Last Four In: San Diego St., Washington, Mississippi, Illinois
First Four Out: Memphis, Rhode Island, Dayton, Seton Hall
Starting today, bracket projections will be updated daily until Selection Sunday as auto bids are locked up and the bubble shrinks.
Northern Iowa's a #9 seed? Wow, that's harsh for a team that's 28-4, a #18 RPI, and is a stellar 12-2 vs. the RPI top 100.
ReplyDeleteYou give any BCS team a #18 RPI and we're talking #4 or #5 seed, but since UNI's not in a BCS league, there goes reason, here comes the biased "eye test".
Stick northern Iowa with a #7 seed and I'll forgive you for attempting to put Illinois on the bracket. The Illini have a #75 RPI!!! That's crazy mediocre, and no team, no matter what conference they're in, deserves a bid with a stat that lousy. Plus, they're on a three-game losing streak - nice way to show you belong in the field, right?
Yes, UNI has very nice computer numbers, but using the "eye test," I have trouble putting them ahead of the other teams on the 7 and 8 seed lines. Perhaps they could switch spots with UTEP. Plus, the teams ahead of them have better wins than UNI's against Siena at home. That being said, although they are done playing, UNI can move up as some of the ACC or Big 12 teams lose early in their conference tourney.
ReplyDeleteOn Illinois, they are in by default. The bubble is so weak that someone has to get in, and using Arizona last year as an example(62 RPI, 1-6 in last 7 games), the committee chose a BCS team over mid-majors that may have been more deserving. However, if they lose to Wisconsin and the bubble shrinks as expected, they will probably be left out.