Charlotte Pod
1. Tennessee (SEC auto)
Record: 7-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 3-0
Average RPI win: 99; loss: 0
RPI: 1
SOS: 2
Holiday Schedule: 12/14 Oakland; 12/17 @Charlotte; 12/21 USC; 12/23 Belmont; 12/29 Tennessee-Martin; 12/31 College of Charleston
The Volunteers have been at their best with the spotlight shining on them, but how will they deal with the increased expectations created by their early success?
16. Texas-San Antonio (Southland auto)
Record: 4-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 3-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-2
Average RPI win: 150; loss: 133
RPI: 166
SOS: 318
Holiday Schedule: 12/20 Samford; 12/23 @Tulsa; 12/30 @Bowling Green
On the past two Saturdays, the Roadrunners have defeated Pepperdine and Houston on the road. UTSA also owns a home win over a surprising San Jose State squad.
8. Washington (Pac-10 at-large)
Record: 6-3 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 1-3
Average RPI win: 145; loss: 36
RPI: 55
SOS: 38
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 San Francisco; 12/22 Nevada; 12/29 @USC; 12/31 @UCLA
The Huskies aren't quite as inconsistent as last season, but they're still having issues on the road (1-2 in Maui and a loss at Texas A&M Saturday).
9. Cleveland State (Horizon at-large)
Record: 10-0 overall: 2-0 conference; 2-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 6-0
Average RPI win: 107; loss: 0
RPI: 21
SOS: 117
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 @West Virginia; 12/22 USF; 12/30 Loyola-Chicago; 1/1 Illinois-Chicago
The Vikings are generating a little bit of buzz right now, but a victory over the Mountaineers Saturday would really catapult them back into the national consciousness, not all that long after they made the Second Round in 2009.
Tucson Pod
5. Baylor (Big 12 at-large)
Record: 6-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 0-0
Average RPI win: 128; loss: 0
RPI: 29
SOS: 161
Holiday Schedule: 12/15 Bethune-Cookman; 12/18 Gonzaga (at Dallas); 12/22-25 Diamond Head Classic (at Honolulu)
The Bears certainly have the tools to be a force nationally, but trips to Dallas and Hawai'i will be their first excursions from Waco this season.
12. Opening Round: Cincinnati (Big East at-large) vs. Georgia (SEC at-large)
Cincinnati
Record: 8-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 1-0
Average RPI win: 237; loss: 0
RPI: 88
SOS: 305
Holiday Schedule: 12/14 Georgia Southern; 12/18 Oklahoma (at Oklahoma City); 12/21 @Miami (OH); 12/23 St. Francis (PA); 12/28 DePaul; 12/31 Seton Hall
The Bearcats, like Baylor, are also unbeaten, thanks to a soft schedule. However, UC did manage to go on the road once in the first month of the season. They beat a truly awful Toledo team at Savage Arena. Plus, they beat Dayton at US Bank Arena.
Georgia
Record: 6-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 3-2
Average RPI win: 199; loss: 31
RPI: 47
SOS: 79
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Arkansas State; 12/21 High Point; 12/23 @Mercer; 12/28 Charleston Southern; 12/31 Eastern Kentucky
The Bulldogs seem to finally be getting the hang of playing with Trey Thompkins again, but his presence and that of Travis Leslie, may not be enough if they can't defend better.
4. BYU (MWC at-large)
Record: 10-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 2-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 3-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 4-0
Average RPI win: 136; loss: 0
RPI: 9
SOS: 50
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 UCLA (at Anaheim); 12/21 @Weber State; 12/23 UTEP; 12/30 @Buffalo; 1/1 Fresno Pacific
The Cougars two most difficult games of the season came in the South Padre Invitational, where they needed OT to defeat USF and were taken to the limit by St. Mary's. It's been smooth sailing for Jimmer Fredette and co. otherwise.
13. Kent State (Mid-American auto)
Record: 7-3 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 2-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-3
Average RPI win: 152; loss: 46
RPI: 37
SOS: 51
Holiday Schedule: 12/21 Youngstown State; 12/28 @Morehead State; 12/31 James Madison
The Golden Flashes finished 2-1 in Cleveland State's tournament, topping Iona in the opener, falling to the hosts in the finale. On Sunday, Kent State topped visiting USF on the night the 2002 Elite Eight team, led by Bulls' coach Stan Heath, was honored.
Cleveland Pod
6. Boston College (ACC auto)
Record: 8-2 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 4-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 4-1
Average RPI win: 123; loss: 53
RPI: 19
SOS: 10
Holiday Schedule: 12/19 Bryant; 12/22 Bucknell; 12/29 @Rhode Island; 1/1 @South Carolina
The Eagles have the best overall record of the ACC teams who've played a conference game so far. (This is why Duke doesn't have the auto bid.) A 2-1 trip to the Old Spice Classic and decent wins over Indiana and Providence help their at-large case tremendously.
11. Northwestern (Big Ten at-large)
Record: 5-0 overall: 0-0 conference; 0-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-0
Average RPI win: 226; loss: 0
RPI: 105
SOS: 323
Holiday Schedule: 12/13 Long Island; 12/16 American; 12/20-21 Holiday Festival (at New York City); 12/23 Mount St. Mary's; 12/31 @Purdue
The Wildcats' best wins have come against Georgia Tech and Creighton. So, if they don't finish better than .500 in the conference, they will sit out yet another NCAA Tournament.
3. Pittsburgh (Big East at-large)
Record: 10-1 overall: 0-0 conference; 3-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 4-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-0
Average RPI win: 124; loss: 1
RPI: 13
SOS: 26
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 Maryland-Eastern Shore; 12/22 American; 12/27 Connecticut
The Panthers' loss to Tennessee on Saturday knocked them down a peg. Outside of that game and wins over Maryland and Texas, Pitt's non-conference schedule is remarkably unimpressive.
14. Iona (Metro Atlantic auto)
Record: 7-3 overall: 2-0 conference; 1-2 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 6-1 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 3-4
Average RPI win: 217; loss: 104
RPI: 91
SOS: 144
Holiday Schedule: 12/18 @Syracuse; 12/22 Vermont; 12/29 Hofstra
The Gaels are tied atop the MAAC with Fairfield, Marist, and St. Peter's. Their profile would look far better had they not gone 0-3 at Cleveland State's round-robin to start the season. Iona followed up that disastrous trip with a double OT win over Richmond.
Chicago Pod
7. Memphis (Conference USA at-large)
Record: 7-1 overall: 0-0 conference; 1-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-0 vs. RPI 51-100; 5-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-1
Average RPI win: 192; loss: 3
RPI: 39
SOS: 108
Holiday Schedule: 12/16 Austin Peay; 12/20 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; 12/23 Georgetown; 12/30 Lipscomb; 1/2 Tennessee State
The young Tigers fell to Kansas in the Jimmy V Classic on Tuesday, which means their win over Miami during the Tip-Off Marathon is the best on their profile.
10. Old Dominion (CAA at-large)
Record: 8-2 overall: 0-1 conference; 2-1 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 3-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 4-1
Average RPI win: 145; loss: 37
RPI: 14
SOS: 15
Holiday Schedule: 12/23 Presbyterian; 12/30 @Missouri
Sure, the Monarchs claimed the Paradise Jam crown, have defeated Richmond and Dayton, and nearly toppled Georgetown for the second straight year, but they can't afford to lose to teams like Delaware in the future, even on the road.
2. Minnesota (Big Ten at-large)
Record: 9-1 overall: 0-0 conference; 2-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 1-1 vs. RPI 51-100; 2-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 4-0
Average RPI win: 119; loss: 77
RPI: 31
SOS: 94
Holiday Schedule: 12/15 Akron; 12/18 South Dakota State; 12/28 @Wisconsin; 12/31 @Michigan State
The Golden Gophers stunned the college basketball world by sweeping through the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, and a home loss to Virginia a week later was a sensational disappointment. This seeding is based on the first occurrence, but two tough road games to start the Big Ten season will be the best indicator of this team's true potential.
15. UC Santa Barbara (Big West auto)
Record: 4-3 overall: 2-0 conference; 0-0 vs. RPI Top 50; 0-2 vs. RPI 51-100; 3-0 vs. RPI 150+; Road/Neutral: 2-3
Average RPI win: 229; loss: 74
RPI: 142
SOS: 202
Holiday Schedule: 12/15 @UNLV; 12/18 @San Diego State; 12/21 California Baptist; 12/28 Long Beach State; 12/31 Fresno Pacific
The defending Big West champs, who took out Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara before exam week, will be very lucky to be above .500 after taking on two of the Mountain West's best this week.
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
Southwest Region Breakdown