# Surprise team for 2005-2006 season



## The Chach (Apr 30, 2005)

What team do you think is gonna be the surprise and or cinderella team of next year? 
Might not be a huge surprise but considering how un athletic they are ill go with West Virginia


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## Ghost (Jun 21, 2002)

Cal, Leon Pow will be back.


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## kansasalumn (Jun 9, 2002)

I am not to sure yet. Too early to tell.


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## apelman42 (Apr 8, 2005)

kansasalumn said:


> I am not to sure yet. Too early to tell.



Gimme Iowa, they're returning their three headed attack.


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## JuniorNoboa (Jan 27, 2003)

Georgetown will be a top 15 team.


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## KJay (Sep 22, 2002)

way to early for me to say right now, but as a flyer I will say Georgetown.


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## kamego (Dec 29, 2003)

My vote goes to my school, DePaul. Not to sound like to much of a homer but after seeing Wilson Chandler play, Mr Basketball Michigan, we might have a much better team next season. 1 very strong recruiting class kept by our new coach, who is very good in his own right, gives me a very postive feeling.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Houston and Memphis. Darius Washington, Rodney Carney and Shawne Williams on the perimeter. All will probably be in the 06 NBA draft as well. I expect Memphis to be a sweet sixteen team.

I also love the Ohio Bobcats to make a run at the sweet sixteen.


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## ItalianStallion (Jun 8, 2005)

i say Villanova if im allowed to consider it a surprise team otherwise i say Memphis.


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## hirschmanz (Jun 3, 2005)

ItalianStallion said:


> i say Villanova if im allowed to consider it a surprise team otherwise i say Memphis.


No way is villanova a surprise if they do well next year.

I'm going with North Carolina. They will still compete, even losing their top 52 scorers from last year


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## BigDubSimien (Jun 15, 2005)

I think both Kansas and North Carolina will be better then what you see on paper experience wise. Both will take there lumps, but they will have some talent. KU will be VERY athletic this coming season and probably a better pressure D team, but it is still to early to know what the roles will be.


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## bkbballer16 (Apr 28, 2005)

Ya it is kinda early but I am gonna go with G-Town


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## zagsfan20 (Dec 24, 2004)

Oregon will be a top 15 school this year....With Malik Hairston, Bryce Taylor, Aaron Brooks and Maarty Leunen all maturing and getting the experience they got last year they will begin to gel and become a very good team....


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## emetaheh (Jan 6, 2004)

As a Terp fan, I'm gonna go ahead and put up my team as one of next year's surprises. Sure, the skepticism is understandable in light of last season, but I sense Gary and the guys will have something to prove.

I see the keys for next year being:
(1) Ledbetter replicating his performance during the first three NIT games. He's more of the pass-first PG that Gary needs to run the flex, and he's got some nice moves to the hoop as well. He spent part of last year recuperating from a car accident, so he should go into next season as close to 100 percent as possible.
(2) Better production from the bigs -- this is perhaps the most important. Garrison has shown flashes, and while he's not the back-to-the-basket player we'd hoped he'd be, he could put up 8 and 9 a night at a minimum and I'd be content. Ibekwe needs to bulk up and work on his shot (as a sidenote, he will be one of the top shot-blockers in the conference next year). Bowers is at Newell's big man camp and, if he works at it, can be our own Luke Schenscher. Gist showed me a lot as a frosh in terms of leaping ability, athleticism, and activity on glass. His continued development should be fun to watch.
(3)a healthy DJ Strawberry. Best on-ball defender on the team. When he went down last season, they lost a spark off the bench. He's quick energy, and if he can match his offense with his defense, he will be an ever better weapon in the arsenal.
(4) the perimeter game. There are shooters on this team; they just need more consistency. New assistant coach Rob Moxley from UNC-Charlotte should be a big help in this area.
(5) defense. Terps were last in the ACC in scoring defense. This simply must improve.

They'll miss Gilchrist's assists and scoring, but they won't miss the attitude. They return McCray, Jones, Caner-Medley (leading scorer at 16 ppg), Garrison, Ibekwe, Gist, Jones, and Strawberry, which makes them something of a veteran club in what should be a depleted ACC. They add an athletic wing in ex-Villanova commit Shane Clark, another frontcourt option in David Neal, and a capable backup point in Chicago-bred JUCO transfer Parrish Brown.

Probably not a title contender, national or otherwise, but a team that could (and should) finish among the top 4 in the ACC and make it back to the NCAA's. Don't think for a second that Gary's gonna let this past season repeat itself again on his watch.


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## VZA (Jun 28, 2005)

University of Miami

Diaz, King, Harris, and Hite all played ACC level, Coach Haith is a good coach and hell carry on the improvement

the freshman class is aso respectable with Jimmy Graham and others coming in

the team wont be as bad as people think


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## KiNgJaMeZ (Jun 6, 2005)

*Villanova*...
and mark my words...in 3 years...*Ohio State* will be in the top 5 in the country..


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

Better hope OSU gets there in 2yrs. I wouldn't be surprised if at least 2 of their big time recruits leave after 1 season.


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## BallStateCards (Oct 14, 2004)

I'm going to be a homer...

Ball State probably won't ever be ranked, but they do have arguably the best recruiting class in the MAC. I'm just saying...


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## ian (Jun 4, 2003)

Michigan should surprise, they were decimated by injuries and suspensions last year but return a bunch of talent that did well the season before last


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## HeinzGuderian (Jun 29, 2004)

emetaheh said:


> As a Terp fan, I'm gonna go ahead and put up my team as one of next year's surprises. Sure, the skepticism is understandable in light of last season, but I sense Gary and the guys will have something to prove.
> 
> ...yada yada....
> 
> Probably not a title contender, national or otherwise, but a team that could (and should) finish among the top 4 in the ACC and make it back to the NCAA's. Don't think for a second that Gary's gonna let this past season repeat itself again on his watch.


I agree with Maryland; I think they will be better without that headcase Gilchrist on their team. Gary Williams is a really good coach when he has guys that fit his system. I also feel he is in his "coaching element" so to speak when he is coming out of nowhere. UMD can definitely be top 3 in the ACC next year.


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

When OSU came to LSU to play last season I was very impressed with them. I think OSU could become a top 10 program in the country regularly. Matta is a good smart coach and seems to be recruiting diamonds in the rough. That OSU team last season could SHOOOOOOOT!


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## gony4983 (Oct 31, 2003)

I would say GW, but seeing as they're gonna be preseason top 15 I suppose them doing well won't be much of a surprise.

I think G-Town will be good, but I lose all respect for them when I remember the fact that they refuse to play us. Nova will be good, too, but everyone seems to know that, too.


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## SelectionSunday (Jul 15, 2005)

*Re: Surprise teams/I have 2*

I define a surprise team as one that didn't make the NCAA Tournament the prior season. I'll take a flyer on Houston & USC. Penders will make Houston competitive quickly (he already has) & the Cougars will be helped by the watered-down C-USA. 

As for USC, seems to me like they always have decent talent, but it rarely meshes. Tim Floyd will get them to the NCAA in his 1st season.


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## kentuckyfan13 (Dec 26, 2003)

Southern Illinois....Jamal Tatum can get it done.


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## sMaK (Jun 13, 2002)

VZA said:


> University of Miami
> 
> Diaz, King, Harris, and Hite all played ACC level, Coach Haith is a good coach and hell carry on the improvement
> 
> ...


I don't think anyone expects them to bad. They were competing for an NCAA bid until the last two weeks of the season. I expect them to be in the top 25 all year and make a run at the ACC title. There's no reason they shouldn't. They have a talented team.


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## Ghost (Jun 21, 2002)

Jsimo12 said:


> When OSU came to LSU to play last season I was very impressed with them. I think OSU could become a top 10 program in the country regularly. Matta is a good smart coach and seems to be recruiting diamonds in the rough. That OSU team last season could SHOOOOOOOT!



I wouldn't call Greg Oden and MIke Conley diamonds in the rough.


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## historyofthegame (Jan 30, 2004)

Northeastern. With Jose Juan Barrea and Marcus Barnes coming back they could crack the top 25.


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## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

College Basketball: Five Teams to Watch



> What has Matt Doherty accomplished since being named head coach just this past April? Only lined up arguably the best recruiting class in FAU history, despite his late start.
> 
> Matt Doherty will do wonders for FAU, assuming he sticks around.


 :biggrin:


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## Jonathan Watters (Jul 20, 2002)

TM said:


> College Basketball: Five Teams to Watch
> 
> :biggrin:


I have to agree with the author here on Cal. There is a lton of talent on that team, and there's no reason to think they don't finish in the top 4-5 in a very watered down Pac-10. If Leon Powe returns to full strength, Ben Braun's program is in for a very successful 2-3 year run.


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## mike (Jun 11, 2002)

WVU people are writing last year off as a fluke


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## j0se (Sep 22, 2005)

historyofthegame said:


> Northeastern. With Jose Juan Barrea and Marcus Barnes coming back they could crack the top 25.



Haha, hopefully Barea does something crazy like average 30 10 and 10, so he can get a draft pick.

Maybe, since Vermont lost their two best players.


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