RPI (4/14/08)

[SB Shock]

WSU RPI moves from 28 to 26 after going 3-1.

Top 50: 5-3
Top 51-100: 3-1
Top 101-200: 8-1
Top 200+: 9-0

MVC Ranked 14

RPI of This week opponents:

13. Nebraska (24-6)
199. SIU (17-15)

[Clarensauce]

We really need to win this Nebraska game.

[SubGod22]

You would think....

[Clarensauce]

You would think....

Thanks for the shoutout in your signature. Give me a call next time you want to hit up a baseball game.

[WSUwatcher]

Close

In Warren Nolan's RPI re-creation, WSU's RPI of .5906 is indeed 26th, but Virginia and Washington State, who are 24th and 25th -- how about that: WSU is both 25th and 26th -- are also at .5906, so you have to go at least to the fifth decimal place to separate them. Oral Roberts is 22nd at .5916, so a pretty small gain would improve the Shockers' rank by several places. Playing Nebraska, with their excellent 24-6 (.800) record, will definitely be worth a gain; the Shocks may improve their RPI just by playing the game. And beating the Bugeaters would be really great.

Interestingly, for those skeptics who think the Shocks are ranked too high -- and you know who you are, KC, although in this case I have to agree that the polls are probably being a little bit kind to the Shocks -- both Warren Nolan and Boyd Nation also do their own ratings. Nolan has his NPI, Boyd has his ISR that has received a lot of attention on here in the past. And in both, WSU fares better than it does in the RPI. Nolan has them 12th in his index, Boyd has them 15th. So to the extent that the selectors look at such things -- and who knows, they may -- both would justify treating WSU as a top 16 team, which given their facility, bid, and geography, could well make them a regional host.

[SubGod22]

You would think....

Thanks for the shoutout in your signature. Give me a call next time you want to hit up a baseball game.

Nothin' but love. Once I actually pay attention to the schedule, both the Shox and my work, I'll hit you up.

[SubGod22]

Re: Close

In Warren Nolan's RPI re-creation, WSU's RPI of .5906 is indeed 26th, but Virginia and Washington State, who are 24th and 25th -- how about that: WSU is both 25th and 26th -- are also at .5906, so you have to go at least to the fifth decimal place to separate them. Oral Roberts is 22nd at .5916, so a pretty small gain would improve the Shockers' rank by several places. Playing Nebraska, with their excellent 24-6 (.800) record, will definitely be worth a gain; the Shocks may improve their RPI just by playing the game. And beating the Bugeaters would be really great.

Interestingly, for those skeptics who think the Shocks are ranked too high -- and you know who you are, KC, although in this case I have to agree that the polls are probably being a little bit kind to the Shocks -- both Warren Nolan and Boyd Nation also do their own ratings. Nolan has his NPI, Boyd has his ISR that has received a lot of attention on here in the past. And in both, WSU fares better than it does in the RPI. Nolan has them 12th in his index, Boyd has them 15th. So to the extent that the selectors look at such things -- and who knows, they may -- both would justify treating WSU as a top 16 team, which given their facility, bid, and geography, could well make them a regional host.

As well as what the attendance numbers would be. Last years crazy success can't hurt there...

[SB Shock]

Here is what BA said about WSU in today's chat on the Top 25

SekShocker from Kansas asks:
Does Wichita State have any shot at being a national seed? I guess I need to know who to root against? Does it make this Tuesday's game v Nebraska even bigger for the winner?
A:

Aaron Fitt: I just think that MVC schedule is going to kill their RPI, and thus their shot at a national seed, because the committee heavily weights that particular tool. They've still got series remaining against Southern Illinois (194 RPI), Indiana State (135), Northern Iowa (146), Evansville (274) and Bradley (195).

[shocker3]

The Shox remain at #5 in this week's Collegiate Baseball poll and are at #6 in the coach's poll.

The 3-1 week didn't hurt the Shox in the national polls.

[ShockerFever]

Here is what BA said about WSU in today's chat on the Top 25

SekShocker from Kansas asks:
Does Wichita State have any shot at being a national seed? I guess I need to know who to root against? Does it make this Tuesday's game v Nebraska even bigger for the winner?
A:

Aaron Fitt: I just think that MVC schedule is going to kill their RPI, and thus their shot at a national seed, because the committee heavily weights that particular tool. They've still got series remaining against Southern Illinois (194 RPI), Indiana State (135), Northern Iowa (146), Evansville (274) and Bradley (195).

Funny. In the past, we've been a Top 8 team to host a regional and have had to deal with a weak Valley in doing so. Now things have changed? Can we help the fact that we belong to that conference? No. We've had no bad losses in the Valley thus far. Seems pretty stiff to me.

Oh and nice to see your q make the chat Sek.

[ABC]

I think the MVC is as weak as ever.

In the past there have been more than one team MVC ranked and a team or two that had an outside shot at Omaha.

If I remember correctly, the year that Creighton and WSU made the CWS, SIU was in a regional final.

All of those RPIs >100 really, really hurts.

But WSU is doing about all they can to make up for it with their non-conference schedule. That hasn't always been the case in the past.

It couldn't hurt to find some other major conference teams to replace teams like Harvard though.