Prediction one, actually there’s two in here
July 27, 2008 by Ryan Pravato
Filed under Basketball
It’s never too early to start pontificating about the upcoming season.
My crystal ball I dust off every July or August is acting abnormally insane, as, for the very first time, the Northwestern Wildcats have scratched their way to the front of my lopsided prediction formation… via the crystal ball.
I need to listen to the ball.
You can’t not listen to the ball.
It’s like the Tommyknockers.
Apparently Kevin Coble and his band of international scholars, not so much ballers, are going to be getting some help of the vertically gifted variety this next season. Four 6’8 or taller players are included in this year’s class.
Last year, not even one player on the squad was taller than 6’8, leaving star Kevin Coble, more of perimeter oriented player, to be the only real Wildcat threat on the boards.
The Bill Carmody led team should be able to crack the top 7 in the Big Ten this season provided Coble plays the entire year and the bulk of the rotation improves.
Could a postseason appearance be in the cards for the first time since Carmody has been in Evanston?
Hell yes, surely now that there’s a 3rd postseason tournament.
No excuses!
So ten teams, players or college basketball ingredients are to be predicted upon by me
After the tenth and final prediction, you can categorize me as either a
A) moron
B) racist (races)
C) Dwight Howard cornbread non-apologist
D) genius
E) homer
F) D and E
Prediction # 1
1) The Michigan State Spartans will once again let down their exceptionally loyal and passionate fan base with a less than impressive run in the NCAA tourney. This means they will not advance past the Sweet 16. Underachieve has become a common word thrown around in East Lansing lately and it makes you wonder whether Izzo can get it done anymore.
Izzo is a fabulous recruiter, but he doesn’t seem to be able to mesh his roster together at the right time.
This year’s team, no different from most Izzo teams, has a wealth of depth and athleticism. The team can play small and fast, or also big and long, provided prized recruit Delvon Roe is in good enough shape to hold his own and whether or not Marquise Gray or Tom Herzog can show consistency.
Don’t count on it.
I cannot easily forget the team that lost to George Mason in round 1 three years ago. Shannon Brown, Maurice Ager and Paul Davis wore the Spartan green that year. To go out that way left a bad taste in a lot of fan’s mouths.
While I lean towards the Michigan Wolverines side for rooting purposes in-state, I still like to see the Spartans succeed.
Oh well, I just remembered being very shocked and let down by that loss. I probably had them going to the Elite 8 or something, like I do every year.
Damn.
$10 would be helpful right about now.
Punctual predictions 2-10 coming up in later posts.
Also I’ll explain the Northwestern Wildcat squad and why they got a mention on this blog.
Actually I’ll have to refer back to the crystal meth, I mean ball about that.
(50-20 at the half)
?
If you want to throw around the word “underachieve” with regards to MSU’s performance in conference play in recent years, fine. But I’d hardly say they’ve been underachievers in the NCAA tournament.
Since the three consecutive Final Four runs in 99-01, Izzo has a tournament record of 10-7 (.588). That’s not a stupendous winning percentage, but it’s more than respectable.
And this year’s team should have the depth to play Tom Izzo basketball and make a deep run in the tournament:
http://www.spartansweblog.com/2008/06/11/measuring-depth/
In my opinion the last 3 years of tourney play has been very poor
For all the talent they’ve had, they should make more elite 8’s
Still an elite program, but falling a tad.
2006 was a disappointment.
In 2007 they did well just to make the tournament–having lost all their major contributors except Neitzel.
In 2008 they made the Sweet Sixteen and then lost to a very good team (albeit in ugly fashion).
There’s certainly no guarantee they’ll make a deep tournament run next year, but you’re basically basing your prediction on one year (2006).
Maybe I’m putting too much emphasis on that one year, but it seems like Izzo has not kept this team up at a championship caliber level-
Above average coach, no doubt, but I think in the past he’s given some of his key players too much freedom in the open court and there was a lack of discipline in the halfcourt offense come nitty gritty time.
With all of the players he’s coached now in the pro’s, I think it’s reasonable to say the program has underachieved