Here's the math.

[615dawg]

Our RPI sits at 0.5317, or 111th. A win over South Carolina is going to put us around 104th. But let's play what if.

What if we would have won the four game alluded to in the thread below (ETSU, FAU, Auburn, LSU). We'd be sitting at 20-9, 10-5, respectable. Our RPI would be 0.5661, ranked 67th. Squarely on the bubble, but just off. But.....

What if we would have won those four and held on against Vanderbilt as well? 0.5748, exactly what Marshall has at 52nd. At 21-8, 11-4, we're a lock for the tournament.

A road win at Kentucky on top of that? 22-7, 12-3. Then we are at 0.5834, which would put us 43rd.

Even winning the two non-conference flops (ETSU, FAU) would have been of great benefit. 0.5489, 91st.

Analysis: I don't think it was the schedule as much this year as the fact that we simply didn't perform. The two non-conference losses cost us 20 spots in the RPI (Another poster was right, they have been hovering around 100 while Auburn and LSU have been below 200 at times), then the losses to Auburn and LSU cost us 24. The biggest single loss of the season was Vanderbilt. That cost us 15 spots. Kentucky only 11 spots.

 

[Columbus Dawg]

and still on the outside looking in just continues to show that we have to improve the non-conference schedule. I understand that we knew we wouldn't have Bost and Sidney for most of the non-conference slate, but really it's the same every year. I would like for Stricklin to get more involved with the scheduling process instead of letting Stansbury run the show.

 

[tenureplan]

That's not that bad.

 

[MadDawg.sixpack]

Did your calculations factor in the reduced RPI of those teams if they would have lost to MSU?

 

[615dawg]

Although only Factor A changes in this case. Factors B and C do not change to double punish a team.

 

[Coach34]

That's not that bad.

at 90. We have never been higher than 6th in the SEC under The Recruiter. Why cant we have a 25th schedule strength just once? At least when we lost then, it wouldnt hurt so much.

 

[Columbus Dawg]

or get a horrible seed in the tournament before we decide that the 82nd ranked schedule is not good enough. We know going into the season that the SECw is not going to help matters.

I pointed out to Stricklin that the Alabama State's and Nicholls State's are killing us every year. He said "it's a money issue too." I said, aren't we going to The Bahamas, Hawaii, and Vegas? He said, "good point".

 

[Coach34]

or get a horrible seed in the tournament before we decide that the 82nd ranked schedule is not good enough. We know going into the season that the SECw is not going to help matters.

I pointed out to Stricklin that the Alabama State's and Nicholls State's are killing us every year. He said "it's a money issue too." I said, aren't we going to The Bahamas, Hawaii, and Vegas? He said, "good point".

when somebody says something about money- ask them to think about how much it cost us to go to the Bahamas, Hawaii, Vegas, and then to send 2 players back home on flights

 

[tenureplan]

for the rebooking fee. Unless we were planning on sending them back on a cargo flight.

 

[Coach34]

.

 

[Columbus Dawg]

better yet, making a run in the NCAAT. Schools like Butler, Gonzaga, and Xavier will tell you it's a tangible benefit.

 

[615dawg]

We have 14 non-conference games.

Six of these should be home games against regional cream puffs. (Alabama State, Valley, whoever)
Two of these should be home games against regional mid-majors (Most Conference USA teams, or strong midmajors like Winthrop, Western Kentucky, etc.)
One of these should be a home/home against a traditionally good mid-major (Memphis, Missouri State, etc.)
One of these should be a home/home against a traditionally middle of the pack major conference team (Nebraska, Florida State)
One should be the SEC/Big East Challenge
Three should be a high level tournament somewhere nice for the holidays, where there is good opportunity to play a top 10 type team.

When we were making the tournament with ease and getting top 5 seeds, we were playing at Arizona, at UCLA in the Wooden Classic, against a top 5 Oklahoma team in New Orleans, etc. That's what its going to take. Stricklin needs to call Nebraska and say we'll see you in Lincoln next year. Starkville in 2013. If they say no. Call Oklahoma. If they say no, call Kansas State, someone is going to play a home and home with us. It may not be UConn or Duke, but there are plenty of good teams that will do it.

 

[Sutterkane]

What's our RPI if we swept Auburn and LSU and beat Hawaii, three teams that are 150+ RPI and have no business on the same floor as us much less beating us. At least FAU and ETSU are teams that might win their conference tourney and hover around 100.

 

[Coach34]

all we would have to do is eliminate 2 terrible RPI teams and replace them with a couple of high RPI games. Just two is all it would take to make a huge difference

 

[Columbus Dawg]

though I could do without the teams you know are going to be 270+ RPI. </p>

 

[GloryDawg]

He should have played a regular schedule and put him self in a possition to win. I know he wanted to get Sidney on the court as soon as possible but that trip would be hard for any team to win.

 

[drt7891]

where even beating them hurts our RPI. Case in point: Beating MVSU last year dropped our RPI 5 or 6 spots... if my memory serves me correctly...

 

[fishwater99]

If he had not been ineligible because of his grades from skipping the spring semester, then the schedule would have looked different.

 

[DAWG61]

to factor in the cost of the elephant cage needed for Sidney to be secure in the plane and the 1000 Big Mac's to keep him from storming the front cabin of the plane.

 

[jackbaddawg]

place, we could have had a great season. With all the players we lose & constantly having players with issues it's obvious Rick just doesn't have the leadership ability it takes.

 

[dawgbydesign]

If you say what if we won those we barely lost you gotta say what if we lost those we barely won.