Total System Failure's Preseason Top 25 Basketball Rankings (Part 2)

After ranking the #20 to 25 teams in the country earlier this week, I now move to ranking the #15 to #19 teams in the Total System Failure Preseason Top 25....and if you thought there were some surprises in the first part of the rankings, I can assure you that more surprises are ahead!

19. Syracuse - Personally, I am so glad that Gerry McNamara is only longer playing for the 'Cuse...mainly because he was one of the most overhyped players in college basketball last season and that the fact his own head coach had to come to his defense in a press conference to prove that he isn't overrated. McNamara had a special run in the 2006 Big East Tournament, but fortunately for all non-Syrcause college basketball fans, his senior season came to an end with a thud against Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. While losing McNamara may concern some 'Cuse fans, I actually believe that Syracuse will be better with freshman Paul Harris running the show. With a returning cast of Eric Devendorf, Demetrius Nichols, and Terrence Roberts, the Orangemen have plenty of offensive firepower on the perimeter and wing, but there is not much a low post presence for Jim Boeheim's squad. Center Darryl Watkins is going to have to step up, or Arinze Onuaku will be heavily relied upon. With Harris leading the Orangemen this year and a solid returning cast, Syrcause should push for an upper division finish in the Big East and a NCAA Tournament berth.

18. Virginia - When Jeff Lebo was hired as the Auburn head basketball coach two years ago, the man I openly supported and wanted on the Plains was former DePaul head coach Dave Leitao. Leitao spent too many years working with Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun to have not learned how to create a winner. Just look at what he did for DePaul basketball following the Pat Kennedy debacle...and now, look at what he is prepared to do for Virginia basketball after the Pete Gillen era. The Cavaliers are going to surprise a lot of teams in the ACC this year. To be a good college basketball team, you have got to have a strong backcourt, and Leitao may have the best backcourt in the ACC with J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary. Both Reynolds and Singletary averaged over 17 points per game last year and over 3 assists per game. There is no doubt that these two guys can play, but for Virginia to make a Sweet 16 run, the Cavaliers will need some frontcourt help. 6'10" senior Jason Cain, 6'11" junior Tunji Soroye, and 6'9" Penn transfer Ryan Pettinella are going to be counted on to provide some muscle in the paint. Even though the Cavalier big men have a lot to prove, there is strength in numbers as Leitao has 6 players taller than 6'8" on the roster. Cavalier basketball is back...and the nation will find out just how back it is when March rolls around.

17. Creighton - Dana Altman has built quite a program in Omaha, Nebraska, and to fuel the fire for his squad this year, he has the heartbreak of last season to use for motivation. The Blue Jays won 20 games last season, but failed to make the NCAA Tournament and had to settle for the NIT. With Nate Funk back for Coach Altman's team, the Blue Jays should be able to punch their ticket to the Big Dance this year. As always, the Creighton backcourt is loaded with savvy, intelligent, sharp shooting guards. In addition to Funk (and as an aside, everytime I hear his name called, I think of former announcer Todd Christiansen saying.."You gotta give 'em a little funk", but I digress...), Creighton will have Nick Porter, Josh Dotzier, Pierce Hibma, and Kansas transfer Nick Bahe to provide plenty of options. Of course, the key to Creighton's success will be their post players. The Blue Jays aren't blessed with great size in the post, and 6'9" center Anthony Tolliver and 6'8" forward Dane Watts are going to have to stay out of foul trouble and provide strong interior defense and rebounding. When March rolls around, we're going to be hearing a lot about Dana Altman's Creighton team...the Blue Jays could be a serious Cinderalla candidate when the Big Dance starts.

16. Memphis - The last time the nation got to watch the Memphis Tigers play basketball was one of the most excuriating games to watch of the 2006 NCAA Tournament as UCLA defeated Memphis 50-45 in the regional final. Memphis only scored 45 points in the shot clock era of college basketball and when Princeton wasn't the opponent! That truly was one boring game to watch, despite the close score. Although the Tigers lost Rodney Carney, Darius Washington, and Shawne Williams to the NBA draft, Coach John Calipari should have enough talent in the returning players and his strong recruiting class to earn a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Carney, Washington, and Williams accounted for 53 percent of the Tigers offense last year, and it will be up to sophomore Antonio Anderson, junior Joey Dorsey, and sophomore Chris Douglas-Roberts to assert themselves as the leaders of this Memphis squad. Each of these three veterans bring something different to the table - Anderson is the long range bomber, Dorsey is the force in the paint, and Douglas-Roberts is the penetrator and slasher. With two pass-first point guards in junior Andre Allen and freshman Willie Kemp, the Memphis offense should pick up where it left off from last season (the UCLA game being the exception!). While the Memphis offense reloads, it will be the trademark Calipari suffocating, pressure defense that will lead the Tigers until the offense is clicking, and once the offense is potent, a deep run in March is a distinct possibility.

15. Wisconsin - It takes a lot to make me watch a Wisconsin Badger basketball game. Badger basketball under Coach Bo Ryan isn't all that exciting, and I'm a huge fan of Big East basketball which is known for more defense than offense. Maybe it's just all the big white guys with last names I cannot pronouce?...whatever the reason, this year, I'm going to watch more Wisconsin basketball because anytime a team returns 90 percent of their offense, 93 percent of their rebounding, and 87 percent of the minutes played from a NCAA Tournament team that advanced to the second round, there is promise for the next year. With those kind of statistics returning, you would think that the Badgers would be destined for a preseason Top 10 ranking, but I recall Wisconsin going 1-5 during a key stretch last February, so I'm not sold on all the returning parts of the Badger machine. What I am sold on is 6'6" senior forward Alando Tucker and his 19 points per game. Tucker's all-around game will make the Badgers a force in the Big 10 Conference this year. Add in the return of 6'2" senior three point marksmen Kammron Taylor and the vastly improved 6'11" center Brian Btuch, and the Badgers have a solid three-pronged attack. As always, the Badgers have plenty of size - there are 7 players on the roster 6'7" and taller - and the Badgers will play tough defense. The real question mark that is keeping me from ranking the Badgers higher is the point guard position. True freshman Trevon Hughes really needs to step into the point guard role for the Badgers, and if he is successful, the road to Atlanta may start in Madison, Wisconsin.

Be looking for the #10 to #14 ranked teams in the Total System Failure Preseason Top 25 later this week...stay tuned!