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.
Cleveland Pod
1. Ohio State (Big Ten at-large)
Record: 14-0 overall; 1-0 conference; 1-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-0 vs. RPI 150+; 3-0 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 165 Loss: 0
RPI: 21
SOS: 173
Last Week: def. Tennessee-Martin 100-40, won at Indiana 85-67
This Week: at Iowa (Tue.), vs. Minnesota (Sun.)
A home game against a hungry Gopher team Sunday may be the biggest test the Buckeyes have faced since IUPUI gave them a scare back on December 9.
16A. Chattanooga (Southern auto)
Record: 5-8 overall; 3-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-2 vs. RPI 150+; 3-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 162 Loss: 144
RPI: 250
SOS: 267
Last Week: def. Montreat 89-51, lost to Georgia State 81-76, lost at Austin Peay 89-57
This Week: at UNC Greensboro (Sat.)
The Mocs are another team who are only in this bracket because of a scheduling quirk. They own one more league win than either Furman, Wofford, or College of Charleston, all three of whom would be slated outside of the First Round.
16B. Jackson State (SWAC auto)
Record: 2-8 overall; 0-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-2 vs. RPI 150+; 1-8 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 144 Loss: 112
RPI: 133
SOS: 20
Last Week: Idle
This Week: at Alabama State (Tue.), at Alabama A&M (Thu.), vs. Alcorn State (Sat.), vs. Southern (Mon.)
The Tigers, like the rest of the SWAC, are ready to put the days of guarantee games behind them.
8. Baylor (Big 12 at-large)
Record: 9-3 overall; 0-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-2 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 1-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 198 Loss: 66
RPI: 153
SOS: 261
Last Week: def. Texas Southern 68-60
This Week: vs. Morgan State (Tue.), at Texas Tech (Sat.)
Not only did the Bears go 1-2 in Hawai'i, they struggled with the Tigers upon their return to Waco. This team hasn't lived up to the hype yet.
9. St. John's (Big East at-large)
Record: 10-3 overall; 3-0 conference; 3-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-1 vs. RPI 150+; 5-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 100 Loss: 119
RPI: 7
SOS: 5
Last Week: won at West Virginia 81-71, won at Providence 67-65, def. Georgetown 61-58
This Week: at Notre Dame (Sat.)
While the Red Storm have forgotten their recent losses to Fordham and St. Bonaventure, I haven't. With the Big East gauntlet continuing, don't expect Steve Lavin's team to rise much further.
Denver Pod
5. Vanderbilt (SEC at-large)
Record: 11-2 overall; 0-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 135 Loss: 22
RPI: 15
SOS: 44
Last Week: def. Marquette 77-76, def. Davidson 80-52
This Week: at South Carolina (Sat.)
The only thing that might stop the Commodores' rise is injuries, as star guard John Jenkins missed the Davidson game.
12. Dayton (A-10 auto)
Record: 12-3 overall; 0-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; 2-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 164 Loss: 66
RPI: 48
SOS: 106
Last Week: def. George Mason 73-67, def. New Mexico 76-73 (2OT)
This Week: at St. Louis (Wed.), at Massachusetts (Sun.)
The Flyers are in because they have the best record in the A-10 at the moment; however, they'd be outside looking in as an at-large.
4. BYU (MWC at-large)
Record: 13-1 overall; 0-0 conference; 3-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 6-1 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 122 Loss: 77
RPI: 4
SOS: 27
Last Week: won at Buffalo 90-82, def. Fresno Pacific 93-57
This Week: at UNLV (Wed.), vs. Air Force (Sat.)
Wednesday's game against the Runnin' Rebels is a huge obstacle to the Cougars' goal: an unbeaten MWC campaign.
13. Montana (Big Sky auto)
Record: 8-4 overall; 2-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-3 vs. RPI 150+; 3-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 175 Loss: 152
RPI: 109
SOS: 216
Last Week: def. Northern Arizona 83-80, def. Weber State 75-56
This Week: at Northern Colorado (Thu.), at Sacramento State (Sat.)
The Grizzlies, long ago a member of the Pac-10's predecessor, may want to look for readmission after knocking off UCLA and Oregon State earlier in the season.
Chicago Pod
6. Washington (Pac-10 auto)
Record: 10-3 overall; 2-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; 3-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 143 Loss: 28
RPI: 25
SOS: 33
Last Week: won at USC 73-67 (OT), won at UCLA 74-63
This Week: vs. Oregon (Thu.), vs. Oregon State (Sat.)
The Huskies should move to 4-0 in the league after hosting the Oregon schools this week. That "should" is in italics for a reason.
11. Georgia (SEC at-large)
Record: 11-2 overall; 0-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 9-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 213 Loss: 13
RPI: 60
SOS: 203
Last Week: def. Charleston Southern 70-55, def. Eastern Kentucky 64-57
This Week: vs. Kentucky (Sat.)
Everytime I see the Bulldogs I feel like they're a team that's just about, but not quite, put things together. The SEC slate could result in some serious lumps.
3. Missouri (Big 12 at-large)
Record: 13-1 overall; 0-0 conference; 3-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 8-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-1 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 180 Loss: 2
RPI: 32
SOS: 155
Last Week: def. Northern Illinois 97-61, def. Old Dominion 81-58
This Week: vs. North Alabama (Wed.), at Colorado (Sat.)
As the Huskies and Monarchs learned, if you aren't ready to play at the Tigers' pace, you're doomed. Colorado, you're on notice.
14. American (Patriot auto)
Record: 10-5 overall; 0-0 conference; 0-4 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-1 vs. RPI 150+; 7-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 244 Loss: 48
RPI: 98
SOS: 191
Last Week: def. Fordham (N) 73-57, def. Delaware (N) 83-71, def. Brown 77-67
This Week: vs. Lehigh (Sat.)
The Eagles won the Cable Car Classic at Santa Clara by beating a pair of familiar foes. That's good prep for what should be a difficult Patriot League slate.
Charlotte Pod
7. Minnesota (Big Ten at-large)
Record: 11-3 overall; 0-2 conference; 2-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: x Loss: 0
RPI: 40
SOS: 69
Last Week: lost at Wisconsin 68-60, lost at Michigan State 71-62
This Week: vs. Indiana (Tue.), at Ohio State (Sun.)
The Golden Gophers really missed Al Nolen's steady presence at the point. Just as he's been back for a few games, it looks like Devoe Joseph may depart though, which leaves a major hole for Tubby Smith to fill. You can't fault them too much for losing at Madison and East Lansing.
10. St. Mary's (West Coast auto)
Record: 10-2 overall; 0-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 8-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 165 Loss: 6
RPI: 45
SOS: 152
Last Week: def. Mississippi State (N) 94-72, def. Hartford 87-63
This Week: at Loyola Marymount (Thu.), at Pepperdine (Sat.)
The Gaels are obliterating teams at the moment, but they need teams like St. John's to keep winning and Mississippi State to start.
2. Georgetown (Big East at-large)
Record: 12-3 overall; 1-2 conference; 3-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 6-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 136 Loss: 13
RPI: 2
SOS: 3
Last Week: lost at Notre Dame 69-55, def. DePaul 86-75, lost at St. John's 61-58
This Week: vs. West Virginia (Sat.)
I probably should have dropped the Hoyas after last night's loss at the Red Storm; however, I wasn't prepared to jump UConn up, considering they needed OT to beat a dreadful USF team in Hartford.
15. IPFW (Summit auto)
Record: 8-4 overall; 4-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-3 vs. RPI 51-100; 8-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 246 Loss: 50
RPI: 117
SOS: 285
Last Week: won at Oral Roberts 76-73, won at Centenary 83-51
This Week: vs. Western Illinois (Thu.), vs. IUPUI (Sat.)
The Mastodons get the nod over Keith Benson and Oakland by virtue of a superior overall record. That mark will be tested by a visit from IUPUI over the weekend.
Southwest Region Breakdown
East Region Breakdown
West Region Breakdown
Outside Looking In Breakdown