MUTGR Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Missouri had a much-maligned non-conference schedule this year, but I see that quite a number of teams Missouri played are in the NCAA tournament (Davidson, Purdue, Arkansas, Illinois). This is MSU's non-conference schedule: Toledo Delaware State Lincoln Wisconsin (tournament) OSU (tournament) Alabama State Santa Clara Wisconsin-Milwaukee UNC-Wilmington. SLU. Nice win over Wisconsin, but is this really a great non-conference schedule? Is the OSU loss really a bad loss at this point? How is it the RPI is so high? Perhaps it's not bias, because if I'm the NCAA committee, and I look at the non-conference schedule and then look at the fact MSU was 0-5 against SIUC and Creighton, I'm just not that impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 When all was said and done, I don't think Mo. State was that close to an NCAA at large bid. It sounded like Drexel and Syracuse were the last two out. Cases were made for Florida State and Kansas State. And Air Force had an RPI of 30, better than that of Mo. State (36). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StLouBlue Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 >Missouri had a much-maligned non-conference schedule this >year, but I see that quite a number of teams Missouri played >are in the NCAA tournament (Davidson, Purdue, Arkansas, >Illinois). > >This is MSU's non-conference schedule: > >Toledo >Delaware State >Lincoln >Wisconsin (tournament) >OSU (tournament) >Alabama State >Santa Clara >Wisconsin-Milwaukee >UNC-Wilmington. >SLU. > I think the 0-5 vs the top 2 teams in the MVC was really the dividing line and showed CU & SIU were the deserving teams. The non-conf schedule list of teams doesn't seem that great, but let's add their RPIs and look at Mizz non-conf & RPIs. Toledo 94 H Win Delaware State 120 H Win Lincoln NR H Win Wisconsin (tournament) 4 N Win OSU (tournament) 51 N Loss Alabama State 314 H Win Santa Clara 99 H Win Wisconsin-Milwaukee 236 H Win UNC-Wilmington 262 H Win SLU 74 R Loss South Florida 192 R Win Winthrop 70 H Loss Mizz non-conference NC A&T 271 H Win Army 225 H Win Stetson 285 H Win Lipscomb 179 H Win Davidson 49 H Win Steph Austin 245 H Win Coppin St 246 H Win Arkansas 35 H Win Evansville 131 H Win Purdue 44 R Loss Illinois 29 N Loss Southern 288 H Win Miss St 64 H Win Mizz played 6 teams 200+ RPI, MO St 3. Mizz played 1 road game & 1 neutral game and lost both. MO St played 2 road & 2 neutral & split them 2-2. Mizz had better top quality teams on the schedule, that is the benefit of being in a BCS conference, other BCS schools will do home and homes with you. Last year UW-Mil was an RPI 52 & UNC-Wil was RPI 28, those two schools dropped off a lot, I am guessing MO St was expecting more quality opponents than what they ended up getting RPI wise. I agree though that overall MO St placed a lot of importance on those two neutral site games and some of the other mid-major teams on the schedule didn't perform to expectations either. I think the home loss to Winthrop on the bracket buster weekend was probably the key game and win there and maybe they make it. Of course, last year they beat UW-Mil on the road and got no credit for it, it seemed. My point is a school like Mizz has just about every advantage in scheduling over teams like MO St and SLU and Mizz this year decided to load up on cupcakes. Those cupcakes certainly didn't get you ready for your first real tests either, road against Purdue and neutral vs Illinois or your first 5 conference games. While the schedule game you some wins, it probably also contributed to some of these losses as well. Oh well, now lets get SLU & Mizz on each others schedules, I would like to see a home, home and neutral at ScottTrade start up. First year at Mizz and 2nd year at SLU new arena then ScottTrade--let's get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUTGR Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 I really wasn't trying to puff up Mizzou's schedule or team. They are not in the post-season and they don't deserve to be. I have to tell you though, when I look at some of the schedules from the MVC, I'm not all that impressed. So I think when the NCAA tournament looked past the RPI and SOS numbers, they weren't all that impressed either. I agree with you about SLU and MU playing at this point. I don't see why not. In fact, both our programs are pretty mediocre right now. Hopefully, we can both improve over the next few years and both be regular participants in the NCAA and play each other every year in the non-conference season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOStateFan Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I really don't have that much of a problem with Missouri State being left out this season. I thought we should've been in ahead of Stanford and Arkansas, but it was close. Last season I thought we got the shaft, but this season the coin came up tails when we called heads. The frustrating thing for Bears fans, and the fans of all mid-majors actually, is the shifting standards for selection. Last season, several Missouri State fans e-mailed the chair of the selection committee (Littlepage) and asked how could a team with a 21 RPI possibly be left out of the tournament. To his credit, he wrote back and said we didn't have any marquee wins. He said teams in the 30-40 RPI range with a marquee win deserve in before a team with a top 25 RPI. This season, we had an RPI of 35 and a win over Wisconsin. We still didn't get in. Basically, the selection committee will use any excuse it can to get a BCS school in. Just the facts of life, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 MOSFan said -Basically, the selection committee will use any excuse it can to get a BCS school in. Just the facts of life, I guess. This seems to be unfortuately correct and I am not sure how it can be corrected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Area Billiken Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 MoStateFan said: "Basically, the selection committee will use any excuse it can to get a BCS school in." MoStateFan, IMO, you hit the proverbial nail right on the head with that statement. I agree with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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