Bring On The Cats

Virginia Tech finally did something constructive, if totally unexpected, to help our resume cause by logging its first ACC win in five attempts at ranked Virginia, of all places. The Cavaliers swept the Hokies last season.

Meanwhile, Charleston Southern and Long Beach State continue to beat up on weak leagues and propel our SOS forward, while the loss to West Virginia looks more respectable by the day.

And George Washington continues to show signs of life with its third straight A-10 victory.

That's about it for positives. Alabama's off to almost as bad a conference start as us, North Florida is falling apart (four straight losses), and Howard, Loyola, Southern Illinois and UMES simply are lost causes.

Even UTEP, a young team that showed signs of breaking through against us, merely is a perfectly mediocre .500 overall and in conference play.

Associated Press Ranking = 22

ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 24

Overall Record = 14-4

Big 12 Record = 3-3

Top 50 Record = 3-3

RPI = 25

SOS = 40

Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = Alabama, Missouri

Quality Wins (RPI 31-100) = Virginia Tech, Long Beach State, Texas

Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none

• Charleston Southern (13-7, 7-3 Big South) | RPI = 140: Win over Winthrop (77-66)
• Loyola Chicago (5-14, 0-9 Horizon) | RPI = 294: Loss to Butler (57-63)
• UMES (4-13, 1-3 MEAC) | RPI = 295: Loss to Florida A&M (63-68)
• George Washington (8-11, 3-2 A-10) | RPI = 169: Win over Charlotte (60-52)
• Virginia Tech (12-7, 1-4 ACC) | RPI = 68: Win at No. 15 Virginia (47-45)
• West Virginia (15-5, 5-2 Big East) | RPI = 13: Win over Cincinnati (77-74 in overtime)
• North Florida (9-12, 3-5 A-Sun) | RPI = 200: Loss at Mercer (58-69)
• Alabama (13-6, 2-3 SEC) | RPI = 29: Loss at No. 2 Kentucky (71-77)
• Southern Illinois (6-14, 3-6 MVC) | RPI = 233: Loss at Wichita State (42-85)
• UTEP (10-10, 3-3 C-USA) | RPI = 143: Loss at Tulane (58-66)
• Long Beach State (14-6, 7-0 Big West) | RPI = 40: Win at UCSB (71-48)
• Howard (4-16, 1-6 MEAC) | RPI = 321
• No. 7 Kansas (16-3, 6-0 Big 12) | RPI = 6: Win at Texas (69-66)
• No. 5 Missouri (18-1, 5-1 Big 12) | RPI = 10: Win at No. 3 Baylor (89-88)
• No. 3 Baylor (17-2, 4-2 Big 12) | RPI = 3: Loss to No. 5 Missouri (88-89)
• Oklahoma (12-6, 2-4 Big 12) | RPI = 73: Loss at Texas A&M (75-81 in overtime)
• Texas (12-7, 2-4 Big 12) | RPI = 70: Loss to No. 7 Kansas (66-69)
• Oklahoma State (9-10, 2-4 Big 12) | RPI = 123: Loss to No. 25 Kansas State (58-66)
• Texas Tech (7-11, 0-6 Big 12) | RPI = 218: Loss to Iowa State (52-76)
• Iowa State (14-5, 4-2 Big 12) | RPI = 52: Win at Texas Tech (76-52)
• Texas A&M (11-7, 2-4 Big 12) | RPI = 158: Win over Oklahoma (81-75 in overtime)