Illini stay in Top 25
Despite the ugly loss to UNLV, Illinois remained in the Top 25 in both the writers' and coaches' polls. Barely.
AP TOP 25
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 18, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking:
Record Pts Prv
1. Syracuse (53) 11-0 1,585 1
2. Ohio St. (5) 10-1 1,474 2
3. Kentucky (4) 9-1 1,457 3
4. Louisville (2) 10-0 1,364 4
5. North Carolina 9-2 1,340 5
6. Baylor 9-0 1,271 6
7. Duke 9-1 1,266 7
8. UConn 9-1 1,102 9
9. Missouri 11-0 1,076 10
10. Marquette 10-0 1,021 11
11. Florida 8-2 946 13
12. Kansas 7-2 939 12
13. Wisconsin 10-2 746 14
14. Xavier 8-1 728 8
15. Pittsburgh 10-1 707 15
16. Georgetown 9-1 644 16
17. Indiana 10-0 601 18
18. Mississippi St. 11-1 576 17
19. Michigan St. 9-2 413 21
20. Michigan 9-2 381 20
21. UNLV 11-2 251 —
22. Murray St. 12-0 222 24
23. Creighton 8-1 130 25
24. Virginia 9-1 102 —
25. Illinois 10-1 96 19
Others receiving votes: Harvard 88, San Diego St. 67, Stanford 61, Saint Louis 33, Gonzaga 23, Kansas St. 22, Texas A&M 18, Alabama 8, Wichita St. 8, Cleveland St. 7, N. Iowa 7, California 5, Vanderbilt 5, Northwestern 4, Ohio 3, Long Beach St. 2, Indiana St. 1.
Ballots Online: http://tinyurl.com/43u6jr6
Here's how basketball writer Paul Klee voted:
1. Syracuse
2. Kentucky
3. Ohio State
4. North Carolina
5. Missouri
6. Baylor
7. Duke
8. Marquette
9. Florida
10. Connecticut
11. Wisconsin
12. Louisville
13. Georgetown
14. Xavier
15. Kansas
16. Mississippi State
17. Pittsburgh
18. Creighton
19. Michigan
20. UNLV
21. Murray State
22. Indiana
23. Wichita State
24. Virginia
25. Michigan State
USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll
The top 25 teams in the USA Today-ESPN men’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 18, points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking:
Record Pts Pvs
1. Syracuse (30) 11-0 774 1
2. Ohio State (1) 10-1 713 2
3. Kentucky 9-1 702 3
4. Louisville 10-0 679 4
5. Duke 9-1 637 5
6. North Carolina 9-2 623 6
7. Baylor 9-0 570 7
8. Missouri 11-0 560 8
9. Connecticut 9-1 526 10
10. Marquette 10-0 503 11
11. Kansas 7-2 471 12
12. Florida 8-2 447 13
13. Pittsburgh 10-1 386 14
14. Wisconsin 10-2 361 15
15. Xavier 8-1 318 9
16. Georgetown 9-1 301 17
17. Mississippi State 11-1 277 16
18. Indiana 10-0 245 20
19. Michigan 9-2 221 18
20. Michigan State 9-2 193 23
21. Creighton 8-1 107 24
22. Murray State 12-0 100 —
23. UNLV 11-2 68 —
24. Illinois 10-1 66 19
25. Harvard 9-1 53 —
Others receiving votes: San Diego State 32, California 28, Texas A&M 25, Virginia 19, Saint Louis 13, Alabama 12, Kansas State 12, Stanford 9, Memphis 7, Saint Mary’s 5, Gonzaga 3, Saint Joseph’s 3, Vanderbilt 3, Northwestern 1, Oklahoma 1, Seton Hall 1.
It's obvious Paul Klee doesn't feel Illini belong in the Top 25. I have to agree with him. Illinois looked more like the team we saw last year against UIC than some new hard working, extra effort blue collar, motivated bunch. Illini were pretty lifeless against UNLV and looked like they were just going through the motions. They deserved the boos they received at United Center.
You guys are going crazy because we got beat by UNLV. Although we did lose big, you have to understand that we were down by 8 with 3 minutes left. We shot 27%. If we shoot 40% we probably win. If you want to say something like 'good teams don't shoot 27%,' how about you look at the box score of the national title game last year. Teams have days like that and ours just happened to be against a good UNLV team. Relax, the Illini will be okay.
Tom, this is the same problem every Weber team since 2005 has had. Some days, they show up and shoot the lights out, and we fans get all excited because once in awhile it happens against a good team. But the reality is, the offense does not create easy shots, and Illinois is left hoisting up threes with no time left on the clock. And inevitably, most of the time those shots do not fall and Illinois ends up losing. Worse, Illinois doesn't get to the line and get the free throws. This team, like its predecessors, can't win if it doesn't shoot 50%. That's a recipe for disaster in the Big Ten.
Fire Weber immediately; with 8 rivals.com 4 star recruits, Weber stresses his motion offense and only plays defensive players. Weber blames the kids; he needs to look in the mirror as he is the one making millions of dollars.
Please A/D Thomas fire Weber and instead of a MAC coach, promote Howard to head coach. Perhaps we can save the season.
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