Duke is #4 in new poll

[DukieInBrasil]

Duke climbed a spot in the polls to #4 after beating then #25 Miami and Pitt. UVA holds at #2, (U)NCheats come in at #10, and Clemson at #18. Just outside the top 25 are Miami (26), Loovill' (27) and FSU (33).
Of course the ACC has 4 of the top 6 in the semi-respected RPI.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22171790/college-basketball-power-rankings-gonzaga-bulldogs-saint-mary-gaels-provide-big-conferences-some-company
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi

[dukebluesincebirth]

Duke climbed a spot in the polls to #4 after beating then #25 Miami and Pitt. UVA holds at #2, (U)NCheats come in at #10, and Clemson at #18. Just outside the top 25 are Miami (26), Loovill' (27) and FSU (33).
Of course the ACC has 4 of the top 6 in the semi-respected RPI.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22171790/college-basketball-power-rankings-gonzaga-bulldogs-saint-mary-gaels-provide-big-conferences-some-company
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi

I'm scanning the new polls looking for Kentucky..........still looking.....................still looking............... Cal?............. are you still there??? :)

[pfrduke]

Duke climbed a spot in the polls to #4 after beating then #25 Miami and Pitt. UVA holds at #2, (U)NCheats come in at #10, and Clemson at #18. Just outside the top 25 are Miami (26), Loovill' (27) and FSU (33).
Of course the ACC has 4 of the top 6 in the semi-respected RPI.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22171790/college-basketball-power-rankings-gonzaga-bulldogs-saint-mary-gaels-provide-big-conferences-some-company
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rpi

Miami stayed ranked in the coaches poll (Nevada is ranked by the AP but not the coaches).

[22JumpShots]

A little bit of ranting but honestly inquiring.

How are they top 10 right now with their pathetic 16-4 record? (Lost almost all ranked games and lost to Wofford at home) --- There is a team that is 19-2 sitting around number #16. Clemson (#18) is 16-3 (same conference) with the same amount of ranked wins and no loss to Wofford. NC State has beat two #2 teams as well as another ranked team and no where in sight. Auburn is 17-2 and sitting at #19. I just don't get this ranking system. I know it's perceived to be nothing but a hot streak poll but carolina is not on a hot streak. Their season has been mildly pathetic thus far. Even Coach's poll has them at 10. I just don't see it. Then again I am no expert.

They have lost 4 total games. LOST TO WOFFORD AT HOME. Before this most recent Clemson game they had lost 3 out of 4 ranked games only beating Tenn....barely. Barely beat Wake..... Barely just BARELY beat ND.....

Can anyone make sense of this polling debauchery?

[CDu]

A little bit of ranting but honestly inquiring.

How are they top 10 right now with their pathetic 16-4 record? (Lost almost all ranked games and lost to Wofford at home) --- There is a team that is 19-2 sitting around number #16. Clemson (#18) is 16-3 (same conference) with the same amount of ranked wins and no loss to Wofford. NC State has beat two #2 teams as well as another ranked team and no where in sight. Auburn is 17-2 and sitting at #19. I just don't get this ranking system. I know it's perceived to be nothing but a hot streak poll but carolina is not on a hot streak. Their season has been mildly pathetic thus far. Even Coach's poll has them at 10. I just don't see it. Then again I am no expert.

They have lost 4 total games. LOST TO WOFFORD AT HOME. Before this most recent Clemson game they had lost 3 out of 4 ranked games only beating Tenn...barely. Barely beat Wake.... Barely just BARELY beat ND....

Can anyone make sense of this polling debauchery?

Well, because those listed teams with less than 4 losses aren't as good. Auburn has played a much weaker schedule than UNC. Clemson's schedule has also been a bit easier, and UNC beat them. St Mary's, Rhode Island, and Nevada are the only other sub-4 loss teams that are ranked, and they also have had easier schedules.

UNC is at #10 with 4 losses. The next 5 ranked teams? Also 4 losses. They are #8 in Pomeroy, #16 in TRank, and #3 in RPI. As of right now, it's hard to argue with their ranking.

[BD80]

I'm scanning the new polls looking for Kentucky......still looking..........still looking........ Cal?...... are you still there??? :)

Ky had the #1 recruiting class, they HAVE to be there!

[ipatent]

Ky had the #1 recruiting class, they HAVE to be there!

Kentucky is still a dangerous team, their defense keeps them in games. Wouldn't want to see them in the second round.

[rsvman]

Kentucky is still a dangerous team, their defense keeps them in games. Wouldn't want to see them in the second round.

Absolutely. Remember the year they barely made the tournament and then ended up in the title game? I think they had 8 losses that year (by my memory can be sketchy). Still. Point remains that they can be dangerous in the tourney even when their regular season was pedestrian.

[uh_no]

Kentucky is still a dangerous team, their defense keeps them in games. Wouldn't want to see them in the second round.

I was lustful for a second...and then i remembered how we beat miami :)

[ndkjr70]

A little bit of ranting but honestly inquiring.

How are they top 10 right now with their pathetic 16-4 record? (Lost almost all ranked games and lost to Wofford at home) --- There is a team that is 19-2 sitting around number #16. Clemson (#18) is 16-3 (same conference) with the same amount of ranked wins and no loss to Wofford. NC State has beat two #2 teams as well as another ranked team and no where in sight. Auburn is 17-2 and sitting at #19. I just don't get this ranking system. I know it's perceived to be nothing but a hot streak poll but carolina is not on a hot streak. Their season has been mildly pathetic thus far. Even Coach's poll has them at 10. I just don't see it. Then again I am no expert.

They have lost 4 total games. LOST TO WOFFORD AT HOME. Before this most recent Clemson game they had lost 3 out of 4 ranked games only beating Tenn...barely. Barely beat Wake.... Barely just BARELY beat ND....

Can anyone make sense of this polling debauchery?

Poll momentum is a real thing. When UNC lost, other teams around them lost and they didn't drop that far. Earlier in the season, when UNC was doing a lot of winning and everyone was ready to give Luke Maye the NPoY and ACCPoY and PotUS, other teams were losing.

I've always been a huge proponent of "everyone is unranked until x" and then pick a date. Say, January 1st, do it at noon and make an obnoxious 3 hour long CBS special out of it. It helps keep teams like UNC, who are clearly overrated coming into the season, from staying afloat with bad losses. I can't fault the voters for how far they've dropped and raised UNC any one week -- just overall.

[budwom]

Poll momentum is a real thing. When UNC lost, other teams around them lost and they didn't drop that far. Earlier in the season, when UNC was doing a lot of winning and everyone was ready to give Luke Maye the NPoY and ACCPoY and PotUS, other teams were losing.

I've always been a huge proponent of "everyone is unranked until x" and then pick a date. Say, January 1st, do it at noon and make an obnoxious 3 hour long CBS special out of it. It helps keep teams like UNC, who are clearly overrated coming into the season, from staying afloat with bad losses. I can't fault the voters for how far they've dropped and raised UNC any one week -- just overall.

I agree with a lot of this, but have to acknowledge, as much as I despise the holes, that KenPom has them at #8 IIRC, so there is at least some evidence that they aren't as bad as we would likely to be.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Kentucky is still a dangerous team, their defense keeps them in games. Wouldn't want to see them in the second round.

I hear extremely young teams have the most potential for improvement over the course of a season...

[plimnko]

nothing floats to the top as fast as a turd heel

[uh_no]

Poll momentum is a real thing. When UNC lost, other teams around them lost and they didn't drop that far. Earlier in the season, when UNC was doing a lot of winning and everyone was ready to give Luke Maye the NPoY and ACCPoY and PotUS, other teams were losing.

I've always been a huge proponent of "everyone is unranked until x" and then pick a date. Say, January 1st, do it at noon and make an obnoxious 3 hour long CBS special out of it. It helps keep teams like UNC, who are clearly overrated coming into the season, from staying afloat with bad losses. I can't fault the voters for how far they've dropped and raised UNC any one week -- just overall.

Fortunately, the polls mean nothing.

[PackMan97]

nothing floats to the top as fast as a turd heel

Sporks!

I think we can all agree, Carolina has earned their rank (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rank).

[freshmanjs]

Absolutely. Remember the year they barely made the tournament and then ended up in the title game? I think they had 8 losses that year (by my memory can be sketchy). Still. Point remains that they can be dangerous in the tourney even when their regular season was pedestrian.

They were a #8 seed that year...that is very solidly in the field.