Official Top 25 Poll Watch

[shox1989]

If we beat UNI on Wednesday and then beat CU on Saturday we will be ranked. If not, then our only chance to get ranked this season will be in the post-season.

There is too much east coast bias and BcS bias with the pundits for anything else.

Unfortunately the Valley is viewed as a so-called "mid-major" by the national media types. And in their minds that means a one-bid conference. There is no way for a lot of them two place 2 Valley teams on their ballot at the same time. It goes against the way they view mid-majors. The Valley needs to lose that moniker for anything to really change. The Mountain West and A-10 have managed to do it, the Valley needs to do it too.

[Shoxfan11]

That's a real head scratcher, however the AP poll is just as wacky...KU loses and moves up a spot
and how in the hell can anyone vote Harvard in? Thats just being a lazy voter. They would not finish in the top half of the valley

Let's not sound like the BCS people we love to hate. Harvard is a very nice team with some pretty nice wins. They would fare well in the MVC.

[shox1989]

CU is ranked #15 and #17 in this weeks polls. Beat them (without losing to UNI first) and we will be ranked.

Harvard would do well in the Valley, they have a good team. But they would NOT finish ahead of WSU and CU.

I think they are very much on par with UNI, which is also a very good team.

[SubGod22]

Let's not sound like the BCS people we love to hate. Harvard is a very nice team with some pretty nice wins. They would fare well in the MVC.

I agree with this. But they wouldn't finish above 3rd place at best.

[1972Shocker]

I don't know why the rankings matter so much, but if win our next 2 games, we're top 25, guaranteed

Mostly valuable for recruiting purposes and fundraising I would think.

[shox1989]

Mostly valuable for recruiting purposes and fundraising I would think.

THIS! It is immeasurable for those kind of benefits. Winning the NIT last year, helped both those categories, being viewed as a top 25 team will help a LOT MORE.

[dTm]

CU is ranked #15 and #17 in this weeks polls. Beat them (without losing to UNI first) and we will be ranked.

Harvard would do well in the Valley, they have a good team. But they would NOT finish ahead of WSU and CU.

I think they are very much on par with UNI, which is also a very good team.

So you would have no problem with UNI being ranked? hmmmm

Saying they are a nice little team with some good wins does not equal being ranked....there are 50-100 "nice little teams" out there, doesnt mean they should be top 25

[ShockerFever]

If we beat UNI on Wednesday and then beat CU on Saturday we will be ranked. If not, then our only chance to get ranked this season will be in the post-season.

There is too much east coast bias and BcS bias with the pundits for anything else.

Unfortunately the Valley is viewed as a so-called "mid-major" by the national media types. And in their minds that means a one-bid conference. There is no way for a lot of them two place 2 Valley teams on their ballot at the same time. It goes against the way they view mid-majors. The Valley needs to lose that moniker for anything to really change. The Mountain West and A-10 have managed to do it, the Valley needs to do it too.

Uh, we can't move up in the rankings if other teams don't move down. There is no bias in that, just basic poll mechanics. We have been receiving votes virtually all year so no, you are incorrect. Those voters have had 2 Valley teams on their ballots. Just because we aren't getting officially ranked doesn't mean it isn't happening on individual ballots. And the AP poll is the poll that is getting us a lot of love. Also, I'm not sure where you're getting this one-bid stuff from. Every major media publication out there has 2 teams safely in from the Valley with a few of them making a run at putting a 3rd team in. It's simple. Do well in the non-con and put out a quality resume, and get in. This hasn't been done the last few years so we've been a one-bid league. It has nothing to do with bias and everything to do with the teams in the conference. Please don't start that yearly spiel again.

[shox1989]

Uh, we can't move up in the rankings if other teams don't move down. There is no bias in that, just basic poll mechanics. We have been receiving votes virtually all year so no, you are incorrect. Those voters have had 2 Valley teams on their ballots. Just because we aren't getting officially ranked doesn't mean it isn't happening on individual ballots. And the AP poll is the poll that is getting us a lot of love. Also, I'm not sure where you're getting this one-bid stuff from. Every major media publication out there has 2 teams safely in from the Valley with a few of them making a run at putting a 3rd team in. It's simple. Do well in the non-con and put out a quality resume, and get in. This hasn't been done the last few years so we've been a one-bid league. It has nothing to do with bias and everything to do with the teams in the conference. Please don't start that yearly spiel again.

A few voters have had us on their ballots, the tough part is getting a lot of the voters to put 2 Valley teams on their ballot. And for many media pundits they just can't see 2 "so-called mid-majors" from the same conference being ranked. I hate the bias, but it does exist. This whole "at this level" and "mid-major" labeling stinks.

If we win on Wednesday and then beat CU in Omaha we will get enough of them that either put both of us on their ballots but more than likely several who will add us and subtract them, to get us into the top 25.

[ShockerFever]

There may be some bias out there but it certainly isn't as bad as you're overblowing it. The media follows the money. And the money is made in the teams and conferences that are getting it. Also, success helps. While we have been successful lately, we haven't been NCAA successful that much, at least in quite a while.

[ShockTalk]

Hey, Fever. Remember about 2 months ago? I still don't think Alabama looks like a top 20 team, much less a top 10. :friendly_wink:

[ShockerFever]

Hey, Fever. Remember about 2 months ago? I still don't think Alabama looks like a top 20 team, much less a top 10. :friendly_wink:

You're right with that one ST. I fully admit to that blunder. Although being without their top dawg certainly is gonna skew things a bit.

I really thought their defense was gonna carry them throughout the year. I really overestimated their offense though. It's God-awful.

Let's hope you aren't proven right too much or that loss could end up being a bad one..

[shox1989]

The Alabama rpi is still at #31. Unless they tank it should stay in the top 50. It is interesting though that we are their only top 50 victory out of 6 tries. I think they were up for us and wanted revenge for losing in New York.

[ShockTalk]

You're right with that one ST. I fully admit to that blunder. Although being without their top dawg certainly is gonna skew things a bit.

I really thought their defense was gonna carry them throughout the year. I really overestimated their offense though. It's God-awful.

Let's hope you aren't proven right too much or that loss could end up being a bad one..

Indeed.

I am concerned they may drop too far without Mitchell. Rpiforecast has Bama favored in their last 8 games, but expects them to lose 2 of those games, holding their RPI around 30-33. Now, I could see them losing 4, maybe 5, if Mitchell doesn't get out of the doghouse and that could put them real close to losing that top 50 rating.

[ShockTalk]

The Alabama rpi is still at #31. Unless they tank it should stay in the top 50. It is interesting though that we are their only top 50 victory out of 6 tries. I think they were up for us and wanted revenge for losing in New York.

I still think it had more to do with us than them. 14 blocks!!! They weren't, and aren't, that good.