Board Junkies Preseason Poll Commentary
Tuesday 11 November 2003
* The top eleven teams were named on all ballots. Penn State, UCSB, Louisiana Tech and Notre Dame were on all but one ballot. Rutgers, North Carolina and Oklahoma were left off two ballots.
* Iowa State at #25?! That was thanks to a couple of pollsters who had them top 15 - what's their team like this year?
* Looks like a lot of faith is being placed in Vandy's frosh and coaching. Also in Purdue and LSU's limited post game.
* The board junkies have definitely taken notice of UCSB - they are the highest ranked "mid-major" team on the poll.
* There were some tight races within the poll. Closest one being 8 points seperating Penn State at #12 and Notre Dame at #15.
* Last year, this same poll picked seven of the Elite Eight teams correctly in the preseason. The eighth team, Villanova, did not earn a single vote in that poll.
* Breakdown by conference - Six from the Big 12; five from the SEC; four from the Big 10; three from the Big East; two from the ACC and one from the Pac 10, Conference USA, Mountain West, Big West and WAC.
* Twenty teams from last year's poll return. The five who missed out this time are Arkansas, Boston College, Cincinnati, Old Dominion and Colorado State and are replaced by Rutgers, Ohio State, Auburn, Texas Christian and Utah.