RPI and schedule data from Basketball State (subscription), accessed on January 17, 2011. This information only reflects games played against Division I opponents through Monday, January 17, 2011.
Cleveland Pod
1. Ohio St. Buckeyes (Big Ten auto)
Record: 18-0 overall; 5-0 conference; 2-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 6-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-0 vs. RPI 150+; 5-0 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 136 Loss: 0
RPI: 6
SOS: 61
Last Week: won at Michigan 68-64, def. Penn State 69-66
This Week: Iowa (Wed.), at Illinois (Sat.)
The Buckeyes move up to the top overall spot, though they've also had issues (like Kansas) of not putting away teams they should handle. The difference is, Michigan and Penn State look to be in a slightly different class than Iowa State and Nebraska. OSU's schedule does start to ratchet up in the next few weeks, starting with Saturday's visit to Champaign.
16A. McNeese St. Cowboys (Southland auto)
Record: 7-5 overall; 3-0 conference; 0-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-1 vs. RPI 150+; 1-5 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 171 Loss: 60
RPI: 127
SOS: 182
Last Week: won at Lamar 78-76, def. Texas State 97-92
This Week: at Southeastern Louisiana (Wed.), at Northwestern State (Sat.)
The Cowboys are the lone unbeaten in Southland play, but they face a pair of divisional foes who have only lost once each this week.
16B. Texas Southern Tigers (SWAC auto)
NEW ENTRANT
Record: 7-9 overall; 5-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-3 vs. RPI 150+; 5-8 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 268 Loss: 126
RPI: 159
SOS: 183
Last Week: def. Jackson State 66-62, def. Grambling 66-41
This Week: at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Sat.), at Mississippi Valley State (Mon.)
The Tigers lead Jackson State by a game in the SWAC after beating them in Houston on Saturday.
8. Vanderbilt Commodores (SEC at-large)
Last Week: 6
Record: 12-4 overall; 1-2 conference; 2-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 152 Loss: 42
RPI: 22
SOS: 35
Last Week: def. Georgia 73-66, lost at Tennessee 67-64
This Week: Mississippi (Wed.), St. Mary's (Sat.)
Vanderbilt played bad basketball in blowing a first half lead in Knoxville on Saturday. They can get away with a performance like that against Ole Miss on Wednesday, but Saint Mary's could shoot them out of Memorial Gym on Saturday.
9. Central Florida Knights (Conference USA at-large)
Record: 13-2 overall; 1-2 conference; 2-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-1 vs. RPI 150+; 4-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 138 Loss: 114
RPI: 18
SOS: 85
Last Week: lost at Southern Miss. 86-69
This Week: East Carolina (Wed.), Rice (Sat.)
UCF is quickly finding out how the Conference USA grind eats at-large candidates alive. There's no shame in losing in Hattiesburg, but they can't afford any further defeats like the one at Houston.
Chicago Pod
5. UNLV Runnin' Rebels (Mountain West at-large)
Last Week: 6
Record: 14-4 overall; 2-2 conference; 2-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-0 vs. RPI 150+; 7-2 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 164 Loss: 36
RPI: 20
SOS: 26
Last Week: lost at San Diego State 55-49, won at Air Force 64-52
This Week: Colorado State (Wed.), New Mexico (Sat.)
The Runnin' Rebels face two tricky home games after getting an expected split on the road last week. UNLV cannot afford to drop either, as loss to one of the Mountain West's true bubble teams could help drop their seeding. Note: The Rebels are a true 6 seed, but I had to flip them with Michigan State to balance the bracket.
12. Harvard Crimson (Ivy auto)
Record: 10-3 overall; 1-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 8-0 vs. RPI 150+; 5-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 167 Loss: 46
RPI: 45
SOS: 139
Last Week: won at George Washington 67-62
This Week: Dartmouth (Sat.)
The Crimson stepped out of conference to top George Washington Saturday. This week, Ivy play really gets underway for everyone, and the Crimson will attempt to sweep a Dartmouth team that seems destined for the bottom of the league standings.
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Big East at-large)
Record: 14-4 overall; 3-3 conference; 6-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 3-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 137 Loss: 24
RPI: 14
SOS: 11
Last Week: lost at St. John's 72-54
This Week: Cincinnati (Wed.), Marquette (Sat.), at Pittsburgh (Mon.)
The Fighting Irish couldn't complete the sweep of St. John's Saturday and now faces three tough games in six days, including the opportunity to prevent Marquette from grabbing a season sweep of their own.
13. Valparaiso Crusaders (Horizon auto)
NEW ENTRANT
Record: 12-5 overall; 6-1 conference; 1-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-2 vs. RPI 150+; 8-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 143 Loss: 112
RPI: 48
SOS: 87
Last Week: won at Wright State 71-60, won at Detroit 78-68
This Week: Milwaukee (Fri.), Green Bay (Sun.)
The Crusaders took sole possession of first in the Horizon by sweeping the Detroit/Wright State trip, something Butler was unable to do.
Denver Pod
6. Washington Huskies (Pac-10 auto)
Last Week: 5
Record: 13-4 overall; 5-1 conference; 1-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; 4-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 144 Loss: 36
RPI: 21
SOS: 32
Last Week: lost at Stanford 58-56 (OT), won at California 92-71
This Week: Arizona (Thu.), Arizona State (Sat.)
The Huskies avoided a Bay Area sweep by handling Cal on Sunday night. That victory immediately becomes their best on the season (though not a top 50 one, that one goes to Portland). Thursday's home game against Arizona will determine who really is the Pac-10 favorite.
11. Xavier Musketeers (A-10 auto)
NEW ENTRANT
Record: 11-5 overall; 3-0 conference; 1-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-2 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 3-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 140 Loss: 48
RPI: 37
SOS: 18
Last Week: def. Massachusetts 79-50, def. Dayton 81-76
This Week: at St. Bonaventure (Wed.), Temple (Sat.)
The Musketeers are the only team without a loss in Atlantic 10 play, which pushes them into the bracket for this week. Saturday's home game with Temple will be a key determinant on if they remain next week, as either league leader or an at-large.
3. BYU (MWC at-large)
Record: 15-1 overall; 2-0 conference; 3-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 7-1 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 123 Loss: 78
RPI: 2
SOS: 17
Last Week: won at UNLV 89-77, def. Air Force 76-66
This Week: at Utah (Tue.)
The date all Cougar fans have circled on the calendar is Wednesday, January 26, the date San Diego State comes calling, but they cannot overlook a their archrivals--a team that would love to ruin BYU's final MWC campaign.
14. Fairfield Stags (Metro Atlantic auto)
Last Week: 13
Record: 13-4 overall; 6-1 conference; 0-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 10-2 vs. RPI 150+; 7-3 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 241 Loss: 146
RPI: 152
SOS: 331
Last Week: lost at Loyola (MD) 66-65, won at Rider 65-57
This Week: at Canisius (Fri.), at Niagara (Sun.)
The Stags surrendered sole possession of first with their loss to Loyola on Friday, as Iona is also 6-1 in the conference. Both teams will visit Western New York this weekend, which should result in things remaining the same next Tuesday.
Washington Pod
7. Temple Owls (A-10 at-large)
Last Week: 5
Record: 12-4 overall; 3-1 conference; 2-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 5-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 158 Loss: 50
RPI: 29
SOS: 44
Last Week: def. St. Bonaventure 83-55, lost at Duquesne 78-66
This Week: Penn (Wed.), at Xavier (Sat.)
The Owls fell way behind early in Pittsburgh and never recovered (a trend in that city this past week), resulting in their first A-10 loss. They step out of the league for a Big Five game on Wednesday, but have to visit new leader Xavier when they get back on Saturday.
10. Kansas St. Wildcats (Big 12 at-large)
Last Week: 8
Record: 12-6 overall; 1-3 conference; 1-5 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-0 vs. RPI 150+; 3-5 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 146 Loss: 32
RPI: 50
SOS: 30
Last Week: lost to Colorado 74-66, def. Texas Tech 94-60, lost at Missouri 75-59
This Week: at Texas A&M (Sat.), Baylor (Mon.)
Curtis Kelly finally returned, but Freddy Asprilla left the program just before Saturday's Texas Tech game, turning pro to help out his ill mother (or because he had issues with coach Frank Martin). The Wildcats need to make a statement quickly, and they'll get an opportunity at the Aggies on Saturday.
2. Syracuse Orange (Big East at-large)
Last Week: 1
Record: 18-1 overall; 5-1 conference; 3-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 6-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; 5-1 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 126 Loss: 5
RPI: 3
SOS: 27
Last Week: won at St. John's 75-59, def. Cincinnati 67-52, lost at Pittsburgh 74-66
This Week: Villanova (Sat.)
Kris Joseph, who missed the game with the Panthers with a head injury, should be back in time for Saturday's home game against Villanova. The Orange could have used him on Monday, especially after falling down 19-0 early.
15. Chattanooga Mocs (Southern auto)
NEW ENTRANT
Record: 9-8 overall; 7-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 7-3 vs. RPI 150+; 5-4 Road/Neutral
Average RPI win: 184 Loss: 125
RPI: 188
SOS: 229
Last Week: won at The Citadel 69-68, def. Samford 65-60, def. College of Charleston 91-89
This Week: at Wofford (Thu.), at Furman (Sat.)
The Mocs continue to have College of Charleston's number in the SoCon, as they knocked off the Cougars at McKenzie Arena Monday night to take sole possession of first in the league. Chattanooga faces two tough road tests this week, so you may very well see Charleston back here next week, with a better seed.
Southwest Region Breakdown
East Region Breakdown
West Region Breakdown
Outside Looking In Breakdown