USA Today Preseason Rankings

[X-Fan]

The USA Today Preseason Rankings just came out: 2015-2016 USA Today Preseason Rankings (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings/_/poll/2/week/1/seasontype/2)

Interesting Notes:
- UK is #1 even with eligibility issues, and many other projections having them #2
- Two BE Teams ranked with Nova #9 and Butler #22
- Non Power 5 Teams getting some love: Nova #9, Zags #11, Wichita #12, Butler #22, UCONN #24

I was surprised to see Michigan not ranked (#26). Also four BE teams getting votes: GTown #30 (45 votes), Xavier #36 (25 votes), Prov #40 (5 votes), Marquette Tied #46 (1 vote).

Will be interesting to see how the AP Poll compares.

[MuskieCinci]

Well UK is tied for #1 with North Carolina and actually have fewer first place votes than UNC, so they aren't exactly a solid #1.

[GoMuskies]

- Non Power 5 Teams getting some love: Nova #9, Zags #11, Wichita #12, Butler #22, UCONN #24



Please don't include the Big East in that group. The Big East is a power league. Just no football.

[MADXSTER]

UConn cannot go to the tournament this year, correct?

[X-band '01]

UConn is okay to go. It's SMU's turn to endure the shame bell this season.

[muskiefan82]

UConn is okay to go. It's SMU's turn to endure the shame bell this season.

In honor of this, I have returned to my old avatar.

[XUMIOH12]

pre season rankings mean next to nothing

[casualfan]

Please don't include the Big East in that group. The Big East is a power league. Just no football.

Need to start performing in March to get included in that group. I know what the RPI says, but in two years the league has exactly one sweet 16 appearance.

Respect is given to those who earn it and in college basketball respect gets earned in March.

[waggy]

Yeah X has a pretty nice postseason history.

[sirthought]

Do any of you know about this USA Today coaches poll in how it's made? 32 coaches have to sit down each week to consider who ranks where?

That just seems like such a waste of their valuable time. How much research might they really do?

And their list of what coaches are involved seems off to me. For example, Herb Sendek is listed as ASU's coach, but he was fired last spring. Shaka Smart is listed with VCU.


I don't mind it really for the AP journalists. You'd hope those folks are learning about the players and what programs are excelling.

[drudy23]

Do any of you know about this USA Today coaches poll in how it's made? 32 coaches have to sit down each week to consider who ranks where?

That just seems like such a waste of their valuable time. How much research might they really do?

And their list of what coaches are involved seems off to me. For example, Herb Sendek is listed as ASU's coach, but he was fired last spring. Shaka Smart is listed with VCU.


I don't mind it really for the AP journalists. You'd hope those folks are learning about the players and what programs are excelling.

Didn't they uncover in the past that interns and grad assistants were filling these out anyway. I find it hard to believe any head coach takes the time each week to rank their 25 best teams. I'm sure it's likely an assistant. Kind of like when you do the work and your boss gets the credit.

[xubrew]

Most DOBOs vote for the head coach. They probably have a better idea of who is actually good since most DOBOs have the duty of compiling the video library, so they're actually watching a lot more games. Coaches tend to know about who they're playing next and that's it.

Preseason polls do mean next to nothing. So do categorization a such as "power" and "non power" conferences. We are not in a conference with autonomy, but I still think of us as being in a power conference if I'm asked to make that distinction. If the sixth placed team is in the rankings at the end of the year, that's a pose conference.

I also like the polls for what they are. So, even though they don't mean anything because everyone starts out at zero, I still think they're fun to look at and talk about. It also makes a little more sense to have that frame of reference. I mean, it'd be kind of silly to imply that Grambling and Duke are the same because they're currently ranked the same.