Depth will be huge factor for Arizona

[UAdevil]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketb ... a-virginia

1. Virginia's top two reserves will have big shoes to fill

And that's because the Cavaliers' sixth and seventh men from a year ago -- Justin Anderson and Anthony Gill -- will be inserted into the starting lineup as Tony Bennett's squad looks to defend its ACC regular-season and tournament titles.

One of the biggest reasons why Virginia was able to win 30 games a year ago and advance to the Sweet 16 was because Anderson and Gill were essentially starters even though they were used off the bench. The 6-foot-6 Anderson (7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds) is a devastating defender with long arms while Gill (8.6 points, 4.0 rebounds) is more of an enforcer type that controls things in the paint.

Where does Bennett turn in reserve with that pair set to join London Perrantes, Malcolm Brogdon and Mike Tobey in the Cavaliers' starting lineup? He'll likely begin with veterans Darion Atkins and Evan Nolte. The 6-8 Atkins is a veteran frontcourt player while Nolte is a skilled, stretch four-man who can extend the defense.

Virginia won't have as many known commodities entering this season as it did last, but it should have a starting lineup that will instantly make it one of the top teams in the ACC along with Duke, North Carolina, and Louisville. An underrated key for the Cavaliers in 2014-15? Getting mileage in reserve from freshmen Devon Hall and B.J. Stith behind Perrantes and Brogdon in the back court.

2. Arizona will be a deeper team next season than it was last

The Wildcats already have arguably the best starting five in college basketball with T.J. McConnell, Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brandon Ashley and Kaleb Tarczewski but that doesn't mean they won't have anything in reserve.

Coach Sean Miller returns a proven shooting guard in junior Gabe York, who made 57 3-point shots a year ago as a sophomore and started for Arizona down the stretch after Ashley was lost for the season with a broken foot. The Wildcats also have a bit of a hidden gem in Kadeem Allen, a 6-3 guard who was Hutchinson Community College's first ever two-time first-team JUCO All-American.

Arizona is also counting on mileage out of freshmen Parker Jackson-Cartwright, four-star power forward Craig Victor, and 7-footer Dusan Ristic, who should back up Tarczewski in the pivot. A wild card could be 6-5 sophomore Elliott Pitts, who has the ability to be a big time long-range threat. Pitts has gained 20 pounds since the end of last season according to the Wildcats' staff.

3. Jaylen Bond could be Temple's next Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson

The Owls' program has been without Hollis-Jefferson for just one season but it's more than obvious that they were lacking his intangibles during last year's 9-22 campaign. The Chester, Pa., native wasn't always the biggest frontcourt player on the floor, but his ability to guard multiple positions, rebound and make timely shots were big reasons why the Owls went to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2010-2013.

Like Hollis-Jefferson, Bond is undersized at 6-7, but he plays with a bounce to his step that's infectious. Blessed with quick feet, broad shoulders, and a desire to prove himself after spending the first two years of his college career at Texas (2.8 points, 3.2 rebounds in 2012-13), Bond is exactly the type of "Glue Guy" that Temple needs if it's to return to form next season.

The Owls have enough guys who can put the ball in the basket with Will Cummings, Jesse Morgan, and Quenton DeCosey, but Bond's potential to fill the cement in between the cracks will be vital for Fran Dunphy's team in 14-15.

4. Toledo will be of one of the better mid-major teams in the country

The Rockets did everything but win the MAC tournament last season and it says here that they more than likely will be in that same position again next March. Tod Kowalczyk's squad returns seven of its top eight scorers from last year's team that won 27 games and boasts one of the better mid-major guards in America in Julius "Juice" Brown. The 5-10 Brown (14.9 points, 6.0 assists) is the type of player who will make a higher seeded team nervous if Toledo is fortunate enough to advance to the field of 68 in March and he's joined by a quality supporting cast of Justin Drummond (14.2 points), J.D. Weatherspoon (10.6 points, 6.6 rebounds) and Nathan Boothe (9.2 points, 4.6 rebounds).

Both Drummond and Weatherspoon were fortunate to be on NCAA Tournament teams earlier in their careers at Loyola and Ohio State respectively, and that type of pedigree should help add to this team's overall demeanor.

Another player to watch for the Rockets? Sophomore guard Jon Williams. "Jon Jon," as he's nicknamed, has good size at 6-3 and is the likely candidate to start for Toledo at shooting guard in place of the departed Rian Pearson. There's plenty of chances for this team to make noise in November and December as the Rockets visit VCU, Oregon and Duke during the non-conference portion of their schedule.

5. The Preseason NIT loses some major luster by not being a bracketed event

How could it not? Part of the allure of this specific early season tournament is the fact that it normally provided a vehicle for lesser programs to play their way to Madison Square Garden during Thanksgiving week. Now thanks to some poor planning and bad scheduling, the higher seeded teams -- Gonzaga, Georgia, St. John's and Minnesota -- will all advance to the World's Famous Arena while everyone else is left getting leftovers instead of the main course.

This takes away from every other team playing in the Preseason NIT that's a mid-major or non BCS school with hopes of playing its way onto the grandest stage in the sport. Delaware was able to do just that two years ago when it won a game at Virginia and advanced to the Preseason NIT semis at MSG while VCU did it in 2011 when it beat Wake Forest in Winston-Salem.

Now schools like Saint Joseph's, Stony Brook, Western Kentucky and LIU will all zigzag the country for their games in this event instead of playing them in a traditional "pod" with the winner of that pod advancing to the Garden. Gonzaga will face Georgia and St. John's will face Minnesota on Wednesday, Nov. 26 with the winners facing two days later.

This and that

• Five-star point guard Jalen Brunson is currently visiting Villanova. The 6-1 floor general is widely considered to be the top play-maker in the Class of 2015 and will decide between the Wildcats, Temple, Michigan State, Purdue, and Illinois. Brunson will return to Philadelphia to visit Temple next weekend and has already visited Illinois.

• Two sneaky games on VCU's non-conference schedule? At Old Dominion and at Illinois State. The Rams have a bevy of stern tests before they hit Atlantic 10 play but these back-to-back road games in late November and early December aren't getting the type of ink they deserve. Both Old Dominion and Illinois State should be vastly improved from a season ago and this back-to-back road stretch is right in the middle of VCU's trip to the Legends Classic at the Barclays Center and a home game against Virginia on 12/6.

• If SMU's Yanick Moreira plays during the upcoming season the way he's playing right now for Angola in the FIBA World Cup, then the Mustangs may very well have the best baseline in college basketball. The 6-11 Moreira is averaging 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in 20.4 minutes in Angola's first five games and had 38 points and 15 rebounds in Thursday's win against Australia. Moreira only played 23 games last season due to a knee injury and averaged 6.0 points and 3.9 rebounds. He joins an SMU front court that will feature veterans Markus Kennedy and Cannen Cunningham along with lanky sophomore forward Ben Moore.

• Looking for an under-the-radar Pac-12 freshman? Try Utah's Isaiah Wright. The 6-2 point guard isn't getting the same buzz as some of the other newcomers in the Utes' program (Kyle Kuzma, Brekkott Chapman), but don't be surprised if Wright has an immediate impact in his first season of college basketball. Utah's staff loves Wright's defensive ability and will likely use him regularly as a pest to guard opposing point guards.

• Newly minted Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle isn't wasting any time making his mark in recruiting. Tinkle received commitments from three prospects this week, including his son Tres -- a Top 100 small forward in the Class of 2015. Tinkle also landed another Top 100 prospect in Stephen Thompson Jr., whose father Stevie is an assistant with the Beavers. Tinkle and Thompson join power forward Drew Eubanks and point guard Derrick Bruce in the Beavers' current 2015 class. The first thing you need to do when you take a difficult job is make your program relevant and Tinkle has done just that with this recruiting class.

[drallafi]

No chance. Miller has already shown that the 8th-12th men of the world only get 34 seconds of scrub time in a 118-66 blowout.

[Spaceman Spiff]

We essentially had zero depth after the Ashley injury last year, so 14-15 kind of wins by default.

I'm a bit more hopeful than draffili if he's serious. Miller's experience last year is something I'd like to think led him to develop more depth instead of pressing a tournament rotation from the beginning. It depends on readiness, but there's really no way that 3 or 4 reserves shouldn't be ready to contribute. Victor, Ristic, Pitts, York, Allen and PJC are all possibilities, and I'd hope that we can pull an 8 man rotation minimum out of that.

[UAtrue]

No chance. Miller has already shown that the 8th-12th men of the world only get 34 seconds of scrub time in a 118-66 blowout.

I detect some sarcasm or just funnin w/us here.

Miller said he learned his lesson last year and plans on developing the non-starters. They gotta be able to step up on short notice. Gotta believe this will happen.

[drallafi]

No chance. Miller has already shown that the 8th-12th men of the world only get 34 seconds of scrub time in a 118-66 blowout.

I detect some sarcasm or just funnin w/us here.

Miller said he learned his lesson last year and plans on developing the non-starters. They gotta be able to step up on short notice. Gotta believe this will happen.

I hope so. I love Hazzard time!

[Catstatic]

No chance. Miller has already shown that the 8th-12th men of the world only get 34 seconds of scrub time in a 118-66 blowout.

I detect some sarcasm or just funnin w/us here.

Miller said he learned his lesson last year and plans on developing the non-starters. They gotta be able to step up on short notice. Gotta believe this will happen.

I hope you are right. If our starters (particularly our bigs) can get to the final 8 minutes rested and no one in foul trouble (meaning plenty of substitutions over the first 32 minutes), I would be shocked if they wouldn't be able to close out any game against anyone and get the W. I hope Miller uses the bench early and often. This will wear opponents down while also leading to greater team chemistry and encouragement.

Greatest opponent for this group is no different than last year: fatigue and foul trouble. I REALLY hope you are right.

Go Cats!!