RPI WATCH: 2/27/2011

I don't know that Saturday could have gone much better for the Cats.

In addition to the huge win over Missouri (our second over an opponent with a top-50 RPI) and Virginia Tech's upset of Duke (moving the Hokies into the RPI top 50 and giving us a third such win in one fell swoop), the only losses by K-State non-con opponents belonged to Duke (the benefit outweighed the harm), Florida (a fairly inconsequential loss at Kentucky), Loyola (a lost cause) and UMKC (which Matt Brown deserves for being such a douche).

Those were more than balanced out by Alcorn State's fifth win of the season, Emporia State's upset of D-II No. 17 Fort Hays State, Gonzaga finishing in a two-way tie for the regular-season WCC championship, James Madison popping VCU's bubble, UNLV's 10th conference victory and Virginia Tech's huge Gameday win...

...not to mention Texas Southern's continued SWAC dominance. (Fun fact: Texas Southern now has a higher RPI than Texas Tech. Your move, Kirby Hocutt...)

Regular-season conference play has ended for Emporia State (which finished 12-10), Gonzaga (11-3), James Madison (10-8), Loyola (7-11), North Florida (10-10), Presbyterian (7-11) and UMKC (9-9). Let the conference tournaments begin!

Overall Record = 20-9

Big 12 Record = 8-6

Top 50 Record = 2-6

RPI = 25

SOS = 7

Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = Kansas, Missouri

Quality Wins (RPI 31-100) = James Madison, Virginia Tech, Gonzaga, Washington State, Baylor, Nebraska (2)

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

• James Madison (21-10, 10-8 CAA) | RPI = 73: Win at VCU (72-69)
  
• Virginia Tech (19-8, 9-5 ACC) | RPI = 51: Win over No. 1 Duke (64-60)
  
• Presbyterian (13-18, 7-11 Big South) | RPI = 201: Win over Liberty (73-66)
  
• Gonzaga (21-9, 11-3 WCC) | RPI = 66: Win at San Diego (68-31)
  
• No. 1 Duke (26-3, 12-2 ACC) | RPI = 5: Loss at Virginia Tech (60-64)
  
• Texas Southern (16-10, 14-1 SWAC) | RPI = 155: Win at Alabama A&M (83-78 in overtime)
  
• Emporia State (15-13, 12-10 MIAA*): Win over No. 17* Fort Hays State (81-77)
  
• Washington State (17-10, 7-8 Pac-10) | RPI = 86
  
• Alcorn State (4-23, 4-13 SWAC) | RPI = 337: Win at Southern (83-74)
  
• Loyola-Chicago (16-14, 7-11 Horizon League) | RPI = 194: Loss at Butler (56-63)
  
• No. 13 Florida (22-6, 11-3 SEC) | RPI = 12: Loss at No. 22 Kentucky (68-76)
  
• UNLV (22-7, 10-5 Mountain West) | RPI = 26: Win over Wyoming (90-77)
  
• UMKC (16-13, 9-9 Summit League) | RPI = 213: Loss to IPFW (57-82)
  
• North Florida (13-18, 10-10 Atlantic Sun) | RPI = 170: Win at Florida Gulf Coast (53-51)
  
• Savannah State (10-18) | RPI = 264
  
• Oklahoma State (17-11, 5-9 Big 12) | RPI = 60: Win over Texas Tech (70-68)
  
• Colorado (18-11, 7-7 Big 12) | RPI = 77: Win over No. 5 Texas (91-89)
  
• Texas Tech (12-17, 4-10 Big 12) | RPI = 159: Loss at Oklahoma State (68-70)
  
• No. 20 Missouri (22-7, 8-6 Big 12) | RPI = 28: Loss at Kansas State (70-80)
  
• No. 21 Texas A&M (22-6, 9-5 Big 12) | RPI = 29: Loss at Baylor (51-58)
  
• Baylor (18-10, 7-7 Big 12) | RPI = 74: Win over No. 21 Texas A&M (58-51)
  
• No. 3 Kansas (27-2, 12-2 Big 12) | RPI = 2: Win at Oklahoma (82-70)
  
• Nebraska (18-10, 6-8 Big 12) | RPI = 80: Loss at Iowa State (82-83 in overtime)
  
• Iowa State (15-14, 2-12 Big 12) | RPI = 136: Win over Nebraska (83-82 in overtime)
  
• Oklahoma (12-16, 4-10 Big 12) | RPI = 131: Loss to No. 3 Kansas (70-82)
  
• No. 5 Texas (24-5, 12-2 Big 12) | RPI = 9: Loss at Colorado (89-91)
  

*Division II