Meanwhile, Cajuns have the best basketball team in LA

[ZoomZoom]

nm

[CDeb]

When the NCAA added the 65th team and the automatic NIT bid for regular season champs that lost their conference tournament, that closed a lot of doors. We can upgrade our OOC (which I'd love to see),but don't be naive enough to to think it will make a difference.

What VO and several others are talking about is not improving RPI for an at-large bid, but for seeding if we get in. There's a huge difference between being a 12 or 13 seed and being a 14 or 15 seed. Unless youre just happy to be there.

[ZoomZoom]

9 SBC teams as of today 250 or worse. Played twice? 18 games of embracing the suck. As a league we all need to upgrade.

Seeding is a hard nut to crack. Past track record comes into play. That’s where it takes everyone improving, where if someone gets upset, it’s not a 16 seed or the dreaded play in joke.

[Cajunfanatico]

While there are teams that are "usually" in the top 100 in RPI, from a year to year basis, it's tough to know. I'm not making excuses, I'm just saying that even doing one's best to schedule top RPI clubs, one can still lay an egg once the season begins and those teams underperform.

Agree with Zoomer, until the conference gets really serious about basketball, it's gonna be tough to raise our RPI with OOC only.

[VObserver]

nm

Quit thinking at large bid. You are missing the point. Think RPI in the 40s or 50s. That garners an 11 or 12 seed and a much better chance of advancing in the Dance.

And Zoom, UTA is currently at 58, GaSo at 60, UL at 154 per Warren Nolan who has always been closer to the NCAA numbers than anyone else. Two years ago Little Rock ended the season at 42. Last year UTA was 40. Don't tell me we can't approach those numbers as a member of the Sun Belt.

[ZoomZoom]

Ok u used Nolan. I used ESPN. Either way, UTA can run the table and they’d be on the outside looking in if they don’t close the deal in the tournament.

This is just another reason football better be ready to go when the deck gets reshuffled. Some will be left behind.

[CDeb]

Agree with Zoomer, until the conference gets really serious about basketball, it's gonna be tough to raise our RPI with OOC only.

True, but we can't really complain about it given our own schedule.

[VObserver]

Ok u used Nolan. I used ESPN. Either way, UTA can run the table and they'd be on the outside looking in if they don't close the deal in the tournament.

So what? If they win the tournament they are a 12 seed. If we win it we are a 15 or 16. Which of those gives us a better chance to win a game or two? Or are you happy just to get there once every 7 years?

[ZoomZoom]

While there are teams that are "usually" in the top 100 in RPI, from a year to year basis, it's tough to know. I'm not making excuses, I'm just saying that even doing one's best to schedule top RPI clubs, one can still lay an egg once the season begins and those teams underperform.

Agree with Zoomer, until the conference gets really serious about basketball, it's gonna be tough to raise our RPI with OOC only.

Who knew Pepperdine would be the walking dead a few games into last season, or Iowa being a stinker this year? Or even UTA two years ago lost their stud early on? Stuff happens.

[RaginDave]

What VO and several others are talking about is not improving RPI for an at-large bid, but for seeding if we get in. There's a huge difference between being a 12 or 13 seed and being a 14 or 15 seed. Unless youre just happy to be there.

C and V, I am with both of you about improving the RPI. I don't disagree with you at all. The issue I have is that I believe Coach Marlin tried to do that with the Cayman tournament and unfortunately it backfired.

Look at this real quick, year end RPI of some of the team we have played vs current RPI:

Iowa 83 last year, currently 194
Richmond 72 last year, currently 263
Mississippi 69 last year, currently 213
UNO last year 162, currently 244

I agree, lets remove at least one Non D1 and replace with a top 150 RPI D1 team and that would help.

Good news is Iowa is starting to help us a little. They have won 3 in a row and moved back into the top 200, last night they beat a team with an RPI of 69, granted they have fallen to 94 by losing to Iowa. But Iowa has won their last 3 games by a combined 83 points. They have another big game Friday vs Colorado who has an RPI of 94. We need them to get back on the right track.

That is a difference of 528 RPI spots by 4 teams from 16-17 to 17-18, or an average per team RPI drop of 132 spots.