RPI WATCH: 3/13/2010

Dayton and Ole Miss both lost Friday in their respective conference tournaments, so they both can say "Hello" to the NIT. Guess Puerto Rico didn't do much for our resume after all.

Meanwhile, UNLV and Xavier both grabbed big wins to advance in their tourneys — UNLV to the final against San Diego State and Xavier to the semifinals against Richmond. SDSU did us a huge favor by beating New Mexico, which, when coupled with the win against Baylor, virtually locked us into a No. 2 seed in Oklahoma City.

Alabama, like Ole Miss, lost in the quarterfinals, but the Crimson Tide gave Kentucky everything it wanted to before falling in defeat, which should get 'Bama into the NIT. And Alabama's in-state counterpart, Alabama State, lost in the SWAC Tournament, guaranteeing a .500 record for BOTC fan favorite Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Of course, absolutely none of this matters if Frank Martin wins the biggest game of his career tonight. That would produce a championship, an automatic bid, a potential No. 1 seed (if Duke loses today to Miami) and purple frenzy in the Power & Light District. Please, God...

AP Ranking = 9

ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 9

Overall Record = 26-6

Big 12 Record = 11-5

Big 12 Seed = 2

Projected NCAA Seed = 2

RPI = 6

SOS = 4

Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = Xavier, Texas A&M, Texas, Baylor (x2), Oklahoma State

Quality Wins (RPI 31-100) = Dayton, IUPUI, UNLV, Alabama, Texas Tech, Missouri

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = Iowa State

• Loyola Chicago (14-16, 5-13) | RPI = 208
  
• Western Illinois (13-17, 6-12) | RPI = 280
  
• Boston University (19-12, 11-5) | RPI = 151
  
• Ole Miss (21-10, 9-7) | RPI = 56: Loss to No. 15 Tennessee (76-65 in the SEC Tournament)
  
• Dayton (20-12, 8-8) | RPI = 51: Loss to No. 24 Xavier (78-73 in the A-10 Tournament)
  
• IUPUI (24-10, 15-3) | RPI = 85
  
• No. 15* FHSU (21-6)
  
• Washington State (16-15, 6-12) | RPI = 156
  
• No. 24 Xavier (24-7, 14-2) | RPI = 21: Win over Dayton (78-73 in the A-10 Tournament)
  
• UNLV (25-7, 11-5) | RPI = 50: Win over No. 14 BYU (70-66 in the Mountain West Tournament)
  
• Alabama (17-15, 6-10) | RPI = 97: Loss to No. 2 Kentucky (73-67 in the SEC Tournament)
  
• UAPB (16-15, 14-4) | RPI = 192: Win over Alabama State (46-44 in the SWAC Tournament)
  
• Cleveland State (16-17, 10-8) | RPI = 159
  
• South Dakota (21-9) | RPI = 223: Win over UTPA (76-71)
  
• Missouri (22-10, 10-6) | RPI = 39
  
• No. 23 Texas A&M (23-9, 11-5) | RPI = 12: Loss to No. 1 Kansas (79-66 in the Big 12 Tournament)
  
• Colorado (15-16, 6-10) | RPI = 105
  
• Texas (24-9, 9-7) | RPI = 26
  
• Oklahoma State (22-10, 9-7) | RPI = 28
  
• No. 21 Baylor (25-7, 11-5) | RPI = 7: Loss to No. 9 Kansas State (82-75 in the Big 12 Tournament)
  
• No. 1 Kansas (31-2, 15-1) | RPI = 1: Win over No. 23 Texas A&M (79-66 in the Big 12 Tournament)
  
• Nebraska (15-18, 2-14) | RPI = 153
  
• Iowa State (15-17, 4-12) | RPI = 114
  
• Oklahoma (13-18, 4-12) | RPI = 112
  
• Texas Tech (17-15, 4-12) | RPI = 71
  

*Division II Top 25