College Basketball Predictions: 15 Things We Won't Hear Dickie V Say This Season

Hall of Fame college basketball announcer and analyst Dick Vitale is one of the best all time, adding excitement and flair to the game.

With the large number of players leaving early for the NBA, each season has become harder to predict, making the court the most important place of judgment.

Another exciting college basketball season is about to begin. With North Carolina ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls and Duke with the nation's No. 1 recruit, Austin Rivers, the NCAA will be packed with exhilaration this year.

As a tribute to Dickie V, here are 15 things that you won’t hear the (in)famous analyst say.

15. Duke’s Gonna Take the ACC, Baby!

Although Mike Krzyzewski might be able to pull something out of his hat with top guard recruit Austin Rivers, North Carolina has a much more experienced returning squad. Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes will lead the Tar Heels to an ACC title in 2012.

The heated Duke-North Carolina rivalry games will be close as always, but North Carolina should take the ACC this year.

What Dickie V. will say: North Carolina is dynamite, baby! They’re takin’ the ACC and the NCAA, baby! Who’s gonna stop these guys?!?

14. Butler’s Goin’ Back to the Big Dance, Baby!

Butler’s consecutive trips to the NCAA championship game had us all scratching our heads, wondering how it was possible for the Bulldogs to upset No. 1 and 2 seeds to advance to the Final twice.

Contrary predictions may continue to inspire Brad Stevens’ Butler team to surprise everyone and play spoiler in the NCAA tournament, but the odds are heavily stacked against them this season. The Bulldogs lost their two top scorers, Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack.

What Dickie V. will say: I would be shocked if Butler makes another run to the final. Third time’s the charm for us to be right about Butler. I love Brad Stevens, but Butler’s just not doin’ it this year. 

13. Connecticut Will Win It All Again. Take It to the Bank, Baby!

Although UConn returns four starters, they will be hurt by the loss of Kemba Walker, who led the Huskies to an NCAA championship last year. Sophomores Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier are great guards, but not of the same caliber of Walker, who averaged 23.5 points per game last season.

Connecticut will undoubtedly be a top team in the Big East this season—unlike they were last year with a ninth-place finish in the conference (they were a perfect 23-0 in non-conference play). The Huskies will make a stake in the NCAA tournament—but they probably won’t win it all.

What Dickie V. will say: With Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier runnin’ the offense and Alex Oriakhi down low, the Huskies are gonna be a hard team to beat, baby! But I just don’t see them takin’ away another championship with all the opposing talent in the NCAA this season. 

12. The Gators Are Gonna Devour the SEC Again, Baby!

With four teams ranked in the preseason Top 25 (Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida and Alabama), the SEC is set to be a very exciting conference this year. While Florida took the conference last year and is ranked No. 10 in the preseason, they will have a hard time outplaying Kentucky for the SEC title.

Florida will still be a threat with its top two scorers, Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton, returning for the 2011-12 season. However, Kentucky has three returning players from last year’s Final Four-bound team, including sophomore forward Terrence Jones, who averaged 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last year as a freshman.

What Dickie V. will say: It’s all about Kentucky in the SEC, baby! Terrence Jones had a terrific year as a freshman and will be fantastic in his sophomore season. These kids, minus Brandon Knight, went to the Final Four last year and don’t be surprised to see them there again this year. 

11. Arizona’s Gonna Claw to Another Pac-12 Title. You Better Believe it, Baby!

The losses of Derrick Williams and Lamont Jones will hit Arizona harder than most are anticipating, as the leading scorer behind the two departed stars was guard Kyle Fogg, who averaged 8.1 points per game.

The Wildcats do have a good recruiting class coming in this year, which may help fill the void created by their departed players—but they still won't be as dominant as they were last year with Derrick Williams.

Arizona is vastly overrated this preseason at No. 16 and may not finish in the top two of the Pac-12, with UCLA and Cal beating them out for the title.

What Dickie V. will say: Arizona put themselves back on the map last year with a run to the Elite Eight, but they’re gonna be hurtin’ without Derrick Williams down low. Look out for them next year, but it’s not happenin’ this year, baby!

10. Memphis Is One of the Best out There. They’re the Cream of the Crop, Baby!

It’s difficult to understand how Memphis has been ranked at No. 9 in the preseason polls. The Tigers finished fourth in Conference USA last year and went out in the first round of the NCAA tournament as a No. 12 seed.

The one edge the Tigers have in a league with many early-departing players is a full team of returning players. Memphis does play well as a team, which will serve as a further advantage with one year of experience under their belts.

Still, it's hard to picture Memphis holding its rank at No. 9 for too long.

What Dickie V. will say: Memphis will be put to the test early this year to see how they stack up against the Top 25. Their matchup at home against No. 18 Michigan is gonna be a good one to watch, baby!

9. The Big Ten Is a Sealed Deal, Baby! Ohio State’s Got It in the Bag.

With top scorers Jared Sullinger and William Buford returning to the Buckeyes, it may seem like Ohio State is a sure bet to sweep the Big Ten. However, it may take some time for the Buckeyes to adjust to the loss of guard Jon Diebler, one of the best shooters in the NCAA last year.

Although it’s likely that Ohio State will win the Big Ten on the shoulders of Jared Sullinger, they will have to battle for the title. Their main contender in the Big Ten is Wisconsin, led by senior guard Jordan Taylor, who averaged 18.1 points and 4.7 assists per game last year.

Wisconsin and Ohio State split their head-to-head matchups last year, and this year should see similarly close games. The Badgers will fight hard to win a Big Ten title—it won’t be a sweep for Ohio State.

What Dickie V. will say: The Big Ten’s a battleground this year, baby! Ohio State’s gonna be hard to beat with Jared Sullinger, but don’t forget about Wisconsin and Michigan, who are both ranked in the preseason. It’s gonna be a thriller, baby!

8. Baylor Is a Very Dangerous Basketball Team and Could Do Some Major Damage!

Baylor is ranked No. 12 in the preseason, higher than their Big 12 rival Kansas. Their edge is experience—the Bears return four starters. However, their ranking as No. 12 will not stand. Their performance last year, even with now-departed leading scorer LaceDarius Dunn (19.5 points per game), was very average.

The Bears finished 18-13 overall and 7-9 in conference play, and while they have an added year of experience, they probably won’t be ranked in the Top 25 for long. Baylor finished eighth in the Big 12 last year and it’s hard to picture them finishing at the top of the conference.

Baylor should have a good squad this year, but they are overrated in the preseason polls and will have to prove that they deserve to be labeled as one of the top teams in the NCAA.

What Dickie V. will say: Kansas is hurt big with the loss of the Morris twins, but don’t underestimate Bill Self and the Jayhawks. Baylor’s got a lot of returners, but don’t count out the Jayhawks, baby!

7. The ACC Realignment Is Great for College Basketball, Baby!

With No. 5 Syracuse and No. 11 Pittsburgh set to abandon the Big East for the ACC, the NCAA will become lopsided with four currently ranked teams joining the ACC. Syracuse and Pitt have historically good programs, which will make this a recurring issue and debate from the moment the teams leave the Big East.

The Big East will temporarily remain afloat after the realignment occurs with the solid college basketball programs of Villanova, Marquette, Louisville, Cincinnati and UConn. However, with the departure of Syracuse and Pitt, the Big East has great potential of dissolution.

UConn and Rutgers now want to join the ACC, and Louisville is knocking on the Big 12's door. If those moves ever go through, the Big East will dissolve completely. Conference realignments are too focused on financial charts and not the overall impact of these decisions. 

What Dickie V. will say: All this movin’ around of the conferences is givin’ me a headache. Let’s just play some basketball, baby!

6. Vanderbilt’s Got It Goin’ On, Baby! They’re Gonna Turn Some Heads This Year.

Vanderbilt, a team that finished 9-7 in the SEC last year, has been ranked No. 7 in the preseason polls. The Commodores have a full team of returning players that includes junior guard John Jenkins, who averaged 19.5 points per game last year.

Although the Commodores have a competitive team for the upcoming season, their rank at No. 7 seems a bit high for a team that went out in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year to No. 12 seed Richmond.

Fellow SEC members Kentucky, Florida and Alabama will be great competition for the Commodores. Vandy will be put to the test in its late-November matchup against Xavier, currently ranked No. 15 in the preseason polls. They will have to prove that they are worthy of their high ranking.

What Dickie V. will say: Vanderbilt’s got a chip on their shoulder goin’ out in the first round last year to Richmond. They got all five starters comin’ back this year. Let’s see if they can get it done, baby!

5. Michigan Is Feelin’ the Loss of Darius Morris. They're a Closed Case, Baby!

Although Michigan’s star guard and leading scorer Darius Morris carried the team last year with his 15 points and 6.7 assists per game, the Wolverines will still put a solid team on the court in his absence.

Michigan will be led this year by Tim Hardaway Jr. and three other returning starters. They will have a good chance to finish second or third behind No. 3 Ohio State in the Big Ten and should be able to earn a decent seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Their preseason rank of No. 18 will be put to the test Nov. 21 against No. 9 Memphis. Hardaway should really shine this season as a sophomore guard, improving upon his already-productive 13.9 points per game.

What Dickie V. will say: Darius Morris was a hell of a player but Tim Hardaway Jr. is gonna be a great leader for this Michigan team. These Wolverines are gonna come out growlin’ this year, baby!

4. The Pac-12 Still Isn't Relevant. Basketball's Better on the East Coast, Baby!

It may be a little too optimistic to think that Dick Vitale, of all commentators, would show respect to basketball in the western half of the country. There are some legitimate reasons why the Pac-12 gets little respect in the NCAA—and not just because of the general East Coast bias in sports.

Indeed, the ACC and the Big East are superior conferences, and the last time a West Coast team won an NCAA title was in 1997 (Lute Olson’s Arizona squad). However, the Pac-12 will posit itself as a nationally competitive conference this year. Three teams—Arizona, UCLA and Cal—are ranked in the preseason Top 25 and have the potential to do some damage on a national level.

If the Pac-12 teams are nationally successful this year, the conference will hopefully earn more respect from a generally East Coast-favoring media.

What Dickie V. will say: The Pac-12’s not the best conference, that’s for sure; but it’s getting up there baby! UCLA and Arizona are back in the picture, which is good for college basketball. 

3. St. John’s’ Strong Recruiting Class Is Gonna Make Them a Team to Beat, Baby!

St. John’s has brought in one of the best recruiting classes in college basketball this year. The dilemma—they don’t have a single starting player returning. In addition, freshmen account for seven of the 11 players on the squad (forward God’s Gift Achiuwa, the eighth member of this year’s recruiting class, is a junior-college transfer).

Not only is their youth going to be an issue, but they also have a very shallow squad at 11 players. What’s even more frightening for the Red Storm is that none of their returning players has much experience on the court; therefore, leadership will be sparse.

The player most involved in last year’s season, guard Malik Stith, averaged 3.3 points in the 26 games he played off the bench. In addition, head coach Steve Lavin will have to exceed his usual mediocrity and quickly acclimate his players to college ball—otherwise, St. John’s will have a very forgettable year.

What Dickie V. will say:  St. John’s has a lotta talent but absolutely no experience at the collegiate level. Who’s gonna step up and lead this team? God’s Gift? We’ll see, baby!

2. Xavier Is Highly Overrated. They Left the Big Dance in a Hurry Last Year!

Xavier has one of the most talented returning squads in college basketball. Their preseason rank of No. 15 is just about right for the Musketeers, who have their top three scorers—Tu Holloway, Mark Lyons and Kenny Frease—returning this season. Senior guard Tu Holloway is set to have a big season and lead Xavier to another Atlantic 10 title.

The Musketeers have a good chance to move up the ranks and do some damage in the NCAA tournament. After going out in the first round last year, Chris Mack’s team will be determined to make a run in the tournament.

What Dickie V. will say: Xavier’s lookin’ good this year, baby! Don’t be surprised to see them make a run in the NCAA Tournament this year. They got it goin’ on with Tu Holloway and company. 

1. Austin Rivers Is One of the Most Overrated Prospects. It's Absurd, Baby!

No. 1 recruit Austin Rivers will undoubtedly be not only one of the best freshmen, but also one of the best overall players in college basketball. Although Duke’s success in the ACC and the NCAA Tournament is uncertain, one thing is certain—Austin Rivers is going to turn some heads.

Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, is a very hard-working player and has already acclimated himself to collegiate play in the exhibition matches that he has played. He’s a very agile and acrobatic guard at 6'4" and will be making the highlight reel frequently.

Duke and Rivers will be put to their first defining test against No. 3 Ohio State in late November.

What Dickie V. will say: Austin Rivers has the potential to be one of the best college basketball players in history. He’s dynamic, acrobatic and fantastic, baby!