RPI WATCH: 2/4/2011

Two roads diverged in the Evergreen State, and Gonzaga took the path less hideous.

The Bulldogs staved off irrelevance by fighting through a torrid first half of shooting by the Portland Pilots (5 of 5 on 3s to start the game) to come back and win a hard-fought three-point game.

The win kept the Zags at least theoretically alive in the conference race. In the process, they discovered that David Stockton likely is their point guard of the future.

Washington State, on the other hand, followed its breakthrough upset of Washington with an absolute stinker — a 26-point loss on Oregon's ugly court in which their shooting percentage nearly matched the margin of loss. WTF?

Emporia State, Loyola and Presbyterian all lost, too. North Florida was K-State's only other opponent to win Thursday.

Overall Record = 15-8

Big 12 Record = 3-5

RPI = 38

SOS = 10

Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = none

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

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

• James Madison (17-7, 7-5 CAA) | RPI = 84
  
• Virginia Tech (15-6, 5-3 ACC) | RPI = 61
  
• Presbyterian (10-14, 4-8 Big South) | RPI = 186: Loss at UNC Asheville (55-88)
  
• Gonzaga (15-8, 5-3 WCC) | RPI = 71: Win at Portland (67-64)
  
• No. 5 Duke (20-2, 7-1 ACC) | RPI = 9
  
• Texas Southern (10-10, 8-1 SWAC) | RPI = 191
  
• Emporia State (11-10, 8-7 MIAA*): Loss to Central Missouri (51-68)
  
• Washington State (15-7, 5-5 Pac-10) | RPI = 74: Loss at Oregon (43-69)
  
• Alcorn State (2-18, 2-8 SWAC) | RPI = 327
  
• Loyola-Chicago (13-10, 4-8 Horizon League) | RPI = 204: Loss at Wright State (63-76)
  
• No. 23 Florida (17-5, 6-2 SEC) | RPI = 17
  
• UNLV (17-5, 5-3 Mountain West) | RPI = 30
  
• UMKC (13-9, 6-5 Summit League) | RPI = 193
  
• North Florida (9-14, 6-6 Atlantic Sun) | RPI = 164: Win over Lipscomb (72-62)
  
• Savannah State (5-17) | RPI = 278
  
• Oklahoma State (15-7, 3-5 Big 12) | RPI = 45
  
• Colorado (15-8, 4-4 Big 12) | RPI = 88
  
• Texas Tech (11-12, 3-5 Big 12) | RPI = 154
  
• No. 15 Missouri (17-5, 3-4 Big 12) | RPI = 31
  
• No. 16 Texas A&M (17-4, 4-3 Big 12) | RPI = 23
  
• Baylor (14-7, 4-4 Big 12) | RPI = 86
  
• No. 2 Kansas (21-1, 6-1 Big 12) | RPI = 1
  
• Nebraska (15-6, 3-4 Big 12) | RPI = 89
  
• Iowa State (14-9, 1-7 Big 12) | RPI = 135
  
• Oklahoma (12-9, 4-3 Big 12) | RPI = 111
  
• No. 3 Texas (19-3, 7-0 Big 12) | RPI = 6
  

*Division II