AP - Coaches Polls for this week

[Chairman Moe]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings/_/year/2016/poll/2

We fell out of the AP Poll Top 25 (#26 by vote count) and fell a couple of spots in the Coaches Poll to #20. I guess the "pounding" we took at Louisville was the reason; I wonder if the game were closer if we would've dropped that far?

A couple thoughts:

1. It's still too early to "really" matter about the rankings; but after the regular season is half over (early Feb), I think we need to be concerned about where we are, as Top 25 teams are in full view of everyone, including the "committee"
2. As you compare the two polls, the only team NOT ranked in the Coaches poll is SMU, and yet they are #8 in the AP. Is that due to the NCAA probation on Larry Brown? If so, why would the AP even have them ranked if they can't go to the NCAA Tournament or even the AAC Tournament?

I haven't been paying too much attention to the SMU situation so if anyone cares to chirp in, please do.

Thanks

 

[PittPoker]

I called that one, I knew we'd fall out of at least 1 poll after that Louisville performance. National game on ESPN and we looked awful. Why would we continue to be in the AP top 25 after that?

 

[FireballZ]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings/_/year/2016/poll/2

2. As you compare the two polls, the only team NOT ranked in the Coaches poll is SMU, and yet they are #8 in the AP. Is that due to the NCAA probation on Larry Brown? If so, why would the AP even have them ranked if they can't go to the NCAA Tournament or even the AAC Tournament?

I haven't been paying too much attention to the SMU situation so if anyone cares to chirp in, please do.

Thanks

Can't answer the "why", but you are correct in that you have to be eligible for post-season play in order to be recognized in the Coach's Poll. I recall UConn being omitted in a similar way a few seasons ago.

 

[FireballZ]

I called that one, I knew we'd fall out of at least 1 poll after that Louisville performance. National game on ESPN and we looked awful. Why would we continue to be in the AP top 25 after that?

My neighbor, who is a big sports guy, but doesn't watch much college basketball was over my house watching the Pitt/Ville game with me. He couldn't get over the quality of play, or lack thereof. Needless to say, I don't think he'll be over for another game. However, AP voters shouldn't have a casual eye for the game similar to that of a novice.

Pitt's resume, team stats and RPI all point to a top 25 team. There's no reason they should have completely fallen from the AP after one ugly performance stemming from a tough road match-up, but I guess if that game and the Purdue game were the only ones that you've seen from Pitt this year, you'd be a bit skeptical and be giving them the same treatment as S. Carolina, who is also not getting much respect.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Does the UPI even exist anymore? I thought they went out of business years ago.

SMU is not ranked in the coaches poll because the coaches agreed not to rank teams not eligible for the tournament. The AP, as an independent organization, does not follow that restriction. Their philosophy is that SMU is playing college basketball this season so there is no reason that a ranking of the best college basketball teams should exclude them if they are worthy.

 

[yourhired]

SMU is not eligible for the NCAA nor the AAC conference tournament. Larry Brown can coach and cheat with the best of them.

 

[JD1976]

UPI Poll... lol

 

[Chairman Moe]

UPI Poll... lol

Ooops! Showing my age, I guess . . . !

 

[PittPoker]

My neighbor, who is a big sports guy, but doesn't watch much college basketball was over my house watching the Pitt/Ville game with me. He couldn't get over the quality of play, or lack thereof. Needless to say, I don't think he'll be over for another game. However, AP voters shouldn't have a casual eye for the game similar to that of a novice.

Pitt's resume, team stats and RPI all point to a top 25 team. There's no reason they should have completely fallen from the AP after one ugly performance stemming from a tough road match-up, but I guess if that game and the Purdue game were the only ones that you've seen from Pitt this year, you'd be a bit skeptical and be giving them the same treatment as S. Carolina, who is also not getting much respect.

Well whether true or not, the national perception on Pitt for a few years now is that they load up on a ridiculously easy non-conference schedule which builds up their win total. And as you mentioned, the 2 ranked teams they played Purdue and Louisville they got beat by double digits. So when you add it all up, at least in the minds of the AP voters is that Pitt is kind of a "fraud" team at the moment and not worthy of being in the top 25.

I mean, if you were a voter and watched that Pitt/Louisville game would you vote for Pitt? It wasn't even a contest in the 2nd half, Pitt looked so overmatched it was brutal.

 

[Chairman Moe]

Does the UPI even exist anymore? I thought they went out of business years ago.

SMU is not ranked in the coaches poll because the coaches agreed not to rank teams not eligible for the tournament. The AP, as an independent organization, does not follow that restriction. Their philosophy is that SMU is playing college basketball this season so there is no reason that a ranking of the best college basketball teams should exclude them if they are worthy.

Just edited the title . . . man, I must be losing it! Getting old is a *****

 

[FireballZ]

I hear what you're saying and I agree that it's probably the case way more than it should be. These AP voters should take their roles way more seriously than they do and treat their voting rights like a privilege. But they probably only look at box scores or watch the prime-time slot matchups. I doubt many saw Pitt v. ND, which was a fine performance on the road, given that it was on ESPN3.

I've only followed Pitt since I began classes in 2000, but the Louisville game was the worst performance that I can recall seeing outside of the CBI year. It's a shame if that is the mass public's only viewing of our team so far. Louisville, Miami, Clemson and Virginia are the toughest matchups for Pitt, IMO. If our first prime-time tv game would have been against UNC or Duke, I think perception would be much different because we can score up and down the court with them.