Valpo in the Rankings 2017-18

[VUGrad1314]

Top 100 in KenPom too #100) Go Valpo!

[VUGrad1314]

We're in the CollegeInsider Mid Major Top 25! Our Crusaders check in at #18 one spot behind Loyola.
http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

[bbtds]

We're in the CollegeInsider Mid Major Top 25! Our Crusaders check in at #18 one spot behind Loyola.
http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

This poll is obviously the more accurate one. Loyola will soon be behind us.   

[talksalot]

Warren Nolan streak list
All top 10

Longest winning streak
Longest winning streak this season
Longest home winning streak
Longest road winning streak
Largest average scoring margin
Rpi 51

[VU2014]

Do you agree or disagree with these rankings? Looks about right to me. Maybe ND over Purdue.
https://twitter.com/SamBarloga/status/934544522377334784

[VU2014]

I'm hoping we can crack a few more of the Mid-Major Top 25 rankings after this weekend two wins.

Looks like we're getting Top 25 votes from mid-major madness:
https://twitter.com/andyevans16/status/935001251275857920

[VUGrad1314]

UNI at 22 seems low to me after their performance at the Battle 4Atlantis

[agibson]

We're in the CollegeInsider Mid Major Top 25! Our Crusaders check in at #18 one spot behind Loyola.
http://www.collegeinsider.com/mens-mid-major-top-25.php

Let me dump it here, so we have a copy after it updates later today.

Update: November 20th, 2017

       RECORD   POINTS   PREVIOUS   
1.   Gonzaga (28)   3-0   771   1   West Coast
2.   Saint Mary's (3)   4-0   747   2   West Coast
3.   Vermont   3-1   705   3   America East
4.   UT Arlington   2-0   650   9   Sun Belt
5.   Charleston   2-1   624   4   Colonial
6.   Belmont   4-1   556   10   Ohio Valley
7.   Oakland   2-1   493   5   Horizon
8.   Albany   3-0   439   18   America East
9.   Georgia Southern   4-0   434   19   Sun Belt
10.   BYU   2-1   428   8   West Coast
11.   Northern Kentucky   4-1   420   11   Horizon
12.   Louisiana   3-1   402   14   Sun Belt
13.   FGCU   2-1   372   12   Atlantic Sun
14.   South Dakota State   3-1   286   13   Summit
15.   Harvard   2-2   281   6   Ivy League
16.   Mercer   4-2   265   16   Southern
17.   Loyola Chicago   4-0   230   NR   Missouri Valley
18.   Valparaiso   4-0   190   NR   Missouri Valley
19.   Furman   2-1   172   17   Southern
20.   Georgia State   2-1   151   20   Sun Belt
21.   Missouri State   2-2   145   15   Missouri Valley
22.   Eastern Michigan   4-0   122   NR   Mid-American
23.   Buffalo   2-0   115   NR   Mid-American
24.   Toledo   3-0   109   NR   Mid-American
25.   Grand Canyon   3-0   88   NR   Western Athletic


OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Kent State 86, UNC Asheville 54, Evansville 49, Bucknell 47, Princeton 47,New Mexico State 43, Illinois State 39, Milwaukee 38, Yale 35, Monmouth 32, Elon 29, South Dakota 29, Montana 27, Western Michigan 25, Hawaii 22, UNCW 22, Bradley 21, Northern Iowa 20, Towson 20, Portland State 19, Stephen F Austin 17, Fort Wayne 15, UC Riverside 15, Lamar 14, Manhattan 14, Montana State 13, Akron 10, Bowling Green 10, Iona 9, Jacksonville State 9, North Carolina A&T 9, North Dakota 9, UC Irvine 8, Samford 6, ETSU, Murray State 5, Weber State 4, Winthrop 4, UMass-Lowell 3, San Francisco 2, Chattanooga 1, Indiana State 1, Liberty 1, Radford 1, Texas Southern 1.

[agibson]

We'll certainly move up in the mid-major coaches poll, as will Loyola.

If we handle Utah State at home, and a few other teams lose games (29 undefeated?), will that be enough to get a vote or two in the real top 25 poll? Or do we have to beat Purdue? We'll be significant underdogs at Purdue, and I'm not predicting a win, but I suppose it would be enough to get us plenty of votes in the RV category.

[agibson]

Lunardi in his Nov 8 Bracketology gave Loyola a 13 (?!) seed.

I notice that he updated November 23. Oakland slips to a 13. The Valley stays at 13, but he inexplicably switched it from Loyola to IL State.

[4throwfan]

Quite early for this, but still somewhat interesting,

Out of curiosity, I visited the Bracket Matrix web site (www.bracketmatrix.com), which annually lists projected brackets from different web sites.  As we sit here, from an aggregate standpoint, Valpo is the leading representative from the MVC.  So, among folks sufficiently interested to blog about such things, there is an undercurrent of support for Valpo in the MVC.  On the downside, VU is currently aggregated as a 12 seed.  Hopefully, continued victories will move that up a few notches.

In past years, Bracket Matrix has provided statistical grades on past accuracy of bracket pickers, and CBS and ESPN did not do so well.  So, I tend to put more weight on the aggregate scores, rather than any one picker.

[agibson]

As we sit here, from an aggregate standpoint, Valpo is the leading representative from the MVC.  On the downside, VU is currently aggregated as a 12 seed. 

Tied with Missouri State?

But I'll confess to taking some pleasure in Oakland's 12.9.

[4throwfan]

Even though Valpo and MO State both appear in 6 brackets, I think the tiebreaker is the average seed, which is lower for Valpo.

Once the conference season begins, then the default representative will likely be whichever team is in first place.  Ideally, Valpo is still in the lead come late December, and ideally we see enough MVC quality wins such that at-large possibilities come into play. 

Awfully early for all of that, and awfully ideal, but still fun to hope as we sit here.

[agibson]

Even though Valpo and MO State both appear in 6 brackets, I think the tiebreaker is the average seed, which is lower for Valpo.

Numerical trivia, but it looks to me like the average is the same. Our standard deviation is lower (not that I'm claiming that broke the tie).

They've got two 11's, two 12's, two 13's. We've got one 11, four 12's, and a 13.

[agibson]

If we handle Utah State at home, and a few other teams lose games (29 undefeated?), will that be enough to get a vote or two in the real top 25 poll? Or do we have to beat Purdue? We'll be significant underdogs at Purdue, and I'm not predicting a win, but I suppose it would be enough to get us plenty of votes in the RV category.

Looks like the "acquire a gaudy record, even if you're not beating giants, and eventually someone will rank you" trick is working for Loyola. They picked up one point in the Coaches' poll. First Valley team this season to receive votes. So, if we beat Utah State (and maybe especially if Loyola also loses at Boise State) there's a chance we get a vote or two.

In news of "other teams we're following" Purdue's now merely receiving votes (26th in the Coaches poll, lower from the writers). Northwestern is still getting a few too. Oakland is not.

[agibson]

I'm hoping we can crack a few more of the Mid-Major Top 25 rankings after this weekend two wins.

Looks like we're getting Top 25 votes from mid-major madness:

We came very close in this one. #26, just a hair behind Missouri State who fell from #23 to #25 (and were passed by SD State; Northern KY's there too, above Oakland who's merely RV).

Loyola climbs from #22 to #17.

Northern Iowa vaults from unmentioned to... #10! On the basis of Thanksgiving neutral court wins over SMU and NC State. And, indeed, they should get some attention. "Only" 5-2, but losses to Villanova and @UNC aren't bad.

https://www.midmajormadness.com/2017/11/27/16706000/mid-major-madness-power-rankings-gonzaga-nevada-vermont-unlv-2017

Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings: Week 2
RANK    TEAM    RECORD    LAST WEEK    POINTS
1    Gonzaga (7)    5-1    2    199
2    Nevada (1)    4-1    3    189
3    Vermont    5-1    4    178
4    Saint Mary's    5-2    1    175
5    Rhode Island    3-2    6    168
6    UT Arlington    4-1    5    165
7    Belmont    4-2    7    130
8    Middle Tennessee    4-1    14    116
9    St. Bonaventure    3-2    21    115
10    Northern Iowa    5-2    NR    104
11    San Diego State    5-2    NR    102
12    Boise State    5-1    8    94
13    FGCU    5-2    11    93
14    New Mexico State    4-1    16    88
15    VCU    3-3    10    87
16    UNLV    6-0    NR    72
17    Loyola Chicago    7-0    22    66
18    Old Dominion    4-2    12    49
19    Louisiana Tech    5-0    NR    46
20    Charleston    4-2    9    39
21    Northern Kentucky    4-2    18    38
22    Wyoming    5-1    NR    37
23    BYU    4-2    20    34
24    South Dakota State    6-2    NR    31
25    Missouri State    5-2    23    27

Also receiving votes: Valparaiso 26, Bucknell 26, Western Kentucky 20, Albany 18, Mercer 18, Oakland 9, Bradley 6, San Diego 6, Georgia Southern 6, Utah Valley 5, Fresno State 4, Towson 4, Princeton 4, Illinois State 3, Murray State 2.

[talksalot]

Also receiving votes: Valparaiso 26, Bucknell 26,

My sister went to Bucknell.... we need to get them on the schedule to enliven the smack talk.   Right after, we need to schedule Vermont where the rest of the family went...

[Valpower]

If we handle Utah State at home, and a few other teams lose games (29 undefeated?), will that be enough to get a vote or two in the real top 25 poll? Or do we have to beat Purdue? We'll be significant underdogs at Purdue, and I'm not predicting a win, but I suppose it would be enough to get us plenty of votes in the RV category.

Looks like the "acquire a gaudy record, even if you're not beating giants, and eventually someone will rank you" trick is working for Loyola. They picked up one point in the Coaches' poll. First Valley team this season to receive votes. So, if we beat Utah State (and maybe especially if Loyola also loses at Boise State) there's a chance we get a vote or two.

In news of "other teams we're following" Purdue's now merely receiving votes (26th in the Coaches poll, lower from the writers). Northwestern is still getting a few too. Oakland is not.

I doubt it and I hope LUC doesn't lose to anyone but us. I think they are seen as a better version of us, for not being in a "rebuilding" phase.  If they lose, it'll be a blow to the conference and thus will make all of us seem weaker.  Furthermore, Utah State isn't that good a win.

[VUGrad1314]

If we handle our business against Utah State and get to 8-0 we just may crack that mid major madness big board Side note: Bradley needs more love They've been so impressive

[agibson]

If we handle Utah State at home, and a few other teams lose games (29 undefeated?), will that be enough to get a vote or two in the real top 25 poll? Or do we have to beat Purdue? We'll be significant underdogs at Purdue, and I'm not predicting a win, but I suppose it would be enough to get us plenty of votes in the RV category.

Looks like the "acquire a gaudy record, even if you're not beating giants, and eventually someone will rank you" trick is working for Loyola. They picked up one point in the Coaches' poll. First Valley team this season to receive votes. So, if we beat Utah State (and maybe especially if Loyola also loses at Boise State) there's a chance we get a vote or two.

In news of "other teams we're following" Purdue's now merely receiving votes (26th in the Coaches poll, lower from the writers). Northwestern is still getting a few too. Oakland is not.

I doubt it and I hope LUC doesn't lose to anyone but us. I think they are seen as a better version of us, for not being in a "rebuilding" phase.  If they lose, it'll be a blow to the conference and thus will make all of us seem weaker.  Furthermore, Utah State isn't that good a win.

If we get a vote or two it would be for the 8-0 record, for having another win while some teams lose, rather than Utah State being any kind of signature win. I certainly don't _want_ Loyola to lose, but I figure in the short term that voters may be reluctant to have two 8-0 mid-major teams with no big wins on their ballot. And that many will pick Loyola over us.

[justducky]

Side note: Bradley needs more love They've been so impressive

I totally agree! Just don't try saying anything nice about coach Wardle or the vitriol will start raining in from the entire board less myself.      Seems to be some issues from the Green Bay days that these folks just will not forget or forgive. Personally I am happy that he will be returning to the ARC with another competitive future rival.

[VU2014]

Side note: Bradley needs more love They've been so impressive

I totally agree! Just don't try saying anything nice about coach Wardle or the vitriol will start raining in from the entire board less myself.      Seems to be some issues from the Green Bay days that these folks just will not forget or forgive. Personally I am happy that he will be returning to the ARC with another competitive future rival.

When bradley comes to town we should play this highlight in between every timeout  Mental warfare
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9x2BFYpOXs

[wh]

Valpo is #8 in the new CollegeInsider.com poll. We jumped 10 spots in a week.

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

[VUGrad1314]

4 teams in. Bradley and Evansville lurking. Drake getting some notice. Very nice.

[FieldGoodie05]

Valpo is #8 in the new CollegeInsider.com poll. We jumped 10 spots in a week.

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

UNI being ranked behind us at this point is just silly.  They should be ahead of Valpo and Loyola for certain.  Records mean too much in this poll it would seem.