Rothstein's Top 45 2023-24 Basketball Rankings

Donate To GopherHole
6

60's Guy

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2010
Messages
9,789
Reaction score
4,778
Points
113
The List. So, from the Big Ten we have:
#2 Purdue
#3 Michigan State
#23 Northwestern
#24 Maryland
#36 Wisconsin
#38 Illinois
#41 Rutgers
So, that is 7 Big Ten teams in the Top 45. Katz had Ohio State on his list.
Others Not listed: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Penn State, Nebraska and Minnesota (no worries: "Not a Bad Roster")

For the Pitino fans...New Mexico is #43
 
Last edited:


goldengophers said:
Ha, what a joke this team is primed for tourney greatness. We are next year's K-State.
Click to expand...
Maybe you missed it...we withdrew from our only tourney opportunity other than the Big Ten end of season. Oh my gosh....we wouldn't withdraw from that one too...would we?
 

We will end up in the Northwestern/Maryland area. Enjoy your fatalistic pessimism while you can.
 

60's Guy said:
Maybe you missed it...we withdrew from our only tourney opportunity other than the Big Ten end of season. Oh my gosh....we wouldn't withdraw from that one too...would we?
Click to expand...
Smart move to get out of Continental Tire games. Without Battle we would have no chance.
 


Rockraven said:
We will end up in the Northwestern/Maryland area. Enjoy your fatalistic pessimism while you can.
Click to expand...
My pessimism is based on the observation of our coaching staff over two seasons. It is based on Battle, Cooper, Evans and Henley thinking somewhere else was better. It is based on our roster on paper. It is based on the actions and abilities of our opponents last year and this spring. It is based on the only message coming out of men's basketball in weeks....quietly bowing out of Las Vegas. (just to name a couple ingredients to my conclusion to date)
 

60's Guy said:
My pessimism is based on the observation of our coaching staff over two seasons. It is based on Battle, Cooper, Evans and Henley thinking somewhere else was better. It is based on our roster on paper. It is based on the actions and abilities of our opponents last year and this spring. It is based on the only message coming out of men's basketball in weeks....quietly bowing out of Las Vegas. (just to name a couple ingredients to my conclusion to date)
Click to expand...
You are fully entitled to your pessimism and have the right to share your pessimism.
 

Rockraven said:
You are fully entitled to your pessimism and have the right to share your pessimism.
Click to expand...
Rather than pessimism could we please label it reality? The opposite of pessimism is optimism.
That is what I am much more prone to but I do need some signs to grab on to and I'm not seeing them. Blind faith is delusion not pessimism.
 

Is there a May blizzard moving in? It is Minnesota fatalism that causes the pessimism. Living in the past makes it even more negative. You want realism? I am optimism. My life is great! Want realism? Read what bga has to say. That is realism.
 



60's Guy said:
My pessimism is based on the observation of our coaching staff over two seasons. It is based on Battle, Cooper, Evans and Henley thinking somewhere else was better. It is based on our roster on paper. It is based on the actions and abilities of our opponents last year and this spring. It is based on the only message coming out of men's basketball in weeks....quietly bowing out of Las Vegas. (just to name a couple ingredients to my conclusion to date)
Click to expand...
Cooper went close to home, and Battle and Evans likely left for money. I don’t know if backing out of the non-conference tournament means anything on its own. Maybe they’ll schedule a couple of home and homes? I’d guess there will be at least one new one after finishing the Mississippi State series last year.

I was pretty bummed about the outlook after we didn’t get Pride or Brown, I thought options would be pretty thin now, but this Elijah Hawkins visit has me interested again.
 

Rockraven said:
Is there a May blizzard moving in? It is Minnesota fatalism that causes the pessimism. Living in the past makes it even more negative. You want realism? I am optimism. My life is great! Want realism? Read what bga has to say. That is realism.
Click to expand...
Just had 19 inches the other day in Marquette, MI
 





60's Guy said:
The List. So, from the Big Ten we have:
#2 Purdue
#3 Michigan State
#23 Northwestern
#24 Maryland
#36 Wisconsin
#38 Illinois
#41 Rutgers
So, that is 7 Big Ten teams in the Top 45. Somebody else had Ohio State on their list.
Others Not listed: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Penn State, Nebraska and Minnesota (no worries: "Not a Bad Roster")

For the Pitino fans...New Mexico is #43
Click to expand...
This list should really be ignored. It's assuming a lot of guys who declared for the draft return to their teams. Wait until after the deadline. It's nonsense now.
 

formerlybis said:
This list should really be ignored. It's assuming a lot of guys who declared for the draft return to their teams. Wait until after the deadline. It's nonsense now.
Click to expand...
I am probably too naive, but I assume a guy who spends his days immersed in college basketball probably is factoring that info into his “updated” rankings?
 

formerlybis said:
This list should really be ignored. It's assuming a lot of guys who declared for the draft return to their teams. Wait until after the deadline. It's nonsense now.
Click to expand...
Except Mich St. I think they are gonna be fantastic.
 





60's Guy said:
My pessimism is based on the observation of our coaching staff over two seasons. It is based on Battle, Cooper, Evans and Henley thinking somewhere else was better. It is based on our roster on paper. It is based on the actions and abilities of our opponents last year and this spring. It is based on the only message coming out of men's basketball in weeks....quietly bowing out of Las Vegas. (just to name a couple ingredients to my conclusion to date)
Click to expand...
Evans didn't choose any of the other 13 Big Ten schools. Reason for them to be pessimistic? Hunter Dickenson did not want to be at Michigan. Bad sign?
 

Dakota2 said:
Dakota2 said:
Evans didn't choose any of the other 13 Big Ten schools. Reason for them to be pessimistic? Hunter Dickenson did not want to be at Michigan. Bad sign?
Click to expand...
Too lazy to fact check but I'm pretty sure no other Big Ten schools recruited Evans...so no they wouldn't care. Hunter Dickenson leaving Michigan is a very bad thing for Michigan. Yes, it is a bad sign. Speculation on Howard as an effective college coach. Michigan not in top 45 teams to watch pre-season. (They are Michigan-missed tournament with Dickenson) Recruited Love from North Carolina who many say was the problem player for their poor season by their standards. So yes, there is unrest with Michigan basketball.
Click to expand...
 

People say Indiana will be bad and they might be but they could surprise too.
Hard to find information on teams but
I dunno....here's what they have added:

Mackenzie Mgbako Incoming Transfer
5 Star Story

Anthony Walker Incoming Transfer
Played on Miami’s 2023 Final Four Team
6-9 played 4 years at Miami 5th year senior
Best season: 9.6 points, 4.7 Rebs, 0.8 blocks, 0.7 steals as sophomore

Kel’el Ware Incoming Transfer - Sophomore
#2 Ranked Prospect in the portal.
7-0 tall - transfer from Oregon
Top Level Player Oregon Highlights

Payton Sparks Incoming Transfer - Junior
6-9 Ball State. 829 points in two years....531 rebounds
22 double doubles

Jakai Newton Incoming 4 Star Freshman - guard

Gabe Cupps Incoming 4 Star Freshman - guard

Only a couple of guys on the roster return who have experience. 6 guys return from last year.
9 guys left for all kinds of reasons. All the big dogs are gone.

But, they have two more scholarships to add additional players - they need a couple more quality additions....if they land them...they'll be competing in the top half of the conference with Ware and Sparks comfortable and healthy. Obviously, the 247 4 star freshmen guards can't lay an egg, unless the two additional guys they add are quality guards... But, one of the returners is a solid guard who played....so they maybe got some leeway.

Without Indiana adding two additional quality players...their two best players are arguably better than ours. No argument Ware is the best player on either team! Lots of team unknowns....Indiana is a team we may be able to challenge depending who both teams add.
*And Indiana adds a 5 Star in Mgbako
 
Last edited:

60's Guy said:
People say Indiana will be bad and they might be but they could surprise too.
Hard to find information on teams but
I dunno....here's what they have added:

Anthony Walker Incoming Transfer
Played on Miami’s 2023 Final Four Team
6-9 played 4 years at Miami 5th year senior
Best season: 9.6 points, 4.7 Rebs, 0.8 blocks, 0.7 steals as sophomore

Kel’el Ware Incoming Transfer - Sophomore
#2 Ranked Prospect in the portal.
7-0 tall - transfer from Oregon
Top Level Player Oregon Highlights

Payton Sparks Incoming Transfer - Junior
6-9 Ball State. 829 points in two years....531 rebounds
22 double doubles

Jakai Newton Incoming 4 Star Freshman - guard

Gabe Cupps Incoming 4 Star Freshman - guard

Only a couple of guys on the roster return who have experience. 6 guys return from last year.
9 guys left for all kinds of reasons. All the big dogs are gone.

But, they have two more scholarships to add additional players - they need a couple more quality additions....if they land them...they'll be competing in the top half of the conference with Ware and Sparks comfortable and healthy. Obviously, the 247 4 star freshmen guards can't lay an egg, unless the two additional guys they add are quality guards... But, one of the returners is a solid guard who played....so they maybe got some leeway.

Without Indiana adding two additional quality players...their two best players are arguably better than ours. No argument Ware is the best player on either team! Lots of team unknowns....Indiana is a team we may be able to challenge depending who both teams add.
Click to expand...
I'm not sold on Ware. He's got potential, yes, because he was a 5-star out of HS and you can't teach 7-ft. But he played less than 20 minutes in every game after 1/1 for the Ducks and frankly didn't do much. I don't think it's a slam dunk (see what I did there) that he's better than say, Garcia, who has put up good stats at all his stops (except wins when he's in the rotation). Ware would have a spot on any team in the country, but I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up coming off the bench with Reneau and Sparks starting in the front court by the time conference season rolls around.
 

Boo Buie is officially returning to NW. Being better than them now is a much bigger task.
 



You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom