Michigan basketball ranked No. 6 in Sporting News' preseason Top 25 poll
Add Sporting News writer Mike DeCourcy to the growing list of national pundits who have Tim Hardaway Jr. and Michigan as a top 10 squad in 2012-13.
Chris Asadian | AnnArbor.com
Add another national publication to the Michigan basketball 2012-13 bandwagon.
The Sporting News released its 2012-13 preseason Top 25 poll on Tuesday, and gave high marks to the Wolverines, ranking them No. 6 overall.
But for Michigan to keep its spot, Sporting News writer Mike DeCourcy says plenty rests on the shoulders of Tim Hardaway Jr.
"Small forward Tim Hardaway Jr. had a nice sophomore season, but he must be more mature and efficient -- he attempted 187 3-pointers, though he made just 28.3 percent -- for the Wolverines to sustain a top-10 ranking," DeCourcy wrote.
Michigan is one of three clubs from the Big Ten ranked in DeCourcy's top 10. Indiana leads the way at No. 1, while Ohio State is close behind at No. 4.
Wisconsin is rated No. 17 and Michigan State sits at No. 22.
As far as the Wolverines go, DeCourcy isn't the only national writer to heap high early praise on next season's squad.
ESPN's Dick Vitale, ESPN's Andy Katz and CBS' Jeff Goodman all put Michigan at No. 5 on their early ranking lists.
Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn slots Michigan at No. 9, while Yahoo!'s Mike Huguenin has the Wolverines at No. 6.
One national pundit, CBS' Jon Rothstein, disagrees with Michigan's top 10 ranking for next season, ranking the Wolverines at No. 16.
Though it seems he's just slightly confused about one crucial detail.
"John Beilein was the happiest coach in America when he got the word that point guard Trey Burke opted to return to East Lansing for his sophomore season," Rothstein wrote. "Burke’s return makes the Wolverines a contender for the Big Ten title but I’m not ready to anoint them a national contender just yet."
Obviously, Burke will be returning to Ann Arbor next season -- not East Lansing.
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Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
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