College Basketball Notebook

So I had to take a week off of the College Basketball Notebook for reasons refuse to tell on this website, but I’m back. Two weeks ago I revealed the Top Five (or six) teams not in the Top 5. This week I have my Top 5 teams to stay relevant after key losses. Every year schools lose big named players who contributed a lot to their team’s success, but more often than not, teams need some time to pick up where they left off. These teams, however, should have no problem getting back to playing well and contending for conference supremacy.

Louisville
By early March of last season I was huge on Rick Pitino’s team. I was sure they would win the Big East Tournament (lost to Pitt in overtime) and were definitely an Elite 8 team (which they were and lost to North Carolina). Like most Pitino teams, Louisville only got better as the season continued, however, their success was due in large part to the return of David Padgett, who had been sidelined throughout his collegiate career with injury. This season, Padgett, along with Derrick Character (transfer), will not be returning next season – four of their starters, however, will be back, including their starting backcourt in Edgar and Jerry Smith. The Cardinals will also bring in the Associated Press high school player of the year in Samardo Samuels, who is sure to be a one and done prospect. Even in the stacked Big East with Padgett gone, Louisville is still in a great position to have another great season with four of their five starters coming back and arguably the best high school player in the nation.

Biggest Question: Will Edgar Sosa be able to play consistently for a full season? After a great freshman season and an up and down sophomore campaign, Louisville is really going to need Sosa to have a good season for them to stay in the top 3 of the Big East next year. After watching Sosa go for 31 on Texas A&M in the 2006 Tourney (one of those games I’ll never forget). After two years playing in the Big East, Sosa should be well seasoned and should play up to his potential (for some reason I see him leading this team like Francisco Garcia did some years ago).

Key Losses: David Padgett (SR); Derrick Character (Transfer); Juan Palacios (SR)
Notable Freshmen: Samardo Samuels (C); Kyle Kuric (SG); Jared Swopshire (SF)

Michigan State
Drew Neitzel has been huge for Michigan State over the last for years, and now he’s gone – and I feel Michigan State will be better off without him. I, along with hundreds of thousands of other college basketball fans, loved watching Neitzel play, but there were a lot of times where I felt that he was a ball stopper. He scored so well that his team depended on him getting his shots instead of taking what was given to them. Next season Spartan fans have Raymar Morgan to look forward to. He really came out of his shell last season, and with Neitzel gone, he should be much more productive. Also, Goron Sutton was much more active on the boards, Kalin Lucas seems more than promising, the Spartans are bringing in one of the nation’s best recruiting classes – and don’t forget that they’re being coached by Tom Izzo. I like Michigan State to be competitive in the Big-10 again, even with the loss of Neitzel.

Biggest Question: With Neitzel gone, how long will it take for the offense to adjust without him? I don’t think it will take too long with Izzo running the show. The first few games will be mere exhibition games and they should have all kinks worked out by the end of the pre-season tournaments, well before league play. Ramar Morgan is going to be one of the elite players in the Big-10 next year and Kalin Lucas appears to be a rising star.

Key Losses: Drew Neitzel (SR)
Notable Freshmen: Delvon Roe (PF); Draymond Green (PF); Korie Lucas (PG)

Wisconsin
Bo Ryan has done an incredible job building this program having failed to win at least 25 games only once during the course of the last five seasons, and a lot of that success can be attributed to the recruiting he’s done. Four years ago he brought in Brian Butch and Michael Flowers, and now, they’re gone. Sure, Butch was a force to be reckoned with inside and all scorers feared the defensive intensity of Flowers (well, everyone except Stephon Curry) but the Badgers will be returning Trevon Hughes and Marcus Laundry as well as one of the most underrated coaches in the nation in Ryan. MSU and Perdue are going to be good, but don’t be surprised if Wisconsin is right in the thick of things contending for another Big-10 title. Keep an eye out for the incoming bigs, Ryan has a knack for recruiting the right guys to fit his system.

Biggest Question: Who is going to replace Brian Butch inside? As of right now, it looks like incoming freshman Ian Markolf may get the nod for the starting position. Scouts say he’s a solid seven-footer with a nice skill set and has the physical toughness to compete in the Big-10. He’s not the quickest guy or the most athletic, but he may prove tough to handle and should be able to block and alter shots with his size, something Bo Ryan obviously values since Wisconsin had the nations best defense last season only allowing 54.3 points per contest.

Key Losses: Brian Butch (SR); Michael Flowers (SR)
Notable Freshmen: Jared Berggren (C); Jordan Taylor (PG); Ian Markolf (C)

Be sure to check out the rest of this edition of the College Basketball Notebook at Talkhoops.net.


Stay Hideous
-PB

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52 days and 56,175 words to go)