NCAA Hoops 2008-8009!!!!!!!

[primushead]

The coaches poll came out today...the season is upon us!!!

1. North Carolina (31) 0-0 775
2. Connecticut 0-0 707
3. Louisville 0-0 694
4. UCLA 0-0 650
5. Duke 0-0 578
6. Pittsburgh 0-0 576
7. Michigan State 0-0 572
8. Texas 0-0 538
9. Notre Dame 0-0 525
10. Purdue 0-0 465
11. Gonzaga 0-0 437
12. Memphis 0-0 425
13. Tennessee 0-0 408
14. Oklahoma 0-0 387
15. Arizona State 0-0 304
16. Miami (FL) 0-0 233
17. Marquette 0-0 219
18. Georgetown 0-0 175
19. Florida 0-0 161
20. Davidson 0-0 158
21. USC 0-0 153
21. Wisconsin 0-0 153
23. Kansas 0-0 130
24. Wake Forest 0-0 129
25. Villanova 0-0 122

Others Receiving Votes
UNLV 60, Saint Mary's 59, Ohio State 54, Baylor 47, Xavier 27, Syracuse 23, Texas A&M 19, LSU 19, Arizona 18, Virginia Tech 15, Brigham Young 13, West Virginia 10, Washington 8, Siena 8, Kentucky 7, Vanderbilt 7, Oklahoma State 4, Clemson 2, Washington State 1.



Eventual champion Kansas knocked off North Carolina in the semifinals of last year's NCAA tournament. But the Tar Heels are the big favorite heading into this season.


North Carolina received all 31 first-place votes as the unanimous No. 1 in the preseason ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll, which was released Thursday. After losing a big chunk of its roster, Kansas debuts at No. 23.

Since ESPN began participating in the coaches' poll in 1997-98, the Tar Heels are the first unanimous preseason No. 1.

The other two Final Four teams from a year ago earned solid rankings -- UCLA coming in at No. 4, and second-place finisher Memphis landing at No. 12.

Connecticut and Louisville are No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, as the Big East set a record with seven teams among the preseason Top 25. The top 10 is rounded out with Duke at No. 5; Pittsburgh, No. 6; Michigan State, No. 7; Texas, No. 8; Notre Dame, No. 9; and Purdue, No. 10.

Duke is the only school that has been ranked by the coaches since the 1997-98 season.

UNC's hopes skyrocketed when player of the year Tyler Hansbrough decided to return for his senior season. He'll get help from guard Ty Lawson and shooter Wayne Ellington.

The Jayhawks saw three players leave early for the NBA draft. Darrell Arthur and Brandon Rush went in the first round, while Mario Chalmers was selected in the second round. Memphis' hopes of returning to the title game were hurt when Derrick Rose declared for the draft and went No. 1 to the Chicago Bulls.

[TheBigChicken]

Yep. They say North Carolina is a MONSTER....

[bowl of soup]

I would assume that we can expect several months of this.

[aMillionDreams]

Wait... this thread isn't about the election?  I think I'll stay in here  a while.  

Go Buckeyes! Boilermakers! Cards! Musketeers! and RedHawks!

yeah,  that's right. I've got a lot of teams

[EAZYE]

WOW! :o  They've got us a #14.  Blake Griffin hype.  Not sure if we are really that good.  But I'm not the biggest basketball nut either.  I do like Coach Capel, I think he's got us going in the right direction, just wondering if he is going to use us as a stepping stone job.  Greggg, you like your chances of carrying that #1 ranking all year long.  Don't really think we have a dog in the fight to win it all, so I'll say it'll be a shame if Hansborough doesn't win a title while he is there :-/

[Murph]

Lets Go Huskies!!

the tandem of AJ Price and Hasheem Thabeet will be scary.

[ycartrob]

Ole Miss just might suprise some people this year

[ItStillJaimoe]

Let's Go Orange!

[capt. scotty]

I went to PSU but follow PITT since Im from there, but well, they lost their only 3pt shooter for the most part

And they always get upset in the tourney

Im surprised Pitt is ranked in the Top 10

[primushead]

Wow.  VMI beat Kentucky.

I'm heading to Chapel Hill on Tuesday to watch the Carolina/Kentucky game, and at this point, it's looking like a blowout.  

[tower]

Here's my two cents...go MSU.  We're deep and much more athletic this year although a bit younger.  Izzo is going to be able to run and press much like the Mateen Cleaves years which should be fun.  I relish the opportunity to play UNC later in the year after our younger guys have some mileage in.  I think Izzo coaches circles around Roy Williams...but that's just me.

[primushead]

Carolina plays Notre Dame tonight...#1 vs. #8.  The winner gets the Maui Invitational trophy.  Exciting!

Feel free to chime in.  Anyone?  Anyone at all?

And, tower, only a little over a week until the Ford Field matchup.

[ycartrob]

Carolina plays Notre Dame tonight...#1 vs. #8.  The winner gets the Maui Invitational trophy.  Exciting!

Feel free to chime in.  Anyone?  Anyone at all?

And, tower, only a little over a week until the Ford Field matchup.

I get a feeling this will be a special NCAA season. I think there
is a lot of great talent and Duke (whom I don't like) looks fully
loaded to go after Carolina in the ACC. I have been loving these early season marquee match ups (Vanderbilt-Illinois/Syracuse-Florida/NC-Kentucky/Michigan-UCLA/Duke-Montana) and think this season is going to be totallly awesome (baby).

We'll see what the Rebels will do in the SEC. I love our point guard Chris Warren but we have 12 Freshmen/Sophmores on the team. We play Louisville on Dec. 18th to see just how good we are. But it's another down year in the SEC (no teams in the Top 10) so conference play is our ticket to the dance in March

[size=20]M A D D N E S S[/size]

[capt. scotty]

Well see what UNC (with no Hansbrough) does tonight vs. ND and Harangody, but that unanimous #1 wasnt a coincidence. I cant remember going into a year where all the other top teams lost more than 1 key player, and the team considered the best going into the tourney by many, had them all back the next year.

Im sure a few other teams will have separated themselves come March, but that UNC team is ridiculously good, and balanced as well

[aMillionDreams]

Louisville is going to be good but I think #3 is a little high right now.  Pitino's teams always play better later in the season. This season is going to go like the last three: ranked to high to start, beat a bunch of scrubs, lose to real competition, get forgotten, get better, make a late season run.  Mark my words...

[primushead]

I think Louisville will be in the Final Four.  Just judging from last year's returning roster PLUS Samardo Samuel, this is a team that will be at the top for most of the year.

...btw, Hansbrough scored 34 points last night... :o

[aMillionDreams]

I think Louisville will be in the Final Four.  Just judging from last year's returning roster PLUS Samardo Samuel, this is a team that will be at the top for most of the year.

...btw, Hansbrough scored 34 points last night... :o

who now?

[primushead]

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/players/playerpage/1646666

This guy.  An incoming Freshmen for Louisville.  He's damn good.

[aMillionDreams]

No, I know. I was trying to crack wise on your boy Hansbrough.  Nevermind.  I agree that UofL probably will be in the Final Four so maybe the preseason ranking makes sense, they just get on my nerves.

EDIT: Imagine if Derrick Caracter hadn't jumped ship!

[primushead]

No, I know. I was trying to crack wise on your boy Hansbrough.  Nevermind.  I agree that UofL probably will be in the Final Four so maybe the preseason ranking makes sense, they just get on my nerves.

EDIT: Imagine if Derrick Caracter hadn't jumped ship!

Ah, gotcha.  Sorry for confusion.