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The postseason is a week away and every match becomes increasingly critical in the college men’s volleyball bracketology.
Off the Block has 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 seeding.
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.
Some selection committees in previous seasons have placed a greater emphasis on a certain categories. However, there is no requirement that the committee gives additional weight to a certain category.
The six-team NCAA Tournament will comprised of conference automatic bids from the MIVA, MPSF, EIVA and Conference Carolinas along with two at-large bids.
Here’s how the at-large bids and tournament seeding races look right now using the selection committee criteria and giving equal weight to each criteria category.
[Editor’s note: Teams projected to qualify or be under consideration are Barton, BYU, Hawai’i, Lewis, Long Beach State, Ohio State, UC Irvine, UCLA.]
POTENTIAL NCAA TOURNAMENT SEEDING AND AT-LARGE BID BATTLES
Ohio State vs. Long Beach State
RPI ranking: Ohio State No. 2; Long Beach State No. 3. Edge: Ohio State
Strength of schedule: Ohio State No. 7; Long Beach State No. 12 Edge: Ohio State
Won-lost results: Ohio State 25-2; Long Beach State 23-3. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Ohio State won season series 1-0. Edge: Ohio State
Non-conference record: Ohio State 11-2; Long Beach State 7-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Ohio State 16-1; Long Beach State 12-0. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Ohio State 9-1; Long Beach State 6-3. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. common opponents: Ohio State 15-1; Long Beach State 12-1. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 6-2; Long Beach State 7-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Ohio State
Ohio State vs. BYU
RPI ranking: Ohio State No. 2; BYU No. 1. Edge: BYU
Strength of schedule: Ohio State No. 7; BYU No. 3 Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: Ohio State 25-2; BYU 22-3. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Ohio State 11-2; BYU 5-1. Edge: Ohio State
Home record: Ohio State 16-1; BYU 13-2. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: Ohio State 9-1; BYU 9-1. Edge: Push
Record vs. common opponents: Ohio State 12-1; BYU 11-3. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 7-2; BYU 6-2. Edge: Push
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Ohio State
Long Beach State vs. BYU
RPI ranking: Long Beach State No. 3; BYU No. 1. Edge: BYU
Strength of schedule: Long Beach State No. 12; BYU No. 3 Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 23-3; BYU 22-3. Edge: Long Beach State
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 7-1; BYU 5-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Long Beach State 12-0; BYU 13-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Long Beach State 7-3; BYU 9-1. Edge: BYU
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 16-1; BYU 19-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 7-2; BYU 6-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Long Beach State
Hawai’i vs. UC Irvine
RPI ranking: Hawai’i No. 4; UC Irvine No. 5. Edge: Hawai’i
Strength of schedule: Hawai’i No. 13; UC Irvine No. 6 Edge: UC Irvine
Won-lost results: Hawai’i 20-4; UC Irvine 17-6. Edge: Hawai’i
Head-to-head competition: Hawai’i leads season series 1-0. Edge: Hawai’i
Non-conference record: Hawai’i 7-0; UC Irvine 6-0. Edge: Push
Home record: Hawai’i 15-0; UC Irvine 6-3. Edge: Hawai’i
Road record: Hawai’i 5-4; UC Irvine 10-3. Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. common opponents: Hawai’i 14-4; UC Irvine 13-5. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UC Irvine 3-5; Hawai’i 1-4. Edge: UC Irvine
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Hawai’i
UC Irvine vs. UCLA
RPI ranking: UC Irvine No. 5; UCLA No. 6. Edge: UC Irvine
Strength of schedule: UC Irvine No. 6; UCLA No. 8 Edge: UC Irvine
Won-lost results: UC Irvine 17-6; UCLA 17-7. Edge: UC Irvine
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: UC Irvine 6-0; UCLA 7-1. Edge: UC Irvine
Home record: UC Irvine 6-3; UCLA 10-2. Edge: UCLA
Road record: UC Irvine 10-3; UCLA 6-5. Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. common opponents: UC Irvine 12-4; UCLA 10-6. Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UC Irvine 3-5; UCLA 3-5. Edge: Push
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: UC Irvine
Penn State vs. Barton
RPI ranking: Penn State No. 8; Barton No. 17. Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: Penn State No. 9; Barton No. 36 Edge: Penn State
Won-lost results: Penn State 16-9; Barton 18-5. Edge: Barton
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 8-7; Barton 3-3. Edge: Penn State
Home record: Penn State 13-3; Barton 11-0. Edge: Barton
Road record: Penn State 5-5; Barton 7-4. Edge: Barton
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 4-2; Barton 3-2. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 1-4; Barton 0-1. Edge: Penn State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Penn State