RPI WATCH: 1/7/12

Guess it's been a while since I did one of these, huh? Probably about time for another one, considering another round of Big 12 Conference games is just a few hours away.

For the life of me, I don't know how our RPI is staying as high as it is when all of our non-conference opponents keep falling on their faces.

Why, just this week, losses (mostly in conference play, often lopsided) were sustained by Charleston Southern, George Washington, Howard, Loyola, North Florida, UMES and UTEP.

If it wasn't for West Virginia avoiding a second consecutive road loss at Rutgers and Alabama demolishing Georgia Tech on the road, we wouldn't have gained any juice whatsoever this week.

I suppose there's always that embarrassing loss to our eastern overlords to fall back on, though.

Associated Press Ranking = 23

ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 22

Overall Record = 11-2

Big 12 Record = 0-1

Top 50 Record = 3-2

RPI = 29

SOS = 91

Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = Alabama, Long Beach State

Quality Wins (RPI 31-100) = Virginia Tech

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

• Charleston Southern (10-5, 3-1 Big South) | RPI = 126: Loss at High Point (78-88) and win over Campbell (91-73)
  
• Loyola Chicago (5-10, 0-5 Horizon) | RPI = 275: Loss at Youngstown State (64-68 in overtime)
• UMES (3-11, 0-1 MEAC) | RPI = 292: Loss at Lehigh (55-82)
• George Washington (5-9, 0-1 A-10) | RPI = 235: Loss at St. Bonaventure (56-66)
• Virginia Tech (11-3) | RPI = 37
• West Virginia (11-4, 2-1 Big East) | RPI = 22: Win at Rutgers (85-64)
• North Florida (8-8, 2-1 A-Sun) | RPI = 146: Loss to Belmont (53-83) and win over Lipscomb (82-61)
  
• Alabama (11-3) | RPI = 19: Win at Georgia Tech (73-48)
• Southern Illinois (3-9, 0-1 MVC) | RPI = 268
• UTEP (7-8, 0-1 C-USA) | RPI = 174: Loss at Marshall (60-76)
• Long Beach State (7-6) | RPI = 20
• Howard (4-12, 1-2 MEAC) | RPI = 300: Loss to Coppin State (77-83)
• No. 14 Kansas (11-3, 1-0 Big 12) | RPI = 30: Win over No. 23 Kansas State (67-49)
• No. 7 Missouri (14-0, 1-0 Big 12) | RPI = 23: Win over Oklahoma (87-49)
• No. 4 Baylor (14-0, 1-0 Big 12) | RPI = 5: Win over Texas A&M (61-52)
• Oklahoma (10-3, 0-1 Big 12) | RPI = 44: Loss at No. 7 Missouri (49-87)
• Texas (10-4, 0-1 Big 12) | RPI = 78: Loss at Iowa State (71-77)
• Oklahoma State (8-6, 1-0 Big 12) | RPI = 113: Win over Texas Tech (67-59)
• Texas Tech (7-6, 0-1 Big 12) | RPI = 195: Loss at Oklahoma State (59-67)
• Iowa State (11-3, 1-0 Big 12) | RPI = 66: Win over Texas (77-71)
• Texas A&M (9-4, 0-1 Big 12) | RPI = 230: Loss at No. 4 Baylor (52-61)