Ranking conversation - is it possible

[amazinblue]

I don't know how long it's been since Michigan was ranked in the Top 25, but I do know its been a while. I checked out the latest rankings and Michigan's got "enough votes" to be 28th in the AP poll and 31st in the USA Today / Coaches poll.

I hope they can keep up the good work over the next few weeks, and "really" take off when Perry's able to play.

[BBA1994]

Does anyone have any concerns as to how the team will mesh once Perry starts playing? I like the way they are playing right now and the addition of Perry should help but I have concerns anytime a new player joins a team and how if will affect the chemistry.

[GoDeepHammer]

I believe that he has been practicing with them all year, so it's not like he is brand new.

[bigboyBlue]

Yeah, what remains to be seen is who's minutes he eats into (Wright, PLEASE). As long as they win all the way to the Big Ten season, and then go at least 0.5, they should get in.

I would say I am a wee bit disappointed they didn't crack the top 25, but then BBall rankings change less drastically after losses than football rankings. Suckeyes did crack in though....oh well, better for us to beat them this year :D. Wouldn't it be just great if the UM-OSU BBall games suddenly became relevant!!

[bluefan]

I don't know how long it's been since Michigan was ranked in the Top 25, but I do know its been a while. I checked out the latest rankings and Michigan's got "enough votes" to be 28th in the AP poll and 31st in the USA Today / Coaches poll.

I hope they can keep up the good work over the next few weeks, and "really" take off when Perry's able to play.

I believe it was one of the NIT years ('05 or '06?) UM got up to around 20-ish before the sweet meltdown that relegated them to the NIT.

[The Michigan Man]

It may be premature to throw Michigan into a high ranking, but name another team in college bb right now that has had more impressive wins this season. UCLA and Duke are as good as it gets.

(Perhaps that Savannah State frantic comeback has scared off a few believers.)

[Todd]

It may be premature to throw Michigan into a high ranking, but name another team in college bb right now that has had more impressive wins this season. UCLA and Duke are as good as it gets.

(Perhaps that Savannah State frantic comeback has scared off a few believers.)

Not only are Michigan's wins impressive, but their losses are pretty respectable as well. Duke and Maryland? C'mon, they're solid programs. How the Wolverines are not in the top 25 is mystifying?

[deltguy2]

I was thinking the same exact thing!! How are we not ranked in the top 25 after beating 2 #4 ranked teams!? We are 6-2 with the 2 loss's to good ACC teams, I thought for sure after we beat Duke we would crack the top 25. How is OSU ranked ahead of us, they beat Miami (Fl) ranked #22 and ND ranked #7. I freakin' hate Ohio State. We have a couple of easy games coming up before we start Big10 play so we should easily be 10-2 by then. Things are looking good for UM's basketball future, all of our players are Freshmen and Sophmores. Zack Novak can shoot the lights out, it was something special seeing him drain 3 after 3 on Duke last weekend!

[bigboyBlue]

Well boys, we're ranked!!!! #24 in the AP. Will do...

[AlwaysBlue]

but only in one poll. thats ridiculous.

[amazinblue]

Well boys, we're ranked!!!! #24 in the AP. Will do...

One game at a time. So far, so good. I'm curious to see LLP play the Big 10 season...

[The Michigan Man]

Not only are Michigan's wins impressive, but their losses are pretty respectable as well. Duke and Maryland? C'mon, they're solid programs. How the Wolverines are not in the top 25 is mystifying?

As I've said in other threads, remove the name "Michigan" and analyze based only on performance this season (not the past 10), and this would be a top 15 team. 2 top 5 victories (UCLA and Duke), and the 2 losses to quality programs (Duke and Maryland). The AP & coaches polls participants are big sewing circles that vote on perceptions and emotion, and not necessarily on objective performance on the court.

[rickyleach]

The basketball rankings are as bad as the football, both are a joke, michigan should atleast be in the top 25 ,even 25, ohio state has one quality win ,against nd and they are rated 17

[primetime101]

all rankings are jokes but at least we get a playoff in college bball and rankings don't matter...i could care less what we are ranked, we can compete with anybody when we are hot

[GoGreen23]

Oddly enough, after I watched MSU beat the defending National Champs Kansas, I began to think about Michigan Basketball. Strange huh?

Anyway, my friend and I (also another State fan) both agreed that Michigan should be in the Top 25. I mean you guys have 3 losses I think and 1 of them was the then #2 Duke. Michigan also has 2 quality wins over Top 5 teams- Duke and UCLA. Didn't they also win their ACC Challenge Game right? I just don't see how they can leave you guys out of the rankings with a record like that? I mean they put Minnesota in there and they're not even that good!

I guess if Michigan keeps winning games they'll be in there soon.

[joeismyname]

thanks for the support, but Michigan didn't win their ACC challenge game, they lost to Maryland by 5 at Maryland. It was a good game though. Their other losses were to Duke and a pretty darn good Wisconsin team. I see this team at least in the tournament.

[StevieBrownforHeisman]

Beating the shit out of Iowa can't hurt our chances!

[bigboyBlue]

Beating the shit out of Iowa can't hurt our chances!

Iowa is #66 in RPI, good deal. Michigan hasn't lost to a team outside the RPI Top 50 yet, and split games with the Top 50 3-3.

Why aren't we ranked again?

[bluefan]

They were until that UW loss. When a team like UM is hovering around #26-#23 it can ill afford any losses regardless of rank of team it lost to. After the two wins this week they should be back in around 22-25, I'd guess.

[FLex500]

They were until that UW loss. When a team like UM is hovering around #26-#23 it can ill afford any losses regardless of rank of team it lost to. After the two wins this week they should be back in around 22-25, I'd guess.
you hit it on the nose. There are just so many good college basketball teams that if you hover around that 22-25 mark and lose you are out. Doesn't matter who you lose to.

[NCBLUE]

In due time they will be recognized...due time...

[The Michigan Man]

They were until that UW loss. When a team like UM is hovering around #26-#23 it can ill afford any losses regardless of rank of team it lost to. After the two wins this week they should be back in around 22-25, I'd guess.

How was Wisconsin a bad loss? They are the defending Big-10 champs and will likely be in the tourney...

[bluefan]

How was Wisconsin a bad loss? They are the defending Big-10 champs and will likely be in the tourney...

Huh. That's the third time I've read my post and still failed to see where I said it was a bad loss. I said UW loss. You do realize UM is ranked ahead of them in every poll, though, right?

[The Michigan Man]

Huh. That's the third time I've read my post and still failed to see where I said it was a bad loss. I said UW loss. You do realize UM is ranked ahead of them in every poll, though, right?

Isn't this thread intended to highlight the arbitrary nature of polling? So UM was ahead of Wisconsin in the polls - you must understand that Wisconsin is 22-3 in the Big 10 over the past few seasons, only Purdue has had their number. They are one of the toughest teams in the Big-10.

You have to look beyond the polls. Indiana on paper should have been a very easy win, until you realize that Michigan hadn't beat them in Bloomington in 15 years. There is a lot more to some of these matchups then W/L totals and poll results..

[bluefan]

Isn't this thread intended to highlight the arbitrary nature of polling? So UM was ahead of Wisconsin in the polls - you must understand that Wisconsin is 22-3 in the Big 10 over the past few seasons, only Purdue has had their number. They are one of the toughest teams in the Big-10.

You have to look beyond the polls. Indiana on paper should have been a very easy win, until you realize that Michigan hadn't beat them in Bloomington in 15 years. There is a lot more to some of these matchups then W/L totals and poll results..

Agreed.
Still not sure what our disagreement here is, though. No matter if UW was #1 or #100 when a team that no one's sure of is hovering around the #22-#26 area any loss will drop them out of the Top 25 at least for a week. No matter that they beat Ill that same week. Of course, then they go pull a crapper like at IU and the suspicions are strengthened.
If they can beat Ill and uos coming up they should be cemented in the #16-#22 range for awhile assuming they don't have a UM moment and lose to or struggle with PSU or NW right after.

[bigboyBlue]

The upcoming game vs Illinois will be interesting; a tough road game against a Top 50 (RPI) opponent that played us well at Crisler. Um started badly vs Indiana in their only Big10 road game this year, hopefully we don't get a repeat.

I think we get pleasantly surprised and the team plays smart, instead of just raining threes. In JB we believe!

[StevieBrownforHeisman]

Well this week we are 25th ap and 24th coaches. I think that means we are ranked... Oh, 33 rpi fwiw.