UConn moves to #2 in the AP poll

[HuskyNan]

1. Baylor
2. UConn
3. Stanford
4. ND
5. Duke
6. Miami
7. Kentucky
8. Maryland
9. Ohio State
10. Delaware

AP Poll from Yahoo sports (new Coach's poll comes out tomorrow)

 

[alexrgct]

Ohio State losing and moving up a spot= funny. I thought they'd stay put. Delware not feeling the love from voters.

None of the rest of it is especially surprising, though I didn't expect ND to drop below #3. I'd say ND's overall body of work, despite the bad loss, is still more impressive than Stanford's at this point. But as long as they both end up as #1 seeds in the eyes of the selection committee, it doesn't particularly matter.

 

[HuskyNan]

Here is a link to Pollspeak to find out how each voter cast their votes. ND really got nailed by a few that voted the Irish 6th! Click on the school to see the list of voters and how they ranked that particular program.

 

[alexrgct]

UConn gets 31 #2 votes, eight #3, and one #4.

Tennessee is everywhere from #8 to unranked!

 

[speedoo]

Here is a link to Pollspeak to find out how each voter cast their votes. ND really got nailed by a few that voted the Irish 6th! Click on the school to see the list of voters and how they ranked that particular program.

I guess they were taken in by the fact that WVU was unranked. Stupid IMO. Their RPI rating(19 as of today) is far more revealing about how good they are.

 

[Icebear]

There are a bunch of unranked teams this week many ranking fairly high. Voters may be sloppy.

 

[Tonyc]

This is big for UConn. If UConn beats ND Feb 27th then ND is is possibily, depending on what everybody does is out of the top 4. This also means that UConn will not face ND in the FF. If it pans out Stanford/UConn face off. Now youve got to wonder about Feb 27th. The next couple of games will tell alot about ND.

 

[Replicant]

When was the last time TN was #13 or lower? And given the reasonably good chance they'll take another loss at the hands of Kentucky tonight...Wow!

 

[speedoo]

This is big for UConn. If UConn beats ND Feb 27th then ND is is possibily, depending on what everybody does is out of the top 4. This also means that UConn will not face ND in the FF. If it pans out Stanford/UConn face off. Now youve got to wonder about Feb 27th. The next couple of games will tell alot about ND.

Way, way too early to be speculating about FF matchups, Tony. However UConn could make things very interesting if they run the table from here. Could result in taking over the #1 RPI spot, especially if Baylor stumbles, but that is not at all likely, the way Griner is playing now.

 

[EricLA]

i guess there is too much inertia to move teams up or down by very much. i was surprised that WVU, in spite of beating the #2 team on the road, didn't break into the top 25 and is only 27. i think someone else on the board suggested that would be the case as WVU had too many teams to "jump" over. even RU, who lost twice, only dropped 4 spots... OSU lost and moved up 1 spot... and Vandy, in spite of beating rival Tennessee, is at 37...

to answer replicant's question, tennessee ended the season 4 years ago when they lost to Ball State at 22-11. that means entering the NCAA's they were 22-10 since they were a 5 seed and lost in the first round. i believe they ended the season ending poll out of the top 25. but i'm betting with 10 losses, they were barely in the top 25 when the NCAA's rolled around...

 

[JoePgh]

Isn't it odd that WVU and St. John's are still unranked, while Rutgers / Louisville / DePaul still are? By this time in the Big East schedule, you would expect to rankings of Big East teams to resemble the Big East standings, would you not?

 

[Wbbfan1]

Comparison between ND & UConn - Link
Duke vs Stanford - Link
Tenn vs Kentucky - Link

Did the comparisons for the heck of it. Was surprised at some voting Duke as low as 7th. 6 voters had Tenn in the 20's or unranked.

 

[Replicant]

Way, way too early to be speculating about FF matchups, Tony.

Why? What would be the right time to speculate? Speculation is just the conjectural consideration of an issue and isn't that where all the fun is after all.

 

[speedoo]

Why? What would be the right time to speculate? Speculation is just the conjectural consideration of an issue and isn't that where all the fun is after all.

OK, you win. Too many big words for me.

 

[toadfoot]

Ohio State losing and moving up a spot= funny. I thought they'd stay put. Delware not feeling the love from voters.

None of the rest of it is especially surprising, though I didn't expect ND to drop below #3. I'd say ND's overall body of work, despite the bad loss, is still more impressive than Stanford's at this point. But as long as they both end up as #1 seeds in the eyes of the selection committee, it doesn't particularly matter.

I have to agree about ND. They've beaten ranked Duke, UConn, Purdue, Kentucky, Georgetown, Tennessee, Rutgers and DePaul while losing to ranked Baylor and WVU. Stanford has beaten ranked Tennessee and lost to UConn. They also have beaten once ranked Texas, but that shouldn't count for much now that everyone knows how bad Texas really is.

The fact that ND plays in the Big East and Stanford plays in the 'cupcake' Pac-12, which to be blunt is not very good, should also work in ND's favor.

 

[cardfan]

I have to agree about ND. They've beaten ranked Duke, UConn, Purdue, Kentucky, Georgetown, Tennessee, Rutgers and DePaul while losing to ranked Baylor and WVU. Stanford has beaten ranked Tennessee and lost to UConn. They also have beaten once ranked Texas, but that shouldn't count for much now that everyone knows how bad Texas really is.

The fact that ND plays in the Big East and Stanford plays in the 'cupcake' Pac-12, which to be blunt is not very good, should also work in ND's favor.

so far, Stanford has not lost to an unranked team (at home no less). Therein lies the difference.

 

[Replicant]

OK, you win. Too many big words for me.

Wasn't looking to win anything...just thoroughly enjoy Tony's posts, zeal and wouldn't want to see him inhibited in any way...LOL!

"All good things are wild, and free." - Thoreau

 

[toadfoot]

so far, Stanford has not lost to an unranked team (at home no less). Therein lies the difference.

The fact that Stanford hasn't lost to an unranked team doesn't begin to make up for the fact that ND is 8-1 against ranked teams, including 3-1 against teams in the top 7, while Stanford is 1-1 against ranked teams. That's especially true since WVU is within a hair of being ranked.

Just to change topic slightly, I'm guessing you live in Ca., as I did (Bay area) for 17 years and I've often wondered why Pac-10/Pac-12 women's BB has not been more competitive nationally. My theory is that the talent is there, but that it tends to be diffused because of the popularity of so many other sports, like volleyball, soccer, swimming and softball. Add to that the weather, which permits athletes to engage in those sports on a near year round basis, whereas athletes in many other parts of the country are confined to indoor sports (basketball being the prime beneficiary I suspect) a good part of the year.

 

[Phil]

Yes, and surfing and tennis.

 

[cardfan]

The fact that Stanford hasn't lost to an unranked team doesn't begin to make up for the fact that ND is 8-1 against ranked teams, including 3-1 against teams in the top 7, while Stanford is 1-1 against ranked teams. That's especially true since WVU is within a hair of being ranked.

Just to change topic slightly, I'm guessing you live in Ca., as I did (Bay area) for 17 years and I've often wondered why Pac-10/Pac-12 women's BB has not been more competitive nationally. My theory is that the talent is there, but that it tends to be diffused because of the popularity of so many other sports, like volleyball, soccer, swimming and softball. Add to that the weather, which permits athletes to engage in those sports on a near year round basis, whereas athletes in many other parts of the country are confined to indoor sports (basketball being the prime beneficiary I suspect) a good part of the year.

Apparently the voters saw it differently.

I've lived in the Bay area for 23 years. Only 4 teams from Pac 12 are in CA, so your theory is not that accurate. We've had some great players from CA, not just at Stanford (Appel, Wiggins), but other great players who stayed to play at USC, Cal or UCLA, probably just not enough of them.

 

[MilfordHusky]

When was the last time TN was #13 or lower? And given the reasonably good chance they'll take another loss at the hands of Kentucky tonight...Wow!

The LVs were #18 three years ago--before the loss to Ball State. I can't find the final poll (after the NCAAs), but they may have dropped out of the top 25 at that point.

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/rankings/_/year/2009

 

[MilfordHusky]

I don't understand UConn being as low as 4 or ND being as low as 6.

If the seedings follow this poll, Stanford should grab a 1 seed regardless of what anyone else does--as long as they run the table.

 

[toadfoot]

The number of CA. schools in the Pac-12 is irrelevant. I'm talking about the number of high school and club level women athletes in CA. primarily, but also the other Pac-12 states. What I'm suggesting is that the Pac-12 schools do in fact recruit the lions share of those women athletes, but many of them compete in other sports, not basketball.

And I think with your last sentence you've agreed with me. The Pac-12 has had some great players, just not enough of them and I would add that the reason they've not had enough of them is that they chose other sports

 

[toadfoot]

Yes, and surfing and tennis.

Hmmm... in the central valley east of Berkeley/Oakland where I lived I can't say surfing and tennis were attracting many athletes The major sports, both at the high school and club level were basketball, soccer, softball, swimming and volleyball. Swimming was year round and the others were year round or nearly so.

 

[cardfan]

I don't understand UConn being as low as 4 or ND being as low as 6.

If the seedings follow this poll, Stanford should grab a 1 seed regardless of what anyone else does--as long as they run the table.

We have tough game at Oregon St. this Thurs. and at Cal on March 4th, plus the stupid conf. tourney. We should run the table as we are improving, but wouldn't be shocked if we lost a game.