THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
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SPORTS 
2012-13 NCAA Basketball Preview The college hoops season begins November 9 (at a military base in Germany) with the NIT Season Tip-off November 12. It all leads to the National Final, April 4, 2013 (check www.espnamerica.co.uk for TV coverage in the UK). Natimi Black-Heaven breaks down our Preseason Top 25. #1 UCLA The Bruins will certainly celebrate the arrival of small forward duo Kyle Anderson and Shabazz Muhammad. They just made a great team incredible. The recruiting job done by this school is the reason why the Bruins will be near the top all season long. Shabazz Muhammad was ranked by ESPN as the number 2 freshman while Anderson was at number 5. Expect this team to just run and gun against opponents, day in day out. #2 Indiana Cody Zeller was outstanding last year. The 7'0" giant was definitely the top big man in the game and yes, the Big 10 Freshman of the year will be back. Not only that, but the Hoosiers have a great supporting cast and signed two of the top 50 recruits in Yogi Ferrell and Jeremy Hollowell. Trust me, they’re not scrubs! #3 Kentucky Recruiting master John Calipari has done it again. The Wildcats have the top recruit in Nerlens Noel, a 6'10" Anthony Davis-esque star (though Calipari is trying to dampen media comparisons), and two other top 15 recruits. #4 Louisville Big East standout Louisville represented this stacked conference in the Final Four last year. Peyton Siva, Chane Behanan and Gorgui Dieng all made noise and are back this season, hungrier than ever. No top 50 recruits but another Final Four appearance? #5 Ohio State How do you stay in the top 10 with no top 100 recruits? You bring back two of the best college players in the country! Deshaun Thomas is an offensive powerhouse and point guard Aaron Craft is ‘big time’, plain and simple. Experience is vital in this league and this team has it. #6 Michigan Trey Burke’s season-long performance could have made him an NBA prospect last year but his decision to stay put will continue to make the Wolverines strong. Not only that, but this school’s ability to recruit talent is second to none. Michigan brings in the backboard breaking sensation Mitch McGary (ranked 3 in ESPNU’s top 100 recruits), and along with 6'6" versatile forward Glenn Robinson Jr, this team is a Final Four contender. #7 North Carolina State One of the ACC top dogs, NC State has all the pieces in place to make a long run this year. They have a good set of incoming freshmen to help advance the team in the right direction. Their good mixture of quality experienced returnees and newcomers is what they need to help them stand out. #8 Duke Duke has two formidable new faces this year. After losing best player Austin Rivers one-and-done to the NBA, the Blue Devils picked up two of the top 25 recruits, most notably Rasheed Sulaimon, a scorer that will give back that offensive edge missing from Rivers. Something they will surely need in the ACC. #9 Syracuse Although Syracuse lost a lot, they’re still scarily good. DaJaun Coleman will be the name to look out for as he’ll dominate in the paint. The 6'9", 275lb recruit is a sheer force. He’ll allow the perimeter games of combo guards Brandon Triche and Michael Carter-Williams to flourish. #10 North Carolina With four top 100 recruits, this team will aim for another Midwest 1 seed going into the postseason. The Tarheels are always coached tremendously and have toughness and physicality inside. They never go down without a fight and will look to lead the ACC again. #11 Arizona With a trio of big men recruits from the top 20, this team will be banging and bruising inside. It will be hard for opponents to defend when the Wildcats get the ball inside. These boys will be tough. #12 Memphis With good players all round and the addition of power forward freshmen Shaq Goodwin, the Tigers should be ready to carve up opposition defenses with ease. #13 Missouri The Tigers were upset at the very beginning of the postseason tournament, but they’re back and ready to rectify that mistake. They are a team with talent… a lot of talent. From tenacious point guard Phil Pressey to every other guy on the roster, Missouri has what it takes. #14 Kansas The Final Four runners-up, Kansas Jayhawks won’t be as good as last year. The same team that reached the title game no longer exists and Coach Bill Self’s new recruits have some serious heavy lifting to do. Kansas always has what it takes to be elite, but this season it may prove to be a little more difficult. #15 Cincinnati With talent all round, the Bearcats will be in the thick of things throughout the season. They’re not a top 10 team… yet. But with such a great coaching system and one of the league’s best guards in Sean Kilpatrick, the Bearcats will be one to watch. #16 Creighton Doug McDermott helped Creighton tremendously last year. The Junior is without a doubt the Bluejays’ best player. With his experience in this league, expect the 22.8ppg scoring machine to improve further and maybe we’ll see the wins column improve. #17 Wisconsin With a heartbreak end to their season, the Badgers will want to dig their way right through the competition. This solid team knows how to play ball. Head coach Bo Ryan enters his 29th season and owns a resume of 650+ wins. They’re in great hands. #18 Florida The Gators bring in big man Patric Young for that much needed brute force around the rim. With the help of newly acquired guard Braxton Ogbueze, this team has a legitimate 1-2 punch that will keep opponents on their heels. #19 San Diego State Winston Shepard will help this team improve. Don’t sleep on Jamaal Franklin either. His solid performance last season had Aztec fans on their feet! #20 UNLV Coming in at no 7 on ESPN’s top 100 recruits, PF Anthony Bennett propelled UNLV to new heights… literally. The 6'8" powerhouse is what you call a beast. He can shoot and is dynamite inside the paint. #21 Murray State This team is no joke. 3-point specialist and prolific scorer Isaiah Canaan went bonkers last year and his game is set to go berserk this season. But he can’t do it all by himself. Murray State is one of another host of ranked teams that failed to get any top recruits to commit to their programme. A postseason appearance will be inevitable, but are they good enough to be elite? #22 Baylor In anticipation of going into the season with a depleted front court, the Bears’ management team secured Isaiah Austin. A freak – an animal – a nightmare. This dude is one of the best centers in the game. Baylor may have what it takes to push their ranking into higher territory. #23 Michigan State Gary Harris is ranked as the 2nd best shooting guard in his class. With Harris’ intimidating mentality and a host of other top 100 recruits, the Spartans will welcome a battle with any and all opponents. #24 Marquette The Golden Eagles may be losing their shine a little. Going into the season, the team will have no stand-outs. Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder are gone but this team’s gritty toughness may help propel them back to the gold standard. #25 Texas Not a great set of returning players but this team makes the list due to the younger talent. The Longhorns attracted four top 100 recruits, the best of which is center Cameron Ridley, a top ten prospect. They have potential – can they rise to the challenge? |
