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HOOP SCOOP’S PRE-SEASON RANKING OF THE TOP 30 COLLEGE TEAMS FOR THE 2005-2006 SEASON
Published September 22, 2005
by Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher of the HOOP SCOOP
| Rk. | Team | Returning Starters | 2004-2005 Record League/Overall |
Conference | Talent Rating | Comments |
| 1. | Duke | 3 | 11-5/27-6 | Atlantic Coast | 80.0 | The Blue Devils have the highest talent rating, one of the best coaches in the history of the game in Mike Krzyzewski, two of the best players in the country in Sheldon Williams and J.J. Reddick, & the best incoming freshmen in the game today in Josh McRoberts. Need I say more. |
| 2. | Kentucky | 3 | 14-2/28-6 | Southeastern | 67.4 | Assuming that Randolph Morris gets reinstated, the Wildcats will have all of the ingredients (great guards, great coach, lots of depth, and great size) necessary to challenge Duke for the NCAA Championship. |
| 3. | Texas | 4 | 9-7/20-11 | Big-12 | 74.0 | Brad Buckman, P.J. Tucker, & a year of college experience for all of the players who were apart of the #1-ranked recruiting class from 2003-2004 makes this a dangerous team. However, they will all have to stay healthy. |
| 4. | Villanova | 5 | 11-5/24-8 | Big East | 75.3 | This will be the most experienced team in college basketball this season. But it's also been one of the most injury prone and the big key will be the healthy return of Jason Frasor & Curtis Sumpter. |
| 5. | Arizona | 3 | 15--3/30-7 | Pacific-10 | 76.8 | The two leading scorers are gone, but Salim Stoudamire and Channing Frye are both replaceable., as everybody else is back and hungrier than ever after their disappointing loss to Illinois in the NCAA Regional Finals. |
| 6. | Indiana | 4 | 10-6/15-14 | Big-10 | 69.1 | The Hoosiers are ranked #6 in our talent ratings and they have a great combination of youth & experience, which means the Hoosiers are no sleeper. However, for Mike Davis' sake the future is now. |
| 7. | Gonzaga | 4 | 12-2/25-6 | West Coast | 54.7 | Adam Morrison & Derek Raivio, are back & Mark Few has the depth, talent, and experience necessary for this to be one of his best team's to-date. And that's saying a lot, because the Zags have gone 159-37 during his six years at the helm. |
| 8. | Oklahoma | 3 | 12-4/25-8 | Big-12 | 62.1 | Kevin Bookout & Taj Gray will provide one of the best inside duos this season, but the big key here be whether 6'3 Michael Neal, who was a First Team Junior College All-American, can step in and fill the bill at point guard. |
| 9. | Michigan State | 3 | 10-6/15-14 | Big-10 | 66.9 | Kelvin Torbert, Alan Anderson, & Chris Hill are gone, but the three best players on last year's NCAA Final Four team were Maurice Ager, Paul Davis, and Shannon Brown. So watch out again for the Spartans! |
| 10. | Connecticut | 4 | 13-3/23-8 | Big East | 68.6 | Our guess is that A.J. Price won't play. But we do believe Marcus Williams will be back by conference time, which means the Huskies will have four returning starters and plenty of depth for the stretch drive. |
| 11. | Maryland | 4 | 7-9/19-13 | Atlantic Coast | 68.9 | Nik Caner-Medley, Travis Garrison, Ekene Ibekwe, & Chris McGray all return, but the big key will be whether junior college transfer 6'1 Parrish Brown is able step in and replace Johnny Gilchrist at point guard. |
| 12. | Louisville | 2 | 14-2/33-5 | Big East | 71.8 | David Padgett, Brian Johnson, & Juan Diego Palacios will provide the firepower inside & Taquan Dean is second to none at the 2-guard spot. However, Rick Pitino still has questions to answer at the point guard & wing forward spots. |
| 13. | Iowa State | 3 | 9-7/19-12 | Big-12 | 61.9 | Curtis Stinson, Will Blalock, & Rahshon Clark provide a great nucleus, but watch out if 6'10 Jessan Gray, 6'11 Jiri Hubalek, & 6'10 Shawn Taggart live up to billing. |
| 14. | Boston College | 4 | 13-3/25-5 | Atlantic Coast | 46.4 | With Craig Smith, Jared Dudley, Louis Hinnant, & Sean Williams all back, the Eagles are expected to pick up where they left off a year ago in the Big East Conference in their inaugural season in the ACC. |
| 15. | Memphis | 2 | 9-7/22-16 | Conference USA | 65.7 | Weaker league, the return of Darius Washington, Rodney Carney, who combined for 31.4 ppg, and a great incoming freshman class should make this John Calipari's best team in his 5th years at Memphis. |
| 16. | Alabama | 3 | 12-4/24-8 | Southeastern | 57.8 | Kennedy Winston & Earnest Shelton are gone, but six of the top eight players return and 6'9 Frosh Richard Hendrix is one of the top five incoming freshman in the college ranks. |
| 17. | Washington | 2 | 14-4/29-6 | Pacific-10 | 57.0 | hree starters are gone, but Brandon Roy, Bobby Jones, Mike Jensen, & Jamaal Williams provide plenty of experience and Lorenzo Romar has a great infusion of young talent that includes 6'7 Frosh Jon Brockman & 6'2 Soph Ryan Appleby. |
| 18. | Iowa | 4 | 7-9/21-12 | Big-10 | 63.2 | This should be the team that puts Steve Alford's over the top, as Greg Brunner, Adam Haluska, & Jeff Horner provide the balance, talent & experience necessary to go along way in the NCAA Tournament. |
| 19. | Georgetown | 5 | 8-8/19-13 | Big East | 45.4 | Brandon Bowman, Ashanti Cook, Jeff Green, Darrel Ownens, Jonathan Wallace, & Rob Hibbert are all back, but the key here is a solid recruiting class that provides valuable depth that wasn't available a year ago. |
| 20. | Michigan | 5 | 4-12/13-18 | Big-10 | 63.3 | Daniel Horton & Dion Harris should form the best backcourt in the league; Courtney Sims, Chris Hunter, Brent Petway, & Graham Brown are interchangeable inside; and Ron Coleman, Lester Abram, Kendric Price, & Jevohn Shepherd provide firepower out on the wing. |
| 21. | George Washington | 4 | 11-5/22-8 | Atlantic-10 | 41.3 | Colonials head coach Karl Hobbs won 22 games a year ago and he should be able to pick right where he left off a year ago, as six of his top eight players return. |
| 22. | UCLA | 3 | 11-7/18-11 | Pacific-10 | 65.1 | An added year of experience for Jordan Farmar, Arron Afflalo, and Josh Shipp will make the Bruins dangerous out on the perimeter, but the key here will be the development of the young inside players. |
| 23. | Arkansas | 4 | 6-10/18-12 | Southeastern | 54.8 | Seven of the top eight players, including Ronnie Brewer, return, so we think it's safe to assume that this is the year at Stan Heath's program turns the corner. |
| 24. | Charlotte | 2 | 12-4/21-8 | Atlantic-10 | 65.1 | Only two starters return, but the addition of an excellent transfer - 6'5 DeAngelo Alexander - and a good recruiting class should make this Bobby Lutz's best team ever. |
| 25. | LSU | 3 | 12-4/20-10 | Southeastern | 63.4 | Once again Glen Davis will anchor things inside and Tack Minor knows how to run the show. However, the big key will be whether Tasmin Mitchell is ready to step up and replace Brandon Bass. |
| 26. | California | 4 | 6-12/13-16 | Pacific-10 | 49.0 | Six players who started at least 11 games a year ago return, but the real reason why we think the Golden Bears will be one of the most improved teams in college basketball is a healthy 6'8 Soph Leon Powe. |
| 27. | Missouri | 3 | 7-9/16-17 | Big-12 | 63.3 | It's now or never for Tigers head coach Quin Snyder. But we like his chances, because got a lot to work with now that Jason Horton, Marshall Brown, Kalen Grimes, and Glen Dandridge have a year of experience under their belt. |
| 28. | Syracuse | 2 | 11-5/27-7 | Big East | 66.6 | Gerry McNamara, Terrence Roberts, Demetris Nichols, Louise McCroskey, Darryl Watkins, Josh Wright, & Eric Devendorf give Jim Boeheim a lot to work with. |
| 29. | Illinois | 2 | 15-1/37-2 | Big-10 | 51.1 | The big key here will be the healthy return of Dee Brown, but Richard McBride, Brian Randle, & Shaun Pruitt most also step & assume greater roles. |
| 30. | Temple | 4 | 11-5/16-14 | Atlantic-10 | 35.6 | Four starters return, but the big key here is whether 6'11 Wayne Marshall is able to play this year. |