2017-18 National Rankings

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Shox are #2 in KenPom today.

(Let the discussion over whether that matters commence)

[Kel Varnsen]

Shox are #2 in KenPom today.

(Let the discussion over whether that matters commence)

And Shaquille Morris is #9 in the kPOY standings, just for anyone who is curious.

[LoneStar48]

doug.doughty@roanoke.com

I just sent a note asking for his reasoning on the drop; I'll post his reply, if I get one

[wsushox1]

It makes me uncomfortable that you guys are e-mailing a reporter about a basketball poll. Don't be that fanbase.

[AndShock]

It makes me uncomfortable that you guys are e-mailing a reporter about a basketball poll. Don't be that fanbase.

If the AP didn't want people confronted for their stupidity they would make the ballots private.

[Stickboy46]

It makes me uncomfortable that you guys are e-mailing a reporter about a basketball poll. Don't be that fanbase.

Eh, this isn't a case of him just voting WSU lower than we think they should be. If he would have voted WSU 15 both weeks, I'd not agree, but not call him out. The fact that he dropped WSU from 4 to 15 after winning by 52 points, that just needs to be called out.

[WheatShock]

It makes me uncomfortable that you guys are e-mailing a reporter about a basketball poll. Don't be that fanbase.

If you do it in a polite manner, whats the harm?

I suspect most pollsters would welcome reasoned discussion about a teams ranking instead of the 'your stupid because you ranked my team too low' blowhards they usually get.

[LoneStar48]

It makes me uncomfortable that you guys are e-mailing a reporter about a basketball poll. Don't be that fanbase.

No need to be uncomfortable. Here's his reply and I'm glad to have the insight to his vote.

Steve,

Thanks for such a reasoned inquiry.

I just screwed up. I cover UVa football and men’s basketball and over the span of four days covered two men’s basketball games, a women’s game and UVa’s football game in Louisville. Total mileage was something like 1,250 miles.

Long story short, I was setting up for a UVa football press conference Monday at noon when I got an e-mail from Robby Mendelson from the AP saying they needed my picks immediately.

I had participated in the preseason poll but wasn’t sure if the regular-season poll would be starting that early.

When I heard from Robbie, I was unable to rummage up a How They Fared quickly, so it was basically from memory.

Somehow I was under the impression that Wichita State had lost when it probably was WVU I was thinking about. I anticipate the oversight will be cleared up before next week.

DD

P.S. I would never intentionally shiortchange the Shockers. Your coach, Gregg Marshall, is from Roanoke and went to the same high school as my four kids.

[1979Shocker]

So he was under the impression that we got beat by UMKC at home? He could have easily done a Google search to find out for sure. Or if he didn't want to do that, he could have just assumed we won, being that we played at home.

[WuShock Reaper]

"Pflugradt: AP pollster who ranked Shockers No. 15 needs to step up his game" - The Sunflower

Evan Pflugradt, Opinion Editor
November 15, 2017

https://thesunflower.com/22422/sports/pflugradt-ap-pollster-who-ranked-shockers-no-15-needs-to-step-up-his-game/

"...Doughty dropped the Shockers from No. 4 in his preseason rankings to No. 15 in his week two ballot after the Shockers soundly dispatched of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, 109-52.
Uhhhhhhh.
Three Shocker forwards stepped outside the perimeter for three pointers while the team racked up 13 threes altogether — two shy of a school record — against the Roos. WSU led by as many as 62 points before Gregg Marshall called in his walk-on reserves with just under five minutes left to play.
KenPom ranked the Shockers No. 2 in his rankings following the first weekend of action.
Doughty moved Florida, which didn’t play its first game until Monday night, up from No. 11 in his preseason rankings to No. 7 in his second set. While Florida ultimately put the hurt on Gardner Webb, 116-74, the game wasn’t played until after the rankings were published.
Doughty also placed UCLA, which narrowly defeated unranked Georgia Tech, 63-60, better than the Shockers, holding the Bruins at No. 14.
Sure UMKC isn’t exactly a powerhouse. The Roos are No. 309 out of 351 Division I teams ranked by KenPom.
Doughty might be the first voter to drop a team 11 spots for winning a game by 52 points.
Jeez.

Step up your game, Doug Doughty. Try harder next week."

The Sunflower needs to assign a reporter to "Shockernet."

[ShockerPhi]

Thanks for posting his response. Now we don't have to blindly hate a guy we don't know. Turns out, he's just a human. And sounds like a nice guy.

[AndShock]

And we probably never would have known had you not e-mailed him.

[Shockm]

I knew it. Scumbag. :(

[WSUwatcher]

Exactly right, And, which is why such inquiries can be perfectly appropriate (as in this case), and why the AP is right to have the votes public. Sounds like the Shocks may have a head start toward #5 next week.

[wufan]

What an SOB! ;)

[wichshock65]

No need to be uncomfortable. Here's his reply and I'm glad to have the insight to his vote.

Steve,

Thanks for such a reasoned inquiry.

I just screwed up. I cover UVa football and men’s basketball and over the span of four days covered two men’s basketball games, a women’s game and UVa’s football game in Louisville. Total mileage was something like 1,250 miles.

Long story short, I was setting up for a UVa football press conference Monday at noon when I got an e-mail from Robby Mendelson from the AP saying they needed my picks immediately.

I had participated in the preseason poll but wasn’t sure if the regular-season poll would be starting that early.

When I heard from Robbie, I was unable to rummage up a How They Fared quickly, so it was basically from memory.

Somehow I was under the impression that Wichita State had lost when it probably was WVU I was thinking about. I anticipate the oversight will be cleared up before next week.

DD

P.S. I would never intentionally shiortchange the Shockers. Your coach, Gregg Marshall, is from Roanoke and went to the same high school as my four kids.

That guy suddenly went to someone I'll try to follow. What a great response. Very cool!

[WichitaStateGuy]

That guy suddenly went to someone I'll try to follow. What a great response. Very cool!

Totally agree. He could have very easily ignored that email // made-up a BS excuse.

Kudos to him.

[AZ Shocker]

Long story short, I was setting up for a UVa football press conference Monday at noon when I got an e-mail from Robby Mendelson from the AP saying they needed my picks immediately.

I had participated in the preseason poll but wasn’t sure if the regular-season poll would be starting that early.

When I heard from Robbie, I was unable to rummage up a How They Fared quickly, so it was basically from memory.

Somehow I was under the impression that Wichita State had lost when it probably was WVU I was thinking about. I anticipate the oversight will be cleared up before next week.

Sounds like a reasonable person and a gentleman at that. BUT...if you are a voter for the AP Poll...how do you NOT know when the regular college basketball season starts and also NOT know when you were supposed to have your vote in on time. And how in the WORLD would you ever think the Shockers lost to UMKC??? And how would you NOT be able to find out the final score of who won the darn game before casting your vote.

Again...sounds like a good guy...but man...

[LoneStar48]

Aw AZ, people make mistakes or have lapses in judgement. Heck, look at the seeding committee the last 10 years or so! I would cut him some slack; it did sound like a busy weekend, and I can see his point about WVU/WSU. We'll see how he votes next week.

[AZ Shocker]

Aw AZ, people make mistakes or have lapses in judgement. Heck, look at the seeding committee the last 10 years or so! I would cut him some slack; it did sound like a busy weekend, and I can see his point about WVU/WSU. We'll see how he votes next week.

Indeed. Like I mentioned...obviously a good guy by him reaching back out to you and such. Slack cutted... :)