The AP top-10 streak is... dead.

[Olympic Fan]

Duke slips in at No. 10 in the AP poll today -- that's the 118th straight top 10 ranking for Duke, the second-longest such streak in basketball history. UCLA still holds the record with 155 straight top 10 weeks in the mid-60s. The third longest streak was Kentucky's 91 straight in the mid-1990s.

Tomorrow night is a crucial game for Duke and the streak. It's our only game next week and with a loss, no doubt Duke drops into the second ten. With a win, the streak will likely continue -- and with our schedule, we should be safe at least until conference play opens in January.

I realize this isn't the biggest deal in the world, but I think it's a significant achievement -- one of those things we'll look back on when basketball historians reflect on the Krzyzewski era. It's a measure of consistency that only John Wooden has matched (with the help of Sam Gilbert).

Note: Duke is No. 8 in the coach's poll (although the streak only refers to the AP poll). Syracuse is up to No. 4 -- Duke and the 'Cuse are the ACC's only ranked teams in the AP. UNC made No. 25 in the coaches' poll.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I looked for the heels in the AP..and can't find them...they must be there somewhere...hmmm.

[DevilWearsPrada]

I looked for the heels in the AP..and can't find them...they must be there somewhere...hmmm.

Football AP ? Basketball AP? or both?

I am sure the Heels are somewhere to be found in Cheater Hill or H$LL ! GTHC

[Wander]

Eh, this is an example of a reasonably meaningless statistic to me. I don't see much justification, for example, for Villanova to be ranked behind us right now. Don't get me wrong, Duke obviously has a ton of amazing stats to prove that we've been the best program over the past few decades, but I'd rather stick to the streak of NCAA tournaments or Sweet 16s or even the non-conference home winning streak.

[chadlee989]

Eh, this is an example of a reasonably meaningless statistic to me. I don't see much justification, for example, for Villanova to be ranked behind us right now. Don't get me wrong, Duke obviously has a ton of amazing stats to prove that we've been the best program over the past few decades, but I'd rather stick to the streak of NCAA tournaments or Sweet 16s or even the non-conference home winning streak.

I disagree this is a huge record to me. I tend to agree with what the op said that this will be looked back on by basketball historians for years to come. Maybe as the greatest run ever. I had been checking all day today and actually checked late last night to see if the polls had been updated. So glad we stayed top ten. Now lets beat Michigan and keep it going.

[CDu]

Eh, this is an example of a reasonably meaningless statistic to me. I don't see much justification, for example, for Villanova to be ranked behind us right now. Don't get me wrong, Duke obviously has a ton of amazing stats to prove that we've been the best program over the past few decades, but I'd rather stick to the streak of NCAA tournaments or Sweet 16s or even the non-conference home winning streak.

Agreed. We have sort of backed into the honor this year by virtue of a high preseason rank. Certainly Villanova (with 2top-25 wins including a road win over a team that beat us) has a better resume.

I mean, I am glad the streak is alive, but it is a bit dubious.

[OldPhiKap]

I looked for the heels in the AP..and can't find them...they must be there somewhere...hmmm.

They've got #1 and #3 in two of their next three games. May not even be under "others receiveing votes" soon. (Of course, I thought that when they went to play Louisville).

This streak is a testament to the consistency of our program. I do think it is a big deal, and will be sad when it one day ends. Hopefully not this season.

Hell, UNC would like to still be considered for the "in the Top 25" streak.

[dukebballcamper90-91]

No heels!!!!!!!

[roywhite]

Eh, this is an example of a reasonably meaningless statistic to me. I don't see much justification, for example, for Villanova to be ranked behind us right now. Don't get me wrong, Duke obviously has a ton of amazing stats to prove that we've been the best program over the past few decades, but I'd rather stick to the streak of NCAA tournaments or Sweet 16s or even the non-conference home winning streak.

Yeah, this is nice, I guess, but a bit of a yawn IMO.

I mean, should we hang a banner for this?

[flyingdutchdevil]

Yeah, this is nice, I guess, but a bit of a yawn IMO.

I mean, should we hang a banner for this?

I'd like to hang a banner for the program with the most consecutive years of having a "Plumlee" on the roster. 8, I believe?

[Indoor66]

Yeah, this is nice, I guess, but a bit of a yawn IMO.

I mean, should we hang a banner for this?

The answer is NO, but they might!

[Des Esseintes]

Eh, this is an example of a reasonably meaningless statistic to me. I don't see much justification, for example, for Villanova to be ranked behind us right now. Don't get me wrong, Duke obviously has a ton of amazing stats to prove that we've been the best program over the past few decades, but I'd rather stick to the streak of NCAA tournaments or Sweet 16s or even the non-conference home winning streak.

I guess I don't understand. Villanova having a better argument for #10 this one week means that Duke's almost unprecedented top-10 streak is "reasonably meaningless"? There were a couple times in Dimaggio's hitting streak when the defender really ought to have made the play. Went down as a hit, when it probably should have been an error. Does that make 56 games reasonably meaningless?

[devildeac]

Good golly, I hope and pray Ozzie is not reading a thread about the streak...

[blUDAYvil]

Yeah, this is nice, I guess, but a bit of a yawn IMO.

I am in the "this matters to me" camp. For what they're worth, the rankings help provide context and meaning to every regular season game. They're far from perfect but many of us took pride in seeing Duke football achieve an AP Top 25 ranking recently (now Top 20!). That Duke MBB has done it for 118 straight weeks is staggering and I'd hate to see it end.

[DBFAN]

Eh, this is an example of a reasonably meaningless statistic to me. I don't see much justification, for example, for Villanova to be ranked behind us right now. Don't get me wrong, Duke obviously has a ton of amazing stats to prove that we've been the best program over the past few decades, but I'd rather stick to the streak of NCAA tournaments or Sweet 16s or even the non-conference home winning streak.

I don't know if only using Villanova justifies us not being there. The fact is we could go up and down the top 25 with reasons for them to be where they are, and reasons for them not to be there. I don't know maybe UK shouldn't have been ranked number 1 to begin with, which creates the mess that the top 10 is. Yeah I like that one, let's go with that

[Wander]

I guess I don't understand. Villanova having a better argument for #10 this one week means that Duke's almost unprecedented top-10 streak is "reasonably meaningless"? There were a couple times in Dimaggio's hitting streak when the defender really ought to have made the play. Went down as a hit, when it probably should have been an error. Does that make 56 games reasonably meaningless?

I don't think it does. The Villanova thing was just an example of a larger point: a pretty large percentage of polls throughout a college basketball season are based on projections, not results. It'd be like Harrison Barnes bragging about getting preseason 1st team All American that one year. I'd prefer to consider statistics that are objective (like X NCAA tournaments in a row) or at least based on results and not projection (like having Y national players of the year or ENDING the season in Z straight top ten AP polls).

[NSDukeFan]

I don't think it does. The Villanova thing was just an example of a larger point: a pretty large percentage of polls throughout a college basketball season are based on projections, not results. It'd be like Harrison Barnes bragging about getting preseason 1st team All American that one year. I'd prefer to consider statistics that are objective (like X NCAA tournaments in a row) or at least based on results and not projection (like having Y national players of the year or ENDING the season in Z straight top ten AP polls).

I agree having x many players of the year is great and it is more important to end the year well, but I am a big fan of the streak. I think it shows remarkable consistency that a program could be considered top 25 every week for that long, but to be able to be considered for the top ten every week? Remarkable, IMO.

[Des Esseintes]

I don't think it does. The Villanova thing was just an example of a larger point: a pretty large percentage of polls throughout a college basketball season are based on projections, not results. It'd be like Harrison Barnes bragging about getting preseason 1st team All American that one year. I'd prefer to consider statistics that are objective (like X NCAA tournaments in a row) or at least based on results and not projection (like having Y national players of the year or ENDING the season in Z straight top ten AP polls).

Those are, uh, *also* achievements, but they don't invalidate this one. I mean look at the leaderboard for this record. There's UCLA's unreal run, there's some distance, there us, there's JUST AS MUCH distance, then there's Kentucky. Other than UCLA, this period of consistency from Duke has blown away any other period from any other program since AP polls were around. Why in the world would we minimize that? Yes, preseason polling matters in maintaining the streak. But you know what else matters a great deal more? Winning. It means not letting injuries or youth or bad luck *ever* turn into a losing streak, plus recruiting well enough to replenish the cupboard *every* year. It's preposterously hard, which is why no one in the modern era has come near it. We have other preposterous accomplishments, too, but I fail to see how the dice roll that is Sweet 16 accomplishments is so much more meaningful. I mean, what was the better measure of Kyle and Nolan's senior year--losing to Arizona or staying dominant despite losing the best player in the country?

[JPtheGame]

I love the streak and think its a pretty big deal. Human factors aside I think it shows an ability to stay consistently elite over a significant amount of time. Base hits don't mean much from game to game but when you string 56 games worth together, it means something.

[gurufrisbee]

We SHOULD be in the top ten. There aren't ten teams in nation that could play on neutral floors against Kansas and Arizona and not lose them both by double figures.