ADVERTISEMENT

Are We Going to Be Ranked?

Not only will NU be ranked (though yes, below Purdue), but with no games until December 10, it's possible they'll be ranked next week too. Of course they have to win that Dec. 10 game, and I assume nothing, but I will go out on a limb and say that 0-7 Detroit Mercy will not give NU as tough as a game as they got last night.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drewjin and rmndcat
Not only will NU be ranked (though yes, below Purdue), but with no games until December 10, it's possible they'll be ranked next week too. Of course they have to win that Dec. 10 game, and I assume nothing, but I will go out on a limb and say that 0-7 Detroit Mercy will not give NU as tough as a game as they got last night.
Good observation. My only worry is that we tend to play down to the level of our competition. I mean look at us against Purdue, all those missed free throws! :D :cool:
 
I'd feel more confident NU would be ranked if they had *any* points in the poll last week, but I still think this one win will catapult them into the rankings. Early-season rankings generally aren't going to care about games like Western Michigan (as long as you get the win), but wins over ranked teams are huge, especially #1.

I know the bracketology stuff is even more meaningless right now, but to the point that Lunardi and his ilk are doing them now anyway, I'd like to see NU get off the "last four in" line and more safely into the tournament - and of course to stay there too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zootcat
I'm ok being unranked. It's still way early in the season. Lets see the Cats win the next five gimmes, beat IU, and then revisit being ranked. Right now it just feels premature in terms of our achievements so far.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rmndcat
I can't imagine us not be ranked with a 7-1 record and we just beat the number one team in the country (and looked good doing it).
 
  • Like
Reactions: drewjin and rmndcat
I'd feel more confident NU would be ranked if they had *any* points in the poll last week, but I still think this one win will catapult them into the rankings. Early-season rankings generally aren't going to care about games like Western Michigan (as long as you get the win), but wins over ranked teams are huge, especially #1.

I know the bracketology stuff is even more meaningless right now, but to the point that Lunardi and his ilk are doing them now anyway, I'd like to see NU get off the "last four in" line and more safely into the tournament - and of course to stay there too.
Yeah, I'd be surprised if we were ranked as well. Maybe in the top 35 point-getters.
 
Wisconsin should be ra ked, they just beat Marquette. Just joking.

But if NU and Wisco sin go in, who comes out.
 
They're gonna win their next 5 games relatively easily heading into U of I, so they might as well rank them. 11-1 with a win over the #1 team is ranked all day
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoralSpringsCat
Bad timing. The win last night is getting very little play on sites like ESPN and the Athletic, who do very little and seem understaffed on Friday nights.

Also overshadowed by all the CFB conference championships, including that great Oregon-Washington game last night. And Mississippi State lost last week. So I’m guessing only receiving votes next week.
 
Marquette is back to being a great program.. Very good win by Wisconsin.
That's was a good win for Wisconsin and the Big10. Hopefully Purude wins out the rest of the month and that would look great for NU. Dayton had a good win against SMU which helps

I think if NU wins the home games by 10 and beats AZ St. They will be ranked.
 
I'm ok being unranked. It's still way early in the season. Lets see the Cats win the next five gimmes, beat IU, and then revisit being ranked. Right now it just feels premature in terms of our achievements so far.
I agree. Don’t care about that at all. Keep a chip on their shoulders. All that matters is where you are seeded.
 
It seems to me that people take the College Basketball Rankings far less seriously than the football one's.

For example

Ranked at 34 it's the Wildcats
Ranked at 27 is West Virginia....their record is 3 and 4.
Ranked at 11 is Saint Marys and their record is even worse 3 and 5

I have to wonder if this isn't something people just do on the fly (and might have filled out before our game). If we are not in the Top 25 next week I am simply going to stop looking at them. If it's a coaches poll a lot of the coaches might be assistants or even grad students told to "fill this out for me, willya? thanks".

 
For as awesome as last night’s victory was, and one can argue it was against a better #1 team than last year’s, it’s not as impressive to beat a #1 this early in the season as it is late.

This is because a late #1 is a true #1, tried and tested. Right now it can be a team that later falls apart.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drewjin
For as awesome as last night’s victory was, and one can argue it was against a better #1 team than last year’s, it’s not as impressive to beat a #1 this early in the season as it is late.

This is because a late #1 is a true #1, tried and tested. Right now it can be a team that later falls apart.
Or you can note that Purdue this year had just beaten Marquette, Tennessee and Gonzaga (as opposed to beating lots of Big Ten teams last year leading up to February). Hard to argue which one is more impressive. And to me, with Purdue focused on seeking revenge, and with our losing more key guys than them since last year, this year is more impressive.
 
Or you can note that Purdue this year had just beaten Marquette, Tennessee and Gonzaga (as opposed to beating lots of Big Ten teams last year leading up to February). Hard to argue which one is more impressive. And to me, with Purdue focused on seeking revenge, and with our losing more key guys than them since last year, this year is more impressive.
I think we beat a better team than last year. Just offering an explanation as to why there’s not as much buzz about it outside the purple bubble as there was last year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cats_man_too
I think we beat a better team than last year. Just offering an explanation as to why there’s not as much buzz about it outside the purple bubble as there was last year.
Ok. Not sure how we define “buzz”, but we did get on the ESPN Top Headlines like last year.
 
Beating a No. 1 team is always a big deal to ESPN, etc., but we’re also in a very important college football weekend so it’s just not going to be the top story. Just like last time it was overshadowed by the Super Bowl. Oh well. We need to do this next time during the MLB All-Star break or something.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: drewjin
Ok. Not sure how we define “buzz”, but we did get on the ESPN Top Headlines like last year.
Yeah, but the headline read, "Late flurry lifts N'western past No. 1 Purdue again.". Late flurry? NU tied the game with 15 minutes left and had the lead in the last few minutes. The headline makes it seem like Purdue blew a big lead at the end or NU had a lucky run.
 
  • Angry
Reactions: drewjin
Yeah, but the headline read, "Late flurry lifts N'western past No. 1 Purdue again.". Late flurry? NU tied the game with 15 minutes left and had the lead in the last few minutes. The headline makes it seem like Purdue blew a big lead at the end or NU had a lucky run.
Ok - that’s not quite the way it hit me - it was a battle that we won late (in OT).
 
Yeah, but the headline read, "Late flurry lifts N'western past No. 1 Purdue again.". Late flurry? NU tied the game with 15 minutes left and had the lead in the last few minutes. The headline makes it seem like Purdue blew a big lead at the end or NU had a lucky run.
I am fine if NU beating the number one team is now seen as routine.
 
It seems to me that people take the College Basketball Rankings far less seriously than the football one's.

For example

Ranked at 34 it's the Wildcats
Ranked at 27 is West Virginia....their record is 3 and 4.
Ranked at 11 is Saint Marys and their record is even worse 3 and 5

I have to wonder if this isn't something people just do on the fly (and might have filled out before our game). If we are not in the Top 25 next week I am simply going to stop looking at them. If it's a coaches poll a lot of the coaches might be assistants or even grad students told to "fill this out for me, willya? thanks".


You have linked the NET rankings, which are determined by a computer formula. They also haven't been released this season, so the rankings you have there are from last season, which is why they seem so bizarre.
 
I'm ok being unranked. It's still way early in the season. Lets see the Cats win the next five gimmes, beat IU, and then revisit being ranked. Right now it just feels premature in terms of our achievements so far.

Premature? We just beat the #1 team in the nation. That’s a significant accomplishment. Sheesh.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SmellyCat
Premature? We just beat the #1 team in the nation. That’s a significant accomplishment. Sheesh.
Nobody said it was insignificant. I don't think the one big win is enough to jump us into the top 25 (i.e. being "ranked"). I apologize if I was so unclear as to lead you to such a significant misinterpretation of my post.
 
Nobody said it was insignificant. I don't think the one big win is enough to jump us into the top 25 (i.e. being "ranked"). I apologize if I was so unclear as to lead you to such a significant misinterpretation of my post.
It's December 3. How many wins over the number one team in the nation do we need to have so far for you to say we belong in the top 25?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: EagerFan
Guess I was wrong and most of you right - 77 votes, good for 29th in the AP poll.

The bad thing is although NU could win while others lose, there aren't a lot of good opportunities to move up the rankings in the coming weeks. If NU holds serve (I know, we can't assume any wins), they'll be 11-1 going into the new year and conference season. That would probably be good enough to be ranked.
 
Evidently Wisconsin's win over #3 Marquette was more impressive to the voters than our win over #1 somehow...

Win out in December and NU will be ranked when they roll into Champaign on Jan 2.
 
Evidently Wisconsin's win over #3 Marquette was more impressive to the voters than our win over #1 somehow...

Win out in December and NU will be ranked when they roll into Champaign on Jan 2.
I think Wisconsin won their November tournament too though. They have a couple nice wins now I think.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drewjin
I can understand Wisconsin being ranked they had previously beaten a 7-1 Virginia teams also currently ranked but what I don’t understand is why the hell a team like Tennessee is in there with a 4-3 record and Duke ranked 23rd with a 5-3 record this doesn’t make any sense it’s all about brand-name for these rankings i guess .
 
  • Like
  • Sad
Reactions: drewjin and IGNORE2
I can understand Wisconsin being ranked they had previously beaten a 7-1 Virginia teams also currently ranked but what I don’t understand is why the hell a team like Tennessee is in there with a 4-3 record and Duke ranked 23rd with a 5-3 record this doesn’t make any sense it’s all about brand-name for these rankings i guess .
It may not be all about brand names, but they seem to have an outsized impact.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT