UMaine Starts Conference Play With #81 RPI
After losing out on a chance to host the American East Conference championship game because of a RPI tiebreaker last year, UMaine women's basketball coach Richard Barron said he would never again be out-scheduled.
As his team begins America East play tonight at Vermont, one could say Barron has accomplished RPI dominance among AE teams.
The Black Bears are ranked #81 among 349 NCAA Division I teams in RPI (Ratings Percentage Index). It is a measure of strength of schedule and how a team does against that schedule.
While UMaine is #81, the next best AE team is Hartford at #119 with a 9-4 record. UAlbany is the team that beat out Maine on the RPI tiebreaker. The Great Danes are ranked #185 (6-7).
The Black Bears earned their top 100 RPI by playing #3 South Carolina, #4 MIssissippi State, #25 Harvard, #35 Tulane, #39 UMiami, and #103 Clemson. The Bears begin conference play with a 7-8 record.
NOTES: Senior guard Sigi Koizar will not play in tonight's conference opener because of a leg injury...Vermont's RPI ranking is #300 (3-9 record).