Over on Yahoo Sports Jeff Eisenburg runs down
his list of the Selection Committee's five most difficult decisions as they select the teams that will play in the NCAA Tournament. In the article Eisenburg weighs the pros and the cons of the Cats making the tournament before comparing them to a few other teams:
Does Kentucky belong over an Ole Miss team playing for the SEC tournament title today? Or over a Saint Mary's team whose only losses since Christmas have been to Gonzaga? Or over a Boise State team with RPI top 30 wins over Creighton, UNLV, Colorado State and San Diego State to go with a four-point loss at Michigan State? That's what the committee must decide, but I'd lean toward no.
Time to perform a quick check of those four team's resumes:
Kentucky RPI: 56 SOS 67 VS Top 50: 3-4
Ole Miss RPI: 51 SOS 127 VS Top 50: 2-3
Saint Mary's RPI: 32 SOS 96 VS Top 50: 1-3
Boise St RPI: 42 SOS 46 VS Top 50: 4-7
To me St. Mary's hasn't beaten anyone (1-3 vs top 50) and they haven't played anybody (SOS 96). Their RPI is high from playing a week schedule and does not merit them a spot in the big dance. I think
Ole Miss is only going to get in if they find a way to beat Florida today. So for once cheer hard for the Gators. Boise State has one more quality win than the Cats but I don't consider Creighton, CSU, and San Deigo State exactly murderers row.
All of the teams on the bubble have a strong case for or against them.
I'm still holding out hope the Cat's case is stronger than the rest of them as the committee faces some difficult decisions.
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