February 2 RPI Updates

[SelectionSunday]

All rankings courtesy of CollegeRPI.com.

Big Ten RPI Rankings
5. Michigan State
17. Illinois
22. GOPHERS
25. Purdue
33. Ohio State
37. Wisconsin
54. Michigan
56. Northwestern
66. Penn State
89. Iowa
183. Indiana

Big Ten Nonconference SOS Rankings (out of 343 D-I teams)
17. Wisconsin
34. Indiana
44. Michigan State
94. Michigan
113. Ohio State
155. Illinois
161. Northwestern
163. Iowa
177. Purdue
218. GOPHERS
317. Penn State

Big Ten Overall SOS Rankings
3. Wisconsin
4. Michigan State
8. Indiana
17. Michigan
26. Northwestern
36. Ohio State
43. Iowa
48. Purdue
49. Illinois
54. GOPHERS
107. Penn State

Wins vs. RPI Top 50 (32)
Michigan State 7: Illinois (17), at Gophers (22), Kansas (23), vs. Oklahoma State (26), vs. Texas (29), at Ohio State (33), Ohio State (33)

Northwestern 4: at Michigan State (5), Gophers (22), Florida State (27), Wisconsin (37)

GOPHERS 4: vs. Louisville (10), Illinois (17), Ohio State (33), at Wisconsin (37)

Purdue 4: at Gophers (22), vs. Davidson (30), at Wisconsin (37), Wisconsin (37)

Illinois 4: at Purdue (25), vs. Mizzou (28), Ohio State (33), Wisconsin (37)

Michigan 3: Duke (1), Illinois (17), vs. UCLA (31)

Penn State 2: at Michigan State (5), Purdue (35)

Ohio State 2: Butler (9), at Miami-Florida (49)

Iowa 1: Wisconsin (37)

Wisconsin 1: at Virginia Tech (38)

National RPI Top 25 Rankings
1. Duke
2. Pitt
3. Oklahoma
4. North Carolina
5. Michigan State
6. UConn
7. Xavier
8. Clemson
9. Butler
10. Louisville
11. Memphis
12. Villanova
13. Marquette
14. Wake Forest
15. Utah
16. West Virginia
17. Illinois
18. Georgetown
19. Tennessee
20. Siena
21. Washington
22. GOPHERS
23. Kansas
24. Syracuse
25. Purdue

 

[Holy Man]

Bad Losses

Hodger, when should we start paying attention to bad losses for tourney resume purposes? In that same vein, what will Penn State need to do to make the tourney? They have some nice wins, but a miserable SOS. I could see them getting jumped by Wisconsin or even Michigan if the pale yellow and barely blue turn it on in the second half of the season.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I don't pay a lot of attention to bad losses, but we're certainly getting to the time of the year where you really want to avoid 'em.

I still think Penn State has significant work to do because they played a horrific nonconference schedule (only one in Big 10 worse than the Gophers') and they they had zero quality wins, but certainly holding wins over the league's likely two best teams (Michigan State & Purdue) could be their calling card over other potential Big 10 bubble teams. PSU is definitely a legitimate at-large candidate now, as is Northwestern. I still like the Gophers' at-large chances much better than Penn State's, but yesterday's result has me squirming a little bit.

I don't think Wisconsin has done anything nearly enough to merit jumping over Penn State, if the Nitts finish higher in the standings. Yes, the Badgers have played one of the toughest schedules in the country, but at some point they have to win a few tough games. The Badgers have lost all their marquee games, save for Virginia Tech.

As far as jumping another team(s) for a bid, Michigan is the team we should worry about. Though struggling, I still think if Michigan gets to 9-9, they'll be a lock for the tournament. No way the Wolverines won't get selected with those wins over Duke & UCLA + 9 Big Ten wins. At this point I can't say the same for the Gophers, Northwestern, Penn State & Wisconsin if they finish 9-9.