Chance to be on NCAA tournament 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 flawed resumes. These teams may be in the mix for one of the final at-large slots. There is no guarantee that both or either team will make the field.
TEAM A
Record: 23-4
RPI: 25
Road/Neutral court record: 9-4
Strength of schedule: 111
Vs. top 50 teams: 0-3
Vs. top 100: 3-3
Vs. sub-300: 1-0
Best RPI wins: 52, 87
Worst RPI losses: 49, 139
Analysis: It is also critical to note that Team A has a head-to-head victory over Team B. The record is outstanding, but the strength of schedule is mediocre. This team has no signature victory to hang its hat on, but it has at least proven it can beat some top-100 teams. And it has one loss that would fall into the questionable category. The record away from home is impressive.
TEAM B
Record: 19-6
RPI: 52
Road/Neutral court record: 6-5
Strength of schedule: 115
Vs. top 50 teams: 1-4
Vs. top 100: 5-6
Vs. sub-300: 1-0
Best RPI wins: 38, 69
Worst RPI losses: 61, 75
Analysis: It is also critical to note that Team A has a head-to-head victory over Team B. The record is solid, but the strength of schedule is mediocre. One signature victory, but overall a losing record against top-50 potential tournament teams. This squad also has a losing record against top-100 teams. Perhaps the best thing this team has going for it is no horrible loss to stain the resume.
Clearly, there are some similarities between these resumes, both of which are flawed. And this is one of those times when, among selection committee members, it can come down to the eye of the beholder. You both look at the same resumes but value different criteria. This is a close battle because while Team B has a better win and better losses, it also … [For more on The Blind Eye Test: Your chance to be on the NCAA tournament committee, click here.]
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