Big Ten vs. MVC

Conference RPI

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Records Last Updated: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 10:55 PM ET
RPI & SOS Last Updated: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:01 PM ET
Records include games against Division I opponents only.

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Ratings Percentage Index Non-Conference
Conference RPI Rank Wins Losses Win Pct Best Team Automatic Bid
ACC 0.5793 1 239 62 0.7940 Miami Miami
Pac 10 0.5707 2 190 84 0.6934 Arizona State Arizona State
Big XII 0.5663 3 192 73 0.7245 Texas A&M Texas
SEC 0.5649 4 222 87 0.7184 Georgia LSU
Conference USA 0.5510 5 182 102 0.6408 Rice Houston
Big West 0.5362 6 154 127 0.5480 Cal State Fullerton Long Beach State
West Coast 0.5331 7 148 108 0.5781 San Diego San Diego
Southern 0.5167 8 156 118 0.5693 Elon University Elon University
Colonial Athletic 0.5121 9 146 112 0.5659 UNC Wilmington James Madison
Big East 0.5103 10 191 122 0.6102 St. John's Louisville
Sun Belt 0.5087 11 136 129 0.5132 Louisiana-Monroe Western Kentucky
Missouri Valley 0.5015 12 136 112 0.5484 Wichita State Wichita State
Western Athletic 0.4992 13 78 86 0.4756 Fresno State Fresno State
Big Ten 0.4976 14 112 109 0.5068 Michigan Michigan

Growing up in Central Illinois, I've lived for years surrounded by teams from both of these conferences.

I would always give more creedence to the MVC teams for baseball. Wichita State, Bradley, Creighton, etc. Michigan is one of the few Big 10 teams I've ever heard was ranked to any degree lately.

I'm not sure how accurate that statement is, more of an off the top impression I guess.

I would generally agree with the MVC being a stronger baseball conference. Certainly the upper teams in the conference are generally stronger if you were to match them up.

Realize that the Big Ten was playing 4 game sets on the weekends and that doesnt happen any more after this year.

That is huge RPI Killer, because it give the conference 40 more losses a year.

dont want to get in an argument, but those rankings get skewed by the structure of conference play.

Coach Steely makes a valid point.

This coming year, there will be a Big Ten vs ACC series on the first weekend of the season in Florida. It would be fun to see the same thing happen with the MVC.

i think thats big 10 vs. big east or am i wrong?

quote:

Originally posted by Coach Steeley:
i think thats big 10 vs. big east or am i wrong?

That's right Steeley...Big 10 vs Big East.

Big10-Big East

quote:

Originally posted by Coach Steeley:
Realize that the Big Ten was playing 4 game sets on the weekends and that doesnt happen any more after this year.

That is huge RPI Killer, because it give the conference 40 more losses a year.

dont want to get in an argument, but those rankings get skewed by the structure of conference play.

I thought everybody played one on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.

That's just the Big 10???

AND, I too, do not want to argue. I just have my own perception that MVC baseball was stronger. That surely doesn't make me right (just ask my wife)

Papi,
Most upper tier conferences play 3 game series.

Steeley brings up a great point about the RPI. The current RPI used by the NCAA is not baseball friendly. Boydsworld uses a proprietary ISR and Warrennolan.com uses his own index also, that are much more in tune with properly ranking teams relative strength.

The difference in scheduling has to do with fighting for higher RPI's. WIth upper tier conferences that are likely to get more than just their automatic bid, they have to configure their schedules to try and get the most favorable RPI to make the post season tournament.

Mid majors and below, conferences that are likely only to send their automatic bids to the dance, schedule based on budget (4 game series instead of 3, staying more local reducing travel costs, etc), rivalries, and other criteria, rather than RPI concerns.

Sorry, my bad, it is the Big East.