Agree both are terrible schedules. Kenpom has SLU at 321 and us at 340. I was looking at St Louis as better because they play more good teams and at least have a power team on theirs, along with good MWC and WCC teams. So, they play 4 good teams while on paper our 2nd best team is William and Mary, who is our lone Q2. No way will they end there.
2025-2026 - NET, Rankings, Polls, Awards
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Sticking at 6th
Section9_RowD
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3 top 25 points for SLU and 2 for Belmont
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why is the flagship sport of the SLU playing a division 3 game? Why not Mizzou? Why not Missour St.? Why not Mizz-KC? or one of the other Division 1 schools in Missouri? Principia isn't even in Missouri? If they are playing an Illinois school, why not Fighting Illini? Why not a P5 school like DePaul?? also, who would be favorite in a Principia/So Virginia match up?
SLU seemed like one of the vanguards of playing non-D-I schools, dating back 15 years or more. They used to play D-II Rockhurst a lot. If I had to guess, I'd say they probably played at least one non-D-I school every year but 3–4 over the past 15 years. They played 2 of them last year.
I feel like midwestern schools have played non-D-I schools more frequently over the years, and so SLU stands out a little bit in that regard in an east coast league. Maybe it's the lower density of D-I schools out there yet still a large number of smaller schools, so you can easily get a non-D-I bus opponent, but a D-I opponent is a long bus ride or a flight.
The reason they're not playing a P5 is very likely because no P5 will play them.
SLU and Missouri State haven't played since 2010. No clue why.
Regardless, playing non-D-Is is clearly becoming standard. Over 70% of D-I schools have scheduled at least one non-D-I opponents this season.
I feel like midwestern schools have played non-D-I schools more frequently over the years, and so SLU stands out a little bit in that regard in an east coast league. Maybe it's the lower density of D-I schools out there yet still a large number of smaller schools, so you can easily get a non-D-I bus opponent, but a D-I opponent is a long bus ride or a flight.
The reason they're not playing a P5 is very likely because no P5 will play them.
SLU and Missouri State haven't played since 2010. No clue why.
Regardless, playing non-D-Is is clearly becoming standard. Over 70% of D-I schools have scheduled at least one non-D-I opponents this season.
But, the goal should be an at large. What good does a strong NET do if the committee is gonna hold a 300+ SOS against u? And, no question the committee will choose a 20-13 ( 9-9 or worse in conference) major over a 25 win mid major with a 300+ SOS. They will look for reasons to keep a team like St Louis out and not in.
Now, that being said, St Louis, as I said earlier, at least has a major and good teams from the MWC and WCC on their schedule. So, maybe that could be enough if they go 15-3 with good wins in the A-10 since 3 of their OOC wins could be top 100 wins. But, if we go 15-3 in the A-10, our OOC schedule with no majors and likely 1 top 100 win won't give us a chance.
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Indiana State was 27–6 and #28 in the NET a couple of years ago and got left out, and their OOC SOS was only ranked #188 so it wasn't even that terrible.
They were 1–4 in Q1 with a win over Bradley and regular-season losses at Bama and Michigan State and at Drake, plus they lost in the MVC championship game to Drake again. They were 4–1 in Q2 with home wins over Drake and Bradley and road wins over UNI and Belmont, with the loss being at #117 Southern Illinois. The rest of their games were all Q3/Q4 with the only blemish being a Q4 home loss to #178 Illinois State.
As it stands right now, we only have three Q1 games on our entire schedule, though we could potentially add another one (two seems unlikely) in the A-10 tourney. Sure, we're currently undefeated in Q1/Q2 games, but it's a sample size of two. We'll have some more opportunities (mostly Q2), but the selection committee is not going to look kindly on our résumé even if we somehow end up with a gaudy record. And I've yet to be convinced we can march through the A-10. The A-10 gives us maybe one or two more Q1/Q2 games than Indiana State had that year, but unlike the P4, that's not enough to overcome a crappy OOC schedule.
They were 1–4 in Q1 with a win over Bradley and regular-season losses at Bama and Michigan State and at Drake, plus they lost in the MVC championship game to Drake again. They were 4–1 in Q2 with home wins over Drake and Bradley and road wins over UNI and Belmont, with the loss being at #117 Southern Illinois. The rest of their games were all Q3/Q4 with the only blemish being a Q4 home loss to #178 Illinois State.
As it stands right now, we only have three Q1 games on our entire schedule, though we could potentially add another one (two seems unlikely) in the A-10 tourney. Sure, we're currently undefeated in Q1/Q2 games, but it's a sample size of two. We'll have some more opportunities (mostly Q2), but the selection committee is not going to look kindly on our résumé even if we somehow end up with a gaudy record. And I've yet to be convinced we can march through the A-10. The A-10 gives us maybe one or two more Q1/Q2 games than Indiana State had that year, but unlike the P4, that's not enough to overcome a crappy OOC schedule.
I think their OOC SOS schedule was slightly over 300, but they still should have gotten in, especially over that awful, non deserving Tony Bennett led UVA team who ended up losing 67-42 in the play in game. One of 7 times UVA scored in the 40s that year.
NCAA site for Selection Sunday says they were #188 NET non-conference SOS and #129 overall NET SOS.
Playing 5 games in the NIT boosted their non-con NET SOS all the way to #119 lol.
Playing 5 games in the NIT boosted their non-con NET SOS all the way to #119 lol.
Urmite
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I see the 305, but it seems odd with Bama & Michigan ST. Bradley is decent, Toledo & SIU are ok.
Agree. Which makes it even worse that they didn't get in.
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