2005 College Basketball Pre-Season Rankings
July 21, 2005
by Tim Adams
With the 2005 NBA draft behind us, we can now look ahead to men's college basketball and which players are going to be back with their campus teammates for the 2005-2006 season.
1. Duke
Coach K has two potential first team All Americans in Reddick and Williams, and yet another top flight recruiting class coming in. The big question is who will replace Daniel Ewing at the point guard spot. Sean Dockery's time in the spotlight has come, unless one of the young guys prove more capable at the point. Freshmen Paulus and McRoberts could contribute big numbers right off the bat. Reddick of course, will hit a few threes and Williams will grab a few boards. This will be the best team in the best conference but all in all Duke will prove too much for anybody in the ACC and in fact the nation.
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| Key returning players | J.J. Reddick 21.8 ppg
Shelden Williams 15.5 ppg 11.2 rpg
Lee Melchionni 7.7 ppg
DeMarcaus Nelson 6.2 ppg
Sean Dockery 6.2 ppg |
| Key additions | Greg Paulus 6'1" Fr
Martynas Pocius 6'5" Fr
Jamal Boykin 6'6" Fr
Josh McRoberts 6'11" Fr
Eric Boateng 6'9" Fr |
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2. Villanova
The Wildcats return their entire starting line up as well as their top nine scorers. Nova lost to national champs North Carolina by only one point in the NCAA tourney, proving that they will be a team to be reckoned with in 05'-06'. Allan Ray and Randy Foe are an explosive high scoring guard tandem, while Curtis Sumpter is an effective combo forward. Nova should be at the top of the heap in a tough Big East conference.
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| Key returning players | Allan Ray 16.2 ppg
Randy Foe 15.5 ppg 5 rpg
Curtis Sumpter 15.3 ppg 7.2 rpg
Mike Nardi 8.2 ppg
Kyle Lowry 7.5 ppg
Jason Fraser 6.5 ppg 6.7 rpg
Will Sheridan 5.1 ppg |
| Key additions | none |
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3. Arizona
Arizona returns three starters from their Elite Eight team and will fill in the loss of Channing Frye and Salim Stoudamire with some young talented players. Hassan Adams, Ivan Radenovic and Mustafa Shakur will provide the veteran leadership for this team. Jawann McClellan could move into the 2 spot and increase his scoring output significantly. J.P. Prince could spell Shakur at the point, while Marcus Wiliams and Fendi Onobun will provide help at the forward spot. The question with this team is where will the rebounding and interior toughness come from. Despite that somewhat glaring flaw there is still an abundance of talent on this team.
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| Key returning players |
Hassan Adams 12.7 ppg 6 rpg
Ivan Radenovic 8.6 ppg 5.5 rpg
Mustafa Shakur 8.1 ppg 4.5 apg
Jawann McClellan 5.8 ppg
Chris Rodgers 5.5 ppg
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| Key additions |
JP Prince 6'7" Fr
Fendi Onobun 6'7" Fr
Marcus Williams 6'8" Fr |
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4. Connecticut
| UConn should battle Villanova for supremacy in the Big East, and like Nova will return a lot of production from last year. Josh Boone is a very solid collegiate post man and Rashad Anderson is a solid wing player. Rudy Gay could really break out in his sophomore season. Marcus Williams should provide more big numbers from the point guard spot. |
| Key returning players |
Josh Boone 12.4 ppg 8.4 rpg
Rashad Anderson 11.9 ppg
Rudy Gay 11.8 ppg 5.4 rpg
Denham Brown 10.4 ppg
Marcus Williams 9.6 ppg 7.8 apg |
| Key additions |
Marcus Johnson 6'6" Fr
Jeff Adrien 6'6" Fr |
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5. Gonzaga
| Adam Morrison should be one of the top players in all college ball. He seems to just score at will. Derek Raivio is an improving point and should be solid from the outset this year. JP Batista is a load down low and will see more time with the loss of Ronny Turiaff. It will be yet another West Coast Conference title and NCAA tourney appearance for this (cinderella?) team. |
| Key returning players |
Adam Morrison 19 ppg 5.5 rpg
Derek Raivio 13 ppg 4.8 apg
JP Batista 12.4 ppg 6.2 rpg
Sean Mallon 7.6 ppg
Erroll Knight 6.9 ppg |
| Key additions |
Jeremy Pargo 6'2" Fr |
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6. Oklahoma
| Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout will anchor this team down low providing one of the toughest frontcourts in the country. Along with Terrell Everett they'll bring senior experience as well. Look for this team to battle Texas for top dog status in the Big 12. |
| Key returning players |
Taj Gray 14.6 ppg 8.2 rpg
Terrell Everett 12.5 ppg 5 apg
Kevin Bookout 11.5 ppg 6.6 rpg
Drew Lavender 9.7 ppg
Lawrence McKenzie 9.5 ppg |
| Key additions |
Austin Johnson 6'3" Fr
Taylor Griffin 6'6" Fr |
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7. Louisville
| Rick Pitino brings in an exceptional recruiting class to mix in with Taquan Dean, Juan Palacios, and Brandon Jenkins who cut their teeth last year in the Final Four. Add in Kansas transfer David Padgett and you have the potential for another Final Four appearance. |
| Key returning players |
Taquan Dean 14.4 ppg
Juan Palacios 9.7 ppg 6.5 rpg
Brandon Jenkins |
| Key additions |
David Padgett transfer
Clarence Holloway 7'1" Fr
Andre McGee 6' Fr
Bryan Harvey 6'5" Fr.
Chad Millard 6'8" Fr
Terrence Williams 6'5" Fr
Jonathon Huffman 6'11" Fr |
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8. Michigan State
| Tom Izzo guided the Spartans to the Final Four once again and with a solid nucleus returning, no one should count MSU out of the picture for a post season title run. With a solid big man, versatile guards, and a man named Izzo this team shouldn't disappoint. |
| Key returning players |
Maurice Ager 14.1 ppg
Paul Davis 12.3 ppg 8 rpg
Shannon Brown 10.9 ppg |
| Key additions |
Travis Walton 6'2" Fr
Maurice Joseph 6'5" Fr |
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9. Maryland
| The Terrapins return every player of significance sans John Gilchrist, and the loss of Gilchrist could prove to be the team's gain. This will be a veteran team that will duke it out in an ultra competitive ACC and will be a tough out come March. |
| Key returning players |
Nik Caner-Medley 15 ppg 6.2 rpg
Chris McCray 14.1 ppg
Travis Garrison 10.1 ppg 6.5 rpg
Ekene Ibekwe 8.4 ppg 6.3 rpg
Mike Jones 7.2 ppg
DJ Strawberry 7.1 ppg
James Gist 6.2 ppg |
| Key additions |
Shane Clark 6'6" Fr |
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10. Memphis
John Calipari has done a good job getting Memphis back on track despite losing talent early to the NBA seemingly year in year out. This time Calipari should finally have a team with no early defections. Rodney Carney and Darius Washington Jr. should provide the leadership and scoring for this club.
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| Key returning players |
Rodney Carney 16 ppg 5 rpg
Darius Washington Jr. 15.4 ppg
Jeremy Hunt 9.5 ppg |
| Key additions |
Shawne Williams 6'9" Fr
Antonio Johnson 6'5" Fr
Chris Douglas- Roberts 6'5" Fr |
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11. Boston College
Boston College returns the key ingredients from a team that started off the season 20-0. Craig Smith and Jared Dudley will put up big numbers again. With BC joining the ACC this year don't expect to see another undefeated run, but this should be a very solid team nonetheless.
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| Key returning players |
Craig Smith 18 ppg 8.5 rpg, Jared Dudley 16.5 ppg 7.5 rpg, Sean Marshall 11.1 ppg, Louis Hinnant 5.3 ppg |
| Key additions |
none |
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12. Texas
| This is a team oozing with potential and the Longhorns could, repeat could, end up much higher than the number 12 spot. |
| Key returning players |
Daniel Gibson 14.2 ppg, PJ Tucker 13.7 ppg 8 rpg, Brad Buckman 12.5 ppg 8.3 rpg, LeMarcus Aldridge 9.9 ppg 5.9 rpg, Kenton Paulino 6.9 ppg |
| Key additions |
AJ Abrams 5'9" Fr |
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13. Wake Forest
| Eric Williams and Justin Gray will be the foundation for the Chris Paul-less Demon Deacons. |
| Key returning players |
Eric Williams 16.1 ppg 7.7 rpg, Justin Gray 16 ppg, Trent Strickland 5.9 ppg |
| Key additions |
Kevin Swinton 6'7" Fr., David Weaver 6'10" Fr. |
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14. North Carolina State
| Despite losing Julius Hodge, the Wolfpack return most major pieces. Yet another solid ball club ready to do battle in the ACC. |
| Key returning players |
Ilian Evtimov 9.8 ppg, Cameron Bennerman 9.6 ppg, Engin Atsur 9.4 ppg, Tony Bethel 8 ppg, Andrew Brackman 7.4 ppg |
| Key additions |
Courtney Fells 6'5" Fr., Brandon Costner 6'8" Fr., Ben McCauley 6'9" Fr. |
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15. West Virginia
Mountaineers return solid quartet from rollercoaster Elite Eight team.
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| Key returning players |
Mike Gansey 12 ppg 5.1 rpg, Kevin Pittsnogle 11.9 ppg, Joe Herber 8.6 ppg, Patrick Bellein 8.3 ppg |
| Key additions |
- |
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16. Cincinnati
| Bob Huggins' possible last Bearcat team returns a good array of talent and welcomes some new potential contributers. |
| Key returning players |
Eric Hicks 13.7 ppg 9 rpg, Jihad Muhammad 10.4 ppg, Armein Kirkland 10.3 ppg, James White 10.2 ppg |
| Key additions |
Abdul Hererra 6'11" Fr., Devan Downey 5'9" Fr., Tyree Evans 6'3" Fr. |
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17. Georgetown
| John Thompson III is getting the Hoya ship righted and making papa proud. |
| Key returning players |
Brandon Bowman 15.1 ppg 6.1 rpg, Jeff Green 13.1 ppg 6.6 rpg, Ashanti Cook 10.8 ppg, Jonathon Wallace 6.5 ppg, Roy Hibbert 5.1 ppg |
| Key additions |
Jessie Sapp 6'3" Fr., Josh Thornton 6'2" Fr., Octavious Spann 6'7" Fr |
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18. Miami
| Come March don't let ACC losses fool you. Guillermo Diaz and Robert Hite form super solid backcourt duo. |
| Key returning players |
Guillermo Diaz 18.6 ppg, Robert Hite 17.3 ppg 5 rpg, Anthony Harris 12.4 ppg 4.6 apg, Anthony King 6.3 ppg 8 rpg |
| Key additions |
Denis Clemente 5'11" Fr., Brian Asbury 6'6" Fr., Adrian Thomas 6'6" Fr |
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19. Texas Tech
| This team might be just good enough to get Bob Knight more wins then Dean Smith. |
| Key returning players |
Jarrius Jackson 15.3 ppg, Martin Zeno 12.5 ppg, Darryl Dora 6.2 ppg |
| Key additions |
Terry Martin Jr. 6'6" Fr., Dior Lowhorn 6'6" Fr |
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20. UCLA
| With solid soph Jordan Farmer leading the team things are looking up in Westwood. |
| Key returning players |
Jordan Farmer 13.2 ppg 5.3 apg, Aaron Afflaio 10.8 ppg, Josh Shipp 9.3 ppg 5.2 rpg, Michael Fey 8.6 ppg |
| Key additions |
Darren Collison 6' Fr., Luc Richard Mbaha Moute 6'7" Fr., Ryan Wright 6'9" Fr., Alfred Aboya 6'7" Fr |
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21. Wisconsin
| Don't discount Badger teams based on what they look like on paper. Bo Ryan will have another Big Ten contender. |
| Key returning players |
Alando Tucker 15.2 ppg 6.1 rpg, Kammron Taylor 8.4 |
| Key additions |
Phillip Perry 6'2" Fr., Joe Krabbenhoft 6'7" Fr. |
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22. Illinois
| Illini will have the face of college basketball (Dee Brown) back and some young talent. |
| Key returning players |
Dee Brown 13.3 ppg 4.5 apg, James Augustine 10.1 ppg 7.6 rpg |
| Key additions |
Charles Jackson 6-8" Fr., Marcus Arnold 6'8" transfer |
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23. Stanford
The Cardinal return a solid and experienced corp from last years team.
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| Key returning players |
Dan Grunfeld 17.9 ppg 5.5 rpg, Chris Hernandez 15.2 ppg 4 apg, Matt Haryasz 12.5 ppg 9.1 rpg, Tim Morris 7.4 ppg |
| Key additions |
Anthony Goods 6'4", Lawrence Hill 6'8" Fr. |
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24. Kentucky
| If Randolph Morris is eligible, Wildcats will have both a solid frontcourt and backcourt. |
| Key returning players |
Patrick Sparks 11 ppg, Randolph Morris 8.8 ppg (note: may or may not be ruled eligible), Rajon Rondo 8.1 ppg |
| Key additions |
Jared Carter 7'1" Fr |
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25. Arkansas
| Ronnie Brewer will be one of the top SEC players with solid backup at every position. |
| Key returning players |
Ronnie Brewer 16.2 ppg, Darian Townes 10.2 ppg, Jonathon Modica 9.6 ppg, Eric Ferguson 8.8 ppg, Charles Thomas 5.5 ppg |
| Key additions |
Cyrus McGovern 6'9" Fr |
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The next ten:
Indiana
Alabama
North Carolina
Oklahoma State
Ohio St.
LSU
Syracuse
Iowa St.
Charlotte
Kansas
Tim Adams
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