2017-18 National Poll Rankings

[Fred Marrs]

well...they ARE either in mid 70s or dead, so it should be easier....

Cute: Is that the best you can do. Obviously the team, not individual players. Or, perhaps you think they are still playing for Cincy now.

[chitown_shocker]

Cute: Is that the best you can do. Obviously the team, not individual players. Or, perhaps you think they are still playing for Cincy now.

Lighten up Francis.

[molly jabali]

Lighten up Francis.

THIS!!! Thanks, chi-town!

[bearcatmax]

wichita state will counter with a highly experienced, mean, aggressive front line (nurger, shaq, mcduffie, kelly) with something to prove. guard play is really tops, too.. big, fast, smooth point guard seeing over the defense + sharp-shooter with steph curry tendencies (seriously.. you'll see it early and often). you just might also see a very capable 6'6" defender covering your point guard.. the secret to the shockers success.

Wichita State is no doubt a very well rounded team with high level players and their performance against Kentucky in the tournament highlighted that.

But don't think that UC will be a one man show with Broome. UC returns two double digit scorers in the post in Gary Clark (who was the 2nd best player in conference last year behind Semi Ojeleye, in my opinion) and Kyle Washington. Has two NBA prospects on the wing in Jacob Evans and Jarron Cumberland and a ton of size and athleticism (Brooks, Scott, Diarra, Williams) on the bench. Honestly it's been pretty surprising to me that a 30 win team that only loses it's two least efficient offensive offensive players and returns what it does has been ranked as low 21 in some of these preseason polls. I expect UC to trot out a top 10-12 team this year.

[Shocker-maniac]

Wichita State is no doubt a very well rounded team with high level players and their performance against Kentucky in the tournament highlighted that.

But don't think that UC will be a one man show with Broome. UC returns two double digit scorers in the post in Gary Clark (who was the 2nd best player in conference last year behind Semi Ojeleye, in my opinion) and Kyle Washington. Has two NBA prospects on the wing in Jacob Evans and Jarron Cumberland and a ton of size and athleticism (Brooks, Scott, Diarra, Williams) on the bench. Honestly it's been pretty surprising to me that a 30 win team that only loses it's two least efficient offensive offensive players and returns what it does has been ranked as low 21 in some of these preseason polls. I expect UC to trot out a top 10-12 team this year.

Absolutely 100% agree with this. Cincy and SMU are going to be formidable opponents. UCF could very well emerge as a legitimate threat. It's going to be a dog fight, and I absolutely love it. 20+ point beat downs of MVC opponents gets old and boring after a while. Playing against top level completion only makes you better. I am so happy about being in the AAC.

[bearcatmax]

Absolutely 100% agree with this. Cincy and SMU are going to be formidable opponents. UCF could very well emerge as a legitimate threat. It's going to be a dog fight, and I absolutely love it. 20+ point beat downs of MVC opponents gets old and boring after a while. Playing against top level completion only makes you better. I am so happy about being in the AAC.

Honestly I could see UCF being better than SMU next year. BJ Taylor is very good and they add numerous solid transfers. Plus, you have the Tacko Fall factor. Until your team plays him you don't really understand how big a game changer he is. He is such a problem on both ends of the court and I expect him to be a more consistently dominant player next year.

[Dan]

I didn't watch much AAC basketball last year, but I was scared of facing SMU in the tourney. This conference is going to be really tough this year.

[bearcatmax]

Absolutely 100% agree with this. Cincy and SMU are going to be formidable opponents. UCF could very well emerge as a legitimate threat. It's going to be a dog fight, and I absolutely love it. 20+ point beat downs of MVC opponents gets old and boring after a while. Playing against top level completion only makes you better. I am so happy about being in the AAC.

Yes, you'll find the AAC much more competitive than the MVC but you still have teams you'll smack around by 20-30. ECU, USF, Tulane are all terrible on a yearly basis and even UConn slipped last year and was smacked around a few times. Memphis will probably be down next year. Temple has some good young talent but plays such an uninspiring brand of basketball. Houston has improved each year but hasn't been able to breakthrough. They may take a slight step back this year after losing Doston. Tulsa is OK. They could be a NIT team if things break right for them.

I still see next year as being a very clear 1-2 with Wichita and UC, much like last year with SMU and UC. The pack behind the leaders should be improved though. Can't wait for the season to start.

[bearcatmax]

I didn't watch much AAC basketball last year, but I was scared of facing SMU in the tourney. This conference is going to be really tough this year.

Disappointing tournament performance aside, they were a very very good team. Like top 10 quality. They had five incredibly high level players but ran into a very talented USC squad. Losing Ojeleye, Moore and Brown will be very tough for them though. Ojeleye and Moore were literally the only two bigs they played last year and Brown was their best perimeter player in my opinion (yes, even better than Shake Milton). They definitely still have some high level talent but I think this will be more of a transition year for them.

[Stickboy46]

Yes, you'll find the AAC much more competitive than the MVC but you still have teams you'll smack around by 20-30. ECU, USF, Tulane are all terrible on a yearly basis and even UConn slipped last year and was smacked around a few times. Memphis will probably be down next year. Temple has some good young talent but plays such an uninspiring brand of basketball. Houston has improved each year but hasn't been able to breakthrough. They may take a slight step back this year after losing Doston. Tulsa is OK. They could be a NIT team if things break right for them.

I still see next year as being a very clear 1-2 with Wichita and UC, much like last year with SMU and UC. The pack behind the leaders should be improved though. Can't wait for the season to start.

It's nice to be discussing how many conference mates might be ranked or NCAA teams rather than trying to pinpoint which conference teams are going to have the game of their lives and ruin our at-large hopes in 1 game.

[60Shock]

Wichita State is no doubt a very well rounded team with high level players and their performance against Kentucky in the tournament highlighted that.

But don't think that UC will be a one man show with Broome. UC returns two double digit scorers in the post in Gary Clark (who was the 2nd best player in conference last year behind Semi Ojeleye, in my opinion) and Kyle Washington. Has two NBA prospects on the wing in Jacob Evans and Jarron Cumberland and a ton of size and athleticism (Brooks, Scott, Diarra, Williams) on the bench. Honestly it's been pretty surprising to me that a 30 win team that only loses it's two least efficient offensive offensive players and returns what it does has been ranked as low 21 in some of these preseason polls. I expect UC to trot out a top 10-12 team this year.

Here's hoping you end up #2 in the National Championship game.

[Aargh]

Yes, you'll find the AAC much more competitive than the MVC but you still have teams you'll smack around by 20-30. ECU, USF, Tulane are all terrible on a yearly basis and even UConn slipped last year and was smacked around a few times. Memphis will probably be down next year. Temple has some good young talent but plays such an uninspiring brand of basketball. Houston has improved each year but hasn't been able to breakthrough. They may take a slight step back this year after losing Doston. Tulsa is OK. They could be a NIT team if things break right for them.

I still see next year as being a very clear 1-2 with Wichita and UC, much like last year with SMU and UC. The pack behind the leaders should be improved though. Can't wait for the season to start.

You can only think you've seen uninspiring basketball until you watch some MVC games. The MVC is absolutely the domain of the "first one to 50 wins" games.

[WSUwatcher]

Maybe my memory is as bad as yours, Aargh, but wasn't there at least one MVC game last year in which no one got to 50, and a team was declared the winner anyway?

Getting back to the rankings theme, it's probably easier to get the pollsters to like you when you're in a league that's taken seriously and has some games on the schedule that people are eager to see. The Valley had that once in a while -- UNI at WSU for Gameday a couple of years ago -- but the AAC will have many more.

[Stickboy46]

Maybe my memory is as bad as yours, Aargh, but wasn't there at least one MVC game last year in which no one got to 50, and a team was declared the winner anyway?

Getting back to the rankings theme, it's probably easier to get the pollsters to like you when you're in a league that's taken seriously and has some games on the schedule that people are eager to see. The Valley had that once in a while -- UNI at WSU for Gameday a couple of years ago -- but the AAC will have many more.

Without looking id guess UNI was involved

[Aargh]

Without looking id guess UNI was involved

February 8, 2017

UNI 49
SIU 41

The score after the first half was 22-17.

SIU was 18/60 from the field (30%). SIU's leading scorer had 9 points on 3/11. A forward led them in assists (and turnovers). SIU shot 33.3% from the FT line and 15.8% from 3.

The victorious Pantyhers shot a scorching 37.2% from the field, 11.1% from 3 (2/18), and scorched the nets from the FT line at a 62.5% clip.

EDIT: I'm leaving the Pantyhers typo in.

There were some good rebounding stats in the game.

Here's the box score if you want to check out truly uninspiring basketball.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=400918150