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RPI rank nice, but winning is better
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
OXFORD — A quick current events quiz: What do the North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA, Texas, Gonzaga, Louisville, Kentucky and Maryland basketball programs have in common?
Answer: All have a lower RPI rating than Miami University, according to collegerpi.com. The RedHawks will put their No. 11 rating on the line tonight, Jan. 6, against the red-hot Dayton Flyers.
As far as Miami coach Charlie Coles is concerned, his team's RPI is more of a fun fact than anything else.
Coles said he doesn't think Miami's RPI rating will improve its chances of playing in the NCAA Tournament, especially since that rating will start to slide — along with his No. 11 strength of schedule ranking — after the Mid-American Conference season begins.
The RedHawks open MAC play on Saturday at home against Akron.
"We're not thinking of any at-large berths, that's for sure," he said. "We're not that foolish. We have to go out and play and win and establish ourselves all over again. That (RPI rating) is not going to last very long.
"I think the chances of a MAC team getting an at-large berth get slimmer and slimmer every year," Coles added. "I'm sure other coaches around the league wouldn't agree with me, but the facts bear me out."
One fact is that Miami is the last MAC team to gain an at-large berth, and that was 10 years ago. Another is that no squad in the MAC has gained more than one at-large bid other than the RedHawks, who also earned berths in 1985 under coach Jerry Pierson and 1995 under Herb Sendek.
"It's OK," Coles said of Miami's current RPI, "but if this were the end of the season, whoa, that would be nice."
The Flyers, whose RPI is No. 44 in the nation, have tournament hopes of their own. Dayton has won five in a row behind Chris Wright (12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds per game) and Marcus Johnson (11.7 points).
The RedHawks have won five of their last six, weathering some key injuries (Kenny Hayes, out indefinitely, and Antonio Ballard, who might be back in a week). And three of Miami's four losses this season have come against teams whose RPIs are in the top nine.
Miami, which ranks second nationally in 3-point shooting percentage (42.2 percent), has not won at UD Arena since Nov. 22, 1997, when the RedHawks prevailed 93-86 in double-overtime.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
