The overall strength of the league is a subjective part of evaluation. When we go into the room, we're not concerned about league affiliations. Which league a team is in is not going to necessarily get a team in. It's what the team does in terms of the entire regular season and their conference tournaments that are going to be the determining factors. |
The perception is that a .500 record is the threshold for teams to get strong at-large consideration. But with unbalanced schedules and with teams in the same conference playing once or even not at all in some cases, it does create different challenges. |
The power conferences, if you will, can play anybody they want. Anybody they want. They don't have limitations. |
The questions that were asked were similar to 'Who is tough team?' and 'Who is a team you wouldn't want to play? We felt Air Force provided us with a very unique thing. |
The R.P.I. is one of those tools that we have at our disposal. |
The rule is in there for a purpose and that's to avoid inciting the crowd. I don't know if it was done purposely or if it was just somebody who was not aware of the rules or did not apply them properly. |
There are 10 people on the committee, and each has factors that are important to them. I'm a former coach, so what other coaches say about teams may be important to me. Someone else wants to base it purely on the numbers. |
There have been some unbelievable stories, great drama and great individual and team performances. But we are continually reminded that the evaluation process is not complete. |
There is a perception that a .500 record in the league is a threshold for at-large consideration. In those kinds of situations, you have to further scrutinize that team's schedule in terms of who they played. |
There is every attempt made to make sure there's no bias that's brought into the room as a result of current employment. |
There isn't any sort of set parameters -- to any degree -- that might mitigate a team's resume. |
There's still several games and in some cases several weeks yet to go plus conference tournaments so the evaluation process is not anywhere near to being completed. If there is a message to be relayed today, it's that it is still too early to say what will happen. |
These schools are just buying games, buying wins. That's not fair, and it's not what's good for college basketball. ... There has to be some reward for people willing to play a good schedule and realizing that when you play good people, you're going to win some and you're going to lose some. We should reward the people that are willing to challenge their teams. |
They are certainly free to have those opinions and express those opinions. But to look at this in terms of the partnership, you would hope there would be a little better understanding of what it is that we do and an accurate reflection of the facts as they know them to be. Facts, instead of opinions, would be helpful. |
They have done a great job of trying to schedule throughout the country against teams from many other conferences. As much as anything, they've had a high level of coaching and play ... that in the minds of many has elevated their profile this year. |