For the fourth straight week, Indiana claims the No. 1 rankings in the AP poll, and this time there was little debate about whether or not they earned it.
The Hoosiers had 64 of the 65 first-place votes in the latest AP poll. Gonzaga got the other first place vote and sits at No. 2 in the latest poll. In the USA Today Coaches poll, Indiana received 28 of the 31 first place votes, with Gonzaga receiving the other three. That No. 2 ranking is the highest in the history of the Bulldog program.
(CLICK HERE to see both polls in their entirety)
The only real issue I have with either poll is that Michigan State has dropped so far.
I’ll never understand why voters feel that losing games on the road is such a negative. The road is not an easy place to get a win in league play, particularly in the Big Ten. Michigan State lost at No. 15 Ohio State, which came on the heels of a loss to the No. 1 team in the country, Indiana. Both were games that were within a single possession in the final minutes. I understand that the issues that Keith Appling has had can be a concern, but he’s been inconsistent all season long. It’s part of who Michigan State is.
Another interesting ranking this week: New Mexico. They went into Moby Arena and ended Colorado State’s 27-game winning streak in that building -- which was the third-longest in the country at that time -- and only managed to creep up a couple of spots to 14th.
Ah, basketball polls.
It’s great that polls don’t have any influence on the outcomes in our sport, isn’t it?
You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.