ESPN's top 300 hoops programs

[Jethro34]

This is, well, interesting in the way ESPN schticks are.

They're ranking programs based on the past 24 seasons (since the NCAA tourney expanded to 64 teams).

It's not opinion based, it's completely based on a numbers formula (but then, so is Hollinger's cuntastic life).

Here's their formula:

• National title … 25
• Title game loss … 20
• National semifinal loss … 15
• Elite Eight loss … 10
• Best record in conference's regular season … 5
• 30-plus wins in a season … 5
• Sweet 16 loss … 5
• Conference tournament title … 3
• AP first-team All-American … 3
• Losing in NCAA second round … 3
• Player in top 10 of NBA draft … 2
• NCAA first-round win as a 12-16-seed … 2
• NIT title … 2
• AP second-team All-American … 2
• 20-29 wins in a season … 1
• NCAA tournament berth … 1
• Postseason NIT berth … 1
• AP third-team All-American … 1
• NCAA first-round loss vs. 12-16-seed … -2
• Losing season … -3
• Ban from NCAA tournament … -3
>> Minimum 15 seasons in Division I
** Ties are broken by overall winning percentage since the 1984-85 season
^^ Teams are listed by their current conferences

Using the 15-season minimum, 41 current D-I schools won't qualify, giving us exactly 300 schools.

This will be interesting because, among other things, it's going to spark plenty of opinion-based comments from UM fans and MSU fans about their team ranking too low or the other team rankings too high, how they shouldn't have gone that far back, how their point system was bad, etc.

Anyhow, they have released the the rankings so far for 41-300.
To keep it relative, I'll reveal the Big Ten teams that have been ranked so far.

45. Wisconsin (UxKa is going to go nuts)
49. Iowa
68. Minnesota
185. Penn State (tie)
290. Northwestern (tie)

That means the conference has 6 teams in the top 40 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue).

I haven't done the math to see how many points Michigan will end up with, but I'm sure the formula and how it takes into account penalties will be much debated.
I'm also sure State fans will argue that 15 points isn't enough for a "Regional Championship" (though I prefer ESPN's terminology, calling it a "National Semifinal loss"). Either that, or, if State is in the top 5 UM fans might say it's a crock and that's too many points.

Regardless, it's probably more interesting than Titletown and that got 3 pages.
Stay tuned as they release 31-40 tomorrow.

[Glenn]

Interesting but flawed.

How do I know that it is flawed?

Michigan in the Top 40?

Please.

[Jethro34]

In fact, Michigan apparently in the top 30. They just released 31-40 and none of the 6 Big Ten teams missing so far were in there.

Remember, UM has a title in 89. There's 25 points. They also have a prestigious NIT title. Numerous 20 win seasons as well.

Perhaps the number of forfeited games made it too difficult to process and they're not in the rankings. Not sure. There are other penalized teams in the mix, and only 15 seasons were needed to make it happen. They should be eligible.

[Artermis]

If they count the 2 NCAA final losses that is another 40 points for losing in the championship game.

I expect them to be around 25ish.

[Jethro34]

Well, I don't know if they'll count those because Webber was on those teams. But the team made it a few rounds after Webber left before losing to eventual champ Arkansas.
Remember, this goes back to 84. I think UM was over 20 wins for 7 or 8 years in a row in the 80's, leading up to the championship year. They had 30 wins one of those years.
You also get points for All-Americans, so you have to count Roy Tarpley, Gary Grant, Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson, Jalen Rose, and Juwan Howard. A few of those were top 10 picks as well - more points. I think they have a couple Big Ten championships in there.
It all adds up quickly.
Losing seasons and NCAA penalties are negative points, but there are fewer of those.

[Jethro34]

I just checked and they've posted 21-30. It's HEAVY on Big Ten teams.

22. Michigan
23. Illinois
27. Ohio State
29. Purdue

So while State will say 22 is way too high for UM, they'll be happy that this backs up what they want it to say: MSU and Indiana are clearly the top 2 programs in the Big Ten.

[Zekyl]

MSU and Indiana are clearly the top 2 programs in the Big Ten.

I would have agreed to that before these came out.

[Glenn]

I think they got 50 bonus points for Antoine Joubert.

[Artermis]

Indiana will drop in the next one they do 10 years from now. They going to have major problems with this new probation.

Michigan's B-Ball history is nothing to roll your eyes at.

[Jethro34]

I think Indiana will be better off with Crean guiding them through their issues than UM was with Ellerbee/Amaker.