The RPI boost comes if the bottom half of the conference all starts conference play with wins and a good record. They can have low SOS and not the greatest RPI but then when we beat them we get their wins for the first level of SOS and RPI.
As stated above, once conference play starts the conference can not gain any wins. Each conference game has a winner and a loser. But if
Fordham and
Duquesne can get 10-12 non con wins then the whole conference gets a boost. The worst thing for UD is to have a team play a tough non con and not get any wins but then turn it on in conference play.