The only game of relevance Monday night occurred in Pullman, Wash., where the second-seeded Washington St. Cougars dispatched the third-seeded Oklahoma St. Cowboys to advance to the NIT quarterfinals.
Although the final margin was 10 points, the game really wasn't that close. Wazzu jumped out to a 9-0 lead and led by double digits for much of the game. Marshall Moses finished with just two points in his final college game and Keiton Page bricked two consecutive free throws after WSU students serenaded him with "It's a Small World After All."
It was an ugly performance from the Cowboys — who finished 20-14, 1-9 on the road — but not an unexpected one.
Travis Ford will enter 2011-12 on the hot seat, in my opinion. He has a five-star player, LeBryan Nash, coming in to complement Markel Brown, Jean-Paul Olukemi and Page, and he will be expected to return to the NCAA Tournament.
Associated Press Ranking = 21
ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 24
Overall Record = 23-11
Big 12 Record = 10-6
Top 50 Record = 4-7
Big 12 Seed = 4
NCAA Seed = 5
RPI = 23
SOS = 11
Region (Site) = Southeast (Tucson)
Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = Kansas, Texas, Utah State
Quality Wins (RPI 31-100) = James Madison, Virginia Tech, Gonzaga, Washington State, Baylor, Nebraska (2), Missouri
Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none
- James Madison (21-12, 10-8 CAA) | RPI = 88
- Virginia Tech (22-12, 9-7 ACC) | RPI = 62
- Presbyterian (13-18, 7-11 Big South) | RPI = 204
- Gonzaga (24-10, 11-3 WCC) | RPI = 56
- No. 1 seed Duke (32-4, 13-3 ACC) | RPI = 4
- Texas Southern (19-13, 16-2 SWAC) | RPI = 192
- Emporia State (16-14, 12-10 MIAA**)
- No. 2* seed Washington State (21-12, 9-9 Pac-10) | RPI = 82: Win over No. 3* seed Oklahoma State (74-64 in the NIT)
- Alcorn State (4-24, 4-14 SWAC) | RPI = 337
- Loyola-Chicago (16-15, 7-11 Horizon League) | RPI = 197
- No. 2 seed Florida (28-7, 13-3 SEC) | RPI = 8
- UNLV (24-9, 11-5 Mountain West) | RPI = 25
- UMKC (16-14, 9-9 Summit League) | RPI = 212
- North Florida (15-19, 10-10 Atlantic Sun) | RPI = 149
- Savannah State (12-18) | RPI = 252
- No. 3* seed Oklahoma State (20-14, 6-10 Big 12) | RPI = 61: Loss at No. 2* seed Washington State (64-74 in the NIT)
- No. 1* seed Colorado (23-13, 8-8 Big 12) | RPI = 65
- Texas Tech (13-19, 5-11 Big 12) | RPI = 165
- Missouri (23-11, 8-8 Big 12) | RPI = 37
- No. 24 Texas A&M (24-9, 10-6 Big 12) | RPI = 30
- Baylor (18-13, 7-9 Big 12) | RPI = 94
- No. 1 seed Kansas (34-2, 14-2 Big 12) | RPI = 1
- Nebraska (19-13, 7-9 Big 12) | RPI = 89
- Iowa State (16-16, 3-13 Big 12) | RPI = 138
- Oklahoma (14-18, 5-11 Big 12) | RPI = 126
- No. 8 Texas (28-8, 13-3 Big 12) | RPI = 11
- No. 19 Utah State (30-4, 15-1 WAC) | RPI = 15
- No. 4 seed Wisconsin (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten) | RPI = 16
*NIT
**Division II