Michigan basketball ranked 18th in initial USA Today/ESPN Top 25
Let the hype commence.
The Michigan basketball team will enter the 2011-12 season with a national ranking. The Wolverines were pegged at No. 18 in the first edition of this season's USA Today/ESPN Top 25 poll.
The Wolverines entered the 2009-10 season at No. 15 in the USA Today/ESPN poll, but ultimately fizzled, finishing the year 15-17.
The Wolverines return four starters and 12 players that saw game action for last season's 21-14 squad, a group that came within one shot of an NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance.
Michigan will look to qualify for back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time since 1995-96.
North Carolina received 30 first-place votes and grabbed the No. 1 overall spot, followed by Kentucky, Ohio State, Connecticut and Syracuse.
Duke, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Memphis and Florida round out the top 10.
Wisconsin is the only other Big Ten team in the Top 25, coming in at No. 14.
Michigan State and Purdue were listed among others receiving votes.
Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
Comments
Carl Sanders
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 2:36 a.m.
wrong article dewd
AAbob43
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 9:24 p.m.
From the YouTube clips, it looks like facemasks were fair game for Wolverine or Spartan hands on Saturday. But the whining seems a bit one-sided. That's consistent with the Whinerene's reputation, which does not reflect well on U of M football. You folks drinking the KoolAid out of AA don't seem to understand your image to the rest of the world. Grabbing facemasks and throwing punches have no place in the game, whomever is executing them. It's undeniable that U of M has committed its share, and it's on the record that U of M has waited for Big Ten disciplinary action in its turn. So cut the holier than thou stuff. The Wolverines lost to the Spartans on Saturday, and for the three previous years. Deal with the reality of that. You didn't lose because of your facemask-grabs, nor those of the Spartans. In fact, U of M benefitted from lots of penalty yards due to the calls on the Spartans. You didn't get the job done. Maybe next year. For now, man up, and move on.
mookienation
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 11:40 p.m.
And this is related to Michigan basketball in what way?