Conference Ratings 0ver the Decade

bobber · #1 08-16-2008, 04:38 PM

Shawn Siegel of CHN has rated all of the D1 basketball conferences over the past 10 years based on performance. Good to see that the A10 graded out at #10 despite the fact that the league was in a deep swoon for a number of years during the decade. If the positive momentum from last year continues -- and I think it will with the fresh leadership we now have in Philadelphia -- we should move up considerably in the years to come.

Thoughts anyone?

http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/confe...the-data-54198

Flyer Dave · #2 08-17-2008, 08:54 AM

The report is based on the average of the RPI. There is a fallacy of the RPI in that teams are ranked the very first game, when in reality, that shouldn't even start until after about the first six to eight games have been played. A lot of the rankings in the beginning of the season are based on how a team did the previous year with players who are no longer on the team. That is one of the reason why the so call BCS schools keep their so call lock on the RPI each season. Lets wait a few games into the season before we start ranking the teams for a "true" indicator of an RPI.

longtimefan · #3 08-17-2008, 07:05 PM

There are the six BCS conferences, and then normally the A-10, MVC, Mountain West, Con-USA, and WAC. We need to stay in the top 2 or 3 of those "next five" and maybe once in awhile sneak past a BCS conference as we have done in the past. We can't really complain if we are consistently in the 7-8-9 range.

bobber · #4 08-17-2008, 07:19 PM

One conference above us that is very likely to slide downward is CUSA (currently #8). Since the exodus of their top teams to the Big East they have finished 13th, 11th and 10th in the RPI. Goodness only knows where they'd have finished during those years if they didn't have the mni-NBA franchise that is Memphis to bolser them.

IAFlyer · #5 08-19-2008, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Flyer Dave

The report is based on the average of the RPI. There is a fallacy of the RPI in that teams are ranked the very first game, when in reality, that shouldn't even start until after about the first six to eight games have been played. A lot of the rankings in the beginning of the season are based on how a team did the previous year with players who are no longer on the team. That is one of the reason why the so call BCS schools keep their so call lock on the RPI each season. Lets wait a few games into the season before we start ranking the teams for a "true" indicator of an RPI.

I don't believe that is true. The RPI starts fresh every year with the record that you/your opponents have/end up with at year-end. It is completely invalid through the first 10 games or more -- if it is valid at all -- but for lack of games played, mostly.

Flyer'95 · #6 08-19-2008, 11:46 AM

I think it's interesting to see that for the six years prior to last year, the MVC and the A10 essentially swapped places. From 2001-2004 we were the 7th, 8th or 9th conference. Then in the years prior, they jumped from 11-14th range to be in that upper range of non-bcs by cracking that RPI formula. We got back on track last year. Let's see if it holds.