Does this team deserve an at-large bid?

[trojansc]

Should this be a tournament resume? I guess this kind of a mini-blind resume challenge. People who have been paying attention to RPI/Bracketology will know who this team is immediately. But, those who haven't, take a look. Should they get a bid? Discuss why or why/not!

University
RPI: 26
Record vs. RPI 1-25: 0-5
Record vs. RPI 25-50: 0-1
Record vs. RPI 51-100: 5-0
Record vs. RPI 100+ : 14-0

Significant wins: #56(x2), #62, #77, #79 (none of these teams will make the tournament, though one is an extreme long shot)
Singificant losses: NONE

SPOILER: Click to show

RICE

For the record: I'm fairly certain I'm going to predict Rice in. I am not saying there is never ever a situation where 0T50 wins deserves a tournament bid. I could see an argument, particularly if they have a lot of wins just outside T50. But, beating UTEP twice doesn't scream I'm a tournament team to me. To me, you have to beat someone to get into the tournament AS LONG AS there are viable other at-larges who have big wins. If the other bubble options are that disgusting, I could see letting them in.

[avid 2.0]

marquette is a texas a&m fall out of the top 50 and a loss to Creighton next weekend from having an eerily similar resume 

although UIC Fairfield and Hawaii (most likely) will be tournament teams. 

[trojansc]

Nov 21, 2021 23:09:19 GMT -5 avid 2.0 said:

marquette is a texas a&m fall out of the top 50 and a loss to Creighton next weekend from having an eerily similar resume 

A&M is falling out of T50. Josh Taylor's squad will assure that just by having the match played.

But, Marquette will have a T50 win against Hawaii should the Bows win against CSUN and UCSB.

[basil]

I know who it is, and I don't think they should be in based on the "team sheet", but I think they will be in like you.

[Resident Bitchy Canadian Fan]

Lol I literally knew which team it was after the record against the top 25. Tbh I’d like them in the tourney, but based on criteria (other than their RPI number) they really don’t deserve a bid.

[huskyvolley]

How do you get a RPI of 26 without any top 50 wins???

[Resident Bitchy Canadian Fan]

Nov 21, 2021 23:12:26 GMT -5 huskyvolley said:

How do you get a RPI of 26 without any top 50 wins???

a bunch of “good” losses 🤷🏻‍♂️

[avid 2.0]

Nov 21, 2021 23:12:26 GMT -5 huskyvolley said:

How do you get a RPI of 26 without any top 50 wins???

marquette is at 15 with 1... 

playing wisconsin, kentucky, creighton x3 will help that 

[gibbyb1]

Nov 21, 2021 23:03:12 GMT -5 trojansc said:

Should this be a tournament resume? I guess this kind of a mini-blind resume challenge. People who have been paying attention to RPI/Bracketology will know who this team is immediately. But, those who haven't, take a look. Should they get a bid? Discuss why or why/not!

University
RPI: 26
Record vs. RPI 1-25: 0-5
Record vs. RPI 25-50: 0-1
Record vs. RPI 51-100: 5-0
Record vs. RPI 100+ : 14-0

Significant wins: #56(x2), #62, #77, #79 (none of these teams will make the tournament, though one is an extreme long shot)
Singificant losses: NONE

SPOILER: Click to show

RICE

For the record: I'm fairly certain I'm going to predict Rice in. I am not saying there is never ever a situation where 0T50 wins deserves a tournament bid. I could see an argument, particularly if they have a lot of wins just outside T50. But, beating UTEP twice doesn't scream I'm a tournament team to me. To me, you have to beat someone to get into the tournament AS LONG AS there are viable other at-larges who have big wins. If the other bubble options are that disgusting, I could see letting them in.

Interesting. RPI says 26 but their record says they aren’t better than anyone in top 50.

[trojansc]

Nov 21, 2021 23:11:28 GMT -5 basil said:

I know who it is, and I don't think they should be in based on the "team sheet", but I think they will be in like you.

This might sound crazy, but I'd rather take a team like LSU than this team. LSU has an ugly loss to Troy, but has 5 T50 wins and 2T25 wins. Besides the loss to Troy, their worst loss is a split with Ole Miss (#52). I'm definitely forgiving one bad loss for much better wins.

Now, that is also assuming LSU wins its last two matches, which is by no means a guarantee. And I dont' care if LSU is #53 in RPI and this team is #26, if I was a committee member, I wouldn't want to put them in.

Now, for the complete irony of what I just posted: THIS TEAM ACTUALLY BEAT LSU. Go Figure. (LSU is the #62 in RPI, and I consider that a better win than the #55 team.) But, it was moreso using LSU as an example of a team with good wins rather than a direct comparison in this scenario

[bbg95]

I'm guessing they'll be in. Has a team with an RPI in the top 30 ever been left out of the tournament? 

[justahick]

Nov 21, 2021 23:12:26 GMT -5 huskyvolley said:

How do you get a RPI of 26 without any top 50 wins???

RPI doesn't consider who you beat...it only considers your win percentage and who you play (wins and losses) ... and, to a lesser extent, who your opponents play

[trojansc]

Nov 21, 2021 23:19:54 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

I'm guessing they'll be in. Has a team with an RPI in the top 30 ever been left out of the tournament? 

Eastern Washington 2002. It's a very famous incident. It's alleged the committee forgot about them. Washington State's Head Coach at the time actually publically threw shade at them about having a poor schedule and that's why they didn't get in.

EWU was #27 in RPI, three T50 wins. They had a H2H win against Utah, who was ranked lower than them but still had a T50 RPI, and a common opponent win vs. sub-100 Weber State while Utah lost to them. Teams 20+ spots worse in RPI than Eastern Washington were invited to the dance while they weren't.

The NCAA-Team sheet link I had from 2002 isn't working anymore, so, those are just the details I had about them.

[bbg95]

Nov 21, 2021 23:23:07 GMT -5 trojansc said:

Nov 21, 2021 23:19:54 GMT -5 bbg95 said:

I'm guessing they'll be in. Has a team with an RPI in the top 30 ever been left out of the tournament? 

Eastern Washington 2002. It's a very famous incident. It's alleged the committee forgot about them. Washington State's Head Coach at the time actually publically threw shade at them about having a poor schedule and that's why they didn't get in.

EWU was #27 in RPI, three T50 wins. They had a H2H win against Utah, who was ranked lower than them but still had a T50 RPI, and a common opponent win vs. sub-100 Weber State while Utah lost to them. Teams 20+ spots worse in RPI than Eastern Washington were invited to the dance while they weren't.

The NCAA-Team sheet link I had from 2002 isn't working anymore, so, those are just the details I had about them.

Hmm, interesting. I barely even knew what volleyball was in 2002 (I remember seeing articles about Logan Tom around that time), so I'll take your word for it. I still think Rice will get in. For better or worse, being a tournament team the last few years will probably get them the benefit of the doubt.

[staticb]

I think that having zero bad losses is also a big plus. They scheduled tough and didn't win, but also showed they are significantly better against bad competition.

I've seen resumes like this in other sports and they always seem to get in.