> I think this now qualifies as discussion...
>
> Keith Instone (who is *not* using my What If page, BTW) writes on INFO:
>
>> RPI: Could get in with a win, because they could then win comparisons
>> over OSU and Princeton. They would still lose to NMU and Michigan, so
>> RPI could be the 12th team in.
>
> Have you got a scenario where they do make it?  With wins by
> Rensselaer, either team in the CCHA final and high seeds everywhere
> else, I still find the Engineers on the outside looking in, with the
> CCHA final loser and either OSU or Notre Dame (depending on what you
> do with the bubble) in the field of twelve.
 
I found a way that RPI *could* get in. It takes some iffy definitions
of "bubble" teams, but in general I think it follows the way the
committee does stuff. Since the committee has never defined this part
of the process very well, it could go this way, but it might not
either.
 
In my scenario, I said RPI, NMU, SLU and UNH win. Why? NMU winning
puts Michigan on the bubble, and RPI has played SLU more than
Clarkson and UNH more than BC.
 
Add NMU to the field, and you have 2 slots left (assuming QC is out).
Then define your bubble teams as those with 7 or more criteria
comparison wins (PWR).
 
So we have Michigan, OSU, RPI and Princeton as the bubble teams. The
key is that Notre Dame is NOT a bubble team, with only 6 PWR (RPI
loses to Notre Dame, so it is best if the Irish are not a bubble
team).
 
Compare these 4 teams with each other: Princeton is 0-3 and the
others are 2-1. So drop out Princeton. The 3 left are all 1-1 against
each other. OS > Michigan > RPI > OSU > Michigan... is the cycle.
 
Then from what I understand, the committee breaks ties with RATING
PERCENTAGE INDEX. Those would be, in this scenario:
 
Michigan 55.59
RPI      53.41
OSU      53.02
 
Ta-da, Michigan and *RPI* are the last 2 teams in the tournament.
 
 
Even if the games play out to match this scenario, I do not have any
idea if the committee will reach the same conclusion. There are too
many wild cards this season. But I did find a way where RPI could get
in, using past committee logic.
 
Too damn close to call.
 
Keith
 
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