Five Predictions for the '09-10 College Basketball Season

Preseason college basketball games are underway, and the regular season is just around the corner. As usual there are many questions entering the season. For instance: Will Kentucky return to national prominence? Who will be this year’s Cinderella? How many games will it take for Jim Boeheim’s head explode?

No worries though, as I am here to answer those questions and more, with five predictions for the upcomig season.

Prediction No. 1: The Big 10 will field more tournament teams than the Big East.

In my defense: I know this sounds ridiculous, but the Big East will be as bad as its been in the past five years and the Big 10 will be as good as it’s been this decade.

The traditional Big East powers in Pitt and Syracuse (maybe more than even originally thought. Le Moyne? Really?) lost a ton of players and will be rebuilding. Ditto for UConn. West Virginia may be the most overrated team in the country and I have little faith in Louisville after an offseason filled will lies, arrests and apologies from Rick Pitino and his team.

I feel good about this prediction, and I haven’t even mentioned how Purdue and Michigan State will contend for a national title, or how Michigan will have its best team possibly since the Fab Five (insert timeout joke here). Add in a nice Minnesota team under Tubby Smith along with Ohio State and Illinois, and you have a Big 10 conference that will be better than the Big East. Crazy, huh?

Prediction No. 2: Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors will be the best freshman in college basketball.

In my defense: This isn’t going out on a huge limb, but Favors will receive heavy competition from John Wall at Kentucky and Xavier Henry at Kansas. But I think Favors will have to carry more of the load for Georgia Tech and will do so very nicely.

Prediction No. 3: This will be a year for the “little guys.”

In my defense: The past two years, the NCAA tourney has been dominated by the big schools and higher seeds. That will not be the case this year. Traditional powers are down, rebuilding or losing to Division II teams (sorry Syracuse, it’s still funny).

Then you have smaller conference teams like Butler and Dayton, who are thinking bigger than just a tourney birth, along with the usual “big little guys” in Xavier and Gonzaga. Expect big upsets come March and maybe even a Cinderella who will dance past midnight...which leads me to ...

Prediction No. 4: Either Butler, Dayton, Gonzaga or Siena will make the Elite 8.

In my defense: I’m not even worried about this one. These are four good teams who all have at least some tournament experience and have very talented teams. Dayton has the highest ceiling after bringing their whole team back from last year, including Chris Wright.

And check this out: the Flyers play Creighton, Georgia Tech, and possibly Villanova their first three games. We should know if they are for real early on. One of these teams will make the Elite 8. Mark it down (literally, come March).

Prediction No. 5: Your Final Four will be: Kansas, Texas, Purdue and Georgetown.

In my defense: The dark horse is obviously Georgetown, who will be a tough out. They can do it all and will just wear people out. I also would not be surprised if any of the four mentioned above is replaced by a Butler or Dayton. I’m just sayin'...

Bonus Predicition: Kansas will win the national championship.

In my defense: Two words. Cole Aldrich