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Polls, Polls and More Polls
April 06, 2016 10:29 AM | Men's Basketball
West Virginia finished 14th in the final USA Today Coaches’ Poll, released Tuesday following Villanova’s 77-74 victory over North Carolina on Monday night in the national championship game played in Houston.
The Mountaineers posted a 26-9 record this season, including a second-place finish in the Big 12 Conference behind third-ranked Kansas.
Other Big 12 teams in the final USA Today Coaches’ Poll include: Oklahoma (4), Iowa State (15) and Baylor (24).
For West Virginia, it marks the second consecutive year the Mountaineers ended the season in the final coaches’ poll; WVU finished 18th last year following a 25-win campaign.
And, this year marks just the second time since the coaches took over polling from United Press International in 1992-93 that West Virginia has finished ranked in consecutive years, the other occasions happening in 2005-06 when John Beilein was coaching the Mountaineers.
It was also West Virginia’s fourth season-ending finish in the USA Today poll under veteran coach Bob Huggins, who also led the Mountaineers to top 25 seasons in 2015 (18), 2010 (3) and 2008 (17).
Overall, this is the seventh time WVU has concluded a basketball campaign in the USA Today rankings:
2016, 14
2015, 18
2010, 3
2008, 17
2006, 15
2005, 15
1998, 18
Prior to 1992-93, here are West Virginia’s other finishes in the final United Press International men’s basketball rankings:
1989, 19
1982, 17
1963, 16
1962, 16
1961, 12
1960, 6
1959, 11
1958, 1
1957, 11
1952, 14
Earlier this month, the final Associated Press poll released prior to the NCAA Tournament had West Virginia eighth. Here are West Virginia’s AP poll finishes since 1952:
2016, 8
2015, 20
2011, 22
2010, 6
2006, 22
1989, 17
1982, 14
1961, 9
1960, 5
1959, 10
1958, 1
1957, 7
1956, 14
1955, 19
1952, 9
And finally, predating the AP poll which began in 1948-49, St. Bonaventure professor Patrick Premo and computer programmer Phil Porretta separately analyzed the schedule strengths of every college basketball team in an attempt to recognize some of the great early basketball programs. Here are the West Virginia teams that finished ranked in the yearly Premo-Porretta Power Polls:
1948, 8
1947, 13
1946, 9
1942, 5
1935, 21
College Basketball Crown Recap
Thursday, April 16
Ross Hodge, Honor Huff & Brenen Lorient | Oklahoma Postgame
Sunday, April 05
Ross Hodge, Treysen Eaglestaff & Brenen Lorient | Creighton Postgame
Saturday, April 04
Ross Hodge & Honor Huff | Stanford Postgame
Thursday, April 02
