It's BACK!!! Road to Selection Sunday: Big Blue Sits Atop RTSS Preseason Rankings

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Road to Selection Sunday: Big Blue Sits Atop RTSS Preseason Rankings
By SelectionSunday

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/435501?referrer_id=

Welcome to another season of college basketball. Who's ready? I know I am. We'll get things started for the 2014-15 season with the RTSS preseason rankings. We could attempt to get cute and put someone other than Kentucky at the top of the rankings, but really, who would we be trying to kid?

The Wildcats look like the clear favorite, with talent up and down the roster. The question becomes, does this become another season where non-UK fans bemoan the slick recruiting prowess of John Calipari after he leads UK to another Final Four and/or national championship? Or perhaps will it be another Blue Blood (North Carolina, Duke, Kansas), Western power (Arizona, Gonzaga), emerging non-Power 6 heavyweight (Wichita State, VCU), or perhaps, finally, a Big Ten member (best bet Wisconsin; the B1G hasn't worn the crown since 2000) cutting down the nets in Indianapolis?

Here's a first look at some of the teams to watch on the Road to Naptown, some very familiar, others not so much. Noted in parentheses is the team's final 2013-14 RPI.

RTSS Preseason Top 25

1. Kentucky (17)
2. North Carolina (25)
3. Arizona (2)
4. Villanova (5)
5. Wisconsin (6)
6. Duke (9)
7. Kansas (3)
8. Virginia (8)
9. Gonzaga (20)
10. Florida (1)
11. Iowa State (7)
12. Texas (36)
13. Ohio State (24)
14. Michigan State (18)
15. Louisville (19)
16. Wichita State (4)
17. Michigan (11)
18. VCU (13)
19. UConn (22)
20. Kansas State (51)
21. Harvard (46)
22. San Diego State (15)
23. Stanford (41)
24. Oklahoma (26)
25. Utah (80)

25 Others to Watch (alphabetical): Arkansas (77), Boise State (82), BYU (31), Colorado (34), Dayton (43), Georgia (74), Georgia State (76), Illinois (70), Iona (59), Iowa (56), Louisiana Tech (62), Miami-Florida (110), MINNESOTA (50), Nebraska (48), Pitt (39), Saint Mary's (61), San Francisco (68), Seton Hall (128), SMU (53), Syracuse (16), Toledo (38), Towson (95), UCLA (14), West Virginia (88), Xavier (47).
 

GH admins, thanks for the accompanying photo of Slick Cal giving the thumbs up. An appropriate and cool touch!
 

Good to have RTSS back! Love this column. I don't think we can call the non-Dan Monson Gonzaga squad a "power" if Few can't get them as far as Dan did. Sure they pile up the wins but we need higher standards of what a "power" is. I'll start with getting out of the Sweet 16 once a decade.
 

First thing I noticed is Harvard. What a job Amaker has done there. Prior to his arrival the last time they had gotten into the tourney was 1945-46 season. (If my research is correct.) 117 wins in the last 5 years. How the heck did he do it? Looking at the school's record over the years, it would appear impossible. The previous coach had 4 winning seasons in his 16 year stint.
 

I hope that Steve Fisher has one last deep Tourney run in him. He's done a fantastic job at San Diego State and it has been a perfect marriage between the two. He's consistently had the Aztecs in the post-season, they often win a game or two, and last year made it to the Sweet 16. I hope he can do that or better, as this could be his last year before U alum Brian Dutcher officially takes over as HC.

Go Gophers!!
 



JTristesse said:
only 3 B1G teams ranked?
we're 38th?
Click to expand...

As much as none of us want wisconsin in the Big Ten, we should include them since they are officially in, so he does have 4 in his Top 25.

He also states that the "25 to Watch" are in alphabetical order.

Go Gophers!!
 

Big Ten, Illinois

I would have had Illinois in the top 25, but I backed off the Illini after Tracy Abrams went down with the season-ending injury. The Illini should still be good, though. Ironically, their PG now is likely to be Oregon State transfer Ahmad Starks, a guy Pitino went after for awhile.
 

North Carolina #2? That is going out on a limb. Maybe you'll be right, but they have more often than not been something lower than a #1 or #2 seed in the tourney over the past five years, and my personal opinion is that they have slipped to the point that they aren't expected to be at that level unless they have an exceptionally talented team. Lately it seems like Roy has managed to have disappointing teams with about as many 5-stars as he has this year. I'd opt for Arizona and Wisconsin at #2 and #3.
 



I'm glad this column is back SS, thanks for all the work you put into it. Will you be doing a breakdown of the schedule like you did last year into level 1-5 opponents and the record we should achieve against each level to make the tourney? I really enjoyed referencing that post throughout the season.
 

matt said:
I'm glad this column is back SS, thanks for all the work you put into it. Will you be doing a breakdown of the schedule like you did last year into level 1-5 opponents and the record we should achieve against each level to make the tourney? I really enjoyed referencing that post throughout the season.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the comment, Matt. I can do that. Wasn't planning on doing again because I think the Gophers won't be a bubble team this season, but you're the 3rd request so I'll do it again. It goes against their history, but I really think the Gophers should have a stress free Selection Sunday. Hoping so anyways.
 

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