OU and March

[Jennifer]

I read someone on the ESPN board (or somewhere) asking whether or not OU would make the NCAA's.
Their record is now 13-8, 4-4 with a RPI of 20 and SOS of 4.
The remaining games are:
OKLAHOMA STATE
BAYLOR
@Colorado
@Texas Tech
IOWA STATE
MISSOURI
@Oklahoma State
@Texas

Now, I think they should beat OSU 2x, Baylor, Mizzou, and ISU at home. Gosh, I hope they beat ISU this year. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif SInce these games are at home, I'm going with OU. The Colorado game could go either way, but again since CU is the home team I'll count that as a win. That situation would have them finish 5-3 for a 9-7 in-conference record, maybe a win in Dallas, and solid footing entering the NCAA.
Am I being to optimistic? With their recent shooting and TO woes, I know they could easily finish 3-5 or even 2-6, though I can't really imagine Sherri Coale (and the players) letting the current slide get to that point. But if that happens, then what? Will it take a couple wins in Dallas to get in? Will their SOS and RPI be enough to save them?
Just pondering...thoughts?

[35TangoTango]

I think we'll have a better read on that after Sunday.

[swok34]

I've been wondering that myself....their SOS has continued to keep them afloat for awhile now, and really still continues.
Though dropping 6 places in the RPI after losing to TAMU is a big drop for the RPI.

I'm with you, right at this point, Jennifer.....

I'm guessing they win the remainder of their home games, win the game at Stillwater, and lose the 3 on the road at Colorado, Texas Tech and Tech.

If that pans out, they will definitely make the tourney....and then I would suspect need at least one win in the Big XII tourney.

The NCAA committee won't jump over one Big XII team to pick another from the RPI. Right now I see the 4 Leading the Conference as in, with OU's biggest competition with Missouri and Baylor. Baylor's SOS has been slow to rise and they stand at 70 in the RPI, Missouri stands at 81, though SOS is at 50.

Are conference standings taken into consideration? I can't remember.

I don't think winning 20 games is a measure as much as we think....Texas got into the tourney in 2000 with 18 or 19 wins?
Is that right Texas fans? I know they didn't have 20 wins one season and did make the tourney.

The committee also takes the last 10 games into consideration, which will start with Sunday's game (if they play 2 in the Big XII tourney). But that loss at Texas A & M certainly did not help our case.....though if they can finish like we think they will (hope http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif)...I don't think that loss will matter.

Losing to Texas, Texas Tech and even, Colorado....I don't think those loses will cause our RPI to drop, given the position at this time of those teams.

And then there is that automatic bid for winning the Big XII tourney http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by swok34 (edited 02-08-2003).]

[This message has been edited by swok34 (edited 02-08-2003).]

[swok34]

ok, I was digging around in the historical data in the RPI site...
In 1999:
Florida was 22 in the RPI, had an SOS of 6, finished 7th in the SEC (RPI-wise), and 7th in their conference. They DID not go to the tourney. The committee had already taken 6 teams from the SEC and the SEC was the #1 conference that year. They won their first game in the SEC tourney against a higher ranked team, but lost in the second round to Tennessee. I recall them being "devasted" that they did not make the tourney.

The Big XII right now is #5 in conference RPI's. So, it may come down to how many the committee takes from the Big XII.