Basketball Blogpoll -- Week 6

by Truzenzuzex on Jan 8, 2009 11:16 AM EST in Basketball Comment 23 comments

I forgot (or more correctly, got too busy) to post this last week. But this week's Basketball Blogpoll has just gone final, and there have been a vast number of changes in the poll.

First, we'll look at my ballot, and then we'll look at the final poll results.

A Sea of Blue's Basketball Blogpoll Ballot:

Last week	School	This Week	Delta	Direction
2	Pittsburgh	1	1
5	Duke	2	3
1	North Carolina	3	-2
3	Connecticut	4	-1
6	Wake Forest	5	1
4	Oklahoma	6	-2
7	Georgetown	7	0	NC
8	Texas	8	0	NC
12	Michigan State	9	3
10	UCLA	10	0	NC
18	Clemson	11	7
13	Syracuse	12	1
21	Xavier	13	8
16	Arizona State	14	2
25	West Virginia	15	10
11	Purdue	16	-5
9	Notre Dame	17	-8
24	Butler	18	6
14	Tennessee	19	-5
40	Marquette	20	20
17	Villanova	21	-4
19	Louisville	22	-3
15	Gonzaga	23	-8
26	Memphis	24	2
0	California	25	NPR

Dropped out:	Baylor (20), Ohio State (22), Minnesota (23)
New in poll:	Marquette (20), Memphis (24), California (25)

Notes:

Montgomery has the Golden Bears playing well.
This ballot was cast before the Zags upset Tennessee in Knoxville.
Pittsburgh is at #1 for the first time in history.
Texas' loss to Arkansas is not factored in due to ballot deadline.
Clemson continues to impress.
Tennessee is beginning to look very vulnerable.
For the sake of interest, I currently have UK at #45. They have a long way to go yet.

College Basketball Blogpoll -- Final, Week 6

Avg. Vote	Last Week	This Week	Team (first place votes)	Delta	Direction
1.18	2	1	Pittsburgh (9)	1
2.27	1	2	North Carolina (1)	-1
3.18	5	3	Duke (1)	2
3.73	7	4	Wake Forest	3
5.73	6	5	Connecticut	1
6.18	4	6	Oklahoma	-2
8	8	7	Texas	1
10.27	3	8	Georgetown	-5
10.64	14	9	Michigan State	5
10.73	11	10	UCLA	1
11.18	12	11	Syracuse	1
11.91	16	12	Clemson	4
12	9	13	Notre Dame	-4
15.27	10	14	Purdue	-4
15.45	17	15	Arizona State	2
16.64	18	16	Xavier	2
17.18		17	Marquette	NPR
18.36	13	18	Villanova	-5
18.82		19	Butler	NPR
19.09		20	West Virginia	NPR
20.36	23	21	Minnesota	2
23.36	20	22	Tennessee	-2
23.55		23	Boston College	NPR
23.55	15	24	Gonzaga	NPR
24.18		25	Illinois	NPR
Note: # in parenthesis indicates votes as #1 team.

Dropped out of poll:		Baylor (21), Louisville (22), Michigan (23), Memphis (25), Ohio State (19)
Entered poll:		Marquette (17), Butler (19), West Va. (20), Boston College (23), Illinois (25)

Notes:

You go, Butler!
The Illini were a close call for me. I have them at 28, though.
I have Minnesota at 34. The victory over OSU happened after my ballot was submitted.
Despite their victory over UNC, Boston College only rose to #29 in my standings. Look like that was validated by Harvard.
WVU's loss to UConn happened after ballots were due. I still think they belong in the poll, even after that loss.
Purdue needs a big victory this week.

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Comments

UT

The couple of times I have seen them play i have been less than impressed.
Talent wise they might be the best team in the SEC but they sure dont play like a team.
I dont think there players are buying into the whole team concept.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Jan 8, 2009 11:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

UT's Non- Team Concept

I have to admit that I guessed that this would happen with the recruitment of Scotty Hopson and Bobby Maze. Both great athletes, but also struck me as “me first” players. I have always thought that was (overall) the kind of players that UT ended up going after – good athleticism, very showy, etc.

by kentuckygirl0724 on Jan 8, 2009 12:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

UK at #45...

Can’t say I disagree but wow UK has a lot of work to do. Thank goodness the SEC is weak. They can afford very little if any slip-ups. Nothing is gauranteed.

Slower Traffic Keep Right!

by SevenRings on Jan 8, 2009 3:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'd Put UK In 30-40 Range

I think 45 is a little too low.

UK has Top 20-25 talent.

by FortyYearCatFan on Jan 8, 2009 3:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not until we have road wins.

That’s what is holding us back. We need to show we can win on the road, and so far, we have only played 1 road game 75 miles away which we lost.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Jan 8, 2009 3:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I believe we played a road game earlier in the year...

Its 257 miles east according to mapquest… and we lost that game too.

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Jan 8, 2009 4:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, yeah.

I had managed to put that one so far out of my mind, I forgot about it. :-)

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Jan 8, 2009 5:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Me too!

I was sitting here thinking, “What game was that?” Ah……… yes, I remember. Damn.

by kentuckygirl0724 on Jan 9, 2009 9:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

For what its worth...

UK is currently projected as an 11 seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology. I think that means they would be one of the last 4 in.

Slower Traffic Keep Right!

by SevenRings on Jan 8, 2009 3:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Check the side column

It does list UK as one of the “Last four in”

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Jan 8, 2009 3:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You are correct sir.

Slower Traffic Keep Right!

by SevenRings on Jan 8, 2009 3:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It ain't ...

…worth much, at this point in the season. Remember last year at this point? Half the country had not only written us off, but said emphatically that UK would not make the tournament.

How’d that work out for ’em? :-)

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Jan 8, 2009 4:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of Lunardi

I can see UK at 11 seed right,but how does he give Florida a 6 seed?They haven’t beaten anyone ranked,what makes them have a seed almost double ours?I know it is early,but where is the logic?

by -Zoso- on Jan 8, 2009 5:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

logic

there is none to it.

I expect we will have a six seed or better.

DEEETROIT BASKETBALLL!!!

by davw83 on Jan 8, 2009 5:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

This raises interesting questions for me

About how other fans “live.”

In years past, Kentucky would be a presumed 3 seed or higher. We accepted this and then went about our business with nary a gripe. I am now seeing how the other side lives. The inner knowledge that your team really does have the potential to do so much more that the national media isn’t seeing. How little did I really know about other teams in the past? I always liked to think of myself as at least somewhat educated about college basketball in general… but how many other self professed “educated” fans of other teams just assume Kentucky to be a borderline team barely deserving of a bid?

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Jan 8, 2009 5:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

….for now, but things change.

It will be interesting. The relative weakness of the league will be either a good thing or a bad thing. Good…meaning that it gives UK the possibility of finishing at the top. Bad…meaning they can’t afford any slip ups. Regardless, I still say performance in the conference tourney will be a bigger consideration than normal….meaning if someone like Georgia wins again, the regular third place team may be in real trouble. The SEC may only get 3 total picks to the NCAA Tournament.

'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'

by HozeKing on Jan 8, 2009 7:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmmm....

UofL beats UK but drops? Do I read this correctly? What does that say about both teams?

'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'

by HozeKing on Jan 8, 2009 7:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

it says...

…Loserville lost the game prior at home, to a un-ranked opponent, and then beat UK, another un-ranked team, on a last sec 25 footer, again, on their home floor…

just assuming of course

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Jan 8, 2009 9:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Keep in mind ...

… Louisville lost a game just prior to UNLV at home, between the previous poll and this one. That counts for more than beating the ’Cats at home.

Make sense now? :-)

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Jan 9, 2009 12:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not really...

…it doesn’t make any sense that UofL lost to UNLV at home. I guess I did a good job of putting that out of my mind, so thanks for the reminder.

I do like the Big East (although I’m guessing Vince will come back with something clever like calling it the ‘Big Least’), having 8 other teams ranked. I’m pretty confident that UofL won’t end up 9th in the conference, though.

'..when they bring a knife, you bring a gun...that's the Chicago way..'

by HozeKing on Jan 9, 2009 12:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Big East ...

… is very tough in basketball this year. I also doubt Louisville is the 9th best team, more like third or fourth.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Jan 9, 2009 6:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Big East

From what I’ve seen so far, I would definitely put Pitt, UConn, Georgetown, and maybe Syracuse above Louisville. I’d say Louisville and Notre Dame are about equal there at about 5th in the conference with Marquette right behind.

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Jan 9, 2009 9:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh ...

… I’m not so sure about Georgetown. Syracuse is right there. I think Louisville is better than Notre Dame, but we’ll find out whether that’s right or not soon enough.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Jan 9, 2009 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs