Just a thread to keep tabs on losses in the Top 10. There has been a lot of attrition in the Top 10 this year. So far there seems to be only a small handful of elite teams. UConn, Purdue, and UNC are looking like a cut above everyone else....maybe UH too after shaking off their early conference stumbles. Beyond that I think we will see a lot of moving up and down the rankings during the season with teams outside that group.

I think BU belongs somewhere in the Top 15....but we will see how things start to play out in the weeks ahead.

Losses so far this week in Top 10

#6 UK loses to SCAR on the road

#10 Illinois loses to Northwestern on the road

#8 Auburn loses to Bama on the road

#9 Arizona loses to 9-9 Oregon St on the road. Arizona was a 19 point favorite in that game.

AP Top 10 teams are now 17-27 (38.6%) this season on the road against unranked opponents. College Basketball is a completely different sport than it has been in the past...

18-19: 73.3%
19-20: 66.1%
20-21: 58.9%
21-22: 61.2%
22-23: 59.8%

It is REALLY hard to win on the road!

— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) January 26, 2024

Arizona fans, let me say this:

Last season, UCONN lost 6 out of 8 during a stretch that spanned to the end of January.

Two seasons ago, Kansas had 6 losses, 4 coming a month before the tournament.

I know, it seems all gloomy now, and I’m extremely hurt, but at the end of the…

— 🃏 (@primmzx) January 26, 2024

Arizona plays down to competition and has for most of the season. They also have no depth. They will be on a lot of people's brackets to go far into the tournament. I'll have them no better than making the Sweet 16 in mine.

Exactly right. Every team needs in the country except Tenn and Houston turns it off and on. So it's hard to assess teams properly especially when there are no phenomenal talent stand outs outside of 18 yr old kids.

Of course, playing 100% every game gives you better chance every game but also makes evaluating against the loafing teams hard. Some of the loafing teams have high one game upside. Bu is also a team that plays down too often and doesn't dictate terms.

I don't think this is an elite Baylor team. I think it's potential is very high, but we've got a long way to go to reach that.

But when you look at all these ranked teams losing to dreadful opponents, it's worth noting that our losses are all away from home and to the Nos. 13, 18, 35 and 64 teams in the KenPom rankings.

And we led three of those four late (or late-ish in the Duke game).

We've got some things to clean up certainly, but our problems aren't as big as many here want to make them. Those freaking out haven't paid very close attention to the college basketball landscape in 2023-24.

On Saturday #7 KU loses on the road to ISU and #8 Auburn loses on the road to Miss St.

When I started this thread I was assuming we would be bouncing around somewhere within the Top 15 throughout the season and wanted to keep tabs on the teams we could possibly pass.

Well...looks like we are about to fall out of the Top 25. Probably will let this thread die a quick death if we don't start looking stronger soon.

On the other side of the coin....Xavier is pretty meh this year....but UConn beat them by 43 points yesterday. 99-56.

Damn that's dominant.

Checked with our friend @kenpomeroy about ⁦@UHCougarMBK⁩ & his numbers indicate it’s best defense relative to the national average in many, many years. And, it’s occurring in a season where the national average in offensive efficiency is the best in history. Impressive. pic.twitter.com/TPVO0Q6IUC

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) January 29, 2024

This weekend will feature four top-10 matchups:

No. 4 Houston at No. 8 Kansas
No. 7 Duke at No. 3 North Carolina
No. 5 Tennessee at No. 10 Kentucky
No. 2 Purdue at No. 6 Wisconsin

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) January 29, 2024

Couple of top 10 losses tonight

#5 Tenn loses at home to SCAR (Tenn was favored by 13.5)

#3 UNC loses on the road to 9-10 GT (UNC was favored by 8.5)

Things you didn't think you'd tweet: Georgia Tech has beaten both Duke and North Carolina in Year One under Damon Stoudamire.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 31, 2024

South Carolina isn't just a Top 25 team --- it's a team that has already beaten both Tennessee and Kentucky.

Gamecocks earn their first Top 5 road win since 1997.

18-3.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 31, 2024

On the road Florida just hit a 3 pointer with 3 seconds left to take #10 UK to OT.

Game on ESPN for anyone interested

Three rules to live by:
1. Never acknowledge The Godfather: Part III.
2. Never waste calories on pizza outside of the Eastern Time Zone.
3. ALWAYS foul up three late.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 1, 2024

boognish_bear said:

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On the road Florida just hit a 3 pointer with 3 seconds left to take #10 UK to OT.

Game on ESPN for anyone interested

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They just hit a 3 to go up two with 1:25-ish remaining. This would be a big win for Florida ... and our resume. Go Gators.

In other news, Kentucky's camera angle is almost as bad as ours. It's every bit as high, just not quite as steep of an angle.

UK was up 4 with 18 seconds left in regulation...end up losing in OT. UK was favored by 7.5.

Florida just got the type of win that will get it into the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday. Gators over Kentucky at Rupp Arena. Far and away the biggest win of the Todd Golden era.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 1, 2024

FL has a damm good group of guards

IowaBear said:

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FL has a damm good group of guards

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Unfortunately, they're even worse than we are defensively.

They've lost a lot of close games as a result.

#6 Wiscy had a 16 point lead at half on the road at Neb. Neb has comeback and tied it and now its headed to OT.

Criminal
Yet again

— Matt Rhule (@CoachMattRhule) February 2, 2024

They are storming the court in Lincoln

Pinnacle Bank Arena may ultimately get Nebraska to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.

Huskers with a Quad 1 win in OT over Wisconsin.

The dream is alive in Lincoln.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 2, 2024

Nebraska was down 16 at halftime.

They just beat #6 Wisconsin in OT and stormed the court. @BarstoolHusker pic.twitter.com/XJylOoD1UX

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 2, 2024

🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/BlMMxjMEub

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 2, 2024

boognish_bear said:

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They are storming the court in Lincoln

Pinnacle Bank Arena may ultimately get Nebraska to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.

Huskers with a Quad 1 win in OT over Wisconsin.

The dream is alive in Lincoln.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 2, 2024

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Sure, they may get there. But will they ever win a game in the tournament?

whitetrash said:

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boognish_bear said:

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They are storming the court in Lincoln

Pinnacle Bank Arena may ultimately get Nebraska to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.

Huskers with a Quad 1 win in OT over Wisconsin.

The dream is alive in Lincoln.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 2, 2024

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Sure, they may get there. But will they ever win a game in the tournament?

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They've got the right coach to. It's taken him a lot longer than anyone expected, but he's finally getting that thing pointed in the right direction in Lincoln.

Kansas students waiting in line for
Saturday’s game against Houston pic.twitter.com/cWKTkK3AI2

— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) February 2, 2024

Not top 10....but a team in front of us

#13 Creighton loses at home to Butler. Creighton was favored by 9.5

There were three top 10 losses yesterday…but all of them happened in top 10 versus top 10 matchups. So those don't really count.

There is another top 10 matchup today with #2 Purdue facing #6 Wiscy.

Yesterday, 6 teams ranked above us lost, half were top 10 (Houston, Duke, Kentucky) losing to other top 10 (Kansas, UNC, Tennessee). This list also includes Iowa State, Texas Tech, & Utah State and two teams below us: OU & TCU. Of the 8 ranked teams that lost, 6 were in the Big 12.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if those last two drop out and Cincy & UCF replace them. To whatever extent it matters, we should move up in the rankings. Now that we are in February it is beginning to matter more.

The week that was in the @AP_Top25 men’s basketball poll. Ranked teams to lose:

No. 3 North Carolina
No. 4 Houston
No. 5 Tennessee
No. 6 Wisconsin X 2
No. 7 Duke
No. 10 Kentucky X 2
No. 12 Iowa State
No. 13 Creighton
No. 15 Texas Tech X 2
No. 17 Utah State
No. 19 New Mexico…

— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) February 4, 2024

It seems like this list is long every week. At least this time only six of these losses are in the Big 12.