NCAA BB 2009

I enjoyed ESPN’s NCAA BB Marathon; it jogged memories of the NCAA Tournament, and watching a sequence of games, a whetting of the whistle.

Down:
Kansas - #1 on the basis of returning starters/scorers (top 9), but I see marginal improvement from last years S16 team. Aldrich will take touches from more athletic players, and it will be hard to settle on a rotation.

Duke – Lost their most athletic player when Elliott Williams transferred to Memphis.

Top Ten Teams (in general) – Most T10 teams have a few superstars and little depth, or depth with no go to scorer. More cracks/flaws in the T10 than in the past.

Up:
Teams not currently in the Top 25 – Maryland (GV, EH, LM) has depth and experience, and will rise as the season progresses. Memphis gained a potential All American in Williams (kudos to the NCAA for allowing him to immediately transfer, on account of personal hardship) but the team has a lot of growing up to do (under an untested coach) and improve their shooting to be dangerous. Not used to being the underdog, I see them improving as the year progresses. Gonzaga has a young team, who will undertake a difficult schedule, but Mark Few will prepare them well for March.