Now that practice has begun, and exhibitions/games are only a few weeks away, it is time to start talking about college basketball. No matter how exciting the college football season has been, it still does not compare to college basketball.
We'll start our previews with the ACC, including an in depth look at the love of my life, Paul Hewitt's Jackets.
Georgia Tech
Key Losses: The Jackets lose both talented freshmen, Javaris Crittendon and Thaddeus Young, along with Mario West and academic casualty Ra'Sean Dickey. (53% of scoring, 45% of rebounding, 64% of assists)
New Additions: Transfer Matt Causey will be the first to man the point, along with freshmen Gani Lawal, Maurice Miller, and Lance Storrs.
Projected Line-Up:
- PG- Matt Causey (6', R-Sr.)
- SG- Lewis Clinch (6'3", Jr.)
- SF- Anthony Morrow (6'5", Sr.)
- PF- Jeremis Smith (6'6", Sr.)
- C- Alade Aminu (6'10", Jr.)
- PG/SG- D'Andre Bell (6'5", Jr.)
- SF/PF- Mouhammad Faye (6'10", R-So.)
- PF/C- Gani Lawal (6'10", Fr.)
- PG- Maurice Miller (6'1", Fr.)
- PF/C- Zach Peacock (6'8", So.)
Outlook: Expectations are low around the conference for this edition of the Jackets. The losses of Crittendon and Young will be felt early in the season as the lead guard position is worked out. However, the team returning is very experienced, with 8 of the top 10 players having played on the NCAA tournament team last year.
Depth will not be a problem, with Clinch, Morrow, Bell and Faye all able to provide quality minutes on the wing, and Smith, Aminu, Lawal, and Peacock being strong in the post. The roster is full of versatile players that add something different to the line up.
Expect high intensity on defense, looking to run and press more than in years past because of the depth. Hopefully whatever issues that affected the team in the half court on offense last season have been resolved, and that having an experienced point in Causey will lead to better results in running the half court sets.
This team should not be counted out in the conference, and will be competitive with everyone on the schedule. The nonconference slate is especially tough this year, including games at Indiana, Vanderbilt, Georgia, and UConn, and hosting Kansas.
Prediction: 8-8 Finish, T-6 in ACC; 18-13 overall
ACC Overall
Predicted Order of Finish:
- North Carolina (14-2)
- NC State (11-5)
- Duke (11-5)
- Clemson (10-6)
- Maryland (10-6)
- Boston College (8-8)
- Georgia Tech (8-8)
- Virginia (8-8)
- Florida State (5-11)
- Virginia Tech (5-11)
- Miami (4-12)
- Wake Forest (2-14)
