B.I.A.H Not-Top-Ten Rankings

Every week, writers, publications, media outlets and bloggers issue their Top-25 rankings for the week. A majority of the time, everybody has virtually same opinion of all the teams.

If you want to find this week's top-25 rankings, you've come to the wrong place. Here you will find our rankings for the 10 worst team performances in the NCAA. This list isn't just home to the winless mid-major bottom-feeders. No, here you will find the biggest underachievers, slumpers and teams in a funk, the worst weekly performers, and the teams that just plain suck. Now there will be teams on this list that are better than teams not on this list. But come on people, we are trying to be creative, just work with us.

The B.I.A.H Not-Top-10 Rankings

1. Syracuse Orange
Record: 18-3 (5-3)

Suffering back-to-back losses in the Big East is not all that bad, especially when both losses are to top-10 teams. But a team follows up those two losses with a 22-point drubbing AT HOME to a team like Seton hall, then they deserve to get slammed. What happened to that raucous Carrier Dome atmosphere that was present for the Villanova game? Fans started leaving the Seton Hall game with nine minutes to go in the second half.


This team was supposed to be a real threat to win it all this year. But I guess we shouldn't forget that this is also the team that went to Pittsburgh and promptly got down 19-0 before the first TV timeout. With games against Marquette and UConn on the horizon, the Orange need to get out of this funk quickly or else they could slip-n-slide right into the middle of the Big East pack.


2. Michigan State Spartans
Record; 12-8 (4-4)

What on Earth is going on in East Lansing? First, Chris Allen was removed from the program before the season started, then Korie Lucious got a DUI. After that, it was reported that two players raped a MSU student in her dorm room. On top of that, Tom Izzo was suspended one game for a minor recruiting violation. All of that took place before Big-Ten play started, and when it did, the wheels were already off the bus.


Tom Izzo benched Durrell Summers due to lack on enthusiasm. They've lost four of their last six, including losses to Penn State and Michigan. last week, Korie Lucious was suspended for the rest of the season. We are all aware that you can't doubt Tom Izzo's squad come March Madness time. But what if they don't even make it to the tournament?


3. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Record: 13-8 (3-3)

For the second time this season, the 'Zags have lost three games in-a-row. For what must be the first time in at least a decade, the 'Zags have lost three league games in a row. Last night they lost to St. Mary's on a buzzer-beater, but that followed up back-to-back losses at Santa Clara (75-81) and at San Francisco (91-96 OT). Elias Harris was supposed to have a breakout season worthy of a guaranteed lottery pick, but so far he's been hampered by injuries and is averaging just 12.5-ppg and 5.6-rpg. It looks like Gonzaga's NCAA tournament streak may be in jeopardy because they have almost no shot of getting an at-large bid, and well, at 3-3 in league play, it doesn't look like they will get the automatic bid either.


4. West Virginia Mountaineers
Record: 13-6 (4-3)

Ten days ago they were the hottest team in the country. Ten days later, they have nine scholarship athletes, and suspended their best scorer for the second time this season. They've lost to Marshall (down 47-23 at the half) and to Louisville. During their lone win in that time frame, their back-up forward Danny Jennings got up off the bench and walked out of the game, something I don't think I've ever seen or heard about before in my life. A couple days later Casey Mitchell was suspended indefinitely for breaking team rules.


Bob Huggins is constantly dealing with player personnel issues with this squad. Regardless of how good they might play during some games, this team has some serious problems.


5. Towson Tigers
Record: 4-16 (0-10)

For a team that's played ten conference games already, they have the worst record in the country. They've lost ten in-a-row, and that streak feature losses by 31 and 26. Their most recent loss, the 26-point blowout at George Mason came under much scrutiny. Towson University was unable to make their Wednesday night game at George Mason, who's campus is just two hours away. Poor planning of snow travel caused the game to be pushed back to Thursday afternoon at 4:00PM, and the university received a public reprimand from the conference for their lack of preparation. The team was dealt a 26-point loss to boot.


6. Central Florida Knights
Record: 14-5 (1-5)

UCF's 14-game winning-streak at the beginning of the season wasn't just a product of an easy non-con schedule. They beat a couple good teams in that stretch and were primed for a breakout year in the Conference-USA. That's why it's so hard for me to understand how this team has lost five games in-a-row. Yes, they've had to play the top teams in the league, but they led us to believe they were capable of winning those games. In their last game, a 15-point loss at Memphis, the Knights got down by as many as 25-points and never led in the ballgame. Their next four games are against UAB, at UTEP, at ECU, and against Memphis. It's very possible UCF is 1-9 in C-USA play by Valentines Day.


7. Arizona State Sun Devils
Record: 9-11 (1-7)

I don't think people realize Arizona State is as bad as they are. Well, maybe they aren't BAD per se, but they sure do lose a lot. They've lost four in-a-row and six of their last seven. None of their recent losses have been too catastrophic, but they can't score (ranked 287th in the country) and can't rebound (299th), and like I said, have lost seven games in the Pac-10, and that's pretty bad. In fact, I'm having trouble figuring out what their "best win" is. Herb Sendek's seat is getting hot, and I don't think a lot of people realize that yet.


8. Iowa Hawkeyes
Record: 8-12 (1-7)

Want to get an idea of how bad this team is? They lost to Wake Forest. BOOM. But seriously, this team hasn't won since before Christmas, and has lost their last five games by an average of 19.6-ppg. It's entirely possible that this team doesn't win another conference game this season. Oh wait, nevermind, they still have to play Michigan State twice.


9. North Texas Mean Green
Record: 16-5 (5-3)

Maybe it's my fault for being so high on the Mean Green bandwagon. I was sure this team could roll through the Sun Belt Conference with maybe only one or two losses. As of now they are 5-3, and their last two losses have come against teams with a combined total of ten wins. With the Denver Pioneers off to a quick start at 6-0, and a match-up with them tomorrow, the Mean Green can ill-afford to play at the level of mediocrity that they are now.


10. East Carolina Student Section

Listen, I'm all for getting under the skin of the opposing team. I have no problem with profanity-laced insults and borderline-hurtful signs and chants towards players. I was a soccer hooligan for four years in college and believe that it is the responsibility of the student section to get inside the opposing players heads and take them out of their game, even if that means getting personal. But regardless of how rowdy and insulting you get, you must respect your elders. Coaches and parents are the type of people you do not insult or disrespect. But apparently the ECU student section didn't get memo during their team's home game against Southern Mississippi.


The Golden Eagles head coach, Larry Eustachy battled alcoholism for a long portion of his early career and was eventually fired from Iowa State when photos were leaked of him partying it up with college students back in 2003. The Pirate fans were mocking Eustachy the entire game, which his team won 84-77. The coach hasn't had a drink in almost seven years and the students were still getting on him. Listen kids, would you say that to a professor? How about one of your friend's parents? Go after a player who got a DUI or someone who failed English Lit. but show some respect for the elders.