Rankings Shmankings... The NEW Top 5

[BtownBanners 147]

What a weekend for college basketball. Three of the current Top 5 ranked programs lost creating a frenzy in the Rankings world. We are going to take a look at each of the Top 5 teams and determine who should be ranked 1-5.

UPDATE: Actual AP Top 5:
1. Louisville
2. Indiana
3. Duke
4. Kanas
5. Michigan

Previous Top 5:

1. Duke Blue Devils - Lost 84-76 @ #20 NC State
2. Michigan Wolverines - Lost 56-53 @ #15 Ohio State
3. Louisville Cardinals - Beat South Florida 64-38
4. Arizona Wildcats - Lost @ Unranked Oregon
5. Indiana Hoosiers - Beat #8 Minnesota 88-81

BtownBanners.com Official Sunday Afternoon of 1/13/13 College BBall Top 5

1. Indiana Hoosiers (Current #2)
 

Record: 15-1

SOS: 18

Key Wins (RPI Top 50): #50 Georgetown, #45 North Carolina, #3 Minnesota

Loss: #15 Butler

Ranking Logic: "Wow, BtownBanners has Indiana at Number 1... SHOCKING!" Did you just say that? If so, do you have a better Number 1 team? As for our logic... Indiana has beaten more teams in the top 50, are healthy and are building momentum into the Big Ten season. Health is a key in this determination (See Duke). These rankings aren't just based on the early season, they are based on the upcoming week as well. Indiana is poised to improve and win again this week. Indiana's next game vs Wisconsin will determine the outright leader for the Big Ten race.

 

 

2. Michigan Wolverines (Current #5)

Record: 15-1

SOS: 24

Key Wins (RPI Top 50): #33 Kansas State, #10 NC State

Loss: @ #41 Ohio State

Ranking Logic: Michigan is a great team, but like many teams, are still unproven. Ohio State was the first real team they have faced and you see what happened. I think a lot can be learned from what Ohio State (who isn't very good in my opinion) did to Michigan today. That being said, I don't think Michigan should drop from the Number 2 spot. Overall, I think they are a better team than Louisville, Duke and everyone not named Indiana.

 

 

3. Louisville Cardinals (Current #1)

Record: 15-1

SOS: 24

Key Wins (RPI Top 50): Missouri

Loss: Duke (Neutral Floor)

Ranking Logic: People will call me a homer for not having Louisville at Number 1, but when you look at their season, how can you? Louisville is a great team, but so far this year they haven't beaten anyone besides Missouri in the RPI top 50. Give me a break Cardinal fans. 10 of your 15 wins have come against teams with an RPI >100.

 

 

4. Duke Blue Devils (Current #3)

Record: 15-1

SOS: 1

Key Wins (RPI Top 50): #3 Minneosta, #27 VCU, #9 Louisville, #41 Ohio State, #28 Temple.

Loss: @ #20 NC State

Ranking Logic: They have the most wins vs Top 50 RPI teams. So why aren't they still Number 1? First, all those wins were at home or neutral court. Duke has yet to win a game on the road losing their first road game of the season at NC State. Second, injuries. Duke is hampered with injuries right now. Ryan Kelly's absence already showed issues for the Blue Devils in their loss to NC State. Now it appears Seth Curry may be sidelined with an injury as well. A healthy Duke team is tough, but there are a lot of questions for an injured Blue Devil team that has only won in Cameron Indoor.

 

 

5. Kansas Jay Hawks (Current #4)

Record: 14-1

SOS: 4

Key Wins (RPI Top 50): #17 Colorado, #36 Belmont, #41 Ohio State, #28 Temple, #46 Iowa State

Loss: #22 Michigan State

Ranking Logic: Should be in the Top 5 conversation based on resume. From a "Eye Test" I'm not so sure. Kansas has squeaked out some nail-biters, although some might consider that a good quality. Kansas doesn't always blow teams out that they should. Regardless, welcome to the Top 5.

 

#. Arizona Wildcats

Who cares. They shouldn't have ever been top 5 in the first place. Don't belong in this conversation.

That is how we see it. We've never been wrong, but would love to see how you'd rank the new top 5. Where do you THINK we screwed up?

[swishinj 27]

I agree, but I think the poll will be Louisville, Indiana, Duke, Michigan, Kansas. Best AP poll fail was last year when the week after the IU/UK game some guy had UK #1 and IU unranked.

[MrYuk 208]

I personally don't think UofL belongs at 1 or 2, but you know as well as I do, the people voting are all over them being the top team, which I think is sickening. The rankings are more or less like a highschool popularity contest. That's why I was shocked to hear Dickie V say IU has his vote for #1. Here's my opinion on how I think the polls will come out tomorrow.

1. UofL

2. IU

3. Duke

4. Michigan

5. Kansas

I'm not sayin that's how it will turn out, just my opinion on how they will vote.

[MrYuk 208]

I agree, but I think the poll will be Louisville, Indiana, Duke, Michigan, Kansas. Best AP poll fail was last year when the week after the IU/UK game some guy had UK #1 and IU unranked.

Nobody wants us back on top, so nothin surprises me anymore lol

[HoosierBeezo 30]

I think the top 5 will look like this:

 

1. Louisville... I have no prob with this, only loss was on neutral court against Duke w/o their starting C.

2. Indiana... I think Duke & Kansas has just a big of a right to this spot, but huge win vs Minny puts us here.

3. Kansas... tough SOS, good win @OSU and only loss on neutral against MSU.

4. Duke... Will be here just because they were last to lose.

5. Michigan... only loss against OSU on the road.

[Will_Padgman 194]

My thinking goes like this: 1. IU 2. UofL 3. Mich 4. Kansas 5. Duke only for the sole reason that Kelly and possibly Curry are injured

 

But we all know it will probably look like this: 1. UofL 2. IU 3. Duke 4. Mich 5. Kansas/Arizona, because too many voters want the PAC-12 to look better than they are

[Crean&Crimson 1]

I think it's possible the AP will have 1. UofL, 2. IU - and the Coach's Poll 1. IU, 2. UofL… or vice-versa.

[coachmayhew 1,414]

I am hoping for. #1 #2 matchup when the Hoosiers play Mich. at the beginning of February. I am taking my wife to her first IU game & Assembly Hall experience. So I am hoping that the Wolverines won't fall too far.

[hoosier93 33]

Your reasonings make sense, but very unlikely. I agree with everything that was put but my top 5 are

1. U of L

2. IU

3.Duke

4. Michigan

5. Arizona

[mark davidhizar 20]

For what it's worth (and it's not worth much) SethDavis tweets that he voted IU at #5. 1. U of L 2.Kansas 3. Duke 4. Michigan

[IU Hoosier41 14,465]

For what it's worth (and it's not worth much) SethDavis tweets that he voted IU at #5. 1. U of L 2.Kansas 3. Duke 4. Michigan

Have to love Seth Davis....

[hoosier93 33]

Seth Davis is anti B1G which i love! I love proving him wrong

[IU Hoosier41 14,465]

New AP Poll:

1. Louisville

2. INDIANA

3. Duke

4. Kansas

5. Michigan

Go Hoosiers!!

[JKrusen 0]

Duke beat UK in Atlanta, Minnesota, VCU, and Louisville in the Bahamas, Temple in New Jersey, and Davidson in Charlotte. Granted, none were a true road game but they have 6 decent wins (3 of which are very good wins) in neutral sites. They haven't relied on Cameron at all. 

[mark davidhizar 20]

Can't say I expected anything different. The one thing I do like about college football rankings is that strength of schedule plays a bigger roll. If that were the case, Indiana should be 1

[IU Hoosier41 14,465]

Duke beat UK in Atlanta, Minnesota, VCU, and Louisville in the Bahamas, Temple in New Jersey, and Davidson in Charlotte. Granted, none were a true road game but they have 6 decent wins (3 of which are very good wins) in neutral sites. They haven't relied on Cameron at all. 

 

Definitely true.  Need to update that post, thanks for the catch!

[hoosier93 33]

If only this was the BCS !!!!!! - no one EVER

[Ky_Hoosier 5]

I'm good with IU being ranked number 2. Thought Seth Davis putting them at 5 was idiotic, but that's just me. Louisville has a tough game tonight at UCONN. I think they didn't travel there till gameday. If UL slips up tonight, IU may claim number 1 next week.

[hoosier93 33]

Seth Davis only likes the ACC, his opinion means nothing to me

[swishinj 27]

UCONN let me down last night, they were up twelve at one point, but then decided to stop playing.