The Road to SelectionSunday: College Hoops Report

A condensed and early version of the CHR this week, with our next “College Hoops Buzz Clips” column planned for tomorrow or Saturday. If you have any questions for the Buzz Clips mailbag, please send them to my GopherHole PM and I’ll do my best to address ’em in future columns. I would like the mailbag to become a regular Buzz Clips feature, so don’t hesitate to shoot a question my way.

All RPI references/data are courtesy of Jerry Palm @ CollegeRPI.com, through games played Wednesday, January 19.

RPI Sweet 16
1. Kansas (18-0)
2. San Diego State (18-0)
3. Syracuse (18-1)
4. Pitt (18-1)
5. BYU (17-1)
6. UConn (15-2)
7. Georgetown (14-5)
8. Duke (17-1)
9. Ohio State (19-0)
10. Notre Dame (15-4)
11. Villanova (16-2)
12. West Virginia (12-5)
13. Purdue (16-3)
14. Kentucky (14-4)
15. St. John’s (11-6)
16. Florida (13-4)

Big Ten in the RPI
9. Ohio State (19-0)
13. Purdue (16-3)
20. Michigan State (11-6)
23. Illinois (14-5)
26. Minnesota (14-4)
32. Wisconsin (13-4)
55. Northwestern (12-5)
61. Penn State (10-8)
83. Michigan (10-8)
150. Iowa (7-11)
164. Indiana (10-8)

Top-50 Wins by the Big Ten (19)
Illinois (4) — MICHIGAN STATE (20), NORTH CAROLINA (21), WISCONSIN (32), vs. Gonzaga (45)
Minnesota (3) — vs. West Virginia (12), PURDUE (13), vs. North Carolina (21)
Wisconsin (3) — ILLINOIS (23), MINNESOTA (26), vs. Boston College (31)
Michigan State (3) — MINNESOTA (26), vs. Washington (28), WISCONSIN (32)
Ohio State (2) — @ Florida (16), MINNESOTA (26)
Penn State (2) — MICHIGAN STATE (20), ILLINOIS (23)
Purdue (1) — @ Valparaiso (47)
Michigan (1) — HARVARD (48)

Gopher Nonconference Opponents in the RPI
12. West Virginia (12-5, 3-2)
21. North Carolina (13-5, 3-1)
127. Virginia (10-8, 1-3)
135. Akron (9-8, 1-3)
172. Wofford (8-9, 5-1)
176. Siena (7-10, 4-3)
199. Western Kentucky (5-11, 0-4)
207. Saint Joseph’s (5-13, 0-5)
214. South Dakota State (10-6, 4-3)
225. North Dakota State (7-8, 3-4)
242. Cornell (4-11, 0-1)
266. Eastern Kentucky (8-9, 4-4)

Average RPI of Nonconference Opponents: 166.333
Preseason Projected RPI of Nonconference Opponents (excluding North Carolina & West Virginia): 133.5

Big Ten Road Wins (9)
Ohio State (3) — Michigan (83), Iowa (150), Indiana (164)
Purdue (2) — Penn State (61), Michigan (83)
Michigan State (1) — Northwestern (55)
Illinois (1) — Iowa (150)
Northwestern (1) — Iowa (150)
Penn State (1) — Indiana (164)

Games to Watch This Weekend
Saturday
Arizona @ Wazzu — Winner has leg up for Pac 10’s second bid behind U-Dub.
BC @ Florida State — Both teams now looking solid for NCAA bid.
BYU @ Colorado State — I smell an upset in Fort Collins.
Cincinnati @ St. John’s — Expect both to be on the bubble come mid-March.
K-State @ Texas A&M — Who woulda’ thought Wildcats would be bubblicious in late January?
Kentucky @ South Carolina — Young Gamecocks have snuck into the at-large pitcure.
Marquette @ Notre Dame — Warriors’ resume improving but still need a quality win outside of Milwaukee.
Michigan State @ Purdue — Sparty title hopes out window if they lose this one.
Ohio State @ Illinois — Bucks’ schedule finally stiffens up after soft 1/3 of Big Ten schedule.
St. Mary’s @ Vandy — Intriguing nonconference matchup of likely NCAA squads.
Temple @ Xavier — Once again, these two appear to be the bell-cows in A-10.
Tennessee @ UConn — Vols will have a pearl on the sidelines.
Texas @ Kansas — Of the remaining unbeatens, KU has the best chance to keep it going.
Villanova @ Syracuse — Along with Pitt, the Big East’s only true heavyweights.
VCU @ Old Dominion — Probably the CAA’s best two teams.

Sunday
Wisconsin @ Northwestern — This is a MUST-WIN for Wildcats, whose resume lacks sizzle.