Blind Resume Part II (pick 2 of 5)

Blind Resume Part II we'll do the same thing we did the first time. ... 5 bubble teams under consideration, but there are only 2 at-large spots left to fill the NCAA field. If you were on the Selection Committee, which teams would you select? At around 12:15-12:30. I'll identify the teams & see which 2 we selected as a committee. If you have an inkling who any of these teams are, please don't speculate in the thread.

Not providing the team names or their RPI number, but at this time all 5 generally are considered to be on or near the bubble. Note that "vs." = a neutral-site game, "@" = a road game, and neither means it was a home game.

Team A
Record: 16-9
Road/Neutral Record: 8-4
Road/Neutral Record vs. RPI Top 100: 4-2
Overall SOS: 47
Non-Conference SOS: 176
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 3-5
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 7-5
Best 3 Wins: @ #5, #43, #49 (total = 97)
Bad Losses (4): #112, @ #120, @ #129, #146

Team B
Record: 17-8
Road/Neutral Record: 6-5
Road/Neutral Record vs. RPI Top 100: 1-4
Overall SOS: 36
Non-Conference SOS: 63
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 2-6
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 5-6
Best 3 Wins: #29, #35, @ #55 (total = 119)
Bad Losses (2): @ #113, #154

Team C
Record: 17-9
Road/Neutral Record: 5-6
Road/Neutral Record vs. RPI Top 100: 2-5
Overall SOS: 76
Non-Conference SOS: 224
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 3-4
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 8-6
Best 3 Wins: #29, #35, #49 (total = 113)
Bad Losses (3): @ #106, #167, #192

Team D
Record: 17-7
Road/Neutral Record: 6-5
Road/Neutral Record vs. RPI Top 100: 2-5
Overall SOS: 87
Non-Conference SOS: 140
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 0-5
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 5-7
Best 3 Wins: @ #53, #79, @ #84 (total = 216)
Bad Losses (0):

Team E
Record: 17-7
Road/Neutral Record: 8-3
Road/Neutral Record vs. RPI Top 100: 1-2
Overall SOS: 107
Non-Conference SOS: 105
Record vs. RPI Top 50: 1-4
Record vs. RPI Top 100: 3-5
Best 3 Wins: @ #31, #86, #93 (total = 210)
Bad Losses (1): @ #191

I will take A & B

I took B (clear winner) and D. I don't like A's four bad losses.

Bad losses don't mean much it seems as it used to.

I'm taking B first, then D second.


I don't understand why you don't include RPI as that is the first and best rule for quickly eliminating the teams that shouldn't be in the discussion.

Face The Facts said:

I don't understand why you don't include RPI as that is the first and best rule for quickly eliminating the teams that shouldn't be in the discussion.

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Because I think it's too easy to be influenced by a team's RPI. I don't want people relying on a number; want them looking at what the teams have and haven't accomplsihed. Am confident all 5 of these would at least be in the discussion for an at-large bid at this point.

SelectionSunday said:

Because I think it's too easy to be influenced by a team's RPI. I don't want people relying on a number; want them looking at what the teams have and haven't accomplsihed. Am confident all 5 of these would at least be in the discussion for an at-large bid at this point.

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Right, but the RPI does what you want them to analyze.
The RPI gives value to beating good teams. Gives more value for winning on the road. And it weighs in SOS.


It's like asking your wife to cook you a meal but taking away the appliances.
"I know you could come up with the end result faster and easier, but I want you to appreciate how hard it is to create heat to cook food."

SelectionSunday said:

Because I think it's too easy to be influenced by a team's RPI. I don't want people relying on a number; want them looking at what the teams have and haven't accomplsihed. Am confident all 5 of these would at least be in the discussion for an at-large bid at this point.

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Why in so many posts is the RPI considered the end all be all in terms of getting into the tournament? I know it is a contributor in selecting tournament teams, but judging by some of the posts in this, and in other threads, it sounds like you should just take whoever is ranked the highest in the RPI as soon as the conference championships are over.

I'm sure I don't even have to mention that a 5 loss Kansas team is ranked #1 in the RPI ahead of an unbeaten Kentucky team who destroyed them by 32 on a neutral court, which is complete idiocy.

I'll take A & B.

Need a couple more folks to dive in and take a shot at this before 12:30. More votes we get the less chance we have a tie for either or both at-large spots.

GopherWeatherGuy said:

Why in so many posts is the RPI considered the end all be all in terms of getting into the tournament? I know it is a contributor in selecting tournament teams, but judging by some of the posts in this, and in other threads, it sounds like you should just take whoever is ranked the highest in the RPI as soon as the conference championships are over.

I'm sure I don't even have to mention that a 5 loss Kansas team is ranked #1 in the RPI ahead of an unbeaten Kentucky team who destroyed them by 32 on a neutral court, which is complete idiocy.

I'll take A & B.

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Because RPI teams ranked 1-49 make the tournament if they are in a Big Conference.
The RPI isn't used to RANK them, but it groups them.

Get RPI 1-25 in the tournament. Rank them by the AP top 25 or Coaches poll.
Then take the next teams ranked 25-40 and take out the teams with weak SOS. Throw the rest in the touranment.

Take teams 40-75 RPI and those others that so far aren't in and start analyzing.
Too many big conference teams? Kill teams 60-75 for the RPI unless a really legit case can be made.

Review teams 40-60, plus that one team with an incredible story ranked 66th overall.
Go over the nitty gritty. Take teams 40-49 and put in the tournament.

Fill the last couple teams with whoever you feel like for that final 2-3 spots.

GopherWeatherGuy said:

Why in so many posts is the RPI considered the end all be all in terms of getting into the tournament? I know it is a contributor in selecting tournament teams, but judging by some of the posts in this, and in other threads, it sounds like you should just take whoever is ranked the highest in the RPI as soon as the conference championships are over.

I'm sure I don't even have to mention that a 5 loss Kansas team is ranked #1 in the RPI ahead of an unbeaten Kentucky team who destroyed them by 32 on a neutral court, which is complete idiocy.

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Concur wholeheartedly. The RPI isn't, and shouldn't be, the be-all and end-all for selecting at-large teams.

From as far as I can tell, a top 49 team has never missed the tournament when looking at RPI. Minnesota was #50 last year, which is the highest I've seen any Big Conference team miss.
NC State went instead with an RPI of 55.

NC State was 21-13
Minnesota was 19-13

But if you get in the top 49, it now appears you are safe. So any team from a big conference on the bubble with a RPI at 49 or better is likely in. Don't have to go into deeper details than that.

The final results from our committee

I voted for A and B, with A being my more confident selection.

Final tally (wth RPI) is:

5 = B (#37 Michigan State)
3 = A (#62 Miami-Florida)
2 = D (#44 Texas A&M)
0 = C (#66 Purdue)
0 = E (#51 Tulsa)

Team B: good overall record, very good strength of schedule, acceptable record against top 100
Team C: a lot of games with the top 100 and a good record in them, good strength of schedule, some quality wins, and decent overall record; this is the type of team that stumbled with some lower quality losses but is capable of beating the majority of the 68 teams in the tournament. Without checking, I'm going to guess that this is Purdue.

Edit: Ah...I guessed right. Surprised no one else picked them.