It is about that time of year, when the Top 25 polls really start to take their true shape and form. Up until this point, there has been lots of movement, fluctuations, and shifts. (Not that there won’t be more before the season ends.) Now, for the most part the top teams, schools to consider for the tournaments, and even a few sleepers are in the polls or getting votes.

You would be hard pressed to see a team not getting any one points, jump into the Top 25 by the NCAA Tournament.

But, as the polls start to take their shape, the so-called “experts” also appear.

You know who they are. They are probably listening right now.
Those from the top teams who think their team should be ranked higher or not take a hit for losing.
Those from mid-rankings who think their team is getting robbed, or disrespected.
And of course, those who think their team is the best, since… the last time their team was the best… but don’t know why they aren’t in the Top 25.

Let me first clear up the last one. This is the Top 25! Not all the teams above .500 are going to get in!

Ok, now that I have gotten that out of the way… let’s move on to some of those other “expert opinions”.

Last week on the show, there were many who wanted to know how the Top 25 is voted on. Of course, when someone explained why they voted a certain way, it wasn’t a good enough answer.

The most common comment from the peanut gallery was, “have you seen all the teams?”

Seriously, who in Division III actually has seen all the teams?!

I certainly haven’t. I bet not one of the Top 25 voters in each poll has actually seen all of the teams in the Top 10.

Well, this angered some fans. They thought they were getting robbed because a voter hadn’t actually seen all the games. Their team was better; they would yell and immediately try and prove why they were right.

Before you think you can prove yourself right, let me ask you the same question you are asking the voters. Have you seen all the teams, yourself?

Don’t even try and argue you have.

If any fan in – lets say – Illinois thinks they have a better idea how the Top-25 should breakdown, while having not seen a team outside of Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa, better just sit down. An Elmhurst fan has no right to cry about their non-ranking, thinking they are better than Trinity of Connecticut, if they haven’t seen Trinity or their opponents.

So, most fans use the comparison method. Well, if my team beat Team A by 20 and Team A beat Team B by 10… then my team is obviously better than Team B. Really?! Have you taken into account other scenarios? Like if the game was at home or away? If there were any injuries to any of a team’s top players? If one of the games you pointed out was at the beginning of the season, while the other was last weekend?

Of course not, that would be easy.

Top 25 voters have a lot more experience and lot more knowledge about Division III basketball than those not voting. If you think you have more knowledge, you know who to talk to. But, until you are actually a voter… your soap box is a little shorter than mine.

On the women’s side last year, the voters were almost spot on. Four of the top six teams in the nation before the championship tournament, made it to the Final Four in Virginia Beach.

Now, while the men’s side didn’t do as well (see the last rant), there wasn’t much argument about the Top 25 or who was really #1.

I also got an email recently from a fan that was frustrated by their team “falling” one spot in the poll this week. He argued his team had won a tough road game and had beaten last years ECAC team.

However, to make things worse, the person obviously didn’t look very closely at the Top 25 this week. If he had, he would have noticed that while his “fell” one spot, they actually gained 30 more points from the voters. What does that mean? The lack of respect this fan thought his team was getting from the voters wasn’t true. They were actually getting more respect… along with other teams. Falling one spot in the Top 25 is minor. Falling five or more, that is something to take note of. But for that to happen, your team probably lost.

(To this person’s credit, I replied with much the same message to him… and he replied he now understood their ranking.)

Another email this week actually had a valid complaint. A fan was wondering why the now #13 ranked McMurry University women’s team was so low. They are one of only two undefeated teams in the nation, and not even in the Top 10. But, that was the end of the valid part of the argument.

The fan went on to point out McMurry had won some exhibitions against tough D2 schools prior to the season. So, you want points for winning a game that didn’t count, before the season even started? Heck, even if they were in season, they wouldn’t count in the voters minds. Why? Because those opponents were D2 teams! There are other reasons McMurry hasn’t cracked the Top-10, but this fans reasons weren’t good enough.

So, while the “experts” try and argue who the Top 25 teams are in the nation, while most likely only looking at their region. And while some dive into the Posters Poll to prove they know what they are talking about and the voters don’t, everyone keep in mind two simple things.

First, these polls are just an idea of who the best are. The NCAA doesn’t take them into account when selecting teams to the tournament (in other words, just concentrate on winning).

And secondly, no poll is 100% accurate. Case in point: the D3hoops.com Women’s Top 25 and the WBCA Coach’s Poll aren’t even close when compared side-by-side.

Example #1:
In the WBCA poll, undefeated Mary Washington is #9, while D3hoops.com has them #4. McMurry is not getting a first-place vote in either poll. But #6 DePauw (with one loss) is getting a first place vote in the WBCA poll.

Example #2:
The WBCA poll has UW-Oshkosh in at #22… the D3hoops.com poll has them out of the Top 25.

Example #3:
Kenyon College fell out of the WBCA Top 25 this week, but was still getting points. They aren’t even getting looks from any of the D3hoops.com’s Top 25 voters.

Oh, and keep something else in mind. The WBCA poll appears to only have eight coaches voting (only eight first place votes), while the D3hoops.com poll has 25 voters from around the nation. Anyone complaining about the WBCA poll? Why not?!

So, before you get all hot and bothered with the voting, relax. The Top 25 voters aren’t going to see things your way and it isn’t going to be perfect.

Heck, I thought Goucher College at least deserved some Top 25 votes for beating Mary Washington on a buzzer beater… for their first win of the season. Doesn’t that get them any credit?

Apparently not! My Gophers are so getting robbed!