M Basketball #3 in USA Today

Submitted by GRFS11 on

Michigan jumps Ohio after winning the preseason NIT.  The full poll is here:  http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaab/polls/

 

Highlights:

1) Indiana

2) Duke

3) Michigan

4) Ohio

5) Syracuse

6) Louisville

7) Florida

8) Kentucky

9) Arizona

10) Kansas

14) MSU

18) NC St

22) Illinois

 

Wisconsin drops out.  Also, M is #5 in Sagarin and #1 in the B1G (NC St is #18).  Link here:  http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkt.htm

 

UofM-I-Hart

November 26th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^

They let Boise State hang in until the end and then beat Louisiana Laf. By a measly 3 points simply because LL missed a pair of free throws to tie it at the end. Talk about givin em the benefit of the doubt.

flwolverine

November 26th, 2012 at 6:10 PM ^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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kevin holt

November 26th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^

I think it's because of starting out #1 and not losing to anyone. For some reason, that #1 spot is so sacred to voters that no one can jump unless the top team loses. That shouldn't be the case in the beginning, but it'll shake itself out in the next couple days. If Duke and IU both win, it will be a really tough choice, but I kind of doubt both will win. If they do, I put Duke first, but if IU blows NC out of the water then maybe not.

Needs

November 26th, 2012 at 1:49 PM ^

Indiana did beat Georgetown, which is about on the same level as our wins vs Pitt and K State, ie solid top half of their league but not elite teams. That said, they let a bad Georgia team hang around far longer than a truly elite team should, and agree that Duke has by far the best two wins of any team so far.

Darth Wolverine

November 26th, 2012 at 1:59 PM ^

To be fair, as good as I think this M team is, they haven't really defeated anyone great either. KSU and Pittsburgh are average to above average teams, but M was expected to beat them.

Darth Wolverine

November 26th, 2012 at 1:20 PM ^

Not that I care about basketball rankings, as I think they're pointless considering how big the pool is in the tournament, but that is still nice to see. Also, wow...if Duke beats Ohio Wednesday night and we win tomorrow against NC State and don't lose next weekend either, we will be number two, and deservedly so. I think our team is downright nasty and will win the Big Ten this year.

biakabutuka ex…

November 26th, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^

11. So far, Michigan is not overrated
The Wolverines had a bit of trouble with Pittsburgh, but a huge win over Kansas State seems to indicate that the Beilein machine may be worthy of its no. 4 ranking. The great news for Michigan fans is that Tim Hardaway Jr. seems to have his stroke back, and the forwards have been strong enough that they haven't needed huge contributions from freshman Mitch McGary yet. I'm anxious to see how they look Tuesday against NC State. Unfortunately ...

12. NC State is not a title team
I was willing to forgive the total lack of defense against Oklahoma State, thinking NC State might have been exhausted, but the 82-80 win over UNC-Asheville convinced me that this team could go an entire year without buckling down. The idea of the Wolfpack winning six straight games with their run-and-gun style has lost its credibility.



From here.

TIMMMAAY

November 26th, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^

Calling them Ohio is fine for the rivalry week, The Game, etc..

All other times it's just unnecessarily confusing. There is an Ohio as well, and they have an athletic department too.

WolverineInCbus

November 26th, 2012 at 3:19 PM ^

It's about time that we pass Ohio in the polls. They have looked average at best against below average teams. We have clobbered the teams that we were supposed to and now we have two good wins against solid programs.

TTUwolverine

November 26th, 2012 at 3:23 PM ^

but are we really the third best team in the country? I may be a cantankerous mid 20s alum who has been beaten down by a decade of crap to mediocre basketball... but even trying to put that aside I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. Do you guys really believe that ranking? I want to believe. MAKE ME BELIEVE MGOBLOG.

Indonacious

November 26th, 2012 at 3:52 PM ^

I think you just need to look at the evidence + eye ball test. Top 6 Kenpom, Top 5 Sagarin... We have clobbered who we are supposed to clobber, beat who we are supposed to beat...if that by itself does not satisfy you then, likely, nothing I say will. I understand the skepticism, but as of now, the team hasn't really provided any tangible evidence to suggest that we are not a bonafide top 5 team. We have shooting, playmaking, size, good coaching, and depth.

South Bend Wolverine

November 26th, 2012 at 4:23 PM ^

The Kenpom factor is really what's helping me wrap my mind around the idea that we might actually be good here.  Last season's over-achievement is by far the best UM b-ball I have any real memory of, so it's tough to believe.  However, if the tempo-free stats are showing it, it becomes tough to deny, esp when you consider that we've beaten Kenpom #12 (Pitt) and #21 (KSU) teams.

OmarDontScare

November 26th, 2012 at 4:31 PM ^

College basketball is just different than what it used to be back in the 90s and even early 2000s. The 1 and done rule has really had a significant affect on the game. The best teams are now made up of elite Freshman and Sophomores with maybe 2-3 contributing upperclassmen.

UM has that very mix right now with elite Freshman GR3, McGary and Stauskas. All American sophomore Burke and talented upperclassmen THJ, Morgan and Horford.

Since there are only 5 guys on the court at one time it's much easier to turn a program around in Bball than it is in Football. That's kind of a depressing fact given the state of UM Bball for the late 90s and 2000s but it's true.

I know we have great players coming in next year and I'm excited about the future of UM Bball but the time to strike is right NOW! We have a legit shot at a championship and we need to take advantage while Trey, Timmy and GR3 are still in Ann Arbor.

3rdGenerationBlue

November 26th, 2012 at 4:36 PM ^

So far so good. Even when the team has stumbled offensively for a part of a game they have played consistent defensive AND rebounded. If they beat NC State they have a chance to find some offensive rhythm against some of the weaker competition before B1G play. There are four guys capable of scoring in bunches (THJ, Staukas, GRIII, & Burke). Seems like Burke has been testing some new moves and will smooth out the rough edges and GRIII isn't playing very aggressive (happy to to see him ease into the flow but I think he is capable of dominating a game when he is hot). There are only a handleful of programs that will have enough talent to match up with those four. Most nights one or two of them will be guarded by a weak defender.

MGoRossGrad

November 26th, 2012 at 3:46 PM ^

If the B1G performs well in the B1G/ACC Challenge, we could be seeing four or five fellow conference teams in the Top 10 come conference tip-off.

Practically guarantees a #1 overall spot to the winner of the conference come March. 

Damn, this is gonna be exciting.

UofM-I-Hart

November 26th, 2012 at 4:14 PM ^

if we beat NC State, and Indiana loses tomorrow night to unc, and OSU beats Duke wednesday night, who becomes number 1 in your opinion? Michigan or OSU? I doubt anyone else would jump either of us if this situation happens so i figure it'd be one of us 2 at #1

Darth Wolverine

November 26th, 2012 at 4:36 PM ^

When we sweep Ohio later this season and win the Big Ten, their fans will claim that they don't care about basketball, even though they have been bragging about beating us and winning the Big Ten since Matta got there.

Darth Wolverine

November 26th, 2012 at 4:44 PM ^

After we beat them in football, I trolled MSU boards and told them we're going to beat them all three times in basketball this season. Of course they LOL'd me and said they are going to mop the floor with our basketball team. Oh how mistaken they will be after the sweep happens.