Recruits have signed their letters, players have enrolled in summer school, school’s have their coaching vacancies filled- all meaning only one thing: the 2009-2010 college basketball season is fast arriving. I know its a long time until the season starts, but here are my off season predictions of how things will go down this year.
10. Stanford
Bottom Line: With three of the teams top scorers gone and little talent returning this year, Cardinal country should be in for a very long agonizing season. Dawkins ‘s team will struggle immensely and expect the season to end with Stanford fans angry and calling for Dawkins’s head.
Projected starting lineup:
F- Josh Owens Jr. 6-8/215 (6.9 ppg)
F- Andy Brown Fr. 6-8/200 (13 ppg)*
G/F- Landry Fields Sr. 6-7/210 (12.1 ppg)
G- Jeremy Green So. 6-4/190 (6.4 ppg)
G- Drew Shiller Sr. 6-0/170 (2.5 ppg)
Key losses: Anthony Brown (16.2 ppg), Lawrence Hill (13.6 ppg), Mitch Johnson (6.6 ppg)
Recruits: Andy Brown (Rivals: NR/ Scout: NR)
Keys to Success: Dawkins needs to develop his young players and create a strong recruiting base while relying on Landry Fields and Jeremy Green to carry the team to be at least somewhat competitive for this year .
Postseason: No chance
9. Washington St.
Bottom Line: With a newly hired coach and much of last years core gone, ’09/’10 will be a year of struggle and rebuilding for Wassu. As a historically mediocre basketball school, Ken Bone will have his work cut out for him trying to bring the program back to what it was with Tony Bennett and this year should be just the beginning.
Projected starting lineup:
F- DeAngelo Casto So. 6-8/229 (4.4 ppg)
G/F- Nikola Koprivica Sr. 6-6/216 (3.2 ppg)
G/F- Klay Thompson So. 6-6/187 (12.5 ppg)
G- Marcus Capers So. 6-4/172 (1.7 ppg)
G- Xavier Thames Fr. 6-3/177 (20.1 ppg)*
Key losses: Taylor Rochestie (13.2 ppg), Aron Baynes (12.7 ppg), Caleb Forrest (6.7 ppg), Daven Harmeling (3.8 ppg)
Recruits: Xavier Thames (Rivals: 106/Scout: #25 PG), Reggie Moore (Rivals: NR/Scout: NR), Anthony Brown (Rivals: NR/Scout: NR)
Keys to success: Though the team is young and mostly inexperienced expect super sophomore Klay Thompson to hit the national scene as he carries the Cougars through the season.
Postseason: No chance
8. USC
Bottom Line: Despite the disastrous off season, with Dwight Lewis and Leonard Washington returning and a coach that wont let things get worse then they already are, expect the Trojans to be more competitive then many think . The real struggles for USC begin next year when things aren’t as remnant as they this year.
Projected starting lineup:
F- Alex Stepheson Jr. 6-9/235 (4.3 ppg)**
F- Leonard Washington So. 6-7/230 (6.1 ppg)
G- Marcus Simmons Jr. 6-6/200 (1.9 ppg)
G- Dwight Lewis Sr. 6-5/215 (14.4 ppg)
G- Donte Smith Jr. 5-11/180 (2.3 ppg)
Key losses: Taj Gibson (14.3 ppg), DeMar DeRozan (13.9 ppg), Daniel Hackett (12.3 ppg)
Recruits: Evan Smith (Rivals: NR/Scout: NR)
Keys to Success: If coach O’Neill can do what he was hired to do and bring stability back to USC basketball, the Trojans can finish the healing and start the rebuilding with as little growing pains as possible.
Postseason: Wouldn’t count on it
7. ASU
Bottom line: Though the devils will fall in ranking from last year, teams 3-7 will be considerably even and have a rough time beating up on each other on a nightly basis. Despite losing two of their best players from last year the Sun Devils shouldn’t drop off too much with a solid core of veterans returning and an above average recruiting class coming in.
Projected starting lineup:
C- Eric Boateng Sr. 6-10/245 (1.8 ppg)
F- Victor Rudd Fr. 6-8/200 (16.6 ppg)*
G/F- Rihards Kuksiks Jr. 6-6/205 (10.3 ppg)
G- Ty Abbott Jr. 6-3/215 (7.1 ppg)
G- Derrick Glasser Sr. 6-1/180 (8.8 ppg)
Key losses: James Harden (20.1 ppg), Jeff Pendergraph (14.5 ppg)
Recruits: Trent Lockett (Rivals: 80/Scout: #20 SG), Ruslan Pateev (Rivals: NR/ Scout: #34 C), Demetrius Walker (Rivals: 115/Scout: #31 SF), Victor Rudd (Rivals: 114/ Scout: #33 SF), Brandon Thompson (Rivals: NR/Scout: NR)
Keys to Success: If Kuksiks, Abbott, and Glasser can produce consistently and the freshman grow and contribute as expected, ASU should have a good shot to compete with any team in the Pac-10.
Postseason: Hello NIT
6. Oregon
Bottom Line: The Ducks are coming off a disappointing last place 2-16 season and coach Ernie Kent finds himself in a do or die season for his job. Luckily for Kent, the Ducks have their entire starting lineup returning from last year and a much weaker Pac-10 to compete against.
Projected starting lineup:
C- Michael Dunigan So. 6-10/255 (8.4 ppg)
F- Joevan Catron Sr. 6-6/235 (7.2 ppg)
G- LeKendric Longmire Jr. 6-5/200 (9.9 ppg)
G- Garrett Sim So. 6-1/175 (6.8 ppg)
G- Tajuan Porter Sr. 5-6/150 (15.4 ppg)
Key losses: Kamyron Brown (4.5 ppg)
Recruits: Jamil Wilson (Rivals: 94/Scout #5 SF), E.J. Singler (Rivals: NR/ Scout: #24 SF), Jeremy Jacob (JC Rivals: NR/ Scout:NR)
Keys to Success: If Kent can at least utilize some of the talent he has on his loaded roster, which he failed to do last season, expect the Ducks not to disappoint and Kent to return for his 14th season in Oregon.
Postseason: Hello NIT
* High school stats
** Sophomore stats with North Carolina
Pac-10 Hoops 