ESPN has their Top 25
out, and Arizona is at the top of the list. We don't have a problem with
that actually. It could go either way, and Arizona has a serious
shotblocker in Woods. Where we would part company with ESPN is on this
point: what was the last Arizona team to meet expectation in the
post-season? Â
They may well go on and win the tournament. But their track record
isn't one we'd bet on.
They also pick Maryland at #5, UNC at #9. UNC is much more likely be a #5
team than Maryland. We've talked about them and mentioned what we see as their
issues. But Maryland, like Arizona, always looks better at the start of
the season than the end and even though UNC has issues to resolve, we'd be much
more willing to take a chance on the Heels than the Terps, who are basically
tend towards a Kansas-style fold at some point in the season. Last year, it was
the dreadful performance against UCLA.
Wake is in at #24.