This week, FanHouse is taking an early look at the top teams heading into 2008 with a BlogPoll decided on by our college hoops bloggers. To help with the team capsules, we've brought in some of the top fan bloggers around the internets to give us insights on their teams.Today, we have enlisted Chris Vernon of Fox Sports Radio 730 AM in Memphis and Verno's Blog to break down the Memphis Tigers.
The way the season ended for the Memphis Tigers last year was totally devastating. Memphis ended the season 38-2 and many in Memphis still have a hard time thinking about the 38 wins. Rarely has there been such an amazing season that brought upon such intense disappointment.
Now that Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas Roberts, and Joey Dorsey have NBA contracts and Memphis looks to who will replace much of what made the team such a success in the previous few seasons. While Rose was only in Memphis for one year, CDR and Dorsey were key components of a team that went to the Elite 8 twice, and the Final Four (and championship game) once. With Dorsey in the middle, and Douglas Roberts on the wing, Memphis went 104-10 over the last three seasons.
Two of the players that have been a part of the Tigers tremendous success return to the starting lineup this year, Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier. John Calipari signed Tyreke Evans, who many believe will be a one-year college star and a high draft pick next June. Evans will start and be key to the Tigers success. Returning players Shawn Taggart and Pierre Niles (who lost 70 lbs in the off-season) will log minutes at the post positions. Tiger recruit Wesley Witherspoon will be in the rotation as one the wing players.
Memphis is still awaiting word from the NCAA about Matt Simpkins and Angel Garcia, two players brought in this year. The biggest question heading into the season is who the point guard will be. Willie Kemp has started in the past, including when the team went to the Elite 8, Roburt Sallie is a JUCO transfer that played in prep school with Anderson and Dozier, and point guard minutes could go to Antonio Anderson or Evans.
When a team loses so much of what made them tick to the NBA, very few things are known. Memphis should be back in the tournament with a high seed and a great record, but how far they can advance will be dependent on how good Tyreke Evans is going to be, and how well he blends in with the team. He is the most talented player on the roster by a wide margin, and his ability to assume the role of go-to-guy will be essential to the Tigers success.
Why they should be ranked here: John Calipari has proven that he has built a national program capable of changing players, but still maintaining success. The team has talent, but also a lot questions heading into the season. With that being said, they have enough returning players that are used to the system that will allow for the new contributors to adjust easily. Memphis will dominate their conference again, and will win their share of big non-conference match-ups. John Calipari demands his teams play great defense, and defense will help Memphis blow-out the bad teams, and compete with the best.
Why they should be ranked higher: They have gone 104-10 over the course of the last 3 years. The last time they had to replace guys that went to the NBA was when Rodney Carney and Shawne Williams were drafted, people thought it would be a decent season, and instead they went to the Elite 8. This program has proven that it can maintain a high level of success.
Why they should be ranked lower: Who loses three players to the draft and the next year has a great team? It is insanely rare. There are way to many questions for Memphis to be in the top 10, and they are there only because of reputation. They don't even know who is going to be their point guard. Evans might could fill the role vacated by Douglas-Roberts, but nobody on the roster will be able to come close to duplicating what Rose or Dorsey brought to the table.
Thanks to Chris Vernon of Fox Sports Radio 730 AM in Memphis and Verno's Blog for coming into the 'House to break down the Tigers.
Memphis is still awaiting word from the NCAA about Matt Simpkins and Angel Garcia, two players brought in this year. The biggest question heading into the season is who the point guard will be. Willie Kemp has started in the past, including when the team went to the Elite 8, Roburt Sallie is a JUCO transfer that played in prep school with Anderson and Dozier, and point guard minutes could go to Antonio Anderson or Evans.
When a team loses so much of what made them tick to the NBA, very few things are known. Memphis should be back in the tournament with a high seed and a great record, but how far they can advance will be dependent on how good Tyreke Evans is going to be, and how well he blends in with the team. He is the most talented player on the roster by a wide margin, and his ability to assume the role of go-to-guy will be essential to the Tigers success.
Why they should be ranked here: John Calipari has proven that he has built a national program capable of changing players, but still maintaining success. The team has talent, but also a lot questions heading into the season. With that being said, they have enough returning players that are used to the system that will allow for the new contributors to adjust easily. Memphis will dominate their conference again, and will win their share of big non-conference match-ups. John Calipari demands his teams play great defense, and defense will help Memphis blow-out the bad teams, and compete with the best.
Why they should be ranked higher: They have gone 104-10 over the course of the last 3 years. The last time they had to replace guys that went to the NBA was when Rodney Carney and Shawne Williams were drafted, people thought it would be a decent season, and instead they went to the Elite 8. This program has proven that it can maintain a high level of success.
Why they should be ranked lower: Who loses three players to the draft and the next year has a great team? It is insanely rare. There are way to many questions for Memphis to be in the top 10, and they are there only because of reputation. They don't even know who is going to be their point guard. Evans might could fill the role vacated by Douglas-Roberts, but nobody on the roster will be able to come close to duplicating what Rose or Dorsey brought to the table.
Thanks to Chris Vernon of Fox Sports Radio 730 AM in Memphis and Verno's Blog for coming into the 'House to break down the Tigers.
