Your chance to be on the NCAA committee
by Eric Prisbell, USA TODAY Sports
When the NCAA tournament selection committee makes decisions on at-large berths and seeds, it at times covers the names of the schools on team reports to focus solely on the bodies of work. It helps committee members make decisions based on who teams played, where they played and how they did, and guarantees that no one is influenced by a school’s name.
Let’s compare the resumes of two teams with outstanding credentials. Each resume is flawed in a different way. Each team will still earn a very high NCAA tournament seed. Which team deserves a higher seed?
TEAM A RÉSUMÉ
Record: 24-4
RPI: 5
Road/Neutral court record: 9-3
Strength of schedule: 9
Vs. top 50 teams: 9-3
Vs. top 100: 13-3
Vs. sub-300: 0-0
Best RPI wins: 19, 20
Worst RPI losses: 26, 228
Analysis: Aside from one game, one loss that sticks out like an eye sore, this resume is extremely impressive. This team knows how to win on the road. It has played a difficult schedule. And, overall, it has beaten 75 percent of the top-50 RPI teams that it has played. The loss to a team with an RPI of 228 was an anomaly, but it still stains the resume.
TEAM B RÉSUMÉ
Record: 26-2
RPI: 10
Road/Neutral court record: 13-1
Strength of schedule: 66
Vs. top 50 teams: 5-2
Vs. top 100: 10-2
Vs. sub-300: 0-0
Best RPI wins: 20, 21
Worst RPI losses: 31, 33
Analysis: The only flaw this team has is its strength of schedule, which is mediocre. But when this team has played on the road, it has won. When this team has played top-50-RPI teams, it has won the majority of those games. It has just two losses, and none to a team with an RPI worse than 33.
Which team has a stronger resume? Both teams are capable of winning away from home and beating quality competition. In this comparison, what the selection committee must answer is: Which is worse, one horrific loss or a mediocre overall strength of schedule? Committee members may differ on the answer, which could make for a close vote. I’m torn a bit myself on this one. Who are the teams?
Team A is Kansas
Team B is Gonzaga
These two … [For more on The Blind Eye Test: Your chance to be on the NCAA committee, click here.]
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