It’s Conference Championship Saturday and there is a lot on the line with the bracketology numbers extremely close.
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 are all of the criteria categories the selection committee uses to determine the NCAA Tournament field.
— RPI ranking
— Strength of schedule
— 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.
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 Barton, BYU, Hawai’i, Lewis, Long Beach State, Ohio State and UC Irvine]
POTENTIAL NCAA TOURNAMENT SEEDING AND AT-LARGE BID BATTLES
Ohio State vs. Long Beach State
RPI ranking: Ohio State No. 2; Long Beach State No. 3. Edge: Ohio State
Strength of schedule: Ohio State No. 16; Long Beach State No. 13 Edge: Long Beach State
Won-lost results: Ohio State 28-2; Long Beach State 25-3. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Ohio State won season series 1-0. Edge: Ohio State
Non-conference record: Ohio State 11-2; Long Beach State 7-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Ohio State 17-1; Long Beach State 14-0. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Ohio State 11-1; Long Beach State 6-3. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. common opponents: Ohio State 16-1; Long Beach State 13-1. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 5-2; Long Beach State 6-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Ohio State
Ohio State vs. BYU
RPI ranking: Ohio State No. 2; BYU No. 1. Edge: BYU
Strength of schedule: Ohio State No. 16; BYU No. 6 Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: Ohio State 28-2; BYU 24-4. Edge: Ohio State
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Ohio State 11-2; BYU 5-1. Edge: Ohio State
Home record: Ohio State 17-1; BYU 13-2. Edge: Ohio State
Road record: Ohio State 11-1; BYU 11-1. Edge: Push
Record vs. common opponents: Ohio State 12-1; BYU 11-3. Edge: Ohio State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Ohio State 5-2; BYU 4-3. Edge: Ohio State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Ohio State
Long Beach State vs. BYU
RPI ranking: Long Beach State No. 3; BYU No. 1. Edge: BYU
Strength of schedule: Long Beach State No. 13; BYU No. 6 Edge: BYU
Won-lost results: Long Beach State 25-3; BYU 24-4. Edge: Long Beach State
Head-to-head competition: Season series tied 1-1. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Long Beach State 7-1; BYU 5-1. Edge: Long Beach State
Home record: Long Beach State 14-0; BYU 13-2. Edge: Long Beach State
Road record: Long Beach State 7-3; BYU 11-1. Edge: BYU
Record vs. common opponents: Long Beach State 17-2; BYU 21-3. Edge: Long Beach State
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Long Beach State 6-2; BYU 4-3. Edge: Long Beach State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Long Beach State
Hawai’i vs. UC Irvine
RPI ranking: Hawai’i No. 4; UC Irvine No. 5. Edge: Hawai’i
Strength of schedule: Hawai’i No. 8; UC Irvine No. 5 Edge: UC Irvine
Won-lost results: Hawai’i 23-4; UC Irvine 19-7. Edge: Hawai’i
Head-to-head competition: Hawai’i leads season series 1-0. Edge: Hawai’i
Non-conference record: Hawai’i 7-0; UC Irvine 6-0. Edge: Push
Home record: Hawai’i 15-0; UC Irvine 8-3. Edge: Hawai’i
Road record: Hawai’i 7-4; UC Irvine 10-4. Edge: UC Irvine
Record vs. common opponents: Hawai’i 17-4; UC Irvine 15-6. Edge: Hawai’i
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: UC Irvine 2-5; Hawai’i 2-4. Edge: Hawai’i
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Hawai’i
Penn State vs. Barton
RPI ranking: Penn State No. 8; Barton No. 15. Edge: Penn State
Strength of schedule: Penn State No. 11; Barton No. 30 Edge: Penn State
Won-lost results: Penn State 18-10; Barton 21-5. Edge: Barton
Head-to-head competition: Did not play each other this season. Edge: Push
Non-conference record: Penn State 8-7; Barton 3-3. Edge: Penn State
Home record: Penn State 14-3; Barton 14-0. Edge: Barton
Road record: Penn State 6-6; Barton 7-4. Edge: Barton
Record vs. common opponents: Penn State 4-2; Barton 4-2. Edge: Push
Record vs. teams qualified or under consideration: Penn State 1-4; Barton 0-1. Edge: Penn State
Eligibility and availability of athletes: Neither teams with serious injuries. Edge: Push
OVERALL EDGE: Penn State