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Whelan Watch: 12/2

Our (somewhat) weekly look at the polls through the lens of Tim Whelan's dentition.

I feel like this about sums it up.
I feel like this about sums it up.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

When we last touched base with our boys in blue, they were receiving votes and respect, no doubt just another good win or two from finally making the top 25. What has happened in the interim? Well, first they had last week's Whelan Watch knocked out by game coverage. Then they went to the Bahamas and laid a significant egg? What has all that done for them in the polls? About what you would think, really.

First the Coaches' Poll:

Rank Team Record Votes Previous
1 Michigan State (31) 7-0 799 1
2 Arizona (1) 7-0 758 3
3 Ohio State 6-0 695 6
4 Kentucky 7-1 683 4
5 Syracuse 7-0 682 7
6 Louisville 6-1 607 9
7 Kansas 6-1 597 2
8 Duke 6-2 547 5
9 Wisconsin 8-0 517 11
10 Wichita State 8-0 484 12
11 Oklahoma State 7-1 476 8
12 Florida 6-1 426 13
13 Oregon 7-0 417 15
14 Connecticut 7-0 410 14
15 Memphis 5-1 311 19
15 Gonzaga 7-1 311 10
17 UCLA 7-0 261 21
18 Iowa State 5-0 245 22
19 Villanova 7-0 201 42
20 Baylor 7-1 195 17
21 Michigan 5-2 156 20
22 Massachusetts 6-0 122 26
23 Indiana 6-1 76 25
24 Iowa 7-1 63 23
25 North Carolina 4-2 62 16
Others Receiving Votes: Virginia 42, New Mexico 36, San Diego State 35, VCU 35, Pittsburgh 33, Dayton 26, Boise State 21, Creighton 17, Saint Mary's 13, Florida State 10, Missouri 10, Colorado 8, Charlotte 6, Marquette 4, Notre Dame 2, George Washington 1

And the AP top 25:

Rank Team Record Votes Previous
1 Michigan State (63) 7-0 1623 1
2 Arizona (2) 7-0 1547 4
3 Kentucky 7-1 1473 3
4 Syracuse 7-0 1375 8
5 Ohio State 6-0 1340 7
6 Kansas 6-1 1240 2
7 Louisville 6-1 1139 9
8 Wisconsin 8-0 1094 10
9 Oklahoma State 7-1 1070 5
10 Duke 6-2 1021 6
11 Wichita State 8-0 911 12
12 Connecticut 7-0 836 13
13 Oregon 7-0 801 14
14 Villanova 7-0 785 37
15 Florida 6-1 758 15
16 Memphis 5-1 748 21
17 Iowa State 5-0 623 17
18 UCLA 7-0 548 19
19 Gonzaga 7-1 380 11
20 Baylor 7-1 377 18
21 Massachusetts 6-0 274 24
22 Michigan 5-2 223 22
23 Iowa 7-1 171 23
24 San Diego State 5-1 150
25 Dayton 6-1 90
Others Receiving Votes: Indiana 74, Virginia 73, New Mexico 71, North Carolina 62, Florida State 40, Pittsburgh 36, Boise State 36, VCU 30, Charlotte 20, Creighton 17, Colorado 17, Missouri 16, Harvard 10, Illinois 10, Cincinnati 8, Ole Miss 3, George Washington 2, Saint Mary's 2, Xavier 1

As you can see, there is the slightest glimmer in the AP top 25, as the team received a solitary sympathy vote from an otherwise uncaring world. This week's lone game doesn't come until this Saturday, and it against Bowling Green. KenPom has BGSU as the worst opponent on Xavier's schedule to this point with the exception of Abilene Christian. It's going to take the Muskies more than a week to recapture the momentum lost over Thanksgiving.

Whelan's status: getting his best blender out of storage and settling in for a long haul.