Parity in College Basketball

H

Hawk1960

Well-Known Member
I've been watching college hoops a long time and I can't remember a year where there has been so much parity. We are seeing it in the B1G and across the nation. The top 25 teams lost a total of 18 games this week. Personally, I think this is a good thing … keeps it interesting anyway.

Here are the losses this week ...

1. Arizona
6. Kansas
7. Michigan State
8. OK State (lost twice)
11. Kentucky
12. Louisville
14. Wiscy (lost twice)
15. Iowa
16. Iowa State
17. Duke
18. Pitt
21. UMass (lost twice)
22. Memphis
23. Oklahoma
24. Ohio State
 
I think many of those losses are to other ranked opponents. Iowa losing to MSU being one and ISU losing to Kansas, followed by Kansas losing to Texas ranked 25 and then ISU beating Oklahoma. The MSU lost to Georgetown being an exception of course. I think there is more parity among the top 25, but I'm not sure it goes too far beyond that.
 
It' goes beyond the top 25. NW won twice this week on the road an 1 of those wins was against ranked Ohio State. I love the parity...watch a lot of college hoops. I've watched the last 2 minutes of more NW games this season than I have in the past 10 years.

Side Note - It looks like Iowa will stay in the top 15 and could even move up...
 
Three reasons for parity:
1. Colleges able to recruit NBA talent can't keep them - most of the best college age kids are not playing in college as they left early for NBA - the overall level of college ball is WAY down due to this as is the NBA's. MI - Burke & Hardaway, IU - Oladipo & Zeller, OSU- Thomas - just last year from B10 - the shame is the 20 of the 47 early entrants didn't make a roster. Imagine if they had all stayed in college ( MJ played through his Jr. year) NBA Draft early entrants 2013: Underclassmen going pro - NCAA Basketball - Sporting News

2. Way more kids play AAU ball starting at a much younger age. It's not just for the cream of the crop so that 2nd and 3rd tier HS kids are getting a ton more training and playing against way better competition than they ever did before when they only played with their HS teammates against their HS schedule. This is bringing up the level of play for these kids narrowing the gap between the have's and have not's.

3. The three point shot - some say it makes the game more exciting, but it really adds up to a lot more shots missed and gives a hot shooting team a fighting chance against ANYBODY. Most D1 players can hit a very high pct. of shots from 20 feet as they have grown up practicing these.

The outcome of any one college game is much more of a toss up then it ever was before and if rules #1 and #3 don't change this will continue.
 
eyekwah said:
I think many of those losses are to other ranked opponents. Iowa losing to MSU being one and ISU losing to Kansas, followed by Kansas losing to Texas ranked 25 and then ISU beating Oklahoma. The MSU lost to Georgetown being an exception of course. I think there is more parity among the top 25, but I'm not sure it goes too far beyond that.
Click to expand...

There was definitely some ranked teams playing each other but nonetheless 14 of those 18 losses would be considered "upsets" based purely on the rankings.
 
brozley said:
Three reasons for parity:
1. Colleges able to recruit NBA talent can't keep them - most of the best college age kids are not playing in college as they left early for NBA - the overall level of college ball is WAY down due to this as is the NBA's. MI - Burke & Hardaway, IU - Oladipo & Zeller, OSU- Thomas - just last year from B10 - the shame is the 20 of the 47 early entrants didn't make a roster. Imagine if they had all stayed in college ( MJ played through his Jr. year) NBA Draft early entrants 2013: Underclassmen going pro - NCAA Basketball - Sporting News

2. Way more kids play AAU ball starting at a much younger age. It's not just for the cream of the crop so that 2nd and 3rd tier HS kids are getting a ton more training and playing against way better competition than they ever did before when they only played with their HS teammates against their HS schedule. This is bringing up the level of play for these kids narrowing the gap between the have's and have not's.

3. The three point shot - some say it makes the game more exciting, but it really adds up to a lot more shots missed and gives a hot shooting team a fighting chance against ANYBODY. Most D1 players can hit a very high pct. of shots from 20 feet as they have grown up practicing these.

The outcome of any one college game is much more of a toss up then it ever was before and if rules #1 and #3 don't change this will continue.
Click to expand...

All good points.
 
Updated to reflect Michigan and Pitt losing this afternoon. The top 25 have now lost 20 games this week.

Here are the teams with losses ...

1. Arizona
6. Kansas
7. Michigan State
8. OK State (lost twice)
10. Michigan
11. Kentucky
12. Louisville
14. Wiscy (lost twice)
15. Iowa
16. Iowa State
17. Duke
18. Pitt (lost twice)
21. UMass (lost twice)
22. Memphis
23. Oklahoma
24. Ohio State
 
And, the level of coaching at the lower grades, the high schools and the AAU has continued to improve.
 
brozley said:
Three reasons for parity:
1. Colleges able to recruit NBA talent can't keep them - most of the best college age kids are not playing in college as they left early for NBA - the overall level of college ball is WAY down due to this as is the NBA's. MI - Burke & Hardaway, IU - Oladipo & Zeller, OSU- Thomas - just last year from B10 - the shame is the 20 of the 47 early entrants didn't make a roster. Imagine if they had all stayed in college ( MJ played through his Jr. year) NBA Draft early entrants 2013: Underclassmen going pro - NCAA Basketball - Sporting News

2. Way more kids play AAU ball starting at a much younger age. It's not just for the cream of the crop so that 2nd and 3rd tier HS kids are getting a ton more training and playing against way better competition than they ever did before when they only played with their HS teammates against their HS schedule. This is bringing up the level of play for these kids narrowing the gap between the have's and have not's.

3. The three point shot - some say it makes the game more exciting, but it really adds up to a lot more shots missed and gives a hot shooting team a fighting chance against ANYBODY. Most D1 players can hit a very high pct. of shots from 20 feet as they have grown up practicing these.

The outcome of any one college game is much more of a toss up then it ever was before and if rules #1 and #3 don't change this will continue.
Click to expand...

Excellent post. One of the best I have seen here in a long time.
 
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