Lady Vols Ranking week of 2.1.2021

[Vols2015]

According to the NCAA website, the Lady Vols have risen 2 spots to number 18 in the Associated Press Rankings. They have maintained their number 14 spot on the NET Rankings. The link for the complete list is below.

NCAAW AP Rankings

 

[PRG]

Interesting: Kentucky at 14 , Arkansas at 15 , Indiana , 16 ...... Are ahead of us !!!! But I thought we beat them ?

 

[Vols2015]

Interesting: Kentucky at 14 , Arkansas at 15 , Indiana , 16 ...... Are ahead of us !!!! But I thought we beat them ?

Right? And all pretty convincingly. At least our only loses are to now ranked teams, all by single digits might I add. Lost by 6 to UCONN, 1 to Georgia, and 6 to WV.

 

[VolBalls33]

Arkansas has 6 losses UT has 3, and UT beat them handily. Okay. But wait, UT beat IU at IU and IU has 4 losses. None of this really matters though. Beat 2 more ranked teams this week and UT will be top 15.

 

[Rickster]

Wow. Climbing the polls sure is tough going. Seems like other teams have a much easier time with it. One thing for sure, our LV's will face the #2, 7, 15, 24 and 25 ranked teams over the next few weeks and we will know whether this team is championship caliber. They have already faced #3, 15, 16, 17, 21 and 25 and have a 3-3 record. This 11 ranked team schedule reminds me of Pat's schedules. Would have been more games had COVID not been a concern.

 

[Volfan2012]

Were ahead of all of then in the NET rankings which is what counts for NCAA selection. This poll is totally ridiculous but whatever people that vote can vote as they like. You wonder how a six loss team can be ahead of you in any ranking.

 

[LVsinceJV]

USF, Michigan, and DePaul rankings are rather mysterious to me. USF beat MSST back before it was clear that State was on the downfall...and DePaul has been blown out by Connecticut twice and Louisville once...make it make sense.

 

[Rickster]

...make it make sense.

The voters are voting on loyalties and not on-court results. This is why the polls need to have less personal preferences and more science.

 

[creekdipper]

I like where we are. It ought to prod the team into using this as fuel. Much better to have to claw your way up over the wreckage of defeated opponents than to be overrated and then sink like a stone.

I'm sure there are WV fans who feel they should be ranked above us, having beat us at their place in overtime and having one less overall loss. I don't agree, but that's fandom.

Broken record time: it's still staggering to think that we have only three losses by a combined 13 points, all to ranked teams with one 6-point loss coming in overtime. Tempting to say (again) that we're only a couple of good bounces away from being 16-0 and easily Top 10 (or Top 3). But then you look at a few of our squeaker wins and rwalize that we could have a few additional losses.

If we can ever get 3 of our Big 4 untracked at the same time with solid support from the rest of the team...and playwith defensive intensity for 34 of the 40 minutes...we can beat anybody.

 

[Rickster]

If we can ever get 3 of our Big 4 untracked at the same time with solid support from the rest of the team...and play with defensive intensity for 34 of the 40 minutes...we can beat anybody.

That's the logical progression I'm expecting.

 

[VolBall09]

USF, Michigan, and DePaul rankings are rather mysterious to me. USF beat MSST back before it was clear that State was on the downfall...and DePaul has been blown out by Connecticut twice and Louisville once...make it make sense.

Their coaches are all friends with Geno. That’s why they get the AP votes. If you’re up Geno’s butt that moves you up 5 or 10 spots in the AP poll.

Have seen the same thing with UCLA for several years now since Close became his protege. They get consistently ranked in the top 10 and then vastly underperform come post season time.
It’s absolute garbage. I just look at the NET rankings now since they use actual data and not just opinions.

On what planet does it make sense that we’ve beaten the 3 teams ranked directly ahead of us? They all have a worse record than we do at this point and have a direct head to head loss to us. We have 0 bad losses on the season. The AP poll is a literal joke this year. They should just do away with them entirely and use the NET rankings as well.

 

[Voltopia]

There's a lot of voters who've over-ranking the Lady Vols for years, either because of history or because of familiarity with Warlick, or maybe even just deference to Summitt's legacy, who knows. A lot of support for fellow coaches and for program legacies in the sport. We now have an opposite imbalance where Tennessee will be slightly undervalued until it can punch in a few definitive, signature wins and show it has the strength to play consistently at that level. There's a very "real" line between the top 5-8 teams and then everything that comes after. Gotta win your way back into that top echelon.

 

[Rickster]

There's a lot of voters who've over-ranking the Lady Vols for years, either because of history or because of familiarity with Warlick, or maybe even just deference to Summitt's legacy, who knows. A lot of support for fellow coaches and for program legacies in the sport. We now have an opposite imbalance where Tennessee will be slightly undervalued until it can punch in a few definitive, signature wins and show it has the strength to play consistently at that level. There's a very "real" line between the top 5-8 teams and then everything that comes after. Gotta win your way back into that top echelon.

I think that is exactly what has happened and what will need to happen. I think anyone who has followed the program for the last 20 years would agree with you.

 

[creekdipper]

Yes, we have sown the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind.

 

[VolBall09]

Louisville being #1 is laughable as well. They have only played ONE ranked team the entire season. ONE. And that team was DePaul who should not be ranked. The ACC is also not a very strong conference this season. You have NC State and Louisville. That’s it. The rest are not in the conversation nationally at all.

Syracuse was ranked #23 when they played but has since fallen from the rankings. Playing a little better but defensively they are still grossly unorganized.

Louisville has had several close calls with unranked teams. If Cunane is back in action for NC State tonight I think NC State will win that game. She’s just coming off having COVID I presume so she may be slowed a bit if she plays at all.

SC should be the #1 team even with that loss to NC State. They have played the toughest schedule and beaten the most ranked opponents. That should count for something. Very possible we would be 16-0 as well if we had played the schedule Louisville has up to this point.

 

[LVsinceJV]

Their coaches are all friends with Geno. That’s why they get the AP votes. If you’re up Geno’s butt that moves you up 5 or 10 spots in the AP poll.

Have seen the same thing with UCLA for several years now since Close became his protege. They get consistently ranked in the top 10 and then vastly underperform come post season time.
It’s absolute garbage. I just look at the NET rankings now since they use actual data and not just opinions.

On what planet does it make sense that we’ve beaten the 3 teams ranked directly ahead of us? They all have a worse record than we do at this point and have a direct head to head loss to us. We have 0 bad losses on the season. The AP poll is a literal joke this year. They should just do away with them entirely and use the NET rankings as well.

There's a lot of voters who've over-ranking the Lady Vols for years, either because of history or because of familiarity with Warlick, or maybe even just deference to Summitt's legacy, who knows. A lot of support for fellow coaches and for program legacies in the sport. We now have an opposite imbalance where Tennessee will be slightly undervalued until it can punch in a few definitive, signature wins and show it has the strength to play consistently at that level. There's a very "real" line between the top 5-8 teams and then everything that comes after. Gotta win your way back into that top echelon.

To see DePaul only just begin to drop after having only one ranked win against Kentucky is a mind-bender for me. USF definitely has to be a case of relationships behind the scenes. Michigan is overranked the way alot of the Big 10 teams tend to be overranked.

Arkansas I understand being ranked where they are despite their losses precisely because they pulled out a win against Connecticut, and because their losses aren't to bad teams. And I'm glad to see them get a boost this week in the polls. Georgia is another where I understand why they dropped this week considering the losses but I still see them as one of the best 25 teams in the country...MS State on the other hand...

And I agree about Tennessee getting an unearned benefit of the doubt on the polls for a few seasons. Having to earn those numbers rather than watching them dwindle had done alot for our confidence.

 

[And1]

We have a huge opportunity to make a huge leap with the program with the next several games. If we are able to go 3-1 or 4-0, we should be top 10

 

[creekdipper]

We now have an opposite imbalance where Tennessee will be slightly undervalued until it can punch in a few definitive, signature wins and show it has the strength to play consistently at that level. There's a very "real" line between the top 5-8 teams and then everything that comes after. Gotta win your way back into that top echelon.

That's what made the UConn loss hurt so badly. I'm sure that Kellie had a myriad of personal and professional reasons for particularly wanting that win, but its importance to the program would have been huge. Like it or not, Conn has the mystique about it that can only be removed through beating them. They're in the national consciousness even among casual fans (Sunday's DePaul game was hyped as "1st Women's Game Ever On Fox Sports"). Our games with them still get relatively huge ratings on ESPN. That's a showcase game that many recruits considering other schools are watching.

To have beaten them with a team effort (as opposed to Dungee going off on them) would have immediately sent the message to everyone that our coaching staff can develop winning players and winning strategies against top-rated players and the most highly-regarded coaches. The one upside of ESPN's constant replaying and retelling of Buecker's late three (which didn't win the game) is that it's a reminder that we were right there with them at the end. It keeps us in the public eye ad worthy opponents and a threat.

 

[Mr. Doo Wop]

Their coaches are all friends with Geno. That’s why they get the AP votes. If you’re up Geno’s butt that moves you up 5 or 10 spots in the AP poll.

Have seen the same thing with UCLA for several years now since Close became his protege. They get consistently ranked in the top 10 and then vastly underperform come post season time.
It’s absolute garbage. I just look at the NET rankings now since they use actual data and not just opinions.

On what planet does it make sense that we’ve beaten the 3 teams ranked directly ahead of us? They all have a worse record than we do at this point and have a direct head to head loss to us. We have 0 bad losses on the season. The AP poll is a literal joke this year. They should just do away with them entirely and use the NET rankings as well.

It is true that Tennessee should be ranked ahead of the teams they beat. However, the statements you made in the first two paragraphs are totally ridiculous. You can dislike someone but don't make up stuff about them, even Geno. What is your proof?

 

[VolBall09]

It is true that Tennessee should be ranked ahead of the teams they beat. However, the statements you made in the first two paragraphs are totally ridiculous. You can dislike someone but don't make up stuff about them, even Geno. What is your proof?

If I thought it would be worth my time to explain I would, in great detail. But you’re a UCONN fan so your world view is so polluted it won’t be of any use. Carry on with ya bad self.

 

[creekdipper]

I'd have loved to have beaten Conn due to our past history with Snidely Whiplash but also to wipe that ****-eating grin off Elvira's face. I saw her save an out-of-bounds ball Sunday by throwing it hard right to the head of a DePaul player. Afterward, Elvira was grinning and stylin' like she thought she was bad. The DePaul player didn't look too happy. I wouldn't have blamed her if she had clotheslined in retaliation.

The other team I'd like to see us beat is Louisville if only to see the Walz-lovers here cry.

 

[drawing dead]

If I thought it would be worth my time to explain I would, in great detail. But you’re a UCONN fan so your world view is so polluted it won’t be of any use. Carry on with ya bad self.

VolBall09 please expand. I do not buy that being friends with Geno gets you 5-10 spots higher in the polls or whatever it was you claimed. That is laughable and I hate UConn.

 

[Bballnut1952]

I have posted several times on the workings of the AP poll. The reactions here seem to think they retool the entire rankings every week. That is not how it works.

Preseason poll sets the stage. Teams go up and down based on how they did that specific week. So if let's say Indiana was ranked 15 and Tennessee was not in the rankings ( I think it was something like that) when Tennessee won, they don't go ahead of Indiana. The Hoosiers drop a play or two and Tennessee goes up. But they don't automatically put the winning team ahead of the losing team.

For example, DePaul started out the season at No. 19. They lost their opener in a close game to Texas A&M and dropped one spot. They got blown out by Louisville and dropped to No. 24 in the next poll.

They didn't lose against until playing UConn, winning 4 straight. They stayed at No. 24 in the next poll, they beat Kentucky and another team the next week and moved to No. 18. A big jump but three teams in front of them lost. After losing to UConn they dropped 2 spots to No. 20. They won 4 games again after the UConn loss and moved to 19, 18 and then 17 in the next three polls. Again, teams move up if they win and teams above them lost.

After losing to UConn Sunday, they dropped 2 spots back to No. 18.

So, that is how DePaul is No. 18. There is some variation if a team beats a team way above them. I mean, Arkansas went up three spots with a 2-1 week because they beat No. 3 UConn.

Louisville is a simple example. It doesn't matter who they are playing because they started out so high and haven't lost while everyone else in front of them lost.



It's not a scientific poll for sure. Some voters are certainly influenced by the aura of teams. But for the most part it's pretty straight forward.

 

[AurantiacoFan]

I went and looked at schedules of teams ranked higher than us. We should probably be ranked above Arkansas based on beating them, but their schedule is unbelievable. I am not the best counter, but it appears 11 of their games are against opponents that were ranked, including 5 against current Top 10 teams. This includes wins against both Connecticut and Baylor. Ouch.

As a comparison, we have had 6. South Carolina has also had 6. Kentucky has had 7. Indiana has had 5. Connecticut has had 4. Baylor has had 3. Maryland has had 3. North Carolina State and Louisville....both have had only 1.

 

[VolBall09]

VolBall09 please expand. I do not buy that being friends with Geno gets you 5-10 spots higher in the polls or whatever it was you claimed. That is laughable and I hate UConn.

That’s how they got ranked where they were to begin the season. The coaches from South Florida (Fernandez), UCLA (Close), DePaul (Bruno), and Michigan (Barnes Arico) have all been in bed with Geno for years. They have gone to his practices, received mentorship and implemented many of his strategies in their own programs. In return he has given a lot of good press to them pumping up their programs to the media.

The AP media darlings fall all over whomever Geno says is going to be good and stick them in the Top 15 to start the year. Those programs have played nobody and are still ranked in the Top 15 while SEC teams pummel each other (and UCONN) and barely get any clout.