San Diego State beat Fresno State 74-47 late Wednesday to improve to 12-2 on the season. I have no idea why the Aztecs aren’t ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll other than that Associated Press Top 25 voters often submit nonsensical ballots, which is something I used to write about every Monday (and still get asked to write about again every Monday by a random reader here or there).
Consider this a brief throwback.
Seriously, AP voters, what are you doing? Mind if I hit you with a game of blind résumés between a team you ranked this week and a team you didn’t?
Team A is 1-2 in Quadrant 1, 3-0 in Quadrant 2 — so 4-2 in the first two quadrants with zero losses outside of Quadrant 1. Team B is 0-4 in Quadrant 1, 2-0 in Quadrant 2 — so 2-4 in the first two quadrants with zero losses outside of Quadrant 1.
More things to consider: 1) Team A just beat Team B by double-digits on the road six days ago. 2) Team A is rated higher in the NET and KPI and at KenPom.com, BartTorvik.com and EvanMiya.com — and Team A also has a better strength of schedule and better strength of record.
So here’s the question: If you could only rank one of those teams, which one would you rank? Team A, which has superior computer numbers and is two games above .500 in the first two quadrants with a double-digit win on the road over the other team? Or Team B, which has inferior computer numbers and is two games below .500 in the first two quadrants with a double-digit loss at home to the other team?
The answer is obvious, right?
It’s Team A.
But you weirdo AP voters somehow ranked Team B (Gonzaga) this week and left Team A (San Diego State) unranked. A fella from Louisiana was the goofiest. He had Gonzaga 10th on his ballot and San Diego State nowhere on it.
Anyway …
I write all that to tell you that San Diego State has been in the CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings since last Saturday, and that the Aztecs are up to No. 23 in Thursday morning’s updated Top 25 And 1. As long as SDSU extends its winning streak to six games this weekend with a victory over UNLV, I imagine AP voters will finally follow my lead Monday and get a number next to the Aztecs’ name. Better late than never, I guess. But it’ll definitely be late.
