The undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats have risen in both the AP and Coaches Polls and are now ranked 24th in both, which were released earlier today.
It’s not that UC’s simply beating cupcakes, the best according to the RPI experts being Western Carolina at 163, it’s that the Bearcats are running them off the floor. Cincinnati’s averaging an astonishing 96.3 points per game with an average margin of victory of 42.3 points. That’ll grab the attention of voters, even if only one of their games was actually broadcast on a television channel and even if that channel was Fox Sports Ohio.
Regardless, the manner in which the Bearcats are rolling over their opponents has earned them a crooked number next to their name and that’s anything but bad for UC.
Among their opponents also climbing the rankings, the Iowa State Cyclones are up to 4th in the AP Poll and 5th in the Coaches Poll. They’ll visit Fifth Third Arena on December 22nd and, should they get past Iowa on the 10th, it’s likely UC could be hosting a top 10 team for the first time since #8 Marquette on Leap Day, 2012. Also, the UConn Huskies sit at 18th in the AP Poll and 21st in the Coaches Poll with Xavier (23rd in AP), and SMU (T-25th in AP) also in the top 25.
So Cincinnati’s full 2014-15 schedule is rather loaded this year, at least in the perspective of the ever popular top 25 rankings. UC’s next game is Southeastern Louisiana tomorrow night at 7 pm on WatchESPN/ESPN3.