AP Poll has U-M #7

Submitted by PB-J Time on

With the "game that shall not be named" (as well than a less than inspiring performance last night) Michigan has been adjusted to #7 in the ranking. IU remains at the top spot, with Sparty getting bumped to #4. Full rankings here

PB-J Time

February 18th, 2013 at 1:37 PM ^

Highly agree with this. We have 4 losses. ALL on the road. ALL to top 25 teams. The "bad loss" that we do have is to a top 5 team (and has been top 10-15 for most of the season). Although we may have come closer than people would have liked for comfort sake last night, we don't have a "bad loss"

WolvinLA2

February 18th, 2013 at 4:26 PM ^

But who have they beaten who's good? OSU? Us too. Kansas State? Us too. We both lost to MSU.

The difference is that we haven't lost to teams like TCU and Oklahoma, and they haven't had to play nearly as many top teams as we have. Their OSU game was close, so I would expect them to split if they played them again, and they won't have to play MSU a second time or Indiana twice. If they couldn't handle OK State, TCU and Oklahoma in a row, what would they have done in our OSU, Indiana, Wisconsin, MSU stretch?

1989 UM GRAD

February 18th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^

The reality is that we're likely to be back in the top five a week from now...given how the season has gone thus far. 

I haven't looked at the schedules of all of the top six teams, but it's likely that at least two of them will lose or have a shaky victory that bumps them back a few spots.

We clearly need to win out, though, to have a shot at the Big Ten title and at ending the season in the top five.  I don't see how we can lose another game and end up in the top five at the end of the season.

bluebyyou

February 18th, 2013 at 1:29 PM ^

Based on their recent games, a 7 ranking seems about right.  Win a few games, they could be back at or near the top. Just a crazy year for college hoops. 

mhollebeek

February 18th, 2013 at 3:30 PM ^

with all the crazyness and upsets, we are truely one weird week from being number 1 or 2 again.  We haven't played well recently, and it is obviously a what have you done for me lately poll (which is, of course, what it is supposed to be in a nut shell), and to be number 7 with how we have been playing is right.  Win our games against MSU and Indiana at home, and we'll be right back at the top.

MikeCohodes

February 18th, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^

has moved back up in the standings as well, hovering just outside the top 25 at 29th in the points total. That game might not be the pushover that some are expecting it to be, especially if we play the way we did this past week.

I'm sad we're outside the top 5 for the first time all season, but falling only 3 spots after the week we had was not as bad a fall as I had feared.  Still, we're 22-4 on the season, which if you told me a couple years ago that in the near future Michigan would be a top 7 team all season long and only have four losses on their season, I'd have looked at you like you were smoking something.

Now if we can just get the defense to show up, everything will be complete.

LSAClassOf2000

February 18th, 2013 at 1:34 PM ^

Here's the weekly distribution and updated running average data for my AP tracker:

Photobucket Photobucket

We did get one 2nd place vote actually, from Steve Wiseman. The rest of the voting went as follows:

- 2 votes for 4th place

- 10 votes for 5th place

- 17 votes for 6th place

- 24 votes for 7th place

- 7 votes for 8th place

- 4 votes for 10th place

LSAClassOf2000

February 18th, 2013 at 1:46 PM ^

Here's where the data I use comes from:

http://www.pollspeak.com/

Go to "Polls", then "NCAA Basketball" and then "AP Men's Ballots". On the screen that you will see, you would then want to select "Team Report" for the most recent week (or any week in the past, if you want) and select "Michigan" from the dropdown menu. It will give you the names and the votes. You can also do team comparisons.

State Street

February 18th, 2013 at 1:41 PM ^

Can any entry level bracketologists here discuss what the odds are that UM plays as the 2 seed in the DC regional if Indiana takes the 1 in Indianapolis and MSU the 1 in LA?

Darth Wolverine

February 18th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^

rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks. rankings don't matter, folks.

get-on-my-lawn

February 18th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^

They pay a good amount of people in order to calculate these rankings, and 9/10 people are at least interested to see what the rankings are and high rankings create big matchups which creates a lot of revenue for a lot of people... So ya.. I think they matter to some degree.

Darth Wolverine

February 18th, 2013 at 2:31 PM ^

No...no they really don't matter. This isn't football. The only ranking that DOES matter to some degree is the tournament seed and even then, a team doesn't have to be highly seeded to win the title.

True Blue Grit

February 18th, 2013 at 2:17 PM ^

than 7 the way we've been playing of late.  But on the bright side, we're still in striking distance of a #1 seed IF:

1.  Morgan gets back to 100% in the next week or so.

2.  We re-learn how to play good defense

3.  We win out at home

4.  GRIII doesn't take any more games off

5.  We get a little help from other teams in the conference by beating MSU and IU.

No problem. 

Wolverine Devotee

February 18th, 2013 at 2:19 PM ^

Here's a little info on being the #7 ranked team.

Michigan is 30-4 all-time when ranked #7 and the last time they were ranked 7th was back on December 8, 1996 in a 62-61 win in Durham over #10 duke.

San Diego Mick

February 18th, 2013 at 2:48 PM ^

all day right now, shows that we still have respect from folks.

Now we need to re-group for a great late February, all March and early April run!

Let's turn March Madness into an Awesome April, no fooling!

omgcodysignedon

February 18th, 2013 at 3:05 PM ^

now that we are through the gauntlet of our schedule and still at #7, I think it is only up from here, to conclude the regular season, the conference tourney, and then the big dance.

Arizona Blue

February 18th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^

This is about right..I think this week off is going to be huge for the team to re-group, rest up, and focus on fundamentals. The biggest thing we have lacked the past three weeks is defensive fundamentals.

wresler120

February 18th, 2013 at 3:51 PM ^

Does it seem the AP does whatever it can to keep Notre Dame in the Top 25? They move to Low 20's and lose to a 6-7 conference foe Providence by almost 20 and stay Top 25. Add in losses to teams like St. Johns, St. Joes,UConn (at home), Georgetown (at Home) and a home win against DePaul in OT (team has a losing record) .. And only 1win against a current Top 25. I don't get it

JLee0587

February 18th, 2013 at 5:33 PM ^

Not bad of a ranking, UofM hasn't been playing well as of late because of the brutal schedule. Offense has been pretty stagnate, just watching Trey dribble the ball around the court. The defense is pourous since one mistake usually compounds to more. I think they will get their act together for the tournament to make a good run.

Tater

February 18th, 2013 at 5:53 PM ^

#7 is good after the 1-3 sequence.  Besides, unlike in football, everybody who could actually win gets a fair chance to determine where they really belong at the end of the season.  

jcouz

February 18th, 2013 at 6:33 PM ^

Michigan at #7 is fair for this week.  If we can take care of business against Illinois on Sunday, expect the rankings to look different come next week.  Miami is a strong #2 in the polls and looked awful @ Clemson last night.  Clemson wouldn't allow themselves to pull the upset by missing free-throws (they shot 5-13) and missing lay-ups down the stretch.  Michigan isn't the only team that looks bad sometimes.  We looked bad @ MSU and they took it to us.  We looked bad against Penn St. and won because they suck.  Same is true for Miami.  They were fortunate to be playing a shit team last night or they would have lost.  Sparty plays Indiana and @ OSU this week.  There is a fair chance that they lose twice and most-likely once.  That will change the rankings.  Also, Florida @ Missouri could be a big payback game.  Missouri is a much different team at home.  Gonzaga probably won't lose again but it will be tough for them to get a #1 seed unless other teams lose multiple games since their schedule sucks.  Michigan could play their way to a #1 seed if they win out the regular season and make it to the B10 Tourney Final.  If they win the final, they would have a #1 for sure.  If they don't, they still might but would get no worse than a #2.  Best case scenario would be a #1 seed in the Mid-West Regional in Indianapolis unless Indiana gets the #2 there.  Otherwise, #1 or #2 seed is fine.  Would be awesome to play the first 2 rounds at the Palace.

NelzQ

February 19th, 2013 at 12:37 AM ^

Before the team can advance, they must embrace the truth. They are in a regressive phase right now. They are not getting better. This is somewhat alarming. Alarming from the point of view that the deficiencies as I see them, are related to coaching.

Exhibit A: Defense. Good defensive teams get that way because the coach demands it or you sit. See Bobby Knight, Tom Izzo. Tolerating sub par defense feeds it. A dog chasing his tail, will be busy. Figure it out coaching staff...and quick.

Exhibit B: Agression. The team needs to embrace being the bully. Beat somebody up. Stop trying to protect your lunch money. Start taking the opponent's lunch money and their girls too. From the opening tip we need to see every player in a Michigan uniform in full attack mode. Feed them gunpowder, chain them to their dorm rooms, do whatever it takes to make them play angry and fierce. That is all.