AP poll - #19

[BeKnighted_rivals]

RU flipped with Stanford. GW and Syracuse survived (don't get Syracuse, honestly, but never mind), while Georgia and South Florida dropped out.

Top 5: 1. Connecticut (up 1 from last week, 35 1st place votes, up 27 from last week), 2. South Carolina (down 1, 0 1st place votes, down 26), 3. Baylor (same), 4. Notre Dame (same), 5. Maryland (same)

We'd been missing a voter for a couple of weeks, but apparently that person has returned.


Other Big Ten: 5. Maryland (same), 13. Iowa (up 1), 21. Nebraska (up 1, hmm), also receiving votes: Northwestern (29th, 18 points, no votes last week), Minnesota (t39, 4 points, no votes last week)


Other RU opponents: 6. Tennessee (same), 17. North Carolina (same), also receiving votes: LSU (35th, down 1 spot, 9 points, up 1 point)

We're getting to the point in the season when there seem to be a lot of random votes - Arkansas-Little Rock, Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky and Wichita State all have votes this week.


Interestingly, RU's drop was more a result of Stanford picking up votes than RU losing votes - RU went from 277 last week to 274 this week, while Stanford went from 239 to 296, which is a big jump up. Also, here's RU vote progression since the beginning of the year:

January 5: 94 (Ohio State and Iowa losses)
January 12: 98
January 19: 65 (1st Maryland loss)
January 26: 118
February 1: 168
February 8: 277
February 15: 274 (2nd Maryland loss)

 

[RUgrad]

So if we finish 4-0 we can get into the Top 15 and be the 3rd seed in the Big Ten. A long way from this time last year.

 

[RUClassof67]

Here's the link

Rankings

 

[bac2therac]

looking at the teams ahead of RU, its going to be tough to move up all that much. Princeton probably will not lose the rest of the way. RU could gain a spot next week if Kentucky knocks off Texas A&M. Perhaps Iowa can lose both on the road.

For RU to ensure themselves a top 4 seed they are going to need to win out an then get to the finals of the Big 10 tourney. Iowa is going to be a big rival for a top 4 seed so a head to head win in the Big 10 tourney will help. So 6-1 down the stretch puts them at 25-7 and cant see how they cant be a 4 seed at least, of course winning the Big 10 tourney would also cement them as a 4 seed. Going to be tough but it can happen.

At worst RU would be a 6

 

[RUClassof67]

Would love to see us host the first two rounds. That makes the route to the Sweet Sixteen and a berth in the Regionals much easier. However, doesn't the #4 seed give us a 1 seed to face in the first round of the regionals?? I guess making the Sweet 16 is worth it. But a 5 seed isn't the worst that can happen. First round against a 12 seed; second round against a 4 seed (who would be playing at home).

It is a lot more fun talking about these scenarios than worrying about whether we make the field of 64 like we've had to think about the last two years.

 

[BeKnighted_rivals]

If the teams wins the next six games - 4 regular season and 2 in the B1G tournament - the odds of a top 4 seed are, I think, pretty good. But, honestly, a 5 wouldn't be so bad given the potential opponents.