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.
— KPI rankings
— 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 Belmont Abbey, BYU, Fort Valley State, Grand Canyon, Hawai’i, Long Beach State, Ohio State, Penn State and UCLA.]
Race for the top two seeds
UCLA vs. Long Beach State
KPI ranking: UCLA No. 1 (0.601); Long Beach State No. 3 (0.492). Edge: UCLA
RPI ranking: UCLA No. 1 (0.66274); Long Beach State No. 3 (0.63565). Edge: UCLA
Strength of schedule: UCLA No. 1; Long Beach State No. 23. Edge: UCLA
Won-lost results: UCLA 25-5; Long Beach State 25-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Head-to-head competition: Split the two-match season series. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: UCLA 11-4; Long Beach State 14-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: UCLA 12-1; Long Beach State 17-0. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: UCLA 9-2; Long Beach State 5-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 10-1; Long Beach State 10-1. Edge:Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 9-3; Long Beach State 6-2. Edge: Push
Extra data: Record vs. RPI top 5: UCLA 6-3; Long Beach State 2-1. Edge: UCLA
Extra data: Record vs. RPI top 10: UCLA 13-4; Long Beach State 7-2. Edge: UCLA
UCLA vs. Grand Canyon
KPI ranking: UCLA No. 1 (0.601); Grand Canyon No. 2 (0.515). Edge: UCLA
RPI ranking: UCLA No. 1 (0.66274); Grand Canyon No. 2 (0.63644). Edge: UCLA
Strength of schedule: UCLA No. 1; Grand Canyon No. 19. Edge: UCLA
Won-lost results: UCLA 25-5; Grand Canyon 25-4. Edge: Grand Canyon
Head-to-head competition: UCLA won series 2-1. Edge: UCLA
Non-conference record: UCLA 11-4; Grand Canyon 12-2. Edge: Grand Canyon
Home record: UCLA 12-1; Grand Canyon 10-0. Edge: Grand Canyon
Road record: UCLA 9-2; Grand Canyon 8-3. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 14-2; Grand Canyon 17-1. Edge: Grand Canyon
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 9-3; Grand Canyon 3-4. Edge: UCLA
Extra data: Record vs. RPI top 5: UCLA 6-3; Grand Canyon 1-2. Edge: UCLA
Extra data: Record vs. RPI top 10: UCLA 13-4; Grand Canyon 8-4. Edge: UCLA
Grand Canyon vs. Long Beach State
KPI ranking: Grand Canyon No. 2 (0.515); Long Beach State No. 3 (0.492). Edge: Grand Canyon
RPI ranking: Grand Canyon No. 2 (0.63644); Long Beach State No. 3 (0.63565). Edge: Grand Canyon
Strength of schedule: Grand Canyon No. 19; Long Beach State No. 23. Edge: Grand Canyon
Won-lost results: Grand Canyon 25-4; Long Beach State 25-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Grand Canyon 12-2; Long Beach State 14-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Grand Canyon 10-0; Long Beach State 17-0. Edge: Push
Road record: Grand Canyon 8-3; Long Beach State 5-2. Edge: Grand Canyon
Record vs. common opponents: Grand Canyon 14-4; Long Beach State 17-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Grand Canyon 3-4; Long Beach State 6-2. Edge: Grand Canyon
Extra data: Record vs. RPI top 5: Long Beach State 2-1; Grand Canyon 1-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Extra data: Record vs. RPI top 10: Long Beach State 7-2; Grand Canyon 8-4. Edge: Long Beach State
Race for the at-large bid
Hawai’i vs. UC Irvine
KPI ranking: Hawai’i No. 7 (0.351); UC Irvine No. 4 (0.430). Edge: UC Irvine
RPI ranking: Hawai’i No. 7 (0.59036); UC Irvine No. 6 (0.61145). Edge: UC Irvine
Strength of schedule: Hawai’i No. 23; UC Irvine No. 4. Edge: UC Irvine
Won-lost results: Hawai’i 23-7; UC Irvine 19-10. Edge: Hawai’i
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 2-2. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Hawai’i 16-1; UC Irvine 11-5. Edge: Hawai’i
Home record: Hawai’i 17-3; UC Irvine 10-3. Edge: Hawai’i
Road record: Hawai’i 5-4; UC Irvine 8-5. Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. common opponents: Hawai’i 8-4; UC Irvine 9-4. Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Hawai’i 3-4; UC Irvine 6-6. Edge: UC Irvine
Seeding race
Ohio State vs. Penn State
KPI ranking: Ohio State No. 5 (0.373); Penn State No. 6 (0.357). Edge: Ohio State
RPI ranking: Ohio State No. 5 (0.61149); Penn State No. 4 (0.61444). Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: Ohio State No. 7; Penn State No. 18. Edge: Penn State
Won-lost results: Ohio State 22-8; Penn State 23-6. Edge: Penn State
Head-to-head competition: Penn State won season series 2-0. Edge: Penn State
Non-conference record: Ohio State 8-3; Penn State 11-6. Edge: Ohio State
Home record: Ohio State 12-3; Penn State 15-0. Edge: Penn State
Road record: Ohio State 6-5; Penn State 8-3. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Ohio State 9-3; Penn State 4-5. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 1-3; Penn State 2-3. Edge: Penn State
Belmont Abbey vs. Fort Valley State
KPI ranking: Belmont Abbey No. 20; Fort Valley State No. 43. Edge: Belmont Abbey
RPI ranking: Belmont Abbey No. 21; Fort Valley State No. 43. Edge: Belmont Abbey
Strength of schedule: Belmont Abbey No. 50; Fort Valley State No. 56. Edge: Belmont Abbey
Won-lost results: Belmont Abbey 21-4; Fort Valley State 14-7. Edge: Belmont Abbey
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Belmont Abbey 5-3; Fort Valley State 1-7. Edge: Belmont Abbey
Home record: Belmont Abbey 9-3; Fort Valley State 6-1. Edge: Fort Valley State
Road record: Belmont Abbey 7-1; Fort Valley State 5-5. Edge: Belmont Abbey
Record vs. common opponents: Belmont Abbey 5-2; Fort Valley State 1-3. Edge: Belmont Abbey
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Belmont Abbey 0-0; Fort Valley State 0-0. Edge: Push