Are the RPI Rankings An Accurate Measure of Basketball Team Strength?
Everybody knows that the sacred RPI rating plays a huge role in determining who is tournament selection worthy and who is not. As of now Michigan is ranked 61st in the most current RPI rankings. The Belmont Bruins are ranked 53rd with their impressive 24-4 record built by playing THIS schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Opp. RPI Rk | Results | |||
| 11-16 | at | Tennessee | 16-10 (6-5) | 26 | 76-85 | L |
| 11-17 | vs | Arkansas St. | 12-14 (8-5) | 203 | 93-60 | W |
| 11-22 | vs | Marist | 4-24 (3-13) | 313 | 102-74 | W |
| 11-23 | vs | Winthrop | 10-14 (8-8) | 198 | 71-44 | W |
| 11-29 | at | Tennessee St. | 9-15 (8-8) | 222 | 87-72 | W |
| 12-02 | Mercer | 12-15 (10-7) | 246 | 89-67 | W | |
| 12-04 | at | Vanderbilt | 19-6 (7-4) | 14 | 76-85 | L |
| 12-07 | Middle Tenn. St. | 13-13 (9-5) | 197 | 88-87 | W | |
| 12-16 | Kennesaw St. | 7-19 (6-11) | 324 | 87-60 | W | |
| 12-18 | at | Troy | 7-17 (6-7) | 249 | 98-63 | W |
| 12-20 | at | Alabama St. | 7-16 (6-6) | 320 | 66-53 | W |
| 12-23 | at | Tennessee | 16-10 (6-5) | 26 | 65-66 | L |
| $ 12-30 | Miami (OH) | 13-12 (9-3) | 97 | 83-72 | W | |
| 01-03 | at | Fla Gulf Coast | 6-19 (3-12) | 298 | 83-51 | W |
| 01-05 | at | Stetson | 7-20 (5-12) | 301 | 70-53 | W |
| 01-08 | North Florida | 10-18 (7-10) | 172 | 91-59 | W | |
| 01-10 | Jacksonville | 17-8 (12-5) | 116 | 81-50 | W | |
| 01-13 | Lipscomb | 15-10 (11-6) | 110 | 88-52 | W | |
| 01-15 | Campbell | 11-15 (6-11) | 252 | 90-55 | W | |
| 01-21 | at | South Carolina-Upstate | 4-23 (3-14) | Mm 317 | M67-62 | W |
| $ 01-23 | at | E. Tennessee St. | 18-10 (14-4) | 100 | 72-62 | W |
| ? 01-25 | at | Lipscomb | 15-10 (11-6) | 110 | 64-73 | L |
| 01-28 | Fla Gulf Coast | 6-19 (3-12) | 298 | 89-56 | W | |
| 01-30 | Stetson | 7-20 (5-12) | 301 | 82-64 | W | |
| 02-03 | at | Jacksonville | 17-8 (12-5) | 116 | 76-70 | W |
| 02-05 | at | North Florida | 10-18 (7-10) | 172 | 69-67 | W |
| 02-12 | at | Campbell | 11-15 (6-11) | 252 | …78-57 | W |
| $ 02-17 | E. Tennessee St. | 18-10 (14-4) | 100 | 68-58 | W |
Look at the RPI rankings of their vanquished foes. How is it possible that beating this collection of cupcakes garners a team an RPI ranking higher than ours? What is wrong with this picture?????
And did they really play Tennessee twice?
February 20th, 2011 at 3:14 PM ^
I have much less an issue with a 24-4 team with some recent success in the tourney having a chance getting in over a mediocre Cincy or WVU team getting in because they play in the BE. RPI is imperfect, but I do think it gives a decent snapshot of how good teams are.
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