AP Poll: UConn #18

[upstater]

http://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll

Only Wisconsin jumped over UConn this week.

North Carolina and Marquette are still ranked.

 

[SirHypeAlot]

figured we would move up a little more than 1 spot. I guess Maryland really is that bad this year...

 

[upstater]

UConn will just have to beat BC, Indiana and Florida to prove their worth.

 

[Marat]

UConn will just have to beat BC, Indiana and Florida to prove their worth.

Yeah, just keep on winning and everything will fall into place.

 

[upstater]

UConn is also ranked #18 in the latest USA Today coaches poll.

The good thing is that Indiana is ranked #22.

So, win against BC and we'll see two ranked teams with good athletes go head to head on ESPN2 for the 2kSports Championship primetime on a Friday night.

 

[upstater]

Coaches Poll:

1. Michigan State (22)
2. Louisville (8)
3. Kansas (2)
4. Arizona
5. Kentucky
6. Duke
7. Syracuse
8. Ohio State
9. Oklahoma State
10. Virginia Commonwealth
11. Memphis
12. Gonzaga
13. Michigan
14. Florida
15. Wisconsin
16. Wichita State
17. Oregon
18. UConn
19. North Carolina
20. New Mexico
21. Baylor
22. Indiana
23. Creighton
24. UCLA
25. Iowa

Cincinnati didn't get a single vote in the Coaches' Poll after manhandling NC State, which shows you how impressive that victory is.

 

[Coach McGurk]

At least there is a very large falloff in votes between 18 and 19, where as we are only a few votes behind teams (currently ranked) above us.

So I suppose we are at least SOLIDLY in the top 18 in the (AP) voters minds...

 

[DreamSeason]

At least they think we're better than UNC. Its a start in the right direction. I really didn't expect much movement for us this week. Judging by last week. We're going to need to beat some ranked teams to get some love.

 

[Deleted member 3149]

The polls are dumb, as we all know.

But let's be honest, it is nice to see a single digit number next to our name during nationally televised games. Let's chase the #1 spot!!

 

[jleves]

I like that they used the old logo on the page from the link at the top.

 

[UconnDon]

I like that they used the old logo on the page from the link at the top.

Agreed wholeheartedly!!

 

[caw]

Coaches Poll:

1. Michigan State (22)
2. Louisville (8)
3. Kansas (2)
4. Arizona
5. Kentucky
6. Duke
7. Syracuse
8. Ohio State
9. Oklahoma State
10. Virginia Commonwealth
11. Memphis
12. Gonzaga
13. Michigan
14. Florida
15. Wisconsin
16. Wichita State
17. Oregon
18. UConn
19. North Carolina
20. New Mexico
21. Baylor
22. Indiana
23. Creighton
24. UCLA
25. Iowa

Cincinnati didn't get a single vote in the Coaches' Poll after manhandling NC State, which shows you how impressive that victory is.

Teams ahead of UConn I have seen that look overrated: Cuse, Michigan, OSU.

 

[upstater]

Teams ahead of UConn I have seen that look overrated: Cuse, Michigan, OSU.

Aaron Craft was pretty impressive on drives. But I was shocked at his outside shot. A kid getting so much burn needs to be able to shoot better than that. His free throw shooting is also 68%, and his form seemed really really off in that game I watched. Career he's about 72%.

He's very impressive on his drives/layups. 3 point shooting last year was 30%.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Meh. I have no issue with our ranking.

UCONN almost gave away the game vs. Maryland and had a 20 point lead evaporate in about 10 minutes spanning both halves vs. a decent BU team. Not very impressive. If one watched UCONN during those stretches, I think people might say we are over rated too. I don't think we should be ranked higher and the team will have plenty of opportunity to prove themselves vs. IU and Florida.

Having said that, they also built the lead back up to 17 vs. BU and ran Detroit out of the gym. I'm not convinced this is a final 4 team since I do think KU, Kentucky, Duke and MSU are at a different level. We get a shot at L'ville so we will know where we stand against a top 5 team. I'm not sure what to make of Arizona yet - I haven't seen them play so I don't know if they are legit...

But I also think this team has a ton of upside. Brimah is just scratching the surface. We know what we will get from Bazz and Boat. and between Giff, Calhoun and Daniels, if we go small we certainly have the 3/4 spots covered. We rely a lot on youngsters (Brimah, Nolan) and newbies (Kromah). It seems like the team has great chemistry and is improving every game. Excited for the season.

 

[upstater]

This is why polls are idiotic. People like this: http://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll-voter/kevin-mcnamara

 

[ctchamps]

This is why polls are idiotic. People like this: http://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll-voter/kevin-mcnamara

So you're complaining about this because he voted UConn ahead of Harvard?

 

[arnie3]

How can a team only score 35 points on their home court and remain in the top 25? Really? That's a real mystery.

 

[Dynasty]

How can a team only score 35 points on their home court and remain in the top 25? Really? That's a real mystery.

Because they lost to a team that was ranked higher than them.

 

[upstater]

So you're complaining about this because he voted UConn ahead of Harvard?

heh? No, North Carolina and Creighton.

 

[arnie3]

Because they lost to a team that was ranked higher than them.

Okay, so you're saying that scoring 35 points against a higher ranked team on your own floor, with a sell out crowd behind you is okay? Because...? Do you also believe that everyone should get a trophy for just participating?

 

[ctchamps]

heh? No, North Carolina and Creighton.

I understood where you were coming from. My comment was meant as a dig against Goodman. Don't know much about Creighton but the UNC vote was ridiculous.

 

[Dynasty]

Okay, so you're saying that scoring 35 points against a higher ranked team on your own floor, with a sell out crowd behind you is okay? Because...? Do you also believe that everyone should get a trophy for just participating?

No, but the voters were probably lenient by that fact.

 

[upstater]

I understood where you were coming from. My comment was meant as a dig against Goodman. Don't know much about Creighton but the UNC vote was ridiculous.

Where was the damn smiley face?

 

[DogMania]

Coaches Poll:

1. Michigan State (22)
2. Louisville (8)
3. Kansas (2)
4. Arizona
5. Kentucky
6. Duke
7. Syracuse
8. Ohio State
9. Oklahoma State
10. Virginia Commonwealth
11. Memphis
12. Gonzaga
13. Michigan
14. Florida
15. Wisconsin
16. Wichita State
17. Oregon
18. UConn
19. North Carolina
20. New Mexico
21. Baylor
22. Indiana
23. Creighton
24. UCLA
25. Iowa

Cincinnati didn't get a single vote in the Coaches' Poll after manhandling NC State, which shows you how impressive that victory is.

It's still very early and what the poll looks like now isn't what it will look like after there is a larger body of work for all these programs.

Looking at the above list, there's probably little separation between teams 9-25 and UConn could land atop that group or settle anywhere within as the season goes on. I'm still not sure what to make of our team. Their inability to rebound and generate easy post-up points in the paint has me a tad concerned as far as how high their ceiling might be. I think they have a legit chance to land somewhere in the 9 to 12 range by the time the NCAA tourney starts. To achieve that, they need to take care of business and beat just about all the teams they should and win most of the games against their ranked opponents. I think that's achievable, but most years I feel that way and they go out and lose some early conference games against teams they shouldn't be losing to.

Now keep in mind that most of last year's team is intact and up until they got banged up badly at the end of the season, they won most of the games they should have and lost only to teams that were either as or more talented than they. Their losses were to: New Mexico, NC State, Marquette, UL, Pitt through January. They lost to St. Johns on 2/6. I don't remember if there were some significant injuries at that time or if that was a bad loss or not. SJU was 15-6 (5-4) at the time and might have been a pretty good team...I can't remember how they looked back then. UConn hit a bad spell when they began losing some players (Bazz was real banged up down the stretch). Their losses after SJU were Nova, Georgetown, Cincy and USF. Nova was surprisingly 17-7 (7-5) at the time. I think they took a huge late nose dive from that point on last season, but I might be wrong on that. The losses to #7 ranked GU in 2OT and to Cinci were legit Ls. USF...hum...not so much. My point here is that if this team stays relatively healthy and they continue to improve as the season goes on, especially the young players, this team has the chance of racking up a ton of Ws along the way, getting a high ranking and doing some major damage in March.

 

[ctchamps]

Where was the damn smiley face?

I put it in about the same time you were responding to me realizing that without it the statement might be misconstrued similar to the Oxford comma omission.

 

[upstater]

Seeing all this talent, 4 games in, I am expecting at least Sweet 16, and hoping for at least Final 8. I think S16 makes this a decent to good season, while F8 makes it a very, very good season. Anything above that is a real treat and a surprise.

In terms of conference, I want at least a regular season win against both Louisville and Memphis. I want them to at least make the championship of the conference tourney. I also expect at least 2 away losses to the likes of Cincy, SMU or a USF.

Still sticking with 7 losses over the season. 1 in the OOC. 4 in conference play. 1 in the NCAA tourney. And 1 WTF in conference or conference tourney.