whitesoxfan99

MSU has basically everyone coming back Paul Davis, Shannon Brown, Maurice Ager, Chris Hill, Alan (How does he spell his first name?) Anderson, Kelvin Torbert, and then they have Marquise Gray and Drew Neitzel as incoming freshman. However a position by position analysis PG Deron Williams>>>>>>>Neitzel or whoever starts SG Dee Brown>Chris Hill and Dee Brown>Shannon Brown SF Luther Head>>>Anderson PF Roger Powell>Kelvin Torbert I assume Gray won't start to begin the year, these two are very different players but both are pretty effective, slight edge to Powell because he can be an explosive scorer, Torbert the better defender C Paul Davis>James Augustine I'll give a slight edge to Davis even though Augustine has outplayed him in their matchups Bench MSU Gray, Ager, Hill or Brown, Delco Rawley and Namick vs. Illinois Nick Smith, Brian Randle, Jack Ingram, Rich McBride, Shaun Pruitt, and Warren Carter. To hard to tell, Illinois has more depth inside but Ager and Brown or hill might give MSU a little more explosive scoring off the bench unless McBride can be consistent this year. Very very slight edge to MSU

I would agree that right now the ACC is the best conference in the country. Historically there are a few conferences who are pretty close. I looked up the top 4 finishers since 1939 and added up their totals for the Big 6 conferences: Pac 10, Big 10, ACC, Big East, Big 12, and SEC and for titles I added Conference USA. I know conferences is change so I added them up based on current conference affiliation (There may be some error as I almost lost my spot a couple times and in fact may have.) Total "Final 4s" Big 10 39 ACC 38 Big 12 33 Pac 10 28 Big East 23 SEC 21 National Championships Pac 10 15 (11 coming from UCLA) ACC 9 Big 10 9 SEC 8 Big East 5 Conference USA 5 Big 12 4

You say MSU returns the bulk of their team, well Illinois returns everyone except for Howard from a team that was by much better than MSU last year. Not to mention adding the guys who were 2nd and 3rd in Mr. Basketball voting from Illinois behind only Shaun Livingston who of course was a top 5 pick. Why do you bring up being ranked top 3 to begin last year anyway? Where MSU finished in the rankings is what should count right now. Its not like they lost key players to injury.

Well considering most people on here are from the state of Illinois its not surprising that there are a lot of fans of the home state school. Bias aside, there is not one reason for MSU to be ranked higher than Illinois to start this season and that goes for Kentucky as well.

Do you ever have anything else to say?

Dick Vitale is a tool. Hes a worthless piece of crap. I would love to hear him rationalize MSU being higher than Illinois. Also, my post isn't due to UI not being in the Top 5 because I've seen other rankings without them in there but rather Vitale's history of biased bulls***.

:headshake At least get his name right. Its Weber with one B not Webber.

Yes

Raise money for charity.

If we're going to get a stop gap I would prefer Vizquel.

Yeah, but except for one year Pedro has made at least 29 starts in every season since 1994. Its not like the guy is constantly missing a lot of starts every year. But I do agree its a pretty big risk especially for a team on a limited budget. For the Yankees on the other hand.....

Oh crap, the Sox are doomed for eternity. But seriously good luck and congratulations.

Yes

To bad Palehosefan is a UNC fan not an Illini fan.

Yeah, but the student section chanting f*** Duke was one of the funnier things I've seen while watching a college basketball game.

Ummm... Syracuse plays in the Carrier Dome, I don't think they ever played in the Palestra. I believe the Palestra was Penn's home court and the location of the the Big 5 basketball tourney (La Salle, Penn, Temple, St. Joes, and Villanova).

I guess, but I'm not a big fan of the old "well they tried hard" saying when it comes to professional sports. In little league playing with intensity is admirable, in the pros it should be expected.

Not bad, I assume OSU is Oklahoma St..

Apparently I'm the only one who is going to give a top 10 list.

Mackey is a tough place to play but when you let well over 1,000 Illinois fans invade your place I would say you lose a bit of the home court advantage.

Last I checked, the Yankees still won their division and advanced further in the playoffs than the Red Sox every year. Who cares if you win the regular season series if the other team still wins the division and knocks you out in the playoffs. At this point in time the Red Sox Daddy=Yankees

The Twins were a better team and proved it by kicking the Sox ass down the stretch.

Large crowds due not equal loud or good crowds. See Michigan football fans in the Big House. Quietest 100,000+ people ever.

The Big 10 does have great home court advantages but the attendance is more due to larger arenas than anything else.

1. Assembly Hall (Illinois)-best home winning percentage over the last 5 years 2. Allen Fieldhous (Kansas) 3. Kohl Center (Wisconsin) 4. Cameron Indoor (Duke) 5. O'Connell Center (Florida) 6. Rupp Arena (Kentucky) 7. Gallagher IBA (Oklahoma St.) 8. Dean Smith Center (UNC) 9. Comcast Center (Maryland) 10. Breslin Center (Michigan St.)