Comments on: Handicapping Next Season’s Best Big Ten/ACC Challenge Matchups

By: DMoore

DMoore — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:38:31 +0000

NC State is picked this high for the same reason Kentucky is in the top 5 — potential. If you look at State’s last 10 games, they had become a very good team. People keep talking about CJ Leslie, but Lorenzo Brown should be the best point guard in the ACC next season. Only Kendall Marshall was better last season.

By: EJacoby

EJacoby — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:23:01 +0000

Interesting arguments as always. For NC State, I like that you actually put some thought into ranking them lower in our RTC rankings. A lot of people are being lazy with their assessment of NC State – either arguing against them because they were a bubble team last year or arguing for them because they made an awesome run in the NCAA’s… The truth is that neither of those facts matter one bit when it comes to next season. It’s an entirely new season.

What matters is the returning talent and overall outlook of the roster. I can see how you think they’re overrated but I’m also very easily convinced that this team has top-10 prospects, highlighted by the fact that Lorenzo Brown is one of the under-the-radar star guards in the country IMO. He’s not flashy but was giving flat out efficient production by the end of last year and the dude is 6’5″ at the point guard spot. Also, CJ Leslie made me look really bad when I thought NC State would flame out early in the tourney last year. The guy is just a physical stud who has learned how to play, and his junior year prospects are scary. Travis Wood is always a weapon from deep. Throw in Purvis coming in who looks ready to contribute right away as a starting scoring forward. Warren might take longer to develop but should be the best of the freshmen, and Tyler Lewis is extremely valuable as a backup PG with All-American skills. Didn’t even get to touch on Howell here who averaged 12 and 9 in the NCAA Tournament run against guys like Henry Sims and Thomas Robinson/Jeff Withey.

I’m a bit more skeptical about Michigan. The loss of senior leadership from Douglass and Novak is going to cost them a win or two in the regular season for sure. But with that said, how much did that “leadership” really matter when they couldn’t beat a #13 seed in the NCAA Tournament against a similarly-structured foe in Ohio? And are they really going to miss a guy like Evan Smotcryz? The Wolverines bring back a pair of 15 PPG scorers in the backcourt from a Big Ten co-champion. Burke and Hardaway will be Big Ten stars and NBA draft picks. Horford and Morgan are developing bigs that need to step up next season but that’s very possible. Throw in two really good recruits, and this team has that top 10 upside no doubt.

Very long response here, but who doesn’t love debating teams already??

By: BOtskey

BOtskey — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:36:13 +0000

I really like the IU/UNC and Duke/OSU matchups. I’m not so high on Michigan and NC State. Both teams will be pretty good but I don’t have either team close to my top 10. Michigan loses 3 of its top 5 scorers from last year’s team and has only two proven offensive threats on the roster. UM adds a solid recruiting class but I’m not sure that’s enough to push it into the top 10.

NC State returns basically everyone from a team that lost 13 games and arguably shouldn’t have made the NCAA Tournament. Yes they made the S16 but I didn’t feel NC State’s regular season resume was good enough. Who did they beat to get to the Sweet 16? A San Diego State team who’s last high quality win was at New Mexico two months before the NCAA Tournament and a Georgetown team I felt was overrated all season long and had a history of early tournament flame outs. Gottfried has three studs coming in but, similar to Michigan, I’m not sure that’s enough to vault them into the top 10.

We’ll see, but I’m not sold on either of these teams.