The first week did not include many interesting games involving top-25 teams. For the most part, it was an extension of the preseason with a number of lopsided scores. An exception was Gonzaga, my No. 1 team, beating Michigan State 64-63.
Three teams I ranked in the preseason poll — Tennessee, Villanova and Wyoming — lost in Week 1. I did not rank those three this week. There are few rules when it comes to doing your poll, but I just think you should have a winning record to be in it. It might be a different story if either of the three had lost to other ranked teams.
The top five teams in the poll remain unchanged: No. 1 North Carolina; No. 2 Gonzaga; No. 3 Houston; No. 4 Kentucky; and No. 5 Baylor. All started 2-0.
Tennessee (1-1), which lost to Colorado, fell from No. 11 to No. 22 in the poll. Villanova (1-1), which lost to Temple, fell from No. 16 to unranked.
Wyoming (2-1) lost at home to Southeastern Louisiana, which ranked 343rd in the Ken Pomeroy ratings. Interestingly, Dayton plays both of those teams in December: Southeastern Louisiana on Dec. 3 at UD Arena; and Wyoming on Dec. 17 in Chicago.
Three Ohio teams are receiving votes but are not ranked: Xavier; Ohio State; and Toledo. One other Atlantic 10 Conference team is receiving votes: Saint Louis.
Dayton ranked in the AP preseason poll for the first time in 13 years. They climbed from No. 21 to No. 18 in the first regular-season poll in the 2009-10 season but fell out of the poll the following week after losing to Villanova and Kansas State. They did not return to the top 25 that season.
In week two of the season, Dayton plays UNLV (2-0) at 11 p.m. Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nev., and then plays Robert Morris (1-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at UD Arena.
About the Author
