AP Top 25 (Oct 21st) - and as expected disappointment

[Go_Braves]

Below is the first season AP Top 25 - and expected - also disappointment. The disappointment is that to me (as expected) the
AP, and coaches, and media really no longer list more mid-major teams. Granted there are a lot - a lot - of really good NCAA
basketball teams this coming season and in my view the initial Top 25 has always been a guessing game - we will know where
things truly stand with the top 25 by December. Between now and then, the mid-majors are just going to have to make some noise and knock off teams from these power conferences. GO BRAVES.

https://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll

October 21[SUP]st[/SUP] …. [TABLE="border: 0, cellpadding: 0"]
[TR]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Michigan State[/TD]
[TD]Big Ten[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Kentucky[/TD]
[TD]SEC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Kansas[/TD]
[TD]Big 12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Duke[/TD]
[TD]ACC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Louisville[/TD]
[TD]ACC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Florida[/TD]
[TD]SEC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Maryland[/TD]
[TD]Big Ten[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Gonzaga[/TD]
[TD]West Coast[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]North Carolina[/TD]
[TD]ACC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Villanova[/TD]
[TD]Big East[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Virginia[/TD]
[TD]ACC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Seton Hall[/TD]
[TD]Big East[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Texas Tech[/TD]
[TD]Big 12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Memphis[/TD]
[TD]American Athletic Conference (AAC)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Oregon[/TD]
[TD]Pac-12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Baylor[/TD]
[TD]Big 12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Utah State[/TD]
[TD]Mountain West[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Ohio State[/TD]
[TD]Big Ten[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Xavier[/TD]
[TD]Big East[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Saint Mary's (Cal)[/TD]
[TD]West Coast[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Arizona[/TD]
[TD]Pac-12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]LSU[/TD]
[TD]SEC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]Purdue[/TD]
[TD]Big Ten[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]Auburn[/TD]
[TD]SEC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]VCU[/TD]
[TD]Atlantic 10[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Others Receiving Votes:
Others receiving votes: Washington 164, Colorado 152, Tennessee 78, Marquette 68, Florida St. 36, Davidson 34, Harvard 24, Illinois 14, Missouri 13, Mississippi St. 12, Houston 11, Georgetown 11, Cincinnati 8, Notre Dame 7, Creighton 4, Syracuse 3, NC State 3, Vermont 2, Alabama 2, Southern Cal 2, Liberty 2, Michigan 2, Dayton 1, Colgate 1, Providence 1.

 

[BUSongwriter]

I agree, GB. For Valley teams and other mid-majors, the lack of recognition and exposure is a problem before the year starts and an even bigger problem come tournament selection time. The only way to get recognition is pretty much to remain undefeated for the first half of the year and finish the year with four or fewer losses. Meanwhile, a team like Illiniois -- which finished 11th in the Big 10 last year and had only one road win -- is supposedly a Top 30 team this year. Always frustrating. Our Braves just need to play with a chip on their shoulder and go out and open the eyes of people with tunnel vision.