AP Poll Week #13

[Hans Sprungfeld]

If you look back, there are several excruciating losses during the back-to-back championship years.

Yes, most notably Seton Hall and Creighton in 2023.

As Dan Hurley grew in his demonstrated ability to win close games, we've grown more confident as fans. BYU was tense. Arizona was troublesome because the team came back from a deficit, took the lead, and then lost it (and the game). Since then, all games have been victories. It is further notable that the Kansas game was Hurley's first ever true road game victory over a ranked P4 team.

I glossed over these facts while in somewhat of a rush to claim that January's games could be labeled "excruciating wins." The question in your following paragraph ought to be seen as answering itself. Thank you for posing it.

So fans and pundits are knocking UConn for needing OT to beat PC. Did they like it better when UConn lost to PC and then destroyed the entire B1G conference in one of the most memorable March Madness humiliations on record?

 

[Husker Husky]

Voters watch highlights and read scores. Michigan, at home edged a Nebraska team that was down 2 starters and beat an Illinois team that also beat an undermined Nebraska team. The voters probably didn't even realize that. Like others are saying, Duke will give a proper test. That being said, I hope Dook loses by 30.

 

[Viet Vet]

I'd like to know which players we've faced that are playing at the next level? I've seen a bunch of mocks so far this year and I'm not sure the BE has anyone non UConn other than Zubi in the second round. There is literally no NBA talent in the BE this year.

BE games are not easy because of reffing, familiarity and target on back.

Stop with "the refs". The Big East is a weak conference this year. Face reality and accept it. Do you really want to argue that our schedule (all of it, not just OOC) is stronger than Arizona's, Michigan's or Duke's? If I were an Arizona, Michigan or Duke fan, I'd legitimately make a case that UConn is enabled by a weak conference schedule.

We can only win, and move on. March will be the ultimate arbiter.

 

[Teddie1056]

I would have put us 3 last week.

 

[freescooter]

OK, here is the issue, they are not scrub teams. The Big East may not be great with consistent good and ranked teams BUT many of these teams have players who will play at the next level and on any given night keep their team hanging around in games. Particularly when we have a horrible shooting night, or we don’t have our lottery pick playing.
If you need confirmation of that just ask someone who actually knows, Dan Hurley. He has said it over and over again that BE games are not easy. We had the best team ever a couple years ago we were challenged and lost games, right?

Yeah, but when he says we would have won Championships regardless of our conference, don’t listen to him. He knows nothing. He wants to go back to the AAC. 😉

 

[SellersElbow]

#2 UConn would have been a tough out for any team this week.

#3 UConn should be an absolute beast in seek and destroy mode.

 

[87Xfer]

eyeball test for anyone watching outside of the Big East says we're playing like a top 10 team right now, but not #2

 

[upstater]

eyeball test for anyone watching outside of the Big East says we're playing like a top 10 team right now, but not #2

In that case, Illinois is #2

 

[KingAG]

eyeball test for anyone watching outside of the Big East says we're playing like a top 10 team right now, but not #2

Yea but this changes every game. We looked all the part of #2 against Creighton. We didn’t against PC.

 

[AdamaNation]

17 wins straight without a loss and coming off an away blowout of Creighton. The last bunch of close wins in a disrespected apparently bad conference did the trick. I’ve always placed less importance to these rankings which moves up and drops teams at times significantly with a loss even a close one.
More important than these numbers is to just keep improving team rebounding and team offense, and that seems to be happening.

…OR Michigan beating Nebraska and MSU has more weight than us winning all the games last week by 15+. No issues. Stay the course.

 

[upstater]

Stop with "the refs". The Big East is a weak conference this year. Face reality and accept it. Do you really want to argue that our schedule (all of it, not just OOC) is stronger than Arizona's, Michigan's or Duke's? If I were an Arizona, Michigan or Duke fan, I'd legitimately make a case that UConn is enabled by a weak conference schedule.

We can only win, and move on. March will be the ultimate arbiter.

I literally showed you how many top teams they've played and we played.

While at the end of the year, you'll be right and the B1G slate will be tougher, so far UConn has played more top ranked teams.

 

[FreeDogs]

How does UConn drop? such b.s

$$$$$$$$$

 

[Phorcys]

17 wins straight without a loss and coming off an away blowout of Creighton. The last bunch of close wins in a disrespected apparently bad conference did the trick. I’ve always placed less importance to these rankings which moves up and drops teams at times significantly with a loss even a close one.
More important than these numbers is to just keep improving team rebounding and team offense, and that seems to be happening.

How does UConn drop? such b.s

Glancing at the topic thread line ... AP Poll Week #13

I suffered a major panic attack of WTF? ... mistakenly thinking we fell from #2 to #13 ...

... despite our dismantling of Creighton in wonderfully hostile territory

Phew, it was only #2 to #3 ...

I was fearing college basketball Armageddon had occurred

... along with the rest of the world.

Michigan deserves number two at this point ... looking forward to a head-to-head matchup ... as well as the rematch against U of A