(photo courtesy of ColumbusCameraOp)
Fall is here, and school is back in session, which means the good times are almost here – the start of college basketball season! To get you ready for this upcoming season, The Hoops Manifesto presents to you its preseason top 25 team rankings, based on the input from our esteemed voting panel. Next up #8 Ohio State Buckeyes
Big thanks to our voting panel: Jeff Fox (@HoopsManifesto) from The Hoops Manifesto, Perry Missner (@PerryMissner) from RotoWire, Ray Bala (@CanBallReport) who writes The Can Ball Report on Raptors HQ, Adam Francis (@RaptorsHQ) from Raptors HQ, Ian (@SoxAndDawgs) from SOX & Dawgs, and Alex Gallant (@SeaTownSports) from SeaTown Sports.
#8 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2011/12: 31-8, lost NCAA Tournament Final Four
Key Returning Players:
Aaron Craft – Point Guard – Junior
8.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2.5 spg
Deshaun Thomas – Small Forward/Power Forward – Junior
15.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Lenzelle Smith Jr. – Shooting Guard – Junior
6.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 31-82 3Pts
Top Newcomer:
Amedeo Della Valle – Point Guard – Freshman – three star recruit (Rivals.com)
Top NBA Prospect:
Deshaun Thomas – projected early second round pick in 2013
Outlook:
Jared Sullinger and William Buford are no longer on campus. For the first time in a while, Thad Matta doesn’t have a stacked recruiting class joining the team. Yet, Ohio State will still be a force this upcoming season. The reason for that is who the Buckeyes have returning to their roster, notably Aaron Craft, one of the best point guards in the country and a ferocious defender, and forward Deshaun Thomas, who many have pegged for stardom this season. If a couple of their highly regarded freshman from last year (LaQuinton Ross, Sam Thompson, Shannon Scott, Amir Williams – all top 100 recruits coming out of high school) can start to make good on their promise as players, the Buckeyes could be knocking on the door of the Final Four once again this year.
Preseason Top 25
#9 – North Carolina Tar Heels
#10 – Duke Blue Devils
#11 – Missouri Tigers
#12 – Gonzaga Bulldogs
#13 – Syracuse Orange
#14 – UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
#15 – Arizona Wildcats
#16 – Wisconsin Badgers
#17 – Baylor Bears
#18 – Creighton Bluejays
#19 – Florida Gators
#20 – Kansas State Wildcats
#21 – San Diego State Aztecs
#22 – Saint Louis Billikens
#23 – Memphis Tigers
#24 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
#25 – Texas Wildcats
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