247Sports projects Bama #4, UConn #5

[JAdams4Reel]

Dick Vital has UConn as #1

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Watching Oregon State - Texas A&M (inertia more than interest).

At halftime, both Seth Greenberg and Laphonso Ellis placed UConn at number 1. Within the second half, the color guy said UConn was number 1, and the play-by-play guy had no disagreement.

I'm enjoying how many people have written & talked about Alabama coming back from down 15 on the road against Houston, which is impressive.

Consider that Alabama was down 33-18 (yep, 15 points) against UConn and held the Huskies to only 2 free throws in the final 4+ minutes to go into halftime down only 35-30.

Alabama completed the comeback to tie the game 44-44 at the 13+ minute mark, and then at 46-46, 50-50, and 52-52 at 8:55. Very impressive.

I haven't read or heard anywhere in the media explanation of how Alabama's 15-point comeback against Houston is more impressive than its doing the same thing against UConn. Perhaps it's because UConn responded to Alabama's comeback by closing out the game 30-15, for an 82-67 victory.

Yes, an impressive 15-point margin.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Someone here yesterday suggested that Alabama would be ranked ahead of UConn in the next AP poll. The suggestion was rightly ridiculed, given that UConn defeated Alabama by 15 points just two weeks ago on a neutral court.

But here it is, fresh from 247Sports, tomorrow's "projected" AP poll rankings: (Google "247sports AP Poll" and click "News" )

1. Purdue
2. Houston
3. Virginia
4. Alabama
5. UConn

Says 247Sports,
"UConn, at least early, looks like a team that will advance deep into March."

I'm hearing whispers that UConn might crack the Top 5 on tomorrow's Seth Davis ballot.

 

[Deadrody]

Someone here yesterday suggested that Alabama would be ranked ahead of UConn in the next AP poll. The suggestion was rightly ridiculed, given that UConn defeated Alabama by 15 points just two weeks ago on a neutral court.

But here it is, fresh from 247Sports, tomorrow's "projected" AP poll rankings: (Google "247sports AP Poll" and click "News" )

1. Purdue
2. Houston
3. Virginia
4. Alabama
5. UConn

Says 247Sports,
"UConn, at least early, looks like a team that will advance deep into March."

That's insane. We're currently ahead of them AND we beat them, handily, head to head. Anyone who would rank them ahead of us has no business even having a vote.

 

[Greg]

Wait. So someone suggests UConn would be ranked ahead of Alabama in the AP poll, some internet sports writer says it won't and you think those two things contradict each other? Or you interpret "we will be ranked ahead of Alabama" as identical to "100% of people will expect us to be ranked ahead of Alabama?"

Don't worry about rankings. If you are in the top 10 you are a really good team. All thst matters at this point is how deep this team goes in March. At the rate they are playing a 1 seed or at least a 2 is a very real probability.

 

[Balker]

Don't worry about rankings. If you are in the top 10 you are a really good team. All thst matters at this point is how deep this team goes in March. At the rate they are playing a 1 seed or at least a 2 is a very real probability.

I get what we’re trying to say when we say this, but it’s nonsense. Rankings matter a lot in college basketball. UConn being number one (not just top ten) is huge for ticket sales, reputation, recruiting, seeding perception… the reason we aren’t ranked number one right now is because we’re still climbing out of a hole we dug ourselves.

We have not been perceived by college basketball media to be the best team in the country since 2009. It absolutely matters.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

 

[Scrutiner]

Watching Oregon State - Texas A&M (inertia more than interest).

At halftime, both Seth Greenberg and Laphonso Ellis placed UConn at number 1. Within the second half, the color guy said UConn was number 1, and the play-by-play guy had no disagreement.

I'm enjoying how many people have written & talked about Alabama coming back from down 15 on the road against Houston, which is impressive.

Consider that Alabama was down 33-18 (yep, 15 points) against UConn and held the Huskies to only 2 free throws in the final 4+ minutes to go into halftime down only 35-30.

Alabama completed the comeback to tie the game 44-44 at the 13+ minute mark, and then at 46-46, 50-50, and 52-52 at 8:55. Very impressive.

I haven't read or heard anywhere in the media explanation of how Alabama's 15-point comeback against Houston is more impressive than its doing the same thing against UConn. Perhaps it's because UConn responded to Alabama's comeback by closing out the game 30-15, for an 82-67 victory.

Yes, an impressive 15-point margin.

You won't read anywhere about Houston's schedule either.
Won at Oregon by 10 and at home over both Kent State and St. Mary's by 5. Yes, 5 to those powerhouses, at home. For those moaning about our schedule, check those of the teams rated higher than UConn.

I could see a team that's won some championships and has played a difficult schedule being ranked #1, but Houston doesn't qualify on either count.

My analogy for how these polls make their choices is cell phone providers. How many people could cut their bills significantly by changing to one of the resellers but won't because they've always been with whoever? Same with the polls and we're the reseller they won't choose.

 

[Austin316]

CBS already has us 3 behind Purdue and Virginia with Bama 4

College basketball rankings: Purdue jumps to No. 1 in Top 25 And 1 after Alabama beats top-ranked Houston

The Boilermakers are the new No. 1 team in the Top 25 And 1 after the Crimson Tide upset the Cougars

www.cbssports.com

Yep… but also…

20. Maquette
24. Xavier

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Seth Davis released his poll
1. Purdue
2. Virginia
3. UConn
4. Alabama

 

[CTBasketball]

It is kind of hard to jump Purdue and Virginia when neither of them have lost yet. AP Poll is not very metrics oriented, and 90% of the voters don’t watch our games.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

It is kind of hard to jump Purdue and Virginia when neither of them have lost yet. AP Poll is not very metrics oriented, and 90% of the voters don’t watch our games.

I think we may see enough first place votes to jump to #2. But the casual voters will probably keep us from #1.

 

[Kembacity]

I get what we’re trying to say when we say this, but it’s nonsense. Rankings matter a lot in college basketball. UConn being number one (not just top ten) is huge for ticket sales, reputation, recruiting, seeding perception… the reason we aren’t ranked number one right now is because we’re still climbing out of a hole we dug ourselves.

We have not been perceived by college basketball media to be the best team in the country since 2009. It absolutely matters.

This isn’t a subject worth fighting about at all, and I say that to say clearly that I’m not arguing with you, but I don’t think #1 means to us what it does to other programs. Being top 3 or 5 and talked about as a legit title contender is all we needed, and all other teams with heritage and history need to signal to the basketball community, fans, and recruits that we’re back.

If we were Butler, Purdue, Alabama, Arkansas, then it means something more. We have titles, we track our success in titles and final fours. We are already back, have a top class incoming next season, so clearly the kids out there know we’re legit.

I personally am not going to get at all upset if we aren’t #1, because the rankings always work by if you don’t lose you generally keep your spot, so by those rules we shouldn’t leapfrog up to #1. And lastly, I want us to hang at #2-3 for a bit so Hurley can still find a way to tell these kids the world is overlooking us. I don’t want that pressure of keeping #1 for the kids.

But more importantly, how are we supposed to wait an entire week for another game?!?!?!

 

[Huskybass]

I don't care where UConn is ranked. Our backup freshman center just went off for 21 and 11 in 15 minutes and our average margin of victory is over 20 points. This team is deep and dominant. I like our chances against anybody.

 

[navery12]

This isn’t a subject worth fighting about at all, and I say that to say clearly that I’m not arguing with you, but I don’t think #1 means to us what it does to other programs. Being top 3 or 5 and talked about as a legit title contender is all we needed, and all other teams with heritage and history need to signal to the basketball community, fans, and recruits that we’re back.

If we were Butler, Purdue, Alabama, Arkansas, then it means something more. We have titles, we track our success in titles and final fours. We are already back, have a top class incoming next season, so clearly the kids out there know we’re legit.

I personally am not going to get at all upset if we aren’t #1, because the rankings always work by if you don’t lose you generally keep your spot, so by those rules we shouldn’t leapfrog up to #1. And lastly, I want us to hang at #2-3 for a bit so Hurley can still find a way to tell these kids the world is overlooking us. I don’t want that pressure of keeping #1 for the kids.

But more importantly, how are we supposed to wait an entire week for another game?!?!?!

Maybe as a fan it doesn't mean much to you, but these players were 5-8 years old the last time UConn was #1 and it will absolutely validate all the hard work they're putting in

 

[August_West]

If we were already ahead of Purdue and Virginia and the situations were reversed, all of us undefeated, and none of us lost that week, would you be OK with one of them jumping us to #1?

I wouldn't be OK with it, Id be pissed. We will be #1 when teams ahead of us lose and we win.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

If we were already ahead of Purdue and Virginia and the situations were reversed, all of us undefeated, and none of us lost that week, would you be OK with one of them jumping us to #1?

I wouldn't be OK with it, Id be pissed. We will be #1 when teams ahead of us lose and we win.

Strangely, I’ve seen quite a few UVA and Purdue fans that think UConn should be number 1, largely due to the recent very weak wins by the two teams. But agreed, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to keep them ahead of UConn given the context.

 

[August_West]

Maybe as a fan it doesn't mean much to you, but these players were 5-8 years old the last time UConn was #1 and it will absolutely validate all the hard work they're putting in

From what Im hearing out of players quotes is that they know there is work to be done and have many goals set for this season , I’ve heard BE regular season as a goal , and BET title as a goal. #1 is not their focus. Nobody hates being number 1 and when we are it will be a nice achievement for them. It doesn’t have to be this week.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Some likely AP Voter logic:

"Virginia & Purdue squeaking out wins shows that they can win the close ones!!!"... [but ignore they were vs. mediocre competition]

"UConn have only won in blowouts...they need to show us they can win a close game!" ... [but ignore that we've also smoked 5 teams ranked in the KenPom Top 55]

It is what it is...We should be ranked #1 in polls, but I'll take KenPom #1 over the polls. We'll likely be #3 this week.

If you had told me at the start of this season that we'd be ranked Top 5 at this point, I'd have said you were crazy...and I'm about as big of an optimistic UConn homer as it gets!

 

[HuskyHawk]

From what Im hearing out of players quotes is that they know there is work to be done and have many goals set for this season , I’ve heard BE regular season as a goal , and BET title as a goal. #1 is not their focus. Nobody hates being number 1 and when we are it will be a nice achievement for them. It doesn’t have to be this week.

Agreed. Just get better and keep winning. Forget LIU, they won't see a team that bad until next year, if then. As for rankings, when you're in the top ten it doesn't matter. We want people talking about UConn, and they are.

 

[gtcam]

It's nice being ranked #1 during the season but it is also a curse and a huge target.
To me, it only matters being #1 is after that final MCBB game in April.

 

[Deadrody]

Plus, you have to keep in mind the rules of idiot monkey poll voters. Teams that lose, move down, teams that win move up. If team A is ahead of team B and both win, the order doesn't change. Also, among top tier teams, you rank them based on losses. Teams with none, first, teams with one loss, next. Go look. There are very few deviations from these simple rules for dummies. You have to get all the way down to #15 before they deviate. Gonzaga has 3 losses, but is ahead of a few teams with 1, 2, or none.

 

[tzznandrew]

It's nice being ranked #1 during the season but it is also a curse and a huge target.
To me, it only matters being #1 is after that final MCBB game in April.

I think it's good to test yourself with that target. says a lot about the team.