CBS Top 25 and 1:SMU #24

[LA_Mustang]

SMU all the way

[mustang1992]

I am curious as to why Cincy stopped their press after we started re-gaining ground (they closed it to 7, then we broke it back the other way -- but it seemed like they abandoned the press).

I have to think they you can only do that so long, and we broke it a few times (meaning, made them pay, not just get it to the front court), and you can't press for too long or you wear your guys out ... I am just proposing, don't know the answer. But they seemed to abandon it.

Their press was effective, but didn't we also get some easy baskets when we broke the press? Because they are not as deep as we are, worried about tiring them out?

[ojaipony]

I am curious as to why Cincy stopped their press after we started re-gaining ground (they closed it to 7, then we broke it back the other way -- but it seemed like they abandoned the press).

I have to think they you can only do that so long, and we broke it a few times (meaning, made them pay, not just get it to the front court), and you can't press for too long or you wear your guys out ... I am just proposing, don't know the answer. But they seemed to abandon it.

Their press was effective, but didn't we also get some easy baskets when we broke the press? Because they are not as deep as we are, worried about tiring them out?

Yeah, we were leading and we broke it a few times after we settled down and opened it up. Good teams (athletic, disciplined, and fundamentally sound players) can break the press and make the other teams pay. That's what LB says (he constantly harps on making the other team pay when you press us). Also, why you don't see it in the pros all that much.

[GRGB]

Cincinnati shouldn't fall too far. They did beat UConn in the same week

And UConn shouldn't be punished too much for losing at Cincy to #7.

I predict (with no training whatsoever):

AP: #22 SMU (Memphis, UL, Cincy, Uconn also ranked, but who is "Out"? Gonzaga and OSU perhaps)

USAToday: #24 (Memphis, UL, and Cincy ranked, Uconn just outside, TEXAS OSU GONZAGA some are out, some move lower)

Missed it by one:

#23 SMU

and... 20 Memphis, 13 UL, 10 UC, 24 Uconn also ranked

Dropped from rankings: Oklahoma State 19, Oklahoma 21, Gonzaga 23,

[GRGB]

I am curious as to why Cincy stopped their press after we started re-gaining ground (they closed it to 7, then we broke it back the other way -- but it seemed like they abandoned the press).

I have to think they you can only do that so long, and we broke it a few times (meaning, made them pay, not just get it to the front court), and you can't press for too long or you wear your guys out ... I am just proposing, don't know the answer. But they seemed to abandon it.

Their press was effective, but didn't we also get some easy baskets when we broke the press? Because they are not as deep as we are, worried about tiring them out?

Yeah, we were leading and we broke it a few times after we settled down and opened it up. Good teams (athletic, disciplined, and fundamentally sound players) can break the press and make the other teams pay. That's what LB says (he constantly harps on making the other team pay when you press us). Also, why you don't see it in the pros all that much.

They cut our lead to 7, then they quit pressing as much...more or less. They might have done it a few more times and we started to get back to 11 pt lead, then they stopped.

[GRGB]

We have an opportunity to move up next week

(again, the polls are pretty inelastic today; if you lose to a "good" team they usually aren't going to punish you too much, but potential drops above us are ...)

Each of these teams could go 1-1 this week, while we play Rutgers and Temple (both sub .500 teams). I don't like to count these as wins especially as they are on the road, but if we were to go 2-0, we could move up a few spots.

18

Creighton
19-4
552
12
6

Last Week: vs DePaul W 78-66, @ St. John's L 70-65
This Week: @ Butler Feb 13, vs. Villanova Feb 16 #6 NOVA

19

Texas
18-5
417
15
4

Last Week: @ TCU W 59-54, @ Kansas State L 74-57
This Week: vs. Oklahoma State Feb 11, vs. West Virginia Feb 15 OSU might rebound, Tx might fall back to earth - see KSU game.

20

Memphis
18-5
333
24
4

Last Week: vs Rutgers W 101-69, vs Gonzaga W 60-54
This Week: vs. UCF Feb 12, @ Connecticut Feb 15 AT UConn

21

Wisconsin
19-5
242
NR
5

Last Week: @ Illinois W 75-63, vs Michigan State W 60-58
This Week: vs. Minnesota Feb 13, @ Michigan Feb 16 #10 Michigan

22

Ohio State
19-5
214
NR
4

Last Week: @ Iowa W 76-69, vs Purdue W 67-49
This Week: vs. Michigan Feb 11, @ Illinois Feb 15 #10 Michigan


23

Southern Methodist
19-5
205
NR
3

Last Week: vs Temple W 75-52, vs Cincinnati W 76-55
This Week: @ Rutgers Feb 13, @ Temple Feb 16 (Thur / Sun, not Thur/Sat)

24

Connecticut
18-5
194
22
2

Last Week: @ Cincinnati L 63-58, @ UCF W 75-55
This Week: vs. South Florida Feb 12, vs. Memphis Feb 15

[GRGB]

Cincinnati shouldn't fall too far. They did beat UConn in the same week

And UConn shouldn't be punished too much for losing at Cincy to #7.

I predict (with no training whatsoever):

AP: #22 SMU (Memphis, UL, Cincy, Uconn also ranked, but who is "Out"? Gonzaga and OSU perhaps)

USAToday: #24 (Memphis, UL, and Cincy ranked, Uconn just outside, TEXAS OSU GONZAGA some are out, some move lower)

Missed it by one:

#23 SMU

and... 20 Memphis, 13 UL, 10 UC, 24 Uconn also ranked

Dropped from rankings: Oklahoma State 19, Oklahoma 21, Gonzaga 23,

Weren't enough drops out of the Top25 to create movement:

PREDICTED:

USAToday: #24 (Memphis, UL, and Cincy ranked, Uconn just outside, TEXAS OSU GONZAGA some are out, some move lower)

Schools Dropped Out
No. 19 Oklahoma State.
Others Receiving Votes
Connecticut 54; Kansas State 38; Southern Methodist 37; Southern Mississippi 25; UCLA 15; Massachusetts 15; New Mexico 12; Oklahoma State 10; George Washington 6; Colorado 5; Stephen F. Austin 1; West Virginia 1; Virginia Commonwealth 1.