Way too Early 2016-17 Speculations?

[SJUBBALL]

1. Villanova - down the stretch I think they will be better and with more star power next year
2. Xavier - sumner will stay, and with Blueitt and Macura and more they will stay a top 15 team
3. Seton Hall - will dance, with or without whitehead IMO
4. Creighton - going to be a great team next year and dance with ease
5. Marquette - with or without Ellenson I think they will end up around this spot and get into the dance
6. Georgetown - with all the juniors they have they should do a little better but who knows
7. Butler - losing a lot but Martin will keep this team competitive
8. Providence - will still be decent but won't be that good without Dunn but Bentil could stay and make them better
9. St John's - will be improved but still down here
10. DePaul - St. John's young talent makes them better than DePaul

[Bigfishy]

Villanova will be a top 10 team again next year. Probably better than this year.

[PorthosPA]

3. Xavier- Remy, Farr, and Reynolds(From everything I hear from Rick Broering and Brian Snow from Scout there is nobody in the program who thinks Reynolds will be back next year. He had to sit out 2 years and is getting old for college) will be gone.

This was posted on a Xavier message board, "My nephew, who is in class with Reynolds says that Jalen plans on coming back," but we all know to take the "a friend of a friend of a friend told me," stories with a grain of salt. Personally, as a fan with no inside knowledge at all, I'd say Larry Austin Jr or Makinde London transferring is more likely than Reynolds leaving. Nobody has to leave, just my guess as to what is likely. I think (hope) the only way Jalen leaves is if Xavier gets to the final four or beyond this year (he promised to deliver one before leaving).

[JohnW22]

3. Xavier- Remy, Farr, and Reynolds(From everything I hear from Rick Broering and Brian Snow from Scout there is nobody in the program who thinks Reynolds will be back next year. He had to sit out 2 years and is getting old for college) will be gone.

This was posted on a Xavier message board, "My nephew, who is in class with Reynolds says that Jalen plans on coming back," but we all know to take the "a friend of a friend of a friend told me," stories with a grain of salt. Personally, as a fan with no inside knowledge at all, I'd say Larry Austin Jr or Makinde London transferring is more likely than Reynolds leaving. Nobody has to leave, just my guess as to what is likely. I think (hope) the only way Jalen leaves is if Xavier gets to the final four or beyond this year (he promised to deliver one before leaving).

I could see Larry leaving for sure with Goodin coming in. If London wasn't redshirted last year I wouldn't be suprised if he left but I can't see him coming here sitting out a year playing a year then sitting out again.

[PorthosPA]

I could see Larry leaving for sure with Goodin coming in. If London wasn't redshirted last year I wouldn't be suprised if he left but I can't see him coming here sitting out a year playing a year then sitting out again.

Total brain fart on my part. Forgot about his redshirt year.

[scoscox]

Yeah, nope. And you clearly haven't "seen" Marquette play if you really think we are just one player.

So why haven't you guys won more games then with a lottery pick on your roster if you're so well balanced? Just saying, you can see where he's coming from.

[bobpp1]

Agree with the title it is way to early. As far as the friars are concerned I expect them to be even better than this year. The loss of Dunn is a major blow but the addition of four star pg Maliek White and the improvement of Kyron Cartwright should help diminish somewhat the loss of Kris. Add in Isaiah Jackson a 6-6 combo redshirt this year who probably would have started this year will help. The progression of Jalen Lindsey and the other freshmen will add more depth next year. Coach Cooley and staff are involved with a number of bigs for next year. If they land one or two of them you can bump Bentil back to the power forward position where he is the most effective. Again it is still early but it is nice to look ahead.

[marquette]

Yeah, nope. And you clearly haven't "seen" Marquette play if you really think we are just one player.

So why haven't you guys won more games then with a lottery pick on your roster if you're so well balanced? Just saying, you can see where he's coming from.

We do have something like the 4th youngest roster in D1. A single lottery pick doesn't cover up all that inexperience. We've seen some pretty brilliant flashes from several of our freshmen this season.

[gmoser1210]

7-Butler - Loses 3 rotation players, and Dunham and Jones are their #1 and #3 scorers. Not much noise about the recruiting class. It's hard to see anything but a step down, but I've learned never to totally discount the dogs.

Rivals ranks Butler's 2016 recruiting class at #22:

22. Butler Bulldogs

Commits: C Joey Brunk (No. 98), PG Kamar Baldwin (No. 115), PG Howard Washington (No. 120), SF Henry Baddley (NR)

Overview: The Bulldogs' class is a perfect example of the total being greater than any one part. None of the guys jump off the chart at you but together they make a rock solid group. Brunk is a space eater with touch, Baldwin has some juice in his legs and Washington can play either the one or two. Baddley is a big wing with a high ceiling for development.

Villanova is #25:

25. Villanova Wildcats

Commits: PF Omari Spellman (No. 22), PF Dylan Painter (NR)

Overview: Spellman is a deceptively athletic big man who pounds the glass and has range to the three-point line. Painter is a mobile big and good shot blocker who has to get stronger.

Marquette is #34:

34. Marquette Golden Eagles

Commits: SF Brendan Bailey (No. 48), SF Sam Hauser (No. 133)

Overview: The Golden Eagles have added a pair of swingmen who can really shoot the ball. Bailey has enough size to play as a stretch four and Hauser is an in-state kid who should help space the floor with his deep shooting.

[xusandy]

ESPN has Xavier with the #18 class coming in, Marquette at #31, and Nova at #33. So one group of experts (Rivals) says Butler is #22 and the other group (ESPN) doesn't rank them in the top 40, while ESPN says XU is #18 and doesn't rank Butler. And how about virtually every recruiting expert in the country having Skal Labissiere as the #1 or #2 recruit this year? He finally got his first start since November for Kentucky last week! Seems the experts have no more of a clue than me or you. Another reason that being a college bball fan is so much fun!