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SDSU says it’s better than ‘half the teams that are ranked’

spt-111205-sandiegostate

Mike Miller

San Diego State spent most of last season in the Top 25 rankings. A large of chunk of that was in the Top 10, no less. This season was supposed to be different, but Steve Fisher’s team hasn’t dropped off despite losing four starters from last year’s Sweet 16 team.

They’re 8-2 and have beaten Arizona, Cal and the Big West’s top two teams in Long Beach State and Santa Barbara. The only losses? At Baylor and to Creighton, both of which are unbeaten.

Yet, no love in the rankings? What’s the deal?

“Had we won against Creighton (on Wednesday) we would have been ranked, so we only have ourselves to blame,” coach Steve Fisher told the San Diego Union Tribune. “But we’re probably as good if not better than half the teams that are ranked, I will say that. And that’s the most important thing.”

Are the Aztecs better than the likes of Texas A&M, Michigan or Memphis, three teams the paper highlighted as squads with inferior résumés thus far?

That’s debatable. All three are ranked higher on kenpom.com but not in the sagarin ratings. (And it should be said none of the four teams in either ratings system are among the Top 25.)

Then again, SDSU doesn’t care. Not when it’s early December.

“We’re human,” Aztecs guard Chase Tapley said. “We talk about it. It’s a little motivational tool, but it’s not that big a deal. If we keep winning, keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll get ranked eventually.”

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