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Off the Block crunched the numbers using the same criteria as the selection committee to show how the top teams in the nation fare against each other in the race for the two at-large bids and NCAA Tournament positioning.
Below are all of the criteria categories the selection committee uses to determine the NCAA Tournament field.
— RPI ranking
— Strength of schedule
— Won-lost results
— Head-to-head competition
— Results versus non-conference opponents
— Home and away results
— Results against common opponents
— Results against teams already qualified and other teams under consideration
— Eligibility and availability of student-athletes for NCAA championships.
There is no requirement for the committee to give additional weight to a certain category.
Here’s how the at-large bids and tournament seeding races look right now using the selection committee criteria.
[Editor’s note: Teams projected to qualify or be under consideration are Ball State, BYU, Grand Canyon, Hawai’i, Long Beach State, North Greenville, Ohio State, Penn State and UCLA. UCLA, Hawai’i, Penn State and Long Beach State each have a signature advantage edge over the rest of the field and will make the NCAA Tournament – barring three or more of them losing in the conference tournament.]
Race for the top-two seeds
Penn State vs. UCLA
RPI ranking: Penn State No. 2 (.65979); UCLA No. 1 (.67314). Edge: UCLA
Strength of schedule: Penn State No. 7 (.614); UCLA No. 2 (.626). Edge: Push
Won-lost results: Penn State 25-3; UCLA 28-2. Edge: UCLA
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 14-3; UCLA 15-2. Edge: UCLA
Home record: Penn State 10-2; UCLA 10-0. Edge: UCLA
Road record: Penn State 11-0; UCLA 12-2. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 13-2; UCLA 16-1. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 3-3; UCLA 9-2. Edge: UCLA
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
UCLA vs. Hawai’i
RPI ranking: UCLA No. 1 (.67314); Hawai’i No. 3 (.64704). Edge: UCLA
Strength of schedule: UCLA No. 2 (.626); Hawai’i No. 17 (.584). Edge: UCLA
Won-lost results: UCLA 28-2; Hawai’i 27-2. Edge: UCLA
Head-to-head competition: Hawai’i won the season series 1-0. Edge: Hawai’i
Non-conference record: UCLA 15-2; Hawai’i 17-1. Edge: Hawai’i
Home record: UCLA 10-0; Hawai’i 17-2. Edge: UCLA
Road record: UCLA 12-2; Hawai’i 9-0. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 18-1; Hawai’i 17-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 9-2; Hawai’i 4-2. Edge: UCLA
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Penn State vs. Hawai’i
RPI ranking: Penn State No. 2 (.65979); Hawai’i No. 3 (.64704). Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: Penn State No. 7 (.614); Hawai’i No. 17 (.584). Edge: Penn State
Won-lost results: Penn State 24-3; Hawai’i 27-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Head-to-head competition: Penn State won the season series 1-0. Edge: Penn State
Non-conference record: Penn State 14-3; Hawai’i 17-1. Edge: Hawai’i
Home record: Penn State 9-2; Hawai’i 17-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Road record: Penn State 11-0; Hawai’i 9-0. Edge: Push
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 8-2; Hawai’i 15-1. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 3-3; Hawai’i 4-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Penn State vs. Long Beach State
RPI ranking: Penn State No. 2 (.65979); Long Beach State No. 4 (.63414). Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: Penn State No. 7 (.614); Long Beach State No. 12 (.603). Edge: Penn State
Won-lost results: Penn State 25-3; Long Beach State 20-4. Edge: Penn State
Head-to-head competition: Long Beach State won the season series 1-0. Edge: Long Beach State
Non-conference record: Penn State 14-3; Long Beach State 11-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Penn State 10-2; Long Beach State 11-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Penn State 11-0; Long Beach State 8-3. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 9-1; Long Beach State 8-4. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 3-3; Long Beach State 3-3. Edge: Push
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
UCLA vs. Long Beach State
RPI ranking: UCLA No. 1 (.67314); Long Beach State No. 4 (.63414). Edge: UCLA
Strength of schedule: UCLA No. 2 (.626); Long Beach State No. 12 (.603). Edge: UCLA
Won-lost results: UCLA 27-2; Long Beach State 20-4. Edge: UCLA
Head-to-head competition: UCLA won the season series 2-0. Edge: UCLA
Non-conference record: UCLA 15-2; Long Beach State 11-2. Edge: UCLA
Home record: UCLA 10-0; Long Beach State 11-1. Edge: UCLA
Road record: UCLA 12-2; Long Beach State 8-3. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 12-2; Long Beach State 11-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 9-2; Long Beach State 3-3. Edge: UCLA
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Hawai’i vs. Long Beach State
RPI ranking: Hawai’i No. 3 (.64704); Long Beach State No. 4 (.63414). Edge: Hawai’i
Strength of schedule: Hawai’i No. 17 (.584); Long Beach State No. 12 (.603). Edge: Long Beach State
Won-lost results: Hawai’i 27-2; Long Beach State 20-4. Edge: Hawai’i
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Hawai’i 17-1; Long Beach State 11-2. Edge: Hawai’i
Home record: Hawai’i 17-2; Long Beach State 11-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Hawai’i 9-0; Long Beach State 8-3. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. common opponents: Hawai’i 14-1; Long Beach State 11-3. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Hawai’i 4-2; Long Beach State 3-3. Edge: Hawai’i
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Race for the final at-large bid
Grand Canyon vs. BYU
RPI ranking: Grand Canyon No. 5 (.60554); BYU No. 7 (.59530). Edge: Grand Canyon
Strength of schedule: Grand Canyon No. 16 (.589); BYU No. 21 (.573). Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: Grand Canyon 20-7; BYU 19-7. Edge: Grand Canyon
Head-to-head competition: Grand Canyon won the season series 2-0. Edge: Grand Canyon
Non-conference record: Grand Canyon 13-0; BYU 12-2. Edge: Grand Canyon
Home record: Grand Canyon 14-3; BYU 14-0. Edge: BYU
Road record: Grand Canyon 4-3; BYU 4-7. Edge: Grand Canyon
Record vs. common opponents: Grand Canyon 9-7; BYU 13-5. Edge: BYU
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Grand Canyon 4-3; BYU 3-5. Edge: Grand Canyon
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Grand Canyon vs. Ball State
RPI ranking: Grand Canyon No. 5 (.60554); Ball State No. 8 (.59279). Edge: Grand Canyon
Strength of schedule: Grand Canyon No. 16 (.589); Ball State No. 14 (.592) Edge: Push
Won-lost results: Grand Canyon 20-7; Ball State 20-8. Edge: Grand Canyon
Head-to-head competition: Grand Canyon won the season series 1-0. Edge: Grand Canyon
Non-conference record: Grand Canyon 13-0; Ball State 7-5. Edge: Grand Canyon
Home record: Grand Canyon 14-3; Ball State 14-2. Edge: Ball State
Road record: Grand Canyon 4-3; Ball State 6-6. Edge: Grand Canyon
Record vs. common opponents: Grand Canyon 6-0; Ball State 5-2. Edge: Grand Canyon
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Grand Canyon 4-3; Ball State 2-6. Edge: Grand Canyon
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push
Grand Canyon vs. Ohio State
RPI ranking: Grand Canyon No. 5 (.60554); Ohio State No. 6 (.59634). Edge: Grand Canyon
Strength of schedule: Grand Canyon No. 16 (.589); Ohio State No. 8 (.608). Edge: Ohio State
Won-lost results: Grand Canyon 20-7; Ohio State 21-9. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Grand Canyon won the season series 1-0. Edge: Grand Canyon
Non-conference record: Grand Canyon 13-0; Ohio State 8-6. Edge: Grand Canyon
Home record: Grand Canyon 14-3; Ohio State 14-2. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: Grand Canyon 4-3; Ohio State 6-5. Edge: Grand Canyon
Record vs. common opponents: Grand Canyon 9-3; Ohio State 6-2. Edge: Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Grand Canyon 4-3; Ohio State 2-6. Edge: Grand Canyon
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Edge: Push