17-4

[huskiesnyc]

Yep, I would've signed up for it preseason. I never would've guessed we would be unranked with that record tho but it is what it is. 2 top 25 wins and 7 top 100 wins. I normally always want UConn ranked just for exposure but this year I hope we're not ranked next week. This team is peaking and will make the 2nd weekend.

 

[Tenspro2002]

The fact that we're not ranked (yet) means that the 17-4 record isn't good enough -- it doesn't mean what it used to be.

In a normal year, in the old Big East, with an OOC slate that involved a major pre-season tournament and another serious high-major or two, 17-4 would mean we were well into the top 25 and talked about nationally as a Final Four contender.

In 2011, we were 17-4 and ranked -- not only ranked, but in the top 10, by virtue of having 4 wins over ranked teams (and those 4 losses also coming exclusively against ranked teams). In fact, by Selection Sunday we had played a ranked team 15 times and won 9 times.

Our 17-4 to date includes 2 wins and 1 loss against ranked teams, and 3 losses against unranked teams. By Selection Sunday, we'll have at most 9 games against ranked teams total.

So 17-4 is decent for this year, but it's an apples and oranges comparison to 17-4 in years past.

 

[huskiesnyc]

The fact that we're not ranked (yet) means that the 17-4 record isn't good enough -- it doesn't mean what it used to be.

In a normal year, in the old Big East, with an OOC slate that involved a major pre-season tournament and another serious high-major or two, 17-4 would mean we were well into the top 25 and talked about nationally as a Final Four contender.

In 2011, we were 17-4 and ranked -- not only ranked, but in the top 10, by virtue of having 4 wins over ranked teams (and those 4 losses also coming exclusively against ranked teams). In fact, by Selection Sunday we had played a ranked team 15 times and won 9 times.

Our 17-4 to date includes 2 wins and 1 loss against ranked teams, and 3 losses against unranked teams. By Selection Sunday, we'll have at most 9 games against ranked teams total.

So 17-4 is decent for this year, but it's an apples and oranges comparison to 17-4 in years past.

Right, but it's good enough for Louisville who has the exact same record and is ranked #12 in the country? While we lost to the Ville we have a much stronger resume and our SOS is 25 points higher. Nice try.

 

[CAHUSKY]

The fact that we're not ranked (yet) means that the 17-4 record isn't good enough -- it doesn't mean what it used to be.

In a normal year, in the old Big East, with an OOC slate that involved a major pre-season tournament and another serious high-major or two, 17-4 would mean we were well into the top 25 and talked about nationally as a Final Four contender.

In 2011, we were 17-4 and ranked -- not only ranked, but in the top 10, by virtue of having 4 wins over ranked teams (and those 4 losses also coming exclusively against ranked teams). In fact, by Selection Sunday we had played a ranked team 15 times and won 9 times.

Our 17-4 to date includes 2 wins and 1 loss against ranked teams, and 3 losses against unranked teams. By Selection Sunday, we'll have at most 9 games against ranked teams total.

So 17-4 is decent for this year, but it's an apples and oranges comparison to 17-4 in years past.

We lost back to back games to start conference play with one of those being an abysmal Houston team. We win that one game and were ranked between 15-20

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Everyone will always be quick to blame the AAC, but if Indiana and Maryland were any good this year, we would be in the top 15.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Right, but it's good enough for Louisville who has the exact same record and is ranked #12 in the country? While we lost to the Ville we have a much stronger resume and our SOS is 25 points higher. Nice try.

It helps when you start ranked in the top ten

 

[alexd]

The RPI is now starting to actually become a useful number....how we've done so far:

3-1 vs. the top 50
4-2 vs. the 51-100 teams

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Right, but it's good enough for Louisville who has the exact same record and is ranked #12 in the country? While we lost to the Ville we have a much stronger resume and our SOS is 25 points higher. Nice try.

WTF are you talking about "nice try"? He is just stating a fact. What does Louisville have to do with anything?

40 point wins against the Houston's of the world are fun for the fans, but don't impress anyone. UConn needs to split its remaining Top 50 games against Cincinnati (x2), Memphis and Louisville, plus probably get to the AAC final, to have a hope of a decent seed. At 17-4, UConn's RPI ranking is only 37. SMU hosed UConn by losing to USF, because now they are going to have a tough time getting back in the top 50. UConn is 3-2 against Top 50 teams, and unless Harvard runs the table or close to it in the Ivy, they will slip out of the Top 50 which means UConn will lose that win as a Top 50 win.

 

[amory]

Everyone will always be quick to blame the AAC, but if Indiana and Maryland were any good this year, we would be in the top 15.

If Indiana and Maryland were any good this year, we probably wouldn't have beaten them. So I don't get your point.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

If Indiana and Maryland were any good this year, we probably wouldn't have beaten them. So I don't get your point.

The point is that, in most years, the non-conference resume that we put together would be considered one of the most impressive in the country. We beat some name brand teams and unfortunately all of them except Florida are having down years.

 

[metsfan2323]

This is an odd year in that many teams have great records. We are ranked where we should be ranked, but we have plenty of time to move up. Win the next game and we can find ourselves 26-4 heading into the final game against Louisville. If that came to fruition we would probably be ranked in the top 12, at least. We still have a decent shot at a 3 or 4 seed, but have to keep winning. If we miraculously won out, a 2 seed.

UMASS and Ohio State both had bad losses this week, so we will be in the top 25 next week.

 

[upstater]

If Indiana and Maryland were any good this year, we probably wouldn't have beaten them. So I don't get your point.

They may have lost to Indiana but the disappearance of that 15 point lead in 10 minutes was a result of taking their eyes off the prize, and also that ridiculous tech on Shabazz that threw the whole team's game off and also lead to Shabazz fouling out in the final minutes.

 

[msgordon]

we were ranked 26th at 16-4 and would be ranked if a poll came out today, so the whole premise of this thread is misleading anyway

 

[OkaForPrez]

Those framing this as less opportunity against top teams have it backwards. We've had just as much opportunity to get good W's. Where things are now dramatically different is the increased risk of bad losses. Funny things happen on the road in college basketball. When you are in a good conference, your road games are against solid RPI teams. In the AAC, there are far more opportunities to get bad losses on the road if you don't show up.

We got bit in Houston, and that is the singular difference between this year and last year.

 

[James]

Currently we are top five 3PT % and FT%... in the country . Also top 20 in opponent 2PT %. Our major kink to work out is stopping the opposing team from feasting on the offensive glass. if we work that out, watch out.

 

[caw]

Currently we are top five 3PT % and FT%... in country . Also top 20 in opponent 2PT %. Our major kink to work out is stopping the opposing team from feasting on the offensive glass. if we work that out, watch out.

Yep and UL aside, it's been much better since Harvard.

The kids seem to be growing. Not sure can out rebound top teams but at least out rebounding others.

 

[bmayuc]

Everyone better get used to this. In this league moving forward, we will have very elevated win % for lower rankings. Unless we have an absolute spotless record, we will tend to be underrated.

Look at it this way: If we took care of business on our trip to Houston/SMU, we would be ranked top 10. Those two performances led to a ton of doubt amongst the voters.

 

[Inyatkin]

Ranking is about timing as much as anything. In 2010-11 we won Maui, which vaulted us into the top 10, so that was our baseline for the rest of the year. At 17-2 of course we were ranked high. This year we started lower, and our bad losses were somewhat bunched together.
I still think there's an assumption that the people who vote on rankings put a lot more thought into it than they actually do. There's no look at the overall picture, it's all nudging up or down based on what you and the teams ranked around you did that week.

 

[OkaForPrez]

BTW - we are 19th in the CBS sports top 25 and 1...

 

[upstater]

Umass has a few bad losses recently. I wonder how it will impact them. Although UMass has decent wins over Clemson and BYU and Providence, it has nothing on its resume in terms of beating a ranked team like Florida or Memphis.

So, UMass has as many bad losses, but no big wins.

I wonder who will be ranked ahead, UConn or UMass.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It's a strange year with Wichita State and SDSU holding top ten spots, and unlikely to lose them in conference play. There are a ton of teams with four losses ahead of us. Some like KU, have played monster schedules, others, not so much. I'd be surprised if Memphis stays ranked, unless they can beat Louisville again and beat Gonzaga. I don't think Iowa has done much but lose to a bunch of ranked team (yes, they beat Ohio State, which has fallen a ton since). UMass is on the way down.

There is a lot of movement in the rankings among the P5 teams, who keep beating each other.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

In basketball, the AP and ESPN rankings really don't mean squat. The RPI rankings matter, but the voters are basically irrelevant. This is not like football where coaches can politic their team to a better bowl by swaying voters. If UConn is 17-4 and is ranked #10 or #30, it won't impact UConn's seeding. The Selection Committee jumps teams up or down seedings relative to rankings all the time.

It is fun to be ranked, but the more important numbers are good wins and bad losses. UConn probably has 5 or 6 games against Top 50 competition left to get good wins, and UConn has to avoid any bad losses, which means UConn has to run the table against the rest of the schedule. That is all that matters between now and Selection Sunday.

 

[EricLA]

The fact that we're not ranked (yet) means that the 17-4 record isn't good enough -- it doesn't mean what it used to be.

FWIW I mostly agree, but UCONN was hammered for their losses that occurred relatively close in succession. The first loss to unranked Stanford. then 10 days later, back to back losses to unranked SMU and Houston. Any momentum we gained by winning the next 3 in a row, including one over a ranked Memphis team, was derailed by the loss to L'ville. I'm betting we'd be about #20-22 next week if our next game wasn't most likely a loss to #13 Cinci. Then again, beat Cinci and I think we jump to about #18. Just guesses - not sure what other teams have done directly in front of us, but that's generally how you move up or down at this point...

 

[jleves]

Right, but it's good enough for Louisville who has the exact same record and is ranked #12 in the country? While we lost to the Ville we have a much stronger resume and our SOS is 25 points higher. Nice try.

Not sure where you're getting your stats but our RPI is 35, Villes is 38. Our SOS is 75, there's is 72 (not 25 points lower). While we are better (2-0 vs 0-3) against top 25, they have a much better record against 26-50 (us:0-3, Ville: 3-1). Pretty much a wash overall, and does in fact support the argument that it's ridiculous that they are ranked 12 spots above us, but our resume is not much stronger. I can give you a shade stronger.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Not sure where you're getting your stats but our RPI is 35, Villes is 38. Our SOS is 75, there's is 72 (not 25 points lower). While we are better (2-0 vs 0-3) against top 25, they have a much better record against 26-50 (us:0-3, Ville: 3-1). Pretty much a wash overall, and does in fact support the argument that it's ridiculous that they are ranked 12 spots above us, but our resume is not much stronger. I can give you a shade stronger.

Yesterday when I posted this their SOS was 85 and ours was 60. They played top 20 team yesterday and we played a team ranked around 160, so that explains our drop and their rise in SOS.