vleet starts it all. He can really defend and pass. In my opinion, Early should be a first rounder. He is like a poor man's Kevin Durant. Baker can really shoot the ball as well.
7. Iowa St
Melvin Ejim, 18.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, DeAndre Kane 16.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 6.1 APG, Dustin Hogue 12.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG
Iowa St would have been at number 3 or 4 if not for their loss to Oklahoma over the weekend. That is not a bad loss, as I have them ranked number 24, and it was a road game, but it still put them down a few slots. Melvin Ejim is a great scorer and rebounder, and is a freaky athlete. Hogue does a remarkable job on the offensive boards, and Georges Niang, a big man that can shoot (Georges not George) averages 15.3 PPG. Even though all these guys are very good, DeAndre Kane is their best player. He is the definition of a stat-sheet-stuffer, and a possibility for a triple double any day. He is one of the best rebounding guards in the country, and an extraordinary passer. He can score the basketball with the best as well. If I had to make an All-American team, he would be on it.
8. Florida
Casey Prather 17.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, Scottie Wilbekin 12.9 PPG, 3.7 APG, Dorian Finney-Smith 10.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG
Prather used to just be a glue guy, but now he is a star. He is one of the best scorers in the SEC (and has a great first name). I think he will play up to the level of Randle when Florida plays Kentucky. Finney-Smith is a great rebounder, and he works really hard down low. I have always loved Wilbekin for his passing, but he scored 18 against Arkansas to lead them to a win.
9. Oklahoma St
Marcus Smart 17.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.1 APG, Markel Brown 16.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, Le'Bryan Nash 13.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG
Marcus Smart might be the best player in the country, and Markel Brown is not too far behind, especially athletically, where he excels. These 2 form an amazing duo. They both can score, rebound and pass as well as anyone. The thing that sets these 2 apart is their defense. They are both phenomenal defenders, and this is why Oklahoma St has been so successful.
10. Ohio St
Aaron Craft 9.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.4 SPG, Shannon Scott 8.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 2.2 SPG, LaQuinton Ross 13.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG
They had a rough week, with losses to Michagan St and Iowa, who are both great teams. Aaron Craft should be in the player of the year conversation if he is not already. In my opinion, he is the best defender in the country, and also has great hustle. Scott is another great defender, and is also a great passer. LaQuinton Ross is their leading scorer, and has an NBA type game. I think he could be a first round pick at some point. Ohio St needs to bounce back from the two losses and play like the have all year.
Rest of the Top 25
11. Baylor
12. San Diego St
13. Kansas
14. Iowa
15. Kentucky
16. Colorado
17. Massachusetts
18. Memphis
19. Creighton
20. Illinois
21. Louisville
22. Oregon
23. Pittsburgh
24. Oklahoma
25. Duke
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