Tulsa Pod
1. Kansas (Big 12 auto)
Record: 9-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 2-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 4-0
Average RPI win: 131; loss: 0
RPI: 3
SOS: 29
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 USC; 12/22 @California; 12/29 UT Arlington; 1/2 Miami (OH)
Think the Jayhawks are good now? Josh Selby suits up for the first time on Saturday against the Trojans.
16. Portland State (Big Sky auto)
Record: 5-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-1 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-2
Average RPI win: 188; loss: 186
RPI: 152
SOS: 268
Holiday Schedule: 12/15 @CSU Bakersfield; 12/18 Portland; 12/20 @Nevada; 12/23 Utah Valley; 12/29 Northern Colorado; 1/2 @Idaho State
Montana may have the biggest win for a Big Sky member this year (at UCLA), but the Vikings are here solely because they're the only two-loss team in the conference.
8. Purdue (Big Ten at-large)
Record: 9-1 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 3-1
Average RPI win: 171; loss: 38
RPI: 49
SOS: 157
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Indiana State (at Indianapolis); 12/21 IPFW; 12/28 @Michigan; 1231 Northwestern
The Boilermakers clearly miss Robbie Hummel, even if their record doesn't show it. They looked lost in their only loss of the season, at the hands of Richmond in the Chicago Invitational Challenge.
9. UCF (Conference USA auto)
Record: 7-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-0
Average RPI win: 106; loss: 0
RPI: 17
SOS: 104
Holiday Schedule: 12/15 Louisiana-Lafayette; 12/18 Miami (FL) (at Sunrise, FL); 12/22@Massachusetts; 12/29-30 UCF Holiday Classic
If you put money on the Golden Knights being the only unbeaten team in Conference USA at this point, you need to play the lottery. With wins over Florida and USF, Donnie Jones' team could very well be the class of the state right now.
Denver Pod
5. West Virginia (Big East at-large)
Record: 7-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 2-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 1-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 3-2
Average RPI win: 115; loss: 22
RPI: 15
SOS: 11
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Cleveland State; 12/29 St. John's; 12/1 @Marquette
The Mountaineers, whose best win so far came against Vanderbilt in Puerto Rico, have a tricky game coming up against an unbeaten Cleveland State team, a club they only managed to beat by two a season ago.
12. Wichita State (MVC auto)
Record: 5-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 3-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 1-2
Average RPI win: 144; loss: 9
RPI: 40
SOS: 40
Holiday Schedule: 12/13 Alabama A&M; 12/18 LSU (at Bossier City, LA); 12/21 Tulsa; 12/29 Evansville; 1/1 @Bradley
After losses to Connecticut and San Diego State, the Shockers only chance will be to earn the Valley's auto bid.
4. Kentucky (SEC at-large)
Record: 7-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 4-2
Average RPI win: 109; loss: 15
RPI: 4
SOS: 3
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Mississippi Valley State; 12/22 Winthrop; 12/28 Coppin State; 12/31 @Louisville
It's a new cast of characters in Lexington, but the Wildcats will still contend in the SEC. Losses to UConn in Maui and North Carolina in Chapel Hill have to be considered slightly disappointing, however.
13. Opening Round: Oklahoma State (Big 12 at-large) vs. Xavier (Atlantic 10 at-large)
Oklahoma State
Record: 9-1 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 4-1
Average RPI win: 170; loss: 83
RPI: 81
SOS: 226
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Alabama (at Oklahoma City); 12/21 Stanford; 12/31 @Gonzaga
The Cowboys just sneak into the projection despite a schedule that lacks punch, with the only loss coming to a disappointing Virginia Tech team in Anaheim and Murray State, Missouri State, and La Salle being the major wins.
Xavier
Record: 6-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-2
Average RPI win: 136; loss: 71
RPI: 35
SOS: 65
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Wake Forest; 12/22 @Gonzaga; 12/28 Albany; 12/31 Florida
The Musketeers have struggled so far this season, thanks to injuries, but are still scraping out wins, like against Butler last Thursday night.
Chicago Pod
6. Louisville (Big East at-large)
Record: 8-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 0-0
Average RPI win: 128; loss: 0
RPI: 18
SOS: 105
Holiday Schedule: 12/14 Drexel; 12/18 Gardner-Webb; 12/22 @Western Kentucky; 12/27 Morgan State; 12/31 Kentucky
The Cardinals trip to Bowling Green on the 22nd will be their first game away from their new arena. Victories over Butler and UNLV are the best on a mediocre slate.
11. Mississippi (SEC at-large)
Record: 5-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 1-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 1-1
Average RPI win: 113; loss: 51
RPI: 26
SOS: 14
Holiday Schedule: 12/13 Mississippi Valley State; 12/18 East Tennessee State; 12/22-24 Cancun Governor's Cup; 12/30 Alcorn State; 1/2 Southeastern Louisiana
The Rebels probably shouldn't be in with their profile, which features losses at Miami and at home to Dayton, along with home wins over Murray State, Penn State, and Southern Miss, but that's the shape of the at-large pool at this early date. Mississippi could meet the Golden Eagles or their opponent on December 18, ETSU, again in Cancun over Christmas week.
3. Illinois (Big Ten at-large)
Record: 10-1 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 3-1
Average RPI win: 141; loss: 50
RPI: 24
SOS: 70
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Illinois-Chicago (at United Center); Missouri (at St. Louis); 12/29 @Iowa; 1/2 Wisconsin
The Fighting Illini will hope to contain Missouri and add a win over the Tigers to a resume that already includes victories against North Carolina, Gonzaga, and Maryland.
14. IPFW (Summit auto)
Record: 6-2 overall: 2-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-2
Average RPI win: 237; loss: 62
RPI: 126
SOS: 283
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 @Valparaiso; 12/21 @Purdue; 12/28 @Oral Roberts; 12/30 @Centenary
Dane Fife's team is tied atop the Summit with Oakland and Oral Roberts (North Dakota State is a half-game back), but holds the auto bid thanks to five straight wins over D1 opponents (six overall).
Washington Pod
7. North Carolina (ACC at-large)
Record: 7-3 overall: 0-0 conference; 2-3 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-3
Average RPI win: 112; loss: 25
RPI: 23
SOS: 12
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Texas; 12/21 William & Mary; 12/28 Rutgers (at New York City); 1/2 St. Francis (PA)
The Tar Heels looked young and inexperienced against Minnesota, Vanderbilt, and Illinois, but a win over Kentucky illustrated their potential.
10. Arizona (Pac-10 at-large)
Record: 8-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-2
Average RPI win: 217; loss: 6
RPI: 73
SOS: 138
Holiday Schedule: 12/16 Northern Arizona; 12/19 @NC State; 12/22 Robert Morris; 12/30 @Oregon; 1/2 @Oregon State
The Wildcats had a great chance to upset Kansas, before Derrick Williams fouled out; however, they looked overmatched against BYU in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
2. Syracuse (Big East auto)
Record: 10-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 2-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 3-0
Average RPI win: 149; loss: 0
RPI: 16
SOS: 102
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Iona; 12/20 Morgan State; 12/22 Drexel; 12/28 Providence; 1/1 Notre Dame
The Orange are doing it with defense right now, and they also seem to have broken a pattern of slow starts. That being said, as the win against Michigan State showed, this club needs to find some outside shooting before the Big East campaign starts.
15. Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun auto) (@Winthrop today)
Record: 5-1 overall: 2-0 conference; 0-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-1
Average RPI win: 199; loss: 12
RPI: 85
SOS: 241
Holiday Schedule: 12/15 @St. Louis; 12/20 @Florida; 12/30 Bethune-Cookman
After dropping a game at Miami on opening night, the Dolphins have won six straight (five over D1 teams), including two conference tilts and a game at Auburn. (Granted beating the Tigers isn't much to brag about right now.)
RPI and schedule data from Basketball State, accessed on December 12, 2010. This information only reflects games played against Division I opponents.
East Region Breakdown
Southeast Region Breakdown
West Region Breakdown