Is the RPI to Blame?

Arizona State vs Florida/AP Images

Bleacher Report has blamed the reliance of RPI for the poor quality of the Pac 12.

By Kristina Callahan


Throughout the season the Pac 12 was not considered a power conference. It was basically considered an average mid-major. As the season comes to an end tonight, the Pac 12 is ranked the 10th highest conference in RPI, which means that many mid-major conferences are ranked above them.

The RPI computers rank solely on what teams a team has played and whether they won or loss. The RPI has been known to influence college basketball rankings and sometimes, whether or not a team gets into the field of 68. According to a Bleacher Report article, “That powerful computer has had Pac 12 teams underrated since early in the season.”

During the season the Pac 12 may have lost numerous games but many of those losses were only by a few points to very good, NCAA tournament teams. For example, on December 7 Arizona lost to a Florida team that made it to the Elite Eight and was just a few points shy of a trip to New Orleans this past weekend. If this game had gone the other way, the RPI rankings would have been much different. A close game like the Arizona’s loss to Florida shouldn’t be unnoticed.

With the RPI computers the way they are now, the Pac 12 has only one option and that is to win. If teams and conferences want to run with the elite, they must pull out the close games against the big boys.