Late Week 5 Basketball Rankings

It was a rough weekend, so these are a bit late. Rankings as of Monday morning (Monday's games aren't considered) (*= automatic bid)

1. Pittsburgh
1. Duke
1. North Carolina*
1. Michigan State*
2. Oklahoma*
2. Louisville
2. Connecticut*
2. Villanova
3. Memphis*
3. Clemson
3. Kansas
3. Utah*
4. West Virginia
4. Washington*
4. Illinois
4. Florida State
5. Syracuse
5. Purdue
5. Arizona State
5. Xavier*
6. Missouri
6. Wake Forest
6. Tennessee
6. Texas
7. Wisconsin
7. UCLA
7. Marquette
7. Oklahoma State
8. Arizona
8. Georgetown
8. California
8. Miami (FL)
9. Butler*
9. Brigham Young
9. Gonzaga*
9. Texas A&M
10. Ohio State
10. USC
10. Minnesota
10. Siena*
11. Temple
11. Maryland
11. LSU*
11. Cincinnati
12. Baylor
12. Michigan
12. Utah State*
12. Creighton*
13. Davidson*
13. Virginia Commonwealth*
13. Weber State*
13. American*
14. Buffalo*
14. Vermont*
14. Arkansas-Little Rock*
14. Long Beach State*
15. Radford*
15. Stephen F. Austin*
15. Robert Morris*
15. North Dakota*
16. Cornell*
16. Jacksonville*
16. Morgan State*
16. Tennessee-Martin*
16. Alabama State*

Week 4 Basketball Rankings

This week I'll break it down by seeding:

1. Pittsburgh
1. Michigan State*
1. Duke
1. North Carolina*
2. Connecticut*
2. Oklahoma*
2. Louisville
2. Memphis*
3. Villanova
3. Clemson
3. Xavier
3. Kansas
4. Wake Forest
4. Missouri
4. Syracuse
4. Illinois
5. West Virginia
5. Utah*
5. Washington*
5. Tennessee
6. Purdue
6. Florida State
6. Arizona State
6. Ohio State
7. Wisconsin
7. UCLA
7. California
7. Gonzaga*
8. Georgetown
8. Marquette
8. Miami (FL)
8. Oklahoma State
9. Arizona
9. Temple
9. Texas
9. USC
10. Minnesota
10. Butler*
10. Brigham Young
10. Cincinnati
11. Michigan
11. Baylor
11. Siena*
11. Boston College
12. LSU*
12. Dayton*
12. Utah State*
12. Davidson*
13. Virginia Commonwealth*
13. Northern Iowa*
13. Weber State*
13. American*
14. Buffalo*
14. Sam Houston State*
14. Arkansas-Little Rock*
14. Vermont*
15. Robert Morris*
15. Cal State-Northridge*
15. Cornell*
15. Jacksonville*
16. Radford*
16. North Dakota State*
16. Morehead State*
16. Morgan State*
16. Alabama State*

If I Could Type the Fight Song, I Would

If I could type the fight song, I would be doing over and over. If I could communicate the sound of me and Katie cheering and jumping up and down and hugging last night, I would. Just not sure how to communicate the happiness that has been erupting from me for the last 14 hours.
How did the Tigers pull over the biggest win in the last 3 years? I'm still not sure exactly how, but here are some ideas.
- Throwing 11 guys around in a defensive whirlwind for 40 minutes will eventually force even the best teams to make a ton of mistakes... that attacking 2-3 zone was beyond "lock-down."
- The attitudes of Carroll, Tiller, Taylor, Lawrence, and English during that second half... they definitely looked like they wanted it more.
- Our new guys made fewer mistakes than their new guys...
stats for Jayhawks playing in their first Border War:13 tos., 16 fouls
state for Tigers playing in their first Border War: 5 tos., 5 fouls
- Sherron Collins was channelling Christian Moody when he stepped to the free-throw line with a 2-point lead, 1:48 left and a chance to kill a Mizzou run... the 81% shooter bricked both.
- Nerves are easier to calm at home... the difference in patience and shot-selection between halves was key.
- Big-man foul trouble is a killer... the Morris twins had 7 fouls, Aldrich and Little had 4 each. Carroll did have 3 fouls, but none in the final 10 minutes.
- Hard to hold a lead when you keep having to use your timeouts to calm your team down after a few of their 26 turnovers... I'm looking in your direction, Bill Self. Not having a timeout for that final play may have been the difference.

College Basketball Rankings Week 3

1. Duke
2. Pittsburgh
3. Oklahoma*
4. Michigan State*
5. Louisville
6. Connecticut*
7. Xavier*
8. North Carolina*
9. Clemson
10. Villanova
11. Memphis*
12. Wake Forest
13. Washington
14. Illinois
15. Syracuse
16. Kansas
17. Ohio State
18. Utah
19. Florida State
20. West Virginia
21. UCLA*
22. Tennessee
23. Butler*
24. Wisconsin
25. Purdue
26. Minnesota
27. Missouri
28. Oklahoma State
29. Texas
30. Gonzaga*
31. Georgetown
32. Miami (FL)
33. Marquette
34. California
35. Arizona State
36. USC
37. Siena*
38. UAB
39. Brigham Young
40. Michigan
41. Virginia Tech
42. Temple
43. Arizona
44. Florida
45. San Diego State*
46. LSU*
47. Davidson*
48. Utah State*
49. Northeastern*
50. Western Kentucky*
51. Northern Iowa*
52. Buffalo*
53. American*
54. Weber State*
55. Sam Houston State*
56. Long Beach State*
57. Robert Morris*
58. Morehead State*
59. North Dakota State*
60. Boston University*
61. East Tennessee State*
62. Morgan State*
63. Virginia Military*
64. Alabama State*
65. Princeton*

Eventually, I'll have to work in some weighting for record, since Georgetown is 4-7 in the Big East and ranked ahead of 9-1 Marquette... that's what the toughest schedule gets you.

Basketball Rankings Week 2 + Super Follow-Up

I was pleasantly surprised at the excitement of the Super Bowl. Quite similar to last year's game minus the annoying Patriots and Giants fans. Late game-winning drive includes great catch, several suspicious penalties, and several "what are these guys thinking?" moments.

Why the Steelers Won (Besides the obvious):

- Arizona's penalties... a couple were questionable and the Steelers came close to evening them out, but no team can win when they keep putting themselves in bad situations.

- Mike Tomlin's conservativeness... if he learned anything from Bob Stoops, it's to take points when you can, no matter how much better than the other team you think you are. The Cardinals' stiff goalline defense kept it interesting (could have been 35-23) but the Steelers kicked and it made a difference. Also, you may have noticed how uninvolved Troy Palamaleu was, that's because the Steelers gameplan had him playing in a 2-deep zone to protect against the Cardinals' big play potential.

- Kurt Warner's ability to turn the ball over... he's good, I'll give him that, but that interception was heartbreaking.

- Big Ben's Big Feet... what separated him from Warner was his mobility. Even though he didn't scramble for many yards, there were at least 3 plays were he got away from pressure and made a great pass to keep the drive going. Warner just kept dumping it off for safe plays that couldn't add up to points until it was too late.

- Santonio Holmes... yes, he deserved the MVP. True, the Steelers gameplan or the Cardinals attention elsewhere added to his stats, but the game winning catch and several big "run after the catch" plays give it to him. (If the Cardinals had won, I give it to Fitzgerald)

As for a discussion of Warner's Hall of Fame credentials, I'd lean away from them. He would get in if he proves this wasn't a fluke... like at least 2 more playoffs seasons (with playoff wins), a 3-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio, and another 6,000 yards passing. He puts up those numbers and he's in (but not on the first vote). Other than him, Fitzgerald is the only other Hall of Famer on that field... maybe Palamaleu.

I tweaked my rankings this week. To be considered you must be in first place of your conference, in the top 65 of the RPI, or receiving votes in either of the other polls. Along with strength of schedule the rankings are averaged. Teams not receiving poll votes are ranked in order based on RPI.

Duke*

Oklahoma*

Pittsburg

North Carolina

Louisville

Michigan State*

Xavier*

Connecticut

Clemson

Memphis*

Villanova

Washington

Marquette*

Texas

Syracuse

Wake Forest

West Virginia

Purdue

Georgetown

Butler*

Illinois

Minnesota

Kansas

Tennessee

Utah

Oklahoma State

UCLA*

USC

Siena*

Wisconsin

Missouri

Florida State

Gonzaga*

Arizona State

Ohio State

Baylor

Virginia Tech

Brigham Young

Miami (FL)

UAB

Michigan

Texas A&M

Davidson*

Florida

UNLV*

LSU*

Northeastern*

Utah State*

Northern Iowa*

Buffalo*

Stephen F. Austin*

Cornell*

Weber State*

Long Beach State*

Morehead State*

North Dakota State*

Arkansas-Little Rock*

Holy Cross*

Vermont*

Virginia Military*

East Tennessee State*

Morgan State*

Robert Morris*

Alabama State*