Rankings for the week of March 1

[GODUKEGO]

I will post the AP and ESPN/USA Today when they come out later today.

Pomeroy #1
http://kenpom.com/rate.php

RPI #2
http://www.realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html

Sagarin #3
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkt0910.htm

Sorry but I can not resist:
UNC: RPI 87
Pomeroy 57
Sagarin 61
AP as we all know UNRANKED

[JasonEvans]

I am expecting us to be 4th in the AP and USAToday polls. Kansas will likely only slip to #2 and I will not be shocked to see Kentucky stay ahead of us, though it may be close.

I would very much prefer to be #3 or even #2, as I think it enhances our cred for a #1 seed. I am confident we would get a #1 seed if the tourney were picked today but I would not mind a bit of wiggle room.

--Jason "worth noting, we may be #3 in Sagarin but we have a big lead in his predictor model" Evans

[Mr Blue Devil]

I think:

1 - Cuse
2 - UK
3 - Kansas
4 - Duke

[hurleyfor3]

--Jason "worth noting, we may be #3 in Sagarin but we have a big lead in his predictor model" Evans

The Sagarin predictor ALWAYS rates us high, always always always. It's been this way as long as he's been posting the breakdown. Needless to say, it doesn't seem to have any correlation to our NCAA tournament performance in recent years.

[GODUKEGO]

I think:

1 - Cuse
2 - UK
3 - Kansas
4 - Duke

Agree with you with Kansas State #5.

[JasonEvans]

Agree with you with Kansas State #5.

While I hope to be #2 or #3, I won't be shocked if KSt has leaped us and we are #5. We are getting zero respect in the human polls.

-Jason

[SoCalDukeFan]

If we beat Maryland and UNC-CH and then win the ACC Tournament we will be a number 1 seed almost for sure. We might get it with one loss depending on everyone else.

If we win the NCAA Tournament then we will be number 1 for sure.

SoCal

[dukeENG2003]

Am I the only person who still thinks Kansas is the best team in the country by a fairly wide margin? Syracuse is nice, deserving of the #2 spot (WAY ahead of the pathetic defensive squad Kentucky is) but to me the Jayhawks are just better than everyone else and IMO should have stayed at #1.

[jv001]

Am I the only person who still thinks Kansas is the best team in the country by a fairly wide margin? Syracuse is nice, deserving of the #2 spot (WAY ahead of the pathetic defensive squad Kentucky is) but to me the Jayhawks are just better than everyone else and IMO should have stayed at #1.

I just don't think there are any great teams this year. There are several very good ones, but no great team. Kansas has not shown me any more than Syracuse or Kentucky and even Duke. All have their flaws. Go Duke!

[hurleyfor3]

Am I the only person who still thinks Kansas is the best team in the country by a fairly wide margin?

No. I'd still rank Kansas first, the Cuse second, then Ky third and then us. The #1 ranking should go to the best team in the country regardless of who lost most recently. That's still Kansas.

[DukieInBrasil]

It may be shocking to some but it would it would not be a terribly huge surprise if neither UK nor KU dropped at all, despite losing. The media has such a huge crush on them that the losses might be shrugged off. Maybe Syracuse goes to #1 and the 2 Ks with Us fall 1 slot behind. Duke ought to be #4 though. I don't think Duke has really shown that we're a #1,2 or 3 team right now. We're on an impressive win streak, but few of the teams we have beaten lately are superior teams. Although MD is showing some spunk lately. If/when we beat MD and UNC this coming week, we might have a better claim for a top 3 rank.

"If we win the NCAA Tournament then we will be number 1 for sure."

correct, and that will probably be the only way Duke gets ranked #1 this year.

[NSDukeFan]

No. I'd still rank Kansas first, the Cuse second, then Ky third and then us. The #1 ranking should go to the best team in the country regardless of who lost most recently. That's still Kansas.

I agree and would have to think Kentucky shouldn't be far ahead of us, if at all, based on their inferior SOS.

[dw0827]

Am I the only person who still thinks Kansas is the best team in the country by a fairly wide margin? Syracuse is nice, deserving of the #2 spot (WAY ahead of the pathetic defensive squad Kentucky is) but to me the Jayhawks are just better than everyone else and IMO should have stayed at #1.

I live very close to KU (25 miles) and I watch them a lot. Trust me, we match up very well against them. We play 10 games on a neutral floor and it could easily split 5 - 5 or 6-4 either way. To suggest that they are clearly superior simply isn't true.

My prediction for today's polls is 1) Syracuse 2) KU 3) Kentucky 4) Duke.

The least likely to make the final four is Kentucky because of their youth and inexperience in big time pressure games. It will do them in eventually.

[pfrduke]

Updated Lunardi Bracketology has us as #1 in the West, with Purdue as the #2, Pitt as the #3, BYU as the #4, and Butler as the #5. Oh, and Texas as the #8.

[cbnaylor]

It's final, Duke is #4.

Syracuse, Kansas, Kentucky

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings

[pfrduke]

It's final, Duke is #4.

Syracuse, Kansas, Kentucky

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings

Wow, we got a #1 vote in the coaches' poll. Wonder who that was.

[cbnaylor]

Could it be...no surely it couldn't be.....Tommy Amaker, Harvard

[uncwdevil]

Updated Lunardi Bracketology has us as #1 in the West, with Purdue as the #2, Pitt as the #3, BYU as the #4, and Butler as the #5. Oh, and Texas as the #8.

Having to face Texas in the 2nd round would be brutal.

They've got a lot of talent and Pomeroy has then at #13.

I'd be fine with the rest of that bracket however.

[94duke]

As most of us would have guessed, MD is ranked.
22/23 AP/Coaches.

[tommy]

Updated Lunardi Bracketology has us as #1 in the West, with Purdue as the #2, Pitt as the #3, BYU as the #4, and Butler as the #5. Oh, and Texas as the #8.

With the exception of Texas as the 8, that scenario would be as perfect as we could hope for.

[pfrduke]

With the exception of Texas as the 8, that scenario would be as perfect as we could hope for.

That was my thought too. It puts our toughest opponent (IMO) in the second round game.

[GODUKEGO]

Wow, we got a #1 vote in the coaches' poll. Wonder who that was.

After what we did to the Heel's and what we are going to do to the Heel's, I bet the vote was ROY'S!!!

[pfrduke]

After what we did to the Heel's and what we are going to do to the Heel's, I bet the vote was ROY'S!!!

He doesn't vote in the poll. Gary Williams has the ACC's vote (and has for a number of years).

Doug Wojcik of recently defeated Tulsa is a voter, though, as is Tommy Amaker...

[soccerstud2210]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4956590

#4. i'm ok with that

[DoubleDuke Dad]

Here is the list of the coaches who vote in the Coaches Men's Basketball Poll.

Mike Adras, Northern Arizona; Dana Altman, Creighton; Tommy Amaker, Harvard; Tevester Anderson, Jackson State; Ronnie Arrow, South Alabama; Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's; Eddie Biedenbach, North Carolina-Asheville; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse; Rick Byrd, Belmont; Charlie Coles, Miami (Ohio); Steve Fisher, San Diego State; Greg Graham, Boise State; Rob Jeter, Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Billy Kennedy, Murray State; Billy Lange, Navy; Dan Leibovitz, Hartford; Fran McCaffery, Siena; Mike McConathy, Northwestern State; Bob McKillop, Davidson; Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's; Ron "Fang" Mitchell, Coppin State; Matt Painter, Purdue; Tom Pecora, Hofstra; John Pelphrey, Arkansas; Mike Rice, Robert Morris; Doc Sadler, Nebraska; Herb Sendek, Arizona State; Scott Sutton, Oral Roberts; Bob Williams, UC-Santa Barbara; Gary Williams, Maryland; Doug Wojcik, Tulsa.

[Duke79UNLV77]

Ohio State, 7 losses, #29 RPI, #6 and 7 in the polls
Maryland, 7 losses, #23 RPI, #22 and 23 in polls

I know they have a strong POY candidate who missed some games, although he played when they lost to the Tar Holes, among others. Perhaps, they are projected to be more dangerous in the tournament. I think the polls should be about what you've actually done and earned, though, and I just can't see ranking a 7 loss team witha SOS of #68 as high as #6.

[camion]

Wow, we got a #1 vote in the coaches' poll. Wonder who that was.

One of the coaches is a dork who believes Pomeroy.

[tbyers11]

With the exception of Texas as the 8, that scenario would be as perfect as we could hope for.

Texas at the 8 would suck. But the other thing in that bracket that I would not like at all would be a possible de facto road game against #4 BYU in Salt Lake City in the Sweet 16.

BYU has a 50-50 chance of playing in SLC if they win their first 2 games. Due to religious reasons, they can't play on Sunday and the East (Syracuse) and West (SLC) are the Th/Sat regionals this year.

[airowe]

Ohio State, 7 losses, #29 RPI, #6 and 7 in the polls
Maryland, 7 losses, #23 RPI, #22 and 23 in polls

I know they have a strong POY candidate who missed some games, although he played when they lost to the Tar Holes, among others. Perhaps, they are projected to be more dangerous in the tournament. I think the polls should be about what you've actually done and earned, though, and I just can't see ranking a 7 loss team witha SOS of #68 as high as #6.

Its not how many you've lost, its when you lost and who you lost to.

Maryland lost to Bill and Mary.

[airowe]

Texas at the 8 would suck. But the other thing in that bracket that I would not like at all would be a possible de facto road game against #4 BYU in Salt Lake City in the Sweet 16.

BYU has a 50-50 chance of playing in SLC if they win their first 2 games. Due to religious reasons, they can't play on Sunday and the East (Syracuse) and West (SLC) are the Th/Sat regionals this year.

If we had to play Nova in Philly last year, I would not be surprised at all to play BYU in Salt Lake City.

[pfrduke]

If we had to play Nova in Philly last year, I would not be surprised at all to play BYU in Salt Lake City.

We played Nova in Boston.

[MChambers]

No. I'd still rank Kansas first, the Cuse second, then Ky third and then us. The #1 ranking should go to the best team in the country regardless of who lost most recently. That's still Kansas.

Kansas is the toughest team, no doubt. Just hope they have another fight with the football team before we have to play them.

[CDu]

Ohio State, 7 losses, #29 RPI, #6 and 7 in the polls
Maryland, 7 losses, #23 RPI, #22 and 23 in polls

I know they have a strong POY candidate who missed some games, although he played when they lost to the Tar Holes, among others. Perhaps, they are projected to be more dangerous in the tournament. I think the polls should be about what you've actually done and earned, though, and I just can't see ranking a 7 loss team witha SOS of #68 as high as #6.

OSU has no really bad losses at all, and three of their losses came on the road without Evan Turner. Maryland, on the other hand, has one awful loss to William and Mary.

I agree that Maryland is probably underrated right now, but OSU is probably close to being appropriately rated when you consider Turner's injury. For what it's worth, Pomeroy has OSU at #7 and Maryland at #11.

[noyac]

I think it was Boeheim who voted Duke No 1. He coached with Coach K for Team USA and I doubt he would vote for his own team

[DoubleDuke Dad]

I think it was Boeheim who voted Duke No 1. He coached with Coach K for Team USA and I doubt he would vote for his own team

No it must have been Gary Williams since he respects Duke so much! :)

[loldevilz]

OSU has no really bad losses at all, and three of their losses came on the road without Evan Turner. Maryland, on the other hand, has one awful loss to William and Mary.

I agree that Maryland is probably underrated right now, but OSU is probably close to being appropriately rated when you consider Turner's injury. For what it's worth, Pomeroy has OSU at #7 and Maryland at #11.

Didn't Ohio State lose to UNC at home with Turner? I'm pretty sure that's a bad loss.

[Dukeface88]

Didn't Ohio State lose to UNC at home with Turner? I'm pretty sure that's a bad loss.

Neutral court, but yes. Also, the fact that UNC should be considered a bad loss is hilarious.

[CDu]

Didn't Ohio State lose to UNC at home with Turner? I'm pretty sure that's a bad loss.

Nope. They lost to UNC in MSG. And UNC is #57 in Pomeroy and #86 in RPI. So using either metric, it's not a bad loss (a bad loss is generally defined as a loss to a team 100+ in the RPI/Pomeroy). Even if you consider it a borderline bad loss (which is I guess fair based on RPI), it's not a "really bad loss," which is what I said. By comparison, Maryland lost to William and Mary at home (#120 in Pomeroy). I consider that loss worse (when you consider location and the fact that William and Mary is a much weaker team than UNC).

[InSpades]

One thing I found curious was how close Duke was to Kentucky in the coaches' poll. Only 4 points separated the 2 teams. The difference is so small... Duke could maybe even pass Kentucky before conference tournaments start (Duke playing @ Maryland while Kentucky doesn't face anything near as difficult). Obviously nothing is guaranteed... either team could lose this week or both teams could win out and Kentucky keep their slim lead in the poll. I just found it interesting that the coaches had Duke and Kentucky very close to one another while the AP saw things very differently (the AP had Duke closer to 5th than 3rd).

[BD80]

Nope. They lost to UNC in MSG. And UNC is #57 in Pomeroy and #86 in RPI. So using either metric, it's not a bad loss (a bad loss is generally defined as a loss to a team 100+ in the RPI/Pomeroy). Even if you consider it a borderline bad loss (which is I guess fair based on RPI), it's not a "really bad loss," which is what I said. By comparison, Maryland lost to William and Mary at home (#120 in Pomeroy). I consider that loss worse (when you consider location and the fact that William and Mary is a much weaker team than UNC).

Bill & Mary are at #60 in the RPI. They are insulted that you would suggest that they are a worse loss than the tarheels. At least they have a winning record in 2010 (11 - 7).

Really. Mary is p!ssed. She might slap you if she sees you.

[CDu]

Bill & Mary are at #60 in the RPI. They are insulted that you would suggest that they are a worse loss than the tarheels. At least they have a winning record in 2010 (11 - 7).

Really. Mary is p!ssed. She might slap you if she sees you.

One could certainly make that argument. Personally, I think the Pomeroy and Sagarin rankings are better. The RPI tends to overvalue winning irrespective of the quality of the opponent a bit (it tries to account for quality of opponent, but it doesn't do the greatest job). In both the Pomeroy and Sagarin ratings, UNC is much better than William and Mary (#57 vs #120 in Pomeroy, #61 vs #90 in Sagarin). And when you consider that the Maryland loss to William and Mary was at home as compared to a neutral site loss by OSU to UNC, I think the Maryland loss was much worse.

[Olympic Fan]

Texas at the 8 would suck. But the other thing in that bracket that I would not like at all would be a possible de facto road game against #4 BYU in Salt Lake City in the Sweet 16.

BYU has a 50-50 chance of playing in SLC if they win their first 2 games. Due to religious reasons, they can't play on Sunday and the East (Syracuse) and West (SLC) are the Th/Sat regionals this year.

Gottlieb made a crack about Duke having to play BYU in Salt Lake City last night on ESPN's wrapup.

I think he -- and Lunardi -- are wrong.

Right now, New Mexico is the clearcut top team from the Mountain West. They've beaten BYU twice head-to-head and have clinched the MW regular season title. Most projections I've seen have them as a No. 3 seed -- ahead of No. 4 seed BYU.

New Mexico, not BYU, should get the berth in Salt Lake City according to the NCAA's guidelines. If they get it, the second Mountain West team -- BYU -- has to go to Syracuse. You are right, they can't play in St. Louis or Houston because those are Friday/Sunday sites.

That could change if BYU ends up winning the Mountain West Tournament -- especially if they beat New Mexico headup -- but right now, I think it's unlikely that BYU would get priority over its superior conference member.

And I also wonder why Lunardi thinks the selection committee would override its geographic guidelines to send Texas to Salt Lake City? By those guidelines, Texas should go to Houston.

[tbyers11]

Gottlieb made a crack about Duke having to play BYU in Salt Lake City last night on ESPN's wrapup.

I think he -- and Lunardi -- are wrong.

Right now, New Mexico is the clearcut top team from the Mountain West. They've beaten BYU twice head-to-head and have clinched the MW regular season title. Most projections I've seen have them as a No. 3 seed -- ahead of No. 4 seed BYU.

New Mexico, not BYU, should get the berth in Salt Lake City according to the NCAA's guidelines. If they get it, the second Mountain West team -- BYU -- has to go to Syracuse. You are right, they can't play in St. Louis or Houston because those are Friday/Sunday sites.

That could change if BYU ends up winning the Mountain West Tournament -- especially if they beat New Mexico headup -- but right now, I think it's unlikely that BYU would get priority over its superior conference member.

And I also wonder why Lunardi thinks the selection committee would override its geographic guidelines to send Texas to Salt Lake City? By those guidelines, Texas should go to Houston.

I agree with you that UNM should get preference over BYU to be in the West Regional. I think BYU is a tad overseeded at 4 right now. My favorite bracket site (Bracketology 101 (http://bracketology101.blogspot.com/)) has them at 6 today. I think they are about 5/6 right now. Winning their last two games and winning the Mountain West tourney (which would likely involve beating 2 of UNM, UNLV and SDSU) could move them above UNM in the pecking order.

I also think that because of the large amount of Big East and Big Ten teams that could fall in 1-4 seed slots (possibly 4 from each conference) that if a Mountain West team (UNM or, maybe BYU) ends up with a protected seed they might not end up with a spot in the West regional because they will be easy to move to make the distribution of the highly ranked BE and B10 teams shake out correctly.

[JasonEvans]

No it must have been Gary Williams since he respects Duke so much! :)

I am pretty sure that Steve Spurrier's administrative assistant is the person who voted Duke #1.

-Jason "that joke works on multiple levels" Evans