Wright State won't be looking down on opponents

[Raider Country]

Wright State won't be looking down on opponents
By Marc Katz
Saturday, October 28, 2006

FAIRBORN — With an exhibition game less than a week away, Wright State basketball coach Brad Brownell looks at his lineup and states the obvious: "We don't have a lot of 3's and 4's," he said, mentioning the slot numbers for forwards. "We're going to have to make do."

Brownell indicated he likely will use several lineup configurations this season with 5-foot-11 senior guard DaShaun Wood, 6-6 senior forward Drew Burleson and 6-8 junior forward Jordan Pleiman the most prominent players.

The problem is, after Pleiman and Burleson, size becomes a factor. Only two other players — 6-6 junior Scotty Wilson and 6-5 freshman Todd Brown are taller than 6-3.

That means if Pleiman, Burleson and Wilson are in the lineup at the same time, who goes in if one runs into foul trouble or is injured? In a three-guard lineup, will the Raiders be able to compete if three of the players are under 6-3?

"If we get into real foul trouble, we won't have anyone in the post," Brownell said.

Raider bits

• A few players will be learning multiple positions. Heralded 6-3 freshman Vaughn Duggins will play "everything," Brownell said, from point guard to off guard to small forward. At about 190 pounds, he appears to be bigger physically than some of his teammates of the same height.

• Rebounding won't be just for the bigger guys.

"Everybody has to rebound, including the guards," Wilson said.

Wilson also said the team was working a lot on shooting, which was a problem area last season.

• Five players have left the team since the end of last season, and Brownell didn't ask any of them to go. In fact, he wished more than a couple of them had stayed.

"I just got a note from a player we had at North Carolina-Wilmington," Brownell said. "He had played 15 to 18 minutes a game as a junior and then I took over as coach. He was going to play a lot, but decided he didn't want to stay. I think he went on to a Division II school.

"His note said it was the biggest regret of his life."

• Several Horizon League games will be shown on various ESPN networks this winter, including Wright State's game at Detroit on Feb. 3. That game is scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPN2, although the tip-off time may be changed.

The league's semifinal tournament games will be shown on ESPNU on March 3 with the championship game March 6 on ESPN.

www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2006/10/28/ddn102806wsubb.html

[Raider Country]

Atlantic 10 wants to win the NCAA's RPI game
By Doug Harris
Saturday, October 28, 2006

Here's a fascinating fact, courtesy of a sports information director from an Atlantic 10 school:

The Missouri Valley Conference didn't have any nonleague wins last season against top-50 teams, based on the Ratings Percentage Index, while the A-10 had an impressive 10. Yet the MVC received four NCAA tournament bids and the A-10 only two (and it wouldn't have gotten a second one if George Washington hadn't stumbled in the conference tourney).

What gives?

The NCAA rewards teams simply for beating others with winning records. That's what drives the RPI, which has become the most important element in determining postseason bids.

That means a win over a strong team from a bottom-tier league (Davidson, for instance) is worth more than a triumph over a losing team from one of the big six conferences (like Northwestern).

Or to break it down another way, the NCAA divides its 334 Division-I schools into four quadrants. You don't have to beat anyone from the first quadrant as long as you're successful against the second and third.

The NCAA's public stance has been that the RPI is only one of many factors that go into awarding postseason berths, but Dayton Athletic Director Ted Kissell believes history suggests otherwise.

"You can go back over the last 10 years and look at the correlation between the RPI and at-large bids, and it's pretty high," Kissell said.

An ad hoc committee from the A-10 that Kissell chaired presented those findings about the NCAA tourney to the league, and guidelines are being put in place for future scheduling.

Asked whether the Flyers have adopted them this season, Kissell said: "No .... but we'll adjust in the future. There are four quadrants, and we're playing too many at the top end and too many at the bottom end."

Kissell, a self-proclaimed RPI junkie, was the perfect choice to spearhead the A-10's initiative, according to Xavier coach Sean Miller, who also served on the committee.

"He has terrific expertise, knowing the landscape of college basketball," Miller said. "We'll see some benefits (from the research) this year. But definitely, in the next few years, it will be clear we have a great plan."

Another key component in the RPI is winning on the road. Teams get six-tenths of a point for home victories, but 1.4 when they prevail in someone else's arena.

The Flyers are at a disadvantage this season because they'll play nine of their 14 nonconference games at home. And while they need that revenue to support their athletic department, Kissell said: "Maybe going forward you'll find us playing more 'series' games (facing a team at home one year and on the road the next) and fewer one-way games."

For Wright State fans wanting a crack at Dayton again, the RPI formula could work in their favor — as long as the team becomes one of the Horizon League's consistent winners.

Asked about playing the Raiders, Kissell said: "Let me reiterate this: The same standard applies to any team in the country. I've been very transparent about it. We're looking for teams that can help us achieve our goal. If someone fits, they fit."

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