Ranking Updates

[KoldBeer]

Since we don't have any games this week, I thought it'd be a good time to look at the rankings. It hasn't been a good month for UNT as we keep falling in all the rankings (weak schedule and too many close wins).

RPI

#110 (source Realtime RPI) - <Up 3 spots on Monday update>

http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html

Sun Belt is #23. And we are #3 in conference (behind FAU #47 and ULAR #99)

Kenpom

#172 (I think we were around #125 at start of year)

http://www.kenpom.com/team.php?team=North%20Texas

Sun Belt is #22. We are #3 in conference (behind WKU #129 and FAU #137)

Sagarin

#149

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkc1011.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Sun Belt is #26. We are #3 in conference (behind FAU #102 and WKU #108).

Edited December 13, 2010 by KoldBeer

[izembower]

any ideas as to when the mid-major polls will be in? collegeinsider.com said they would update it today, but i don't see it. they still have last weeks polls up, and i'm anxious and nervous to see where we are after splitting our last two games.

[KoldBeer]

any ideas as to when the mid-major polls will be in? collegeinsider.com said they would update it today, but i don't see it. they still have last weeks polls up, and i'm anxious and nervous to see where we are after splitting our last two games.

Last week it came out mid-afternoon. I'd guess around 3 pm.

[All About UNT]

Since we don't have any games this week, I thought it'd be a good time to look at the rankings. It hasn't been a good month for UNT as we keep falling in all the rankings (weak schedule and too many close wins).

RPI

#113 (source Realtime RPI)

http://realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html

Sun Belt is #23. And we are #3 in conference (behind FAU #47 and ULAR #99)

Kenpom

#172 (I think we were around #125 at start of year)

http://www.kenpom.com/team.php?team=North%20Texas

Sun Belt is #22. We are #3 in conference (behind WKU #129 and FAU #137)

Sagarin

#149

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkc1011.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Sun Belt is #126. We are #3 in conference (behind FAU #102 and WKU #108).

Please explain how were are that far behind FAU with 4 losses to their name??

[meangreenacct]

Their wins are considered to be better wins..it's as simple as that. They have wins over South Florida and at least one other power conference school I believe. That carries more weight then beating up on the SWAC.

[oldguystudent]

Bottom line. Regular season once again rendered completely meaningless. Win conference tourney or go home.

[CMJ]

Bottom line. Regular season once again rendered completely meaningless. Win conference tourney or go home.

Not exactly true. Win the regular season title, and you're in the NIT.

[KoldBeer]

Bottom line. Regular season once again rendered completely meaningless. Win conference tourney or go home.

I hate this attitude. There isn't any reason why North Texas couldn't build a program that could get an at-large bid from time to time.

Plus, there is still a lot to play for this year. Maybe I'm too old school, but I still think winning your regular season conference title means something. If you do win it, you will at least get a bid to the NIT.

With regards to FAU vs. UNT, FAU's strength of schedule is #31 while North Texas is #257.

[meangreenacct]

Bottom line. Regular season once again rendered completely meaningless. Win conference tourney or go home.

I also diasgree. I think if we won every single game until the conference title game and lost to WKY, we would probably get an at large bid...

[greeninok]

I also diasgree. I think if we won every single game until the conference title game and lost to WKY, we would probably get an at large bid...

But realistically that's not going to happen.

[UNTflyer]

Sagarin

#149

http://www.usatoday....nterstitialskip

Sun Belt is #126. We are #3 in conference (behind FAU #102 and WKU #108).

Sagarin is worthless if they think we're the 126th worst conference.

[KoldBeer]

Sagarin is worthless if they think we're the 126th worst conference.

Sorry that should have read #26. I fixed it my first post.

[oldguystudent]

I hate this attitude. There isn't any reason why North Texas couldn't build a program that could get an at-large bid from time to time.

This is true over time, but not this year. The conference tourney winner is hoping for a 14 seed. That's not at-large territory for the tourney runner-up.

Plus, there is still a lot to play for this year. Maybe I'm too old school, but I still think winning your regular season conference title means something. If you do win it, you will at least get a bid to the NIT.

Also true. Quick. Without googling. Who won last year's NIT?

I do think it's funny that all the conference realignment banter goes on in the football thread when at present, it's basketball that is in serious need of a scheduling upgrade. Beat up on the SWAC and the Belt year after year after year, and it's still win or go home with a possible NIT consolation prize.

[CMJ]

Also true. Quick. Without googling. Who won last year's NIT?

Without googling I could probably list the last 10 years.

Dayton last year over UNC. The other teams that made it to New York were Rhode Island (vs Carolina a game that think went to OT) and I believe Mississippi?

[GrandGreen]

If this team doesn't develop a semblance to a bench, and play much better defense, this all is a superfluous discussion. At this point I am much more concerned with NT winning in the Belt than I am how those wins are going to be perceived. in the rankings

[oldguystudent]

Without googling I could probably list the last 10 years.

Dayton last year over UNC. The other teams that made it to New York were Rhode Island (vs Carolina a game that think went to OT) and I believe Mississippi?

You're all super serious basketball fan though. I don't know that the average joe in the stands could do that.

I can only name one winner because my team lost to them in the opening round that year. Yeah, my unnamed team who went 15-1 in conference, 25-5 overall, 41 RPI, and didn't get a bid. Call it bad attitude if you must, but at-large bids just aren't coming this year.

Edited December 13, 2010 by oldguystudent

[oldguystudent]

On an unrelated note, CMJ, are you aware of Statsheet? Unbelievable amount of archive information I had no idea was available for "mid-major" teams. Down to graphic representation of individual player impact in a given season. I looked up a certain game in 1999 involving North Texas and can see really detailed information about an individual game.

[CMJ]

On an unrelated note, CMJ, are you aware of Statsheet? Unbelievable amount of archive information I had no idea was available for "mid-major" teams. Down to graphic representation of individual player impact in a given season. I looked up a certain game in 1999 involving North Texas and can see really detailed information about an individual game.

I was not aware...that site looks like all kinda of awesome though. I'll have to take a closer look at it when I get home

[oldguystudent]

I was not aware...that site looks like all kinda of awesome though. I'll have to take a closer look at it when I get home

I just learned that since 1980, UNT and UTA have played 38 times. UNT with 19 wins, UTA with 19 wins. UNT averaged 82 ppg, UTA averaged 81 ppg. Wow. I don't know that I've ever seen such an evenly matched rivalry.

[KoldBeer]

I do think it's funny that all the conference realignment banter goes on in the football thread when at present, it's basketball that is in serious need of a scheduling upgrade. Beat up on the SWAC and the Belt year after year after year, and it's still win or go home with a possible NIT consolation prize.

I do agree that basketball needs to upgrade the schedule. There is no reason for this team to be playing non-Div 1 teams. I used that statsheet link you provided. The projected SOS for UNT is #329. Unlike football where games are scheduled years in advance, a lot of the basketball schedule is set a year or so in advance. We knew we had a good team coming back and we should have stepped up the schedule (I'd like to see it harder every year but especially this year).

I know a lot of people don't follow the NIT but it would be a chance to get the team on ESPN. Every little bit of exposure helps.

[meangreenacct]

I do agree that basketball needs to upgrade the schedule. There is no reason for this team to be playing non-Div 1 teams. I used that statsheet link you provided. The projected SOS for UNT is #329. Unlike football where games are scheduled years in advance, a lot of the basketball schedule is set a year or so in advance. We knew we had a good team coming back and we should have stepped up the schedule (I'd like to see it harder every year but especially this year).

I know a lot of people don't follow the NIT but it would be a chance to get the team on ESPN. Every little bit of exposure helps.

You make it seem as if you just snap your finger and poof your schedule is better. We definitely could have stepped up the schedule more, but it would have been at the expense of home games. Alot of bigger teams don't want to come play us at home. Who can blame them, we've been pretty good at home lately. I applaud the AD for getting us a home and home with TTU and LSU. It takes time, but if we put more agreements like this in place, we can have a strong schedule for years to come. It also doesn't help that teams we have traditionally played, TX State and UTA, are having down years.

[KoldBeer]

You make it seem as if you just snap your finger and poof your schedule is better. We definitely could have stepped up the schedule more, but it would have been at the expense of home games. Alot of bigger teams don't want to come play us at home. Who can blame them, we've been pretty good at home lately. I applaud the AD for getting us a home and home with TTU and LSU. It takes time, but if we put more agreements like this in place, we can have a strong schedule for years to come. It also doesn't help that teams we have traditionally played, TX State and UTA, are having down years.

I know scheduling is hard. And I agree it doesn't help that UTSA and TxSt are down. I would never drop those two from our schedule. And home and home with Tech and LSU are great.

I would have not played the two non-Div 1 schools. I would have played one of those games on the road at a Big 12 school. You should get $50,000 for that game. I would have then taken that money and purchased a quality home opponent. Even if you had to play two road games against CUSA type teams, you'd be better off than scheduling home games against non-D1 schools. I'm not saying we try what WKU did with their schedule but we need to be closer to what they did.

[TheTastyGreek]

I know scheduling is hard. And I agree it doesn't help that UTSA and TxSt are down. I would never drop those two from our schedule. And home and home with Tech and LSU are great.

I would have not played the two non-Div 1 schools. I would have played one of those games on the road at a Big 12 school. You should get $50,000 for that game. I would have then taken that money and purchased a quality home opponent. Even if you had to play two road games against CUSA type teams, you'd be better off than scheduling home games against non-D1 schools. I'm not saying we try what WKU did with their schedule but we need to be closer to what they did.

I don't have much of an issue with the non-D1 games this year. We had one as a tuneup for Tech and we have another so that we can have a home game to stay sharp in the week between Christmas and New Year's.

If we had the attendance or budget to bring in another D-1 team during that week, I'd rather do that. But, since we don't, I'd rather we try to avoid a long layoff and stay at home rather than taking a holiday road game like the Boise State game we lost.

Once the 150 rule is in place, nobody in the conference is supposed to be playing non-D1 schools.

[KoldBeer]

I don't have much of an issue with the non-D1 games this year. We had one as a tuneup for Tech and we have another so that we can have a home game to stay sharp in the week between Christmas and New Year's.

If we had the attendance or budget to bring in another D-1 team during that week, I'd rather do that. But, since we don't, I'd rather we try to avoid a long layoff and stay at home rather than taking a holiday road game like the Boise State game we lost.

Once the 150 rule is in place, nobody in the conference is supposed to be playing non-D1 schools.

Couldn't we have counted Henderson St as an exhibition? Don't you get to have two exhibition games? I would have rather had it as exhibition and then picked up a road game later (assuming we don't have $$$$ for another home game. I like a couple extra challenges in basketball since a loss doesn't hurt you like it does in football.

If we are lucky enough to win SBC tournament it will be interesting to see how close we got to a 14 seed. Right now we look like a 15 seed to me. Maybe FAU or WKU could get a 14 but everybody else looks like 15 seed to me.

[Mean Green Matt]

Couldn't we have counted Henderson St as an exhibition? Don't you get to have two exhibition games? I would have rather had it as exhibition and then picked up a road game later (assuming we don't have $$$$ for another home game. I like a couple extra challenges in basketball since a loss doesn't hurt you like it does in football.

If we are lucky enough to win SBC tournament it will be interesting to see how close we got to a 14 seed. Right now we look like a 15 seed to me. Maybe FAU or WKU could get a 14 but everybody else looks like 15 seed to me.

If we get trough conference only dropping a few games, and then win the tournament, I don't see us any lower than a 13 or 14. The only OOC game left that I see a chance of losing is LSU. I don't think this years team will have as many losses as the UNT squad last year (I think it was 10 or 11). Hopefully we can catch a few breaks with the other conference tournaments as well.