Bracketology: Team comparisons using NCAA selection committee criteria

Nothing like several of the top nationally ranked teams losing to make the bracketology even tighter one week before the postseason begins.

Off the Block has crunched the numbers using the same criteria as the selection committee to show how the top teams in the nation fare against each other in the race for the two at-large bids and NCAA Tournament seeding.

Below is an excerpt from the NCAA handbook on the primary criteria the three-person volleyball selection committee will use determines the at-large team and seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
– RPI ranking
– Won-lost results
– Head-to-head competition
– Results versus non-conference opponents
– Home and away results
– Results against common opponents
– Results against teams already qualified and other teams under consideration
– Eligibility and availability of student-athletes for NCAA championships.

The selection committee does not consider match results against NAIA teams or NCAA Division III teams. Only matches against NCAA Division I-II teams factors into the criteria.

Some selection committees in previous seasons have placed a greater emphasis on a certain categories. However, there is no requirement that the committee gives additional weight to a certain category.

The six-team NCAA Tournament will comprised of conference automatic bids from the MIVA, MPSF, EIVA and Conference Carolinas along with two at-large bids.

Here’s how the at-large bids and tournament seeding races look right now using the selection committee criteria and giving equal weight to each criteria category.

[Editor’s note: Teams projected to qualify or be under consideration are BYU, Long Beach State, UCLA, Stanford, Ohio State, Loyola, Ball State, Penn State and Erskine. The amount of teams under consideration will continue to change as it gets closer to Selection Saturday on April 23]

POTENTIAL NCAA TOURNAMENT SEEDING AND AT-LARGE BID BATTLES

BYU vs. Long Beach State
RPI ranking: Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: BYU 21-3; Long Beach State 21-6. Edge: BYU
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 1-1 Edge: Push
Non-conference record: BYU 4-0; Long Beach State 6-1. Edge: BYU
Home record: BYU 8-2; Long Beach State 10-3. Edge: BYU
Road record: BYU 13-1; Long Beach State 7-3. Edge: BYU
Record vs. common opponents: BYU 16-2; Long Beach State 14-4. Edge: BYU
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: BYU 5-2; Long Beach State 3-5. Edge: BYU
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: BYU

BYU vs. UCLA
RPI ranking: Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: BYU 21-3; UCLA 21-5. Edge: BYU
Head-to-head competition: BYU leads season series 2-0. Edge: BYU
Non-conference record: BYU 4-0; UCLA 6-0. Edge: Push
Home record: BYU 8-2; UCLA 9-3. Edge: BYU
Road record: BYU 13-1; UCLA 11-2. Edge: BYU
Record vs. common opponents: BYU 16-3; UCLA 16-3. Edge: Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: BYU 5-2; UCLA 5-3. Edge: BYU
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: BYU

BYU vs. Stanford
RPI ranking: Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: BYU 21-3; Stanford 19-3. Edge: BYU
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: BYU 4-0; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Push
Home record: BYU 8-2; Stanford 10-1. Edge: Stanford
Road record: BYU 13-1; Stanford 9-2. Edge: BYU
Record vs. common opponents: BYU 16-2; Stanford 16-2. Edge: Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: BYU 5-2; Stanford 4-2. Edge: BYU
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: BYU

BYU vs. Ohio State
RPI ranking: Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: BYU 21-3; Ohio State 23-2. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: BYU 4-0; Ohio State 10-1. Edge: BYU
Home record: BYU 8-2; Ohio State 10-1. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: BYU 13-1; Ohio State 11-0. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. common opponents: BYU 8-1; Ohio State 8-1. Edge: Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: BYU 5-2; Ohio State 7-2. Edge: Ohio State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Ohio State

Long Beach State vs. UCLA
RPI ranking: Edge: Long Beach State
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 21-6; UCLA 21-5. Edge: UCLA
Head-to-head competition: UCLA leads season series 2-0 Edge: UCLA
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 6-1; UCLA 6-0. Edge: UCLA
Home record: Long Beach State 10-3; UCLA 9-3. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Long Beach State 7-3; UCLA 11-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 16-4; UCLA 15-5. Edge: Long Beach State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 3-5; UCLA 5-3. Edge: UCLA
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: UCLA

Long Beach State vs. Stanford
RPI ranking: Edge: Stanford
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 21-6; Stanford 19-3. Edge: Stanford
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied at 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 6-1; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Stanford
Home record: Long Beach State 10-3; Stanford 10-1. Edge: Stanford
Road record: Long Beach State 7-3; Stanford 9-2. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 13-5; Stanford 16-2. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 3-5; Stanford 4-2. Edge: Stanford
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Stanford

Long Beach State vs. Ohio State
RPI ranking: Edge: Ohio State
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 21-6; Ohio State 23-2. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Ohio State won season series 1-0. Edge: Ohio State
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 6-1; Ohio State 10-1. Edge: Ohio State
Home record: Long Beach State 10-3; Ohio State 10-1. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: Long Beach State 7-3; Ohio State 11-0. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 7-2; Ohio State 8-1. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 3-5; Ohio State 7-2. Edge: Ohio State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Ohio State

UCLA vs. Stanford
RPI ranking: Edge: Stanford
Won-lost results: UCLA 21-5; Stanford 19-3. Edge: Stanford
Head-to-head competition: Stanford leads season series 1-0 Edge: Stanford
Non-conference record: UCLA 6-0; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Push
Home record: UCLA 9-3; Stanford 10-1. Edge: Stanford
Road record: UCLA 11-2; Stanford 9-2. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 16-4; Stanford 17-3. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 5-3; Stanford 4-2. Edge: Stanford
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Stanford

UCLA vs. Ohio State
RPI ranking: Edge: Ohio State
Won-lost results: UCLA 21-5; Ohio State 23-2. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: UCLA leads season series 1-0 Edge: UCLA
Non-conference record: UCLA 6-0; Ohio State 10-1. Edge: UCLA
Home record: UCLA 9-3; Ohio State 10-1. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: UCLA 11-2; Ohio State 11-0. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. common opponents: UCLA 8-1; Ohio State 7-1. Edge: UCLA
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UCLA 5-3; Ohio State 7-2. Edge: Ohio State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Ohio State

Ohio State vs. Stanford
RPI ranking: Edge: Stanford
Won-lost results: Ohio State 23-2; Stanford 19-3. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season.Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Ohio State 10-1; Stanford 2-0. Edge: Stanford
Home record: Ohio State 10-1; Stanford 10-1. Edge: Push
Road record: Ohio State 11-0; Stanford 9-2. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. common opponents: Ohio State 6-2; Stanford 8-1. Edge: Stanford
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 7-2; Stanford 4-2. Edge: Ohio State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Stanford

POTENTIAL NCAA TOURNAMENT SEEDING BATTLES

Penn State vs. Erskine
RPI ranking: Edge: Penn State
Won-lost results: Penn State 16-8; Erskine 17-5. Edge: Erskine
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 7-7; Erskine 2-3. Edge: Penn State
Home record: Penn State 10-6; Erskine 8-1. Edge: Erskine
Road record: Penn State 6-2; Erskine 8-4. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 3-4; Erskine 2-3. Edge: Penn State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 1-6; Erskine 0-2. Edge: Penn State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Penn State