Who’s #1? (Merged)

[Phil]

How many times has a #3-5 team beaten the #1 team in the last 10 years?

On February 1, 2021, fourth-ranked NC State beat number one ranked Louisville, but NC State was not moved to the top position in fact they didn't even move up a single spot. South Carolina was moved to the top position. Does this qualify as an example?

 

[ConnManFan]

This is probably not fair or going to be well received, but the only thing that matters this season is qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and then winning six games in that tournament. Everything else is just a distraction or white noise.

 

[Zanzman]

Well, that's not true for me. I also follow UConn football, men's basketball, and hockey.

How about baseball always a competitive team

 

[ucmiami2]

Well, South Carolina came up just short of our 111 game win streak. And our 90. And our 60...
I think UConn, UCLA, ND make up the top 3 in that order, but would not be surprised if we are not #1

Actually, South Carolina just squeaked past Baylor's 42 game win streak, didn't reach Tennessee's 46 game streak, and clearly missed matching Uconn's fourth best streak of 47 wins.

 

[ucmiami2]

I think people are just looking at this in different ways and that’s ok. It’s not that UConn is being “punished” if UCLA and/or ND pass them.

I can imagine a voter may try to sort out the teams at the top by looking at each team’s (short) resume so far and ranking accordingly. UCLA, ND, and Uconn are obviously all undefeated, but who has the best win? By that logic it’s:

1.UCLA
2. ND
3. UConn

However due to poll inertia, and the fact that UConn was previously 2, I think UConn will split first place votes with UCLA.

I think the reality is that most if not all the voters in both polls spend a lot less time filling out their submissions, than it would take you to read just one pages of this currently six page thread. Generally, they look at their last list, look at who lost during the last week, and move them up or down based on that. Maybe, they also look at the last weeks poll to see if they missed anyone, and to find someone to replace any of the teams between 20-25 that had a 'bad' loss.

 

[Vowelguy]

I think the reality is that most if not all the voters in both polls spend a lot less time filling out their submissions, than it would take you to read just one pages of this currently six page thread. Generally, they look at their last list, look at who lost during the last week, and move them up or down based on that. Maybe, they also look at the last weeks poll to see if they missed anyone, and to find someone to replace any of the teams between 20-25 that had a 'bad' loss.

I doubt voters get paid. And in an environment where newspapers are losing subscribers, a reporter doesnt have the luxury to spend a lot of time on a poll that doesnt mean anything and takes away from the things that generate their salary (writing interesting articles).

 

[Longtime fan]

If UCLA beats SC today 11/24, would UConn or UCLA be ranked #1? At the half, UCLA is leading by 21 and looking really, really good.

I don't think it matters. By March1 every team will be different. Some much better. Some worse.

 

[EricLA]

I've always said that the national champion is the king of the mountain until someone proves they are not. UCLA proved SCar is not the king of the mountain. OK, cool. But if you think UConn needs to drop in the polls for a game that doesn't involve them then maybe you should see someone because you have a problem.

OT, by the same reasoning above, why aren't the UConn men #1? They are the reigning king of the mountain.

Honestly I'll never understand that logic. The men won the NC last season and then lost 4 starters to the draft. The only one who came back was Karaban. 4 new starters including a freshman and a transfer. But by your logic, UCONN should be #1 until someone beats them?

Yeah they were beaten today but it makes zero sense that in a new season with totally new players, 4 starters from the NC team lost, that any team should be ranked based on how they finished last season...

 

[The deacon]

UCLA barely beat Louisville 66-59 in Paris. Louisville just played USF and barely beat them 64-60. UConn played USF and blew them out 86-49. I'll take UConn over UCLA and ND because I don't think they would have an answer on stopping Paige, Azzi and Sarah.

Azzi? With due respect, MSGRET and CDR-Ret, Azzi hasn't had a good game since the hot start in the fall of '22.

When she came back in March '23, she shot 5 of 18 from three and 9 of 28 overall in three Big East tournament games, then 6 of 29 from three and 17 of 49 overall in three NCAA tournament games.

Seemingly healthy to start last season, she shot 4 of 14 from three and 8 of 25 overall for two games before getting hurt again.

If you're counting, that's 15 of 61 three-pointers and 34 of 102 from the floor overall for her most recent eight games since fall of '22. In an abbreviated recent sample, Azzi missed her three shots from three vs. FDU, hardly an imposing defensive opponent.

I'm a big fan of Azzi, and have as much respect for her potential as anyone, but the incessant need to elevate Azzi way beyond what she has produced for the Huskies is just nuts.

To recount, she's now shot about 23 percent from three and 33 percent overall in the last two years.

I'll be as happy as anyone here on the Boneyard and among the Huskies' fandom if/when Azzi finds her old game. 'Til then, including her amongst the Huskies' big threats and regularly assuming she'll be an All-American is just not realistic.

Okay, it's been said. I have the feeling many of us have been thinking it for a while.

Go, Azzi! Go, Huskies!

My top 6:
#1: UConn - We have Paige, Sarah, & AZZI (even though she has only one game so far) and they don't!
#2 UCLA - very impressive vs. South Carolina
#3 uNd - looking good so far - Still early
#4 South Carolina - was on a 43 game winning streak, defending National Champs & many AP writers already voted (early and often)
#5 Texas - best win so far is Vs. DePaul, we'll see how real they are vs. uNd on 12/6/24 in South Bend
#6 USoCal - they still have Juju Watkins and don't see LSU moving up with the light weights they are playing

 

[cwh20]

On February 1, 2021, fourth-ranked NC State beat number one ranked Louisville, but NC State was not moved to the top position in fact they didn't even move up a single spot. South Carolina was moved to the top position. Does this qualify as an example?

The key here is talking about Nov vs Feb. The earlier in the season a game is, the greater the movement in the polls there is or can be based on that game result. The first poll of the season is a lot of speculation. Then results come in. A (supposed?) big early season win or loss could have poll voters rethinking a team’s place by a significant jump or drop. But later (say Feb)) the teams have more or less settled into their places based on way more game results to look at. A game now won’t result in as big a jump or drop in the polls even if it is a big upset win over the #1 even.

It may be fun to discuss where the pollsters think the teams are now but it really doesn’t matter this early. UCLA handled SC very well so I don’t see a problem having the poll reflect that. The contenders will show themselves soon enough.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

This is probably not fair or going to be well received, but the only thing that matters this season is qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and then winning six games in that tournament. Everything else is just a distraction or white noise.

That would be cwh20's motto: "Six is good!"

 

[HuskyNan]

How about baseball always a competitive team

Women's soccer and field hockey got to their respective NCAA tourneys this year

 

[Zanzman]

Women's soccer and field hockey got to their respective NCAA tourneys this year

True just not ones I follow but they are always competitive volleyball also I need to get to the new arena next year

 

[bballnut90]

On February 1, 2021, fourth-ranked NC State beat number one ranked Louisville, but NC State was not moved to the top position in fact they didn't even move up a single spot. South Carolina was moved to the top position. Does this qualify as an example?

In the example cited above, two weeks prior Louisville had just lost to unranked Virginia Tech.

Right now there's really no reason to not rank UCLA #1 after they blew out the #1 team in the country and have zero losses. No one else aside from Notre Dame has a win that's close to being as strong. If UCONN continues to win and beats Notre Dame on the road in December, I think several voters will switch over and the Huskies may move up to #1 since their resume would be comparable to or surpass UCLA's at that point.