RPI WATCH: 3/1/2011

by BracketCat on Mar 1, 2011 12:00 PM CST in Men's Basketball

You know, Texas really isn't holding up its part of the bargain in the Chisholm Trail Rivalry.

Don't you have to win a game or two once in a while for it to be a true rivalry?

I barely can remember the last time* we lost to Texas in the regular season in a major men's sport.

Meanwhile, the Cats are racking up quality wins faster than I keep track of them.

That's three signature wins in the last two weeks, if you're keeping score.

Suddenly, that "ugly" top-50 record is looking pretty darn beautiful.

In fact, K-State's resume is markedly better than it was at this point last season. Beating Texas on the road and beating Kansas anywhere will do that for you.

That begs the question: Is this actually a better season than 2009-10? As good as last year's team was, it never beat Kansas and it didn't win a title of any kind.

This year's team is on a hot streak unparalleled in Frank Martin's young career and appears to be one of the two teams that should be favored to win next week's Big 12 Tournament.

Finally, we're seeing the team that was ranked No. 3 to start the season and picked to win the conference.

The latter is unattainable, but a Big 12 Tournament championship and another deep run in the NCAA Tournament would make up for that.

In other Monday night news, Gonzaga crushed an opponent it never should have scheduled and Texas Southern was upset at Alabama State.

Hopefully, the Tigers got the losing out of their system before entering a must-win SWAC Tournament next week.

I guess everything's bigger in Texas, including the unexpected Big Monday upsets. Ba-zing.

*It was Jacob Pullen's freshman year, at home, in the second-ever K-State Proud game.

Associated Press Ranking = 29

ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 29

Overall Record = 21-9

Big 12 Record = 9-6

Top 50 Record = 3-6

RPI = 21

SOS = 6

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

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
Virginia Tech (19-8, 9-5 ACC) | RPI = 54
Presbyterian (13-18, 7-11 Big South) | RPI = 200
Gonzaga (22-9, 11-3 WCC) | RPI = 66: Win over Cal State Bakersfield (96-49)
No. 4 Duke (26-3, 12-2 ACC) | RPI = 5
Texas Southern (16-11, 14-2 SWAC) | RPI = 163: Loss at Alabama State (48-60)
Emporia State (15-13, 12-10 MIAA*)
Washington State (18-10, 8-8 Pac-10) | RPI = 74
Alcorn State (4-23, 4-13 SWAC) | RPI = 337
Loyola-Chicago (16-14, 7-11 Horizon League) | RPI = 195
No. 14 Florida (22-6, 11-3 SEC) | RPI = 11
UNLV (22-7, 10-5 Mountain West) | RPI = 26
UMKC (16-13, 9-9 Summit League) | RPI = 209
North Florida (13-18, 10-10 Atlantic Sun) | RPI = 170
Savannah State (10-18) | RPI = 264
Oklahoma State (17-11, 5-9 Big 12) | RPI = 59
Colorado (18-11, 7-7 Big 12) | RPI = 77
Texas Tech (12-17, 4-10 Big 12) | RPI = 159
No. 22 Missouri (22-7, 8-6 Big 12) | RPI = 28
No. 24 Texas A&M (22-6, 9-5 Big 12) | RPI = 30
Baylor (18-10, 7-7 Big 12) | RPI = 75
No. 2 Kansas (27-2, 12-2 Big 12) | RPI = 2
Nebraska (18-10, 6-8 Big 12) | RPI = 80
Iowa State (15-14, 2-12 Big 12) | RPI = 137
Oklahoma (12-16, 4-10 Big 12) | RPI = 134
No. 7 Texas (24-6, 12-3 Big 12) | RPI = 13: Loss to Kansas State (70-75)

*Division II

Tweet Comment 23 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I would say despite a better record last year,

this season’s team has a more impressive resume. Ironic that this team (barring either two losses in next two games or sweeping through the Big 12 tourney) will probably max out at a 5-seed and last year’s team was a 2.

I will say this has been a great streak, but with such an up and down season I’ll probably never be fully convinced this is the team we’re going to see the rest of the way. There has been a toughness and consistency we hadn’t seen before so perhaps it is reasonable that this team will continue at this level through its final game. But last season I didn’t watch a single game without thinking the Cats were going to outhustle whoever they played and I was upset and surprised when they didn’t win. This year the team is making a case for that kind of confidence, but I don’t feel it quite yet.

by yeahboozin on Mar 1, 2011 12:13 PM CST reply actions

We win the Big 12 tourney, we're a 4. Guarantee it.

by BracketCat on Mar 1, 2011 12:58 PM CST up reply actions

The scary thing is, they can get better.

Jamar is just a disaster in the offense right now. If he figures it out, look out.

And Will is going through another one of his freshman slumps. Hope it ends soon.

by BracketCat on Mar 1, 2011 12:59 PM CST up reply actions

Oh absolutely.

Last night’s game wasn’t a flawless performance. And that’s why it was so great.

I love Jamar, but this is his fourth year in the program. I’m starting to think this might be what we’re going to get from him – a mercurial basketball player with very good athleticism who can be an emotional boon or bust for his teammates. Will had a bad game yesterday, but let’s not forget he helped carry the load in the second half against Mizzou.

But you’re right. This team can get better even still during the stretch run. What is so great about it is this team is playing so much like a TEAM in the truest sense. There’s a stud leader in Pullen. A star in the making in Rod. A very good player starting to round into shape in Curt. A big man with huge upside who is transforming before our eyes in JHR. A role player who is starting to step it up big time in Martavious. And two unheralded freshmen playing well beyond their years and playing their roles as well as anybody in Shane and Will.

This team can do some real damage. I think the difference though between this team being good enough to potentially make a deep run in the tourney and good enough to our feeling confident in their making a deep run towards a potential championship is Jamar and Nick. Jamar is obviously a talent who for whatever reason is pretty bad at finishing near the basket. Nick (I can hear the scoffing already) is a good offensive talent with confidence issues. If both these guys can find consistency down the stretch, then we have two more real scoring threats and suddenly we have a VERY potent offense.

The early season talk that we’ll be better next year is silly. Jake and Curt are two enormous pieces of this team. But I think one thing has become very clear lately – the future for this team is very bright. I can barely put into words how pumped I am to see the development of the sophomores and freshmen over the next few seasons.

by yeahboozin on Mar 1, 2011 1:18 PM CST up reply actions

I beg to disagree

I consider Baseball a “major” mens sport, especially after the Bat Cats have gone to the NCAA tourney the last two years, and unfortunately the Bat Cats lost the last two games of the series last spring after ending UT’s 21-game (and 17-game conference) win streak.
But football hasn’t lost since before I was in college, and I was at the last loss to UT in basketball my junior year.

by jtarkman on Mar 1, 2011 12:29 PM CST reply actions

agree on the baseball topic

Not as major at K-state, but look at other stadiums within the league, and like Arkansas.

Which is why I would die happy if we got a national championship in baseball in my lifetime. All I’m asking for is 1: Football, Basketball, Baseball. From there, the next thing that would come close would be a Volleyball nat’l title. Then maybe Women’s Basketball as long as we throttled a UCONN or Stanford or Tennessee or something.

"Nor yet in Dell?"

by GTcat on Mar 1, 2011 12:35 PM CST up reply actions

I meant revenue sports. My bad.

by BracketCat on Mar 1, 2011 1:00 PM CST up reply actions

RPIs updated.

And may I say we’re looking pretty fine…

by BracketCat on Mar 1, 2011 12:57 PM CST reply actions

Oh, and I just landed tickets for the Big 12 Tournament, so today is a pretty good day in Bracket-land.

Booyah! Who wants to meet up at the P&L next week?

Now I just need to find an ISU ticket…

by BracketCat on Mar 1, 2011 12:58 PM CST up reply actions

KC-area BOTCers, any chance we can set up a booth with T-shirts somewhere in the fan area?

Talk about a huge promotional opportunity…

by BracketCat on Mar 1, 2011 1:01 PM CST up reply actions

It's all about the money with you :-)

by WillieWannabe on Mar 1, 2011 1:59 PM CST up reply actions

I could

especially if you let me pass out my resume 8-)

The time for calm and rational discourse is past, now is the time for senseless bickering -Anonymous the Younger

by Anon_the_younger on Mar 1, 2011 2:47 PM CST up reply actions

I will totally be there

but I will be in the band…so you better come down and say hi!

by jtarkman on Mar 1, 2011 11:58 PM CST up reply actions

Dang I'm good.

I set the RPI line at +/-21.5 yesterday at the end of the open game thread.

"Nor yet in Dell?"

by GTcat on Mar 1, 2011 2:59 PM CST up reply actions

Oops, just realized I never updated the stupid poll rankings.

Thought I did, but it must not have took.

by BracketCat on Mar 2, 2011 12:35 PM CST up reply actions

With every game

I’m falling even more in love with Shane. I know he is still a little raw in a couple areas but I think his play has been one of the many reasons while this team is thriving right now. What’s so great about this team is whenever 1 of the role players has an off night there is always someone there to step up with a big game whether it’s Gruds, Sprads, Shane, Nick, Tay, or JHR. These youngsters are devleoping into solid players right before our eyes and it has been pretty damn awesome to watch!

by Sitch on Mar 1, 2011 2:15 PM CST reply actions