2008-09 season previews
Officially, the college hoops season began Monday. True, it was an underwhelming two games – including a Duke rout, stunner – but the season is finally here.
It also means most of the season preview stories have been written. How much build-up does one need?
With that, here’s our final preview: bold predictions for 2008-09.
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The 2008-09 college basketball season doesn’t feature a Michael Beasley. Or a Greg Oden. Or a Kevin Durant, Kevin Love or O.J. Mayo. It’s full of good, but not great players.
At least, that’s the general opinion by most media outlets.
Still, even if the player of the year isn’t a freshmen, there are plenty of dynamic newcomers you’ll need to know. Here are 10.
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Tyler Hansbrough is out indefinitely with a stress reaction condition in his right shin.
Hear that? That whoosh? It’s the collective breath of North Carolina fans being taken away.
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College hoops coaches finally got their wish. The three-point line grew a foot to 20 feet, 9 inches.
The new line will supposedly open up offenses. Defenses will have to stretch to guard the perimeter, allowing those big men room to work in the lane.
At least, that’s the conventional thinking.
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Good news for nervous Kansas fans this season: Since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the defending champion has missed the Big Dance just three times.
Bad news for Kansas fans: One of those times was last season.
The Jayhawks must replace about 80 percent of their scoring from their championship roster, including all five starters. The pressure to win remains the same, but it’ll fall on the shoulders of junior guard Sherron Collins, sophomore center Cole Aldrich and seven newcomers to this year’s squad.
It’s a tall order, to be sure, but not an unfamiliar one to other defending champs.
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There are really only two sure things when it comes to preseason All-Americans this season.
Tyler Hansbrough and Stephen Curry. One’s a three-time All-American who’s trying to lead North Carolina to back-to-back Final Fours and its fifth NCAA title. Curry is the Davidson sharpshooter who led the Wildcats to within a whisker of the 2008 Final Four.
Everything else is up for grabs. And there are plenty of great players to choose.
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