AP and Coaches Poll Watch Thread (2015-16 Edition)

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

and the one against George Mason were the two most frustrating tournament losses for me as a Shocker fan. We would have won a ten game series at least 7-3 for both of those matchups IMO.

The Shox went 0-2 (one home, one neutral) against George Mason in 2006. 7-1 in the next 8 might be a bit optimistic. Your comment of "at least 7-3" implies 8-0 in the next 8 might have been likely too.

I get your point, but just sayin'...

[Play Angry]

Thank you, Jamar. The ten game series comment was not intended to be retroactive to include past matchups.

Crucial catch.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Oh, and on-topic, we'll be back in the T25 this week, only about two weeks later than they should have been.

Last week, nobody in the top 25 had more than 4 losses. The Shox are a near lock to be the highest ranked 5 loss team this week, and that is despite very few quality wins to offset those 5 losses.

I'm perfectly happy with this being the point that voters bring back WSU. Considering it is all based on eye test and name value, I'm very happy and willing to give the voters props. Tell any Shocker fan between 1990-2013 that a 5 loss Shocker team with its best win being at home vs a now unranked team would be in the top 25 in January, and they would look at you like you were crazy.

[rrshock]

Last week, nobody in the top 25 had more than 4 losses. The Shox are a near lock to be the highest ranked 5 loss team this week, and that is despite very few quality wins to offset those 5 losses.

I'm perfectly happy with this being the point that voters bring back WSU. Considering it is all based on eye test and name value, I'm very happy and willing to give the voters props. Tell any Shocker fan between 1990-2013 that a 5 loss Shocker team with its best win being at home vs a now unranked team would be in the top 25 in January, and they would look at you like you were crazy.

****. Tell any shocker fan between 1990-2002 that WSU would be ranked at all and they'd have tried to put you in the looney bin.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

****. Tell any shocker fan between 1990-2002 that WSU would be ranked at all and they'd have tried to put you in the looney bin.

I disagree. Many Shocker faithful believed the program had the fan support necessary to turn things around. Even in the worst of times, belief that the Shox could enter the top 25 in 5-10 years was strong. It is the "enter the poll with 5 losses and few quality wins" part that is amazing.

[ShockerFever]

It's not that amazing, considering the majority of WSU's chances at quality wins came at the time they had a depleted roster.

Let's try not to forget about that because the selection committee won't either.

[Stickboy46]

It's not that amazing, considering the majority of WSU's chances at quality wins came at the time they had a depleted roster.

Let's try not to forget about that because the selection committee won't either.

And WSU really has no bad losses at this point. The only team that has blown them out (missing 4 key players) is now a Top 10 team that has blown out other Top 10 teams.

[Kel Varnsen]

I think Jamar is referring to the fact that it would be amazing to Shocker fans from that time frame. Not amazing to us considering our understanding of this Shocker team and college basketball as a whole this season. Both are equally true.

[Shocktoberfest]

May have already been mentioned but Mark Berman has us at 20 and Doug Haller has us at 23. Haller is seemingly always one of the voters who slots us the lowest over the last 3 years, so I think you can put his ranking as the floor for where we break in today. 20-22 seems the most likely.

Re: VCU - that matchup sucked for us in a big way, but they definitely were not underseeded. The Rams entered the CAA Tournament with an RPI in the mid-60s and 1 top 60 win before winning the auto bid. They were very meh for most of that year, but they were also perfectly built to shut down our offensive machine. That game and the one against George Mason were the two most frustrating tournament losses for me as a Shocker fan. We would have won a ten game series at least 7-3 for both of those matchups IMO.

Of course, I am sure Gonzaga probably felt that way in 2013, so it mostly evens out.

Yeah, except Gonzaga would be wrong.

[Cdizzle]

Yeah, except Gonzaga would be wrong.

Agreed. Gonzaga had the unfortunate circumstance of playing a team that wasn't really the team that earned the seed. We had this unfortunate circumstance when we played Kentucky. The difference being that our 'earned seed' was because of injury, and Kentucky's 'earned seed' was because of head-up-ass syndrome.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

For years I’ve been told that the top 25 is merely a BCS lovefest. WSU never gets a fair shake regardless of the strength of their resume.

Today, as a Shocker team with very few quality wins is earning tons of national respect and prepares to become the highest ranked 5 loss team in the country, these same people are telling me to simmer down because this is obviously no big deal and is simply to be expected.

Absolutely bizarre.

[WstateU]

Agreed. Gonzaga had the unfortunate circumstance of playing a team that wasn't really the team that earned the seed. We had this unfortunate circumstance when we played Kentucky. The difference being that our 'earned seed' was because of injury, and Kentucky's 'earned seed' was because of head-up-ass syndrome.

My wife says I have "head-up-ass syndrome"; believe me, it's hard to overcome. The medical term is "Rectal Cranial Inversion".

[shockmonster]

For years I’ve been told that the top 25 is merely a BCS lovefest. WSU never gets a fair shake regardless of the strength of their resume.

Today, as a Shocker team with very few quality wins is earning tons of national respect and prepares to become the highest ranked 5 loss team in the country, these same people are telling me to simmer down because this is obviously no big deal and is simply to be expected.

Absolutely bizarre.

The Shocker BB program had earned the respect from national media. It hasn't been easy but it is earned. Coach Marshall deserves a lot if credit.

[im4wsu]

From KenPom looking at his Top 25 and the non-conference SOS. Does anything jump out?

Rank Team Conf W-L NC SOS 1 Oklahoma B12 16-2 127 2 Iowa B10 16-3 109 3 Louisville ACC 16-3 303 4 Villanove BE 17-3 104 5 UNC ACC 18-2 110 6 West Virginia B12 16-3 253 7 Texas A&M SEC 17-2 136 8 Virginia ACC 15-4 106 9 Purdue B10 17-4 243 10 Kansas B12 16-3 163 11 Miami Fl ACC 15-3 155 12 Arizona P12 16-4 298 13 Mich St B10 17-4 190 14 Maryland B10 17-3 224 15 Iowa State B12 15-4 209 16 Wichita State MVC 14-5 17 17 Xavier BE 17-2 98 18 Duke ACC 15-5 140 19 St. Mary's WCC 17-2 312 20 Indiana B10 17-3 269 21 SMU Amer 18-1 264 22 Kentucky SEC 15-4 139 23 Valparaiso Horz 17-4 48 24 Oregon P12 16-4 129 25 Baylor B12 15-4 297

[ShockdaWorld]

From KenPom looking at his Top 25 and the non-conference SOS. Does anything jump out?

Rank	Team	Conf	W-L	NC SOS
1	Oklahoma	B12	16-2	127
2	Iowa	B10	16-3	109
3	Louisville	ACC	16-3	303
4	Villanova	BE	17-3	104
5	North Carolina	ACC	18-2	110
6	West Virginia	B12	16-3	253
7	Texas A&M	SEC	17-2	136
8	Virginia	ACC	15-4	106
9	Purdue	B10	17-4	243
10	Kansas	B12	16-3	163
11	Miami FL	ACC	15-3	155
12	Arizona	P12	16-4	298
13	Michigan St.	B10	17-4	190
14	Maryland	B10	17-3	224
15	Iowa St.	B12	15-4	209
16	Wichita St.	MVC	14-5	17
17	Xavier	BE	17-2	98
18	Duke	ACC	15-5	140
19	Saint Mary's	WCC	17-2	312
20	Indiana	B10	17-3	269
21	SMU	Amer	18-1	264
22	Kentucky	SEC	15-4	139
23	Valparaiso	Horz	17-4	48
24	Oregon	P12	16-4	129
25	Baylor	B12	15-4	297

It might if I could read it.