In Theory, Every Team Is on the Road to the Final Four. Truth Is, Most of Them
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In theory, every team Is on the road to the final four. truth Is, most of them are headIng for a dead end. so to help College Hoops you navIgate thIs year’s fIeld,the mag TIp-oFF and espn.com mapped out thIs top 25. 11.14.11 The Heels have a Team capsules by Jordan Brenner jump on the field thanks to Henson and the UNC frontcourt. chad Ford’s Future Pro North caroliNa shot BreakdowN* 1,959 field goal attempts last season: 29–8 (14–2 ACC) Elite Eight sF harrisoN BarNes sophomorE, 6'8", 215 Go ahead, try to find a weakness. toP 100 draFt Board raNk: 2* It’s not in the frontcourt of senior 1 PF Tyler Zeller (15.7 ppg), junior Of four possible UNC lottery Three- Midrange Short Runners Post-ups Around the PF John Henson (11.7) and picks, Barnes is the alpha pointers jumpers jumpers 69 321 basket sophomore SF Harrison Barnes dog. His ability to score from 552 154 202 661 (15.7). Soph Kendall Marshall (6.2 apg) is the perfect point to keep anywhere makes him a favorite * Shot breakdown of 2010-11 season (halfcourt only) provided by Synergy Sports those scorers well fed. And in case that experience isn’t enough, of scouts, and his willingness to Technology; midrange jumpers measure 17' to 20'9". SG P.J. Hairston (No. 13, ESPNU 100) and PF James McAdoo (No. 6) carry the team in the clutch puts are instant impact players. Found a weakness yet? Didn’t think so. him in the mix for the No. 1 pick. Joe luNardi’s Games with Bracket imPact * For the latest Top 100 NBA prospects, Nov. 11 vs. Dec. 3 @ March 3 @ SEARCH: CHAD FORD at ESPN.COM on michigan state kentucky duke Tuesdays leading up to June’s draft. espn the magazine. 11.14.2011 67 College Hoops TIp-oFF 11.14.11 chad Ford’s Future Pro keNtucky shot BreakdowN 1,837 field goal attempts 2 last season: 29–9 (10–6 sec) Final Four F/c AnthoNy davis Freshman, 6'10", 220 toP 100 draFt Board Another year, another obscene recruiting class for raNk: 1 John Calipari: F/C Anthony Davis (No. 1, ESPNU 100), SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (No. 4) and PG Marquis Kentucky has four potential Three- Midrange Short Runners Post–ups Around the Teague (No. 8). Add two returnees from the 2010 lottery picks, but Davis is pointers jumpers jumpers 134 136 basket crop—Terrence Jones (15.7 ppg) and Doron Lamb the Holy Grail—tall, huge 603 101 226 637 (12.3 ppg)—and there’s talk of this being Calipari’s wingspan, runs like a guard Joe luNardi’s Games with Bracket imPact most talented starting five ever. Senior darius and plays hard. He needs bulk miller (10.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 44.3 3PT%) might as well and polished post moves, but Dec. 3 vs. Dec. 31 vs. Feb. 11 @ be an assistant coach to these kids. he’s still favored to go No. 1. North carolina louisville vanderbilt chad Ford’s Future Pro ohio state shot BreakdowN 1,760 field goal attempts 3 last season: 34–3 (16–2 Big ten) Sweet 16 PF Jared sullinger sophomorE, 6'9", 280 With four of its top six players back, Ohio State toP 100 draFt Board raNk: 7 should again have D1’s most efficient offense, especially with POY favorite (17.2 With a body the size of a semi, Jared sullinger Three- Midrange Short Runners Post-ups Around the ppg, 10.2 rpg) in the paint. But neither soph Aaron Sullinger is a true big man who pointers jumpers jumpers 57 277 basket Craft nor four-star frosh Shannon Scott has much is also blessed with basketball 580 118 166 562 presswire S of a stroke at the point, and lights-out Jon Diebler smarts. If he were two or three /u Joe luNardi’s Games with Bracket imPact (50.2 3PT%) is gone. Still, Thad Matta nearly won it inches taller (and 10 to 15 connor all a few years ago with a guard who couldn’t shoot pounds lighter), he’d be a Nov. 15 vs. Nov. 29 vs. Feb. 4 @ ’ O Florida duke wisconsin (Mike Conley) and a dominant big man (Greg Oden). shoo-in for the No. 1 pick. jim ; ; es g ima ap / media chad Ford’s Future Pro sport connecticut shot BreakdowN 2,023 field goal attempts cal 4 last season: 32–9 (9–9 Big east) Champions F/c Andre drummoNd ; es Freshman, 6'10", 270 g ima toP 100 draFt Board Surprise! Just when a repeat looked like a pipe raNk: 3 etty dream, Andre Drummond (No. 2, ESPNU 100) decided /g to come to college a year early. Suddenly, the Huskies Drummond has an NBA Three- Midrange Short Runners Post-ups Around the robbins have a huge anchor inside, but someone has to get body right now. He defends, pointers jumpers jumpers 122 153 basket joe 629 211 239 669 ; the ball to him and sophomore star-in-the-making rebounds and blocks shots; he Jeremy lamb (11.1 ppg). If soph Shabazz Napier can face the basket, take his Joe luNardi’s Games with Bracket imPact presswire can come close to resembling departed do-it-all man off the dribble and post S PG Kemba Walker, there might be one more surprise up. In other words, a serious Feb. 6 @ Feb. 18 vs. Feb. 25 vs. /u abell louisville marquette syracuse in store for UConn. contender to be the No. 1 pick. L u pa : : top from , , E g pa chad Ford’s Future Pro syracuse shot BreakdowN his 1,739 field goal attempts T ES; 5 last season: 27–8 (12–6 Big east) 3rd round F/c rakeem christmas g Freshman, 6'9", 222 ETTYIMA The Orange struggled to defend and board last toP 100 draFt Board g raNk: 62 season, resulting in an early Tourney exit. But Jim Boeheim has answers. Frosh rakeem Christmas At 22, Joseph isn’t a sexy Three- Midrange Short Runners Post-ups Around the (No. 20, ESPNU 100) and seven-foot soph Fab Melo will prospect. Enter Christmas. pointers jumpers jumpers 103 148 basket 591 113 174 610 crash the glass and focus on D. That frees seniors Scouts want players with size scoop Jardine (12.5 ppg, 5.9 apg) and Kris Joseph and athleticism who rebound, OBSERVER/MCT/ & NEWS H Joe luNardi’s Games with Bracket imPact g (14.3 ppg) and junior Brandon Triche (11.1 ppg) to block shots and play D. He’s got lead an offensive charge made all the more deadly by it all covered, which should get Dec. 2 vs. Feb. 11 vs. March 3 vs. a new facet: second-chance points. him into the NBA before long. Florida UConn louisville 66: ETHAN HYMAN/RALEI ETHAN 66: E g A P 68 espn the magazine. 11.14.2011 College Hoops TIp-oFF 11.14.11 chad Ford’s Future Pro DUKE shot BreakdowN 1,846 field goal attempts 6 last season: 32–5 (13–3 ACC) Sweet 16 PG/sG austiN rivers Freshman, 6'4", 200 toP 100 draFt Board Three is the key in Durham. Coach K is three wins shy raNk: 11 of breaking the D1 record (902), and with a 12-deep squad, he won’t have to worry about his magic Austin’s dad, Doc, passed Three- Midrange Short Runners Post-ups Around the number for long. Meanwhile, Duke’s top three guards, down his basketball IQ, scoring pointers jumpers jumpers 95 134 basket 645 153 248 571 including frosh austin rivers (No. 3, ESPNU 100), instincts and ability to wow. can all rain threes. But the Blue Devils don’t have a But Austin isn’t as athletic as Joe luNardi’s Games with Bracket imPact true point guard, and that’s a concern for the three his dad, which limits his ceiling veteran bigs—Mason and Miles Plumlee and ryan as a pro unless he can show Nov. 29 @ Jan. 4 @ March 3 vs. Kelly—who are best served off the dish. consistency as a point guard. ohio state temple North carolina chad Ford’s Future Pro VANDERBILT shot BreakdowN 1,582 field goal attempts 7 last season: 23–11 (9–7 sec) 2nd round sF Jeffery taylor SENIOr, 6'7", 225 After being bounced early from the Tourney as toP 100 draFt Board raNk: 29 a No. 5 seed, Vandy is dreaming bigger than ever— and for good reason. Its top eight players return, Taylor is an explosive leaper Three- Midrange Short Runners Post-ups Around the including leading scorer John Jenkins (19.5 ppg), and a prime defender, but he pointers jumpers jumpers 31 210 basket a junior guard. Plus, SG Dai-Jon Parker (No. 33, struggles to dominate on 632 140 116 453 ESPNU 100) has hopped aboard. But if the Dores offense. Scouts are interested Joe luNardi’s Games with Bracket imPact don’t shore up a D that allowed opponents to sink in him for his physical skills, a ridiculous 43.4% from deep in their final six but don’t be shocked if center Nov. 28 vs. Dec. 2 @ Feb. 11 vs. games, their dreams will be dashed again. Festus Ezeli goes first. Xavier louisville kentucky chad Ford’s Future Pro FLORIDA shot BreakdowN 1,764 field goal attempts 8 last season: 29–8 (13–3 sec) Elite Eight sG Bradley Beal Freshman, 6'3", 207 toP 100 draFt Board If only the Tourney had a height limit, because the raNk: 4 Gators backcourt of junior kenny Boynton (6'2"), senior Erving Walker (5'8"), superfrosh Bradley Beal Scouts not only compare Beal Three- Midrange Short Runners Post-ups Around the (6'3") and transfer Mike rosario (6'3") would to ray Allen and Eric Gordon, pointers jumpers jumpers 86 275 basket 572 111 141 579 dominate.