2016-17 Rankings

[vu72]

Regardless, it is sad that the most recent capital campaign offered $0.00 to firm ARC renovations

Small solace, I imagine. But, remember that the campaign isn't targeting -any- buildings. They're not picking on Athletics in particular here.

As I posted earlier, the campaign's 250 million includes 1 million for completing the track. 

[wh]

Regardless, it is sad that the most recent capital campaign offered $0.00 to firm ARC renovations

Small solace, I imagine. But, remember that the campaign isn't targeting -any- buildings. They're not picking on Athletics in particular here.

As I posted earlier, the campaign's 250 million includes 1 million for completing the track. 

1/250?  About the same as Alec's change in height after a haircut. Statistical significance of zero.

[wh]

https://www.twitter.com/SethDavisHoops/status/810681586752442368

[agibson]

[tweet]810897057829552128[/tweet]

We lost three points from Davis (#22 --> #25) but only lost two overall. Meaning we gained a point from somebody. Interesting.

[a3uge]

[tweet]810897057829552128[/tweet]

We lost three points from Davis (#22 --> #25) but only lost two overall. Meaning we gained a point from somebody. Interesting.

Since we have no more chances at quality wins, the Top 25 becomes more about other teams losing. With only 2 losses, both to ranked teams, it'll be hard to justify dropping Valpo from the top 25, so I presume we'll continue to pick up votes from that 25 spot.

[agibson]

Since we have no more chances at quality wins, the Top 25 becomes more about other teams losing. With only 2 losses, both to ranked teams, it'll be hard to justify dropping Valpo from the top 25, so I presume we'll continue to pick up votes from that 25 spot.

If we're going to climb, it's going to be about other teams losing. And retaining what should seem like an increasingly shiny X-2 record.

26 teams currently have 0 or 1 losses. All of the 0 loss teams are in the top 25, and half of the 1 loss teams. Another 36 teams have 2 losses - nobody in the top 25 has more than 2. The number of teams with few losses should decrease quickly once conference play begins, and teams have to play road games. Can we avoid a loss, for top 25 voters anyone will likely be a "bad" loss, long enough to crack the rankings?

But, I think there's still plenty of potential for teams below us to pick up flashy wins and pass us from below. We'll see. Happened already this week (presumably) on Seth Davis' ballot, and he's self-consciously a Valpo cheerleader.

All we can do is keep on winning.

[agibson]

Interesting that Wichita State, who was #27, got dropped completely after losing at home to Oklahoma State. OK State climbs above us on the result.

Rather mysteriously, Loyola picked up a vote. It's John Feinstein, who specializes in highlighting some mid-major or another at #25. They have beaten three Horizon League teams in their last three games, including @UIC. But, it's hard to seep preferring them to us. Maybe we're too "establishment" for Feinstein now.

Seton Hall's resume looks attractive, not too surprising they passed us with the win over South Carolina.

[agibson]

[tweet]810897057829552128[/tweet]

We lost three points from Davis (#22 --> #25) but only lost two overall. Meaning we gained a point from somebody. Interesting.

And we're back to getting one vote in the coaches' poll. Always nice to be in both polls! Was (literally?) unheard of until 2015. But pretty regular since. Good years to be a Valpo fan!

[agibson]

Still waiting for the full results to be processed but it looks like Couch (Lansing) went with Davis (CBS/SI) and took us all the way to #22. While Alexander (Cleveland) and McCoy (Columbus) both dropped us. Meaning someone else brought us in at #25.

Collegepolltraker.com got it back together, and "somebody else" turns out to be Kelly Hines. Looks to be a beat writer for University of Tulsa. First I remember her ever voting for us. Bring it on!

We lost three points from Davis (#22 --> #25) but only lost two overall. Meaning we gained a point from somebody. Interesting.

Turns out Graham Couch took us from #22 --> #21, Hines dropped us, and Matt McCoy brought us back aboard. Maybe with a win over Santa Clara Elton Alexander, maybe Hines too, will add us back on.

[talksalot]

and we got out coaches poll vote again... wonder who that is?

Others receiving votes: Florida 30, Oklahoma State 21, Maryland 20, Arkansas 15, Miami 13, Virginia Tech 8, California 7, Middle Tennessee 7, Wichita St 7, Seton Hall 7, TCU 6, Texas Tech 3, Nevada 2, Colorado 2, Valparaiso 1, Michigan State 1, Minnesota 1

(Yes, I changed the sort-order on the last three...)

[agibson]

and we got out coaches poll vote again... wonder who that is?

The USA TODAY Sports Board of Coaches is made up of 32 head coaches at Division I institutions. All are members of the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

The board for the 2016-17 season: Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse; Tad Boyle, Colorado; Todd Bozeman, Morgan State; Glenn Braica, St. Francis Brooklyn; Scott Cherry, High Point; Tim Cluess, Iona; Jon Coffman, IP-Fort Wayne; Mick Cronin, Cincinnati; Keith Dambrot, Akron; Cameron Dollar, Seattle; Scott Drew, Baylor; Matt Driscoll, North Florida; Bill Evans, Idaho State; Steve Fisher, San Diego State; Mark Fox, Georgia; John Gallagher, Hartford; Matthew Graves, South Alabama; George Ivory, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa; James Jones, Yale; Greg Kampe, Oakland; Dave Loos, Austin Peay; Mike McConathy, Northwestern State; Greg McDermott, Creighton; Chris Mooney, Richmond; Matt Painter, Purdue; Brett Reed, Lehigh; Mike Rhoades, Rice; Zach Spiker, Drexel; Bob Williams, UC-Santa Barbara; Mike Young, Wofford.

I'd forgotten how many mid and low-major coaches are on the panel.

Traditionally we've wondered about Scott (when do we have to start using his last name?) and Matt Driscoll down at North Florida. This year, I imagine Randy Bennett at St. Mary's might remember us.

I suppose it may not have been Coffman at IPFW! Hard to say about Kampe.

I wonder how many of these are done by the coach, and how many by an assistant, or a manager, or such like. I bet Kampe does his.

[Kyle321n]

I wonder how many of these are done by the coach, and how many by an assistant, or a manager, or such like. I bet Kampe does his.

Kampe's been asked about his during his coach's show. He 100% does his and says he watches a lot of non-prep work college basketball.

[agibson]

Hard to say about Kampe. [i.e. whether or not the vote might have been his]

I *love* his willingness to interact with fans. He replied to me on twitter within an hour.

[tweet]810936613190725633[/tweet]

The reply chain got a little tangled, maybe as he was tagging in Paul.

[tweet]810927637594042368[/tweet]

I'd not realized it was his first year on the poll.

[wh]

New Mid-Major rankings:

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

[a3uge]

New Mid-Major rankings:

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

4 teams from the Sun Belt and 3 teams from the Missouri Valley, 3 teams from the WCC - who would've thought.

[agibson]

New Mid-Major rankings:

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

4 teams from the Sun Belt and 3 teams from the Missouri Valley, 3 teams from the WCC - who would've thought.

Not to mention three from the Horizon, obviously. Valpo at #3, but practically a three-way tie for 2nd. Oakland continues in tenth. Northern Kentucky enters at #24.

[a3uge]

New Mid-Major rankings:

http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

4 teams from the Sun Belt and 3 teams from the Missouri Valley, 3 teams from the WCC - who would've thought.

Not to mention three from the Horizon, obviously. Valpo at #3, but practically a three-way tie for 2nd. Oakland continues in tenth. Northern Kentucky enters at #24.

Oh yeah. Hats off to nku. I was always supportive of them entering the Horizon, but I thought it was awful timing last year with them not being D1 eligible yet (and likely still terrible). They only have one senior contributor,  and a bunch of freshman talent, so they'll be a contender pretty shortly.

[wh]

Mid Major Madness Power Rankings
(Includes the A-10)

Moved from 4th to 3rd, replacing Dayton.

http://www.midmajormadness.com/2016/12/19/14009598/mid-major-madness-power-rankings-week-6-gonzaga-saint-marys-dayton-rhode-island

[StlVUFan]

Moved from 4th to 3rd, replacing Dayton.

From 5th to 4th, you mean.

[talksalot]

I see we're down to #13 in the MidMajor poll this week.

1.   Gonzaga (31)   15-0   775   1   West Coast
2.   Wichita State   14-3   730   3   Missouri Valley
3.   Saint Mary's   14-1   713   4   West Coast
4.   UNCW   15-2   673   5   Colonial
5.   UT Arlingtion   12-4   601   2   Sun Belt
6.   Oakland   14-3   588   10   Horizon
7.   New Mexico State   15-2   511   8   Western Athletic
8.   Fort Wayne   13-4   491   9   Summit
9.   ETSU   12-3   485   11   Southern
10.   Chattanooga   12-4   483   7   Southern
11.   Akron   12-3   469   14   Mid-American
12.   Illinois State   12-4   466   16   Missouri Valley
13.   Valparaiso   12-4   397   6   Horizon
14.   Monmouth   12-5   362   12   Metro Atlantic
15.   Ohio   10-3   345   15   Mid-American

Northern Kentucky is #27 and Wright State got 1... good enough for 49th.

[agibson]

Oakland passed us here, probably deservedly, and picked up a vote in the USA Today Coaches Poll besides.

I've not had the heart (guts?) to ask Kampe if he voted for himself. But, either way, good to have another quality team in the league.

[VULB#62]

Ft Wayne ahead of us too 

[agibson]

No AP votes just yet - that would have been a surprise. But, some love from Seth Davis:

[tweet]823292294187151361[/tweet]
[tweet]823364151913443329[/tweet]

Oakland had fallen from 6th to 11th in the midmajor coaches poll last week, while we stayed at 13th. Perhaps we'll pass them tonight.
http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

Green Bay was 32nd, with a decent crop of some three dozen points.

There were two weeks where Oakland rose in the midmajor power rankings, while we fell. We got as low as 15th and they as high as 12th. Last week we rose to 10th, they almost fell out at 23rd.

http://www.midmajormadness.com/2017/1/17/14297048/mid-major-madness-power-rankings-week-9-chaos-illinois-state-red-birds-la-salle-northeastern

I suppose that recent trend is likely to continue this week.

[VU2014]

I enjoy Valpo seeing Valpo getting love from the national media guys, but as for the Seth Davis's and Joe Lundardi's of the worlds don't know. The NCAA Tourney selection committee is a sham and is so completely Power conference biased that it makes it tough on the Valpo's of the world to get an outright bid. Last year was a joke that we weren't in the tournament. Although it lead to a great NIT run and possibly more positive media for Valpo with the NIT run, not to mention it was very entertaining.

Side Note:
Lunardi's lastest Bracketology has Valpo as a 13 seed playing Creighton

[agibson]

I suppose that recent trend [Oakland falling, Valpo rising and hopefully overtaking them] is likely to continue this week.

Probably needless to say, but, Oakland only got that single vote in the national coaches poll that one time. No repeat visits. Still, good for at least two Horizon League teams to get a vote this season.