Need Some Help Figuring This Out....RPI

[IrishSteelhead]

Southern Miss (21-6, 10-4; RPI: 13, SOS: 48)


Connecticut (17-11, 7-9; RPI: 30, SOS: 1)


So here's my questions:

1. How in the heck is USM 13th despite 6 losses, no really good wins, and a non-impressive schedule?

2. Why does SOS matter so much if you lose to everybody? If I was the coach for a bottom feeder school, I'd just put together a brutal schedule, finish close to .500, and make the tourney like UCONN will.

 

[Grahambo]

In its current formulation, the index comprises a team's winning percentage (25%), its opponents' winning percentage (50%), and the winning percentage of those opponents' opponents (25%). The opponents' winning percentage and the winning percentage of those opponents' opponents both comprise the strength of schedule (SOS).

Thus, the SOS accounts for 75% of the RPI calculation and is 2/3 its opponents' winning percentage and 1/3 times its opponents' opponents' winning percentage.

he RPI lacks theoretical justification from a statistical standpoint. Other ranking systems which include the margin of victory of games played or other statistics in addition to the win/loss results have been shown to be a better predictor of the outcomes of future games. Because the margin of victory has been manipulated in the past by teams or individuals in the context of gambling, the RPI can be used to mitigate motivation for such manipulation.

Some feel that the heavy emphasis upon strength of schedule gives an unfair advantage to teams from major conferences.

Ratings Percentage Index - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

UConn is making the tournament because they're UConn, not because they are a great team. Mid-majors always get screwed by the selection committee.

 

[A Pac]

I absolutely hate RPI. It's a made up system that does little to find out which teams deserve to belong in the tournament. It is the most worthless statistic there is. Nobody understands how it works and ESPN uses it like its the end all be all on the tournament. It's horrible.

 

[ab2cmiller]

UConn is definitely not a lock to make the tournament.

They lost again last night to Providence which is in next to last place in the league.

They are 7-10 in conference play with one game against Pitt remaining. They are 3-9 in their last 12 games and only 1 of those wins was against a team with a winning record. If they get in to the tourney, it's only because of their name. Anyone other team probably wouldn't get in with that kind of record down the stretch and being at a minimum of two games below .500 in conference.