Alphonse Heiler Blog
21.02.2011., ponedjeljak
College basketball pigs out on poll nonsense
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http://hattiegudat.xanga.com Who’s No. 1? Who knows? College basketball polls are frivolous. You know it, I know it. But they’re the sport’s junk food, tasty empty calories that we look forward to consuming. So it will be today when we see how 31 coaches cheap and 65 media representatives interpret what happened in college hoops last week. To refresh: The week started with mixed-signal polls. Kansas climbed to the top but received far from a ringing endorsement. Texas received more first-place votes in the Associated Press poll. Ohio State and Pittsburgh also got voter love. http://cheapjerseydesign.blogspot.com One by one they fell, Kansas at Kansas State on Monday, then Texas at Nebraska and Pitt at St. John’s on Saturday. Sunday, the Buckeyes went down at Purdue as the Boilers’ E’Twaun Moore matched Jacob Pullen’s 38 against KU. So, how to slot it? Does Duke, a winner Sunday night against Georgia Tech, leap five places? How about the nation’s lone one-loss team, sixth-ranked San Diego State? Just a guess, but I think the Aztecs will stay put, the Blue Devils will bounce to the top, and the middle four will be separated by a paper-slice margin. There might even be a tie or two. The upside-down week’s greater impact could be on NCAA Tournament seeding. Entering the weekend, a consensus lifted Pitt, Ohio State and Texas to top seeds. Kansas and San Diego State were the top choices for the fourth spot. But now Duke, if it wasn’t already, elbows its way back on to the top line at whose expense? Of the week’s outcomes, Texas had the worst loss in terms of opponent’s status. The Cornhuskers had the lowest RPI of any team that defeated a top-four team this week. But CBS analyst Clark Kellogg gave the Longhorns his nod on Sunday, citing the victory at Kansas. The indicators favor different teams. Kansas has the nation’s top RPI and top schedule strength of the potential No. 1 seeds, and that’s interesting because the Jayhawks had taken some grief over their non-league path. Turns out a slate of Arizona, Memphis, UCLA, Valparaiso and Colorado State was formidable after all. Pittsburgh leads the nation’s top-ranked conference by two games in the loss column and played admirably without scoring leader Ashton Gibbs. But like Kansas, the Panthers have a home loss, to Notre Dame. The Buckeyes lead the nation’s second-ranked conference and their two losses are the most excusable, on the home floors of the league’s second- and third-place teams in the past three games. “That’s why I don’t panic at this juncture,” Ohio State coach Thad Matta said Sunday. The advantage for Duke and San Diego State is wind in their sails. The Blue Devils have won six straight, the Aztecs seven in a row. If the season ended today, my overall No. 1 would be Pittsburgh. The champion of the strongest conference makes it an easy call for the selection committee. The Buckeyes would be second, Kansas third and Duke fourth. The Jayhawks’ slot could more accurately be labeled Big 12. It goes to Texas if the Longhorns win the conference tournament. Saturday’s BYU at San Diego State winner stays alive for a top seed. But are any of the leaders heavy favorites to reach the Final Four? Even coaches agree the circle of teams capable of winning the national championship is as wide as it’s been in recent memory, which is a polite way of saying the game’s quality isn’t as strong at the top. Down cycles continue through major conferences like the Atlantic Coast, Pacific-10 and the SEC West. The Big 12 might get only five teams to the NCAA after sending seven last year. The possible result is another wild NCAA Tournament like last season when only one top seed reached the Final Four. |
