thejumper5
Well-Known Member
To put it simply, it is obvious that Iowa's decision, whether intentional or not, not to play the RPI game is what cost them an NCAA Tournament berth. This article, by Jason Lisk, notes that in the tournament committee's selection of the 37 at large teams, they left out only one of the 37 highest rated RPI at-large possibilities (Southern Miss) and replaced them with the 38th ranked RPI team (Cal).
Basically, the RPI is all that ended up mattering to the selection committee. Right or wrong (and it's mostly wrong), the RPI game is the most important part of making the NCAA Tournament.
How could Iowa have done better? Mostly by not playing Howard, Coppin State, or South Carolina State. Those teams performed so poorly during the year that, even though Iowa beat them, they ruined Iowa's RPI ranking. Had Iowa not played those three games at all, or had Iowa played D2 or D3 teams (which don't count toward the RPI), the Hawkeyes would have been ranked high enough to play in the NCAA tournament.
Edit: Credit to Jeff from basketballpredictions.blogspot.com for pointing out how playing D2 or D3 teams would have changed Iowa's RPI.
Basically, the RPI is all that ended up mattering to the selection committee. Right or wrong (and it's mostly wrong), the RPI game is the most important part of making the NCAA Tournament.
How could Iowa have done better? Mostly by not playing Howard, Coppin State, or South Carolina State. Those teams performed so poorly during the year that, even though Iowa beat them, they ruined Iowa's RPI ranking. Had Iowa not played those three games at all, or had Iowa played D2 or D3 teams (which don't count toward the RPI), the Hawkeyes would have been ranked high enough to play in the NCAA tournament.
Edit: Credit to Jeff from basketballpredictions.blogspot.com for pointing out how playing D2 or D3 teams would have changed Iowa's RPI.
