Top 25 talk

[Titan Q]

Getting organized for my D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25 ballot. 

Here is a look at what the final D3hoops.com Top 25 teams from last season lose and return.  I'll use this, and info about other teams, to start putting a Top 25 together.

(Players noted below in "gone" and "back" averaged 8.0+ PPG last season.  Obviously each team has other important lost/returning players, but that's where I drew the line for this analysis.)

(Also note, I'm not factoring in any newcomers -- transfers, freshmen.  Just looking at guys who played last year.  I'll usually wait to see a newcomer play to factor them in.)


#1 UW-Oshkosh (29-3/National Champs)
* Gone: Ben Boots, 6-1 G (15.7 ppg, 4.2 apg, 4.0 apg); Brett Wittchow, 6-4 G (14.0 påg, 4.7 rpg)
* Back: Jack Flynn, 6-8 Sr. C (15.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Adam Fravert, 6-8 Sr. F (14.8 peg, 7.9 rpg); Connor Duax, 6-5 Jr. F (9.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg)

#2 Swarthmore (29-4/National Runner Up)
* Gone: Cam Wiley, 6-0 G (15.2 ppg, 4.3 ppg, 4.1 apg)
* Back: Zac O'Dell, 6-7 Sr. F (13.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg); Conor Harkins, 6-3 Jr. G (13.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg); George Visconti, 6-3 So. G (11.6 ppg); Nate Shafer, 6-6 Sr. F (8.5 peg, 7.4 rpg)

#3 Christopher Newport (29-4/Final Four)
* Gone: Marcus Carter, 6-2 G (17.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg)
* Back: Jason Aigner, 6-2 Jr. G (15.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg); Cutch Ellis, 6-7 Sr. F (10.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg)

#4 Augustana (26-4/Sweet 16)
* Gone: Nolan Ebel, 6-1 G (16.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.1 apg); Chrishawn Orange, 6-2 G (12.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.2 apg); Brett Benning, 6-6 F (11.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg);
* Back: Pierson Wofford, 6-3 Sr. F (12.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg); Micah Martin, 6-11 Sr. C (8.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg)

#5 Whitman (28-2/Sweet 16)
* Gone: Joey Hewitt, 6-2 G (16.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg); Austin Butler, 6-3 G (11.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.4 apg); Jack Stewart, 6-3 G (11.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg); Cedric Jacobs-Jones, 6-2 G (8.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
* Back: Darne Ducket, 5-11 Jr. G (12.4 ppg); Trevor Osborne, 6-2 Sr G. (8.4 ppg); Andrew Vickers, 6-4 Sr. G (8.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg)

#6 Wheaton IL (23-9/Final Four)
* Gone: Aston Francis, 6-2 G (34.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.1 apg); Luke Peters, 6-3 G (8.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.2 apg)
* Back: Luke Anthony, 6-3 Jr G (8.7 ppg)

#7 Nebraska Wesleyan (27-2)
* Gone: Ryan Garver, 6-3 F (15.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 7.6 apg); Cooper Cook, 6-5 F (15.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
* Back: Nate Schimonitz, 6-4 Sr. G (16.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.4 rpg); Jack Hiller, 6-6 Sr. G (12.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg); Clay Reimers, 6-7 Sr. C (10.9 ppg, 6-2 rpg); Nate Bahe, 6-3 Sr. G (10.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg);

#8 Nichols (28-3/Elite 8)
* Gone: Marcos Echevarria, 5-10 G (20.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.9 apg)
* Back: Deante Bruton, 6-0 Sr. G (19.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.9 apg); Matt Morrow, 6-8 Jr. F (13.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg); Jerome Cunningham, 6-8 Sr. F (9.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg)

#9 Randolph-Macon (27-4/Sweet 16)
* Gone: Grayson Midulla, 6-4 F (10.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apg); Luke Neeley, 6-8 F (9.7 ppg); Darryl Williams, 6-3 F (9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
* Back: Buzz Anthony, 5-11 Jr.. G (15.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.8 apg); Corey Bays, 6-3 Sr. G (11.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

#10 Williams (23-7/Elite 8)
* Gone: Bobby Casey, 6-3 G (18.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.4 apg); James Heskett, 6-8 F (17.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg); Kyle Scadlock, 6-7 F (13.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.1 apg)
* Back: Matt Karpowicz, 6-8 Sr. C (11.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

#11 St. Thomas (24-5/Sweet 16)
* Gone: Connor Bair, 6-5 F (14.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Michael Hannon, 6-2 G (9.6 ppg)
* Back: Anders Nelson, 6-0 So. G (14.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.5 apg; Ryan Lindberg, 6-3 Jr. G (8.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)

#12 Marietta (23-7/Elite 8)
* Gone: Anthony Wallace, 6-2 G (11.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg); Kyle Dixon, 6-3 G (10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
* Back: Jason Ellis, 5-11 Jr. G (10.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg); Lucas Isaly, 5-10 So. G (8.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg); Caleb Hoyng, 6-4 Sr. F (8.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

#13 Guilford (24-8/Elite 8)
* Gone: Marcus Curry, 6-5 F (15.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg); Carson Long, 6-4 F (12.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
* Back: Kyler Gregory, 6-6 Sr. F (13.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg); Jaylen Gore, 5-11 Jr. G (10.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.2 rpg)

#14 Amherst (25-5/Sweet 16)
* Gone: n/a
* Back: Grant Robinson, 6-2 Jr. G (15.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.9 apg); Fru Che, 6-5 Jr. G (11.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Eric Sellew, 6-7 Sr. F (11.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.3 apg); Garrett Day, 6-1 Jr. G (8.0 ppg)

#15 Hamilton (25-5/Sweet 16)
* Gone: Peter Hoffman, 6-6 F (13.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.3 apg); Michael Grassey, 6-4 F (11.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg); Tim Doyle, 6-5 G (9.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.2 apg); Andrew Groll, 6-7 F (8.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
* Back: Kena Gilmour, 6-4 Sr. G (19.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.1 apg)

#16 Loras (23-7/Sweet 16)
* Gone: Ryan DiCanio, 6-3, G (19.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.3 apg); Josh Ruggles, 6-2 G (18.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.4 apg); Demond George, 6-0 G (11.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.2 apg)
* Back: Rowen McGowen, 6-4 Jr. G (10.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg); Jordan Boyd, 6-6 So. F (10.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg)

#17 North Central (23-6)
* Gone: n/a
* Back: Connor Raridon, 6-6 Sr. F (18.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 5.1 apg); Matt Cappelletti, 6-5 Sr. F (15.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg); Blaise Meredith, 6-4 Jr. G (10.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg)

#18 Pomona-Pitzer (26-3)
* Gone: Daniel Rosenbaum, 6-4 G (18.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 apg); Corbin Koch, 6-3 G (9.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.5 apg)
* Back: Micah Elan, 6-3 Sr. G (15.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.3 apg); Alex Preston, 6-9 Jr. F (12.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg)

#19 MIT (23-5)
* Gone: AJ Jurko, 6-3 G (18.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 7.4 apg); Bradley Jomard, 6-6 F (17.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.9 apg); Tim Roberts, 6-5 F (15.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.4 apg); Cameron Korb, 6-1 G (11.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
* Back: Ian Hinkley, 6-4 Jr. G (12.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Hamilton Forsythe, 6-8 Jr. F (11.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg)

#20 Oswego State (24-6/Sweet 16)
* Gone: Tyler Pierre, 6-6 C (13.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg); Quinn Carey, 6-3 G (11.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
* Back: Brandan Gartland, 6-3 Sr. G (13.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg); Liam Sanborn, 6-0 Jr. G (12.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.5 apg); Joe Sullivan, 6-5 Sr. F (9.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg)

#21 Wittenberg (24-6)
* Gone: Mitchell Balser, 6-0 G (11.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg)
* Back: Connor Seipel, 6-6 Sr. F (17.7 ppg, 10.3 ppg, 2.3 apg); Jake Bertemes, 5-11 Sr. G (11.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.7 apg); James Johnson, 6-6 Jr. F (11.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg)

#22 Wooster (24-6)
* Gone: Reece Dupler, 6-2 G (17.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.9 apg)
* Back: Danyon Hempy, 6-5 Sr. G (20.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.0 apg); Dontae Williams, 6-7 Jr. F (10.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg); Keonn Scott, 6-1 Jr. G (8.6 ppg)

#23 St. John's (23-5)
* Gone: David Stokman, 6-2 G (15.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg)
* Back: Jubie Alade, 6-4 Sr. F (13.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 apg; Lucas Walford, 6-8 Sr. F (11.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg; Zach Hanson, 6-6 Jr. F (10.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg)

#24 Rochester (21-6)
* Gone: Ryan Clamage, 6-5 G (16.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.4 apg); Jacob Wittig, 5-11 G (10.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.9 apg); Andrew Lundstrom, 6-7 F (9.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
* Back: Ryan Algier, 6-10 Jr. F (8.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg)

#25 Emory (20-6)
* Gone: Gabriel Baitey, 6-2 G (9.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg)
* Back: Roman Williams, 5-9 Jr. G (17.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.4 apg); Matt Davet, 6-7 Jr. F (16.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg); Lawrence Rowley, 6-5 Jr. F (14.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg); Matthew Schner, 6-4 Jr. G (13.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.6 apg); Nick Stuck, 6-2 Jr. G (8.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.7 apg)

[Titan Q]

Who are the legitimate candidates for the Preseason Top 25 that are not on this list?  Would be great to start identifying those.

For example, Wash U - I think they belong.

[Titan Q]

Washington U - St. Louis (17-8 overall, 10-4 UAA)
* Gone: n/a
* Back: Jack Nolan, 6-1 Jr. G (16.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.4 apg); Justin Hardy, 6-5 So. F (14.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.0 apg); Matt Nester, 5-11 Sr. G (10.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.6 apg); Hank Hunter, 6-8 Sr. C (10.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg); DeVaughn Rucker, 6-5 Sr. F (8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg).

[ronk]

Who are the legitimate candidates for the Preseason Top 25 that are not on this list?  Would be great to start identifying those.

For example, Wash U - I think they belong.

I suggest my fave - Scranton.

[nescac1]

New England candidates (in order of most worthy of consideration):

Middlebury, Eastern Conn,  Babson, WPI, Springfield, Colby, Tufts, Endicott, Trinity, St Joseph's CT

(A few of these factor in transfers, Midd adds a former all-SUNYAC guy and Babson a likely high impact D1 transfer). 

[Smitty Oom]

Great Lakes is usually out of my scope, but Wabash will be very good this year with Jack Davidson and company returning everyone that scored at least 5ppg last year. They ended up 21-6 last year.

I feel as if I had a list of teams that I made last year for this very exercise but I cannot find it, so I will have to rely on my memory/research to come up with other teams that meet this criteria.

[Titan Q]

My very, very rough/work-in-progress Top 25 is something like...

1. UW-Oshkosh (lost two very important players, but tie goes to the champs for now)

2. Swarthmore (was really impressed with them in Fort Wayne)

3. Amherst (almost everyone back from a Sweet 16 team)

4. North Central (clear CCIW favorite, Connor Raridon is a D3 POY candidate)

5. Emory (a ton back from a 20-6/UAA champ season)

6. Middlebury (if Amherst is 1A in the NESCAC, seems Middlebury is 1B?)

7. Wash U (almost everyone back from 17-8/10-4 season including a couple All-American candidates)

8. Nebraska Wesleyan (lost a lot from a 27-2 team, but return a lot)

9. Wittenberg (getting tough now)

10. St. John's (see above and keep applying below)

11. Nichols

12. Augustana

13. Christopher Newport

14. St. Thomas

15. Wooster

16. Whitman

17. Oswego State

18. Wabash (getting super tough now)

19. Eastern Connecticut St (see above)

20. Randolph-Macon

21. Marietta

[My head hurts...final 4 spots as of now are TBD.  Need to know who WIAC #2 and #3 are, and need more input from around the country on teams I am missing.]

[magicman]

In the SUNYAC conference, in addition to Oswego State, there are 2 other teams that return a ton of talent. Brockport State returns 6 of their top 8 players and also gets their top guard back, who missed most of last season with an injury. (A senior last year, he played 8 games before Christmas and then received an injury redshirt.)

Oneonta State returns everyone from last year's 9 man rotation and should be one of the favorites to battle for league supremacy.   

[Titan Q]

Here is a team I will have in...and pretty high.

Texas-Dallas (24-5, 13-3 ASC)
* Gone: n/a
* Back: Dimitrius Underwood, 6-2 Sr. G (20.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg); Hans Burwitz, 6-7 Sr. C (14.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg); Jalen Weber, 6-0 Sr. G (12.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg); Michael Forster, 6-7 Jr. F (9.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

One thing I am confused about though - https://utdcomets.com/news/2019/10/17/mens-basketball-comet-men-picked-as-favorites-in-asc-east-division.aspx.

In that release about UT-Dallas being picked to win the ASC East, it says three Comets were named Preseason Players to watch -- Hans Burwitz, Jalen Weber, and Kelden Pruitt.  No Dimitrius Underwood (20.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg)? He was the ASC East Player of the Year last season, and is on the '19-20 roster - https://utdcomets.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster.

https://ascsports.org/news/2019/2/26/underwood-neal-highlight-asc-mens-basketball-award-winners.aspx

https://ascsports.org/news/2019/10/17/mens-basketball-utd-umhb-selected-to-win-asc-mens-hoops.aspx

Strange.

[y_jack_lok]

TQ, I think you might be overrating Randolph-Macon and overlookimg Guilford in your top 25. R-MC graduated four guys who led them for three years. Guilford lost to UW-Oshkosh by three in the Elite Eight and returns quite a lot.

Just something for you to consider for your work-in-progress Top 25.

[Smitty Oom]

Here is a team I will have in...and pretty high.

Texas-Dallas (24-5, 13-3 ASC)
* Gone: n/a
* Back: Dimitrius Underwood, 6-2 Sr. G (20.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg); Hans Burwitz, 6-7 Sr. C (14.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg); Jalen Weber, 6-0 Sr. G (12.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.5 apg); Michael Forster, 6-7 Jr. F (9.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

One thing I am confused about though - https://utdcomets.com/news/2019/10/17/mens-basketball-comet-men-picked-as-favorites-in-asc-east-division.aspx.

In that release about UT-Dallas being picked to win the ASC East, it says three Comets were named Preseason Players to watch -- Hans Burwitz, Jalen Weber, and Kelden Pruitt.  No Dimitrius Underwood (20.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg)? He was the ASC East Player of the Year last season, and is on the '19-20 roster - https://utdcomets.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster.

https://ascsports.org/news/2019/2/26/underwood-neal-highlight-asc-mens-basketball-award-winners.aspx

https://ascsports.org/news/2019/10/17/mens-basketball-utd-umhb-selected-to-win-asc-mens-hoops.aspx

Strange.

Of course, the Comets!

That is strange... since he is on the roster my guess is maybe they are just giving some publicity to other important players for UT-Dallas? But yes, definitely a team that deserves recognition with so much talent returning from a really good team last year.

[Titan Q]

TQ, I think you might be overrating Randolph-Macon and overlookimg Guilford in your top 25. R-MC graduated four guys who led them for three years. Guilford lost to UW-Oshkosh by three in the Elite Eight and returns quite a lot.

Just something for you to consider for your work-in-progress Top 25.

Thanks, y_jak. 

This is a good example of why I am posting all of this here and asking for feedback.  I want to submit the best ballot I can and I figure with everyone chiming in here I can do that.  "The wisdom is in the room" as one of my co-workers likes to say.

I have a placeholder Top 25 spot for the ODAC favorite.  Has the preseason poll come out yet?  And is there consensus on the ODAC board who the favorite is?  I looked at it as a bit of a coin flip between the two on paper.

Thanks.

[Titan Q]

Do any WIAC fans have a good sense of who the preseason #2 and #3 teams will be?  I almost always have 3 WIAC teams on my ballot - have placeholders waiting for at least one of these, maybe both.

[y_jack_lok]

TQ, I think you might be overrating Randolph-Macon and overlookimg Guilford in your top 25. R-MC graduated four guys who led them for three years. Guilford lost to UW-Oshkosh by three in the Elite Eight and returns quite a lot.

Just something for you to consider for your work-in-progress Top 25.

Thanks, y_jak. 

This is a good example of why I am posting all of this here and asking for feedback.  I want to submit the best ballot I can and I figure with everyone chiming in here I can do that.  "The wisdom is in the room" as one of my co-workers likes to say.

I have a placeholder Top 25 spot for the ODAC favorite.  Has the preseason poll come out yet?  And is there consensus on the ODAC board who the favorite is?  I looked at it as a bit of a coin flip between the two on paper.

Thanks.

No preseason poll yet and very little acticity on the ODAC basketball board. Even the once very active ODAC football board has become fairly quiet.

[Greek Tragedy]

The gap between Oshkosh and the rest of the WIAC is embarrassing.

La Crosse finished 3 games back and they lose four starters and their top 3 scorers.

Platteville was a further 2 games back, lose their top scorer but return 3 starters.

Point tied Platteville but lose four starters.

Eau Claire finished 7-7, lose three starters, but return four of their top five scorers.

Quick rough guess would be Platteville #2 because they return a lot and La Crosse #3 because they've recruited really well.

Whitewater hasn't been relevant for a couple of years now, so maybe they're due?