ESPN experts weigh in on 2012-2013 men’s college basketball season
Seventeen ESPN “experts” came together to make a slew of predictions for the 2012-2013 men’s college basketball season. Analysts ranging from Jay Bilas, to Fran Fraschilla, to Chad Ford weighed in with their predictions on picks for conference titles, player of the year awards, sleeper teams, the Final Four and the national title game. Kentucky found its way on to a healthy number of the lists.
SEC champion: 11 out of the 17 experts picked Kentucky to win the SEC. 4 out of the 17 experts picked Florida, while 2 picked Missouri.
National Player of the Year: 13 out of the 17 experts selected Indiana sophomore Cody Zeller to win the National Player of the Year Race. Doug McDermott of Creighton made 3 ballots, while Jeff Withey of Kansas made 1.
Sleeper Team: A couple of SEC teams such as Tennessee and Missouri were selected as sleeper picks for the upcoming season.
Final Four Predictions:
Stephen Bardo: Florida, Kansas, Ohio State, UNLV.
Jay Bilas: Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville.
Eamonn Brennan: Gonzaga, Indiana, Kentucky, Syracuse.
Chad Ford: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, UCLA.
Fran Fraschilla: Indiana, Louisville, Kansas, Missouri.
John Gasaway: Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse.
Seth Greenberg: Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State.
Andy Katz: Florida, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State.
Jason King: Indiana, Louisville, Missouri, UCLA.
Joe Lunardi: Florida, Gonzaga, Louisville, Michigan.
Myron Medcalf: Florida, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan.
Dana O’Neill: Indiana, Louisville, Michigan State, UNLV.
Robbi Pickeral: Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State.
Bruce Pearl: Arizona, Florida, Louisville, Indiana.
Miles Simon: Arizona, Indiana, Louisville, Ohio State.
Dick Vitale: Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State.
Jay Williams: Indiana, Louisville, Michigan, Syracuse (though somehow he picked Louisville over Kentucky in the national championship game)
Bruce Pearl also made his “bold prediction” for the 2012-2013 season about Kentucky. Pearl seems to think that Calipari’s home winning streak at Rupp, which is also part of the current longest home game win streak in the nation is in jeopardy:
23 Comments for ESPN experts weigh in on 2012-2013 men’s college basketball season
No one cares… yet again…
We want #Petrino2UK news
Pearl’s prolly right, but who cares. As long as we’re playing well in March, I’m good.
Around the horn just discussed Petrino to Kentucky. All but one agreed UK should pass.
Screw Bruce “pearl necklace”. He never did beat Cal.Fat bastard.
Really #4? “pearl necklace” is your nickname for him. Creative
Hire Petrino, he did nothing compared to the guy who is coaching at UL!
Mitch Barnhart get a backbone if you want to be a great AD! You have already taken care of Mens basketball and Ladies basketball, now do the same for football!
The only thing Bruce Pearl should be predicting is the number of on-air screw ups that ESPN will allow before they give him the boot.
Hire Petrino before Auburn gets him!
#3…. yeah listen to the same idiots who took USC to win the natty this year in football..
As if these “experts” know what is best for Kentucky football… please
Embrace the Hate!
These guys are funny. Miles simon picking Arizona a real shocker… Pearl picking UK to lose TWO at home is envy because he cherished his “referee assisted” wins in knoxville. Just jealous pearlyman.
And anybody picking Whitey as a player of the year candidate does not realize just how dominate nerlens noel will be on defense. They obviously picked him for his defensive ability. I disagree that anyone will be better defensively than Noel.
All most people see is how young UK is. They don’t realize that coach Cal is a defensive mastermind. It does not matter how young you are as long as you play lock down defense a championship and most definitely a final four is in reach. I wish I could get paid to give my biased opinions like I know what I am talking about. Lol
By the time SEC play comes around, we will be good enough to not lose at home. Baylor is the scariest game as far as losing at home, I think.
No one is watching the reporters you cite. Everyone is watching the constant stream of media, espn and otherwise, who have talked non stop all day about Petrino interested in UK. Make it
happen Mitch. Get those season ticket buyers back! Don’t raise basketball ticket prices to cover your shortfall.
I actually agree with Bruce’s bold prediction
Pearl, is and has always been a mouth even when he was a Division II coach here at USI! If he had a brain he would try to take it out and play with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like this. I love it when people don’t pick us. Makes it even more fun when Cal piles up the W’s.
Isnt Stephen Bardo from KY?
Bruce Pearl; mindfully, correct.
Bilas; J. Recently misguided…Final 4 prediction.
Young, fresh CATs: @ RUPP – this season, a loss or three.
Vegas Squads-makers favor the home losses – and lack of final 4.
Driver 8 is done; the field’s, divided, 1×1.
I for one will be very upset if we drop a game at home.
Bruce….loose one or maybe two on their home floor this year?? So? It won’t matter, just look up and see #9 hanging, Cal’s home court record won’t seem to be such a big deal then.
….anyone that wants Petrino to UK is a MORON. PLEASE let Auburn be dumb enough to hire that trainwreck!! he can abuse staff and players somewhere else!!
Yeah, and the “experts” said we were going to lose at home last year too! Haters don’t get it…we win, that is all we do!
Since when is bruce pearl a basketball expert?