Since NET is keeping its formula and last year’s results secret, RPI at least gives us previous seasons to compare with and a transparent, outcome-based calculation. 2018 ranking in parentheses.

1 BXII (1)
2 B1G (5)
3 Big East (2)
4 SEC (4)
5 ACC (3)
6 American (7)
7 PAC (6)
8 Mid-American (10)
9 West Coast (13)
10 IVY League (25)
11 Missouri Valley (8)
12 Conference USA (14)
13 Southern (16)
14 Atlantic 10 (11)
15 WAC (15)
16 Mountain West (9)
17 Sun Belt (20)
18 Colonial (12)
19 Horizon (26)
20 Atlantic Sun (30)
21 Big West (22)
22 Patriot (27)
23 Ohio Valley (18)
24 Northeast (28)
25 Big Sky (17)
26 America East (23)
27 Big South (24)
28 Summit (19)
29 Southland (29)
30 Metro Atlantic (21)
31 SWAC (32)
32 MEAC (31)

*IVY League has seen the biggest year-to-year improvement in RPI history, vaulting from 25th to top 10.
*Mid-American turns in its second straight top 10 season.
*American passes up PAC12.
*A10 misses top 10 in back-to-back years.
*Mountain West putting up its worst season since the formation of the conference...trailing a league whose membership they damn nearly entirely poached!
*Metro Atlantic has fallen from a 2-bid league a few years ago to D1’s worst non-HBCU league.
*Texas Southern’s dirty work over Baylor, Oregon, & Texas A&M catapults the SWAC out of the cellar.

Impressive placement for the MAC.

I don't know much... but when it's all done it seems like a league ranked #8 would get 2, maybe 3 teams in the NCAA's.

Conferences don’t get bids, teams do. If Buffalo wins the MAC tourney, there’s no one else with an at-large worthy resume. If they continue at the same pace, UB is clearly a tourney team even if they lose in the MAC tourney.

(01-10-2019 11:13 AM)axeme Wrote:  Conferences don’t get bids, teams do. If Buffalo wins the MAC tourney, there’s no one else with an at-large worthy resume. If they continue at the same pace, UB is clearly a tourney team even if they lose in the MAC tourney.

I guess I'd be OK if UB goes 30-1 and loses a triple OT MAC Championship game or something crazy like that. nothing that will damage the Bulls seeding too badly but I definitely want this to be a rare double-bid season.

No team outside of Buffalo deserves warranting anything more than NIT at-large consideration. Toledo had they beaten Ball St and UB would be on the bubble right now, but they instead got taken to the woodshed both games.

Yep, if there were even remote chances for a second team mostly running the table to get there, there were three possibilities-Toledo, KSU, and Ball St., and all three managed to screw the pooch right out of the gate.

(01-10-2019 02:08 PM)axeme Wrote:  Yep, if there were even remote chances for a second team mostly running the table to get there, there were three possibilities-Toledo, KSU, and Ball St., and all three managed to screw the pooch right out of the gate.

Still think there is time for Ball State and KSU to recover ... but both can't afford any more poor losses. If both can advance to MAC Tournament with 6-7 losses or less, then advance to the finals then committee has to look at whichever one does it.

Then it likely comes down to non-con resumes, and if one or both can get a win over UB, even if it is at home.

Longshot for sure .... but I'm saying there is a chance!

(01-10-2019 06:20 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 02:08 PM)axeme Wrote:  Yep, if there were even remote chances for a second team mostly running the table to get there, there were three possibilities-Toledo, KSU, and Ball St., and all three managed to screw the pooch right out of the gate.

Still think there is time for Ball State and KSU to recover ... but both can't afford any more poor losses. If both can advance to MAC Tournament with 6-7 losses or less, then advance to the finals then committee has to look at whichever one does it.

Then it likely comes down to non-con resumes, and if one or both can get a win over UB, even if it is at home.

Longshot for sure .... but I'm saying there is a chance!

Ball State, for sure, Kent State, I think we have seen what they are, a .500 MAC team

Ball St. is already at 5 losses and hasn't beaten anyone, meanwhile, they just lost at home to the #201 rated NET team. I place their odds of getting an at-large at 0%

(01-12-2019 11:27 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  Ball St. is already at 5 losses and hasn't beaten anyone, meanwhile, they just lost at home to the #201 rated NET team. I place their odds of getting an at-large at 0%

Right. The MAC has its first chance in ages to get an at-large bid, but that happens only if Buffalo continues to roll and then stumbles in the tournament. We have one at-large contender, not two. Still, that's more than we've been able to say in a long time.

(01-14-2019 06:36 AM)Dwight Wrote:  

(01-12-2019 11:27 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  Ball St. is already at 5 losses and hasn't beaten anyone, meanwhile, they just lost at home to the #201 rated NET team. I place their odds of getting an at-large at 0%

Right. The MAC has its first chance in ages to get an at-large bid, but that happens only if Buffalo continues to roll and then stumbles in the tournament. We have one at-large contender, not two. Still, that's more than we've been able to say in a long time.

I think that's right. Ball State's home loss to Ohio was the end of MAC at large outside of Buffalo. I wonder if Oates can be bribed to lay down in MAC tourney to get a 2nd team in.

It might be good for the MAC, but it would be bad for Buffalo. They’d probably drop 3 or 4 seed lines with a loss at the end. I think they’ll be plenty motivated to get the best top half seed they can.

(01-14-2019 10:02 AM)axeme Wrote:  It might be good for the MAC, but it would be bad for Buffalo. They’d probably drop 3 or 4 seed lines with a loss at the end. I think they’ll be plenty motivated to get the best top half seed they can.

If Buffalo wins out , would they get the 2?

(01-14-2019 10:05 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:02 AM)axeme Wrote:  It might be good for the MAC, but it would be bad for Buffalo. They’d probably drop 3 or 4 seed lines with a loss at the end. I think they’ll be plenty motivated to get the best top half seed they can.

If Buffalo wins out , would they get the 2?

No, the best they can finish IMO is with a 3 seed. They only have 2 Q1 wins and because of the way the MAC has devoured itself they won't be able to pick up any additional ones.

(01-14-2019 10:46 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:05 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:02 AM)axeme Wrote:  It might be good for the MAC, but it would be bad for Buffalo. They’d probably drop 3 or 4 seed lines with a loss at the end. I think they’ll be plenty motivated to get the best top half seed they can.

If Buffalo wins out , would they get the 2?

No, the best they can finish IMO is with a 3 seed. They only have 2 Q1 wins and because of the way the MAC has devoured itself they won't be able to pick up any additional ones.

Only chance is 2/16 at Toledo.. A Top 75 road win is Quad 1 and I think Toledo can stay in the top 75.

(01-14-2019 11:04 AM)BullBoy Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:46 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:05 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:02 AM)axeme Wrote:  It might be good for the MAC, but it would be bad for Buffalo. They’d probably drop 3 or 4 seed lines with a loss at the end. I think they’ll be plenty motivated to get the best top half seed they can.

If Buffalo wins out , would they get the 2?

No, the best they can finish IMO is with a 3 seed. They only have 2 Q1 wins and because of the way the MAC has devoured itself they won't be able to pick up any additional ones.

Only chance is 2/16 at Toledo.. A Top 75 road win is Quad 1 and I think Toledo can stay in the top 75.

You have a much more positive outlook on Toledo than I do. They started conference play ~50 in NET and after only 3 conference games have managed to drop ~25 spots to #76. They need to turn it around quick to climb back into the top 75. If they continue at their current trajectory, they'll be well outside the top 100 by that 2/16 match-up.

(01-14-2019 11:04 AM)BullBoy Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:46 AM)kreed5120 Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:05 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-14-2019 10:02 AM)axeme Wrote:  It might be good for the MAC, but it would be bad for Buffalo. They’d probably drop 3 or 4 seed lines with a loss at the end. I think they’ll be plenty motivated to get the best top half seed they can.

If Buffalo wins out , would they get the 2?

No, the best they can finish IMO is with a 3 seed. They only have 2 Q1 wins and because of the way the MAC has devoured itself they won't be able to pick up any additional ones.

Only chance is 2/16 at Toledo.. A Top 75 road win is Quad 1 and I think Toledo can stay in the top 75.

Would the overall strength of the MAC be enough to put them over the top for a 2? Its hard to imagine it would not given where they are at right now.

The conference is not really a factor. It’s all about the specific teams you beat or lose to. Forget conference RPI (and team RPI for that matter). There’s no one making seed decisions based on general conference quality.

Current “bracketology”’on CBS and ESPN have UB as a 5 or 6 seed. Can only go up without a loss.