To anybody who gives a damn we are

[soonerfan28]

#4 and #5.
ESPN/USA Today Poll
1. Connecticut (27) 27-2 769
2. North Carolina 25-3 711
3. Memphis (4) 26-3 698
4. Pittsburgh 26-3 667
5. Oklahoma 26-3 653
6. Louisville 23-5 630
7. Duke 24-5 597
8. Michigan State 23-5 557
9. Kansas 24-5 509
10. Wake Forest 22-5 480
11. LSU 25-4 420
12. Missouri 24-5 377
13. Washington 22-7 346
14. Gonzaga 23-5 339
15. Marquette 23-6 327
16. Villanova 23-6 324
17. UCLA 22-7 295
18. Xavier 23-5 260
19. Clemson 22-6 219
20. Purdue 22-7 211
21. Arizona State 21-7 189
22. Butler 25-4 168
23. Illinois 23-7 107
24. Florida State 22-7 67
25. Syracuse 21-8 37

AP Top 25
1. Connecticut (67) 27-2 1,792
2. North Carolina (3) 25-3 1,678
3. Pittsburgh (1) 26-3 1,612
4. Oklahoma 26-3 1,576
5. Memphis (1) 26-3 1,543
6. Louisville 23-5 1,462
7. Duke 24-5 1,340
8. Michigan State 23-5 1,302
9. Kansas 24-5 1,190
10. Wake Forest 22-5 1,158
11. Villanova 23-6 913
12. LSU 25-4 894
13. Marquette 23-6 860
14. Gonzaga 23-5 837
15. Missouri 24-5 795
16. Washington 22-7 704
17. Xavier 23-5 629
18. Clemson 22-6 564
19. Purdue 22-7 545
20. UCLA 22-7 497
21. Arizona State 21-7 347
22. Butler 25-4 302
23. Illinois 23-7 287
24. Florida State 22-7 272
25. Syracuse 21-8 99

Memphis is not good enough to be ranked that high. I hope UCONN beats Pitt so that we can secure that #1 seed when we win out.

[badger]

As token woman poster, I shall now post the token women's poll:

With the loss to a team full of thugs (as opposed to singular thug, which is OSU) in Texas A&M, OU drops to No. 3. The Conn remains undisputed No. 1, followed by Stanford.

Other Big 12 teams include Baylor (5) Aggie (10), Texas (15), Iowa State (23). Despite Aggy's attempt to at-large with a strong showing in Norman, they received no votes whatsoever in the poll. No other Big 12 teams had any votes than the five mentioned above.

[soonerfan28]

This may be the best season in the history of Big 12 womens basketball.

[Collier11]

There were some good ones in the early 2000s

[Readyfor8]

I understand the argument for OU not being ranked above the ACC/Big East teams, in the fact that we play in the Big XII and it is down this year.

But Memphis? Conference USA? Seriously? How in gods name are they ranked that high by the Coaches.

[Collier11]

because the coaches think they are better? Just a guess...

[starclassic tama]

yeah and it's not like they were a missed 3-pointer away from being defending national champs or anything

[badger]

The men will get the chance to prove that they were off only because Blake was gone when they once again (likely) take on either one or both of the teams they lost to this past week. Winning the Big 12 tourney will prove that those wins by KU and UT were flukes.

The women just need to make the Big 12 championship game to earn a one-seed, IMHO. One-seeds are a lot more important on the women's side, just because of how their bracket is setup. For the men, it's almost better to have a 2.

[SoonerDood]

yeah and it's not like they were a missed 3-pointer away from being defending national champs or anything

who is still left from LAST SEASON'S team?

[8timechamps]

Memphis has moved up the rankings on reputation alone.

There are a lot of pollsters out there that stand by the "if they were #2 last year, then they should be highly ranked this year" philosophy.

Not to mention that coach Calipari carries a lot of weight.

CUSA actually isn't as bad a conference as many think this year. Memphis is the clear power in the conferece, but I suspect the conference will end up with three, maybe four teams in the big dance.

Memphis
UAB (played us hard in the pre season NIT)
Houston
Tulsa (has beaten UTEP both times they've played)

Some "experts" think that UTEP could get a look over Houston or Tulsa, depending on how they show in the CUSA tourny.

[soonerfan28]

Memphis lost Joey Dorsey, Derrick Rose, and Chris Douglas-Roberts from last years team. They returned Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson this year and they added Tyreke Evans to this years squad and the have Shawn Taggart. My only problem is they haven't played anybody this year like a Tennessee from last year that makes their NCAA resume look good. I think with Xavier Henry coming in next year and if Evans stays then they could be a really good team next year, but right now they are a #2 seed at best this year.

[badger]

Tulsa (has beaten Memphis both times they've played)

Derp? I know that the Tulsa home game came down to a last second shot, but it was still a loss and Memphis has like a 60-game winning streak in C-USA, right?

You mention the C-USA tourney. I think they move that thing to Tulsa next year, right? It's too bad they couldn't move it this year. Memphis' monopoly on C-USA has to end. Ever since the Big East became a 16-team uber bball conference, conferences that it raided like C-USA have been kind of off. Sure, that raiding allowed schools like Tulsa to move out of the WAC, but it's time for some balance. We don't need another conference like the Pac 10 during football season.

[8timechamps]

Memphis hasn't played any major opponents this season, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Before the season started, they appeard to have a tough schedule. Who knew that Tennessee and Georgetown would play so poorly.

I agree with you, a #2 seed would probably be a little more than they deserve, but if we don't take care of business, they could take our place as a 1 seed.

[8timechamps]

Derp? I know that the Tulsa home game came down to a last second shot, but it was still a loss and Memphis has like a 60-game winning streak in C-USA, right?

Yer right. I had it backwards. I was looking at the UTEP/Tulsa games.

You mention the C-USA tourney. I think they move that thing to Tulsa next year, right? It's too bad they couldn't move it this year. Memphis' monopoly on C-USA has to end. Ever since the Big East became a 16-team uber bball conference, conferences that it raided like C-USA have been kind of off. Sure, that raiding allowed schools like Tulsa to move out of the WAC, but it's time for some balance. We don't need another conference like the Pac 10 during football season.

Yep. CUSA is, and always will be a mid-major regardless of what the original intent was. Even in football, they don't (and shouldn't) get the same respect as a major conference.

[soonerfan28]

It's not shocking to me that Calipari didn't want to come to OU. Why would you when you can dominate C-USA. Has he ever coached in a tough conference?

[8timechamps]

Has he ever coached in a tough conference?

Nope!

I was the driver on the bandwagon to get him here. Now that time has passed, you can tell his M.O. is to win at mediocre schools in weak conferences.

To his credit, he's made a nice career out of it.

[badger]

Just to be clear. After a year of mostly positive experience, in which I had decided to become an Elite Sponsor, I started the Hollis Board... blah blah blah...

Just to REALLY be clear, I think that other than the prestige of being No. 1 in the bracket, why not take a 2-seed?

First round: 2 plays 15.
Result: 15 pretty much equals 16. WIN!

Second round: 2 plays 10 (while 1 plays 8)
Details: The 10-seed always beats the 7-seed, thus the game in front of you now. The mid-major wonder's season ends as a powerful 2-seed wins. However, the 8-seed is a big conf. team that is better than many mid-major champions.
Result: 1 loses to 8. 2 beats 10. WIN!

Thus, 1 loses in round 2 (sound familiar, Duke?) 2 guaranteed to go the Sweet 16.

[soonerfan28]

I think it's the prestige of having that #1 seed.

[8timechamps]

The only thing about being a 1 seed that take I note of is the potential 1 v. 2 matchup in the Elite 8. Not to mention a 1 seed has never lost a first round game.

For some reason, being a 2 seed this year really scares me.

[badger]

For some reason, being a 2 seed this year really scares me.

Don't be skerred. We were a 2-seed in 2002, remember?

Mizzou as our Elite Eight opponent that year. Tee hee