The Ultimate Buffaloes Basketball Roundtable Preview, Part One

Parker and I both participated in the AllBuffs basketball preview roundtable again this year with other Buffs aficionados from different locations all over the world wide web. To say this is a robust preview would be an understatement. Check out a sample here and then head over to AllBuffs to read the rest...

What's your crazy prediction for the team this season?

RumblinBuff: We win in Lawrence. I said it, COME AT ME BRO!
PacHoops: Josh Scott fulfills expectations; Roberson slides into this cool 3-4 hybrid position and evolves as a scorer, lessening the pressure on both Dinwiddie and Booker to be dynamic scorers capable of going off at any time. This balanced floor gives way to a second place finish and five seed in the NCAA tournament when Scott really blows up and the Buffs find their way to an elite eight before bowing out to Indiana.
Buffnik: Ranked in the Top 25 at the end of the regular season, deep run in the Pac-12 tourney, and finishing with a spot in the Sweet 16.
Baruh: Depends on the definition of crazy. I don't think the Buffaloes winning the Pac-12 is crazy; it's unexpected, but I wouldn't go as far as crazy. My crazy prediction for this year is Andre Roberson being a Second Team All-American. Roberson was second in the NCAA last year in defensive rebounding and averaged a double-double last season. This year, he'll have Josh Scott and Xavier Johnson to help him with the rebounding, so he can increase his scoring load. Dre finishes the season averaging 20 PPG and 10 RPG.
Woods: This is the year the nation REALLY takes notice. I do think the Buffs will make the tournament this year and I think the increased notoriety of the program means that people won't be quick to dismiss the progress. The improvement in the conference and the addition of so many marquee names means the Pac-12 won't be ignored... and neither will the Buffs.
Ziskin: Personally, I don't think this is crazy, but Buffs faithful like to have high expectations and I tend to come in with less optimism. Right now, I've got the Buffs going 8-4 in the non-conference slate, and 11-7 in Pac12 play, so a total of 19-11 for the regular season. Likely, that's going to place us 4th-5th in the Pac12 standings, which appears to be lower than most Buffs fans expectations. On the bright side, our RPI picture should be much prettier this year, so it's not out of the question that with a Pac12 win or two, we could once again sneak into the NCAA Tournament picture.
Whelan: At this point, I think the crazy thing would for me to say this team might under achieve. There is a lot of talk about an NCAA berth already, maybe even a repeat as conference champions. What about the flip side? I see five games in the non-conference that are pretty close to 50-50 type games. Winning at Kansas is less than a 20% chance, even the best teams in the country can't do that very often. I think the Buffs very well could finish better, much better, than this prediction. I say they go 18-12 with five losses in the non-conference. Since I have to make something crazy, I'll go with losses to Dayton, Colorado State, Wyoming, Kansas and...jeez, Boston College. Not sure even I buy what I'm selling here but I'll go ahead and dodge the bullets now.
JGIsland: CU destroys Wofford, get revenge against Baylor and win the Charleston classic. Go into Lawrence on December 8th and pull out a hard fought W, and on December 9th the Buffs get into the top-25. Follow that up by going 14-4 in conference play, win the regular season title, win the conf-tourney and get a 4 seed in the tourney. Dare to dream Buff fans.
Goose: Those of you who have access to Barzil already know this - but my crazy prediction is that The Mayor explodes and we have two early entry first round draft picks in the NBA Draft this summer between him and Dre.

Read the rest here...