Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Early Top 50 (55) + autobids

I've been chewing on this, but let's just get it out the way. I think this will be the 2012 field of 68 for the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Just a side note, the first four out included Indiana, but also Arkansas & South Carolina from the SEC as well as Georgetown. I also think any of the top three are defensible #1's. I'm not picking a Calipari team #1 until he earns it (every year- so much talent, so much turnover), but I do think "Jorts" big presence will be missed in the paint for UK. I love UNC's frontcourt, but I'm very dubious about their backcourt being championship caliber. Ohio State loses some great shooting (Diebler) and defense (Lighty & Lauderdale) to graduation, but picks up a great recruiting class including two McDonald All-Americans who probably won't even start, and adds talented transfer Evan Ravenel to boot. Ultimately, I like balanced teams, and OSU has the best balance of any of the top three.

1. Ohio State (Big Ten)
2. North Carolina (ACC)
3. Kentucky (SEC)
4. Syracuse (Big East)
5. Duke
6. Connecticut
7. Vanderbilt
8. Pittsburgh
9. Purdue
10. Kansas (Big XII)
11. Louisville
12. Temple (A-10)
13. Alabama
14. Texas A&M
15. West Virginia
16. Wichita State (MVC)
17. Missouri
18. UNLV (MWC)
19. Washington (Pac-10)
20. Wisconsin
21. Gonzaga (WCC)
22. Memphis (C-USA)
23. Michigan State
24. Clemson
25. Belmont (A-Sun)
26. Villanova
27. Arizona
28. Xavier
29. Cincinnati
30. UCLA
31. Saint Mary's
32. New Mexico
33. Florida
34. Baylor
35. Creighton
36. Texas
37. Florida State
38. Iona (MAAC)
39. Kent State (MAC)
40. Drexel (CAA)
41. Indiana State
42. Miami (FL)
43. Detroit (HOR)
44. Harvard (Ivy)
45. Oregon
46. Northwestern
47. Marquette
48. Virginia Tech
49. George Mason
50. Butler
51. Mississippi
52. Iowa State
53. Marshall
54. Nevada (WAC)
55. California

Auto [13]
Boston University (AmEast)
Bucknell (Patriot)
Coppin State (MEAC)
Davidson (SoCon)
Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt)
Long Beach State (Big West)
Mississippi Valley State (SWAC)
Montana (Big Sky)
Austin Peay (OVC)
Oral Roberts (Summitt)
Robert Morris (NEC)
UNC-Asheville (Big South)
Sam Houston State (Southland)

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