RPI and schedule data from Basketball State (subscription), accessed on January 3, 2011. This information only reflects games played against Division I opponents up to Tuesday, January 4, 2011.
Charlotte Pod
1. Duke (ACC auto)
Record: 13-0 overall; 1-0 conference; 4-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 5-0 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 146 Loss: 0
RPI: 13
SOS: 131
Last Week: won at UNC Greensboro 108-62, def. Miami (FL) 74-63
This Week: vs. UAB (Wed.), vs. Maryland (Sun.)
Even without Kyrie Irving, the Blue Devils continue to roll. Of course, the fact their first two ACC games were scheduled for Cameron helps matters.
16. Long Beach State (Big West auto)
Record: 5-8 overall; 2-0 conference; 0-5 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 3-1 vs. RPI 150+; 5-6 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 115 Loss: 82
RPI: 67
SOS: 11
Last Week: won at UC Santa Barbara 71-55, won at Cal Poly 69-53
This Week: vs. Cal State Northridge (Wed.), vs. UC Irvine (Sat.)
The 49ers' difficult early schedule looks like it's prepared them well for the Big West slate. Their win over the Gauchos is one of the biggest surprises of the season, simply because of the margin.
8. Louisville (Big East at-large)
Record: 11-2 overall; 0-0 conference; 2-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 1-0 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 171 Loss: 18
RPI: 46
SOS: 71
Last Week: def. Morgan State 104-74, lost to Kentucky 78-63
This Week: vs. Seton Hall (Wed.), at USF (Sun.)
The Cardinals finally leave the state of Kentucky on Sunday. Their only road game so far: at Western Kentucky.
9. Cleveland State (Horizon auto)
Record: 13-1 overall; 4-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; 6-1 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 129 Loss: 11
RPI: 26
SOS: 157
Last Week: def. Loyola-Chicago 73-55, def. Illinois-Chicago 83-59
This Week: at Butler (Fri.), at Valparaiso (Sun.)
The Horizon's chance at multiple bids rests on the results of what could be three meetings between the Vikings and Butler. The first comes Friday. The winner puts themselves in the driver's seat for hosting the conference tournament.
Denver Pod
5. Temple (A-10 at-large)
Record: 9-3 overall; 0-0 conference; 1-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 149 Loss: 35
RPI: 14
SOS: 18
Last Week: lost at Villanova 78-74
This Week: at Fordham (Wed.), vs. St. Louis (Sun.)
The Owls step into Atlantic 10 play with a rare semi-away league game. The Rams will host Temple at the Meadowlands.
12. Wichita State (MVC auto)
Record: 10-2 overall; 2-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-0 vs. RPI 150+; 3-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 177 Loss: 7
RPI: 43
SOS: 117
Last Week: def. Evansville 91-57, won at Bradley 79-63
This Week: vs. Drake (Tue.), at Illinois State (Fri.), vs. Missouri State (Sun.)
The Shockers were expected to dominate the MVC this season, something they've done through two games.
4. Illinois (Big Ten at-large)
Record: 12-3 overall; 2-0 conference; 3-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-1 vs. RPI 150+; 4-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 144 Loss: 94
RPI: 38
SOS: 56
Last Week: won at Iowa 87-77, def. Wisconsin 69-61
This Week: vs. Northwestern (Thu.)
The Fighting Illini could add another nail to the Wildcats' coffin on Thursday. A 2-0 league start was imperative after back-to-back losses to UIC at the United Center and Missouri in St. Louis.
13. Princeton (Ivy auto)
Record: 10-4 overall; 0-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-2 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; 7-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 173 Loss: 43
RPI: 35
SOS: 72
Last Week: def. Northeastern (N) 65-63, lost at UCF 68-62
This Week: vs. Marist (Wed.), vs. College of New Jersey (Sun.)
Don't expect to see the Tigers here next week. The winner of Harvard at Dartmouth (Saturday) will take the early Ivy lead and slot in next week's field.
Tucson Pod
6. Kansas State (Big 12 at-large)
Record: 11-3 overall; 0-0 conference; 2-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; 3-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 113 Loss: 18
RPI: 22
SOS: 21
Last Week: def. North Florida 100-76, def. Savannah State 92-61
This Week: at Oklahoma State (Sat.)
The Wildcats got Jacob Pullen back last night, just in time for the Big 12 slate to begin.
11. Miami (ACC at-large)
Record: 11-4 overall; 0-1 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 161 Loss: 47
RPI: 28
SOS: 59
Last Week: def. Pepperdine 94-59, lost at Duke 74-63
This Week: at Clemson (Sat.)
The Hurricanes are here because of decent wins over Mississippi and West Virginia and a slightly inflated road/neutral mark, which comes courtesy of three wins in Vegas over the holidays.
3. San Diego State (MWC auto)
Record: 13-0 overall; 0-0 conference; 4-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 8-0 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 111 Loss: 0
RPI: 8
SOS: 87
Last Week: def. Occidental 93-50
This Week: at TCU (Wed.), at Utah (Sat.)
The Aztecs will have to get to 10-0 away from home to start the MWC slate at 2-0.
14. Fairfield (Metro Atlantic auto)
Record: 10-3 overall; 3-0 conference; 0-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-0 vs. RPI 150+; 5-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 244 Loss: 103
RPI: 145
SOS: 326
Last Week: def. Army 68-61, def. Niagara 70-48
This Week: at Marist (Fri.), vs. St. Peter's (Sun.)
The Stags, preseason MAAC favorites, hold the conference auto bid by virtue of owning a better record than Sunday's opponent, the St. Peter's Peacocks.
Washington Pod
7. Florida (SEC at-large)
Record: 11-3 overall; 0-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 5-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-1 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 123 Loss: 49
RPI: 17
SOS: 10
Last Week: won at Xavier 71-67, def. Rhode Island 84-59
This Week: vs. Mississippi (Sat.)
The Gators were due to play three games over the past week, but Fairfield couldn't get out of Connecticut, thanks to the Northeast storm. Still, they took advantage of their two opportunities, handling a pair of A-10 contenders.
10. Memphis (Conference USA at-large)
Record: 11-2 overall; 0-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-0 vs. RPI 150+; 2-1 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 193 Loss: 2
RPI: 56
SOS: 95
Last Week: def. Lipscomb 88-70, def. Tennessee State 91-86
This Week: at Tennessee (Wed.), vs. East Carolina (Sat.)
The Tigers win over the TSU Tigers was simply one of the strangest games I've seen in some time, as it featured a near brawl, head coach Josh Pastner appearing to challenge some of his players to a fight, and the wife of a Memphis booster being ejected. And they visit the real circus, Knoxville, at midweek.
2. Pittsburgh (Big East at-large)
Record: 13-1 overall; 1-0 conference; 3-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; 2-0 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 128 Loss: 39
RPI: 9
SOS: 47
Last Week: def. Connecticut 78-63
This Week: at Providence (Tue.), vs. Marquette (Sat.)
The Panthers started their Big East slate off right with a showcase home win over UConn. Next up, their first true road game, at the improved Friars.
15. St. Francis (NY) (Northeast auto)
Record: 7-6 overall; 2-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-1 vs. RPI 150+; 1-5 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 254 Loss: 87
RPI: 220
SOS: 311
Last Week: def. NJIT 72-47, lost at Hartford 82-74
This Week: at Central Connecticut State (Thu.), at Bryant (Sat.)
The Terriers own a better overall record than either of the other NEC co-leaders, Wagner and Fairleigh Dickinson. SFC will need to watch out for 1-1 CCSU on Thursday.
Southwest Region Breakdown
Southeast Region Breakdown
West Region Breakdown
Outside Looking In Breakdown