Michigan BBall up to #4 in AP Poll

Submitted by Gentleman Squirrels on January 25th, 2021 at 12:18 PM

Link to Poll

Other Big Ten teams:

  • #7 Iowa (Down from 4)
  • #13 Ohio State (Up from 15)
  • #19 Illinois (Up from 22)
  • #21 Minnesota (Down from 17)
  • Purdue and Toledo (not big ten but former opponent) receiving votes

Qmatic

January 25th, 2021 at 12:21 PM ^

Seems about right. From what I've seen this season, I would say that Nova, Baylor, and Gonzaga are the only 3 teams where I would comfortably say we would be underdogs on a neutral court against.

Joined: 01/09/2013

MGoPoints: 32848

umchicago

January 25th, 2021 at 1:15 PM ^

i flipped on the baylor-osu game this weekend to finally watch them. it was 51-50 osu at that point. i think baylor proceeded to go on a 15-0 run and didn't look back. they are legit. they have shooters and drivers.  they have length and play good D.  they don't however, have a big guy that can check dickinson. we need to get his confidence back. he is our difference maker against those other top ranked teams.

Joined: 02/05/2009

MGoPoints: 33667

TrueBlue2003

January 25th, 2021 at 1:50 PM ^

Just looking at their roster, they are very small.  Def could be an advantage for Michigan, especially because it doesn't look like their center stretches it (although the backup can shoot).

Their defense is very turnover dependent.  I assume they play a zone?  They're the exact kind of team that I would feel like Beilein's teams would destroy with their discipline but Howards teams have issues turning it over, especially against zones (see Oakland).  Ball security would be very important.  If you don't turn it over, you can get good shots against them. But man, they're good at turning teams over.

Joined: 01/05/2010

MGoPoints: 38075

jdraman

January 25th, 2021 at 12:22 PM ^

It is awesome, and well deserved, that they moved up! But, I do get the feeling like this bump up in the polls is a casual set up to have us drop down as we potentially miss games over the next two weeks. I doubt we will receive the same treatment 'Nova did back when they were paused. 

Joined: 10/23/2019

MGoPoints: 12122

trueblueintexas

January 25th, 2021 at 12:30 PM ^

Looking at the teams immediately behind Michigan, Texas is the only one which could conceivably move up if they beat Baylor and Baylor doesn't drop below Michigan. Texas already beat Kansas so doing it again is not going to move them up. Houston doesn't have an opponent which would move them up. The only win Iowa could get which would move them up at this point would be against Michigan. Virginia & Alabama don't have opponents in the ACC & SEC which would move them up with a win as they are already the highest ranked teams in their conferences.

There's a pretty good chance Michigan sits at 4 or 5 over the next few weeks. 

Joined: 11/10/2008

MGoPoints: 36769

BlueinKyiv

January 25th, 2021 at 12:34 PM ^

I am more concerned about there even being a B1G tournament or an NCAA tournament than next week's rankings.

The rapid spread of the UK....and likely soon South African.....variants of the virus is likely a major turning point in university posture toward playing games across the country.  I see cancellations rising as 1 case of someone unrelated to the Mens basketball team just shutdown the entire UM athletic department  and the UK variant is just starting its rapid ascent.  

Course the difference with last winter is that we now have a vaccine (that even for the new variants)  provides considerable protection.  If this Spring or Summer, supply levels rise to the point of fit athletes getting the vaccine...we may see some type of tournament.  

Joined: 04/05/2017

MGoPoints: 4229

TrueBlue2003

January 25th, 2021 at 2:12 PM ^

Those variants will have little to no impact on US spread.  Certainly not enough to offset the effects of vaccinations. The US already has numerous variants with comparable transmissibility: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Bay-Area-scientists-hunting…

We just didn't know about them because we weren't doing genetic surveillance but that's one of the reasons we've had rampant spread.  Uncontrolled spread leads to higher likelihood of mutations which leads to more spread and the cycle goes on.

But the positive is that these imported variants likely aren't more transmissible than many variants that evolved here.   So they shouldn't have a big impact on R0 and we should continue to see infection rates drop like we're seeing now, as more people get vaccinated.

Joined: 01/05/2010

MGoPoints: 38075

Frank Chuck

January 25th, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^

I've been paying attention to Alabama.

Nate Oats is employing some interesting basketball strategies.

If Beilein had exited for the NBA sooner, there's a strong chance Nate Oats is currently HC of Michigan Basketball (instead of Alabama Basketball).

Beilein's timing is one thing that allowed Juwan Howard to come to Michigan.

Joined: 05/01/2015

MGoPoints: 15887

My Name is LEGIONS

January 25th, 2021 at 12:43 PM ^

Holy wow...

MSU, Duke, Kentucky, receiving no votes, let alone being in Top 25.   

Welcome to the new school..... Gonzaga, Michigan, Villanova, Baylor... 

Joined: 10/29/2014

MGoPoints: 4872

TrueBlue2003

January 25th, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^

Yeah, probably more a case of inertia with Villanova.  Started higher than M and Michigan has a more recent loss. 

But that win at Texas is more impressive than any of M's wins (ignoring margins) and their one loss was in OT to a ranked team so they have some reasons people could make an argument for them being ahead of Michigan. 

Michigan has certainly been more impressive when you look at the full picture and margins and overall resume.

As it would stand now, Michigan would easily be ahead of Nova in the S-curve.  Michigan is 3rd in NET compared to Nova.  Michigan is 3-1 in Q1 games to Nova's 1-1 and M is 7-1 in Q1 and Q2 games compared to Nova's 3-1 so it's not even close right now.

Joined: 01/05/2010

MGoPoints: 38075

Blue Vet

January 25th, 2021 at 12:52 PM ^

I'd like to repeat my comment from an earlier notice of a climb in the rankings.

Those who complained when we weren't ranked that it would hinder us later were right!

Cuz if we'd been ranked at the start of the season, now we'd be ranked many slots higher. Maybe we'd be ... -6!

 

Joined: 05/08/2012

MGoPoints: 71426

xgojim

January 25th, 2021 at 2:46 PM ^

I've heard this before but don't think it makes much difference since presumably M would win all those games (?).  The difference in the standings will be M's success against those last six teams (plus at MSU) anyway, so perhaps two weeks of rest will be a good thing (in spite of the loss of practice time, of course).  Austin Davis and Eli Brooks (and others with unannounced problems) will be in better physical condition, for sure. 

Not saying that I don't wish M was playing those games!  Certainly hope that Manuel calls off the quarantine in time to play some of those games.

Joined: 11/03/2012

MGoPoints: 2326