2017-18 National Poll Rankings

[FadedCrown]

lol, you are right.

I could have sworn it said October 30 when originally published. Perhaps old age is gaining traction.

Looks like Wednesday is the day.

Didn't know he had us at the 3, that's going to piss a lot of people off.

[Play Angry]

Didn't know he had us at the 3, that's going to piss a lot of people off.

He's historically been pretty high on us. I really like Jerry - he is in the top 10% or so of AP voters and really makes an effort each week.

IIRC he was one of the folks who had us at #1 down the home stretch in 2014 when we were waiting for the Gators to finally lose (they didn't until the tournament) so we could grab #1.

[FadedCrown]

Do any of your know is the NCAA doing the Top 16 reveal show this year?

[WuShock Reaper]

"NBC Sports College Basketball Preseason Top 25" - NBC Sports

By Rob Dauster
Oct 30, 2017, 11:00 AM EDT

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/10/30/lost-pressure-how-oklahoma-freshman-phenom-trae-young-ignores-expectations-and-will-get-the-sooners-back-on-track/

"It’s officially time for the NBC Sports College Basketball Preseason Top 25 to be revealed.
A couple of quick notes about how these rankings were put together: Travis Hines, Scott Phillips, Raphielle Johnson and myself all filled out our own individual top 25 poll.

Those polls were combined and voila, the NBC Sports top 25 came to be.

The five teams that received votes but didn’t make their way into the actual top 25 were Providence, Oregon, Rhode Island, Michigan and Virginia Tech.

1. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
2. DUKE BLUE DEVILS
3. ARIZONA WILDCATS
4. KANSAS JAYHAWKS
5. VILLANOVA WILDCATS
6. WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS
Who’s gone: No one
Who do they add: Samajae Haynes-Jones, Asbjorn Midtgaard
Projected starting lineup: Landry Shamet, Connor Frankamp, Zach Brown, Markis McDuffie, Shaq Morris

WHAT WE LIKE: The thinking with Wichita State is pretty simple, really.
This is a program coming off of a 31-win season that earned them the No. 8 spot in the final KenPom rankings, the kind of advanced metrics that spawned dozens of columns about how, as a No. 10 seed, Wichita State was the most mis-seeded team in NCAA tournament history. And that team is, with the exception of a back-up point guard that averaged less than 15 minutes last season, entirely intact. Landry Shamet is back. Markis McDuffie is back. Darral Willis and Shaq Morris and Conner Frankamp are back. Perhaps most importantly, Gregg Marshall is back. The only difference …

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: … is that the Shockers are now a member of the American instead of the Missouri Valley. And frankly, I’m not all that worried about the bump-up in league – the Valley is never easy – but I am worried about the difference in travel. Instead of having to go from Wichita to Missouri or Iowa or Illinois for league games, the Shockers will now be traveling to places like Storrs, CT, and Florida. It’s not just the distance, either. Now, instead of getting 3-4 days in between league games, Wichita State will be at the mercy of the American’s TV deals. A Thursday road trip leading into a Saturday afternoon game is not ideal.

But that’s the second-biggest issue currently facing this team.

As it stands, the two best players on Wichita State are still recovering from foot injuries. Shamet should be ready to go by the time the season start, but McDuffie could be out for a month of the season. Maybe more. Put another way, Wichita State is ranked where they are based on the idea that they’ll be back to full strength when it matters.

7. FLORIDA GATORS
8. KENTUCKY WILDCATS
9. CINCINNATI BEARCATS
10. USC TROJANS...

others:
14. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH - potential Maui Invitational opponent"

[wichshock65]

"NBC Sports College Basketball Preseason Top 25" - NBC Sports

By Rob Dauster
Oct 30, 2017, 11:00 AM EDT

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.c...back-on-track/

"It’s officially time for the NBC Sports College Basketball Preseason Top 25 to be revealed.
A couple of quick notes about how these rankings were put together: Travis Hines, Scott Phillips, Raphielle Johnson and myself all filled out our own individual top 25 poll.

Those polls were combined and voila, the NBC Sports top 25 came to be.

The five teams that received votes but didn’t make their way into the actual top 25 were Providence, Oregon, Rhode Island, Michigan and Virginia Tech.

1. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
2. DUKE BLUE DEVILS
3. ARIZONA WILDCATS
4. KANSAS JAYHAWKS
5. VILLANOVA WILDCATS
6. WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS
Who’s gone: No one
Who do they add: Samajae Haynes-Jones, Asbjorn Midtgaard
Projected starting lineup: Landry Shamet, Connor Frankamp, Zach Brown, Markis McDuffie, Shaq Morris

WHAT WE LIKE: The thinking with Wichita State is pretty simple, really.
This is a program coming off of a 31-win season that earned them the No. 8 spot in the final KenPom rankings, the kind of advanced metrics that spawned dozens of columns about how, as a No. 10 seed, Wichita State was the most mis-seeded team in NCAA tournament history. And that team is, with the exception of a back-up point guard that averaged less than 15 minutes last season, entirely intact. Landry Shamet is back. Markis McDuffie is back. Darral Willis and Shaq Morris and Conner Frankamp are back. Perhaps most importantly, Gregg Marshall is back. The only difference …

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: … is that the Shockers are now a member of the American instead of the Missouri Valley. And frankly, I’m not all that worried about the bump-up in league – the Valley is never easy – but I am worried about the difference in travel. Instead of having to go from Wichita to Missouri or Iowa or Illinois for league games, the Shockers will now be traveling to places like Storrs, CT, and Florida. It’s not just the distance, either. Now, instead of getting 3-4 days in between league games, Wichita State will be at the mercy of the American’s TV deals. A Thursday road trip leading into a Saturday afternoon game is not ideal.

But that’s the second-biggest issue currently facing this team.

As it stands, the two best players on Wichita State are still recovering from foot injuries. Shamet should be ready to go by the time the season start, but McDuffie could be out for a month of the season. Maybe more. Put another way, Wichita State is ranked where they are based on the idea that they’ll be back to full strength when it matters.

7. FLORIDA GATORS
8. KENTUCKY WILDCATS
9. CINCINNATI BEARCATS
10. USC TROJANS...

others:
14. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH - potential Maui Invitational opponent"

Is this sinking in with everyone yet? We are now in a league that has 2 top 10 teams, at least potentially. I can't tell you how ready I am for this season!

:bball_spin:

[FadedCrown]

Is this sinking in with everyone yet? We are now in a league that has 2 top 10 teams, at least potentially. I can't tell you how ready I am for this season!

:bball_spin:

We will have around 5-8 Top 100 RPI teams in the AAC including ourselves, that number would have been 1-2 in the Valley including ourselves so yeah I'm hyped, and also TV games, cuz screw ESPN3

[shocks02]

This says the AP preseason poll will be out Wednesday. Not sure where everyone else is getting their information.

https://www.ap.org/press-releases/2017/ap-preseason-basketball-polls-to-be-released-nov.-1-and-2?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_CorpComm&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_CorpComm&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_CorpComm

[FadedCrown]

This says the AP preseason poll will be out Wednesday. Not sure where everyone else is getting their information.

https://www.ap.org/press-releases/20...um=AP_CorpComm

Yeah wichshock made a simple mistake. We got the Wednesday date.

[WuShock Reaper]

"25 College Basketball Teams in 25 Days: No. 4 Wichita State Shockers" - FanSided

by Chris Stone
Posted: 10/31/17, 6;00am. cst

https://fansided.com/2017/10/31/college-basketball-preview-wichita-state-shockers/

"Over the past six seasons, Gregg Marshall has built one of the most divisive college basketball programs in the country…at least when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding.

From debates about whether or not his Wichita State Shockers were deserving of a No. 1 seed after running the table in 2014 to fights over if they even belonged in the field in 2016, few topics generate as much virtual ink each year as where the Shockers should be seeded come March.

The (oversimplified) proverbial line in the sand tends to pit those who care about who a team has beaten against those concerned with how a team has played. Unfortunately, the Selection Committee — hamstrung by its reliance on the RPI and quality wins — tends to fall in line with the former, a seeding death knell considering the Shockers’ home for the last six plus years was the perennially weak Missouri Valley Conference.

Consider this: Wichita State is one of just four schools (Duke, Kansas and Louisville) to finish each of the last six seasons ranked in the top 20 nationally in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin, a statistic designed to measure a team’s performance based on its offensive and defensive output and adjusted for strength of schedule. Yet, its average NCAA Tournament seed (7.2) during that stretch has been over four seed lines lower than the Cardinals (3.0), about five spots lower than the Blue Devils (2.3) and nearly six slots lower than the Jayhawks (1.5). Remove the token No. 1 seed the Shockers were rewarded in 2014 and their average seed (8.4) would earn them a spot in an opening round 8-9 game despite performing like one of the top 20 teams in the country...."

[FadedCrown]

"25 College Basketball Teams in 25 Days: No. 4 Wichita State Shockers" - FanSided

by Chris Stone
Posted: 10/31/17, 6;00am. cst

https://fansided.com/2017/10/31/college-basketball-preview-wichita-state-shockers/

"Over the past six seasons, Gregg Marshall has built one of the most divisive college basketball programs in the country…at least when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding.

From debates about whether or not his Wichita State Shockers were deserving of a No. 1 seed after running the table in 2014 to fights over if they even belonged in the field in 2016, few topics generate as much virtual ink each year as where the Shockers should be seeded come March.

The (oversimplified) proverbial line in the sand tends to pit those who care about who a team has beaten against those concerned with how a team has played. Unfortunately, the Selection Committee — hamstrung by its reliance on the RPI and quality wins — tends to fall in line with the former, a seeding death knell considering the Shockers’ home for the last six plus years was the perennially weak Missouri Valley Conference.

Consider this: Wichita State is one of just four schools (Duke, Kansas and Louisville) to finish each of the last six seasons ranked in the top 20 nationally in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin, a statistic designed to measure a team’s performance based on its offensive and defensive output and adjusted for strength of schedule. Yet, its average NCAA Tournament seed (7.2) during that stretch has been over four seed lines lower than the Cardinals (3.0), about five spots lower than the Blue Devils (2.3) and nearly six slots lower than the Jayhawks (1.5). Remove the token No. 1 seed the Shockers were rewarded in 2014 and their average seed (8.4) would earn them a spot in an opening round 8-9 game despite performing like one of the top 20 teams in the country...."

Just imagine how much damage we would have done if we had a good seed in the tournament

[OregonShocker]

"25 College Basketball Teams in 25 Days: No. 4 Wichita State Shockers" - FanSided

by Chris Stone
Posted: 10/31/17, 6;00am. cst

https://fansided.com/2017/10/31/college-basketball-preview-wichita-state-shockers/

"Over the past six seasons, Gregg Marshall has built one of the most divisive college basketball programs in the country…at least when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding.

From debates about whether or not his Wichita State Shockers were deserving of a No. 1 seed after running the table in 2014 to fights over if they even belonged in the field in 2016, few topics generate as much virtual ink each year as where the Shockers should be seeded come March.

The (oversimplified) proverbial line in the sand tends to pit those who care about who a team has beaten against those concerned with how a team has played. Unfortunately, the Selection Committee — hamstrung by its reliance on the RPI and quality wins — tends to fall in line with the former, a seeding death knell considering the Shockers’ home for the last six plus years was the perennially weak Missouri Valley Conference.

Consider this: Wichita State is one of just four schools (Duke, Kansas and Louisville) to finish each of the last six seasons ranked in the top 20 nationally in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin, a statistic designed to measure a team’s performance based on its offensive and defensive output and adjusted for strength of schedule. Yet, its average NCAA Tournament seed (7.2) during that stretch has been over four seed lines lower than the Cardinals (3.0), about five spots lower than the Blue Devils (2.3) and nearly six slots lower than the Jayhawks (1.5). Remove the token No. 1 seed the Shockers were rewarded in 2014 and their average seed (8.4) would earn them a spot in an opening round 8-9 game despite performing like one of the top 20 teams in the country...."

I thank you for this post...but it's hard to click the "like" button. Reading this just gets me angry!

[WuShock Reaper]

"Did the Wolf Pack sneak into Murray's preseason Top 25 basketball poll?" - Reno Gazette-Journal

by Chris Murray, AP Voter
Published 11:49 a.m. PT Oct. 31, 2017

http://www.rgj.com/story/sports/2017/10/31/did-wolf-pack-sneak-into-murrays-preseason-top-25-basketball-poll/818324001/

"...Chris Murray’s AP Top 25 Ballot
1. Duke
2. Kansas
3. Arizona
4. Michigan State
5. Kentucky
6. Villanova
7. Wichita State
8. Florida
9. Miami (Fla.)
10. USC

Others:
12. Notre Dame
13. Cincinnati
16. Minnesota
17. Baylor..."

[WuShock Reaper]

"Borges Top 25: Michigan State tops the ballot — for now" - New Haven Register

By David Borges
Published: 7:05 pm, Tuesday, October 31, 2017

http://www.nhregister.com/sports/article/Borges-Top-25-Michigan-State-tops-the-ballot-12321392.php

"...Right now, just a lot of questions, few answers. Still, we’re happy to be an AP Top 25 voter again this year. The preseason poll will be released on Wednesday, but here’s my ballot. Yes, I like Cincinnati to win the AAC over Wichita State this season. I’m high on the Bearcats. And no, UConn is nowhere to be found. Hard to see the Huskies sniffing the Top 25 any time soon, but you never know:

1. Michigan State: Give me the Spartans’ experience over Duke’s freshman talent. For now.

2. Duke: Grayson Allen’s on a new trip — leader of extremely talented, inexperienced group.

3. Arizona: Will talented Rawle Atkins be healthy when UConn visits Tucson Dec. 21?

4. Kansas: Over/under on bad music jokes I make about five-star frosh Billy Preston? Will he go ‘round in circles?

5. Villanova: It’ll be fun seeing Jay Wright’s Wildcats back in Hartford on Jan. 20.

6. Cincinnati: This is could be Mick Cronin’s best team yet. Heroes are made in March, though.

7. Kentucky: We finally get to see how great Hamidou Diallo truly is. Should be interesting.

8. Wichita State: Great depth, but injuries to Landry Shamet, Markus McDuffie loom large.

9. USC: Over/under on how often Bennie Boatwright’s name is spelled without the “W.”

10. Notre Dame: I’m a big Bonzie Colson guy, and not just because I went to URI with his dad....

Other:
22. Baylor: Bears are just warming a seat for Yale’s Makai Mason next season...."

[WuShock Reaper]

"My AP Top 25 men's basketball preseason ballot" - The Roanoke Times

By Mark Berman, AP Voter
Posted: 11/01/17, 6:00 am cst

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/my-ap-top-men-s-basketball-preseason-ballot/article_02d1f524-be92-11e7-8ca1-fbb152eb5dcd.html

"I am once again a voter for the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll. With the preseason poll coming out Wednesday, here is how I voted on my ballot:

1. Michigan State. Miles Bridges, Nick Ward, Tum Tum Nair and Joshua Langford are back from an NCAA tournament second-round team. Gavin Schilling is back after being sidelined last year. Freshman Jaren Jackson has come aboard.

2. Arizona. Allonzo Trier, Dusan Ristic and Rawle Alkins are back from a Sweet 16 team. Freshmen DeAndre Ayton and Emmanuel Akot have come aboard.

3. Kansas. Devonte Graham and Svi Mykhailuk are back from an Elite Eight team. Freshman Billy Preston has come aboard. Udoka Azubuike is back after getting hurt last year. Transfer Malik Newman has come aboard.

4. North Carolina. Joel Berry (currently hurt), Theo Pinson, Kenny Williams and Luke Maye are back from the NCAA championship team. Transfer Cameron Johnson has come aboard.

5. Duke. Grayson Allen is back from an NCAA tournament second round team. Freshmen Marvin Bagley, Wendell Carter, Trevon Duval and Gary Trent have come aboard. We'll see how the highly touted freshmen mesh, and whether Allen bounces back from a turbulent junior year.

6. Wichita State. Landry Shamet, Conner Frankamp, Zach Brown, Markis McDuffie and Shaquille Morris are back from an NCAA tournament second round team. Once Shamet and McDuffie get healthy, the team will be formidable.

7. Kentucky. Wenyen Gabriel is back from an Elite Eight team. Freshmen Hamidou Dallo, Kevin Knox, Jarred Vanderbilt, Quade Green, Nick Richards and P.J. Washington have come aboard. We'll see how this young team meshes.

8. Villanova. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges are back from an NCAA tournament second round team. Phil Booth is back after getting hurt last year.

9. Notre Dame. Bonzie Colson, Matt Farrell and Martinas Geben are back from an NCAA tournament second round team.

10. Southern Cal. Bennie Boatwright, Elijah Stewart, Jordan McLaughlin, DeAnthony Melton and Chimezie Metu are back from an NCAA tournament second round team. Transfer Derryck Thornton has come aboard....

Others:
12. Cincinnati. Gary Clark, Jacob Evans and Kyle Washington are back from an NCAA tournament second round team. Transfer Cane Broome comes aboard.

25. For this last spot, I looked hard at UCLA, Texas A&M, Alabama, Gonzaga, Baylor, Louisville and Virginia Tech. But in the end, I went with Middle Tenn. State."

[WuShock Reaper]

"Insider: Picking Arizona Wildcats No. 1; ASU set for charity event" - The Arizona Republic

Doug Haller, AP Voter
Published; 5:58 p.m. MT Oct. 31, 2017

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sport...ent/819649001/

"...The preseason AP Top 25 drops Wednesday. This is my fourth year voting in the poll... My Top 10
1. Arizona
2. Duke
3. Michigan State
4. Kansas
5. Kentucky
6. Wichita State
7. USC
8. Villanova
9. North Carolina
10. Florida



Preseason All-Americans:

The AP soon will release this year’s preseason All-Americans. My selection:

...Next five: G Grayson Allen, Sr., Duke; G Landry Shamet, Soph., Wichita State; F Bonzie Colson, Sr., Notre Dame; F Marvin Bagley, Fr., Duke; C Angel Delgado, Sr., Seton Hall