ISU ranked 7th in AP Preseason Poll - Highest preseason ranking ever

[Cynonymous]

Nope. Maybe from a final "How was the season" perspective in March but the pre-season attention and recognition is nothing but good for Iowa State University and the basketball program.

No recruit going, "Iowa State, meh" but "Oooh, this contact is from thee Top 10 Iowa State University Cyclones and Coach Prohm."

Exactly. It is a big bonus to media presence. While it won't affect our media contract money, it elevates Iowa State as a brand as more general basketball audience will be inclined to watch top ranked teams. The better Iowa State is as a brand in both ranking and exciting style of play, the more advertisers are willing to spend in our time slots. This can give Iowa State preferential treatment in time slots and top channels. Instead of the majority on FSN & ESPNU, we get more ESPN1/2.

 

[cyclonenation5]

I hope coaches and players don't care about pre season rankings cuz they don't matter. they sell magazines and create talk- that's it. Post season ranking is all that matters.

Wait, what? This doesn't mean we automatically make the Elite Eight?

 

[83Clone]

Hope they've been watching lots of the UAB final few minutes, remembering what that felt like. If all 5 guys on the court are playing with a chip on their shoulders for 40 minutes each game - look the **** out.

The depth stuff needs to just stop until given reason to worry about it. CBB doesn't live on depth like some other sports.

I think you will. this is the year we have been building for since Morris was a freshman. Stay healthy and the sky is the limit

 

[bringmagicback]

imo pre season rankings also help when it comes time for tourney seeding

 

[Cydkar]

Big XII has four ranked teams. Surprised that Big 10 has 6 ranked teams.

The Big 10 was supposed to be good this year so no surprise there.

 

[jahfg]

Are you serious? This is the best team and most returning talent we have had since 2000-01. Even when we are a consensus pre-season top 10 team we still have fans that think we are overrated. Not sure why you even watch sports if they give you that much stress.

That's just part of the gig when you invest your emotions in a school and a team, especially in basketball, where there are such frequent momentum changes and runs. I didn't mean to to sound negative. I just know how much pressure is being placed on this season. I'm not upset we are ranked in the Top 10. It's amazing.

 

[wonkadog]

The Big Ten is going to be a very good conference this season.

The Big 12 cannot flop in the postseason again if they still want to get this kind of preseason respect. I'ma little surprised both polls had us in the Top 10. I think that has more to do with having a face on the program like Niang than actually being the 7th best team. This is going to be a stressful season with a new coach, little depth and a giant bullseye on our back. It's all about the tournament for me this season.

I understand where you're coming from but this is wrong. The pollsters aren't thinking back to who got upset 8 months ago to determine how good they think teams are coming into this year.

 

[WalkingCY]

Nope. Maybe from a final "How was the season" perspective in March but the pre-season attention and recognition is nothing but good for Iowa State University and the basketball program.

No recruit going, "Iowa State, meh" but "Oooh, this contact is from thee Top 10 Iowa State University Cyclones and Coach Prohm."

Agree with this.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

That's just part of the gig when you invest your emotions in a school and a team, especially in basketball, where there are such frequent momentum changes and runs. I didn't mean to to sound negative. I just know how much pressure is being placed on this season. I'm not upset we are ranked in the Top 10. It's amazing.

Fair enough. But if you don't think we are the "7th best team", what other teams do you think are better than us that are rated below us?

 

[LLCoolCY]

Fair enough. But if you don't think we are the "7th best team", what other teams do you think are better than us that are rated below us?

I agree, 7th is a justified and proper rating considering almost all the roster is returning, and adding pieces like Burton, Cooke, and healthy Long.
Oklahoma is 8th, for instance, lost 2 out of 3 to ISU last year thus are properly slotted behind the Cyclones IMO.

 

[Cyclonesince78]

We've been ranked in the ap top 25 in consecutive weeks since December 2013. Which is probably why most people are finding something to ***** about. Prior to today, since the run started in 2013, #8 is the highest we've been.

 

[CyFan61]

Just based on this poll, we'll play games against:

#4 Kansas (x2)
#8 Oklahoma (x2)
#22 Baylor (x2)
#28 West Virginia (x2)
#29 Texas A&M
#30 Cincinnati
#35 Texas (x2)
#41 Iowa
#46 Oklahoma State (x2)

That's 15 games against the top 50, not including any we might add at Hilton South.

 

[cyclones500]

The Big 10 was supposed to be good this year so no surprise there.

Agree, not surprised. Big Ten may have slightly less depth this season, but I assume voters are mixed about positions 3 thru 6 (Indian, Wisconsin, Michigan, Purdue). For Big 12, a little less depth, not as much balanced no question which teams are considered top 3, and probably not much disagreement about who has inside track for 4th place ...

 

[CyFan61]

The media loves top-heavy conferences. Always has. If the Big 12 keeps three teams in the top 10 it will get a lot of love this season. The problem is that each of those teams has to play four games against top 10 competition in the conference schedule.

 

[CNECloneFan]

I want our team to be underrated, disrespected, and playing with a chip on their shoulder all the way to the NCAA Championship game.

 

[UraMallas]

Has ISU ever received a (1) vote for first place?

 

[isuno1fan]

Bit too high IMO. I think 12-14 is more accurate

 

[UraMallas]

Bit too high IMO. I think 12-14 is more accurate

Name your 13 teams better on paper (because that's all this is right now) than ISU.

 

[LindenCy]

Has ISU ever received a (1) vote for first place?

The 96-97 team got up to #3 or 4 in the polls, but not sure if they got any votes for first.

 

[RedDog]

Just based on this poll, we'll play games against:

#4 Kansas (x2)
#8 Oklahoma (x2)
#22 Baylor (x2)
#28 West Virginia (x2)
#29 Texas A&M
#30 Cincinnati
#35 Texas (x2)
#41 Iowa
#46 Oklahoma State (x2)

That's 15 games against the top 50, not including any we might add at Hilton South.

Last year we went 13-5 against top 50. 10-4 against top 25.