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Preseason picks change, everyone likes Buddy Hield now

Men's College Basketball

Preseason picks rarely ever go right. Back in October, we asked our experts to go out on a limb, to predict the Final Four, national champion, player of the year and coach of the year. Then the chaos happened.

So it seemed fair to give them all another shot -- a mulligan, really. With a little more than a month left before Selection Sunday and the start of the NCAA tournament, this was their chance to try again. Some stuck to their preseason picks. Some made small tweaks. Some wiped the board and started all over.


Corey Alexander
Right now

Final Four: Oklahoma, Kansas, Virginia, North Carolina
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year: Jay Wright, Villanova

Before the season started

Final Four: North Carolina, Kansas, Virginia, Cal
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia
Coach of the year: Jay Wright, Villanova


Paul Biancardi
Right now

Final Four: North Carolina, Kansas, Villanova, Oklahoma
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Mark Turgeon, Maryland

Before the season started

Final Four: North Carolina, Kansas, Villanova, Wichita State
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Mark Turgeon, Maryland


Jay Bilas
Right now

Final Four: Maryland, Villanova, North Carolina, Oklahoma
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year: Chris Mack, Xavier

Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Coach of the year: Bill Self, Kansas


Jeff Borzello
Right now

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon, Xavier
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year: Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Kansas, Wichita State
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year: Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt


Adrian Branch
Right now

Final Four: Maryland, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year: Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Virginia
National champion: Virginia
Player of the year: Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Coach of the year: Mark Turgeon, Maryland


Eamonn Brennan
Right now

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Oklahoma
National champion: Virginia
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year: Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Oklahoma
National champion: Virginia
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year: Sean Miller, Arizona


C.L. Brown
Right now

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Xavier
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year: Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Kansas, California
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Kris Dunn, Providence
Coach of the year: Mark Turgeon, Maryland


Dan Dakich
Right now

Final Four: Kansas, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan State
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year: Chris Mack, Xavier
Before the season started

Final Four: North Carolina, Michigan State, Duke, Kentucky
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Coach of the year: John Beilein, Michigan


LaPhonso Ellis

Right now
Final Four: Maryland, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan State
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Coach of the year: Bill Self, Kansas
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, Kansas, Gonzaga, Duke
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
Coach of the year: Bill Self, Kansas


Sean Farnham
Right now

Final Four: Oklahoma, Villanova, Oregon, Maryland
National champion: Oklahoma
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Dana Altman, Oregon
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year: Lon Kruger, Oklahoma


Adam Finkelstein
Right now

Final Four: North Carolina, Kansas, Villanova, Michigan State
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Kris Dunn, Providence
Coach of the year:  Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
Before the season started

Final Four: North Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, Villanova
National champion: Virginia
Player of the year: Kris Dunn, Providence
Coach of the year: Roy Williams, North Carolina


Daymeon Fishback
Right now

Final Four: North Carolina, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Maryland
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt
Before the season started

Final Four: North Carolina, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Maryland
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt


Fran Fraschilla
Right now

Final Four: Michigan State, Kansas, Virginia, Villanova
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Michigan State, Kansas, Virginia, Villanova
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Mark Few, Gonzaga


John Gasaway
Right now

Final Four: Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, Iowa
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Bill Self, Kansas
Before the season started

Final Four: Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, Wichita State
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Coach of the year:  Bill Self, Kansas


Dino Gaudio
Right now

Final Four: Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Michigan State
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Chris Mack, Xavier
Before the season started

Final Four: Kansas, Maryland, Purdue, North Carolina
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt


Jeff Goodman
Right now

Final Four: Michigan State, Maryland, Kansas, Wichita State
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Chris Mack, Xavier
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Michigan State, Cal
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Leon Rice, Boise State


Seth Greenberg
Right now

Final Four: Michigan State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Maryland
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
Before the season started

Final Four: Michigan State, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Utah
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Coach of the year:  Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt


Sean Harrington
Right now

Final Four: Michigan State, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Maryland
National champion: Oklahoma
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan State, Oklahoma
National champion: Kentucky
Player of the year: Georges Niang, Iowa State
Coach of the year:  Tom Izzo, Michigan State


Andy Katz
Right now

Final Four: Oklahoma, Maryland, Kansas, Michigan State
National champion: Oklahoma
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
Before the season started

Final Four: Kansas, North Carolina, Michigan State, Cal
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Ben Simmons, LSU
Coach of the year:  Bill Self, Kansas


Joe Lunardi
Right now

Final Four: Michigan State, Oklahoma, Virginia, Oregon
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Dana Altman, Oregon
Before the season started

Final Four: Kansas, Kentucky, Gonzaga, Indiana
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Melo Trimble, Maryland
Coach of the year: Bill Self, Kansas


Bryndon Manzer
Right now

Final Four: Maryland, Virginia, Wichita State, Kansas
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, Virginia, Wichita State, Kansas
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Kris Dunn, Providence
Coach of the year:  Bill Self, Kansas


Myron Medcalf
Right now

Final Four: North Carolina, Maryland, Kansas, Oklahoma
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Chris Mack, Xavier
Before the season started

Final Four: Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, Kansas
National champion: Kansas
Player of the year: Kris Dunn, Providence
Coach of the year:  Billy Kennedy, Texas A&M


Dana O'Neil
Right now

Final Four: Oklahoma, Michigan State, Wichita State, North Carolina
National champion: Michigan State
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: North Carolina, Wichita State, Oklahoma, Duke
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Coach of the year:  Lon Kruger, Oklahoma


Craig Robinson
Right now

Final Four: Oklahoma, Maryland, Michigan State, Villanova
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, Wichita State, Kentucky, Michigan State
National champion: Maryland
Player of the year: Melo Trimble, Maryland
Coach of the year:  Cuonzo Martin, Cal


Reggie Rankin
Right now

Final Four: Kansas, Oklahoma, Maryland, Virginia
National champion: Oklahoma
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
Before the season started

Final Four: Kentucky, Maryland, Kansas, Virginia
National champion: Kentucky
Player of the year: Melo Trimble, Maryland
Coach of the year:  Mark Turgeon, Maryland


Miles Simon
Right now

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Iowa
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Fran McCaffery, Iowa
Before the season started

Final Four: Maryland, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Coach of the year:  Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt


Dick Vitale
Right now

Final Four: North Carolina, Xavier, Oklahoma, Michigan State
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
Coach of the year:  Lon Kruger, Oklahoma
Before the season started

Final Four: North Carolina, Maryland, Kentucky, Duke
National champion: North Carolina
Player of the year: Melo Trimble, Maryland
Coach of the year:  Mark Turgeon, Maryland

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