Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball: Updated way-too-early top 25 rankings for 2021-22 season

By Cody Mitchell

Apr 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Fans roam Georgia Street before the national championship game of the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 5, 2021, in downtown Indianapolis. Mandatory Credit: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Fans roam Georgia Street before the national championship game of the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 5, 2021, in downtown Indianapolis. Mandatory Credit: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball Buddy Boeheim Syracuse Orange (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball Buddy Boeheim Syracuse Orange (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

22. Syracuse Orange

Projected Starting Five:

G Joe Girard
G Buddy Boeheim
G Benny Williams
F Cole Swider
C Bourama Sidibe

I have the Orange sitting at 22 but would it surprised me if they end up unranked, get a 12 seed, and then find themselves in the Elite 8? Not at all.

Going into 2021-2022, Cuse should have super high expectations. Welcome to the Buddy Boeheim show. The Orange are going to live and die by his success. Last year they were just 3-6 whenever he scored under 15 points. I expect something similar. Boeheim really has a chance to show NBA scouts that he can play at the next level. I expect to see his name on one of the first two All-ACC teams when the season concludes.

Joe Giard is the perfect complement to Boeheim. A pass-first true point guard who creates space for him being a three-point threat himself. Cole Swider comes transfers over after three seasons with Villanova. Coming off the bench he averaged a smidge over five points a night. Most of his contributions were felt more on the defensive end.

Jim Boeheim’s other son, Jimmy, is transferring from Cornell to play under his dad for his final year of college. Averaging 16.7 points per game at Cornell, nobody really knows what his role with be with the Orange.

If he can step outside and knock down a couple of threes a night I am sure his dad will be satisfied. I can see the Orange cracking the top 15 as the season goes on but as I referenced earlier, it wouldn’t surprise me to see them as a double-digit Elite 8 team either.

21. Auburn Tigers

Projected Starting Five:

G Zep Jasper
G Allen Flanigan
F Jaylin Williams
F Jabari Smith
C Walker Kessler

After a self-imposed postseason ban last year, the Tigers reload for what should be a much improved Auburn team. Jabari Smith, ESPN’s 5th rated recruit, will be leading the charge. The 6’10 big man is an elite post scorer and can guard a variety of positions on the court.

Walker Kessler comes over from North Carolina, the former five-star recruit was in and out of the lineup last year to contact tracing but was highly productive when he saw constant minutes. Wendell Green and Zep Jasper will give the Tigers some outside scoring after flourishing in Mid Major conferences.

This team could end up way higher on the list if top return scorer Jaylin Williams continues to develop into an All-SEC caliber player like so many of Pearl’s past players do in their third and fourth years on campus.

20. Tennessee Volunteers

Projected Starting Five:

G Kennedy Chandler
G Santiago Vescovi
G Victor Bailey
G Josiah-Jordan James
C John Fulkerson

For starters, without Kennedy Chandler reclassifying into the 2021 class I am not sure if Tennessee is getting one of my votes. Chandler will jolt this Volunteer offense and be one of the highest usage players on the team. Victor Bailey is the perfect complement to Chandler, as a secondary scoring option last season he gave the team a little over 10 points a night. Jordan-James and Fulkerson will be asked to take an advanced role as well as both were starters but were never really the primary options.

Sharing the ball wasn’t an issue last year being the top teams when it came to assists in the SEC, and with another play making guard the success should carry over into 2021-2022.

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