2017 Week 9: AVCA Poll Notes and Preview
Oct 17, 2017 21:56:02 GMT -5
nyline, traveler, and 1 more like this
Post by lionsfan on Oct 17, 2017 21:56:02 GMT -5
Back on Top: Hmmm, how are we all feeling about being #1? I kind of liked quietly lurking in the shadows with the target reserved for someone else. But with Florida losing and the Lions topping the Spartans 3-1, Penn State became the fifth different team (Texas, Stanford, Minnesota, Florida) to be in the top spot in the first 9 weeks—a first for the AVCA poll.
According to the AVCA record books, this is the 89th week that Penn State has been #1 (the PSU sports information department listed it as the 91st time, so not sure where the discrepancy may be), nine spots short of first-place Nebraska (98 weeks). Stanford is third all-time with 69 weeks. Florida’s three-week run with keep them in ninth-place all time with 16 weeks, two short of Pacific. Penn State’s first defense of the top ranking won’t be easy, as it hits the road to play #17 Purdue, which has dropped two in a row to conference heavyweights Minnesota and Nebraska. While the Lions swept the Boilers in West Lafayette last year, Mackey Arena has proven to be a tough venue with great student support. The championship teams of 2013 and 2014 needed five sets to win there.
Going Wild(cats): Can you believe it? Kentucky did it again. Entering their match in Gainesville, the Wildcats were 0-6 against #1 teams. That all changed with a 3-1 win over Florida. From the Kentucky SID: “It is the third-consecutive win over the Gators on their home court; marking the first time in program history the Cats have achieved that feat. Florida was ranked in the top five in all three meetings. Kentucky has downed the Gators in three of its last four meetings, which is the longest such streak since the Cats won six straight meetings from 1986 to 1990.”
The contest was just the third ever between two Top 10 SEC teams. The win moved them up two spots to #6 (and they received one first-place vote), making it the highest ranking for the program during coach Craig Skinner’s tenure (which was previously #7). The program’s all-time best ranking was #5 in 1993. Florida fell to #4, with two first-place votes.
I See Red People: Less than two weeks after dropping a heartbreaking five-set match after going up 2-0 in Lincoln, Wisconsin got another shot at the #4 Huskers. This time, it came away with a four-set win in front of a rowdy home crowd. It was the first win over Nebraska since 2014, and the highest-ranked opponent the Badgers has defeated since topping #2 Texas in September of 2016. The Badgers earned just their fourth win ever in 24 matches against Nebraska, moving them back into the Top 10 at #9, while the Huskers dropped three to #7. There’s no time to rest: Next up for Wisconsin is a rematch against #5 Minnesota, who two weeks ago beat the Badgers 3-2 in Madison. The Gophers lead the series 49-30.
Pac Powers: With Washington losing three of its last five matches, the anticipation may not be as huge as it was just a few weeks ago. But don’t count the defending Pac 12 champs out as they travel to play the defending national champs on Thursday (on ESPNU). Since losing to Penn State on Sept. 9, the Card has dropped only four sets during its 10-match win streak (including two 3-1 wins at the L.A. schools last weekend) and sits atop the Pac at 8-0. Stanford is 51-14 all-time against the Huskies, including two wins last year, while they split the series in 2015. The series has been more competitive recently, but Stanford has been more vulnerable in Seattle (which will host on Nov. 8).
…And More Red People: With two wins at the Arizonas, Utah sits in sole possession of second place in the Pac 12. They moved up a spot to #12, inching ever-so-closer to its highest ranking since Nov. 27, 2006 (#11) and its highest ranking ever (#8, last done on Sept. 9, 2002). The Utes have a huge weekend ahead as it hosts #13 UCLA and #19 Southern Cal. The Bruins lead the all-time series 20-2, and have won four straight against Utah. USC leads the series 16-3 all-time, each school winning on the road last year (when the Utes got their first win at the Galen Center since 1986). Utah is just 1-7 all-time against the Trojans in Salt Lake City, its only win coming in 2014.
From the Utes' SID: “Utah heads into the week with a 7-1 mark in Pac-12 play and has won five consecutive conference matches, which marks the longest conference match winning streak for the program since joining the league in 2011. Utah's previous long was a four-match winning streak back in 2014. It also marks the longest winning streak in conference play since five straight as a member of the Mountain West Conference back in 2009.”
Other Notable Results
RPI Watch
The Lions are still #1 in the second RPI rankings:
1. Penn State
2. Minnesota (+2)
3. Florida (-1)
4. Texas (+2)
5. Kentucky (-2)
6. Nebraska (-1)
7. Stanford
8. Wisconsin (+3)
9. Oregon (-1)
10. Utah (-1)
11. Washington (-1)
12. Kansas
13. Creighton (+1)
14. Purdue (-1)
15. UCLA (+1)
16. Southern Cal (+1)
17. BYU (+2)
18. Michigan State (-3)
19. Illinois (+3)
20. Wichita State
21. Iowa State (-3)
22. Baylor (+)
29. Ohio State
33. Michigan (+3)
38. Maryland (+1)
45. Iowa (+2)
56. Northwestern (-8)
86. Indiana (-10)
225. Rutgers (+6)
Based on these numbers and my crystal ball, here’s my early predictions on seedings for the tournament:
1. Florida
16. UCLA
8. Wisconsin
9. Utah
2. Minnesota
15. Creighton
7. Nebraska
10. Oregon
3. Texas
14. BYU
6. Stanford
11. Michigan State
4. Penn State
13. Kansas
5. Kentucky
12. Washington
The Big Matches: Week 9
#1 Penn State @ #17 Purdue
#14 Washington @ #2 Stanford
#9 Wisconsin @ #6 Minnesota
#11 Kansas @ #24 Baylor
#12 Utah vs. #13 UCLA
#12 Utah vs. #19 Southern Cal
Upset watch:
Lionsfan’s Top 25
1. Penn State (+2)
2. Stanford (+2)
3. Minnesota (+2)
4. Texas (+2)
5. Florida (-4)
6. Kentucky (+3)
7. Nebraska (-5)
8. Michigan State (-1)
9. Wisconsin (+3)
10. BYU
11. Utah
12. Kansas (-4)
13. UCLA
14. Creighton (+1)
15. Washington (-1)
16. Purdue
17. Oregon
18. Southern Cal
19. San Diego
20. Colorado (+1)
21. Colorado State (+1)
22. Baylor (+1)
23. Northern Iowa (-3)
24. Iowa State
25. Wichita State
Dropped out previously: Michigan (Week 7); Florida State (Week 6); Michigan (Week 5); Illinois, Baylor (Week 4); Wichita State, Northern Iowa (Week 3); North Carolina, Lipscomb, Baylor (Week 2); Michigan State, Hawaii, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Colorado State (Week 1)
According to the AVCA record books, this is the 89th week that Penn State has been #1 (the PSU sports information department listed it as the 91st time, so not sure where the discrepancy may be), nine spots short of first-place Nebraska (98 weeks). Stanford is third all-time with 69 weeks. Florida’s three-week run with keep them in ninth-place all time with 16 weeks, two short of Pacific. Penn State’s first defense of the top ranking won’t be easy, as it hits the road to play #17 Purdue, which has dropped two in a row to conference heavyweights Minnesota and Nebraska. While the Lions swept the Boilers in West Lafayette last year, Mackey Arena has proven to be a tough venue with great student support. The championship teams of 2013 and 2014 needed five sets to win there.
Going Wild(cats): Can you believe it? Kentucky did it again. Entering their match in Gainesville, the Wildcats were 0-6 against #1 teams. That all changed with a 3-1 win over Florida. From the Kentucky SID: “It is the third-consecutive win over the Gators on their home court; marking the first time in program history the Cats have achieved that feat. Florida was ranked in the top five in all three meetings. Kentucky has downed the Gators in three of its last four meetings, which is the longest such streak since the Cats won six straight meetings from 1986 to 1990.”
The contest was just the third ever between two Top 10 SEC teams. The win moved them up two spots to #6 (and they received one first-place vote), making it the highest ranking for the program during coach Craig Skinner’s tenure (which was previously #7). The program’s all-time best ranking was #5 in 1993. Florida fell to #4, with two first-place votes.
I See Red People: Less than two weeks after dropping a heartbreaking five-set match after going up 2-0 in Lincoln, Wisconsin got another shot at the #4 Huskers. This time, it came away with a four-set win in front of a rowdy home crowd. It was the first win over Nebraska since 2014, and the highest-ranked opponent the Badgers has defeated since topping #2 Texas in September of 2016. The Badgers earned just their fourth win ever in 24 matches against Nebraska, moving them back into the Top 10 at #9, while the Huskers dropped three to #7. There’s no time to rest: Next up for Wisconsin is a rematch against #5 Minnesota, who two weeks ago beat the Badgers 3-2 in Madison. The Gophers lead the series 49-30.
Pac Powers: With Washington losing three of its last five matches, the anticipation may not be as huge as it was just a few weeks ago. But don’t count the defending Pac 12 champs out as they travel to play the defending national champs on Thursday (on ESPNU). Since losing to Penn State on Sept. 9, the Card has dropped only four sets during its 10-match win streak (including two 3-1 wins at the L.A. schools last weekend) and sits atop the Pac at 8-0. Stanford is 51-14 all-time against the Huskies, including two wins last year, while they split the series in 2015. The series has been more competitive recently, but Stanford has been more vulnerable in Seattle (which will host on Nov. 8).
…And More Red People: With two wins at the Arizonas, Utah sits in sole possession of second place in the Pac 12. They moved up a spot to #12, inching ever-so-closer to its highest ranking since Nov. 27, 2006 (#11) and its highest ranking ever (#8, last done on Sept. 9, 2002). The Utes have a huge weekend ahead as it hosts #13 UCLA and #19 Southern Cal. The Bruins lead the all-time series 20-2, and have won four straight against Utah. USC leads the series 16-3 all-time, each school winning on the road last year (when the Utes got their first win at the Galen Center since 1986). Utah is just 1-7 all-time against the Trojans in Salt Lake City, its only win coming in 2014.
From the Utes' SID: “Utah heads into the week with a 7-1 mark in Pac-12 play and has won five consecutive conference matches, which marks the longest conference match winning streak for the program since joining the league in 2011. Utah's previous long was a four-match winning streak back in 2014. It also marks the longest winning streak in conference play since five straight as a member of the Mountain West Conference back in 2009.”
Other Notable Results
- With two gritty five-set wins over the weekend, Oregon State completed its first road sweep since 2011 (Utah and Colorado) and the first of the Washington schools since 1990 (!). The win against the Huskies was the Beavers first since Oct. 26, 2001. The Huskies lost points in the poll but remained at #14, helped by their five-set win over Oregon.
- With a 3-1 win at Northern Iowa, Missouri State took sole possession of the MVC at 8-0. It was all the more impressive considering that the night before, the Bears were taken to five by Drake—also previously unbeaten in conference play. The win over UNI was Missouri State’s second road win over a Top 20 team (beating then #20 Ohio State in September), dropping the Panthers five sports to #25. Missouri State is third in line in the “receiving votes” category. From the Bears’ SID: “Off to an 8-0 start in the MVC for the fifth time in school history and first since 2009, Missouri State has now posted a winning streak of nine matches or longer in three consecutive seasons, while extending its school-record MVC win streak to 24 matches and its NCAA-best road streak to 18 straight wins.”
RPI Watch
The Lions are still #1 in the second RPI rankings:
1. Penn State
2. Minnesota (+2)
3. Florida (-1)
4. Texas (+2)
5. Kentucky (-2)
6. Nebraska (-1)
7. Stanford
8. Wisconsin (+3)
9. Oregon (-1)
10. Utah (-1)
11. Washington (-1)
12. Kansas
13. Creighton (+1)
14. Purdue (-1)
15. UCLA (+1)
16. Southern Cal (+1)
17. BYU (+2)
18. Michigan State (-3)
19. Illinois (+3)
20. Wichita State
21. Iowa State (-3)
22. Baylor (+)
29. Ohio State
33. Michigan (+3)
38. Maryland (+1)
45. Iowa (+2)
56. Northwestern (-8)
86. Indiana (-10)
225. Rutgers (+6)
Based on these numbers and my crystal ball, here’s my early predictions on seedings for the tournament:
1. Florida
16. UCLA
8. Wisconsin
9. Utah
2. Minnesota
15. Creighton
7. Nebraska
10. Oregon
3. Texas
14. BYU
6. Stanford
11. Michigan State
4. Penn State
13. Kansas
5. Kentucky
12. Washington
The Big Matches: Week 9
#1 Penn State @ #17 Purdue
#14 Washington @ #2 Stanford
#9 Wisconsin @ #6 Minnesota
#11 Kansas @ #24 Baylor
#12 Utah vs. #13 UCLA
#12 Utah vs. #19 Southern Cal
Upset watch:
- Washington State @ #2 Stanford
- Auburn vs. #4 Florida
- Ohio State vs. #5 Minnesota
- Pepperdine vs. #8 BYU
- Loyola Marymount vs. #8 BYU
- Loyola Marymount vs. #18 San Diego
- Pepperdine vs. #18 San Diego
- Colorado vs. #13 UCLA
- Colorado vs. #19 Southern Cal
Lionsfan’s Top 25
1. Penn State (+2)
2. Stanford (+2)
3. Minnesota (+2)
4. Texas (+2)
5. Florida (-4)
6. Kentucky (+3)
7. Nebraska (-5)
8. Michigan State (-1)
9. Wisconsin (+3)
10. BYU
11. Utah
12. Kansas (-4)
13. UCLA
14. Creighton (+1)
15. Washington (-1)
16. Purdue
17. Oregon
18. Southern Cal
19. San Diego
20. Colorado (+1)
21. Colorado State (+1)
22. Baylor (+1)
23. Northern Iowa (-3)
24. Iowa State
25. Wichita State
Dropped out previously: Michigan (Week 7); Florida State (Week 6); Michigan (Week 5); Illinois, Baylor (Week 4); Wichita State, Northern Iowa (Week 3); North Carolina, Lipscomb, Baylor (Week 2); Michigan State, Hawaii, Missouri, Pittsburgh, Colorado State (Week 1)
