Ranking next year

[Tugg Speedman]

Ok this is way early to talk about so save the criticism as we will do it again after the season is over.  That said, I was thinking about it after reading the PT article about Buzz and the words of love from Bilas when the game day crowd was wrapping up the day (Bilas gushed about Buzz and said we are a S16 team) ...

Assume the following:

* Buzz is back
* Vander is back
* Otule is back
* No major contributors/recruits transfer (the oversigning works itself out)
* We end the season with no major injuries

All of these are reasonable assumptions so, can we be preseason top 5?  Heck we still have a chance to be top 10 this year if we win both this coming week and make noise in the BE tourney.

I guess my question is not whether we think we are that good to start next year top 5 but weather writers across the country think we will are that good to start next year top 5.  Or what do we have to do in the next three weeks to be top 5 preseason next year?  I says finals of the BE tourney and S16.

Thoughts?

[hairy worthen]

Ok this is way early to talk about so save the criticism as we will do it again after the season is over.  That said, I was thinking about it after reading the PT article about Buzz and the words of love from Bilas when the game day crowd was wrapping up the day (Bilas gushed about Buzz and said we are a S16 team) ...

Assume the following:

* Buzz is back
* Vander is back
* Otule is back
* No major contributors/recruits transfer (the oversigning works itself out)
* We end the season with no major injuries

All of these are reasonable assumptions so, can we be preseason top 5?  Heck we still have a chance to be top 10 this year if we win both this coming week and make noise in the BE tourney.

I guess my question is not whether we think we are that good to start next year top 5 but whether writers across the country think we will be that good to start next year top 5.  Or what do we have to do in the next three weeks to be top 5 preseason next year?  I says finals of the BE tourney and S16.

Thoughts?

Given the lack of respect we have had in the past, I would guess it would take a final 8 or final four appearance. I think we can get in the to 15 or so if we make sweet 16. If the team wins early next season I think they get in the top 5 fairly quickly

[ATWizJr]

Really?  Let's just enjoy this season.

[Tugg Speedman]

Given the lack of respect we have had in the past, I would guess it would take a final 8 or final four appearance. I think we can get in the to 15 or so if we make sweet 16. If the team wins early next season I think they get in the top 5 fairly quickly

This is the nut of the question ...

Goose said in another post that Buzz is no longer a raising star ... He is just a star.  Is that the thought across the country?  If so, with what we are returning, the class coming, and a star coaching them, then top 5 is possible.  No?

[Blackhat]

Top 5 preseason would probably happen in '15 if the frosh are a big jump up in talent and they get seasoning.

[hairy worthen]

This is the nut of the question ...

Goose said in another post that Buzz is no longer a raising star ... He is just a star.  Is that the thought across the country?  If so, with what we are returning, the class coming, and a star coaching them, then top 5 is possible.  No?

I hope so. Buzz is getting more and more recognition. I am not sure. I am enjoying this year, bit really excited about the possibility next year.

[tower912]

Throw in a deep run where Vander, Jamil and DG all star, have them all return (along with Buzz), and.......a top 5 ranking is still not possible.    PG questions prevent that. 

[nyg]

First Vander should be back, if he goes then it is one of the worst decisions made by an MU player in decades.

That being said, I believe you have to wait a few months in order to conduct a comparison of the other programs and what their early losses/seniors will be.  It started already with Shabazz yesterday saying he is leaving UCLA.  Will Anderson follow? Then you have Otto Porter, Trey Burke, Zeller and Olapido, Ben McLemore, Marcus Smart, entire Kentucky team, Sulimann, Len, Carter-Williams, etc. just as examples. Some programs will take major hits, some will just re-load.  Give the question a month or so and re-visit.

But for the sake of it now, probably in the 15 range, due to lack of PG and no preseason respect. 

[bilsu]

What we are ranked at the start does not really matter. What matters is although we are very talented in positions 2 through 5 is that we have no proven point guard.

[chapman]

Go deep this year.  That's what is remembered when preseason rankings are developed next year.

[forgetful]

Throw in a deep run where Vander, Jamil and DG all star, have them all return (along with Buzz), and.......a top 5 ranking is still not possible.    PG questions prevent that. 

Agreed.  PGs drive the team, we are not going to be ranked top 5 before we play a game if there are questions at PG.

[martyconlonontherun]

Agreed.  PGs drive the team, we are not going to be ranked top 5 before we play a game if there are questions at PG.

I find that bs. The rankings are going to be mostly based on tourney success and incoming recruits. If are elite 8 and Duane Wilson and JJj are climbing up the rankings, they won't care we don't have a clear starting pg.

[Otule's Glass Eye]

Too early to predict that, but if we can perform as well as we have this year with a team I didn't think would be very good I can't wait to see what we can do next year (assuming all of the current juniors are back).

[brewcity77]

As many have pointed out, it would probably take a Final 4 to start the season top-5. Maybe Elite 8 if we were dominant in our games and lost a close one to the eventual champ. I don't think we start top-5, but I do think we will be there by December and have a good chance of staying there most of the season, especially if we start the new conference.

[dgies9156]

Top 10, maybe.

Top 5 -- huh, if we make the final four, maybe.

Top 5 -- Yes, if we win the NCAA this year.

[Goose]

I hope we end this year ranked. Next year is a long time away.

[Dawson Rental]

You make dgies9156 look like a real piker.  While he's just looking past the BET to the NCAA tournament, you're looking past the BET and the NCAA tournament to next year.  If you were a Cub's fan, you'd looking to their next World Series.

[Blackhat]

Top 5 preseason is simply great publicity.   Our name sprawled on all the national b-ball magazines' covers,etc.  There's some value in it.

[geps]

PG a big question. Who is it, Wilson? My guess we'll be 19th preseason.

[ATL MU Warrior]

PG a big question. Who is it, Wilson? My guess we'll be 19th preseason.

Somewhere between 15-20 no matter how we do in the tournament.

I have a hard time believing we'll see top 5 at any point, but would be thrilled if we did.

[Tugg Speedman]

Somewhere between 15-20 no matter how we do in the tournament.

I have a hard time believing we'll see top 5 at any point, but would be thrilled if we did.

15 to 20 is most likely our ranking out later today.  So, if we think next year's team is pre-season 15 to 20 then we are saying that next year's team is no better than this year's team (as measured by relative ranking).

[CTWarrior]

Somewhere between 10 and 15

[ATL MU Warrior]

15 to 20 is most likely our ranking out later today.  So, if we think next year's team is pre-season 15 to 20 then we are saying that next year's team is no better than this year's team (as measured by relative ranking).

You are forgetting about all the other teams in the country.

[MU82]

15 to 20 is most likely our ranking out later today.  So, if we think next year's team is pre-season 15 to 20 then we are saying that next year's team is no better than this year's team (as measured by relative ranking).

"We" aren't saying any such thing because "we" don't have votes.

At least 50% of next year's ranking will depend upon how we finish this season. Probably more like 75%.

[Tugg Speedman]

"We" aren't saying any such thing because "we" don't have votes.

At least 50% of next year's ranking will depend upon how we finish this season. Probably more like 75%.

This is week 17 of the season and we will be ranked 15 to 20 (out later today).

Last year's week 17 IU was ranked 18.  Week 18 last year IU was ranked 15.  IU went to the S16 last year and no further.  IU was preseason #1 this year.  At a minimum, IU showed you do not have to be FF to be preseason #1 as many here believe/suggest.

Why not MU making the top 5 preseason next year?  This year team is no better or worse than last year' IU team.  As others have noted, 2 through 5 we will be about as good as anyone in the country (if all the assumptions in the first post happen).