M Basketball #3 in USA Today
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
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.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:26 PM ^
Gary Harris is coming back sooner rather than later. Sparty is night-and-day with him running the point as opposed to Valentine.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^
Haven't watched any MSU this year, but isn't Appling running the point?
November 26th, 2012 at 1:54 PM ^
Yes Appling runs the point however Valentine has a unique Point Forward skill set. He handles the ball a little bit.
November 26th, 2012 at 7:50 PM ^
Valentines is my cousin. Didn't get the genes, damn.
November 26th, 2012 at 6:10 PM ^
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November 26th, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^
Seeing us ahead of Ohio and in the top 5 heals my broken heart a little.
November 26th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
How is Duke not #1? Beat #2 and #3.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:06 PM ^
Duke has by far the most impressive wins so far. One could argue that Indiana should be #3 behind Duke and Michigan based off of wins so far. Indiana has beat no one.
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.
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.
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.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:39 PM ^
Duke will be number one when they beat Ohio Wednesday night and M will move to number two.
November 27th, 2012 at 8:39 AM ^
......they likely will be. Luckily, the polls have minimal influence on the crowning of the champion in March April.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^
Something positive, hell yeah.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
Being Objective...Michigan is an outstanding team..
November 26th, 2012 at 1:10 PM ^
Is #3 in the AP Poll as well.
November 26th, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
Wait Gary Moeller's Wife is ranked in the AP basketball poll? Les Miles you son of a bitch!
November 26th, 2012 at 1:15 PM ^
That, in the AP Poll, half of the Big Ten is in the Top 22. This is the SEC of basketball.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^
tiny little exception that we haven't won a title since 2000, I believe?
November 26th, 2012 at 1:26 PM ^
Fair enough.
November 26th, 2012 at 2:04 PM ^
But the Tourney makes winning a Title a whole new animal. It's a lot easier to get hot for 5 games in March than keep it up over the season
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.
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.
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.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:29 PM ^
I believe you mean there is an OHIO as well.
November 26th, 2012 at 2:20 PM ^
But now I can't tell if you're talking about Oregon State University or Oklahoma State University.
November 26th, 2012 at 2:37 PM ^
Dude. It's not going anywhere. Don't get your blood pressure up.
November 26th, 2012 at 10:59 PM ^
Just stating my preference, and general annoyance with the whole "OHIO" thing. It's cool to a point, but I think like anything else people take it too far.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:37 PM ^
This team is just so deep. If Horford gets going and Biefeldt is a solid contributor there won't be enough minutes to give out.
November 26th, 2012 at 1:56 PM ^
Agree, hoping to see Horford get in top shape.
November 26th, 2012 at 2:01 PM ^
this years Basketball team is Sick Nasty...can't wait for Big Ten games to start! Go Blue!
November 26th, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^
Beating NC STATE tomorrow should solidify our #3 spot.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^
It will give us the number two spot when Duke beats Ohio.
November 26th, 2012 at 2:48 PM ^
Also from mgoblue.com, Stauskas was named B1G freshman of the week. Congrats Nik!
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.
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.
November 26th, 2012 at 3:40 PM ^
Consider it the SEC perception.
Reigning co-champion in the toughest conference in the sport returns most of its top talent and brings in a top recruiting class.
Hard to say they aren't a Top 5 team.
On top of that a lot of preseason favorites have faultered. UNC, UCLA, NC State, etc.
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.
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.
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.
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.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:52 PM ^
I still don't know I we are that good, but this team has already beaten a couple of good teams and this is the most talent they have had since the 90's.
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.
November 26th, 2012 at 3:52 PM ^
ALRIGHT!! A SPORT THE BIG TEN DOESN'T SUCK AT!!
November 26th, 2012 at 4:13 PM ^
Let's go DUKE!
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
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.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:38 PM ^
Sparties everywhere are in denial. Can't fathom that we are that good.
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.