Updated Gopher Numbers (RPI)

Through games played Jan. 23.

GOPHERS
Record/B1G: 15-4, 3-3
RPI: #10
Overall SOS: #3
Nonconference SOS: #21
Record vs. RPI 1-50: 3-3
Record vs. RPI 51-100: 7-1
Road/Neutral Record: 5-3
Best 3 Wins: #13 Michigan State, @ #29 Illinois, vs. #41 Memphis (total = 83)
Worst Loss: @ #80 Northwestern
Bad Losses (RPI 100+): 0

Current RPI 1-50 Wins Still Available (4): @ #13 Michigan State, #29 Illinois, @ #26 Ohio State, #14 Indiana
Current RPI 51-100 Wins Still Available (6): @ #59 Wisconsin, #79 Nebraska, #73 Iowa, #59 Wisconsin, @ #73 Iowa, @ #79 Nebraska
Bad Losses Still Available (2): #184 Penn State, @ #135 Purdue

B1G
7. Michigan
10. GOPHERS
13. Michigan State
14. Indiana
26. Ohio State
29. Illinois
59. Wisconsin
73. Iowa
79. Nebraska
80. Northwestern
135. Purdue
184. Penn State

Nonconference Opponents
1. Duke
41. Memphis
55. North Dakota State
65. South Dakota State
75. Florida State
77. Stanford
82. Richmond
92. Tennessee State
139. USC
202. Toledo
224. North Florida
258. Lafayette
273. American

It's January 24th. We're ranked 10th in the RPI. And there's nothing but overwhelming negativity in the air.

howeda7 said:

It's January 24th. We're ranked 10th in the RPI. And there's nothing but overwhelming negativity in the air.

Click to expand...

That's what a yucky, uninspiring loss to a severely inferior team (in terms of talent) can do to a fan base. A tough one to swallow, certainly, but it is time to move on to the next one. We're close to the 24-hour rule, aren't we?

Beat the stinkin' Badgers. Can think of no better place to snap a 3-game skid than the Kohl Center (OK, maybe Breslin).

howeda7 said:

It's January 24th. We're ranked 10th in the RPI. And there's nothing but overwhelming negativity in the air.

Click to expand...

I don't think it's necessarily negativity, rather I think it's disappointment. The reason why fans are so disappointed is because we know this team can play so much better than they did last night. The fact that this is the 5th straight year we've lost in Evanston is somewhat alarming. There is still a lot of season left so hopefully they can turn it around.

Our chance of making the NCAA tourney is EXCELLENT.

Unless we LOSE 8 of the next 12 games, our Resume is SO incredibly good right now, that even going 5-7 over the next 12 games, would in my opinion, STILL get us into the tourney.


Why am I so confident?

The RPI ratings of our ooc opponents has been simply getting better and better and better with every passing week.

Memphis continues to rise and could end up being a Top 25 win by the end of the regular season. IU and Michigan sh. ow no signs of being anything less than Top 25 losses, not so much held against a team as long as there are plenty of wins vs teams ranked from #26-#100.

Illinois is still hanging on at #29, so a good win or two could get them back into the Top 25. NDSU is just outside of the Top 50, and should continue to rise.

SDSU, FSU & Stanford seem bound to finish in the Top 100, as does Richmond. And Richmond could do themselves a big favor by beating VCU tonight.

Northwestern seems to be a safe bet to remain in the Top 100 and Tenn St has been improving as time goes by, so now that they are in the Top 100 finally, its a good guess that they'll stay there.


This leaves, among teams we've already played and beaten, USC, who has also been rising in the RPI rankings, and who could maybe rise into the Top 100 by the end of the season?


So this leaves us with 10 wins vs Top 100 teams and several opportunities to increase that win total. If we can pull off wins vs Purdue and Penn St, would could end the season with ZERO bad losses. Or bad in the eyes of the NCAA selection committee. ALL of us feel that the loss to NW was a bad loss, thankfully the NCAA Selection Committee is not as harsh a critic as Gopher fans.

Just "surviving" the rest of the Big Ten schedule ahead of us, meaning winning 4 of our 5 home games, and the road game vs Purdue, would get us IN LIKE FLYNN.

With the NW loss, we are probably down to a #4 or 5 seed, and getting those 5 wins and those 5 wins only, would probably drop us down to a #10-#12 seed.
And every win over and above those 5 wins, bumps us back up a seed or two depending on who the win is against and if its a home or away game.

That's just my take on our situation.

And one thing I like about all the mess with the RPI and all, is that now I can almost daily check the scores and find a team that I'm kind of am cheering for. Tonight Richmond takes on VCU, and its a home game for Richmond, so they could be RUSHING THE COURT later tonight, lol.

Many of our past opponents are playing teams with good records tonight, so win or lose, our RPI improves after tonight. It improves more if they win, of course, so GO Richmond!!!

Agree... Like the optimism. One bad road loss this year and everyone is jumping off. If you have ever played a sport you know how it feels to lose to a team that you should beat... Buck the Fadgers

Looks like VCU and their WORLDS BEST EVER COACH Shaka Smart, has ONE BAD ROAD LOSS now too, lol.