Here are teams 16-25 in my updated 2012-2013 preseason Top 25 college basketball rankings and other teams who just missed the cut.
CLICK HERE FOR TEAMS 1-15 IN MY 2013-14 PRESEASON TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS
16. GONZAGA BULLDOGS (PR: 16)
Mark Few will have one of the best backcourts in the country with the duo of Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr. The addition of Providence transfer Gerard Coleman should provide additional scoring on the wing. How Polish big man Przemek Karnowski and Sam Dower replace the duo of Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris will be the x-factor for the Zags next season.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Przemek Karnowski (So)/Ryan Edwards (Fr)
PF: Sam Dower (Sr)/Luke Meikle (Fr)
G/F: Gerard Coleman (Jr)/Drew Barham (Sr)
SG: Gary Bell Jr. (Jr)/Kyle Dranginis (So)
PG: Kevin Pangos (Jr)/David Stockton (Sr)
Gone: C-Kelly Olynyk, F-Elias Harris, SF-Guy Landry Edi, SF-Mike Hart
17. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (PR: 20)
Regardless of who the Irish loses from season to season, Mike Brey typically does a great job making the most of his roster and earning a spot in the preseason college basketball rankings. The Irish will have a ton of experience in the backcourt with Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant while also welcoming in McDonald’s All-Ameircan Demetrius Jackson. There are shooters on the wing with Pat Connaughton and Cameron Biedscheid. Garrick Sherman must hold down the fort inside since there will not be a ton of depth inside.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Garrick Sherman (Sr)/Zach Auguste (So)
F: Cameron Biedscheid (So)/Austin Burgett (So)
G/F: Pat Connaughton (Jr)/V.J. Beachem (Fr)/Austin Torres (Fr)
SG: Jerian Grant (Jr)/Steve Vasturia (Fr)
PG: Eric Atkins (Sr)/Demetrius Jackson (Fr)
Gone: F/C-Jack Cooley, F-Scott Martin, PF-Thomas Knight, G-Joey Brooks (football)
18. NEW MEXICO LOBOS (PR: 17)
Steve Alford may have bolted for UCLA, but the Lobos return a ton of talent from last year’s MWC Championship team. Tony Snell’s exit to the NBA was surprising which means Kansas transfer Merv Lindsay must fill his void. Kendall Williams and Hugh Greenwood bring experience to the backcourt while Alex Kirk and Cameron Bairstow provide a ton of physicality down low.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Alex Kirk (Jr)/Nick Banyard (So)
PF: Cameron Bairstow (Sr)/Tim Myles (Fr)
SF: Merv Lindsay (So)/Arthur Edwards (Jr)/Devon Williams (Fr)
G: Kendall Williams (Sr)/Cleveland Thomas (So)
PG: Hugh Greenwood (Jr)/Cullen Neal (Fr)
Gone: SF-Tony Snell, PG-Jamal Fenton, G/F-Chad Adams, G-Demetrius Walker (transfer)
19. MEMPHIS TIGERS (PR: 18)
Adonis Thomas made a bone-headed decision by declaring for the NBA Draft and Tarik Black and Antonio Barton have decided to transfer, but Josh Pastner will still have a ton of talent as the Tigers head to the American Athletic Conference. The experienced backcourt of Joe Jackson, Chris Crawford, and Geron Johnson will lead the charge. Memphis also brings a top five recruiting class and George Washington transfer David Pellom who will be immediately eligible to play.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Shaq Goodwin (So)/Hippolyte Tsafeck (So)
F: David Pellom (Sr) or Kuran Iverson (Fr)/Austin Nichols (Fr)
G/F: Geron Johnson (Sr)/Damien Wilson (So)/Nick King (Fr)
SG: Chris Crawford (Sr)/Markel Crawford (Fr)
PG: Joe Jackson (Sr)/Rashawn Powell (Fr)
Gone: G/F-Adonis Thomas, F-D.J. Stephens, F/C- Tarik Black (transfer), G-Antonio Barton (transfer), PF-Ferrakohn Hall, C-Stan Simpson
20. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (PR: 23)
The Vols will return their nucleus led by SEC Player of the Year, Jordan McRae, Trae Golden, and Jarnell Stokes. Cuonzo Martin will also get Jeronne Maymon back after he missed all of this past season due to the injury. The SEC should be much improved next season but after Kentucky and Florida, Tennessee is the next best of the bunch and worthy of being in these preseason college basketball rankings.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Jarnell Stokes (Jr)/Yemi Makanjuola (Jr)
PF: Jeronne Maymon (Sr)/Dwight Miller (Sr)
G/F: Jordan McRae (Sr)/Derek Reese (So)/D’Montre Edwards (Sr)/A.J. Davis (Fr)
SG: Josh Richardson (Jr)/Armani Moore (So)/Quentin Chievous (So)/Robert Hubbs (Fr)
PG: Trae Golden (Sr)/Brandon Lopez (So)/Darius Thompson (Fr)/Travon Landry (Fr)
Gone: F/C-Kenny Hall, SG-Skylar McBee
21. BAYLOR BEARS (PR: NR)
Scott Drew received great news with the announcement that his starting frontcourt of Isaiah Austin and Cory Jefferson would return to Waco next season. The biggest challenge for the NIT Champs will be replacing two starting guards. Junior college transfer Kenny Cherry will attempt to replace Pierre Jackson while guys like Deuce Bello and L.J. Rose must progress and become more impact players.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Isaiah Austin (So)/Chad Rykhoek (Fr)/Dominic Woodson (Fr)
PF: Cory Jefferson (Sr)/Rico Gathers (So)/Jonathan Motley (Fr)
SF: Deuce Bello (Jr)/Ishmael Wainwright (Fr)/Taurean Prince (So)
SG: Brady Heslip (Sr)/Gary Franklin (Sr)
PG: Kenny Cherry (Jr)/L.J. Rose (So)
Gone: PG-Pierre Jackson, G-A.J. Walton
22. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (PR: 22)
Tony Bennett’s bunch missed out on the tourney this year but that shouldn’t be the case in twelve months. Everyone will be back minus point guard Jontel Evans and Paul Jespersen but the Cavs add South Carolina transfer Anthony Gill who should add some needed scoring punch alongside Joe Harris. Defense will once again be the name of the game though and there is a lot of versatility on this UVA roster.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Akil Mitchell (Sr)/Mike Tobey (So)/Darion Atkins (Jr)
F: Anthony Gill (So)/Evan Nolte (So)
G/F: Justin Anderson (So)/Taylor Barnette (So)
G/F: Joe Harris (Sr)/Malcolm Brogdon (So)
PG: Teven Jones (So)/Landon Perrantes (Fr)/Devin Hall (Fr)
Gone: PG-Jontel Evans, SF-Paul Jespersen (transfer)
23. ST. JOHN’S RED STORM (PR: 24)
I would be surprised if the Red Storm doesn’t finish in the upper half of the new Big East and makes the tourney. Outside of Amir Garrett who announced he would transfer, Steve Lavin gets everybody back next year including sharpshooter D’Angelo Harrison who was suspended late in the season. The Red Storm will also add some needed size inside with the return of God’s Gift Achuiwa who redshirted this past season and JUCO transfer Orlando Sanchez. Harvard transfer Max Hooper provides Lavin with another shooter off the bench as well and Lavin also picked up a late commitment from talented wing Rysheed Jordan.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Chris Obekpa (So)/God’s Gift Achiuwa (Sr)/Orlando Sanchez (Sr)
F: Jakarr Sampson (So)/Christian Jones (So)
SF: Sir’Dominic Pointer (Jr)/Marc-Antonie Bourgault (Jr)
SG: D’Angelo Harrison (Jr)/Rysheed Jordan (Fr)/Felix Balamou (So)/Max Hooper (So)
PG: Phillip Greene (Jr)/Jamal Branch (Jr)
Gone: SF-Amir Garrett (transfer)
24. INDIANA HOOSIERS (PR: 8)
I went against the grain and predicted Cody Zeller would return for his junior season but I was wrong. With Zeller and Victor Oladipo heading to the NBA, IU loses four starters and also Remy Abell and Mo Creek who decided to transfer which is why the Hoosiers are barely hanging in the Top 25. McDonald’s All-American Noah Vonleh is the best of a talented recruiting and should make an instant impact while Will Sheehey makes the transition from sixth man to a heavily relied upon starter.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Hanner Mosquera-Perea (So)/Peter Jurkin (So)
PF: Noah Vonleh (Fr)/Luke Fischer (Fr)
SF: Jeremy Hollowell (So)/Troy Williams (Fr)/Austin Etherington (Jr)/Devin Davis (Fr)/Colin Hartman (Fr)
SG: Will Sheehey (Sr)/Stanford Robinson (Fr)
PG: Yogi Ferrell (So)
Gone: SG-Victor Oladipo, C-Cody Zeller, G-Jordan Hulls, F-Christian Watford, PF-Derek Elston. G-Remy Abell (transfer), SG-Maurice Creek (transfer)
25. BUTLER BULLDOGS (PR: 21)
Brad Stevens has earned my respect to the point that Butler will be a top 25 preseason team regardless of who returns or what conference they are in. The Bulldogs move to the Big East which will certainly be an upgrade in competition but with guys like Khyle Marshall, Roosevelt Jones, and Kellen Dunham, Butler should once again be a factor on the national scene.
Projected Depth Chart
C: Erik Fromm (Sr)/Emerson Kampen (Sr)
F: Khyle Marshall (Sr)/Kameron Woods (Jr)/Nolan Berry (Fr)/Andrew Chrabascz (Fr)
G/F: Roosevelt Jones (Jr)/Andy Smeathers (Jr)
SG: Kellen Dunham (So)/DeVontae Morgan (So)/Elijah Brown (Fr)
PG: Alex Barlow (Jr)/Jackson Aldridge (Jr)/Rene Castro (Fr)
Gone: PG-Rotnei Clarke, C-Andrew Smith, SG-Chase Stigall
Other Teams Considered for my preseason Top 25 College Basketball Rankings: VCU, Wichita State, UConn, St. Louis, Colorado, Harvard, UCLA, Creighton, Iowa, UNLV
CLICK HERE FOR TEAMS 1-15 IN MY 2013-14 PRESEASON TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag.)
You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik
I went against the grain and predicted Cody Zeller would return for his junior season but I was wrong. With Zeller and Victor Oladipo heading to the NBA, IU loses four starters and also Remy Abell and Mo Creek who decided to transfer which is why the Hoosiers are barely hanging in the Top 25. McDonald’s All-American Noah Vonleh is the best of a talented recruiting and should make an instant impact while Will Sheehey makes the transition from sixth man to a heavily relied upon starter.
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Hanner Mosquera-Perea (So)/Peter Jurkin (So)
PF: Noah Vonleh (Fr)/Luke Fischer (Fr)
SF: Jeremy Hollowell (So)/Troy Williams (Fr)/Austin Etherington (Jr)/Devin Davis (Fr)/Colin Hartman (Fr)
SG: Will Sheehey (Sr)/Stanford Robinson (Fr)
PG: Yogi Ferrell (So)
Gone: SG-Victor Oladipo, C-Cody Zeller, G-Jordan Hulls, F-Christian Watford, PF-Derek Elston. G-Remy Abell (transfer), SG-Maurice Creek (transfer)
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