Duke #8 in Pre-Season AP Top 25

[summerville]

NC State #6
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ap-basketball-poll-indiana-preseason-no-1

[Olympic Fan]

This is great news for one reason -- it keeps our streak of top 10 weeks in the AP poll alive -- in fact, it extends the streak to 94 straight polls. That remains the second longest such streak in history. Still a long way from the top streak (UCLA had something like 150 straight weeks under Wooden) ... still, I'd like to see it kept going.

I think a key game in this regard (beyond everything else it means) is the Kentucky game. It's so early that it will go a long, long way towards shaping the national perception of this team. Play a great game -- either win or maybe even lose a thriller -- and Duke could stay in the top 10 a long, long time -- maybe all season. Look bad and the streak ends. Win and it might opro0vide a cushion if there is one (as there usually is) misstep in Duke's tough preseason lineup.

But if it has to end, I'd rather see it end because we lost a game than because the voters underestimated Duke in preseason.

[jv001]

This is great news for one reason -- it keeps our streak of top 10 weeks in the AP poll alive -- in fact, it extends the streak to 94 straight polls. That remains the second longest such streak in history. Still a long way from the top streak (UCLA had something like 150 straight weeks under Wooden) ... still, I'd like to see it kept going.

I think a key game in this regard (beyond everything else it means) is the Kentucky game. It's so early that it will go a long, long way towards shaping the national perception of this team. Play a great game -- either win or maybe even lose a thriller -- and Duke could stay in the top 10 a long, long time -- maybe all season. Look bad and the streak ends. Win and it might opro0vide a cushion if there is one (as there usually is) misstep in Duke's tough preseason lineup.

But if it has to end, I'd rather see it end because we lost a game than because the voters underestimated Duke in preseason.

Very important imho as well. The AP loves Kentucky as do most polls, so if we can beat them early we should stay in the top 10 as you said for a long time. This is a key game. Probably more important than the Ohio State game. We certainly have a tough early schedule and we should learn a lot about this edition of our Blue Devils. GoDuke!

[JasonEvans]

In addition to the insanely long Top 10 streak, we have now been ranked for 201 consecutive polls by the AP. That is the longest streak in the nation. I am not sure how it ranks all-time. Anyone know?

-Jason

[Bluedog]

In addition to the insanely long Top 10 streak, we have now been ranked for 201 consecutive polls by the AP. That is the longest streak in the nation. I am not sure how it ranks all-time. Anyone know?

-Jason

I believe the record is 221 weeks from 1966-1980 for UCLA. I thought Duke slipped out of the Top 25 in 2007? Duke had 200 consecutive weeks in the top 25 for the second-longest streak (from 1996-2007).

[sagegrouse]

In addition to the insanely long Top 10 streak, we have now been ranked for 201 consecutive polls by the AP. That is the longest streak in the nation. I am not sure how it ranks all-time. Anyone know?

-Jason


I believe the record is 221 weeks from 1966-1980 for UCLA. I thought Duke slipped out of the Top 25 in 2007? Duke had 200 consecutive weeks in the top 25 for the second-longest streak (from 1996-2007).

In the last poll in 2007 Duke was #27. There are 19 or 20 polls a season, so Duke is right at 100 consecutive weeks in the Top 25.

sagegrouse

[Olympic Fan]

Duke missed the final poll in 1996. Starting with the preseason poll in 1997 (Duke was 10th), Duke was in 210 straight polls -- all except 19 of them in the top 10 -- until falling out with a four-game losing streak on Feb. 12, 2007. Duke promptly won four straight and jumped back in the poll at No. 18 on Feb. 19, missing just one week. But a four game losing streak to end the season dropped Duke out of the final poll.

Dule started a new streak when the Devils were picked No. 13 in the 2007-08 preseason poll. Since then, Duke has been in the rankings for 97 straight weeks (thr last 94 in the top 10).

You could point out that Duke has been ranked in 308 of the last 310 polls -- 288 of those in the top 10.

[gumbomoop]

... the Kentucky game. It's so early that it will go a long, long way towards shaping the national perception of this team. Play a great game -- either win or maybe even lose a thriller -- and Duke could stay in the top 10 a long, long time -- maybe all season. Look bad and the streak ends.


Very important imho as well. The AP loves Kentucky as do most polls, so if we can beat them early we should stay in the top 10 as you said for a long time. This is a key game.

Re UK: I posted on some earlier thread that I thought UK was being a bit overrated, thinking they might have depth problems. But I must say, having viewed some of UK's blue/white scrimmage on Wed eve [Fox Sports South, DirecTV ch. 646, and to be shown again tonight at 8], they probably are ok, depth-wise. Despite a somewhat strange quote from frosh Willie Cauley-Stein [somewhere on ESPN blog] that UK had 7 guys who would play a lot, and thus implicitly dissing 8th guy Jon Hood, I think Hood is fully recovered from injury, and legit; he looked very good in first half.

Surprisingly impressive, at least on the floor if not in the interview room, was Cauley-Stein, a big, big fellow who showed at least some O, and definite shot-block-D. Ditto on shot blocks from Noel. Goodwin very impressive, athletic, as was Poythress, smooth, long. Wiltjer solid, as were transfers Ryan Harrow and Julius Mays. They have 8 guys who can play.

Right now, much better on O than D, where they were confused, not so effective. When Calipari says "We're not very good," he's right about the D. Even there, however, they have 2, and with Poythress and Wiltjer maybe 4, shot-blockers that can correct some lousy D.

I still think #3 is too high to begin the season, but my hope that neither Mays nor Hood would be dependable seems wrong. And Cauley-Stein's rsci ranking at #38 sure seems low to me. He can play, and that's bad news for everyone but UK.

We'll get to see UK's first game, v. Md, on Fri eve Nov. 9, ESPN 8:30.

ETA: Meant to point out that I had earlier wondered whether UK would hurt for a back-up PG, thinking no way Harrow could play 36-38 mpg. Alas, both Goodwin and Mays can play some PG, and they're both a step up from little-used Polson.