Michigan BBall ranked #10 in new AP Poll
January 4th, 2021 at 12:13 PM ^
Jeff Goodman has to be seething right now.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
Nahhhh, he's one of those prideful people that would never admit he had a bad take
January 4th, 2021 at 12:23 PM ^
What was his take?
January 4th, 2021 at 12:29 PM ^
He had Michigan at #16 and behind Minny/Rutgers. Michigan twitter was after him and he said Michigan needs to beat a "tourney team". Michigan then slaughters NW last night and instead of eating crow, he says "Michigan fans are acting like they beat Gonzaga tonight."
Can't even bring himself to admit that last night's win was huge and Michigan continues to dominate.
January 4th, 2021 at 1:10 PM ^
I honestly don't see anything bad about that take. We were ranked #16 in the polls last week, so he went with the national consensus. And Northwestern is 6-3 and has made one NCAA tournament in school history, so how can we be sure they're a measuring stick?
I think we've looked really good these last few outings but it's probably fair to say we've played a favorable schedule to date.
January 4th, 2021 at 1:32 PM ^
Well, we were #16 before a big road win against Maryland and then the big (by margin) win against NW.
But I also see the take. Some people are resume people that only look at Ws and Ls and now how those Ws came (i.e. they don't see a difference between a one point win and a 19 point win that was even more convincing than that). For those resume people, fine, Michigan has played a very weak schedule.
January 4th, 2021 at 1:41 PM ^
We also struggled with PSU and Oakland earlier. We've looked much better from Christmas on, but that's also only three games.
January 4th, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
Who has Wisconsin beat and has a quality loss to that has them ranked higher?
Michigan is undefeated so can’t really ask the same question to measure.
So Michigan bball’s gonna start getting the football ‘Big Game’ treatment.
Had they lost to Northwestern...
January 4th, 2021 at 1:38 PM ^
Eh, Goodman isn't an AP voter so his ballot doesn't influence anything...except web clicks and Twitter mentions.
Now, you want to get after a different Jeff? Try Jeff Borzello of ESPN. After winning two games in dominating fashion, he moved Michigan from #16 to ... #16, ranking the Wolverines behind teams like Missouri, Minnesota, and Virginia Tech.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:38 PM ^
i'm sure that someone supposedly named "jeff goodman" IS seething. whoever he is.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:41 PM ^
I have no idea who Jeff Goodman is. I guess that's a good thing? Clearly must be some sort of CBB talking head.
January 4th, 2021 at 1:05 PM ^
My favorite thing was him putting us one spot above UCF for two straight weeks, even though we curb stopped them, without a hint of irony
January 8th, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^
That part...
January 4th, 2021 at 12:14 PM ^
Clark Kellogg used to always say the first basketball poll should come out after New Year’s Day. After seeing this craziness we might need to move that until after Valentine’s Day. We are better than a lot of those teams above us.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:22 PM ^
Honestly, what difference does it make? The polls have no impact on anything in basketball.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:26 PM ^
What's so crazy about this? Seems mostly fair.
Kansas and Creighton are probably too high by 5-7 spots but nothing too crazy (in the top 10 at least, MSU being ranked is crazy).
And while Michigan might be better than some teams ahead of them, Michigan's best win is still...at Maryland? And Maryland is ranked 45th in Kenpom. PSU is 48th. Northwestern is 56th.
I think there's no question that based on how Michigan is winning those games, they're a top 10 team, but I can accept that resume voters that adhere strictly to Ws and Ls and want to see a top 10 team prove they can beat at least a top 25 team could hold Michigan out of the top 6ish at this point.
January 4th, 2021 at 2:37 PM ^
Arent our "mediocre" wins on par with many other teams losses? Being undefeated in the big ten in January alone should account for a lot. I'm seeing our meh wins equal to a lot of losses for teams ahead of us.
January 4th, 2021 at 3:01 PM ^
Kenpom has us #10 and so does the AP. Keep in mind, there are 350 Division I programs. Also, we were unranked to start the year, so we've been steadily climbing and have reached the top 10 after just nine games.
On the DISRESPEKT scale this is pretty mild.
January 4th, 2021 at 4:14 PM ^
Why do people care so much what writers and coaches think in a sport that has a tournament determined by a committee, that uses a different ranking? They use net which has UM 6th, as posted in another thread. Before the net, typically kenpom as you mention or rpi would have been better than the polls.Kenpom had UM around 15-16, now they're at 10. RPI had UM in the top-10 the entire time, and now they're at 3.
In the net, NU is 50, PSU is 42, Maryland is 32, Kansas 27, Creighton 30.
January 4th, 2021 at 6:45 PM ^
Recruits. (Not that Bball is struggling in that area)
Doubt recruits get into all that other stuff. The polls are easier.
But it’s kinda like a well-known, evil human being/coach was quoted as saying, “If they keep track of it, we wanna be the best at it.”
January 4th, 2021 at 12:15 PM ^
Seems about right.
Will be interesting to see what Creighton will do in March in Indy. It's a shame Dayton didn't get to make a run last year.
January 4th, 2021 at 4:26 PM ^
How does Creighton at #7 make any sense?? They're #15 on Kenpom and have one ranked win against Xavier and a bad loss to Marquette at home.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:16 PM ^
These polls are a complete joke.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:52 PM ^
A better metric is the NCAA NET rankings. We are #6 with 1 Quad One win and 3 Quad Two wins...Staee is ranked #119 in the initial rankings. Its consecutive streak of making the Big Dance is in jeopardy.
January 4th, 2021 at 4:28 PM ^
NCAA Net rankings do seem more accurate and certainly in line with what the selection committee will be looking at.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:17 PM ^
https://collegebasketball.ap.org/hometownsource/poll
Sparty still ranked at #23. The Izzo fluffing continues...
January 4th, 2021 at 12:17 PM ^
Rest of the top 25
January 4th, 2021 at 12:27 PM ^
wow...that's crazy.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:34 PM ^
It'll never happen, but I'd love to hear voter's justification for having them ranked. The question would go something like this: Michigan State and Nebraska just had a battle of winless teams in the big ten after msu started 0-3. Please justify your ranking and you are not allowed to say "pre-season" in your answer.
EDIT: meant for Pepper Brooks' post above.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:48 PM ^
They probably didn't even know MSU's Big Ten record, they just looked at the overall record (7-3) and figured "Eh, borderline top 25."
January 4th, 2021 at 4:34 PM ^
I think they just saw the win over Duke and said they must be top 25.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:40 PM ^
Pretty classic case of preseason expectations bouying MSU and Duke and they playing each other which perpetuates the preseason expectations even more. There's one or two every year in football and basketball. It will find it's level eventually.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:18 PM ^
Duke still being in the top 25 is criminal
January 4th, 2021 at 12:33 PM ^
Izzo doesn’t think so.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:37 PM ^
Duke is 3-2, with wins over Coppin State, Bellarmine, and Notre Dame. So their only win of consequence is Notre Dame, who is 3-6 with wins over Detroit, Bellarmine, and a 1 point win over a terrible Kentucky team. So Duke hasn't beaten anyone good and got hammered at home by Illinois and lost at home to a mediocre MSU team. And yet they are ranked above a Sparty team that shouldn't be getting votes, let alone ranked.
January 4th, 2021 at 2:01 PM ^
Duke is also a few spots ahead of MSU in the Coaches Poll (24th to 28th). They actually moved up into the top 25 despite 1. not playing for 2+ weeks, and 2. the MSU team they lost to dropping 10 spots to fall out of the top 25. Polls are stupid.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
just wait until coach ratface opts out and dumps duke's record for the season on his top assistant, like when he had back surgery. he's been agitating for it already.
oh, wait, he's already halfway there: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30635447/duke-florida-state-postponed-due-seminoles-positive-test-blue-devils-coach-k-quarantine
January 4th, 2021 at 12:52 PM ^
The back surgery thing never ceases to blow my mind. Coach K's ego was so great that he couldn't handle a few extra losses on his record and had to dump them on his assistant?
January 4th, 2021 at 12:45 PM ^
Because they have "potential" and "blue chip talent" and "coaching for the second half of the season" and "peaking at the right time" and "name brand."
Apply the same "logic" to msu.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:25 PM ^
I agree that some of the ranking seems "off," but why do so many of you get so angry about it?
Just keep winning...and the rankings and/or the tournament will work themselves out.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:43 PM ^
Because our society seems to want to have some OUTRAGE at all times.
I'm with you, this is a big yawn for me. If anything I'd prefer to stay out of the top 10 and off the radar until March.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:25 PM ^
So far, so good.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:31 PM ^
Anyone know the last time 3 BT teams were in the Top 10? (yes yes i meant before this year)
January 4th, 2021 at 12:40 PM ^
I know in 2013 we had 3 (maybe even 4) top 10 teams.
Not sure if we have had this since then prior to this season.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Uh, 4 weeks ago? Week 3 polls had:
3 Iowa
4 msu
9 Illinois
I know you probably meant before this season, but couldn't help myself.
And for what it's worth, the week 2 poll this season had 4 BT teams in the top 10:
3 Iowa (now 5)
4 Wisconsin (now 8)
5 Illinois (now 12)
8 msu (now 23)
Also in week 2, Michigan was #26 in votes.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
A whopping four weeks ago, there were three in the top six: #3 Iowa, #4 MSU and #6 Illinois.
It happens all the time. Last year (2019-2020) week 3 rankings had MSU 3rd, Maryland 6th and OSU 10th. Week 4 rankings had MSU 3rd, Maryland 5th and OSU 10th. Week 5 had Maryland 3rd, Michigan 4th and OSU 6th....list goes on an on.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:34 PM ^
And for some ungodly reason, MSU is still ranked. They have lost 3 games including a couple of blowouts. Izzo gets way too much credit. I have a friend who follows state basketball closely as he says they have nothing this year, no interior defense and not much on the perimeter. They don't deserve to be ranked.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:44 PM ^
I guess beating Nebraska helped offset getting blown out by Minnesota.
I know it is a rivalry game, but I have watched MSU play 6 or 7 times and in-particular their B1G games, and I do not see us having much issue with them at all. Our guard play is more consistent then theirs. Rocket Watts is all over the place, and has been strangely awful at defense this year. Henry has been inconsistent and I think Franz/Chaundee will lock him down. Lastly, I laugh at the idea of Thomas Kithier defending Hunter.
January 4th, 2021 at 12:36 PM ^
Still no love for undefeated Winthrop?! Will the pollsters ever get it right? /s
January 4th, 2021 at 12:46 PM ^
just wait until they're 23-0. which is definitely a possibility.