The RPI is determined by a computer-driven formula where 1/4 of a team’s rank is based on Win-Loss %, 1/2 is based on a team’s opponents’ Win-Loss %, 1/4 is based on a team’s opponents’ opponents Win-Loss %, with bonuses being awarded for wins against the top 25 and top 50, as well as for a top-75 non-conference schedule.
The latest RPI has been released, and once again Penn State ranks atop the listing. While they didn’t move spots, one team – Creighton – had a big week combined with others in front of them losing as they climb into the top 10 of this version of the ratings. That looms large as the BlueJays are looking solid for their potential first/second round hosting ability as the season winds down.
Joining Creighton and Penn State in the top 10 are a pair of SEC teams at the top in Florida (2) and Kentucky (3), as the conference is looking good to get at least one team in a top four spot in the NCAA Tournament. A couple of Big Ten schools (Minnesota [4] and Nebraska [6]) are joined by a trio of Pac-12 squads in Stanford (7), Washington (8) and USC (9) while Texas (5) sits in the middle from the Big 12.
As the NCAA Tournament committee is heavily influenced by the RPI, the ‘first/second round hosting bubble’ gets interesting around the top 16 mark. Baylor (17) and Purdue (18) are right behind that imaginary line, as Wichita State (16) took a big jump and could potentially create another midwest host.
Speaking of Wichita State, they are the second highest ‘mid-major’ just behind Creighton. Cal Poly (19), BYU (20), San Diego (23) and Marquette (30) also rank in the top 30 as schools like BYU and San Diego will test how much the committee values the eye test as part of the formula for seeding teams (and not just RPI). Maybe the most interesting piece of that approach will come from the Missouri Valley as Missouri State (41) and Northern Iowa (50) have RPIs of bubble teams, but their play would show they are some of the best in the country.
As far as a conference breakdown for the top conferences making up the top 50/100, that can be seen below:
| Conference | Top 50 Teams | Top 100 Teams |
| Big Ten | 11 | 12 |
| Pac-12 | 9 | 11 |
| SEC | 6 | 11 |
| ACC | 6 | 8 |
| Big 12 | 4 | 6 |
| Big East | 2 | 5 |
| C-USA | 2 | 4 |
| WCC | 2 | 4 |
| Big West | 2 | 3 |
| MVC | 2 | 3 |
| AAC | 1 | 4 |
| MWC | 1 | 3 |
| A-10 | 1 | 2 |
| Big South | 1 | 2 |
The entirety of the NCAA RPI can be seen here, while the top 50 can be viewed below:
| RANK | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE | RECORD | ROAD | NEUTRAL | HOME | NON DIV I |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Penn St. | Big Ten | 25-1 | 9-0 | 5-0 | 11-1 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Florida | Southeastern | 22-1 | 7-0 | 2-0 | 13-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Kentucky | Southeastern | 22-3 | 8-2 | 3-0 | 11-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Minnesota | Big Ten | 24-3 | 8-2 | 6-0 | 10-1 | 0-0 |
| 5 | Texas | Big 12 | 21-2 | 10-1 | 3-0 | 8-1 | 0-0 |
| 6 | Nebraska | Big Ten | 22-4 | 7-2 | 1-2 | 14-0 | 0-0 |
| 7 | Stanford | Pac-12 | 22-3 | 12-1 | 2-2 | 8-0 | 0-0 |
| 8 | Washington | Pac-12 | 21-6 | 7-3 | 3-0 | 11-3 | 0-0 |
| 9 | Southern California | Pac-12 | 20-7 | 7-4 | 3-2 | 10-1 | 0-0 |
| 9 | Creighton | Big East | 22-5 | 9-2 | 3-2 | 10-1 | 0-0 |
| 11 | Michigan St. | Big Ten | 19-6 | 5-4 | 4-0 | 10-2 | 0-0 |
| 12 | Kansas | Big 12 | 21-5 | 8-2 | 5-0 | 8-3 | 0-0 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 17-8 | 4-5 | 2-0 | 11-3 | 0-0 |
| 14 | Utah | Pac-12 | 19-8 | 7-4 | 4-0 | 8-4 | 0-0 |
| 15 | Iowa St. | Big 12 | 18-6 | 6-3 | 3-0 | 9-3 | 0-0 |
| 16 | Wichita St. | AAC | 24-3 | 10-1 | 5-1 | 9-1 | 0-0 |
| 17 | Baylor | Big 12 | 21-5 | 7-2 | 3-1 | 11-2 | 0-0 |
| 18 | Purdue | Big Ten | 20-7 | 6-4 | 4-0 | 10-3 | 0-0 |
| 19 | Cal Poly | Big West | 24-2 | 9-2 | 7-0 | 8-0 | 0-0 |
| 20 | BYU | West Coast | 25-2 | 13-0 | 3-1 | 9-1 | 0-0 |
| 21 | Colorado | Pac-12 | 19-8 | 7-5 | 3-1 | 9-2 | 0-0 |
| 22 | Oregon | Pac-12 | 16-8 | 4-5 | 1-1 | 11-2 | 0-0 |
| 23 | San Diego | West Coast | 21-4 | 10-1 | 3-1 | 8-2 | 0-0 |
| 24 | UCLA | Pac-12 | 16-9 | 6-5 | 3-0 | 7-4 | 0-0 |
| 25 | Louisville | Atlantic Coast | 20-6 | 7-4 | 2-1 | 11-1 | 0-0 |
| 26 | Pittsburgh | Atlantic Coast | 21-6 | 6-3 | 3-2 | 12-1 | 0-0 |
| 27 | Illinois | Big Ten | 18-9 | 7-5 | 6-0 | 5-4 | 0-0 |
| 28 | Miami (FL) | Atlantic Coast | 17-5 | 5-3 | 4-0 | 8-2 | 0-0 |
| 29 | Oregon St. | Pac-12 | 19-9 | 7-6 | 5-1 | 7-2 | 0-0 |
| 30 | Marquette | Big East | 20-8 | 9-3 | 2-3 | 9-2 | 0-0 |
| 31 | Colorado St. | Mountain West | 25-3 | 8-1 | 2-0 | 15-2 | 0-0 |
| 32 | Western Ky. | Conference USA | 27-3 | 10-2 | 5-1 | 12-0 | 0-0 |
| 33 | LSU | Southeastern | 18-7 | 7-5 | 5-0 | 6-2 | 0-0 |
| 34 | Michigan | Big Ten | 17-11 | 3-8 | 3-0 | 11-3 | 0-0 |
| 35 | Missouri | Southeastern | 17-10 | 7-5 | 6-3 | 4-2 | 0-0 |
| 36 | NC State | Atlantic Coast | 19-8 | 5-3 | 3-2 | 11-3 | 0-0 |
| 37 | Auburn | Southeastern | 14-9 | 5-3 | 3-1 | 6-5 | 0-0 |
| 38 | Ohio St. | Big Ten | 14-13 | 4-7 | 2-0 | 8-6 | 0-0 |
| 39 | Florida St. | Atlantic Coast | 14-10 | 3-5 | 2-0 | 9-5 | 0-0 |
| 40 | Notre Dame | Atlantic Coast | 19-8 | 7-4 | 1-0 | 11-4 | 0-0 |
| 41 | Missouri St. | Missouri Valley | 24-5 | 11-0 | 2-3 | 11-2 | 0-0 |
| 42 | VCU | Atlantic 10 | 28-2 | 11-1 | 5-1 | 12-0 | 0-0 |
| 43 | Washington St. | Pac-12 | 15-13 | 6-6 | 3-0 | 6-7 | 0-0 |
| 44 | High Point | Big South | 23-6 | 10-1 | 2-2 | 11-3 | 0-0 |
| 45 | Iowa | Big Ten | 17-12 | 5-4 | 2-1 | 10-7 | 0-0 |
| 46 | Maryland | Big Ten | 16-12 | 4-8 | 4-0 | 8-4 | 0-0 |
| 47 | Hawaii | Big West | 18-7 | 5-1 | 0-0 | 13-6 | 0-0 |
| 48 | North Texas | Conference USA | 26-2 | 8-1 | 4-0 | 14-1 | 0-0 |
| 49 | Arkansas | Southeastern | 18-9 | 6-5 | 3-2 | 9-2 | 0-0 |
| 50 | UNI | Missouri Valley | 24-7 | 9-4 | 6-2 | 9-1 | 0-0 |
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