UM hoops now #4 in AP poll
1. Louisville
2. Kansas
3. Maryland
4. Michigan
5. Virginia
UNC is 7 and Gonzaga 9.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:12 PM ^
Holy shit, did NOT expect that big of a jump. Keep it up boys.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^
I spent all day yesterday explaining to people that the polls don’t work this way, and that only once had a team ever gone from unranked to the top 5 in a single week.
I will happily accept my helping of crow. I’m stunned, but I’ll take it. I guess we should expect to see somebody do this again in 2049-50...
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:04 PM ^
I think it’s just so rare for an unranked team to beat two top-10 teams (and three top 40 teams) in a single week.
December 2nd, 2019 at 9:57 PM ^
More importantly, it's so rare for an unranked yet still undefeated team to do it so early in the season.
If it happened later in the season with an unranked team that had 8-10 losses they wouldn't move up as much because you'd have a lot of evidence and losses indicating it was just a good week and not a top 5 team.
In this case, there's no evidence that this isn't a top 5 team. They haven't lost to anyone yet. They have the best resume. Absolutely deserve to be top 5.
December 2nd, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
Happily forgiven.
December 2nd, 2019 at 6:54 PM ^
No need to eat crow!
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
2nd team to ever do it after Kansas and I believe they only reason they weren’t ranked initially is bc Kansas was sanctioned by the NCAA due to Brown giving Askew money to fly out and visit his sick grandmother.
lol.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:37 PM ^
Kansas sanctioned? Man, that had to be the last time...
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
Could easily have an argument for #1 based on resume, but you knew that wouldn't happen.
Evenso, is this the largest jump from an unranked team ever???
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
They’ll be 1 if they beat Louisville
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:22 PM ^
*when...
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
Let's not forget about a tough conference game against Iowa on Friday, too. A really tough week for the boys. Come out unscathed and watch out!
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
I believe I read this actually ties it, ironically. Kansas went from unranked to #4 in 1989.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:29 PM ^
Kansas did it by beating the #1 and #2 teams in a tournament.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:32 PM ^
That's decent I guess.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:17 PM ^
Ties 1989 Kansas for unranked to #4
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^
It is not, but it is close. I saw on ESPN this weekend that the largest jump into the poll from an unranked team was Ohio State to #3 in the 1960s. Need another source to confirm though because I am not 100% certain.
EDIT: 100% certain now. Ohio State in 1962 went from unranked to #3 in the Week 2 poll:
http://collegepollarchive.com/mbasketball/ap/teams/by_season.cfm?teamid=25&seasonid=1963
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/ohio-state/1963-schedule.html
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
The Kansas stat from 1989-90 was the biggest jump in the 25-team era. Prior to 1989-90, the AP only ranked 20 teams. So, it’s possible that the ‘63 OSU squad would have been ranked in a 25-team poll.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:52 PM ^
Thanks for the info. It was even less than that after looking it up as the AP Poll only ranked 10 teams during most of the 1960s.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
Curious to see the breakdown of voters when it comes out. I'm guessing that there may be a couple that didn't pay attention and have us ranked in the 20-25 range from just moving teams down that lost.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:47 PM ^
It is interesting that Michigan has more first-place votes (9) than #2 Kansas (3) and #3 Maryland (0), but is 68 and 17 points behind them, respectively. Definitely suggests that some voters still have Michigan ranked ludicrously low.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:16 PM ^
All 65 voters listed Michigan on their ballots this week:
No. 1: 9 voters
No. 2: 9 voters
No. 3: 8 voters
No. 4: 10 voters
No. 5: 21 voters
No. 6: 1 voter
No. 7: 2 voters
No. 8: 3 voters
No. 9: 1 voter
No. 12: 1 voter
December 2nd, 2019 at 10:21 PM ^
Thanks for sharing.
So almost unanimously top 5 and only one vote outside the top 10. I was certain they'd be at least top 8, top 4 is pretty cool.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
9 first place votes which is second only to Louisville.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:15 PM ^
Bragging rights over Ohio State? I like it.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:15 PM ^
Beat Louisville tomorrow and Michigan will be playing Iowa on Friday to be #1. Go Blue!
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
Praise to Coach Howard and the team for bring us something to enjoy this holiday season
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
That is one heck of a jump! While early polls reward teams for achieving nothing, Michigan is one of those teams that has earned their rankings. What I like about Howard and this team is that I truly believe they embrace that greatest. They want that greatest and they will let you know.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
Wow, the polls got it . . . right?!? Kudos to the voters for not giving in to inertia.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
3 Big Ten teams in the top 6, and none of them are the team that was ranked #1 preseason. Pretty nice.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:19 PM ^
I wasn't expecting that big of a jump but I suppose that's to even further hype the Louisville game, in large part...man, this was the week we needed a boost like this
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:05 PM ^
No. It's because we earned it.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:20 PM ^
We tie 1989 Kansas's record for largest jump from unranked to ranked.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^
That basketball team is fun as hell to watch. Glad they are getting some recognition, but far from the finish line. Doubt Howard/Simpson will let these guys read their newspaper clippings.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
Almost as good is that UNC and Gonzaga stayed in the top ten. In other words, voters don't think they're disappointments - they just think M is really good. Hopefully those are still viewed as top-tier wins come selection time.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:27 PM ^
Maryland is overrated.
Great to see Kansas hanging in there at #2 despite all the adversity.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:52 PM ^
Gus Johnson is impressed with their mental toughness and thinks it is a great redemption story.
December 2nd, 2019 at 9:38 PM ^
And that they had birthdays.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^
Maryland is overrated.
Agree 100%.
Watched them play every game this weekend. They didn't feel like the 3rd best team in the country to my untrained eye.
And at the end of the day, Turg is still on their sidelines. They may burn brighter and hotter in the early part of this season than they ever have, but they will burn out like they always do.
Edit: originally wrote "4th best team" on accident. Fixed it to 3rd
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:19 PM ^
They don't look like the #3 team in the country and their resume doesn't show it either. Their best win is over Marquette and before that game Maryland only won by 7 against both Temple and Harvard
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:42 PM ^
My head was thinking 3 but my hands typed 4 haha thanks for the catch
December 2nd, 2019 at 10:34 PM ^
The thing is, this looks like a wide open season with few if any elite teams.
Agree that they don't feel like the 3rd best team and they almost certainly won't finish that high, but Kentucky lost to Evansville, Duke to SFA, MSU has lost twice already, once to a Va Tech team than then got destroyed by Dayton.
Wide open this year.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
I was thinking the same thing. Then I saw a tweet referencing Wins over Bubble per Torvik. (Your wins minus the wins expected by a bubble team equivalent). Michigan is #1, but Maryland was ranked as 12th. Lousiville 14th. Kansas 15th. OSU 19th. Virginia is 7th.
So basically they've done well against a tough-ish schedule. Probably some pre-season expectations holding them in such high regard, but they aren't too far out of place.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
Let’s go!!
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
Going from "holy shit App State what is haaaaaaappennning" to this in a short span is remarkable. I am here for it.
Keep it up, Juwan!
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:31 PM ^
Oh and don’t worry people will do the same thing again this year and the start of next year and the next year and the next a year.......
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:49 PM ^
aye, 'tis a fickle lot.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
From the same fan base that multiple times wanted to fire Beilein? I just don't see anyone in the fanbase freaking out over any losses this team will sustain over the season.
/s for the dense in the back.
December 2nd, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
Also received 9 first place votes. Louisville had 48, Kansas 3 and Virginia 5. Nice!!