At-Large Qualifiers (36) & B1G Teams in the Non-Conference vs. KenPom Top 100

[SelectionSunday]

A look at how last year's 36 NCAA at-large qualifiers, "first 4 out", and B1G teams performed in the non-conference vs. KenPom top 100 opponents, as well as Jerry Palm's final B1G non-conference SOS rankings. The Gophers scored well in both, going 4-1 vs. non-conference top 100 opponents, while finishing 3rd in the B1G in non-conference SOS.

An oddity. ... Wisconsin finished #276 in the country in non-conference SOS despite playing 7 non-conference games vs. the KenPom top 100, going 5-2 in those games.

At-Large Qualifiers Non-Conference Record vs. Ken Pom Top 100
#25 Butler (8-0) – best win vs. #18 Arizona (#4 seed/Sweet 16)
#13 Baylor (6-0) – best win vs. #9 Louisville (#3 seed/Sweet 16)
#16 UCLA (4-0) – best win @ #4 Kentucky (#3 seed/Sweet 16)
#26 Florida State (3-0) – best win #5 Florida (#3 seed/2nd round)
#53 USC (3-0) – best win #11 SMU (#11 seed/last 4 in/2nd round)
#7 West Virginia (3-0) – best win @ #12 Virginia (#4 seed/Sweet 16)
#28 Creighton (3-0) – best win #21 Wisconsin (#6 seed/1st round)
#46 Maryland (5-1) – best win #22 Oklahoma State (#6 seed/1st round)
#6 Kansas (4-1) – best win @ #4 Kentucky (#1 seed/Elite 8)
#9 Louisville (4-1) – best win #4 Kentucky (#2 seed/2nd round)
#37 Minnesota (4-1) – best win vs. #33 Vanderbilt (#5 seed/1st round)
#51 Seton Hall (3-1) – best win vs. #24 South Carolina (#9 seed/1st round)
#24 South Carolina (5-2) – best win #20 Michigan (#7 seed/Final 4)
#3 North Carolina (5-2) – best win vs. #21 Wisconsin (#1 seed/National Champs)
#21 Wisconsin (5-2) – best win @ #32 Marquette (#8 seed/Sweet 16)
#10 Oregon (5-2) – best win #56 Alabama (#3 seed/Final 4)
#22 Oklahoma State (4-2) – best win @ #8 Wichita State (#10 seed/1st round)
#50 Virginia Tech (2-1) – best win @ #20 Michigan (#9 seed/1st round)
#27 Notre Dame (4-2) – best win vs. #38 Northwestern (#5 seed/2nd round)
#15 Saint Mary’s (2-1) – best win @ #39 Dayton (#7 seed/2nd round)
#12 Virginia (4-2) – best win vs. #60 Providence (#5 seed/2nd round)
#39 Dayton (3-2) – best win #33 Vanderbilt (#7 seed/1st round)
#38 Northwestern (3-2) – best win #36 Wake Forest (#8 seed/2nd round)
#35 Arkansas (3-2) – best win #52 Houston (#8 seed/2nd round)
#5 Florida (4-3) – best win vs. #42 Miami (#4 seed/Elite 8)
#23 Cincinnati (2-2) – best win @ #17 Iowa State (#6 seed/2nd round)
#19 Purdue (2-2) – best win vs. #27 Notre Dame (#4 seed/Sweet 16)
#32 Marquette (3-3) – best win vs. #33 Vanderbilt (#10 seed/1st round)
#60 Providence (2-2) – best win #34 Rhode Island (#11 seed/last 4 in/First 4)
#31 Xavier (3-3) – best win #36 Wake Forest (#11 seed/Elite 8)
#48 VCU (3-3) – best win #43 Middle Tennessee (#10 seed/1st round)
#36 Wake Forest (3-3) – best win #76 Bucknell (#11 seed/last 4 in/First 4)
#40 Michigan State (2-4) – best win vs. #8 Wichita State (#9 seed/2nd round)
#30 Kansas State (1-2) – best win vs. #86 Colorado State (#11 seed/last 4 in/1st round)
#33 Vanderbilt (2-6) – best win #17 Iowa State (#9 seed/1st round)
#42 Miami (0-2) – no wins vs. Ken Pom top 100 (#8 seed/1st round)

Exceeded Seed (11): Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Middle Tennessee, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, USC, Wichita State, Wisconsin, Xavier

Played to Seed (41): Arkansas, Baylor, Bucknell, Butler, Cincinnati, East Tennessee State, FGCU, Gonzaga, Iona, Iowa State, Jacksonville State, Kansas State, Kent State, Kentucky, Marquette, Mount Saint Mary’s, Nevada, New Mexico State, North Carolina, NC Wilmington, North Dakota, Northern Kentucky, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Princeton, Purdue, Saint Mary’s, Seton Hall, South Dakota State, Texas Southern, Troy, UC Davis, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Vermont, Virginia, VCU, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Winthrop

Played Below Seed (16): Arizona, Creighton, Dayton, Duke, Florida State, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Minnesota, New Orleans, NCCU, Providence, SMU, Villanova, Wake Forest

Last 4 In
#30 Kansas State
#36 Wake Forest
#53 USC
#60 Providence

First 4 Out
#49 Illinois State (0-1) – no wins vs. Ken Pom top 100
#55 Syracuse (1-5) – best win #81 Monmouth
#62 Cal (2-3) – best win vs. #58 Princeton
#71 Iowa (1-3) – best win #17 Iowa State

B1G Non-Conference Records vs. Ken Pom Top 100
1 Maryland (5-1) – best win #22 Oklahoma State
2 Minnesota (4-1) – best win vs. #33 Vanderbilt
3 Wisconsin (5-2) – best win @ #32 Marquette
4 Northwestern (3-2) – best win #36 Wake Forest
5 Indiana (2-2) – best win #3 North Carolina
6 Michigan (3-3) – best win vs. #11 SMU
7 Purdue (2-2) – best win vs. #27 Notre Dame
8 Illinois (2-2) – best win vs. #48 VCU
9 Ohio State (2-2) – best win #60 Providence
10 Penn State (2-3) – best win #77 Georgia Tech
11 Michigan State (2-4) – best win vs. #8 Wichita State
12 Nebraska (2-5) – best win vs. #39 Dayton
13 Iowa (1-3) – best win #17 Iowa State
14 Rutgers (0-2) – no wins vs. Ken Pom top 100

@ = road game
vs. = neutral site

B1G Non-Conference Strength of Schedule (per Jerry Palm)
#4 Nebraska
#15 Michigan State
#27 Minnesota
#46 Illinois
#60 Penn State
#87 Michigan
#111 Ohio State
#114 Maryland
#135 Iowa
#140 Purdue
#143 Indiana
#159 Northwestern
#276 Wisconsin
#338 Rutgers

 

[Holy Man]

I would never have expected Vandy to be number 33 at the end of the season when we played them in the non con last year. Another reason that scheduling is a little less precise than we may think it was. I know I found myself cheering for the Commodores a lot near the end of the season. I am not seeing how SOS can be as good this year as it was last, but one never knows.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Vandy

I would never have expected Vandy to be number 33 at the end of the season when we played them in the non con last year. Another reason that scheduling is a little less precise than we may think it was. I know I found myself cheering for the Commodores a lot near the end of the season. I am not seeing how SOS can be as good this year as it was last, but one never knows.

Vandy's non-conference schedule was #1 in the country last year. They played 7 non-conference games vs. teams (all within KenPom's top 76) that made the Field of 68, but won only one of those games. It's safe to say the late-season non-conference win over Iowa State and a 3-game sweep of Florida got the Commodores into the tournament.

 

[WoodburyTim]

"An oddity. ... Wisconsin finished #276 in the country in non-conference SOS despite playing 7 non-conference games vs. the KenPom top 100, going 5-2 in those games."

How is that possible?

 

[SelectionSunday]

"An oddity. ... Wisconsin finished #276 in the country in non-conference SOS despite playing 7 non-conference games vs. the KenPom top 100, going 5-2 in those games."

How is that possible?

The other 6 were pure crud.