Dec. 28, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016
2 feature games to tell you about, both non-conference games.
12/28/15-
Michigan (Cillian Tribble) @
#3 UCLA (Tim Shepard) -- The Wolverines offered no defense for UCLA's hot shooting, as the Bruins shot 59% for the game. That, combined with 21 Michigan turnovers, led to an easy victory for UCLA.
Final Score: #3 UCLA- 108, Michigan- 73.
1/2/16-
Hawaii (B.B. Gunn) @
Washington State (DeShawn St. John) -- Despite being outrebounded 43-35, Hawaii shot just a little better, and hit just a few more shots. They also forced 18 Cougar turnovers to get a big road victory.
Final Score: Hawaii- 82, Washington State- 72
And now onto the weekly recap:
Hartford (David Ginsberg) -- 3-12, 2-1 America East.
1/1/16 at Vermont (L 59-51).
1/3/16 vs. Maine (W 79-68).
The Hawks will take the split, and they really did play a very good Vermont team tough, on the road.
ECU (Al Hutt) -- 4-9, 1-2 American.
12/30/15 at UCF (W 66-61, OT).
1/2/16 vs. UConn (L 80-68).
A split for the Pirates, winning on the road and losing at home. Usually it's the other way around.
Davidson (Randolph Childress) -- 6-6, 0-0 Atlantic 10.
12/30/15 at #13 Arizona (L 80-42).
Just 1 game for the Wildcats this week, but they don't mind, as they were thumped big time after the big win at UNC last week.
TCU (Bee Mighty) -- 4-9, 0-2 Big 12.
12/28/15 at Texas Tech (L 80-68).
1/2/16 at #25 Texas (L 64-47).
Nothing doing for the Horned Frogs on the road this week as they've now lost 6 of their last 7.
Michigan (Cillian Tribble) -- 7-5, 0-0 Big 10.
12/30/15 at #3 UCLA- feature game, highlighted above.
1/1/16 vs. George Mason (W 74-58).
Nice bounce back win for the Wolverines after being hammered by the Bruins.
#7 Michigan State (Al Mighty) -- 11-1, 0-0 Big 10.
12/29/15 at North Dakota (W 84-74).
1 game for the Spartans this week, and they struggled a bit with a 2 win North Dakota team. Perhaps looking past them into conference play.
Hawaii (B.B. Gunn) -- 9-5, 0-0 Big West.
12/29/15 at Arizona State (W 79-77).
1/2/16 at Washington State- feature game, highlighted above.
2 big wins for the Warriors this week, including the win over Arizona State who currently has an RPI of 21.
Charlotte (Timmy Tribble) -- 4-7, 0-0 Conference USA.
12/29/15 at Illinois (L 79-39).
Just 1 game for the 49ers this week, another road game against a top opponent, and another blowout loss.
Rice (Charlie Shocker) -- 6-5, 0-0 Conference USA.
12/31/15 vs. Brown (W 67-60).
1/2/16 at Delaware State (W 78-55).
2 feel good wins for the Owls before conference play starts, but they mustn't feel too good, as those 2 wins came against teams with a combined 6-21 record.
Monmouth (Thomas Carrano) -- 5-9, 4-4 MAAC.
1/1/16 at Princeton (L 75-55).
1/3/16 vs. Marist (L 51-47).
After a week with 2 wins, the Hawks follow it up with a week with 2 losses, although one was on the road against a very good Princeton team.
Norfolk State (Payten Carrano) -- 3-10, 0-1 MEAC.
12/28/15 vs. Morgan State (L 64-49).
Just 1 game this week for the Spartans, and it wasn't too pleasant, as they lost their conference opener.
Colorado (Rob Nielsen) -- 8-4, 0-0 Pac 12.
12/28/15 at #8 Ohio State (L 75-72).
12/30/15 at Oklahoma State (W 74-66).
A split for the Buffaloes, and a case of what could have been, as they had Ohio State on the ropes several times.
Stanford (Benito Sanchez) -- 11-2, 0-0 Pac 12.
12/31/15 vs. Middle Tennessee (W 63-44).
1/2/16 at UC Irvine (W 65-59).
The winning streak is now 10 for the Cardinal, who are on an amazing roll headed into conference play.
#3 UCLA (Tim Shepard) -- 12-0, 0-0 Pac 12.
12/30/15 vs. Michigan- feature game, highlighted above.
1/1/16 vs. Montana (W 77-69).
A bit of a letdown against Montana after blowing out Michigan, but the Bruins will take an undefeated record into conference play.
Washington State (DeShawn St. John) -- 6-4, 0-0 Pac 12.
12/30/15 vs. Southern Utah (W 67-35).
1/2/16 vs. Hawaii- feature game, highlighted above.
A split for the Cougars, who saw their 4 game losing streak end against Hawaii.
Alabama (Roy Rogers) -- 4-7, 0-0 SEC.
12/30/15 at Washington (L 75-61).
1/1/16 vs. Sam Houston State (W 68-54).
The Crimson Tide were nothing if not consistent this week, winning a game by 14 and losing a game by 14.
#17 Florida (Noah Oppenheimer) -- 10-2, 0-0 SEC.
12/30/15 at Bethune Cookman (W 80-50).
1/2/16 vs. Wisconsin (L 63-44).
Not the way you want to compete against a really good Wisconsin team, as the Gators laid an egg there.
#16 Kentucky (Patrick Hutt) -- 10-2, 0-0 SEC.
No games this week for the Wildcats.
Troy (Brett Hawkins) -- 5-8, 3-1 Sun Belt.
12/29/15 vs. Mississippi State (L 72-63).
12/31/15 vs. Georgia Southern (W 68-60).
2 tough games for the Trojans this week, who battled Mississippi State tough before losing, but got a most important conference win.
Here's a look at the polls:
Code:
Top 25
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Gonzaga (70) 16-0 1798 2 West Coast Conference
2. Iowa (2) 12-0 1713 1 Big Ten Conference
3. UCLA 12-0 1649 3 Pacific-12 Conference
4. Villanova 12-1 1585 4 Big East Conference
5. Syracuse 12-1 1511 5 Atlantic Coast Conference
6. Kansas 12-1 1463 6 Big 12 Conference
7. Michigan State 11-1 1339 7 Big Ten Conference
8. North Carolina 13-1 1236 12 Atlantic Coast Conference
9. VCU 11-1 1222 9 Atlantic 10 Conference
10. Arizona 10-2 1160 13 Pacific-12 Conference
11. Cincinnati 13-1 1083 18 American Athletic Conference
12. Baylor 12-1 1009 10 Big 12 Conference
13. Oklahoma 11-1 932 14 Big 12 Conference
14. Ohio State 11-1 859 8 Big Ten Conference
15. Duke 11-1 836 11 Atlantic Coast Conference
16. Kentucky 10-2 750 16 Southeastern Conference
17. Notre Dame 10-2 608 23 Atlantic Coast Conference
18. Miami 12-1 542 22 Atlantic Coast Conference
19. Wisconsin 10-2 400 NR Big Ten Conference
20. Washington 11-1 380 NR Pacific-12 Conference
21. Texas 11-2 352 25 Big 12 Conference
22. Illinois 11-1 340 NR Big Ten Conference
23. Florida 10-2 269 17 Southeastern Conference
24. Iowa State 12-2 92 20 Big 12 Conference
25. UNLV 11-1 83 NR Mountain West Conference
Others Receiving Votes:
Marquette 12-2 61 Big East Conference
Illinois State 14-1 58 Missouri Valley Conference
Louisville 10-3 28 Atlantic Coast Conference
Vanderbilt 10-2 27 Southeastern Conference
South Carolina 11-1 7 Southeastern Conference
Vermont 12-1 7 America East Conference
North Florida 12-1 1 Atlantic Sun Conference
So UCLA, Michigan State, and Kentucky all stay where they were. Hard to move up when the teams ahead of you aren't losing, and in Kentucky's case, they didn't play this week. Florida moves down 6 spots after their loss to Wisconsin.
Code:
Mid Major Top 25
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Gonzaga (72) 16-0 1800 1 West Coast Conference
2. VCU 11-1 1716 2 Atlantic 10 Conference
3. Cincinnati 13-1 1668 3 American Athletic Conference
4. UNLV 11-1 1570 4 Mountain West Conference
5. Illinois State 14-1 1462 6 Missouri Valley Conference
6. Stephen F. Austin 12-2 1439 7 Southland Conference
7. Connecticut 12-3 1228 12 American Athletic Conference
8. Valparaiso 13-1 1219 8 Horizon League
9. South Dakota State 9-2 1160 10 Summit League
10. Vermont 12-1 1114 13 America East Conference
11. George Washington 10-3 1059 19 Atlantic 10 Conference
12. North Florida 12-1 982 14 Atlantic Sun Conference
13. Tulsa 12-2 899 17 American Athletic Conference
14. Harvard 10-3 856 22 Ivy League
15. San Diego State 10-4 770 21 Mountain West Conference
16. New Mexico 10-2 678 NR Mountain West Conference
17. Richmond 10-2 557 15 Atlantic 10 Conference
18. Massachusetts 9-3 481 25 Atlantic 10 Conference
19. Stony Brook 12-2 448 24 America East Conference
20. Northern Iowa 10-3 380 NR Missouri Valley Conference
21. Louisiana Tech 10-2 362 20 Conference USA
22. La Salle 9-3 330 NR Atlantic 10 Conference
23. Murray State 12-2 315 NR Ohio Valley Conference
24. Princeton 11-2 308 NR Ivy League
25. Saint Louis 10-2 161 NR Atlantic 10 Conference
Others Receiving Votes:
UTEP 9-2 96 Conference USA
Winthrop 12-2 91 Big South Conference
Old Dominion 9-2 86 Conference USA
BYU 11-4 78 West Coast Conference
Florida Gulf Coast 12-2 55 Atlantic Sun Conference
Eastern Washington 10-2 14 Big Sky Conference
St. Bonaventure 7-3 11 Atlantic 10 Conference
Fordham 10-2 5 Atlantic 10 Conference
Eastern Kentucky 11-3 2 Ohio Valley Conference
Still no representation in the mid-major poll.