The Low Major Poll, Week 6

A new top team! Mid-major debates! Big Ten good?!

Welcome back to The Low Major Poll: our weekly look at the top 25 teams in college basketball as determined by four of our writers and one of our good friends.

Our voters:

• He sticks out a bit, kinda like a thumb: David Peterson! (@depeterson61)

• He just got engaged, so you know he’s the ring finger: Eli Powell! (@wellitseli)

• It’s the lowercase version of the other digits, the pinky: maddy! (@maddybutsports)

• It’s right in the center and also his reaction to all of my jokes, our middle finger: Ret! (hides his socials)

• Someone who consistently has good insight, call them our pointer finger, joining us on a weekly basis from The Wild Pitch: Preston Pack!

Our Week 6 poll is as follows.

Unless specified otherwise, all rankings are per KenPom.com on the morning of December 12.

David: I suppose we get started right at the top - we have a new number one, and it’s our first unanimous vote since Gonzaga week 1. Hello to UConn!

Preston: Glad you could all join me.

Ret: I would like to change my vote to Purdue just to spite you all now.

Eli: Reddit agrees with us here. On the other hand, the AP Poll gave it to Purdue and had Virginia in front of UConn as well. Make it make sense.

David: The AP Poll also (erroneously) had a voter give Mississippi Valley State votes earlier today, so maybe it’s more a them problem than anything else.

Preston: I think the accidental MVSU votes aren’t nearly as embarrassing as the actual AP rankings they released. We all make mistakes in our ballots on occasion.

Eli: David and I still have Houston over Alabama, despite the latter beating the former on their home court.

Ret: David and his mid-major bias.

David: Yeah, pretty much.

Eli: A reminder that the better team doesn’t win every single game! If they did, North Carolina would be 10-0.

David: For me, it comes down to body of work, and I still think Houston’s is more complete despite the loss. Alabama’s got two opportunities this week against Memphis and Gonzaga, and if they look good in both they’ll jump the Cougars.

Preston: I think I dropped Houston a little further than I may have otherwise because of how bad they looked at the end of that game.

Eli: Preston aligned her top 7 with our consensus perfectly. Has to be the first time that’s ever happened.

David: It is! Well done!

Preston: I saw this coming, kind of, but it does go off the rails pretty fast after that.

Ret: David’s out here carrying the banner for mid-majors but ignores the SoCon. Clearly, the Colonial is superior.

David: I mean… what SoCon team deserves it?

Eli: VMI, clearly.

David: Fair enough, go Keydets.

Preston: VMI is on a three-game winning streak. Houston is on a one-game losing streak. The choice is clear.

Ret: Aren’t they 2-6 against Division I teams?

Preston: Yes. However, they’re 5-6 overall, and that’s what matters. Those are very meaningful wins.

Eli: This is why you should only be able to schedule 2 lower-division schools.

David: Three, maximum.

Preston: I like a bad team being able to get a few free wins. CFB non-conference play allows for 1 lower-division game, and CBB non-conference is about three times that. Of course, there’s diminishing returns and all that to consider, but that’s an argument for another time.

Ret: Losing to my alma mater really killed Furman for Preston. We’re the real purple team from the Carolinas! Please ignore how our last game went, though.

David: Yeah, speaking of High Point - I was gonna rank you guys but you went and lost to Queens! How did you lose to a team new to Division I!?

Eli: Am I missing something with Illinois?

Ret: They’re inconsistent, aka annoying.

Eli: Penn State isn’t bad, though. We shouldn’t be docking them for taking a conference loss at home when so many teams are still out there playing cupcakes.

Preston: I think it’s less specifically “Penn State” and more “by 15 at home” that people take issue with.

David: I’m pretty down on the Big Ten still. I know that everyone (aside from Minnesota) is inside the top 90 - no, wait, top 80 - on KenPom, but even then. Maryland was probably 22 or 23 if not for the Dep Zone¹, but instead they're about 28 for me. Really, the Dep Zone is just Genie+ for mid-majors and... oh, just watch the documentary.

Ret: I’m sending this to all of our UMD-fan friends so they can hunt you for sport.

David: Bring it on.

Eli: What does Minnesota-Duluth have to do with any of this?

David: I’d like to talk about the Mountain West, specifically New Mexico, Utah State, and UNLV. In the three major polls we mention in these discussions (The Low Major, r/CollegeBasketball, and the AP Poll), New Mexico is 23rd, 26th, and 38th. Utah State is 24th, 27th, and 42nd. UNLV is 26th, 28th, and 31st. All of these teams are undefeated, and all of them have some pretty solid wins. What gives?

Preston: I had all three in my top thirty, but none ranked.

Ret: Boo.

David: Wyoming (RIP) and San Diego State, both completely off the radar. Five bids for this conference, though? I feel like this has the potential to be a really fun one come conference play.

Eli: San Diego State’s still on my radar, just not quite in the top 25. Wyoming’s pretty far out of it at this point, but I’ve kept my eyes on Boise for a bit here. They look fun!

David: They do! I’m sad about the Pokes, but hey. New Mexico and UNLV both get tested against a strong San Francisco team, plus UNM takes on Iona in a battle of Pitino Past vs Pitino Present.

Ret: Only Wyoming and Fresno are sub-.500 versus Division I competition. Why don’t we just give all the Pac-12 bids to the Mountain West?

David: Works for me.

Eli: It’s time for my weekly mention of Mississippi State. They’re real good. They dismantled Minnesota about as well as anyone has all year - and that’s saying something, because the Gophers get dismantled a lot. If you like good fundamental defense and rim athleticism, you’ll like the Bulldogs.

David: Yeah! They’re new to my poll this week, but I think they’ll stick around for a while.

Ret: I’ve had them ranked for a couple of weeks at this point.

Eli: I would also like to discuss Rutgers. My thoughts: lol, lmao.

David: Yeah.

Preston: Agreed.

Thanks again to Preston Pack for joining us. If you like reading our stuff, you’ll love their newsletter The Wild Pitch, especially The SoCon Lowdown: their weekly recap series on Southern Conference basketball. Give 'em a sub!

Y’all take care now. We’ll see you next week!

1. The Dep Zone is a portion of my ballot from 21-25 where I rank deserving mid-majors and undervalued teams from small conferences, as opposed to the next 5 teams from all conferences. It’s a way for me to specifically highlight unsung heroes.