Will Iowa be able to fix its crappy RPI?

[RocknRollface]

They played one 300+ RPI team, we will have played five. There's the difference. Well that and they had some much better wins than we do.

How far out are some of these 300+ games scheduled?

Are these numbers something that can shift between 150-300 within a few years or is it understood at the time you are scheduling teams that will most likely hurt your RPI?

Seems easy to fix if thats the case.

 

[MepoDawg#]

This got me to do some trivia.. Virginia Tech was left out at 23-8 in 2011.. JEESH!

The 2010/11 season VT went 21-11 (9-7) in regular season and finished 22-12.

 

[33hawkfan]

How far out are some of these 300+ games scheduled?

Are these numbers something that can shift between 150-300 within a few years or is it understood at the time you are scheduling teams that will most likely hurt your RPI?

Seems easy to fix if thats the case.

For the most part you know what you're getting, schedule teams from the MEAC or SWAC and you're getting a 300+ RPI team. Kansas has a guy who's only job is to put together schedules that help their RPI. They've played one team with an RPI over 300 in the last five years. Iowa actually had a real good schedule last year as far as RPI goes. Iowa St has had some good ones lately too, the best way to do this is avoid the bad win 300+ types and instead play the 125-200 type teams.

 

[33hawkfan]

I follow you but I still think RPI is a ridiculous metric by itself. When playing a non-power 5/6 school beyond about 125 should it really matter that much for a power 5/6 school? There's not much difference between a 150, 200 and a 300 in my book. You should win all of those games. UNO was a horrible loss as was Western IL last year for Wisky.

Look if you want to bash the RPI, I will gladly join in. I think there are much, much better metrics out there for determining the quality of a team. But if the selection committee is going to use it, might as well play the game.

 

[And1Hawk]

2015-2016

Gardner-Webb
Coppin State
UMKC
Western IL
Tennessee Tech
Drake - no choice

Marquette (Big East challenge)
Dayton
Notre Dame
Witchita St
FSU (ACC Challenge)
ISU

vs

2016-2017

Kennesaw St
Savannah St
UT Rio Grand Valley
UNO
Stetson
NDSU
Delaware St

Seton Hall (Big East challenge)
Virginia
Memphis
Notre Dame (ACC challenge)
ISU
UNI

 

[33hawkfan]

2015-2016

Gardner-Webb
Coppin State
UMKC
Western IL
Tennessee Tech
Drake - no choice

Marquette (Big East challenge)
Dayton
Notre Dame
Witchita St
FSU (ACC Challenge)
ISU

vs

2016-2017

Kennesaw St
Savannah St
UT Rio Grand Valley
UNO
Stetson
NDSU
Delaware St

Seton Hall (Big East challenge)
Virginia
Memphis
Notre Dame (ACC challenge)
ISU
UNI

You can break these down into more tiers to really see the teams that drag you down. UNO, NDSU, Gardner Webb, Tennesee Tech are the level of teams that are good for the RPI. They are all close to 200 or lower.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

For the most part you know what you're getting, schedule teams from the MEAC or SWAC and you're getting a 300+ RPI team. Kansas has a guy who's only job is to put together schedules that help their RPI. They've played one team with an RPI over 300 in the last five years. Iowa actually had a real good schedule last year as far as RPI goes. Iowa St has had some good ones lately too, the best way to do this is avoid the bad win 300+ types and instead play the 125-200 type teams.

We've done exactly this. We play Omaha and UND both of whom will be around 150 RPI. two of the 300+ teams we had no control over because they were part of an MTE.

 

[DanL53]

Win games and it takes care of itself. We have a good non conference schedule. If loses at the beginning of the year come back to haunt us, that's the price of having such a young team. But, the RPI is only one factor and if (I doubt we'll find out) a 12-6 Big Ten record can't get us in, there is something wrong that has never been that wrong before.

 

[33hawkfan]

We've done exactly this. We play Omaha and UND both of whom will be around 150 RPI. two of the 300+ teams we had no control over because they were part of an MTE.

Except we're still playing Delaware St this week which there's no reason to, same with Kennessaw St to start the year. We couldn't help playing two of those teams, why did we need to play three more 300+ types?

 

[BBHawk]

On KenPom, Iowa is now ranked 68 but IA State is at 29. I guess that loss to UNO and the home court must count for quite a lot.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Except we're still playing Delaware St this week which there's no reason to, same with Kennessaw St to start the year. We couldn't help playing two of those teams, why did we need to play three more 300+ types?

Because you can't just avoid them. It's called math. Everyone wants to play the 150-200 teams. The bad teams have to play someone. Everyone plays these teams. Our SOS is projected to be top 50 at the end of the year.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

On KenPom, Iowa is now ranked 68 but IA State is at 29. I guess that loss to UNO and the home court must count for quite a lot.

Iowa usually shows well in kenpom because we are good. We have lost a lot of close games in the past, which explains our divergence in RPI and kenpom. Most of the time RPI and kenpom converge as the year goes on. We consistently rank near the bottom in luck.

 

[33hawkfan]

Because you can't just avoid them. It's called math. Everyone wants to play the 150-200 teams. The bad teams have to play someone. Everyone plays these teams. Our SOS is projected to be top 50 at the end of the year.

Not true, there's plenty of oppurtinites to fill a schedule with teams in the top 225. A lot of coaches would still rather play a team they will beat 99% of the team rather than a team they might only beat 90% of the time. There's only a handful of schools out there that are really committed to gaming the RPI. Look at Miss Valley St, they are always one of the worst D-1 teams and they are playing Northwestern, West Virginia, Michigan St. Indiana, Gonzaga, and Iowa St. in the non-conf. Lots of teams choose these really bad teams over the 150-200 types.

 

[DanL53]

Not true, there's plenty of oppurtinites to fill a schedule with teams in the top 225. A lot of coaches would still rather play a team they will beat 99% of the team rather than a team they might only beat 90% of the time. There's only a handful of schools out there that are really committed to gaming the RPI. Look at Miss Valley St, they are always one of the worst D-1 teams and they are playing Northwestern, West Virginia, Michigan St. Indiana, Gonzaga, and Iowa St. in the non-conf. Lots of teams choose these really bad teams over the 150-200 types.

Can you give us more examples of the not true? Try these, I haven't even looked:

Ohio State
Penn State
North Carolina State (I guess what comes to mind is schools with State in 'em)
Oklahoma
Washington.

There's a mix. Since you said it isn't true, how about this random sample? How many 300 or worse ranked teams do these programs play this year?

 

[33hawkfan]

Can you give us more examples of the not true? Try these, I haven't even looked:

Ohio State
Penn State
North Carolina State (I guess what comes to mind is schools with State in 'em)
Oklahoma
Washington.

There's a mix. Since you said it isn't true, how about this random sample? How many 300 or worse ranked teams do these programs play this year?

Ohio St. - 0
Penn St. - 2
NC St. - 2
Oklahoma - 0
Washington - 2

None of these schools come close to playing five 300+ RPI teams. You have to go out of your way to schedule as many 300+ RPI teams as Iowa has this year.

 

[DanL53]

Ohio St. - 0
Penn St. - 2
NC St. - 2
Oklahoma - 0
Washington - 2

None of these schools come close to playing five 300+ RPI teams. You have to go out of your way to schedule as many 300+ RPI teams as Iowa has this year.

Thanks, I'll check on Kenpom later tonight as I'm curious as to the differences.

 

[RocknRollface]

For the most part you know what you're getting, schedule teams from the MEAC or SWAC and you're getting a 300+ RPI team. Kansas has a guy who's only job is to put together schedules that help their RPI. They've played one team with an RPI over 300 in the last five years. Iowa actually had a real good schedule last year as far as RPI goes. Iowa St has had some good ones lately too, the best way to do this is avoid the bad win 300+ types and instead play the 125-200 type teams.

Thats what I figured, so what I don't understand is why Iowa schedules these games?

How far in advance are these done?

 

[And1Hawk]

Ohio St. - 0
Penn St. - 2
NC St. - 2
Oklahoma - 0
Washington - 2

None of these schools come close to playing five 300+ RPI teams. You have to go out of your way to schedule as many 300+ RPI teams as Iowa has this year.

Still a ridiculous system if a program has to worry about tiering suckiness when scheduling. Big freaking whoop between 150 and 300 RPI teams.

 

[DanL53]

Here's what I've found on Kenpom so far:

Iowa: 3, 22, 30, 45, 84, 86, 149, 157, 298, 307, 319, 338, 339
Washington: 12, 55, 55, 74, 114, 167, 217, 219, 242, 285, 306, 335

Keep in mind two of the worst teams we faced were required to be in the tournament. Yes, overall it looks like we have more very low level teams, and more high level teams. I'll check the other schools as I have time and update.

 

[DavenportHawk8]

On KenPom, Iowa is now ranked 68 but IA State is at 29. I guess that loss to UNO and the home court must count for quite a lot.

Well not really its the fact we are playing the MEAC, BIG SOUTH, and sisters of the poor. We cannot continue to schedule those types of teams if you want to be a legit contender.

Iowa has to stay away from those conferences. You have to look at teams that are going to be in the 100-250 range. Not then 300+ teams.

If you lose to a team that is 120-160 in the RPI you will be okay, that's not a "BAD LOSS" in terms of the committee. If you lose to someone with a 200+ RPI that is a bad bad loss and will cost you come tournament time.

Iowa will have chances to improve their RPI and their resume. They just can't stub their toe in the conference and also need to win a couple of road games. That will help it immensely.