I'll Say It...

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Did you have this same complaint 3 weeks ago when we lost to Seton Hall and stayed at #5? I didn't think so

Considering historical voting norms, I found it impressive that UConn was voted 4th in last week's poll.

 

[tzznandrew]

I disagree, it would absolutely be disrespectful. The AP and coaches polls are a really dumb system of ranking, but there is definite consistency in how teams are treated after losses. You lose, you drop. It’s (seemingly) either us or them (assuming we win Sunday), but they lost. So if it’s them, to me there is no other way to read it than a direct snub of UConn, because Purdue isn’t some generational dream team worthy of rising above the standards of the past several decades.

The AP is a conglomeration of individual voters each with unique rankings based on individual standards. Those voters will follow that rule: you lose, you drop. Thus, we are absolutely going to move up on every single individual ballot. It's just that some of them have us behind teams that didn't lose (Kentucky, UNC), and unless they lose, we aren't jumping them. And on ballots that have us 6 or 7, it's possible they won't drop Purdue below us.

I find the conversation about where we land is interesting. I find the the "this thing that totally makes sense given the structure of the AP and the strangeness of the week which hasn't happened yet is totally a slight to UConn" conversation, um, bizarre.

 

[homunculus]

If you had a (somewhat unrealistically extreme) situation where #1 is 20-0 and #2 is 15-5, and the #1 team loses, so they're now 20-1 and #2 is now 16-5, are you arguing that even in that situation it would be disrespectful to the #2 team to not flip the rankings? I'm just making it more extreme to see if there's some limit to your position.

My position is that a reasonable person can look at two teams, Purdue and UConn, that both have 2 losses, and come to the conclusion that Purdue's record is slightly better, even though they have the most recent loss. If you think that would be an unreasonable position for an individual to have, then we'll have to agree to disagree.

None of this really matters and we don’t know if any of this will even come to pass. The bottom line is that the pattern of the AP poll has been pretty consistent for as long as I’ve been paying attention. The pattern is broken from time to time but there’s usually a strong case to be made for it. I just don’t think Purdue is so good that they deserve to stay at #1 despite losing, therefore to me that feels more like a slight toward UConn, that’s all.

 

[Blue Blood]

Right now:

Purdue: 1566 (54)
Houston: 1486 (7)
Kansas: 1481 (2)
UConn: 1335 (0)

No on has UConn above 4 on their ballots. That will change, but it means we're not necessarily going to pick up a bunch of easy #1s on individual ballots.

3 voters have us #7, and UNC and Kentucky haven't lost, so you figure we're staying behind those two teams on those three ballots.

7 voters have us #6. In 6 of them, it's either Kentucky or UNC, so, again, we'll likely stay behind them. In one, it's both (they had Tennessee far lower).

Of the many voters that have us #5, most have Tennessee ahead of us. 4 have Kentucky ahead of us, 1 has Arizona, neither of whom have lost.

So I'd say of the 63 possible first place votes, we know for a fact that we aren't getting 15. For at least 4 ballots, we're highest #3. The odds that they'd jump their #7 team over a #1 team who lost is pretty low. Also, 4 -> 1 is a fairly large jump, especially since we didn't dominate that Xavier game.

My guess is some people will keep Purdue. Some analytic forward people will keep Houston. We'll move up across the board and have a range of votes ranging from 1-4 in voters. We may end up with the most #1 votes but end up #2 or even #3.

I'm beting UConn, Purdue, Houston, Kentucky, and UNC all get #1 votes.

I agree with everything you're saying here except for the UNC #1 vote piece. I'm not saying it won't happen but anyone voting them #1 should have their vote taken away. A 3 loss team all on neutrals should not get first place votes this early in the year especially when competing for the spot with 2 teams who have beaten them.

 

[tzznandrew]

I agree with everything you're saying here except for the UNC #1 vote piece. I'm not saying it won't happen but anyone voting them #1 should have their vote taken away. A 3 loss team all on neutrals should not get first place votes this early in the year especially when competing for the spot with 2 teams who have beaten them.

I agree that they shouldn't be #1, but Jon Wilner and Adam Cole have them at #4 with the only teams ahead of them being Purdue and Kansas and then Tennessee or Houston. By the logic we all have (UConn is #4, they should go to #1 because everyone ahead of them lost), you'd think they'd move UNC to #1. They were certainly more impressive than UConn this week, so if you had them ahead of Kentucky and UConn already (each who beat them), I can't see why you would change it now.

I wouldn't be surprised if Purdue stays #1 in those two polls, though.

 

[JB75]

We should be #1 if we beat Gtown, and if the Kansas, Purdue, and Houston loses were this weekend, I'd be more confident. But unfortunately there's time for the other teams to "recover", especially Kansas if they beat ranked Oklahoma, and the writers just have a stiffy for Purdue for some reason. So if they all win this weekend, it would be close, but I could see it end up Kansas 1, Purdue 2, UConn 3, Houston 4 (or maybe 3). I could also see them slipping UK and UNC into the top 5 too.

Yeah , but don’t forget all 3 of those teams lost to unranked teams. Purdue got smacked by 16 and Houston was playing from behind the whole game against Iowa st. It wasn’t like one of these Teams lost at the buzzer to a top 10 team on the road. I think it will be a joke if we are not #1 if we beat gtown. I mean what more has to happen for god sakes ?

 

[homunculus]

The AP is a conglomeration of individual voters each with unique rankings based on individual standards. Those voters will follow that rule: you lose, you drop. Thus, we are absolutely going to move up on every single individual ballot. It's just that some of them have us behind teams that didn't lose (Kentucky, UNC), and unless they lose, we aren't jumping them. And on ballots that have us 6 or 7, it's possible they won't drop Purdue below us.

I find the conversation about where we land is interesting. I find the the "this thing that totally makes sense given the structure of the AP and the strangeness of the week which hasn't happened yet is totally a slight to UConn" conversation, um, bizarre.

You are correct sir, about all of it. I’ll be a man and admit that I am looking at a theoretical situation from too emotional a standpoint. I confess, I call my coffee table stupid when I stub my toe on it. I want us to be #1, because I think we’re the best team in the country, that’s the extent of it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve exceeded my average of about 3 posts per season and my vital essence is completely drained.

 

[uconn_jack]

Yeah , but don’t forget all 3 of those teams lost to unranked teams. Purdue got smacked by 16 and Houston was playing from behind the whole game against Iowa st. It wasn’t like one of these Teams lost at the buzzer to a top 10 team on the road. I think it will be a joke if we are not #1 if we beat gtown. I mean what more has to happen for god sakes ?

I agree, but already many in the media are trying to make justifications why the other teams are better (particularly Purdue, and to a lesser degree KU since they beat us). I just have low confidence in enough of the AP writers to get it right, or at least be consistent with how they usually rank teams.

 

[JB75]

Htu

I agree, but already many in the media are trying to make justifications why the other teams are better (particularly Purdue, and to a lesser degree KU since they beat us). I just have low confidence in enough of the AP writers to get it right, or at least be consistent with how they usually rank teams.

i hear ya. I Know how it is. Was just trying to draw some logic to it. Now if that was duke In uconns position , it would have been a no brainer for them to be #1 Monday. I just don’t understand the national medias Infatuation with the big 10. that conference hasnt made a deep tourney run in years(prolly since Frank kaminsky, Sam dekker wisconsin squad)And purdue got pounded by 16 points to Nebraska WITH edey!!!

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Part of the issue is that the losses happened so early in the week. Houston and Purdue will have a chance to play another game, win big, and get back in some voters good graces. Individual voters may think it was just a blip.
I really wouldnt be surprised if we are 2 or even (less likely) 3 on Monday.

I know it's silly, but we don't play on ESPN. It hurts us with some voters.

 

[mauconnfan]

So Deep I go back to the Field House, the “Top25” as well as “Also ReceiviyVotes” days it was fun. In the 90s it was fun seeing where we were going to land no doubt. For me don’t care in January any more and even March because we can do it from anywhere. Is it a jinx per se to get to 1, nah but you can only lose from there so great if we are but let’s get healthy, take a couple bumps and then be the UConn no one wants in their region in a couple months that ball that matters.

This post is the reason why you don’t type in the mens room at Winnapaug CC getting things done during a frost delay. Add to that no reading glasses

 

[willie99]

If we lose to the Hoyas Sunday, we know who to hang

 

[CL82]

The AP poll is about what have you done for me lately. We will be #1 Monday if we beat Georgetown.

 

[CL82]

This post is the reason why you don’t type in the mens room at Winnapaug CC getting things done during a frost delay. Add to that no reading glasses

I don't blame you, I blame the ridiculous 15 minute limit on editing policy of The Boneyard.

 

[GlastonTim]

If we lose to the Hoyas Sunday, we know who to hang

Will Not happen!

 

[UConnSwag11]

#'s 1, 2, 3 and 5 have all lost to unranked teams this week, so after we beat Georgetown...let's say it together: "We're # 1!"

Obviously would rather have that rank in April, but still would be a cool in-season honor. Now let's go take care of Mr. Ed on Sunday. Of course, of course.

I really hope we don’t make shirts like Cuse did