2014-15 National Rankings

[WuDrWu]

1)It's the time of the year where we're reminded that being .500 against "good" competition is almost always going to trump perfect (or nearly perfect) against lesser competition. That is never going to change. Voters don't care if you lose to Maryland, Indiana, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, UNC etc etc if you beat Michigan, Wake Forest, Michigan State, Miami, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Georgia etc etc too.

2)Talk as they might, playing a difficult non-conference schedule, including games away from home, is not valued nearly as high as they say.

3)WSU continues to grow and mature and get better and find different ways to exploit both their own strengths and their opponents weaknesses. Similar to other really good programs. WSU just won't get credit for it.

4)The loser of the game in Cedar Falls Saturday is likely to be eviscerated in next Monday's poll, regardless of the fact that WSU played Utah to stalemate, destroyed Seton Hall as much or more than Butler (who people are talking up as a top 10 team), pounded league leading Tulsa and is 17-2 while UNI toyed with Virginia Tech who had Virginia beat yesterday before giving the game away, and embarrassed Northwestern who, other than Wisconsin, has played everyone in the Big10 even.

5)Like it or not, WSU will be judged on what it does after the Valley conference is over.

6)These kind of things generally help our team.

[Cdizzle]

1)It's the time of the year where we're reminded that being .500 against "good" competition is almost always going to trump perfect (or nearly perfect) against lesser competition. That is never going to change. Voters don't care if you lose to Maryland, Indiana, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, UNC etc etc if you beat Michigan, Wake Forest, Michigan State, Miami, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Georgia etc etc too.

2)Talk as they might, playing a difficult non-conference schedule, including games away from home, is not valued nearly as high as they say.

3)WSU continues to grow and mature and get better and find different ways to exploit both their own strengths and their opponents weaknesses. Similar to other really good programs. WSU just won't get credit for it.

4)The loser of the game in Cedar Falls Saturday is likely to be eviscerated in next Monday's poll, regardless of the fact that WSU played Utah to stalemate, destroyed Seton Hall as much or more than Butler (who people are talking up as a top 10 team), pounded league leading Tulsa and is 17-2 while UNI toyed with Virginia Tech who had Virginia beat yesterday before giving the game away, and embarrassed Northwestern who, other than Wisconsin, has played everyone in the Big10 even.

5)Like it or not, WSU will be judged on what it does after the Valley conference is over.

6)These kind of things generally help our team.

I agree. However, I expect this team to Play Angry. And I will do my part to Fan Angry.

[Play Angry]

Shockers check in at #12 in the AP Poll. UNI #18.

Nice.

[Cdizzle]

Shockers check in at #12 in the AP Poll. UNI #18.

Nice.

Very fair, on both counts, I think.

[Dave Stalwart]

Yeah I can't complain about that. If we beat UNI and the right teams lose (and believe me, some good teams had to come from behind against some bad teams already over this last weekend), we might get up there pretty high. Gotta beat UNI.

[Play Angry]

List of where the voters slotted WSU this week.

Highest: Joey Johnston, #6
Lowest: Seth Davis, #18

Most Common: #13 (nineteen voters)

[Remember'70]

2)Talk as they might, playing a difficult non-conference schedule, including games away from home, is not valued nearly as high as they say.

This x1000.

I always like to peek at road victories about this time of year to see if teams that do go out and play road games are indeed rewarded. You can judge for yourself based on the number of road victories per team in the Top 25. (Keep in mind that everyone is nearing the halfway point in their conference schedule, so they HAVE to go on the road)

Total Road Wins (In Top 25 Ranking order)
1. Kentucky--4
2. Virginia--7
3. Gonzaga--6
4. Duke--4
5. Wisconsin--5
6. Arizona--4
7. Villanova--3
8. Notre Dame--4
9. Kansas--3
10. Louisville--3
11. Utah--2
12. Wichita State--6
13. N. Carolina--4
14. VCU--6
15. Iowa State--2
16. Maryland--3
17. W. Virginia--3
18. N. Iowa--5
19. Texas--3
20. Baylor--3
21. Georgetown--2
22. Indiana--2
23. Miami--4
24. OU--2
25. Butler--3

[Play Angry]

To put a little historic pizzazz on Saturday's game, the last time we were ranked this high and played a team ranked 18th or better was Saturday, December 29, 1981 when #2 WSU lost to #6 San Francisco 84-74 at a tournament in Hawaii.

Basically, it's been forever and we all should appreciate how fun this game will be.

[jocoshock]

Soren Petro's ballot explanation. Has us at 10 for now, but says our strength of schedule won't put us any higher. In fact we will probably drop a spot or two even if we continuing winning. In his eyes are best case seeding is a 4.

Sounds like Seth Davis logic. Don't have a problem with it... Keep winning all they way through...

But on the bright side, there is a nice picture of Tekel on the home page...

http://www.810whb.com/common/more.php?m=49&r=9

[molly jabali]

List of where the voters slotted WSU this week.

Highest: Joey Johnston, #6
Lowest: Seth Davis, #18

Most Common: #13 (nineteen voters)

Joey Johnston for President!!!!!!!!:)

[Shock Therapy]

Soren Petro's ballot explanation. Has us at 10 for now, but says our strength of schedule won't put us any higher. In fact we will probably drop a spot or two even if we continuing winning. In his eyes are best case seeding is a 4.

But on the bright side, there is a nice picture of Tekel on the home page...

http://www.810whb.com/common/more.php?m=49&r=9

It's interesting to see so many voters put so much thought into where we rank. I wish that they would put even 25% of that effort into figuring out where the other 24 ranked teams belong.

[Dave Stalwart]

Soren Petro's ballot explanation. Has us at 10 for now, but says our strength of schedule won't put us any higher. In fact we will probably drop a spot or two even if we continuing winning. In his eyes are best case seeding is a 4.

Sounds like Seth Davis logic. Don't have a problem with it... Keep winning all they way through...

But on the bright side, there is a nice picture of Tekel on the home page...

http://www.810whb.com/common/more.php?m=49&r=9

These guys can say whatever they want. If we don't lose again until selection day for the Dance, we will be around #5. We were getting votes for #1 last year as an undefeated team in the same predicament with the schedule. This year, I'm pretty sure the schedule is slightly better. We will not still be #12 if we sweep 3 from UNI and don't lose any other games. We will be closer to #1 than #15.

Now, if we lose anything, all bets are off. I'm just reacting to a guy saying he may even drop us in the midst of winning. He will be out on an island in another month if he pencils us in around 15 regardless. The only way it could go any different is if 14 teams in front of us also never lose again. I can say with certainty that losses are coming for some of these teams and in some cases, bad losses are coming. Did anybody watch Virigina Tech the other day? Just saying.

[WstateU]

Soren Petro's ballot explanation. Has us at 10 for now, but says our strength of schedule won't put us any higher. In fact we will probably drop a spot or two even if we continuing winning. In his eyes are best case seeding is a 4.

Sounds like Seth Davis logic. Don't have a problem with it... Keep winning all they way through...

But on the bright side, there is a nice picture of Tekel on the home page...

http://www.810whb.com/common/more.php?m=49&r=9

http://www.810whb.com/index.php

[AZ Shocker]

Some of these voters need to VOTE ANGRY damn-it!!!! IMHO...we should be ranked #9

[Tyrone Shoelace]

These guys can say whatever they want. If we don't lose again until selection day for the Dance, we will be around #5. We were getting votes for #1 last year as an undefeated team in the same predicament with the schedule. This year, I'm pretty sure the schedule is slightly better. We will not still be #12 if we sweep 3 from UNI and don't lose any other games. We will be closer to #1 than #15.

Now, if we lose anything, all bets are off. I'm just reacting to a guy saying he may even drop us in the midst of winning. He will be out on an island in another month if he pencils us in around 15 regardless.

No man is an island, but some men are peninsulas.