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07 Feb 2012
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The Confidential’s Basketball Top 30 for February 7, 2012

With over 300 teams in college basketball, the top 25 is just not enough anymore.  Here is the Confidential’s Top 30 for February 7, 2012 (before tonight’s games):

  1. Syracuse (23-1).  The return of Fab Melo injected life into Syracuse.  However, a massively tough schedule awaits.  Next up: Georgetown.
  2. Kentucky (23-1).  The Florida game is finally here.  Winner gets some serious momentum.  Next up: Florida.
  3. Ohio State (20-3).  Big win at Wisconsin.  Can they hold off Michigan State?  Next up: Purdue.
  4. Missouri (22-2).  Got the needed win over Kansas to stay solidly on the top line in bracket predictions.  Then won at Oklahoma.  Next up: @ Kansas.
  5. Baylor (21-2).  Very tough week for the Bears, who seem to be feast or famine on the schedule.  Road trip to Missouri looms after the next game.  Next up: Kansas.
  6. North Carolina (20-3).  North Carolina is really on a roll since the Florida State embarrassment.  The Duke game is finally here.  Next up: Duke.
  7. Michigan State (18-5).  Missing the extra-point to lose at Illinois 42-41, hurts.  But MSU has been better for the past few weeks than Duke.  Will it continue? Next up: Penn State.
  8. Duke (19-4).  The Florida State loss was understandable–even at home.  But a home loss to Miami?  Next up: @ North Carolina.
  9. Florida (19-4).  The Gators have been on a mini-roll lately.  But the Kentucky game will be a true test of where this team is at.  Next up: @ Kentucky.
  10. Kansas (18-5).  All of the sudden, Kansas has five losses.  And it gets Baylor next.  Next up: @ Baylor.
  11. Georgetown (18-4).  Looked real good in beating UConn.  Looked even better beating a much improved South Florida team.  Next up: @ Syracuse.
  12. Murray State (23-0).  This team should not be this high, but the other teams in the second ten keep losing.  Next up: Tennessee State.
  13. Florida State (16-6).  Who has done more lately?  Six losses are high, but this team is on fire.  Next up: @ Boston College.
  14. Creighton (21-3).  Creighton finally dropped a game–at Northern Iowa.  Still a solid resume.  Next up: @ Evansville.
  15. San Diego State (20-3).  Yet another 20-win season for San Diego State.  Next up: @ UNLV.
  16. Virginia (18-4).  Ran into the unstoppable Seminoles.  Almost stopped them too.  Next up: Wake Forest.
  17. Wisconsin (18-6).  The home loss to Ohio State was disappointing, but not the end of the world.  Still on a roll lately.  Next up: @ Minnesota.
  18. Marquette (20-5).  The blowout loss at Notre Dame was a shocker.  But the Irish have been pretty good at home and Marquette was due for a loss.  Next up: @ DePaul.
  19. UNLV (21-4).  Losing at Wyoming is not as damaging as it sounds.  Still, UNLV only has so many chances to impress.  A missed opportunity.  One awaits.  Next up: San Diego State.
  20. Indiana (18-6).  Split a tough road swing at Michigan and Purdue.  The wins are slowing down a bit for this young team.  Next up: Illinois.
  21. Michigan (17-7).  Beat Indiana, before losing to Michigan State in East Lansing.  That latter would have been a huge win.  Next up: @ Nebraska.
  22. Mississippi State (18-5).  Got the win over Auburn.  Two more home games ahead on the schedule.  Next up: Mississippi.
  23. St. Mary’s (22-2).  Was able to focus against San Diego.  The big game is next though.  Next up: @ Gonzaga.
  24. Southern Mississippi (20-3) Debuted in this ranking last week.  Moves up after the win over Memphis.  Next up: @ UAB.
  25. Louisville (18-5).  The Cardinals demolished UConn last night.  Big weekend ahead with a trip to West Virginia before hosting Syracuse.  Next up: @ West Virginia.
  26. Notre Dame (15-8).  The win over Syracuse could be rationalized by the absence of Fab Melo.  But the Irish stopped Marquette’s momentum.  Next up: @ West Virginia.
  27. Iowa State (17-6)  All of the sudden Iowa State is making a move.  Swept the Kansas schools and then won at Oklahoma.  Next up: @ Oklahoma State.
  28. Virginia Commonwealth (20-5).  The Rams have won 9 straight.  The out-of-conference performance was a little weak, so they need this late run.  Next up: Towson.
  29. New Mexico (19-4).  Going to have to upset either San Diego State or UNLV to make some real noise.  Those opportunities will both come next week.  Next up: Wyoming.
  30. Washington (16-7).  The Huskies have won 5 in a row.  Not a lot of horrible losses, really… just too many of them.  Next up: @ Oregon.

Tell us what you think.  Is anyone unfairly missing?  Anyone too high or too low?

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , , ,
06 Feb 2012
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ACC Basketball Rankings: February 6, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  Here is how we view the ACC basketball schools as of January 30, 2012:

1.  Syracuse (23-1)  With Fab Melo back, the Orange returned to their dominant ways.  However, all seven remaining games for the Orange are against teams in the top half of the Big East standings.  This will not end easy for Syracuse.

2. North Carolina (20-3)  Looked dominant in wins over Wake Forest and Maryland.  Next up?  Duke and Virginia.

3. Florida State (16-6)  That’s seven straight conference wins for the Seminoles.  In the process, they have defeated nationally ranked Virginia and North Carolina at home, while defeating Maryland and Duke on the road.

4. Duke (19-4)  The home loss to Florida State at the buzzer was a shocker.  Losing to Miami?  This isn’t football.

5. Virginia (18-4)  No shame in losing to Florida State on the road.  Virginia fared much better than the Tar Heels.

6. North Carolina State (17-7)  A good week for the Wolfpack, who beat both BC and Wake Forest to get back to their winning ways.  All five starters were in double-digits against Wake too.

7.  Miami (14-7)  The win over Duke, at Duke, was the marquee win that Miami needed.  Now they need to keep up the 6-3 conference pace down the stretch.

8. Maryland (13-9)  While the loss to North Carolina stings, it was the road loss to Miami that will be regretted.  That was a winnable game, as evidenced by the overtime.

9. Pittsburgh (15-9)  Don’t look know, but the Panthers have won four straight.  If they keep this up, the Big Dance is not out of the question.

10. Virginia Tech (13-10)  The Hokies took care of business against Clemson.  That 2-6 conference record still hurts.

11. Clemson (11-11)  Swept by both Virginia schools.  A tough road for the Tigers this past week.

12. Wake Forest (11-12)  Wake Forest was overmatched by North Carolina and North Carolina State.  Not a surprise.

13. Georgia Tech (9-14)  Georgia Tech is part of the 3-way tie in the ACC cellar at 2-7 in conference play.  The win over BC gets them to 13th.

14. Boston College (7-16)  The Eagles could have gotten out of the cellar with a win against Georgia Tech.  Alas, it was not meant to be.

Agree?  Disagree?  Let us know!

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
31 Jan 2012

The Confidential’s Basketball Top 30 for January 31, 2012

With over 300 teams in college basketball, the top 25 is just not enough anymore.  Here is the Confidential’s Top 30 for January 31, 2012:

  1. Syracuse (22-1).  The Orange have won two straight without Fab Melo.  Meanwhile, Kentucky lost with a healthy lineup.  Next up: St. Johns.
  2. Kentucky (21-1).  Kentucky beat Georgia and LSU last week.  Much more impressive in football than hoops though.  Next up: Tennessee
  3. Ohio State (19-3).  A nice win over Michigan.  Time to hit the road.  Next up: @ Wisconsin.
  4. Missouri (18-2).  Tough loss to Oklahoma State, but still a good enough resume to be ahead of the 3-loss teams and the mid-majors.  Next up: @ Texas.
  5. Baylor (19-2).  Plowing through some lesser opponents right now.  Winning though.  Next up: @ Texas A&M.
  6. Duke (18-3).  Got back in the groove against Maryland and St. Johns.  One of these days Duke and North Carolina will play each other.  Next up: @ Virginia Tech.
  7. North Carolina (18-3).  Starting to get back into a groove.  Need to improve on the road though.  Next up: @ Wake Forest.
  8. Michigan State (17-4).  Light week with only a win over Minnesota.  Next up: @ Illinois.
  9. Kansas (17-4).  Iowa State shocked Kansas.  But at least it was on the road.  Next up: Oklahoma.
  10. Creighton (20-2).  Two more wins for Creighton.  Next up: @ Illinois State.
  11. UNLV (20-3).  A few narrow wins on the road against Boise State and Air Force.  Time to go home.  Next up: Colorado State.
  12. Marquette (18-4).  This team just refuses to lose.  Down by many, they rallied to beat Villanova on the road.  Next up: Seton Hall.
  13. Virginia (17-3).  The Cavaliers may not be a top 13 team, but the teams below them do not deserve to be ahead right now.  Nice win at NC State.  Next up: Clemson.
  14. San Diego State (18-3).  A lot of teams lose road conference games.  Losing by 17 at Colorado State is concerning though.  Next up: Boise State.
  15. Murray State (21-0).  The last unbeaten.  Just keeps on rolling.  Next up: SE Missouri State.
  16. Georgetown (16-4).  Losing on the road at Pittsburgh used to be expected.  This year it’s a surprise.  Next up: Connecticut.
  17. Wisconsin (17-5).  The Badgers score less than their football team, but they are on a roll right now.  Nice win over Indiana.  Next up: @ Penn State.
  18. Indiana (17-5).  The Hoosiers look a little mortal lately.  Wisconsin is a tough place to play though.  Next up: @ Michigan.
  19. Florida (17-4).  Nice sweep of the Mississippi schools.  Vanderbilt game should be a good one.  Next up: South Carolina.
  20. Michigan (16-6).  Split its road games against Purdue and Ohio State.  The latter was the loss, obviously.  Next up: Indiana.
  21. Mississippi State (17-5).  No shame in losing to Florida.  But it would have been good to get a home win like that on the resume.  Next up: Auburn.
  22. Florida State (14-6).  Cannot deny the Seminoles any more.  Road wins are really starting to accumulate.  Next up: Georgia Tech.
  23. St. Mary’s (21-2).  Two more wins.  Both were on the road and convincing.  Next up: San Diego.
  24. Kansas State (15-5).  Hard to explain that loss at home to mediocre Oklahoma.  Next up: @ Iowa State.
  25. North Carolina State (15-7).  Tough week when you have to travel to North Carolina and then play Virginia.  Next up: @ Boston College.
  26. George Mason (20-5).  Three wins last week was nice.  Keeping slightly ahead of Virginia Commonwealth.  Next up: Delaware.
  27. Southern Mississippi (18-3) Underrated team.  Loss to Denver early on was a head-scratcher, but only losses since then were to Murray State and at Memphis.  Next up: Memphis.
  28. New Mexico (18-4).  Only losses since Thanksgiving were to UNLV and San Diego State.  Not a ton of great wins though.  Next up: @ Air Force.
  29. Vanderbilt (16-5).  Tough week this week with trips to Arkansas and Florida.  If they sweep, they are back in the discussion.  Next up: @ Arkansas.
  30. California (17-5).  Losses so far: Missouri, @San Diego State, @UNLV, @ Oregon State, and @ Washington State.  For once, a PAC-12 team gets the benefit the doubt.  Next up: Arizona.

Tell us what you think.  Is anyone unfairly missing?  Anyone too high or too low?

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , ,
30 Jan 2012

Everyone in the ACC is Moving Up in the Polls!

The ESPN/USA Today top 25 has been released and the ACC schools all moved up.

#2 Syracuse improved from #4, leapfrogging Ohio State and taking the place of Missouri.  The Orange defeated Cincinnati and West Virginia last week.

#5 Duke improved from #6.  The Blue Devils defeated both Maryland and St. Johns last week.

#6 North Carolina improved from #8.  The Tar Heels defeated North Carolina State and Georgia Tech.

#18 Virginia improved from #21.  The Cavaliers defeated Boston College and Notre Dame last week.

And Florida State launched itself into the polls at #24, after defeating Wake Forest on the road last week.  Of course, Florida State has made the most news by defeating North Carolina by 33 and upsetting Duke on the road.  Although the Confidential has North Carolina State ranked higher, Florida State does have the better wins.

So, nothing but upward mobility for the ACC teams.  Hopefully, it will continue next week…

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , ,
30 Jan 2012
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ACC Basketball Rankings: January 30, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  Here is how we view the ACC basketball schools as of January 30, 2012:

1.  Syracuse (22-1)  While weaker minds will blame the Syracuse win on the referees, West Virginia had every opportunity to win the game–including the ball in the half court with 6+ seconds to go.  That they chose to shoot an off-balance three pointer instead of trying to use their advantage down low is not the referees’ fault.  Just sayin’.

2. Duke (18-3)  Duke keeps the #2 spot.  After losing to the Seminoles, Duke went on the road and beat a very good Maryland team.  And then a tough out-of-conference foe in St. Johns gave them a tough test at home.  Narrowly above North Carolina.  Will these two teams EVER play?

3. North Carolina (18-3)  Look out for the Tar Heels.  After the embarrassing blowout loss, North Carolina is on a roll.  North Carolina State did not provide much of a test though.  Upcoming two game road trip to Maryland and Wake Forest.

4. Virginia (17-3)  Rebounded nicely from the Virginia Tech stunner to defeat Boston College at home.  Even more impressive was the win at North Carolina State.

5. Florida State (14-6)  Another road win–this time over Wake Forest by a comfortable margin of 23.  If the Seminoles can get by Georgia Tech on Wednesday, the focus will shift to the visiting Cavaliers on Saturday.

6. North Carolina State (15-7)  Tough week for the Wolfpack, as they had to travel to Chapel Hill and then host Virginia.  Despite the two losses, still 4-3 in conference play.

7.  Maryland (13-7)  Maryland kept its record at .500 in conference by edging Virginia Tech on Saturday.  Nice bounce-back after losing to Duke.  Up next?  A trip to Miami.

8.  Miami (12-7)  The Hurricanes are up to 3-3 in conference play with wins over Georgia Tech and Boston College.  Both were significant margin victories on the road.  Return on home Wednesday to host Maryland.

9. Clemson (11-9)  3-3 in conference after beating Wake Forest on Saturday.  Next up is a trip to Virginia to play both schools in road games.  Doesn’t get any easier.

10. Pittsburgh (13-9)  The Panthers are starting to warm-up a bit.  On Saturday, they got their second win in a row with a victory over #9 Georgetown.

11. Wake Forest (11-10)  Tough call between Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.  The Demon Deacons have the extra conference win to provide the edge.

12. Virginia Tech (12-9)  The Hokies looked good in 2011, but 2012 has been very unkind.  They are now a dismal 1-5 in conference play.  Next up?  Duke.  Gulp.

13. Georgia Tech (8-13)  Georgia Tech cannot buy a win right now.  After traveling to red-hot Florida State midweek, Boston College comes to town.  That’s a must win for the coaching staff.

14. Boston College (7-14)  Doesn’t get any easier for the Eagles.  They host North Carolina State on Wednesday–a Wolfpack team that has lost to North Carolina and Virginia in its recent games, and really really needs a win.

Agree?  Disagree?  Let us know!

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
25 Jan 2012

ACC Baseball Update

While this is the middle of the ACC basketball season, there is ACC baseball news.  It may not feel like baseball weather outside, but it is coming.

First, Baseball America has issued its preseason top 20.  In an ACC press release, found here, the league proudly notes that five ACC teams are ranked.  The five teams are:

  • #9 North Carolina.  For more on Tar Heels baseball, go here.
  • #12 Georgia Tech.  For more on Yellow Jackets baseball, go here.
  • #16 Clemson.  For more on Tigers baseball, go here:
  • #18 Miami.  For more on Hurricanes baseball, go here:
  • #20 Florida State.  For more on Seminoles baseball, go here.

And do not forget about the unranked teams, such as Virginia, North Carolina State, Duke, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Maryland, and Wake Forest.

Second, the conference announced that many baseball games will be televised this Spring.  Every team gets at least one televised game.  Here is the distributed list:

Date Time Game Channel
Sunday, March 4 2:00 PM South Carolina at Clemson ESPN3
Saturday, March 17 8:00 PM Virginia at Florida State ESPNU
Sunday, March 18 2:00 PM Virginia at Florida State ESPN3
Monday, March 19 7:00 PM Virginia at Florida State ESPNU
Saturday, March 24 1:00 PM NC State at North Carolina RSN
Sunday, March 25 1:00 PM NC State at North Carolina ESPN3
Monday, March 26 7:00 PM NC State at North Carolina ESPNU
Friday, March 30 6:30 PM Miami at Clemson ESPN3
Saturday, March 31 1:00 PM Duke at Georgia Tech RSN
Saturday, March 31 4:00 PM Miami at Clemson ESPNU
Sunday, April 1 12:00 PM Miami at Clemson ESPN3
Saturday, April 7 1:00 PM Boston College at Virginia Tech RSN
Saturday, April 7 6:00 PM Florida State at Georgia Tech ESPN3
Monday, April 9 7:00 PM Wake Forest at Virginia ESPNU
Tuesday, April 10 6:00 PM Florida at Florida State ESPN3
Saturday, April 14 12:00 PM NC State at Clemson RSN
Friday, April 20 6:00 PM Miami at Florida State ESPN3
Friday, April 20 6:00 PM Georgia Tech at North Carolina ESPN3
Saturday, April 21 6:00 PM Miami at Florida State ESPN3
Saturday, April 21 2:00 PM Georgia Tech at North Carolina ESPN3
Sunday, April 22 12:00 PM Georgia Tech at North Carolina ESPNU
Saturday, April 28 1:00 PM Virginia at Miami RSN
Monday, April 30 7:00 PM Virginia at Miami ESPNU
Saturday, May 5 1:00 PM Maryland at Florida State RSN
Monday, May 7 7:00 PM Maryland at Florida State ESPNU
Friday, May 11 8:00 PM Wake Forest at Miami ESPNU
Saturday, May 12 1:00 PM Georgia Tech at Virginia RSN
Saturday, May 12 6:30 PM Florida State at Clemson ESPN3
Sunday, May 13 6:30 PM Florida State at Clemson ESPN3
Monday, May 14 6:00 PM Florida State at Clemson ESPNU
Wednesday, May 23 11:00 AM ACC Game 1 RSN
Wednesday, May 23 3:00 PM ACC Game 2 RSN
Wednesday, May 23 7:00 PM ACC Game 3 RSN
Thursday, May 24 11:00 AM ACC Game 4 RSN
Thursday, May 24 3:00 PM ACC Game 5 RSN
Thursday, May 24 7:00 PM ACC Game 6 RSN
Friday, May 25 11:00 AM ACC Game 7 RSN
Friday, May 25 3:00 PM ACC Game 8 RSN
Friday, May 25 7:00 PM ACC Game 9 RSN
Saturday, May 26 11:00 AM ACC Game 10 RSN
Saturday, May 26 3:00 PM ACC Game 11 RSN
Saturday, May 26 7:00 PM ACC Game 12 RSN
Sunday, May 27 12:00 PM ACC Championship ESPN2

So if you like ACC baseball, there are going to be many opportunities to catch games on television.

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Baseball and tagged , , ,
24 Jan 2012

The Confidential’s Basketball Top 30 for January 24, 2012

With over 300 teams in college basketball, the top 25 is just not enough anymore.  Here is the Confidential’s Top 30 for January 24, 2012:

  1. Syracuse (21-1).  The Orange suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday without key player Fab Melo.  Rebounded nicely, figuratively and literally, against Cincinnati.  Not fair to penalize them for losing long after Kentucky and Missouri did.  Next up: West Virginia.
  2. Kentucky (19-1).  Still waiting for that matchup against Florida.  Who else in the SEC can challenge them?  Next up: @ Georgia.
  3. Missouri (18-1).  Great win at Baylor.  Not much depth on this team, but they keep on winning the big games.  Next up: @ Oklahoma State.
  4. Ohio State (17-3).  Rolling along now.  Got an easy week with only a game against Nebraska.  Those are rare in the Big 10.  Next up: Penn State.
  5. Kansas (17-3).  No losses in Big 12 play yet.  Not winning by a lot, but they are certainly not losing.  Next up: @ Iowa State.
  6. Baylor (17-2).  The only losses have come from the top 5.  Need to avoid a let down loss in next outing.  Next up: Oklahoma.
  7. Duke (16-3).  Buzzer beater loss to Florida State was disappointing.  But it’s not losing by 33 points (ahem, Tar Heels).  Next up: @ Maryland.
  8. North Carolina (16-3).  Got back in the groove against the Hokies.  But they lost Dexter Strickland to injury for the season.  Next up: North Carolina State.
  9. Michigan State (16-4).  Rebounded from loss to Michigan by beating Purdue handily.  No bad losses for the Spartans yet.  Next up: Minnesota.
  10. Creighton (18-2).  Creighton beat San Diego State and just keeps on winning.  Oddly enough.  Next up: @ Drake.
  11. San Diego State (17-2).  Like Baylor, only two losses were to teams above them.  Coincidentally, one of those was Baylor.  Next up: @ Wyoming.
  12. UNLV (18-3).  Two more wins for UNLV.  Time for a road trip.  Next up: @ Boise State.
  13. Georgetown (16-3).  Hoyas now have a few wins in a row.  Will they extend the Panthers’ losing streak to 8 games?  Next up: Pittsburgh.
  14. Marquette (16-4).  This Marquette team is going to be tough in the Big Dance.  Nobody is going to want to play them.  Next up: South Florida.
  15. Kansas State (14-4).  Bounced back after a tough week to win both games.  They avoid the big three for another week too.  Next up: @ Texas Tech.
  16. Indiana (16-4).  Losses to Minnesota and Nebraska are showing that Indiana is not quite ready for the top 10.  Still, it’s already been a great turnaround.  Next up: @ Wisconsin.
  17. Virginia (15-3).  Destroyed Georgia Tech, but was then upset by previously winless in conference Virginia Tech.  Like Indiana, Virginia is ahead of schedule.  Next up: Boston College.
  18. Murray State (20-0).  The last unbeaten.  Deserve to be moving up for not succumbing to the pressure.  Next up: Eastern Illinois.
  19. Mississippi State (16-4).  Tough loss to in-state rival Mississippi.  But turned the switch back on by defeating Vandy on the road.  Next up: LSU.
  20. Michigan (15-5).  Battle Arkansas tough on the road.  A tough loss, but not the end of the world.  Next up: @ Purdue.
  21. West Virginia (15-5).  Three wins in a row for the Mountaineers.  The week ends with a tough trip to Syracuse.  Next up: @ St. John’s..
  22. Wisconsin (16-5).  Wins over Northwestern and at Illinois are looking good.  This team is primed to start moving up in the standings.  Next up: Indiana.
  23. North Carolina State (15-5).  Took care of business against Boston College and Miami.  Now they get to go to wounded North Carolina.  Next up: @ North Carolina.
  24. Florida (15-4).  Only game was a win over LSU.  Nice, but not worthy of significant movement.  Next up: @ Mississippi.
  25. Florida State (13-6).  This team may be ranked too high with the losses they have, but destroying North Carolina and beating a good Maryland team and top 8 Duke on the road is a great week.  Next up: @ Wake Forest.
  26. Wichita State (17-3).  Nice road win at Northern Iowa.  Giving Creighton a run for the league title.  Next up: @ Evansville.
  27. UConn (14-5).  Just when you thought UConn was playing better, they go out and lose to streaking Cincinnati at home and mediocre Tennessee on the road.   Next up: Notre Dame.
  28. St. Mary’s (19-2).  Beat Pepperdine and Santa Clara for two more wins.  Next up:  @ Loyola-Marymount.
  29. Dayton (14-5).  After a tough out-of-conference slate, Dayton is coming on stronger.  That win at Temple is looking better now too.  Next up: @ St. Joseph’s.
  30. George Mason (16-5).  If a major conference team wants this slot, they need to avoid a split.  The Patriots have won 9 of 10 games.  Next up: @ Hofstra.

Tell us what you think.  Is anyone unfairly missing?  Anyone too high or too low?

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , ,
23 Jan 2012

ACC Basketball Rankings: January 23, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  Here is how we view the ACC basketball schools as of January 16, 2012:

1.  Syracuse (20-1)  The Orange finally lost–to Notre Dame on the road.  The absence of Fab Melo was crucial, but the team did not play like a top 25 team, much less a #1 team.  Still, it’s just one game and nobody below them has played better on the season.

2. Duke (16-3)  The loss at the buzzer to Florida State was very disappointing.  Duke is accustomed to defending its home court.  No real shame in the loss overall.

3. North Carolina (16-3)  North Carolina rebounded against Virginia Tech.  Big test this week against North Carolina State.

4. Virginia (15-3)  Dominating win at Georgia Tech early in the week.  Stunning loss to Virginia Tech.

5. North Carolina State (15-5)  North Carolina State is still on a roll.  It will be interesting to see how they do at North Carolina this week.

6. Florida State (13-6)  Beating Duke, Maryland, and North Carolina is a definite plus for the Seminoles.  Still, with 6 overall losses, Florida State is not ready for the top 5 yet.

7.  Virginia Tech (12-7)  Week began by having to deal with an angry North Carolina squad.  Ended with a very nice win over Virginia.

8.  Maryland (12-6) Losing to red hot Florida State on the road and Temple on the road makes this a tough week.  Still viable for the Big Dance though.

9. Wake Forest (11-8) Took care of business at Boston College.  Unfortunately, they get to host streaking Florida State next.

10. Miami (10-7)  Finally got that first conference win.  That it was against Clemson makes it slightly less impressive.  Going to need to string together some wins very soon.

11. Clemson (10-9)  Beating Georgia Tech salvaged a difficult week, which began with losses to Duke and Miami.  Next up?  Miami.

12. Pittsburgh (11-9)  0-7 in Big East play says it all.  As tough as they played against Syracuse, they could not overcome Louisville at home.

13. Georgia Tech (8-11)  Two more losses for the Yellow Jackets, who are seeing their post-season hopes slip away.

14. Boston College (7-12)  After getting some momentum, the Eagles are back to their losing ways.  Not looking good for post-season play.

Agree?  Disagree?  Let us know!

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
18 Jan 2012

The Confidential’s Basketball Top 30 for January 17, 2012

With over 300 teams in college basketball, the top 25 is just not enough anymore.  Here is the Confidential’s Top 30 for January 17, 2012:

  1. Syracuse (20-0).  The Orange set a school record by starting the season 20-0.  The Big East schedule gets much tougher though.  Next up: @ Notre Dame.
  2. Kentucky (18-1).  Kentucky struggled to beat Tennessee, but they got the win.  Waiting for that matchup with Florida.  Next up: Alabama.
  3. Baylor (17-1).  Sure, they lost at Kansas on Monday night.  But most teams lose at Kansas.  Next up: Missouri.
  4. Missouri (17-1).  Not many one loss teams right now, but Missouri is one of them.  A win over Baylor moves Missouri into the #3 slot.  Next up: @ Baylor.
  5. Duke (15-2).  Held serve against upstart Virginia.  Closer than expected at Clemson though.  Next up: Wake Forest.
  6. Ohio State (16-3).  Disappointing loss at Illinois, but followed it up with a convincing win over Indiana.  Next up: @ Nebraska.
  7. Kansas (15-3).  Convincing win over Baylor.  Starting to make a move in the Big 12 standings.  Next up: @ Texas.
  8. North Carolina (15-3).  Still amazed by that 33-point loss.  A lot of talent, but results are needed.  Next up: @ Virginia Tech.
  9. Indiana (15-3).  The losses at Michigan State and Ohio State are understandable.  Minnesota at home was a disappointing loss.  Next up: @ Nebraska
  10. San Diego State (15-2).  Only two losses were Creighton and Baylor.  A rare opportunity to disregard head-to-head play.  Next up: @ New Mexico.
  11. Creighton (16-2).  Although Creighton beat San Diego State, the overall resume is slightly behind them.  Oddly enough.  Next up: @ Missouri State.
  12. Michigan State (15-4).  Losses to Northwestern and Michigan drop the Spartans.  At least they were on the road against good teams.  Next up: Purdue.
  13. Virginia (14-2).  No shame in losing to Duke on the road.  Can’t be looking ahead to the Hokies.  Next up: @ Georgia Tech.
  14. UNLV (16-3).  Tough loss to San Diego State.  Still some good wins on the resume though.  Next up: TCU.
  15. Georgetown (15-3).  Hoyas rebounded nicely against St. Johns.  Figuratively.  Maybe literally too.  Next up: Rutgers.
  16. Kansas State (12-4).  Losing to Baylor was somewhat expected.  Losing to Oklahoma hurt though.  Next up: Texas.
  17. Murray State (18-0).  Wearing the target.  Need to keep winning to have a chance at a 4 or 5 seed.  Next up: @ Morehead State.
  18. Mississippi State (15-3).  Picked up wins over Tennessee and Alabama.  Time to hit the road now.  Next up: @ Mississippi.
  19. Illinois (15-3).  Decent losses for Illinois on the resume.  And now the win over Ohio State.  Next up: @ Penn State.
  20. Michigan (15-4).  Nice wins over Northwestern and Michigan State.  Losing by nearly 20 to Iowa?  Next up: @ Arkansas.
  21. Marquette (15-4).  Marquette has battled all year.  It is paying off as the schedule softens a bit.  Next up: @ Providence.
  22. UConn (14-3).  Huskies are starting to play better.  Look out nation.  Next up: Cincinnati.
  23. West Virginia (13-5).  Tough loss to UConn.  Nice job in handling upstart Rutgers in the follow-up.  Next up: Marshall.
  24. Wisconsin (14-5).  Won at Purdue, something Illinois could not do.  Beat Nebraska too.  Next up: Northwestern.
  25. Alabama (13-4).  Came down to Earth a bit by losing to Mississippi State.  But the win over LSU was nice.  Next up: Vanderbilt.
  26. Seton Hall (15-3).  Loss to USF hurts the resume.  That’s a winnable road game for a team in the top 25.  Next up: @ Villanova.
  27. Wichita State (15-3).  Best win remains UNLV.  Losses are all respectable though.  Next up: @ Northern Iowa.
  28. Stanford (15-3).  Atop the weak Pac-12 right now.  Going to be hard to impress this year.  Next up: @ Washington State.
  29. St. Mary’s (17-2).  Win over Gonzaga is nice.  That loss to Denver is still puzzling.  Next up:  @ St. Mary’s.
  30. Florida (14-4).  Losses to Tennessee and Rutgers still hurt.  But getting some momentum back.  Next up: Pepperdine.

Tell us what you think.  Is anyone unfairly missing?  Anyone too high or too low?

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , ,
16 Jan 2012
3 Comments

ACC Basketball Rankings: January 16, 2012

This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done.  Here is how we view the ACC basketball schools as of January 16, 2012:

1.  Syracuse (19-0)  The Orange just keep on rolling.  Things get a bit tougher schedule-wise with Pittsburgh on Monday and then a trip to Notre Dame.

2. Duke (15-2)  Neither win was dominating this week, but the Blue Devils won.  That is something that North Carolina cannot say.

3. North Carolina (15-3)  It’s one thing to lose, but to get blown out by Florida State was unfathomable.  Too much talent to be this erratic.

4. Virginia (14-2)  Hard to penalize the Cavs for losing on the road to Duke.  Had they won, they might be #2.

5. North Carolina State (13-5)  Close call between Maryland and NC State after the Georgia Tech loss.  But the Wolfpack and Terps played head-to-head and NC State won.  Slight edge for now.

6. Maryland (12-4) Recovered nicely from the loss to NC State.  But not enough to leapfrog them, obviously

7. Florida State (11-6)  Beating Virginia Tech on the road was impressive.  Destroying North Carolina was even more impressive.  That is worthy of a 5 spot jump.

8.Virginia Tech (11-6)  Losses to Florida State and Boston College make this a tough week.  If anyone else below had shown signs of life, the Hokies would be lower.  May be playing their way right off the bubble–and in the wrong direction.

9. Wake Forest (10-7) Absolutely destroyed by North Carolina State.  Just not a very consistent team.

10. Miami (9-6)  No conference wins yet.  The opportunity comes this week when they host Clemson.

11. Pittsburgh (11-7)  0-5 in Big East play against a weak schedule so far.  Things get tougher with a trip to Syracuse, although Pitt always gives the Orange fits.

12. Clemson (9-8)  Looked very good against Florida State, but then lost to Boston College.  Loss to Duke was close though.

13. Georgia Tech (8-9)  Nice upset win over NC State, but loss to Maryland made it a split for the week.  There is the potential to slide upwards here.

14. Boston College (7-10)  With wins over Clemson and Virginia Tech, Boston College is now 2-1 in conference.  The way the bottom several teams are playing, the Eagles could end up with a .500 record in conference, which would be a nice recovery.

Agree?  Disagree?  Let us know!

Posted by acaffrey in ACC only, Basketball, Rankings and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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