Keeping an eye on the national rankings

[sevelev711]

Actually dropped in rankings by a spot or two on Net and Bart Torvik after last nights game. Probably due to ISUr dropping 20 points after that egg vs SIU. That's going to be a bad loss that's going to haunt the metrics.

[unipanthers8907]

I'm guessing we won't be receiving any Top 25 votes this week (rightfully so), but I see Seth Davis still had us as the 7th team on his "also considered" list for his Top 25 poll this week after having us ranked last week. My guess is we'll have to win at least the next four games to seriously start being considered again (which might be tough with road games to Missouri State and Bradley in there).

[UNIAlum2010]

Lunardi has us first 4 out with Loyola getting the auto bid currently.

Lunardi just uses the conference standings leader. Not sure what the tie-breaker is but it means nothing. Loyola is 2-0 by themselves so they get the auto-bid in his bracket.

[BCPanther]

Lunardi just uses the conference standings leader. Not sure what the tie-breaker is but it means nothing. Loyola is 2-0 by themselves so they get the auto-bid in his bracket.

Loyola is going to get beat in Des Moines tomorrow night thus ending Lunardi's farce.

[BCPanther]

2 votes in the AP Poll. At least one or two people still love us.

[GoPanthers85]

2 votes in the AP Poll. At least one or two people still love us.

That's two more than I thought we would get!

[sevelev711]

My guess is that at least one of them is Mark Brennan. Dude had UNI at 17(!) last week.

[GoPanthers85]

Seth Davis has us at #32 in his almost famous for his rankings.

[UNIAlum2010]

Seems like as good of a place as any to post this for those interested.

From Erik Haslem of Haslametrics fame.

Teams improving their offensive efficiency the most since the end of last season:
1. UNC Asheville (+12.3)
2. Air Force (+11.2)
3. McNeese (+11.2)
4. UTEP (+10.4)
5. UNI (+9.6)
6. UNH (+8.5)
7. W. Carolina (+8.5)
8. North Texas (+8.4)
9. Tulane (+8.0)
10. Delaware State (+7.8)

[Khan4Cats]

Lunardi just uses the conference standings leader. Not sure what the tie-breaker is but it means nothing. Loyola is 2-0 by themselves so they get the auto-bid in his bracket.

Actually, the fact that he is listing us in the First Four/Last Four at all means he is still considering us for At-Large possibilities.

[BCPanther]

Up to 54 from 59 in the NET after last night's W.

Indiana State also moved up from 93 to 88, keeping them as a solid Quad 2 win.

Rest of the league as of 1/7--
Bradley 106 (+2)
Loyola 128 (+1)
Missouri State 135 (+5)
Drake 139 (+5)
Valpo 163 (-21)
Southern 200 (+18)
Illinois State 212 (-9)
Evansville 215 (+2)

[Gboom23]

For clarification sake, the game AT Indiana State would be a Quad 2 game right now. Our game last night is still a Q3 game. Of the sites I have checked out, I like this one:

https://bracketologists.com/team/northern-iowa-panthers

It has good tracking of our schedule, explains which rankings end up in each Quad, and what Quad each of our games currently falls into.

I think someone else had mentioned that what really matters is a move from Q3 to Q2, and I would agree. Assuming that is right, it would be ideal to see some separation in the Valley. I think it would be best for the Sycamores to come out with the #2 spot behind us and get in the top 75 in the NET (would be another Q2 win from last night). Then it would be good if Bradley, Loyola, and either Drake or MSU could stay in the top 135 so that those away games could count as Q2 games.

The problem is that I doubt that separation happens. It's just too hard to win on the road for most of these teams.

Another possible Q2 opportunity is S Carolina climbing back into the top 100. Long shots are N Colorado and Marshall getting to the top 75, but I would think that is unlikely. That being said, having all of our opponents continue to win is good, no matter what Quad they end up in.

[run&blade]

I sort of expected / hoped UNI would be blowing the doors of Valley teams.

Games are tight and I now think UNI will drop around 4 league games.

they will have to win it all in St Louis to make the big dance.

[BCPanther]

I sort of expected / hoped UNI would be blowing the doors of Valley teams.

Games are tight and I now think UNI will drop around 4 league games.

they will have to win it all in St Louis to make the big dance.

I wouldn't be worried about margins. Illinois State was a dumpster fire of a performance coupled with them playing their best half of basketball of the year. Totally a **** happens situation.

Bradley and Indiana State (and Loyola) are the most similar teams in the league to us style wise. We're just not going to run away from them.

I think you'll really see some margins starting on Saturday.

[beef50677]

Thanks for that link, that site is awesome. Best new information site I've seen in some time.

I agree with everything you said. It's very important to get all those games, non-conference especially, to move up to the next level if possible. The more Quad 1 & 2 games you have the better. But if you can't, getting out of Quad 4 is a decent place to start(resume-wise). I don't know how far South Carolina can move, the Southeastern Conference is very deep and they're just one of those "in the pack" teams. Northern Colorado loos like they're going to be one of the two or three best in the Big Sky. Overall, that means little, but they should pile up around 18-20 wins. Same could be said for California Baptist and Grand Canyon in the WAC. Don't think either is a danger to unseeding New Mexico State during the regular season, but both could separate from those other dogs in that conference. Old Dominion and Marshall have the potential to do a similar thing in Conference USA.

If everything broke right, the Panthers could have a very solid resume for one that's resting mostly on what West Virginia and Colorado do.