Receiving votes!

[Justin Register]

The Cats received 1 vote in the ESPN/USA Today poll. Also, they are 92 in the RPI, and have a SOS of 11.

Could it be possible that we see the Cats ranked this season????? How many people can honestly say (even us optimists) that they thought we may have a top-25 team this season?

[jkwuc89]

My guess is that one of UC's Big East brethren voted for UC. It's probably one of the teams UC beat.

[GoBearcats31]

Tied for 45th! haha We'll make a real statement if we can knock off UConn. UofL win followed by SJU loss. Syracuse and 'Nova upset followed by second half collapse vs a tough Notre Dame squad. Although I am very pleased with their play, I'd like to see a bit more consistency and legitimacy with another big win. A full, if not close to full, 5/3 Arena would be nice to cheer on the Cats in a big game before two road contests against Seton Hall and WVU

[gocats45]

They are playing like a top 25 team. Hopefully they continue it, and knock off UCONN. If so, they will continue to get more votes.

By the way, has it ever happened that a top 25 team didn't get in the NCAA tournament? Just wondering.

[jkwuc89]

The polls mean nothing to the NCAA tournament selection committee. If I am not mistaken, a few years back, a ranked Fresno State team was left out of the tournament.

[Bearcat Revival]

After losing to Belmont and BG in the first weekend, no one would have predicted this kind of turn around. The NIT is probably the realistic goal this season, but dare to dream about the big dance!!

[The real Bearcat Fan]

All I can say is right now it feels awesome to be a Bearcat fan. Go Cats!!!

[bubbachunk]

wowzers didn't think i would get to hear this until next year

[schottjy]

UConn may be the first Big East power we play that doesn't have any excuses (see Padgett@LVille, Drummond@Nova, and poor Pitt without Cook and Fields). Hope to have a packed house Wednesday (though I won't be able to see it here in Raleigh). Still need to take care of business in ALL of our home games.

[Cpaw]

UCONN will be a big test for us. They are playing very strong as of late and I feel Biggie and Belton will need to play quite a few minutes to keep Thabeet in check. Need to keep the pace of the game in check, this has been the key to our 4 victories thus far in league play, both teams in the 50's or 60's, the game is ours.

[capcbk]

We must be able to win on the road in the BE before ranking is anything more than a dream.

Now, if we can win the next 3 games...UConn, @SH and @WVU...then I will start to talk about the possibility of being ranked!

Go Cats!

[jeffto]

5 points in AP! #38!!

[jeffto]

The polls mean nothing to the NCAA tournament selection committee. If I am not mistaken, a few years back, a ranked Fresno State team was left out of the tournament.True, but we're 5-5 against top 50 teams. We're the only team in the top 100 (RPI) who has played that many top 50 teams.

There are several teams assumed "in" the tourney who have losing records against the top 50 or, are even - just like us. Actually there are only two other teams who have 5 wins against top 50 teams - Tenn. and Villanova.

As with all talk about UC and the tourney, we will have to play outstanding ball the rest of the way to have a shot.

[Bp4thebest]

5 votes in AP..37th in the nation..i understand why it took this team a while to come together and learn the college game but just imagine if we would have beat bowling green belmont and n c state at nc state..thats 12-6...we would be top 30 at least..we should have won the nc st game they had like 41 free throw attempts.. with the way we are playing now we could of beaten illinois st too thats 13-5 we could very well be ranked right now with all the upsets this year from other schools and our sos and quality wins..but thats the way it goes..this team needed early on to improve but the improvement tells me that this team is good, that mick can coach with good game plans, and that the rest of the year will be exciting..next year this team will be able to take care of business early on and we could be sitting at 13-5 at this point next year with a national ranking on our way to 19 to 20 wins..or even better...who knows.. next years team could finish ranked or if not..we could have up to 22 wins..double digit wins in the con..a big east tourney run and a lagit seed in the ncaa...if we can get a six seed or better in the big dance next year we can be poised to make a run b/c unlike bob's teams of the past, we will be well equipt to face the class of the ncaa..the rest of this year will be exciting to watch and should end with a good chunk of big east wins and an nit appearance..maybe even an nit run..and next year will be a year to remember..hats off to mick..he may not have the name yet but but few coaches if any could take this program out of the whole it was in so quick prior to becoming a big name...its not like coach k took the uc job...last year was a waist no matter who coached b/c of the time he had to recruit..this is his first rebuilding year and look what he has done..everyone knows this but i like speaking my mind

[BasketBySteveLogan]

The 2009-10 team WILL BE in the Final Four. Stamp that.

[jkwuc89]

If UC can continue its winning ways especially against the Big East powers, I look forward to looking at this page (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology) and seeing UC mentioned. Currently, the Bearcats are not on the radar...yet. Nine other Big East teams are.

[juckerrules]

UC now listed in both polls in "others receiving votes" part. Would be 38th in AP!
Great progress

[CincyBeerCo]

We must be able to win on the road in the BE before ranking is anything more than a dream.

Now, if we can win the next 3 games...UConn, @SH and @WVU...then I will start to talk about the possibility of being ranked!

Go Cats!

IF that happens, it will be a reality, not just a possibility. Honestly, if we win both games this week, I could see us hopping into one/both of the polls next week. Go Cats!

[BasketBySteveLogan]

I dont have access to any extensive research for the history of the AP and Coaches Polls... but I can't imagine a team with a 9-9 record EVER receiving any votes for either poll...

Does anyone know?

Either way, it's amazing and fun

[mlb]

It is really 1 vote in the AP. According to Bill Koch, 1 writer voted UC 21st.

[Bearcat Revival]

The way they've played since the Xavier game, they deserve to be up there. Not sure about actually IN the Top 25, but they're playing well at the right time. Just have to keep it going.

[BasketBySteveLogan]

My thread was different.... because it posed the question as to whether a 9-9 team has ever received ANY votes ever

[UcatsRick]

We played the first several games without a PG (Warren injury).
Since his return the 'Cats have really started playing well.
Beating 2 ranked teams and UofL on the road in the BE is huge.
If the rankings show who is playing the best at the current time, then Bearcats should be ranked.

[Josh Rexhausen]

My thread was different.... because it posed the question as to whether a 9-9 team has ever received ANY votes ever

It still belongs in this discussion.

I would venture to say no. Now I'm sure some 1-1 and maybe 2-2 teams have been ranked, thus having a .500 record, but this late seems prety unlikely, I have no idea where an archive is of top 25 rankings.

We played the first several games without a PG (Warren injury).
Since his return the 'Cats have really started playing well.
Beating 2 ranked teams and UofL on the road in the BE is huge.
If the rankings show who is playing the best at the current time, then Bearcats should be ranked.

I agree, I read some of the posters at Koch's blog, quoting the RPI, well I agree that RPI wise we aren't that hot, but lately we have done good, that is what the top 25 is all about. Recent success is (as I understand) a criterion of the selection committee, we need to stretch this to the end of the season, if the committee can write off a team (UC 2005) because of an injury at the end of the season, dispite early success, they ought to do it vice versa.