RTC Top 25: Week 5
Posted by KDoyle on December 17th, 2012With semester exams rudely disrupting the slate of games for the better part of last week, college hoops fans across the country eagerly waited for Saturday to roll around as 88 Division I games tipped off. There was one game, however, that dominated the rest. You may have heard that Butler knocked off previously unbeaten Indiana and shocked the country in the process—yet again. The Bulldogs enter the Top 25 for the first time all season, while Indiana falls from #2 to #5. Later that day, Arizona stormed back to beat Florida in dramatic fashion, but the Wildcats’ win certainly was overshadowed by Butler, and rightfully so.
This week’s QnD after the jump…
Quick ‘n Dirty Analysis.
- Duke the Unanimous #1—The Blue Devils have been ranked in the #1 spot in the RTC poll since returning from the Battle 4 Atlantis, but now they are a unanimous #1 as all voters have Duke as the top team. The Dookies were idle last week, but return to the hardwood against Cornell and Elon this week.
- High Risers and Big Droppers—In another relatively quiet week in terms of movement within the Top 25, Butler’s win over Indiana has put them firmly in the list, checking in at #22. This is the first time Butler has been recognized as a Top 25 team this year, and the first time they have even received votes. Indiana, conversely, drops three spots to #5. No one will doubt the Hoosiers’ proficiency on the offensive end, but Butler exploited several holes that need filling on defense. With Indiana’s next true test coming at Iowa on New Year’s Eve, Tom Crean will have three tune-up games to right the ship.
- Where to Rank… New Mexico?—Despite owning an 11-0 record, New Mexico went unranked in one poll this week and checked in at #23 in two others. The remaining six polls had the Lobos ranked anywhere from #13-#18. It is easy to understand why some may be a bit skeptical of New Mexico as the Lobos’ best win is against Connecticut, and they haven’t exactly played an exceptionally challenging schedule. Consecutive games against Cincinnati, St. Louis, and UNLV should answer some of those underlying questions.
- Defending Their Poll: Question posed to Andrew Murawa (AM): Andrew, what’s the deal with you and Creighton? Sure, they lost at home to Boise State, but the Jays seem to be a consensus Top 25 team. What are your thoughts on them? AM: “I’ve yet to rank Creighton this year simply because they’ve yet to convince me that they’re anything different from last year’s flawed team. This weekend’s road win over a middling Cal team is another plus in the Bluejays’ column, and their season-long defensive numbers are significantly improved, but that loss to Boise State set off all sorts of warning bells for a guy who was already suspicious of this team. As it is, I had to drop another MVC team, Wichita State, out of my Top 25 this week to make room for Butler, and the Shockers, in my estimation, have done more so far to earn my trust than the Bluejays have. With the bulk of Creighton’s non-conference schedule complete, Doug McDermott and company may have to wait until their January 19 match-up at Wichita to get another chance to really impress me.”
Game of the Week.—#8 Kansas @ #9 Ohio State. Just how good are Kansas and Ohio State? They both rank in the Top 10 here at RTC, but each team still has something to prove to the nation. In the Jayhawks’ biggest test to date, they lost to Michigan State; their best win is either against St. Louis or Colorado. Meanwhile in Columbus, Ohio State’s best win is against Washington. They, too, fell in their biggest test — against Duke.
Keep Tabs On—#10 Illinois vs. #15 Missouri, #11 Cincinnati vs. Xavier, #20 UNLV vs. Northern Iowa, #23 Kentucky vs. Marshall
One New Face—Butler. No need for even more of an explanation here.
Also Receiving Votes—Five teams received votes this week with both North Carolina and NC State teetering on the edge of the Top 25. Just weeks ago, the “ARV” category had more than 10 teams littering it, but pollsters are beginning to collectively agree on who the Top 25 teams in the country are by now.
Conference Call— Big Ten (6), Big East (6), SEC (3), Mountain West (3), Big 12 (2), Missouri Valley (1), ACC (1), Atlantic 10 (1) Pac-12 (1), West Coast (1)
