So...Where Does UConn End Up On The AP Today? (poll)

[oldhusky]

ESPN moved UConn to the 2 spot. I think Stanford is over-ranked. They've had close calls at home against un-ranked teams (Oregon & Oregon State).

I think when people see the ESPN ranking vs. the AP they might be confused. A better way to look at it, is to look at the difference in points in the AP poll. 2-5 is very very close. For example, the difference between 1 and 2 is much much bigger than the difference between 2 and 5, and then there is another big difference between 5 and 6.

The slightest difference could move 2 to 5 or visa versa. You have South Carolina at one tier, then 4 teams on another tier including us, then another gap down to the next tier. We can probably lose to SC and stay in that second tier if we get the job done on all our other games. Remember Stanford will get some challenging games in the Pac 12, Indiana has a bunch of games they could lose in a tough conference, and LSU probably has to play South Carolina twice, once in the regular season and a probable conference finals matchup.

 

[triaddukefan]

Who are those guys? Apologies to Butch and Sundance.

Is there a list of the people who vote and a weekly update on how they voted? Or is this an anonymous poll which makes the results even more specious? The numbers are so close that an errant vote could be disruptive to the rankings.

One of the polls used to provide this information (maybe USA Today Coaches’ Poll) but I haven’t seen it for a long time.

yes. you can view each voter, and who they voted for each week. Just click on the all voters tab

AP Poll

For example.. Deb Antonelli had yall at 3, Voepel had yall at 2.

 

[VA Huskie]

The issue is that until we know that we are getting Azzi and/or Caroline back, we may be at capped at 4/5 vs 2 in the poll. It is understandable.

Why does it matter to the pollsters if Azzi and Caroline are back. Don’t they vote based on a teams record, SOS, etc?

 

[dabears17]

yes. you can view each voter, and who they voted for each week. Just click on the all voters tab

AP Poll

For example.. Deb Antonelli had yall at 3, Voepel had yall at 2.

Rebecca Lobo has UConn at 2, moving up 3 from last week. She dropped Stanford 1 place to 4th.

Michele Smith, who writes some articles for the PAC12, has Stanford at 2 and Uconn at 4.

 

[90BSEE]

Lady Vols were whistled for one more foul than UConn (18-17) so it seems to me the refs were equal opportunity poor at officiating. Is there something specific that leads you to conclude otherwise?

It isn't that simple. If they actually committed 50 fouls and we committed 20, 18-17 is horrible. It is the fouls not being called that is the problem.

 

[90BSEE]

Why does it matter to the pollsters if Azzi and Caroline are back. Don’t they vote based on a teams record, SOS, etc?

Supposedly. They have earned #2 even without them. With them, we would probably still only earn #2 but closer to #1.

 

[90BSEE]

I’m not sure Connecticut is “hurt” by close wins. I’m not a conspiracy theory guy, but it’s more likely that some voters have an anti-UConn bias.

Bingo! "Some" do.

 

[The deacon]

It isn't that simple. If they actually committed 50 fouls and we committed 20, 18-17 is horrible. It is the fouls not being called that is the problem.

Or vice versa?

I don't suggest the Huskies committed 50 fouls, but I thought the refereeing was poor, equally so.

 

[VA Huskie]

yes. you can view each voter, and who they voted for each week. Just click on the all voters tab

AP Poll

For example.. Deb Antonelli had yall at 3, Voepel had yall at 2.

Thanks triad. That’s both helpful and interesting.

 

[Bone Dog]

AP voters don’t have a single approach, from what I can tell. And it’s not just about assessing what a team has accomplished so far in the season — or how could LSU be ranked #2 by any of them. Nor can it be an “eye test” assessment of what a team is at the present moment, who’s injured, how badly, etc. Some of them clearly have an eye on the tournament and are forecasting where they think teams will end up.

Some mix of these approaches seems appropriate. MA Voepel is right to say that UConn’s both a really strong team, but also one whose lack of depth makes it seem really precarious. And who knows when our wounded will return. If sooner, we might return to powerhouse status before the tournament. If later, we might not gel in time. Merely relying on SoS or RPI is not enough at this point to capture these nuances.

 

[socal613ws]

not sure the surprise, Tenn is not good anymore, if Uconn had beaten Tenn to start the season then yes but it's clear they're not the same team. Villanova will never get respect because the big east is just not good enough. Indiana plays in the big 10 and most power 5's are gonna get the benefit of the doubt, why STanford has 2 loses and is #2.

 

[90BSEE]

Or vice versa?

I don't suggest the Huskies committed 50 fouls, but I thought the refereeing was poor, equally so.

I don't think it was equal. I think they let UT get away with a lot more. In general, I think the refs don't call enough fouls and the games are far too physical. The rules are the rules. Call it by the book. Having said that, the one place where they do call nearly all the fouls are on jump shooters. Even I think that some of those touch fouls can be let go. They call that crap and allow cutters and drivers to be taken out, judo style.

And there are a couple of cases where they call fouls on non-fouls. When someone jumps into the defender and the defender's arm comes down and touches their arm(s) due to the contact, that is not a foul and shouldn't be called. If anything, it is an offensive foul. Occasionally we benefit from these types of calls but certain opponents ALWAYS get those calls.

 

[vaeman]

Bingo! "Some" do.

Christy Winters-Scott voted to drop UConn to #6 AFTER TN and Villanova wins. SMH . That's a clear bias coming from a former UMD and ACC player.

 

[housekeys]

"A B C". It is for real, and this is proof, IMHO.

 

[HuskyNan]

Today’s USA Today/Coach’s poll. Check out the range for LSU - 3 to 15

NCAA Women’s College Basketball Coaches Poll | USA Today Sports

Weekly results from the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Women’s College Basketball coaches poll, conducted weekly using a panel of head coaches at Division I schools.

www.usatoday.com

 

[dabears17]

Today’s USA Today/Coach’s poll. Check out the range for LSU - 3 to 15

NCAA Women’s College Basketball Coaches Poll | USA Today Sports

Weekly results from the USA TODAY Sports NCAA Women’s College Basketball coaches poll, conducted weekly using a panel of head coaches at Division I schools.

www.usatoday.com

Note at bottom of rankings says Hi/low rankings range is for season, not for range of votes this week. For example, Texas’s range is 3/NR.

 

[PacoSwede]

I’m telling you guys, once Azzi returns the poll will change. UConn is being “penalized” for playing just 5/6 players. It has nothing to do with scores

you may be right, but voters who think that way don't think.

why isn't winning when you're handicapped seen as a bonus, not a penalty.

here you have strange thinking. ... not that it matters -- you have it everywhere these days.

 

[vaeman]

you may be right, but voters who think that way don't think.

why isn't winning when you're handicapped seen as a bonus, not a penalty.

here you have strange thinking. ... not that it matters -- you have it everywhere these days.

Correct! Now if they lost you could argue it would be because of the current # of players on hand but they've been winning. With a short bench. And without the "big" names available. Makes zero sense to me

 

[MSGRET]

What does it take to get some respect from the pollsters on what UConn has done this season. They've only lost two games and in both of those games were on the road and had major player's who have been playing this season out.

The first loss Dorka was already on the bench with a broken thumb against ND. Then Azzi got hurt in the first quarter. Azzi did come back in for a few minutes in the second but couldn't handle it, played 13 minutes total and had 0 points.

In the second loss against Maryland, they lost by 7 points without Azzi, Dorka, and Nika playing, 3 main cogs on the team sitting. They had a Freshman playing the point that had accepted a scholarship on the 26th of August. Played only 7 players with Lou being limited to 28 minutes because of foul problems.

They have beaten everyone else that they've played with all of the game to game changes in the roster with only two games decided by less than double since Nika has been back as the point. After the Providence game they will have played 5 games in 11 days.

Hopefully they will soon get Azzi and Caroline back so that they can be incorporated into the Magnificent Seven and let the current starting five finally play 30 minutes or less a game and let these so called experts get their heads out of their backsides.

 

[toadfoot]

Can’t for the life of me figure out how Indiana jumps over UConn in AP poll. 2 common opponents, Tennessee and Butler. Indiana beat UT in Knoxville by 12 early in the year when UT was struggling mightily and beat Butler at home by 17. UConn soundly defeated UT in Knoxville and absolutely thrashed Butler not once, but twice. UConn’s losses were on the road against 2 top 10 teams minus Juhasz & Fudd, while Indiana’s loss was to unranked Michigan State. Not that it really matters but AP certainly is not enhancing their credibility.

After the UT/LSU game we can add another common opponent to the mix. UConn beats UT by 17 in Knoxville and LSU beats UT by 8 at home in Baton Rouge. Just seems to me, being naive, that if you’re given the responsibility of voting it should be treated seriously and looking at common opponents should be a mandatory part of the process

 

[darkstar1]

As people have noted, #2-#5 is basically a tie. The one who stands out to me is LSU though, not Indiana. Yes, LSU is undefeated, but have beaten almost no one.

Indiana has wins over Maryland (8), Ohio St (10), UNC (11), Michigan (18), Illinois (26) and TN (28). Their one loss was on road to Michigan St without Grace Berger. They deserve a top 4 ranking.

They deserve to be #4, but only if UConn is 2 or 3. Drop LSU to 5 and order would be restored to the universe.

 

[PacoSwede]

What does it take to get some respect from the pollsters on what UConn has done this season. They've only lost two games and in both of those games were on the road and had major player's who have been playing this season out.

The first loss Dorka was already on the bench with a broken thumb against ND. Then Azzi got hurt in the first quarter. Azzi did come back in for a few minutes in the second but couldn't handle it, played 13 minutes total and had 0 points.

In the second loss against Maryland, they lost by 7 points without Azzi, Dorka, and Nika playing, 3 main cogs on the team sitting. They had a Freshman playing the point that had accepted a scholarship on the 26th of August. Played only 7 players with Lou being limited to 28 minutes because of foul problems.

They have beaten everyone else that they've played with all of the game to game changes in the roster with only two games decided by less than double since Nika has been back as the point. After the Providence game they will have played 5 games in 11 days.

Hopefully they will soon get Azzi and Caroline back so that they can be incorporated into the Magnificent Seven and let the current starting five finally play 30 minutes or less a game and let these so called experts get their heads out of their backsides.

very well put. all in the AP universe and other media should get a copy of this so they will be acquainted with the facts ... then they can vote or commentate as they please.

 

[fomalhaut]

I'd actually even be OK if Connecticut was fourth, as long as Indiana, not LSU was 3rd.

 

[triaddukefan]

Christy Winters-Scott voted to drop UConn to #6 AFTER TN and Villanova wins. SMH . That's a clear bias coming from a former UMD and ACC player.

Wrong, look at her poll. No ACC bias. She has 4 Big 10 schools in the top 9. She hasn't broadcast any ACC game for years.

 

[maple]

What does it take to get some respect from the pollsters on what UConn has done this season.

Reminds me of last season where the "experts" all doubted UConn's ability to beat teams like NC State and Stanford in the tournament, despite how much adversity they'd overcome and the success they'd had all season.

 

[Blue Huskie]

Wrong, look at her poll. No ACC bias. She has 4 Big 10 schools in the top 9. She hasn't broadcast any ACC game for years.

Maybe not, but it sure looks like an anti-UCONN bias.

 

[Skeets]

Many folks here on the BY are poo-pooing LSU because of their schedule. Look, I don't want to be defending LSU, but I do want to make 1 observation. The LSU players did not make the schedule and the schedule says nothing, pro or con, about the quality of the LSU players. It is possible for a really good team to have a lousy schedule and still be a really good team. (I will admit it doesn't do much for the polls.)

 

[Tonyc]

Something to think about. If UConn beats SC on Sunday where will they be ranked in the polls?

Azzi and Caroline arent ready yet to play. Dont chance them against SC. If they were ready to go it might be a different scenario. We need to have them healthy for the BE tourney and NCAAs and thats whats important right now. A loss to SC (I will be there) on Sunday and its shouldnt affect are ranking unless we loose by a point or two or we win, then we should move up. With Caroline and Azzi back I believe its SC and UConn on top. The brightest spot for this team is they are playing with alot of confidence. Sunday will be interesting. Keys will be limit TO's and stay out of foul trouble.

 

[Topsail]

Tony, wishful thinking on beating SC with a tired 5. Hopefully we have Azzi & CD back for the NCAA tourney then I like our chances of beating SC.

 

[npignatjr]

I think Indiana jumped past UConn because 3 of their last 4, and 4 of their last 6 games - all wins - were against top 25 teams.

They deserve the ranking

Wins against Big 10 teams, the weak Big 10.