NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early Big 5 power rankings for 2019-20

By Pan Karalis | Apr 22, 2019

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 11: Jermaine Samuels #23 of the Villanova Wildcats drives to the basket against Michael Wang #23 of the Pennsylvania Quakers in the first half at The Palestra on December 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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DAYTON, OHIO – MARCH 19: Quinton Rose #1 and Nate Pierre-Louis #15 of the Temple Owls react during the second half against the Belmont Bruins in the First Four of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 19, 2019 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

#2 – Temple

It’s easy to think Temple might take a step back from the NCAA Tournament team they put on the floor last season; leading scorer, all-AAC Shizz Alston is gone, leading rebounder and veteran leader Ernest Aflakpui is gone, and new coach Aaron McKie had never been a head coach at any level before taking over the Temple job from Fran Dunphy in March. Just like last season, there are plenty of question marks surrounding next year’s Temple team, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from getting excited not only about the long-term future under McKie, but also for what next season might hold for his Owls.

What Temple does bring to the court next year is a ton of experience, scoring, and a core of rising juniors that could dominate the American next year. Quinton Rose, one of the most athletic and dynamic players in the city, returns for his senior season. Nate Pierre-Louis, one of those rising-juniors, is one of the best two-way guards you’re going to find anywhere, locking down opponents’ top scorers on a nightly basis on top of averaging double-digit point totals and gobbling up almost six boards a game from the backcourt. And on top of other returners expected to play significant minutes for Temple, including Justyn Hamilton, JP Moorman, and Alani Moore, the Owls add transfer Monty Scott, who averaged over 17 a game in his last year at Kennesaw State, and Nate Pierre-Louis’ younger brother, freshman Josh.

No one really knows how good Temple can be this year. They’re certainly not your slam-dunk AAC title contender given their losses, but with the talent and energy swelling the program right now, I think anything short of a conference championship or tournament appearance would be considered a huge failure in McKie’s first year. And although it’s tough to pick them right now over Villanova, it’s easy to imagine a scenario in which Temple is the favorite heading into what will probably be a massive game against the Wildcats at Liacouras Center this coming season.

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