SEC 13-14 Basketball Tournament Team Projections

[Hawg Red]

Scroll up and read Iceman's post. I, for one, think this class is overrated and each KY prospect has a flaw.  Randle doesn't like to stay inside where he's most effective. His problem is he fancies himself a SG/SF.  Johnson is very inconsistent and sometimes lazy.  Think Daniel Orton.  The Harrisons will not be able to overpower defenders like in high school and lack quickness to defend effectively.  Young is streaky at best.

Ah, didn't see that line about them being better than the 2012 team.

You could make a case for most prospects having flaws and being overrated. Bunch of bologna, IMO. They'll be a top 10 type team all year next year.

[-Blu]

Who's really saying that, though? People think they'll be one of the top programs in the country. That's not the same saying as crowning them national champs and saying they'll go undefeated.

It doesn't matter how good we play at home, we won't and can't beat Kentucky. They are just way too good next year. Everyone hypes Wiggins, but Julius Randle is almost as good and a no doubt top 5 NBA pick. They may not lose a game next year.

^  If they don't lose a game that means they'll be the national champs.

This reminds me of when everybody was saying the heat will beat the bulls record of 72-10.  I don't think people realize how hard it is to play at that high of a level for an entire season.  And I would even say going undefeated in college basketball would be harder than an NBA team breaking the bulls record, especially a bunch of freshmen.  It's a reason it hasn't been done since 1975.

[poloprince]

This schedule is to tough, the Hogs will be tested early and often.  A few upsets and 2 Maui wins and they may just be tourney bound.

[Hawg Red]

^  If they don't lose a game that means they'll be the national champs.

Already caught it, bud. Settle down.

[The_Iceman]

The one weakness this 2013-2014 Kentucky team may have is 3-point shooting. They won't ha e guys like Liggins and Miller from the 2012 team that made so many key threes.

But they are going to be huge. Two 7'0" Centers in Johnson and Stein. Two 6'9" PF's in Randle and Lee. Two 6'7" SFs in Young and Poythress. Then the two Harrison twins at 6'5" a piece. Not sure what other guards they have that will contribute.

[UNCLE BACK]

The one weakness this 2013-2014 Kentucky team may have is 3-point shooting. They won't ha e guys like Liggins and Miller from the 2012 team that made so many key threes.

But they are going to be huge. Two 7'0" Centers in Johnson and Stein. Two 6'9" PF's in Randle and Lee. Two 6'7" SFs in Young and Poythress. Then the two Harrison twins at 6'5" a piece. Not sure what other guards they have that will contribute.

We will have to turn them over early and often...

[The_Iceman]

Plus, Bell and Wade get hot from 3.

[rzrbackramsfan]

This is what I think. That would be a very good year with this schedule. Anxious to see full schedule.

I think we'll beat Kentucky at home.  Were great at home and it's going to be really tough for all those freshman to beat a vetted ark team.  I can actually see us blowing them out and it being a turning point for them.

[cityhog]

8-10. Maybe that new practice facility will finally get us over the hump.

[-Blu]

8-10. Maybe that new practice facility will finally get us over the hump.

Weren't you the guy that made an outrageous prediction last year of like 14 or 15 wins, and down talk CMA every chance you get?

[cityhog]

Weren't you the guy that made an outrageous prediction last year of like 14 or 15 wins, and down talk CMA every chance you get?

Yeah. I was 4-5 games off. We weren't even invited to the NIT with an easier schedule in an absolutely horrific league. The schedule is much tougher this year, we are less experienced and until we actually win a road game somewhere other that Auburn (which we don't even play on the road this year) count me as a non-believer. Still. Y'all gotta have someone to hate on around here.

[-Blu]

Yeah. I was 4-5 games off. We weren't even invited to the NIT with an easier schedule in an absolutely horrific league. The schedule is much tougher this year, we are less experienced and until we actually win a road game somewhere other that Auburn (which we don't even play on the road this year) count me as a non-believer. Still. Y'all gotta have someone to hate on around here.

5 games off is pretty big, a 14-18 record your in the hot seat for your job, a 19-13 record your on the last 4 out on the bubble, and a 24-8 record your probably looking at a 4-5 seed in the tournament.  Anyways, everybody is entitled to their opinions, I was just asking were you that guy, cause I remember it was something crazy like predicting us only 5 wins in SEC play.

[The_Iceman]

He predicted a losing season. He was way off, no matter how hard he tries to spin it.

[Hawg Red]

Yeah. I was 4-5 games off. We weren't even invited to the NIT with an easier schedule in an absolutely horrific league. The schedule is much tougher this year, we are less experienced and until we actually win a road game somewhere other that Auburn (which we don't even play on the road this year) count me as a non-believer. Still. Y'all gotta have someone to hate on around here.

4-5 games is a pretty substantial miss.

There's a pretty big difference in a 15 win team and a 20 win team. Or a 20 win team and a 25 win team. That's not a "Ah, just missed it" type of deal.

[Hawg Red]

5 games off is pretty big, a 14-18 record your in the hot seat for your job, a 19-13 record your on the last 4 out on the bubble, and a 24-8 record your probably looking at a 4-5 seed in the tournament.  Anyways, everybody is entitled to their opinions, I was just asking were you that guy, cause I remember it was something crazy like predicting us only 5 wins in SEC play.

He said Anderson would never have a winning record in SEC play.

[Breems]

Yeah. I was 4-5 games off. We weren't even invited to the NIT with an easier schedule in an absolutely horrific league. The schedule is much tougher this year, we are less experienced and until we actually win a road game somewhere other that Auburn (which we don't even play on the road this year) count me as a non-believer. Still. Y'all gotta have someone to hate on around here.

Cityhog! It's so good to see you again. Busy rounding up the usual band of hataz, I presume?

Make sure to include Uncle Kevin this year. I can't help but feel he was left out last year.

[cityhog]

4-5 games is a pretty substantial miss.

There's a pretty big difference in a 15 win team and a 20 win team. Or a 20 win team and a 25 win team. That's not a "Ah, just missed it" type of deal.

You're right. We juuuust missed the NIT. The N. I. T.

[cityhog]

He said Anderson would never have a winning record in SEC play.

Congrats Coach A on being two games above .500 last year. 16-18 in conference play in a dismal conference.

[cityhog]

Cityhog! It's so good to see you again. Busy rounding up the usual band of hataz, I presume?

Make sure to include Uncle Kevin this year. I can't help but feel he was left out last year.

Good to be back. I look forward to another mediocre year of hawgball and the usual list of excuses as to why we missed the NIT again.

[Hawg Red]

Congrats Coach A on being two games above .500 last year. 16-18 in conference play in a dismal conference.

Aka "I was wrong but refuse to just admit so I'll continue to insult Coach Anderson"

Am I right?

[Hawg Red]

You're right. We juuuust missed the NIT. The N. I. T.

I'd rather just miss the NIT than not even come close. Keep flailing. "Only 4-5 games off" is a big discrepancy. Bottom line.

This program continues to be better than you have said it will be. 

[Jonteviosk]

Disagree yeah we lose on the road to Kentucky but they will not beat us in Fayeeteville. We will be undefeated at home this year. Now if we win 3-4 road games and play solid at the neautral sites then were in the tournament.

[Hawg Red]

I'd be surprised if we won every home game. I was surprised we only lost one last season.

[jbcarol]

As part of its anonymous poll of college basketball coaches — which I am not a fan of, by the way — CBS asked just how good will Kentucky be this season?

Poll results showed that 87 percent think UK is a title team, while just 13 percent thought the Cats would be closer to the NIT team of last season.

http://johnclay.bloginky.com/2013/08/23/hoops-coaches-believe-kentucky-is-a-title-team

[jbcarol]

Candid Coaches: Is Kentucky poised for a title or disappointment?

"They have NBA guys at every position, and two at some positions. And they won't be all young this season. They're just going to overwhelm most everybody they play."

"Last year's team had Ryan Harrow. They had no shot from day one."

"Too many egos for even Calipari to handle. I think they have some cancers on the team as well."

The biggest difference from last season will be at the point guard position. Ryan Harrow was expected to be a difference-maker in 2012-13, but the North Carolina State transfer was absent early in the season, was inconsistent when he played, then decided to transfer. He wasn't the Derrick Rose-Tyreke Evans-John Wall-Brandon Knight-Marquis Teague point guard that Calipari is used to. Andrew Harrison will be that sort of player, though. As long as he's cleared to play, Kentucky will have the dynamic playmaker they lacked a year ago.

One note on the poll is that many coaches split the difference and said that Kentucky would be closer to the national championship team – but would likely only reach the Sweet 16. The primary reason is the unpredictability of freshmen, and the lack of role players. The 2012 team had Darius Miller and Doron Lamb. Who will be that sort of guy for this year's group? Moreover, where will the leadership come from? Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was a born leader, and Anthony Davis had no problem buying into his role despite being the best player in the country. Some coaches think this team could have chemistry issues.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/23281761/candid-coaches-is-kentucky-poised-for-a-title-or-disappointment

[-Blu]

Good to be back. I look forward to another mediocre year of hawgball and the usual list of excuses as to why we missed the NIT again.

Am I the only person that thinks it's weird that we have "fans" that root against their own team?  It's not just him but we have a handful of guys like this.  If you don't like or support something, why comment on it?  I don't like Kentucky, therefore you don't see me on their boards.

[Swinesong1]

Am I the only person that thinks it's weird that we have "fans" that root against their own team?  It's not just him but we have a handful of guys like this.  If you don't like or support something, why comment on it?  I don't like Kentucky, therefore you don't see me on their boards.

There are "fans" on this board who foolishly think their voice will get Anderson fired.  Must be a miserable life to have.

[cityhog]

Am I the only person that thinks it's weird that we have "fans" that root against their own team?  It's not just him but we have a handful of guys like this.  If you don't like or support something, why comment on it?  I don't like Kentucky, therefore you don't see me on their boards.

I root for the team. I just have grown weary of the same posters and media people blowing smoke up my arse for the past 15 years telling me this is the year we turn the corner. I'm in prove it mode and have been for 4-5 years now. So far they haven't. Doesn't mean I don't want them to, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I'm ready for more results and less banging our heads against the wall year after year as we see the same defencies in our team that we have had for a long time now. That's all.

[cityhog]

There are "fans" on this board who foolishly think their voice will get Anderson fired.  Must be a miserable life to have.

I have no misguided notions that my voice will get MA fired. That's going to depend completely on his performance and his performance alone.

[UNCLE BACK]

I root for the team. I just have grown weary of the same posters and media people blowing smoke up my arse for the past 15 years telling me this is the year we turn the corner. I'm in prove it mode and have been for 4-5 years now. So far they haven't. Doesn't mean I don't want them to, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I'm ready for more results and less banging our heads against the wall year after year as we see the same defencies in our team that we have had for a long time now. That's all.

I wish I could bash you for this post but it is spot on...

[Swinesong1]

I root for the team. I just have grown weary of the same posters and media people blowing smoke up my arse for the past 15 years telling me this is the year we turn the corner. I'm in prove it mode and have been for 4-5 years now. So far they haven't. Doesn't mean I don't want them to, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I'm ready for more results and less banging our heads against the wall year after year as we see the same defencies in our team that we have had for a long time now. That's all.

So saying after he was hired that Anderson will never have a winning SEC record is rooting for the team?  Yeah right!

[cityhog]

So saying after he was hired that Anderson will never have a winning SEC record is rooting for the team?  Yeah right!

Wanting something to happen and believing what will happen are not mutually exclusive. I know that and I don't even go to church.

[Swinesong1]

Wanting something to happen and believing what will happen are not mutually exclusive. I know that and I don't even go to church.

You obviously have multiple personalities so I'm not gonna quote any of your previous posts from llast two years to show your supposed "support".  Any poster with half a brain can see where you stand as far as being a "fan". 

[Cartoon Man]

The makings of a good year

[The_Iceman]

Wanting something to happen and believing what will happen are not mutually exclusive. I know that and I don't even go to church.

That explains a lot.

[Jonteviosk]

Nah Anderson has learned and developed the team to protect home court. we don't win the SEC but I do believe we get back to the Dance this year. I certainly think those are entirely reasonable expectations. We will finish well about TAMU. Unfortunately for their basketball team Johnny Manziel doesn not play basketball lmfao!

[GuvHog]

Prediction (If a player or 2 steps up big at PG)

@ Texas A&M: Win
vs Florida: Win
vs Kentucky: Loss
@ Georgia: Win
@ Tennessee: Loss
vs Auburn: Win
vs Missouri: Win
@ LSU: Win
vs Alabama: Win
@ Vanderbilt: Win
@ Missouri: Loss
vs LSU: Win
vs South Carolina: Win
@ Mississippi State: Win
@ Kentucky: Loss
vs Georgia: Win
vs Ole Miss: Win
@ Alabama: Win

14-4 in SEC. 8-1 at home. 6-3 on road.

[poloprince]

It is no secret that last years team needed addition by subtraction.  There were reasons MA didn't recruit BJ while at Mizzou.

[jbcarol]

Kentucky backcourt scorers and freshmen James Young, Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison have reported to campus just in time for classes.

[jbcarol]

Who will take over at point guard for Mizzou?

Two of the players in the mix, Wes Clark and Shane Rector, are both freshmen who have yet to play a college game. But there is a third option to consider: 6-5 guard Jordan Clarkson, who sat out last season after transferring in from Tulsa. Clarkson may be bigger than your standard floor general, but a full season of working with and against Pressey  in practice and a trip to the Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp last month has helped Clarkson's development.

In a story written by Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star, Clarkson stated that in summer workouts he's been playing both the point and the off-guard positions.

"I'm really not sure what we're looking at as far as the depth chart goes, but in practice, I've been running both the one and the two," Clarkson said. "They are not the same, but both are really ball-dominant roles. It's an open system and it gives us a lot of freedom."

[jbcarol]

Jason Lieser ‏@PBPjasonlieser 3h
UF basketball signee Chris Walker is not enrolled. Must do so by tomorrow to play during fall semester. Could still join team in January.

[Swinesong1]

Jason Lieser ‏@PBPjasonlieser 3h
UF basketball signee Chris Walker is not enrolled. Must do so by tomorrow to play during fall semester. Could still join team in January.

Planning to enroll in Spring.  If he is cleared by NCAA, should be ready by conference time. 

[jbcarol]

Planning to enroll in Spring.  If he is cleared by NCAA, should be ready by conference time.

So mid-December, again if he is cleared by the NCAA, for the Florida big Walker.

[jbcarol]

Newcomer Antonio Barton brings killer attitude to Vols basketball
Point guard has 'gelled with everybody'

Cuonzo describes Maymon as healthy

Vol headlines from www.govolsxtra.com

[jbcarol]

Eamonn: Teams with the most to prove

1. Kentucky: There may be a lonely faction out there in the Internet hinterlands who would assume this argument is about John Calipari. Sorry, but no: Calipari has nothing to prove. Yeah, Robert Morris in the NIT, I know, I know, but come on...

3. Tennessee: Last fall, when myself, Myron Medcalf, Fran Fraschilla and Joe Lunardi convened for our first-ever college basketball draft, I got lost in the Jarnell Stokes hype. A young freshman who joined Tennessee a semester early in 2011-12, Stokes had helped the Vols surge late in a previously nondescript season, and looked poised to dominate the low block all season in 2012-13. Not so much. Part of that was Stokes' fault...

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/88450/top-10-tuesday-teams-with-most-to-prove

College basketball practice tipped off earlier this season.

[mizzouman]

Who will take over at point guard for Mizzou?

Clarkson is projected to be a first round pick so we will only have him for one year. But, we will see what happens.

[jbcarol]

STARKVILLE — After a school-issued release and a heated Twitter-venting session, this much is clear:

Jalen Steele, a veteran guard, will not play this season. And he plans to graduate in the spring.

But don't take that to mean his college playing career is over.

Steele can now finish out the school year, graduate in May and transfer without penalty.

Mississippi State released a statement Tuesday evening that Steele will not to play in 2013-14. The part-time starter has suffered two ACL tears and a broken wrist in his career.

After the release, Steele took to Twitter to explain this does not mean his career is finished.

"Hilarious. I'm not done playing; just wanted to take a year off to get stronger and be strong for my senior year," Steele wrote on his Twitter account (@Jalensteele0).

"All I wanted was a redshirt and (to) come back stronger next year but they got what they wanted," he later wrote.

MSU men's basketball coach Rick Ray told The Clarion-Ledger Tuesday night that Steele plans to play in 2014 — just not at Mississippi State.

"The release infers to some that Jalen's basketball career is over. That is not the case at all," Ray said. "Our medical staff recently fully cleared him to play. Jalen just wants to sit out this season because he feels physically and mentally not ready."

Steele is reported to have access to the athlete study resources and training staff.

[jbcarol]

#56 VANDERBILT MEN'S BASKETBALL 2013-2014 PREVIEW

Projected Postseason Tournament:  NIT

[jbcarol]

#45 LSU MEN'S BASKETBALL 2013-2014 PREVIEW

Projected Postseason Tournament:  NCAA

Projected Starting Five:
Johnny O'Bryant III, Junior, Forward, 13.6 points per game
Anthony Hickey, Junior, Guard, 11.2 points per game
Shavon Coleman, Senior, Forward, 10.5 points per game
Andre Stringer, Senior, Guard, 10.4 points per game
Malik Morgan, Sophomore, Guard, 5.3 points per game

[jbcarol]

Eli's Coming

Rutgers transfer Eli Carter has received a waiver from the NCAA to play right away at Florida, the school confirmed Monday.

"We are happy to have Eli available to play right away this season," Florida coach Billy Donovan said.

Carter, a 6-foot-3 guard, averaged 14.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season as a sophomore before suffering a season-ending broken leg in February.

Last month, Donovan expressed concern about Carter's recovery from the injury. Carter was not cleared for running and cutting during September workouts.

Carter should help augment a thin Florida backcourt to start the season. Returning starting point guard Scottie Wilbekin will be suspended for "a game or games" according to Donovan for the start of 2013-14 season due to an unspecified violation of team rules.

Carter hung 31 on the Gators as a Scarlet Knight freshman with fear of stuff being thrown at him.