NCAA Tournament Instant Reaction: Mountain West Gets Disrespected
by Jeremy Mauss on Mar 14, 2010 6:01 PM PDT
in Basketball
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PrintYes four teams made the NCAA tournament but the seeding is a bit odd specifically for BYU and San Diego State. First off here are the game schedule for the Mountain West.
6 Tennessee v. 11 San Diego State
7 BYU v. 10 Florida
3 New Mexico v. 14 Montana
8 UNLV v. 9 University of Northern Iowa
The biggest complaints comes from San Diego State and BYU who should be higher, and to a lesser extent UNLV. Nearly all year BYU was seen as a three to a five seed through all the bracketology sites but were surprised Sunday with a seven seed. Below is BYU's RPI and SOS from CBS Sports.
Strength of Schedule and RPI
Home
Away
Neutral
SOS
SOS Rank
RPI
RPI Rank
All Division I games games (28-5)
15-1
10-4
3-0
0.5252
116
0.6120
24
Conference games (14-4)
7-1
6-3
1-0
0.5241
129
0.5955
35
Non-conference D-I games (14-1)
8-0
4-1
2-0
0.4897
196
0.6057
25
Record vs. Teams Ranked in the CBSSports.com RPI
No. 1-25
No. 26-50
No. 51-75
No. 76-100
No. 101-200
No. 201+
2-2
2-3
2-0
2-0
10-0
10-0
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
1-1
1-1
0-0
1-0
1-3
0-0
1-0
0-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
0-0
4-0
4-0
2-0
7-0
3-0
0-0
Their strength of schedule could have been the reason, and possibly losing against New Mexico at the end of the season -- but without a fulls strength Jimmer Fredette -- and then losing to San Diego State in the conference tournament semis. Plus I doubt seed line could make a difference with BYU only being able to play a Thursday/Saturday regional. One seeding could be the reason and the only logical spot to put BYU and keep within the rules would have been a six seed in New Orleans and taking Notre Dames spot or possibly Butler but they are even under seeded.
Now onto the Aztecs, they won the conference tournament and had an RPI in the top 20. The thing to hold back the Aztecs were to plus 100 loses against bad RPI teams, and their ability to not win against big time RPI opponents.
The chart below looks at that by only going 4-5 against top 50 RPI teams and tat they did not won only one game road game against a top 50 RPI team. The Aztecs came on strong and a seven seed would not have been out of the question.
Strength of Schedule and RPI
Home
Away
Neutral
SOS
SOS Rank
RPI
RPI Rank
All Division I games games (23-8)
12-1
9-7
2-0
0.5558
49
0.6158
18
Conference games (14-5)
7-1
5-4
2-0
0.5493
98
0.6061
21
Non-conference D-I games (9-3)
5-0
4-3
0-0
0.5170
124
0.5945
36
Record vs. Teams Ranked in the CBSSports.com RPI
No. 1-25
No. 26-50
No. 51-75
No. 76-100
No. 101-200
No. 201+
2-3
2-2
0-1
2-0
10-1
7-1
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
H
A
N
1-1
0-2
1-0
1-0
1-2
0-0
0-0
0-1
0-0
1-0
1-0
0-0
4-0
5-1
1-0
5-0
2-1
0-0
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SDSU's final RPI rank was 18
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 14, 2010 6:09 PM PDT reply actions
I know makes little sense they are that low
Wonder if the lack of road wins was a factor.
by Jeremy Mauss on Mar 14, 2010 6:17 PM PDT up reply actions
9 true road wins
plus the 3 wins at the T&M.
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 14, 2010 6:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Or...
Lack of road wins against top 50 RPI which was 1-4 and I assume the UNLV win Saturday is the only one.
by Jeremy Mauss on Mar 14, 2010 7:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Still, they make a pretty strong case for being a higher seed.
Although, until the MWC tourney, we didn’t know if they’d be in at all.
CSU missed the NIT
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 14, 2010 7:08 PM PDT reply actions
BYU should NOT complain with their placement
They are playing a Florida team that most didn’t even have making the Tournament.
If they win just 2 games they are playing in Salt Lake City.
I think BYU was given a perfect spot to make a deep run in the tournament.
Mountain West Connection
Follow me on Twitter!
by Michael Rueckert on Mar 14, 2010 7:24 PM PDT reply actions
Kansas State will be tough.
It is good that they were in the West region and not the East in Syracuse.
by Jeremy Mauss on Mar 14, 2010 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Lunardi
OVERSEEDED: New Mexico, Clemson, Wake Forest, Florida
UNDERSEEDED: Temple, Tennessee, Northern Iowa, San Diego State, UTEP
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 14, 2010 7:34 PM PDT reply actions
Midwest
UNLV and SDSU got stuck in the hardest region for sure.
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 14, 2010 7:34 PM PDT reply actions
Also on Espn
Congratulations to the San Diego State, winner of the longest road trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs will travel nearly 3,100 miles to Providence for their first-round game against Tennessee. Not to mention deal with a three-hour time difference not in their favor.
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 14, 2010 7:39 PM PDT reply actions
Yes..
But the game is a night game which should not affect SDSU. Tip is 945 eastern so not too big of a deal had it been a noon tip then there could be issues.
by Jeremy Mauss on Mar 14, 2010 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions
I am deep in midwest region
Since i am doing a lengthy write for SB Nation. Noticed a ton of good players and coaches.
Rammies
Made the CBI!! Woooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue "There’s a gleam men. Let’s go get the gleam! Focus and Finish!!! One play at a time!!! Let's Go!!!"
it kind of reminds me of that movie "You've got mail"...I'm Tom Hanks he's Meg Ryan -- Padres prospect Matt Antonelli on sdsuaztec4
by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Mar 14, 2010 9:46 PM PDT reply actions
It's kinda like they said "OK, so you get 4 teams in. But we're gonna screw you in seeding."
Although I guess I can’t complain with a 3 seed for UNM.
CBI Baby!
First, congrats to the MWC. 4 teams in the dance is an incredible accomplishment. And might I add, 5 out of 9 made the post season.
Second, way to go Rammies. I know it the CBI, but if you had told me CSU was going to be the in post season at the beginning of the year I would have been very skeptical. A great step for a program that has had very little to cheer about lately.
I really think CSU should be stepping up the next couple of years to compete with the top of the league in Basketball and Football.
@Sam – Thanks for the shout out! I’ll be rooting for your boys vs. Tenn.
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