Big Ten KenPom & RPI Rankings

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SelectionSunday

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Am more of a RPI guy than a KenPom guy, though I'd change my tune in a heartbeat if I thought the Selection Committee valued KenPom as much as the RPI in terms of their at-large selections. Currently KenPom likes the Gophers a lot more than the RPI does.

Here's how the Big Ten looks through games played December 28.

KenPom
#4 Wisconsin
#11 Ohio State
#22 Michigan State
#24 Maryland
#27 GOPHERS (5th best)
#41 Iowa
#42 Illinois
#44 Indiana
#80 Michigan
#84 Penn State
#85 Purdue
#87 Nebraska
#135 Northwestern
#152 Rutgers

RPI (per CBS' Jerry Palm)
#9 Wisconsin (only other team slotted the same in both rankings)
#32 Maryland
#41 Penn State
#53 Illinois
#62 GOPHERS (5th best)
#65 Ohio State
#69 Michigan State
#90 Rutgers
#103 Indiana
#104 Iowa
#107 Nebraska
#126 Northwestern
#145 Purdue
#155 Michigan

Interestingly, at this point in time KenPom's Big Ten "order" is much more in line with my way of thinking with regards to the Big Ten than the RPI is. Would guess the significant gaps in the indivudual team rankings will close significantly once conference play starts shaking out.
 

RPI doesn't take into account Margin of victory(MOV), just who won, lost and opp. winning percentage. KenPom has MOV(amongst other things) which makes it better.
 

Tim1406 said:
RPI doesn't take into account Margin of victory(MOV), just who won, lost and opp. winning percentage. KenPom has MOV(amongst other things) which makes it better.
Click to expand...

KenPom now effective caps MOV, though. It's also a predictive system, not a ranking of how teams have performed.

RPI is a measure of how teams have performed, but an awful one.

Both are something to look at, both with their flaws. Looking at RPI now requires you to be nutso and not interested in meaningful info.
 

GW, you're very clear on how much you despise the RPI. That's fine.

A question for you with a simple either/or answer?

Do you think the Selection Committee looks more at RPI (whatever their version of it is) as a measuring tool for its at-large candidates or more at KenPom? If you had to say which one they lean on more, which one would it be?

Not asking which one you think they SHOULD use, asking which one you think they DO use more.
 

If we are the 5th best team in the Big Ten at season's end, I'd be very happy.
 



SelectionSunday said:
GW, you're very clear on how much you despise the RPI. That's fine.

A question for you with a simple either/or answer?

Do you think the Selection Committee looks more at RPI (whatever their version of it is) as a measuring tool for its at-large candidates or more at KenPom? If you had to say which one they lean on more, which one would it be?

Not asking which one you think they SHOULD use, asking which one you think they DO use more.
Click to expand...

I believe the Selection Committee looks more at RPI. It's shoved in their face. Essentially impossible for them to NOT look at the RPI.

BTW, indeed I think the RPI is barbaric and dumb, but I am rather fascinated by it and the calculations. To be clear, when I say looking at RPI now is silly, I mean RPI AS OF TODAY. Looking today at where you project RPI to be at the end of the year based on numerous assumptions and projections is perfectly normal and reasonable to do.

But, "oh such and such is #X in the RPI today" is troubling behavior (i.e., often pointless).

PS - re: KenPom rankings - looking at them for purposes of inclusion in the NCAA tournament is also flawed - it's a predictive system, not a measurement of how well a team has done or its 'body of work' and has inherent limitations that make using KenPom rankings to rank how well teams have performed during the season is not logical. (Although it can be a good proxy - I'm OK with considering it along with a number of other things.)
 


Regardless of the metric device, each indicates that the Gophers are more highly regarded in comparative terms relative to Purdue. Yet, the Purdue game stands out as a barometric road test - can the Gophers execute on the road and win a game they should?
 



Completely different methodologies, but KenPom and Sagarin have the Gophs sitting nearly the same: between 25 and 30 and fifth best in the conference.

But again, a tough start to the conference schedule and an early test of their toughness and resolve. We'll know a lot more of what this team is made of soon.
 

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