Top 25

*previous rank in parentheses

1. Duke 12-0 (1)
2. Michigan 13-0 (2)
3. Indiana 12-1 (3)
4. Louisville 12-1 (4)
5. Kansas 11-1 (5)
6. Arizona 12-0 (6)
7. Syracuse 11-1 (8)
8. Ohio State 10-2 (10)
9. Georgetown 10-1 (11)
10. Florida 9-2 (12)
11. Minnesota 12-1 (13)
12. Missouri 10-2 (9)
13. New Mexico 13-1 (25)
14. Cincinnati 12-1 (7)
15. Creighton 12-1 (17)
16. Oklahoma State 10-1 (15)
17. Notre Dame 12-1 (16)
18. Butler 10-2 (18)
19. Gonzaga 12-1 (22)
20. San Diego State 11-2 (14)
21. Pittsburgh 12-1 (19)
22. Illinois 13-1 (20)
23. North Carolina State 10-2 (21)
24. Michigan State 11-2 (23)
25. Wyoming 12-0 (NR)

IN: Wyoming

OUT: UNLV

Top 25

*previous rank in parentheses

1. Duke 11-0 (1)
2. Michigan 12-0 (2)
3. Indiana 11-1 (4)
4. Louisville 11-1 (5)
5. Kansas 10-1 (6)
6. Arizona 11-0 (8)
7. Cincinnati 12-0 (10)
8. Syracuse 10-1 (3)
9. Missouri 10-1 (12)
10. Ohio State 9-2 (7)
11. Georgetown 10-1 (11)
12. Florida 8-2 (9)
13. Minnesota 12-1 (13)
14. San Diego State 11-1 (14)
15. Oklahoma State 10-1 (16)
16. Notre Dame 12-1 (18)
17. Creighton 11-1 (17)
18. Butler 9-2 (20)
19. Pittsburgh 12-1 (21)
20. Illinois 12-1 (19)
21. North Carolina State 9-2 (22)
22. Gonzaga 11-1 (23)
23. Michigan State 11-2 (24)
24. UNLV 11-1 (25)
25. New Mexico 12-1 (15)

IN: none

OUT: none

Top 25

*previous rank in parentheses

1. Duke 9-0 (2)
2. Michigan 11-0 (4)
3. Syracuse 9-0 (3)
4. Indiana 9-1 (1)
5. Louisville 9-1 (5)
6. Kansas 8-1 (8)
7. Ohio State 8-1 (7)
8. Arizona 8-0 (10)
9. Florida 7-1 (6)
10. Cincinnati 10-0 (9)
11. Georgetown 9-1 (12)
12. Missouri 8-1 (11)
13. Minnesota 11-1 (14)
14. San Diego State 8-1 (13)
15. New Mexico 11-0 (16)
16. Oklahoma State 8-1 (15)

17. Creighton 10-1 (17)
18. Notre Dame 9-1 (19)
19. Illinois 12-0 (21)
20. Butler 8-2 (NR)
21. Pittsburgh 10-1 (18)
22. North Carolina State 7-2 (20)
23. Gonzaga 10-1 (22)
24. Michigan State 9-2 (23)
25. UNLV 8-1 (24)

IN: Butler

OUT: Wichita State

Top 25

*previous rank in parentheses

1. Indiana 9-0 (1)
2. Duke 9-0 (2)
3. Syracuse 8-0 (3)
4. Michigan 9-0 (4)
5. Louisville 8-1 (5)
6. Florida 7-0 (6)
7. Ohio State 6-1 (7)
8. Kansas 7-1 (8)
9. Cincinnati 9-0 (10)
10. Arizona 7-0 (9)
11. Missouri 7-1 (14)
12. Georgetown 7-1 (11)
13. San Diego State 7-1 (13)
14. Minnesota 10-1 (16)
15. Oklahoma State 7-1 (17)
16. New Mexico 10-0 (15)
17. Creighton 9-1 (18)
18. Pittsburgh 9-1 (20)
19. Notre Dame 8-1 (22)
20. North Carolina State 6-2 (23)
21. Illinois 10-0 (NR)
22. Gonzaga 9-1 (12)
23. Michigan State 8-2 (19)
24. UNLV 7-1 (21)
25. Wichita State 9-0 (24)

IN: Illinois

OUT: Colorado

Top 25

*previous rank in parentheses

1. Indiana 8-0 (1)
2. Duke 8-0 (3)
3. Syracuse 5-0 (2)
4. Michigan 7-0 (4)
5. Louisville 6-1 (5)
6. Florida 6-0 (7)
7. Ohio State 5-1 (6)
8. Kansas 6-1 (9)
9. Arizona 5-0 (17)
10. Cincinnati 7-0 (11)
11. Georgetown 5-1 (13)
12. Gonzaga 8-0 (16)
13. San Diego State 5-1 (15)
14. Missouri 6-1 (18)
15. New Mexico 8-0 (21)
16. Minnesota 8-1 (23)
17. Oklahoma State 5-1 (12)
18. Creighton 7-1 (14)
19. Michigan State 6-2 (10)
20. Pittsburgh 7-1 (22)
21. UNLV 5-1 (24)
22. Notre Dame 7-1 (NR)
23. North Carolina State 4-2 (19)
24. Wichita State 8-0 (NR)
25. Colorado 6-1 (20)

IN: Notre Dame, Wichita State

OUT: Kentucky, North Carolina

Starting Five: SEC/Big East Challenge Edition

1. The SEC only managed to win 4 of 12 games last year and performed even more poorly this time around, winning only 3 games against the Big East.  At this point, calling the annual series a "challenge" is a tad misleading.  The Big East's 75% winning percentage in the most recent installment is all the more impressive considering Louisville, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh did not participate - teams that are ranked, have been ranked, or should be ranked, respectively.  New additions Missouri and Texas A&M sat this one out on the SEC side.  Only Florida, Mississippi, and LSU managed wins for the SEC.  While the Big East is not as strong this year as it has been in seasons past, the disparity in the quality of basketball played in these conferences is still substantial.  Florida, Missouri, and Kentucky are quality teams.  Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas are competitive and could be dancing in March.  Mississippi and Texas A&M aren't pushovers.  And LSU is interesting, because, while the Tigers are a mess on the offensive end, they play their hearts out on defense.  The bottom five teams - Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State - are awful (with the last three being basically unwatchable).  It will be interesting to see what happens to the SEC/Big East Challenge after the realignment chips fall.  While the high-profile Big East departures undoubtedly will narrow the gap between these conferences, I still think a conference featuring the Big East's non-football playing schools, its public university holdovers, and new additions like Memphis and Temple will be very competitive.

2. The LSU - Seton Hall matchup featured two of the most prolific thieves in the country.  Seton Hall junior Fuquan Edwin was second in the country in steals per game last season.  And LSU's Anthony Hickey entered last Friday night's game tied for second in the country in swipes per contest for the 2012-13 campaign.  The Tigers' sophomore point guard now leads the nation in steals after picking up 6 more against the Pirates.  (Edwin added 2 more to his own count.)  The Bayou Bengals are not exactly the most efficient on the offensive end, but they are a joy to watch on the defensive end.  Their press wreaked havoc on Seton Hall, forcing 26 turnovers.  Due to Justin Hamilton's early departure for the NBA, LSU is probably a year away from challenging for a NCAA Tourney bid.  Still, Hickey, former McDonald's All-American Johnny O'Bryant, and junior college transfer Shavon Coleman (currently averaging 17.4 and 7.6 boards per game and looking like an intriguing prospect) give new head coach Johnny Jones a nice core moving forward.

3. People are sleeping on Syracuse.  Sure, the Orange lost Kris Joseph, Dion Waiters, Scoop Jardine, and Fab Melo.  And it's also true that, despite having wins over San Diego State and now Arkansas, Syracuse is notorious for its historically cupcake-laden early season schedule (which almost never requires Jim Boeheim's team to leave New York).  So, on some level I get it.  You're skeptical.  But this is a really good team.  Former McDonald's All-American Michael Carter-Williams is a 6-6 point guard averaging 9.2 assists per contest.  Brandon Triche is a big-bodied two guard who made a number of big shots against the Razorbacks.  The Orange's frontline of C.J. Fair, Rakeem Christmas, and DaJuan Coleman is long and really causes problems for offenses in Boeheim's 2-3 zone.  And, as usual, Syracuse has depth - this year in the form of Trevor Cooney, Jerami Grant, Baye Keita, and James Southerland (who leads the Orange in scoring at 19.2 per game).  Southerland came off the bench and put 35 on Arkansas, hitting 9 of 13 from behind the arc.  The 6-8 forward has been the best sixth man in the country to this point in the season and has replaced Waiters as the Orange's offensive spark plug off the bench.

4. With Kentucky's early season growing pains and Missouri's personnel issues (senior guard and leading returning scorer Michael Dixon has left the team), Florida has been a bright spot for the SEC.  The Gators now have an 18-point win over Wisconsin and a 33-point win over Marquette.  Billy Donovan's squad is 6-0, and its smallest margin of victory came in a 13-point victory over Central Florida.  It should be noted that all 6 wins have come in Gainesville, but Florida has been impressive.  With trips to Florida State and Arizona up next, we soon will see just how good the Gators are.

5. Yes, Villanova picked up a 10-point win in Nashville over Vanderbilt.  But Jay Wright's squad has lost to Alabama by 20 on a neutral floor, against lowly Columbia by 18 in Philly, and also at LaSalle in overtime.  After seven straight NCAA Tourney trips, including a trip to the Final Four, the Wildcats finished 13-19 last year.  At the end of the season, Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek both decided to turn pro.  The current Villanova roster lacks the type of talent Wright has enjoyed over the course of the last decade.  For a program that seemed to be on the upswing and so popular with recruits, the current state of affairs is certainly surprising.  Wright has commented that he may have gotten away from recruiting the type of blue collar players that served as the foundation of Villanova's recent success.  Regardless of why Villanova is struggling, it's going to be a very long season in the Big East for the Wildcats.  A last place finish is not out of the question.

Starting Five: ACC/Big Ten Challenge Edition

1. Have to admit that I am surprised that the ACC/Big Ten Challenge ended in a 6-6 tie.  The bottom four Big Ten schools (Purdue, Iowa, Penn State, and Nebraska) are all pretty weak, but two of those (Purdue and Nebraska) actually picked up victories.  Miami's upset of Michigan State and Virginia knocking off Wisconsin in Madison on the Challenge's second night really helped the ACC against the conference I believed to be the best heading into the season.

2. Illinois is not a Top 25 team.  Yes, the Illini are an undefeated 8-0 after beating Georgia Tech tonight and are ranked 22nd in both polls.  And I will admit that new head coach John Groce's perimeter trio of Brandon Paul (who is performing at a first team all-conference level), D.J. Richardson, and Tracy Abrams probably give Chief Illiniwek enough firepower to earn an invite to the NCAA Tourney.  I will even go so far as to say that this team has the potential to finish in the top six of a very competitive Big Ten - ahead of Wisconsin (more on the Badgers later) and Northwestern.  However, this is not a Top 25 team.  Illinois' best win thus far is a 17-point win over Butler in Maui.  While Butler soundly defeated North Carolina and knocked off Marquette on a buzzer beater, I'm not sold on the Bulldogs.  Illinois also has one-point wins over Hawaii (overtime) and Gardner-Webb.  A December 8 trip to Spokane to play Gonzaga should give us a better idea of where the Illini stand.

3. With victories over Kentucky, Louisville, and now Ohio State, Duke has the most impressive resume in the country.  Still, I'm not ready to label Coach K's squad a contender.  The Blue Devils are ranked third in RBP's most recent Top 25, so it is not as if we are ignoring the extremely impressive early season accomplishments of Mason Plumlee and Company.  In fact, there are a number of reasons to be bullish on the Blue Devils.  Mason Plumlee, who just put up 21 and 17 against the Buckeyes, has turned into a very good college basketball player.  Similarly, Ryan Kelly appears to have stepped up his level of play in his senior season.  And Quinn Cook, who tallied 8 assists compared to 3 turnovers with Aaron Craft hounding him tonight, looks like the point guard Coach K was missing last season.  That being said, it is Ohio State, and not Duke, that I see as having the most room for growth and being the more likely of the two to contend for a National Championship.

4. Wisconsin is struggling.  RBP ranked the Badgers 16th in its preseason Top 25, and that looks like it may have been a mistake.  The torn ACL suffered by Josh Gasser in a late October practice has robbed Bo Ryan of the one player on the Badgers' roster who could have stepped into Jordan Taylor's shoes at point guard.  The Badgers were going to feel the effect of Taylor's departure regardless of Gasser's availability, but Gasser's absence has taken its toll, as no Badger is averaging more than 2.2 assists per contest.  Despite tonight's loss to an underwhelming Virginia squad, I expect Wisconsin to ultimately right the ship and avoid missing out on March Madness for the first time in Bo Ryan's tenure.

5. Did you watch Indiana beat up North Carolina?  The Hoosiers are the best team in the country.  I can't help but notice the ease with which they score and their marked improvement on the defensive end.  Freshman Hanner Mosquera-Perea (suspension) and senior Derek Elston (injury) will be on the floor soon for Tom Crean, adding to what is already a ridiculously deep roster.  Also, I have no idea what is going on in Chapel Hill.  There can be no doubt that the Tar Heels missed P.J. Hairston's services against the Hoosiers, but that was just ugly.  It's not even December yet, but I wouldn't criticize anyone for wondering if maybe this Carolina team just isn't very good.  

Top 25

*previous rank in parentheses

1. Indiana 6-0 (2)
2. Syracuse 4-0 (3)
3. Duke 6-0 (6)
4. Michigan 5-0 (4)
5. Louisville 5-1 (1)
6. Ohio State 4-0 (5)
7. Florida 5-0 (7)

8. Kentucky 4-1 (8)
9. Kansas 4-1 (10)
10. Michigan State 5-1 (9) 

11. Cincinnati 6-0 (11)

12. Oklahoma State 5-0 (13)
13. Georgetown 4-1 (NR)
14. Creighton 6-0 (17)
15. San Diego State 4-1 (18)
16. Gonzaga 6-0 (19)
17. Arizona 3-0 (21)
18. Missouri 5-1 (16)
19. North Carolina State 4-1 (14)
20. Colorado 5-0 (25)
21. New Mexico 6-0 (NR)
22. Pittsburgh 5-1 (NR)
23. Minnesota 6-1 (22)
24. UNLV 3-1 (15)
25. North Carolina 5-1 (12)

IN: Georgetown, New Mexico, Pittsburgh

OUT: Memphis, Wisconsin, UCLA

Starting Five: Jared Swopshire Edition

1. As it turns out, there is life after John Shurna in Evanston. When Shurna, the sharpshooting small forward who lead the Wildcats in scoring each of the last three seasons, graduated this past spring, Northwestern seemed to have missed its best chance to earn the program's first ever NCAA Tourney bid. Enter Louisville-castoff Jared Swopshire. Swopshire is no Shurna. He's not going to match Shurna's 20 points per game, but he does give head coach Bill Carmody a shooter with length and, more importantly, a third option to go along with guard Reggie Hearn and swingman Drew Crawford.. Swopshire, who provided Louisville's Final Four team with valuable minutes just a season ago, is currently averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest in just over 25 minutes of playing time. While the Wildcats have yet to beat a team of note, their 4-0 record includes margins of victory of 30, 13, 27, and 19. The Big Ten looks to be the nation's most competitive conference for a second year in a row, and the top six teams (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) all look really strong. However, the bottom four programs (Purdue, Iowa, Penn State, and Nebraska) are going to struggle. That leaves Northwestern and an Illinois team that, despite topping Butler for the Maui Invitational title, has major question marks. While there are plenty of reasons to think the Wildcats will fall short in their quest, they are at least in the discussion. A lot of the optimism surrounding the program has to do with Swopshire. I, for one, am rooting for the kid. The Louisville program has described Swopshire's departure with a year of eligibility remaining as being a mutual decision that will provide Swop the opportunity to see more minutes. Regardless of spin, Swopshire was discarded by Rick Pitino, despite being a quality player and student. Fortunately, what is one program's trash is another program's treasure. And, perhaps appropriately, it may be the Cardinals, who look like shooting may be their only weakness, that end up regretting showing Swop the door (or at least encouraging him to walk through it).

2. After Georgetown took Indiana to overtime before falling short in its upset bid, the Captain commented that the Hoyas may have reached that level where you just go ahead and slot them into your preseason Top 25 based on coaching alone. I had the same thought a night before as they beat up on UCLA. It would be hard for me to describe just how much I like John Thompson III. I think he is one of the brightest minds in coaching. If I was a blue chip recruit, Georgetown would be on my short list based, in large part, on my infatuation with JT3. He was also RBP's Big East Coach of the Year for the 2011-12 campaign. That being said, Georgetown has been left out of RBP's Preseason Top 25 for three seasons running. Prior to the 2010-11 season, I was worried about Greg Monroe's departure and did not believe Austin Freeman and Chris Wright could carry the team. Then, before the 2011-12 season, I was convinced Georgetown was heading for a rebuilding year without Freeman and Wright. As it turned out, Jason Clark, Henry Sims, and Hollis Thompson were ready to fill the void, and the Hoyas did not miss a beat. This year I believed the Hoyas would be at a loss to replace Clark, Sims, and Thompson. I also doubted the hype surrounding sophomore forward Otto Porter. Four games into the new season, the Hoyas appear to have proven me wrong yet again. Porter looks like the best player in the Big East. Greg Whittington is averaging 12.8 points and 8.5 boards per outing. And Markel Starks is looking about as explosive as you can look in JT3's modified Princeton offense. Throw in a really productive supporting cast, and this team looks like a top ten-type team – which should not surprise anyone, since the Hoyas have been ranked in the AP top ten at some point in the season each of the past six years.

3. I am also regretting doubting Jamie Dixon and his Pittsburgh Panthers. After last year's disappointing 22-17 finish, I was a little gun shy of predicting much success for the Panthers. After watching Pitt battle a very talented Michigan squad in the NIT Season Tip-Off before coming up short in the game's final moments, I am convinced last year was merely an aberration. The Panthers are back to playing gritty, grimy basketball. With point guard Tray Woodall back to full health, this is a Top 25 team with good size and a lot of depth. Looking forward to watching more rock fights involving Dixon's squad.

4. Staying in the Keystone State, RBP would be remiss not to mention that Penn State senior guard Tim Frazier is out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. As a junior, Frazier averaged 18.8 points, 6.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game for a pretty poor Penn State team. Despite his lackluster supporting cast, he almost bumped Minnesota's Trevor Mbakwe from RBP's preseason All-Big Ten squad this year. The Nittany Lions plan to apply for a medical redshirt, but we will all be missing out on the pleasure of watching one of the best guards in the country perform this year.

5. Speaking of injuries and general bad luck, things could not be going much worse for Providence. This was supposed to be the year Ed Cooley's Friars contended for a NCAA Tourney bid. Much of that enthusiasm was generated by Providence's stellar recruiting class, featuring Ricardo Ledo and Kris Dunn (Rivals' numbers 6 and 16-rated recruits from the 2012 class). Providence also returned senior point guard (and RBP preseason first team All-Big East performer) Vincent Council. And then the bad news hit. Ledo is academically ineligible and will not suit up for the Friars until next season. Dunn had surgery on his shoulder and will still be out until late December. Council is out 4-5 weeks with a hamstring injury. While the Friars have managed to get out to a 3-2 start, Ed Cooley's squad likely has a long year ahead of it.

Top 25

*previous rank in parentheses

1. Louisville 3-0 (1)

2. Indiana 3-0 (2)

3. Syracuse 2-0 (3)

4. Michigan 3-0 (7)

5. Ohio State 3-0 (5)

6. Duke 3-0 (11)

7. Florida 3-0 (9)

8. Kentucky 2-1 (4)

9. Michigan State 2-1 (12)

10. Kansas 2-1 (6)

11. Cincinnati 3-0 (15)

12. North Carolina 3-0 (14)

13. Oklahoma State 4-0 (NR)

14. North Carolina State 3-1 (8)

15. UNLV 2-0 (21)

16. Missouri 3-0 (19)

17. Creighton 3-0 (18)

18. San Diego State 2-1 (10)

19. Gonzaga 3-0 (NR)

20. Memphis 2-0 (17)

21. Arizona 2-0 (20)
22. Minnesota 4-0 (NR)

23. Wisconsin 2-1 (16)

24. UCLA 3-0 (24)

25. Colorado 4-0 (NR)

IN: Oklahoma State, Gonzaga, Minnesota, Colorado

OUT: Notre Dame, Florida State, Lehigh, New Mexico

Preseason Conference Predictions

ACC
1. North Carolina State
2. Duke
3. North Carolina
4. Florida State
5. Miami
6. Clemson
7. Maryland
8. Virginia Tech
9. Virginia
10. Wake Forest
11. Boston College
12. Georgia Tech

All-ACC
Lorenzo Brown, North Carolina State [jr]
Michael Snaer, Florida State [sr]
P.J. Hairston, North Carolina [soph]
C.J. Leslie, North Carolina State [jr]
James Michael McAdoo, North Carolina [soph]

Awards
Player of the Year: Michael Snaer, Florida State
Top Defender: Michael Snaer, Florida State
Best Freshman: Rodney Purvis, North Carolina State

Big East
1. Louisville
2. Syracuse
3. Notre Dame
4. Cincinnati
5. Georgetown
6. Marquette
7. Pittsburgh
8. South Florida
9. St. John's
10. Rutgers
11. Connecticut
12. Seton Hall
13. DePaul
14. Providence
15. Villanova

All-Big East
Vincent Council, Providence [sr]
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati [jr]
C.J. Fair, Syracuse [jr]
Jack Cooley, Notre Dame [sr]
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville [jr]

Awards
Player of the Year: C.J. Fair, Syracuse
Top Defender: Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
Best Freshman: Steven Adams, Pittsburgh

Big Ten
1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Michigan State
5. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota
7. Illinois
8. Northwestern
9. Purdue
10. Iowa
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska

All-Big Ten
Aaron Craft, Ohio State [jr]
Trey Burke, Michigan [soph]
Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State [jr]
Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota [sr]
Cody Zeller, Indiana [soph]

Awards
Player of the Year: Cody Zeller, Indiana
Top Defender: Aaron Craft, Ohio State
Best Freshman: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

Big 12
1. Kansas
2. Baylor
3. Oklahoma State
4. West Virginia
5. Kansas State
6. Texas
7. Oklahoma
8. Iowa State
9. TCU
10. Texas Tech

All-Big 12
Myck Kabongo, Texas [soph]
Pierre Jackson, Baylor [sr]
Rodney McGruder, Kansas State [sr]
Le'Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State [soph]
Jeff Withey, Kansas [sr]

Awards
Player of the Year: Pierre Jackson, Baylor
Top Defender: Jeff Withey, Kansas
Best Freshman: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State

Pac-12
1. Arizona
2. UCLA
3. Washington
4. Stanford
5. Colorado
6. California
7. Oregon
8. Oregon State
9. USC
10. Washington State
11. Arizona State
12. Utah

All-Pac-12
Chasson Randle, Stanford [soph]
Allen Crabbe, California [jr]
E.J. Singler, Oregon [sr]
Andre Roberson, Colorado [jr]
Brock Motum, Washington State [sr]

Awards
Player of the Year: Andre Roberson, Colorado
Top Defender: Aziz N'Diaye, Washington
Best Freshman: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA

SEC
1. Kentucky
2. Florida
3. Missouri
4. Tennessee
5. Arkansas
6. Mississippi
7. Alabama
8. Texas A&M
9. Auburn
10. LSU
11. Georgia
12. Mississippi State
13. Vanderbilt
14. South Carolina

All-SEC
Flip Pressey, Missouri [jr]
Michael Dixon, Missouri [sr]
B.J. Young, Arkansas [soph]
Kenny Boynton, Florida [sr]
Jeronne Maymon, Tennessee [sr]

Awards
Player of the Year: Flip Pressey, Missouri
Top Defender: Laurence Bowers, Missouri
Best Freshman: Alex Poythress, Kentucky

2012-13 Preseason All-Americans and Award Predictions

First Team
Isaiah Canaan, Murray State [sr]
C.J. McCollum, Lehigh [sr]
Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State [jr]
Doug McDermott, Creighton [jr]
Cody Zeller, Indiana [soph]

*Zeller is the only player from a Power Six conference on the first team.

Second Team
Aaron Craft, Ohio State [jr]
Trey Burke, Michigan [soph]
Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State [jr]
Tony Mitchell, North Texas [soph]
Mike Moser, UNLV [jr]

*The first man out is senior Matthew Dellavedova of Saint Mary's, one of the Gaels' Australian imports.

All-Defense
Aaron Craft, Ohio State [jr]
Fuquan Edwin, Seton Hall [jr]
C.J. Aiken, St. Joseph's [jr]
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville [jr]
Jeff Withey, Kansas [sr]

*Indiana junior Victor Oladipo gets beaten out for the final spot by Seton Hall's Fuquan Edwin, who was second in the nation in thefts per contest during the 2011-12 campaign.

All-Freshman
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Rodney Purvis, North Carolina State
Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
Alex Poythress, Kentucky
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky

*UNLV's Anthony Bennett, who will be joining forces with Mike Moser in Las Vegas, is the sixth man on RBP's All-Freshman team.

Player of the Year: Cody Zeller, Indiana
The youngest of the Brothers Zeller was the single biggest reason for the Hoosiers' remarkable turnaround from Big Ten doormat just two seasons ago to the preseason pick to win the title according to both the AP and Coaches' polls.

Top Defender: Aaron Craft, Ohio State
If you have read RBP before, then you know how I feel about Mr. Craft.

Best Freshman: Alex Poythress, Kentucky

Poythress edges North Carolina State's Rodney Purvis for the preseason honor but could end up being only the third best freshman to suit up for the Wildcats this year.

RBP 2012-13 Preseason Rankings

1) Louisville: The best defensive team in the country is also one of the most talented, but I'm not sure the Cards can shoot from outside.

2) Indiana: The Hoosiers are more skilled and have better shooters than Louisville but are not as athletic or as tenacious on the defensive end.

3) Syracuse: I'm predicting a breakout season for junior forward CJ Fair.

4) Kentucky: The inexperienced Cats may take their lumps early, but Coach Cal will have this team ready to make a third straight trip to the Final Four by March.

5) Ohio State: If the supporting cast, especially on the frontline, steps up, the Buckeyes have a chance to win a national championship.

6) Kansas: The gap between the Jayhawks and the rest of the Big 12 seems like it has never been larger.

7) Michigan: Trey Burke is college basketball's version of Chris Paul.

8) North Carolina State: If Lorenzo Brown and Rodney Purvis can share the ball without incident, the Wolf Pack could have a special season.

9) Florida: The Gators will score points in bunches, but the national title contenders are ranked 1-8 on this list.

10) San Diego State: You would be hard-pressed to find a better perimeter trio than Xavier Thames, Chase Tapley, and Jamaal Franklin.

11) Duke: If the Blue Devils hope to make a deep run in March, freshman Rasheed Sulaimon will have to step into the role of go-to scorer vacated by Austin Rivers.

12) Michigan State: I have questions about Keith Appling as a floor general, but I resolved to stop doubting Tom Izzo's Spartans.

13) Notre Dame: Jerian Grant and Jack Cooley give the Irish an extremely productive inside-outside combo.

14) North Carolina: Lots of talent on Roy Williams' roster but not a lot by way of killer instinct.

15) Cincinnati: Mick Cronin's Bearcats have taken the title of the nation's grimiest team from the Pitt Panthers.

16) Wisconsin: As long as Bo Ryan is grinding meat in Madison, the Badgers will have a spot in RBP's  Preseason Top 25.

17) Memphis: After losing the hugely underrated Will Barton, the pressure is on junior point guard Joe
Jackson to fulfill his considerable potential.

18) Creighton: Doug McDermott and Gregory Echenique give the Bluejays a frontline that can play with teams from the Power Six conferences.

19) Missouri: Top ten-type talent in Columbia, but Frank Haith has his work cut out for him in terms of getting a bunch of new faces to play together.

20) Arizona: Sean Miller has done an excellent job of recruiting talent to Tucson, but I'm worried chemistry issues will plague this program for a second straight season.

21) UNLV: Dave Rice's squad is the second of three Mountain West teams on this list, as the MWC will once again outclass the Pac-12 as the premiere conference on the west coast.

22) Florida State: The Noles return one of the nation's best backcourts in Ian Miller and Michael Snaer.

23) Lehigh: After shocking Duke in the NCAA Tournament, the Mountain Hawks return their top four scorers and will "upset" Baylor on November 9 in Waco.

24) UCLA: This program is a mess, and the Bruins' ranking assumes Shabazz Muhammad will be cleared to play.

25) New Mexico: Lots of questions on the interior for the Lobos, but juniors Kendall Williams and Tony Snell provide plenty of perimeter firepower.

2011-12 NCAA Honors & Awards

First Team All-American

Isaiah Canaan, Murray State

Draymond Green, Michigan State

Thomas Robinson, Kansas

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Second Team All-American

Damian Lillard, Weber State

Marcus Denmon, Missouri

Doug McDermott, Creighton

Cody Zeller, Indiana

Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

All-Defensive Team

Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion

C.J. Aiken, St. Joseph's 

William Moseley, Northwestern State

Anthony Davis, Kentucky

All-Freshman Team

Trey Burke, Michigan

Austin Rivers, Duke

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Cody Zeller, Indiana

Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Top Defender: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Best Freshman: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Coach of the Year: Bill Self, Kansas

*And that wraps up the 2011-12 season.  2012-13 Preseason Top 25 is on its way.

2011-12 Conference Honors & Awards

After the 2011-12 season ended, I started working on conference-by-conference "Honors & Awards" posts.  I ran out of steam, having only finished the ACC and Big East posts.  Because I want to turn to the 2012-13 season (preseason Top 25, conference projections, All-American teams, etc.), I am posting the six power conferences all at once.

All-ACC

Kendall Marshall, North Carolina

Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

Mike Scott, Virginia

John Henson, North Carolina

Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

Player of the Year: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

Top Defender: John Henson, North Carolina

Best Freshman: Austin Rivers, Duke

Coach of the Year: Leonard Hamilton, Florida State

All-Big East

Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette

Jason Clark, Georgetown

Kris Joseph, Syracuse

Jae Crowder, Marquette

Kevin Jones, West Virginia

Player of the Year: Jae Crowder, Marquette

Top Defender: Gorgui Dieng, Louisville

Best Freshman: Moe Harkless, St. John's

Coach of the Year: John Thompson III, Georgetown

All-Big Ten

Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin

Draymond Green, Michigan State

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Cody Zeller, Indiana

Player of the Year: Draymond Green, Michigan State

Top Defender: Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Best Freshman: Cody Zeller, Indiana

Coach of the Year: Tom Crean, Indiana

All-Big 12

Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas

Marcus Denmon, Missouri

Royce White, Iowa State

Thomas Robinson, Kansas

Jeff Withey, Kansas

Player of the Year: Thomas Robinson, Kansas

Top Defender: Jeff Withey, Kansas

Best Freshman: Quincy Miller, Baylor

Coach of the Year: Bill Self, Kansas

Pac-12

Jorge Gutierrez, California

Devoe Joseph, Oregon

Jared Cunningham, Oregon State

Terrence Ross, Washington

Andre Roberson, Colorado

Player of the Year: Jared Cunningham, Oregon State

Top Defender: Jorge Gutierrez, California

Best Freshman: Tony Wroten, Washington

Coach of the Year: Tad Boyle, Colorado

SEC

John Jenkins, Vanderbilt

Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Top Defender: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Best Freshman: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Coach of the Year: John Calipari, Kentucky

2012 NBA Mock Draft

Picks represent who teams should take.  This is not an attempt to project which players teams will actually select.

1) NOH - Anthony Davis, Kentucky
In a class all by himself.

2) CHA - Thomas Robinson, Kansas
See the Captain's take on why Robinson is the right choice for the Bobcats.

3) WAS - Bradley Beal, Florida
I really like Beal, but, with talk of OKC and the Spurs trying to obtain early picks in order to select the Florida freshman, we may be reaching a point where expectations for Beal are becoming unrealistic.

4) CLE - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
Harrison Barnes is a better shooter, but I am confident MKG is better in every other area.

5) SAC - Dion Waiters, Syracuse
Despite similarities to both Marcus Thornton and Tyreke Evans, Waiters, who I believe is the fifth best player in the draft, is the pick, as he provides stingy defense, toughness, and the ability to get to the hole.

6) POR - Andre Drummond, Connecticut
I have serious doubts about Drummond, but his measurements and athletic ability are hard to ignore at the six spot when the Blazers have the eleventh pick in their back pocket.

7) GSW - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
I can get behind Barnes as the seventh pick, but I am just not convinced he adds anything other than outside shooting.

8) TOR - Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut
Lamb is a natural scorer with length, and I think his game translates well to the NBA.

9) DET - Meyers Leonard, Illinois
Young Meyers has some maturity issues he needs to work through, but he is also a really nice athlete with a big frame that looks like it is going to fill out.

10) NOH - Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
I would not fault the Hornets if they went with more length (i.e., Moe Harkless, Terrence Jones, or Tyler Zeller), but I think pairing Marshall with Davis would work out extremely well for Monty Williams' club.

11) POR - Damian Lillard, Weber State
I am finally coming around to the idea of Lillard being a lottery pick (for the point guard-deficient Blazers at least), but, as a shoot-first point guard from a mid-major who is too undersized to play the two, I would not criticize the Blazers for passing on the Weber State product.

12) HOU - Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
Can see him being a solid (but not spectacular) starting center for years.

13) PHX - Terrence Ross, Washington
The Suns need a two-guard and preferably one that can shoot.

14) MIL - Moe Harkless, St. John's
Harkless is one of my favorite players in the draft, and I love his instincts on the offensive end.

15) PHI - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
When Terrence Jones falls outside of the lottery, you know you are dealing with a ridiculously deep draft.

16) HOU - Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
If the Rockets keep all three of their first-round picks (though I cannot imagine they will), they can afford to roll the dice on Sully's supposedly balky back.

17) DAL - Marquis Teague, Kentucky
Teague is a more physically imposing version of his older brother, and that is a good thing - especially for the Mavs, who look like they are not going to be luring Deron Williams to Dallas and may be operating without Jason Kidd at the helm next season.

18) HOU - Austin Rivers, Duke
Doc's son was impressive during his single season in Durham, but I am not convinced that he adds wins to the team that drafts him or that anyone wants to play with him.

19) ORL - Perry Jones, Baylor
If Dwight Howard leaves, the cupboard will be bare in Orlando, which is why the Magic take the most talented player left on the board.

20) DEN - Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
When you have a team full of inconsistent weirdos, sometimes it makes sense to take a blue collar/hard hat/Coors Light type of guy.

21) BOS - Will Barton, Memphis
I am super high on this skinny stat-stuffer, and I think he is a steal for Boston with the twenty-first pick.

22) BOS - Royce White, Iowa State
After reading Grantland's recent piece on White, I am convinced that the problem with selecting him is not that he is dealing with anxiety issues but rather that he is a prima donna who is going to be extremely high maintenance.

23) ATL - Quincy Miller, Baylor
Love his length; love his upside.

24) CLE - Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Cavs add a capable post scorer with a nice mid-range jumper to pair with the more defensive-minded Tristan Thompson.

25) MEM - Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt
Impressive athlete who can defend and knock down the three ball, which is important since it looks like the Grizzlies will be losing their most prolific three-point shooter, O.J. Mayo.

26) IND - John Henson, North Carolina
Loved Henson as a game-changer on the defensive end at the college level but pretty convinced he is going to be manhandled in the Association.

27) MIA - Draymond Green, Michigan State
Defending champs add the third best player in college basketball with the twenty-seventh pick.

28) OKC - Jae Crowder, Marquette
Though undersized, Crowder, a poor man's Larry Johnson, will contribute off the bench as either an extremely physical three or a four in a small-ball lineup.

29) CHI - Tony Wroten, Washington
The Bulls pick up crazy ass Tony Wroten.

30) GSW - Evan Fournier, France
At 6-7, Fournier has good size for a two-guard and possesses a smooth offensive game, though I think he will have trouble defending early in his career.

4 Players To Take in the 2nd Round
Jared Cunningham, Oregon State
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
Doron Lamb, Kentucky
Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin

4 Players To Avoid in the 1st Round
Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt
John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
Khris Middleton, Texas A&M
Miles Plumlee, Duke

Big Ten in the NBA

Think you may want to draft Jared Sullinger's big ole ass?  Like the cut of Meyers Leonard's jib?  I decided to use historical indicators to project the NBA potential for players coming out of the Big Ten.  For several years, the Big Ten has been criticized greatly for a slower, plodding style that can't match up to more athletic and explosive teams from other conferences...in football.  In basketball, however, the Big Ten consistently churns out excellent, if not at least overachieving, tournament performances from its members.  Have its top basketball players moved on to become noteworthy NBA players?  Let's take a look at the last ten years of first round picks from the NBA:

2002
#11 - Jared Jeffries
#25 - Frank Williams

2003
#24 - Brian Cook

2004
#5 - Devin Harris

2005
#3 - Deron Williams
#24 - Luther Head

2006
#25 - Shannon Brown
#28 - Maurice Ager

2007
#1 - Greg Oden
#4 - Mike Conley
#21 - Daequan Cook
#29 - Alando Tucker

2008
#7 - Eric Gordon
#23 - Kosta Koufos
#29 - D.J. White

2009
#24 - B.J. Mullens

2010
#2 - Evan Turner

2011
#25 - JaJuan Johnson

I thought this was a surprising case study.  Out of eighteen first round picks over ten years, only four players have become above average starting caliber players:  Eric Gordon, Mike Conley, Deron Williams, and Devin Harris.  In fairness, Evan Turner has shown promise, but only has two seasons under his belt, and the Greg Oden tragedy is not really his fault.   Nonetheless, it's hard to believe that a conference as strong as the Big Ten has only produced four starting-caliber first round picks over the last decade.

This trend may be completely coincidental, and I don't have any strong theories on why we haven't seen more NBA success out of this conference.  I suppose a case could be made that the Big Ten, by and large, lacks a sufficient number of athletes to provide NBA-caliber matchups for the conference's elite players.  For example, a few more agile, 6'11" shot blockers could have given a better idea of whether Koufos, D.J. White, Mullens, or Sullinger were/are likely to be able to score close to the basket in the NBA.  This list wouldn't change the way I feel about Draymond Green, because any team drafting him shouldn't expect him to be a long-term starter.  However, there are enough concerns about Leonard and Sullinger that this list would give me a little extra pause in drafting them.

Your Move, Charlotte

One of the main characters from "Sex and the City" was named Charlotte. In my limited exposure to that show, I did not enjoy it (Kim Cattrall wasn't slutty enough for my taste). Somehow, however, that's the closest to success that I can place the Bobcat franchise. The Charlotte Bobcats are not one player away from being a great team.  At this point, they'll be in contention for the top draft pick next year regardless of who they draft with the second overall pick on June 28th.  Nonetheless, it's essential that they capitalize on their first selection in the 2012 draft.  Anthony Davis to New Orleans is a foregone conclusion, and the cast of characters for the second overall pick has expanded to include about a half dozen candidates.  Thomas Robinson, Andre Drummond, Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Harrison Barnes are all vying for this "honor."  Michael Jordan has been the architect of the crumbling edifice that is the Charlotte Bobcats, but who will he target for the next phase of this project?

Drummond has the highest ceiling, but his bust potential is undeniable.  His motor is a red flag, and most guys don't become hungrier AFTER they earn their first million.  He also teetered at the 40% threshold on free throws during the season.  How much can anyone hope for him to improve there?  Even if he improves by 50%, he's a 60% free throw shooter.  He has no go-to post moves.  So your worst case scenario is a big with no post moves, can't be in at the ends of games due to poor free throw shooting, and we don't know if he'll develop the intensity to have a defensive presence to overcome his potential offensive shortcomings.  I don't hate Drummond, but it's too good of a draft to risk the second pick on him.

Harrison Barnes' second season at UNC exposed him as somewhat one dimensional.  He's a very dangerous at catching and shooting, and is outstanding at pulling up off one to two dribbles.  He has good athleticism, but doesn't utilize it in either rebounding or defending.  I think the hate on Barnes has gone too far, but I think the key with drafting him is not expecting him ever to become the best player on your team.  He's a second fiddle who can open the floor with his shooting.  In a less tangible area, I would worry about Barnes struggling under Jordan's influence.  I won't call him soft, but I think it takes a real SOB to thrive under Jordan's domineering personality, and Barnes doesn't seem to be that guy.

Kidd-Gilchrist is the opposite of Barnes, but somehow also feels like a poor fit for Charlotte.  Don't draft MKG hoping him to be your franchise player.  Also, many compare him to Gerald Wallace, who the Bobcats traded away for fifty cents on the dollar a year ago.  If they valued Wallace so little, how can they justify drafting MKG?

Beal makes, sense, but for some reason, his stock seems to be slipping.  Also, his game isn't that different from Gerald Henderson...although, I won't advocate not drafting anyone because you already have Gerald Henderson.  If Charlotte likes Beal, then trade back a few picks and nab him there.

This leaves Robinson, and guess what?  I did that on purpose. T-Rob is the right pick for Charlotte for a lot of reasons.  He WANTS to be a franchise player.  There is no questioning his intensity.  He still talks about how he is better than Anthony Davis.  It makes him look kind of dumb when he does that, but know what doesn't look dumb?  His shoulders.  If you love Drummond because he passes the look test, then cast your gaze upon Robinson's chiseled frame, which pairs nicely with a much, much more impressive utilization of that physique.  I think Robinson could have a Blake Griffinesque impact for the Bobcats.  He's barely undersized at PF, and he does not appear to be an elite defender.  However, he's going to rebound the hell out of the ball, and he will be one of the most athletic 4s in the Eastern Conference from Day 1.  He also has that chip on his shoulder attitude that Jordan values so much. Take Robinson at 2, then take the best players, regardless of position for your next six picks, because you're terrible, Charlotte.

Big East Honors & Awards

All Big-East

Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette
#1 Senior Guard 6-2 215
18.3ppg 3.5rpg 2.7apg

Jason Clark, Georgetown
#21 Senior Guard 6-2 180
14.0ppg 4.1rpg 1.6spg

Kris Joseph, Syracuse
#32 Senior Forward 6-7 215
13.4ppg 4.7rpg 1.4spg

Jae Crowder, Marquette
#32 Senior Forward 6-6 235
18.3ppg 8.4rpg 2.5spg

Kevin Jones, West Virginia
#5 Senior Forward 6-8 260
19.9ppg 10.9rpg .509FG%

Connecticut's Jeremy Lamb, for all his talent and potential, misses the cut after the Huskies (and Lamb, at times) turned in an uninspired 2011-12 campaign.

Player of the Year: Jae Crowder, Marquette
Crowder was a poor man's Larry Johnson for Buzz Williams' Golden Eagles, regularly overwhelming the opposition with his physicality on both ends of the floor.

Top Defender: Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
Dieng, who anchored the nation's most efficient defense while averaging 3.2 blocks per contest (good for 8th best in the country), edges out Seton Hall's Fuquan Edwin, who averaged 3.0 swipes per contest (second in the NCAAs).

Best Freshman: Moe Harkless, St. John's
Harkless, a versatile wing who plays like a less perimeter-oriented Joe Johnson, did it all for the Red Storm, averaging 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Coach of the Year: John Thompson III, Georgetown
While Notre Dame's Mike Brey and Louisville's Rick Pitino are both deserving, JT3 led a team projected to finish tenth in the Big East preseason poll to a 3 seed in the NCAA Tourney.

ACC Honors & Awards

All-ACC

Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
#5 Sophomore Guard 6-4 195
8.1ppg 9.8apg 1.2spg

Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
#40 Sophomore Forward 6-8 215
17.1ppg 5.2rpg 1.1spg

Mike Scott, Virginia
#23 Senior Forward 6-8 235
18.1ppg 8.4rpg .563FG%

John Henson, North Carolina
#31 Junior Forward 6-11 220
13.7ppg 9.9rpg 2.9bpg

Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
#44 Senior Center 7-0 250
16.3ppg 9.6rpg 1.5bpg

Yes, it is gross that four Tar Heels are among the conference's top five performers.

Player of the Year: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
Big Z edges out UVA's Mike Scott in what was a highly competitive race for the conference's top honor.

Top Defender: John Henson, North Carolina
Despite his tendency to play out of position, Henson's ability to alter and block shots (tenth in NCAA) played a large part in the Tar Heels' oft-criticized defense finishing as the nation's eleventh most efficient.

Best Freshman: Austin Rivers, Duke
Rivers led the 27-win Blue Devils in scoring at 15.4 points per contest and rounded into one of the most dangerous scorers in the country.

Coach of the Year: Leonard Hamilton, Florida State
The Seminoles beat the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils twice apiece and rode their stingy, physical defense to an ACC Tournament Championship and a 3 seed in the NCAA Tourney.