Basketball rankings last season when the “experts” of national rankings were wrong by a combined 68 spots with only 4 teams. Kentucky, Tennessee and Auburn, not in the Top 10 in Week 6, made the Top 10 in the final Associated Press rankings. Alabama, Southern Cal and UCLA – in the Top 10 after week 6 – were #11, #22 and #35 in the final rankings.
From Week 6 when the “experts” got a good look at the talent around the nation to the final rankings last season:
Kentucky went from #21 to #7 !!!!
Tennessee went from #18 to #5 !!!!
Auburn went from #13 to #8 !!!!
Alabama went from #6 to #35 !!!!
Southern Cal went from #10 to #22 !!!!
UCLA went from #4 to #11 !!!!
The “experts” were wrong by 29 spots with Alabama, by 14 with Kentucky, by 13 with Tennessee, by 12 with Southern Cal.
Blind monkeys throwing darts at a board could do that well.
Gonzaga went from #5 to #1
Arizona went from #8 to #2
Kansas went from #7 to #3
Baylor went from #1 to #4
Villanova went from #9 to #6
Duke went from #2 to #9 !!!!
Purdue went from #3 to #10 !!!
March Madness seeding is more reliable. 64% of the time (23) 1 of the 4 #1 seeds wins the national title. With 68 teams in the field that's pretty accurate.
1 of the 4 #2 seeds has won it 5 times, #3 seeds 4 times, #4 #6 #7 #8 seeds 1 time apiece. #5 seed has never won it even though the 12 versus 5 matchups created the most upsets.
Again, I note: The most predictable thing about college basketball is unpredictability.
From Week 6 when the “experts” got a good look at the talent around the nation to the final rankings last season:
Kentucky went from #21 to #7 !!!!
Tennessee went from #18 to #5 !!!!
Auburn went from #13 to #8 !!!!
Alabama went from #6 to #35 !!!!
Southern Cal went from #10 to #22 !!!!
UCLA went from #4 to #11 !!!!
The “experts” were wrong by 29 spots with Alabama, by 14 with Kentucky, by 13 with Tennessee, by 12 with Southern Cal.
Blind monkeys throwing darts at a board could do that well.
Gonzaga went from #5 to #1
Arizona went from #8 to #2
Kansas went from #7 to #3
Baylor went from #1 to #4
Villanova went from #9 to #6
Duke went from #2 to #9 !!!!
Purdue went from #3 to #10 !!!
March Madness seeding is more reliable. 64% of the time (23) 1 of the 4 #1 seeds wins the national title. With 68 teams in the field that's pretty accurate.
1 of the 4 #2 seeds has won it 5 times, #3 seeds 4 times, #4 #6 #7 #8 seeds 1 time apiece. #5 seed has never won it even though the 12 versus 5 matchups created the most upsets.
Again, I note: The most predictable thing about college basketball is unpredictability.
