SI power rankings UCONN 17

[mcs333]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...ucky-duke-wisconsin-arizona-kansas/index.html

I like where we are. We have a chance to make some noise as we play number 10, 11, and 13.

 

[Marat]

You can also add #2 Dook (@IZod Center) to our opponents.

 

[David 76]

Gee! What startling, non-traditional picks for 1- 6. These guys never learn.

 

[Gurleyman]

I think the silliest line of the whole thing was when he said we're all curious to see Ohio State in "Year 1 After Craft."

Speaking on behalf of us, no we're not.

(Granted it was in reference to Ohio State's defense, but still, no we're not)

 

[Inyatkin]

It obviously doesn't matter, but it is weird how oddly underappreciated we are on these things. Forget the title, we won 32 games. That's a lot. Yes we lose a lot, but so do Kentucky and Duke and Kansas. And we're not bringing in a bunch of losers as replacements.

 

[Chris]

Of course they stop at 16 lol

 

[champs99and04]

17 is a perfectly fair ranking, there is talent there to be very dangerous, but there are a lot of departures to overcome.

 

[Gurleyman]

17 is a perfectly fair ranking, there is talent there to be very dangerous, but there are a lot of departures to overcome.

True - but I wouldn't mind being overrated in these things right now. Victors and spoils and all. We punked Florida in the Final Four and they lost more than we did, so dammit I want their spot. But, ohzie wellzie - not going to lose sleep over it.

 

[champs99and04]

True - but I wouldn't mind being overrated in these things right now. Victors and spoils and all. We punked Florida in the Final Four and they lost more than we did, so dammit I want their spot. But, ohzie wellzie - not going to lose sleep over it.

Yeah, very true. I can't recall the last time a defending champion was ranked lower than #17 in the preseason polls.

 

[NightDog]

True - but I wouldn't mind being overrated in these things right now. Victors and spoils and all. We punked Florida in the Final Four and they lost more than we did, so dammit I want their spot. But, ohzie wellzie - not going to lose sleep over it.

Shucks, looks like we will have to play the part of the under dog once again. Sucks doesn't it....no, not really!

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Duke at #2 is laugh out loud funny.

 

[AF34]

Duke at #2 is laugh out loud funny.

Jimmy- Where would you put Puke? I despise them equally as much as anyone on this board, but at this point of the pre-season when we know what we know about the teams and rank based on names basically, you can't possibly put them outside of the top 5.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Jimmy- Where would you put Puke? I despise them equally as much as anyone on this board, but at this point of the pre-season when we know what we know about the teams and rank based on names basically, you can't possibly put them outside of the top 5.

It's an established fact that anyone who thinks Duke is good is just biased. They've actually never won any games ever.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Jimmy- Where would you put Puke? I despise them equally as much as anyone on this board, but at this point of the pre-season when we know what we know about the teams and rank based on names basically, you can't possibly put them outside of the top 5.

Bizzare post. They lost their 2 best players (by far). They were overrated all season long. I'm surprised they didn't get bounced by a 15 seed in the first round. I understand that people think Okafor is the next Kareem, Greg Oden, Kevin Love, Jared Sullinger all wrapped up in one but come on now.

And as long as we're ranking teams by name only, it's funny that the "name" that won half of the last 4 NCAA titles is not in the top 15.

 

[AF34]

Bizzare post. They lost their 2 best players (by far). They were overrated all season long. I'm surprised they didn't get bounced by a 15 seed in the first round. I understand that people think Okafor is the next Kareem, Greg Oden, Kevin Love, Jared Sullinger all wrapped up in one but come on now.

And as long as we're ranking teams by name only, it's funny that the "name" that won half of the last 4 NCAA titles is not in the top 15.

When I said names, I meant players names not institutions. Clearly I wouldn't say any single team is in the top 5 just because their name is X. That would be bizzare.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

When I said names, I meant players names not institutions. Clearly I wouldn't say any single team is in the top 5 just because their name is X. That would be bizzare.

OK fair enough. You also said you couldn't possibly put them outside of the top 5. Please explain.

 

[Waquoit]

Wish he had us at 16 as I enjoy reading Winn's rundowns. He had an epic column about how great Kemba's D was in 2011. He had UConn pegged pretty early wondering if we would be able to continue our hot 3-pt shooting. We couldn't but found another way to win. One item he got wrong (I think it was him, maybe not) was he predicted Facey would become a factor later in the season. How cool would it be if he (or whoever) was just a bit premature about that one?

 

[UconnDon]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...ucky-duke-wisconsin-arizona-kansas/index.html

I like where we are. We have a chance to make some noise as we play number 10, 11, and 13.

Pre or post DD's departure??

 

[AF34]

OK fair enough. You also said you couldn't possibly put them outside of the top 5. Please explain.

Man, I never thought I would be defending Puke like this, ever in my life...This being said (attempting to take this from an unbiased perspective), when looking at the players returning to the preseason top 25 teams for next season (i.e. top 25's from ESPN/SI/etc) and incoming recruiting classes with the personnel that involves, who are you going to put above Duke? Not to say I don't feel our guys could compete with ANY team next season when it matters most at the END of the season (we 100% can), but at this time of the year (which to emphasize means absolutely NOTHING), the crop of teams in my mind that you could possibly put above them (based on the aforementioned I said above and depending on what traits/skills you value- be it athletic ability, experience, etc) are Kentucky, Arizona and Wisconsin. Kansas, UNC and maybe Florida could be in consideration, but at this point I think even UNC and Florida are stretches. In attempting to be as unbiased as possible (which may or may not be possible for you- and I'm not trying to be funny or make a wise crack- some people just aren't able to), are you in disagreement?

 

[CallMeBruce]

Man, I never thought I would be defending Puke like this, ever in my life...This being said (attempting to take this from an unbiased perspective), when looking at the players returning to the preseason top 25 teams for next season (i.e. top 25's from ESPN/SI/etc) and incoming recruiting classes with the personnel that involves, who are you going to put above Duke? Not to say I don't feel our guys could compete with ANY team next season when it matters most at the END of the season (we 100% can), but at this time of the year (which to emphasize means absolutely NOTHING), the crop of teams in my mind that you could possibly put above them (based on the aforementioned I said above and depending on what traits/skills you value- be it athletic ability, experience, etc) are Kentucky, Arizona and Wisconsin. Kansas, UNC and maybe Florida could be in consideration, but at this point I think even UNC and Florida are stretches. In attempting to be as unbiased as possible (which may or may not be possible for you- and I'm not trying to be funny or make a wise crack- some people just aren't able to), are you in disagreement?

I'm with you. Duke gets a lot of play because they win a lot and have a lot of good players. It's not media bias and it's not stupidity. I get so tired of people blasting Vitale for being aware that Duke is generally one of the best teams in the country.

 

[B1GEast]

next year will be a repeat of how the media treated us this past year, we'll have to earn it, which is fine by me. I enjoy watching these morons eat crow.

 

[Palatine]

I get the Duke thing. Okafor looks like a God against high school kids. But as brilliant as he is, there will be times when he struggles against older, better players.

 

[B1GEast]

I get the Duke thing. Okafor looks like a God against high school kids. But as brilliant as he is, there will be times when he struggles against older, better players.

to quote calipari "there just kids"

 

[HomeKing93]

Here's Winn's column at the same time last year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...-nba-draft-deadline-power-rankings/index.html

So our 20 win 2012-13 team returned almost intact and Winn had us at #16 last year. We have 45+ points walking out the door and we drop one spot to #17.

This is the problem I have. Winn ranked Duke #4 the same time last year, but after losing Parker and Hood it moves up to #2?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Here's Winn's column at the same time last year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/co...-nba-draft-deadline-power-rankings/index.html

So our 20 win 2012-13 team returned almost intact and Winn had us at #16 last year. We have 45+ points walking out the door and we drop one spot to #17.

This is the problem I have. Winn ranked Duke #4 the same time last year, but after losing Parker and Hood it moves up to #2?

Well if people want to keep pretending that Duke was a top 10 team this past year I guess you make a case for this ranking.