WBB: Weekly RPI

Maryland is beatable. Wisconsin sucks and they only lost by 6 in College Park. Win this one and then a bid becomes at worst probably a 50-50 proposition.

I think the closeness of the final score doesn't tell the true story behind this game. Nobody wants to expend a lot of energy playing Wisconsin when your next opponent is a worthy Minnesota team who has an extra day's rest on them. Maryland was up by 21 on WI before letting the lead slide. Maryland's two key players only had 32 & 27 min.

Speaking of key players, I know the Gopher posts are young and green, but somebody (maybe everybody?) needs to learn how to box out right quick and apply those skills against Jones. She is an offensive rebound and put-back machine. Against WI, she had 8 total rebounds, 7 of them were offensive. With Walker-Kimbrough, I know it's a lot to ask when you're playing a 2-3 zone, but you can't give her room at the three point line. If the Gophers can accomplish these two key points defensively and not dig themselves an early hole offensively (which they tend to do), they might stand a chance in this game.
 



Monday RPI Through the End of the B1G Regular Season

5 (3) Ohio State: 15-3
11 (59) Maryland: 16-2
20 (57) Michigan State: 13-5
40 (56) Indiana: 12-6
53 (15) Rutgers: 8-10
59 (68) Purdue: 10-8
64 (43) Iowa: 8-10
68 (34) Michigan: 9-9
75 (94) Minnesota: 11-7
90 (105) Nebraska: 9-9
117 (72) Northwestern: 4-14
127 (20) Penn State 6-12
164 (11) Illinois: 2-16
177 (19) Wisconsin: 3-15


Final Standings

16-2 Maryland
15-3 Ohio State
13-5 Michigan State
12-6 Indiana
11-7 Minnesota
10-8 Purdue
9-9 Nebraska
9-9 Michigan
8-10 Iowa
8-10 Rutgers
6-12 Penn State
4-14 Northwestern
3-15 Wisconsin
2-16 Illinois
 

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-b...eveal-holds-small-clues-come-selection-Monday

Charlie Creme's musings on the NCAA's top ten and what it means for Minnesota's chances as an at large team:

Dawson said another big challenge for the committee is "to be consistent in prioritizing," which would appear to be a good sign for a team like Tennessee, which has the best schedule rating in the country and five top-50 wins. Bubble teams like Minnesota, Temple and St. Bonaventure should take heed.

"As we get closer to the end of the season," Dawson continued, "we are really looking at who did you play, what was the quality of that opponent, and how did you look in the game."

Things continue to look grim for Minnesota's at-large chances. The Gophers didn't look good at all in Sunday's 110-77 loss to Maryland, and they don't have the schedule strength or top-50 wins. Plus, the fact the Terrapins didn't seem to get much juice in the committee's current rankings from beating the Gophers is a bad sign.

Dawson acknowledged there was plenty of discussion about the Buckeyes being behind Maryland despite two wins over the Terps.

"Some members felt the head-to-head was extremely important, but we talked a lot as a group about where it fits in," Dawson said.

The Buckeyes also have more top-50 wins and a stronger schedule strength than Maryland, but with two losses in the past week and a second-place finish to the Terps in the Big Ten, Ohio State was the No. 9 overall, the equivalent of the top No. 3 seed. Interestingly, that scenario would give the Buckeyes a better chance of staying out of UConn's regional than if they remained a low No. 2 seed. That could actually be Maryland's cross to bear now.
 



What outcomes are we looking for in the B1G tourney? Assuming we want Northwestern over wisconsin because NW has a better RPI? Rutgers over Nebraska - potential to give the Gophers another top 50 RPI victory?

Right/wrong/others?
 

I would assume we need at least two wins in BTT to have a chance at making the dance......which should be very doable.

Thoughts?
 

What outcomes are we looking for in the B1G tourney? Assuming we want Northwestern over wisconsin because NW has a better RPI? Rutgers over Nebraska - potential to give the Gophers another top 50 RPI victory?

Right/wrong/others?

In the top half of the bracket it would be good for Minnesota to beat Indiana for the second time (I don't think it makes much difference whether Minnesota beats either Northwestern or Wisconsin). And I want Iowa to beat Michigan and lose to Maryland just to keep those pesky Wolverines at bay.

In the bottom half of the bracket it would be okay if Purdue lost their first game and stayed on the bubble. Otherwise, I'm hoping Ohio State and Michigan State pretty much take care of business.

And of course in other tournaments we need bubble teams to lose. I watched Kansas State play last night and they looked terrible; although I'm sure it wasn't Micaella Riche's fault.
 



Week Over Week RPI with (Strength of Schedule) and Conference Wins for 7 March: One week to go.

7 (3) Ohio State: 16-4
8 (50) Maryland: 19-2
17 (28) Michigan State: 15-6
45 (60) Indiana: 12-7
52 (15) Rutgers: 9-11
58 (29) Iowa: 9-11
64 (72) Purdue: 11-9
75 (37) Michigan: 9-10
80 (96) Minnesota: 11-8
95 (98) Nebraska: 9-10
101 (62) Northwestern: 7-15
130 (39) Penn State: 7-13
180 (22) Illinois: 2-17
195 (34) Wisconsin: 2-17

The B1G RPI (fifth) was hindered by some of its top teams. Ohio State did its part but the tough non-conference schedule hasn’t helped them down the stretch.

In today’s bracketology Charlie Crème has five B1G teams in: 2 Maryland, 3 Ohio State, 5 Michigan State, 9 Indiana and 10 Purdue (Boilers in the last four in). He has Iowa in the first four out and Minnesota in the next four out.
 


Monsieur Creme really does seem to have something against the Gophers. Anyone see that he now has Iowa in as a 12 seed (Gophers still "next four out")? Look at anything other than SOS/RPI and that choice seems, frankly, insane. Gophers have a better win, a better conference record, both teams have problematic losses (but Iowa's was at the end of the season) and MN won the head-to-head.
 

Monsieur Creme really does seem to have something against the Gophers. Anyone see that he now has Iowa in as a 12 seed (Gophers still "next four out")? Look at anything other than SOS/RPI and that choice seems, frankly, insane. Gophers have a better win, a better conference record, both teams have problematic losses (but Iowa's was at the end of the season) and MN won the head-to-head.

I looked at that several times and couldn't think of anything proper to say. "Insane" fits best. No wonder cutting back to a 16 game league schedule was so popular with the coaches. League schedules have been devalued compared to the non-conference schedule. I accepted the Gophers being WNIT bound; but IOWA in the NCAA!!!!! No Way.
 



I looked at that several times and couldn't think of anything proper to say. "Insane" fits best. No wonder cutting back to a 16 game league schedule was so popular with the coaches. League schedules have been devalued compared to the non-conference schedule. I accepted the Gophers being WNIT bound; but IOWA in the NCAA!!!!! No Way.

Indeed, I've accepted it, too, but I do not accept Iowa. The only slim chance the Gophers still have is if, somehow, the selection committee considers Banham's return timeline and her comments to the effect that she wasn't ready until the conference season -- which is unlikely but would help in evaluating the non-conference season (on the other hand, nothing helps the season-ending losses).
 

FINAL NCAA B1G RPI:

6 Ohio State
8 Maryland
17 Michigan State
46 Indiana
52 Rutgers
58 Iowa
66 Purdue
78 Michigan
81 Minnesota
95 Nebraska
104 Northwestern
138 Penn State
184 Illinois
198 Wisconsin


Charlie Crème’s Pre-selection projections:

B1G Teams In: Ohio State, Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue

Last Four In: Indiana, Purdue, Auburn, FCGU

First Four Out: Iowa, Temple, St. Bonaventure, Princeton

Next Four Out: St. Louis, Villanova, Duke, Minnesota
 




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