5 SEC teams in the top 25. When I look at their lineups, I don’t see why we can’t be as good or better than 4 of them. NCAA - Men's College Basketball Teams, Scores, Stats, News, Standings, Rumors - ESPN
I think so. They lost 2 great players that need to be replaced. They have signed 2 guys to replace them, but it’s going to be a downgrade. Auburn’s superstar freshman, Nick Smith, was outplayed by Riley Kugel head-to-head at the City of Palms. I also think that Golden is a better coach than Pearl. We will see. I might be getting my hopes up too high.
Just a lot of unknowns with the Gators, starting at the top with Golden. One proven player in Castleton and one or two who have shown flashes...but still a lot of unknowns. Gators can sneak up on some people, which is sometimes way more fun than being a favorite
Oh my, these ratings are so far off that I want to throw up. UK is 4th? Why? They folded like a cheap suit in the first round of the NCAA to a 15 seed. Last year my Cats were preseason 10th and they could not beat a 15 seed. The year before they were ranked 10th and did diddly squat. They have been a zero for years. The SEC has been doing poorly in the NCAA's so I say let us wait to see if the SEC guys have the REAL stuff to compete. The last few years indicate that we do not. I hope that I am wrong but the SEC basketball boys have fallen flat on their faces the last few years. My whole goal this year is to try to be realistic and wait to see if our SEC brothers are for real or are we still fake like the last few years. I am pessimistic until they do something.
UK stands out as the top team in the SEC. They have the best player in the country in Oscar Tschiebe. They arguably have the best point guard in the conference in Sahvir Wheeler. They also have some excellent returnees transfers and freshmen. Putting them aside, the Gators’ roster might be as good as any other team in the conference.
Yeah man, I agree. It’s like this every year since Billy D left. I look at the roster, and I’m like the Gators have the talent to go very far and then we exit in the 1st or 2nd round. I didn’t hate Mike White’s tenure like many of our fans did, but I’m glad we all aren’t fighting over the coach (for now). I like Golden, and I’m excited to see his impact on the program. Like you said, talent wise, I love this team. I just don’t trust my judgment on our players because I wear orange and blue colored glasses.
We have the potential, but too many unknowns to rank us at this point. I look forward to ending the season ranked and making some noise in the tournament. CC stays healthy and one of our guards steps up to take over the point and we can be in the national conversation again.
We have some talent spread over all positions, but gelling as a team is hard and for many of these guys it will be their first year playing together. The 04's had a whole season to gel before shocking the basketball world. I am hoping for the best.
I still think offense, particularly perimeter shooting, could be problematic at times. Jones is the closest thing we have to a knockdown shooter, but he is coming off a terrible year. We are installing lots of new stuff, but Golden still indicated we would be mostly a spread ball screen team because we don’t have the personnel for the other stuff he likes (Princeton, flex, double post). But I do think we take a massive jump defensively. You have a great backline rim protector and rebounder in CC, a terrific on-ball defender in Lofton, a bunch of long, athletic wings, and terrific depth with a legit 10-man rotation—all of which is a recipe for an elite defensive squad. Add to that the fact that Golden has always been more closely involved on the defensive end, and I think we are easily a top-20 defensive team analytically.
This is why the summer session is so important. Get them in early, get them at least familiar with each other before the fall season starts
We have talent, but it's not 04 level talent. That bunch had three guys taken in the first 10 NBA picks. Unreal. We shouldn't make that group the yardstick against which all others are measured. I do feel that we have the guy now in place that can get us back to or close to the overall level BD reached.
Perhaps the fun schedule for the fans in November and December doesn't give new teams enough time to gel, develop the bench and work on basics. Strength of schedule has improved greatly over the past, as has the dissatisfaction with loses. Careful what you wish for....
This is the first time in 8 years that we have a legitimate front line that can compete with the front line demands of the SEC. Assuming Jitoboh has fully recovered from his injuries and Castleton is no longer suffering from his shoulder problems we will have a stronger 5, and if Szymczyk can stretch the floor, and provide 5-10 minutes, we will be a much improved team. We have an assortment of long guards/small forwards in Kugel, Fudge, Aberdeen, Reeves, Lane, and Richard, a legitimate proven power forward in Felder, and thee point guards in Jones, Lofton, and Bonham. I think overall White has had more talent on a single team, but he never in his 7 years had a team this balanced.
Good post. I would include Aberdeen as a PG, plus Lane and Kugel can play there if necessary. I consider Fudge at 6' 9" more of a 4/5. Smithwicks likely will be the 5th big man, so I wouldn't count on him for much playing time unless someone gets injured. However, Felder should be able to stretch the floor, and, perhaps, Fudge too.
Both Fudge and Golden have said they expect him to be a four who can play the three in a pinch in certain lineups (he basically split time between the 3 and 4 at LSU last year). I can't envision him at the five anytime soon given his weight and strength limitations, but I am as excited about his development as anyone else other than maybe Kowacie. A kid who could get in the rotation and contribute at a high level defensively as a freshman for a SEC team that made the NCAAs has already proven he deserves to be on the floor. But he has a real chance to explode with that experience plus some added size/strength, development of his shot, and hopefully more coaching attention than what Wade could give him while losing his job. Don't think he is an all-league guy or anything just yet, but he could be an elite defender who actually contributes something to this team at the other end of the court.
