Up to #34. Would be a crime if they get left out, if they lose in the tourney. We were considered on the bubble, last season, until we lost to AppSt. But, I don't believe our RPI was anywhere close to 34. Still considering what they have left (home- Troy and USA) and road (ULM and ULL)- only Troy is above .500 in the league, a regular season loss will probably kill there chances of an at large.

(02-22-2017 01:03 PM)mjs Wrote:  Up to #34. Would be a crime if they get left out, if they lose in the tourney. We were considered on the bubble, last season, until we lost to AppSt. But, I don't believe our RPI was anywhere close to 34. Still considering what they have left (home- Troy and USA) and road (ULM and ULL)- only Troy is above .500 in the league, a regular season loss will probably kill there chances of an at large.

What do you call close? 44?

(02-22-2017 01:16 PM)ez272 Wrote:  

(02-22-2017 01:03 PM)mjs Wrote:  Up to #34. Would be a crime if they get left out, if they lose in the tourney. We were considered on the bubble, last season, until we lost to AppSt. But, I don't believe our RPI was anywhere close to 34. Still considering what they have left (home- Troy and USA) and road (ULM and ULL)- only Troy is above .500 in the league, a regular season loss will probably kill there chances of an at large.

What do you call close? 44?

I guess that's pretty "close". I guess my thought was that I can recall Sun Belt teams being in the 40's and 50's. Really can't remember a Sun Belt team being in the mid to low 30's. Very rare for a team with an RPI of 34 to get left out. Of course, when they do, it is almost always a midmajor. Texas Tech is at #99, and I'm still hearing national folks saying they are on the bubble. Never said it was easy being a midmajor.

At some point we were 41 late last season.

(02-22-2017 02:29 PM)ez272 Wrote:  At some point we were 41 late last season.

I had some recollection of being in the 40's. Couldn't recall exactly how low our number got late in the season (only time it matters). I know we were number one in the RPI early last season. I know I printed it out and saved it, figuring it would never happen again.
Pretty unusual for a Sun Belt team to be in the low 40's or 30's this late in the season. However, since it happened 2 years in a row, may it is a sign that our league is really trending up. Certainly recent additions like UTA, Ga. schools, and now Coastal have helped the league in basketball (even if the adds were primarily motivated by football).

(02-22-2017 01:03 PM)mjs Wrote:  Up to #34. Would be a crime if they get left out, if they lose in the tourney. We were considered on the bubble, last season, until we lost to AppSt. But, I don't believe our RPI was anywhere close to 34. Still considering what they have left (home- Troy and USA) and road (ULM and ULL)- only Troy is above .500 in the league, a regular season loss will probably kill there chances of an at large.

One thing UTA has going for it that Little Rock didn't last year- a signature road win over a Top 25 team. UTA not only beat, but demolished Top 25 St. Mary's on its home floor!

(02-22-2017 07:46 PM)PTJR Wrote:  

(02-22-2017 01:03 PM)mjs Wrote:  Up to #34. Would be a crime if they get left out, if they lose in the tourney. We were considered on the bubble, last season, until we lost to AppSt. But, I don't believe our RPI was anywhere close to 34. Still considering what they have left (home- Troy and USA) and road (ULM and ULL)- only Troy is above .500 in the league, a regular season loss will probably kill there chances of an at large.

One thing UTA has going for it that Little Rock didn't last year- a signature road win over a Top 25 team. UTA not only beat, but demolished Top 25 St. Mary's on its home floor!

Definitely. If they had held on in Fayetteville, after traveling to 4 games in 7 days, I think they would be a lock.