IN OR OUT: NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT BUBBLE

Lets play a quick game of IN or OUT. I will give you 4 teams to choose from, pick the 2 teams you think should be in the NCAA tournament. The only catch is, I will not give you the team name but will give you their key statistics (Overall Record, Conference Record, RPI, Strength of Schedule and Last 10 games). Ready to play:


Team A: 24-6, 12-3, RPI 37, SOS 136, L10 7-3


Team B: 19-13, 9-10, RPI 51, SOS 7, L10 5-5


Team C: 20-10, 9-7, RPI 43, SOS 40, L10 5-5


Team D: 24-7, 16-4, RPI 57, SOS 157, L10 8-2




Scroll down to find out who you chose and my analysis:

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BUBBLE TEAMS

Team A = St. Mary's (24-6, 12-3, RPI 37, SOS 136, 7-3)

Team B = Syracuse (19-13, 9-10, RPI 51, SOS 7, 5-5)

Team C = Arkansas (20-10, 9-7, RPI 43, SOS 40, 5-5)

Team D = Virginia Commonwealth (24-7, 16-4, RPI 57, SOS 157, 8-2)


My Analysis

Forget the RPI, forget the SOS and look at wins. The point of basketball is to win games, period. A school for the most part can not control their schedule (due to the conference they are in, the availability of home games, the prestige of the school or even money). Strength of schedule should not matter. If you win over 20 games now that is a big deal. If you have won your last 9 games now that is a big deal. The object is to win so lets reward those schools who have won games. It is much more exciting when a Virginia Commonwealth wins a first or second round game then when an underachieving Arkansas or Syracuse wins those games. What makes the tournament is the underdog. You win 24 games you deserve a shot to "shock the world". That is why Virginia Commonwealth and St. Mary's would be my picks.





Record your choices in the poll.