It’s still a bit early to take RPI numbers to the bank, but here’s how Virginia’s Division I teams stand through games of Dec. 21 according to official NCAA statistics:
RPI: 7
Non-conference schedule strength: 35
Home: 5-0; Road: 3-0; Neutral: 1-1
Opponents’ combined record: 60-46
Opponents at .500 or better: 6 of 10
Best RPI win: home vs. Pittsburgh (8-3, RPI 23)
Worst (only) RPI loss: neutral site vs. Maryland (9-2, RPI 41)
RPI: 57
Non-conference schedule strength: 1
Home: 1-2; Road: 2-5; Neutral: 0-0
Opponents’ combined record: 76-26 (74-16 vs. non-conference foes)
Opponents at .500 or better: 9 of 10
Best RPI win: at Penn (4-4, RPI 122)
Worst RPI loss: at Kansas State (8-1, RPI 80)
RPI: 89
Non-conference schedule strength: 251
Home: 7-0; Road: 2-1; Neutral: 0-1
Opponents’ combined record: 51-67
Opponents at .500 or better: 6 of 11
Best RPI win: home vs. Ohio State (7-4, RPI 50)
Worst RPI loss: neutral site vs. Toledo (6-4, RPI 64)
RPI: 93
Non-conference schedule strength: 119
Home: 4-2; Road: 1-1; Neutral: 2-0
Opponents’ combined record: 60-50
Opponents at .500 or better: 7 of 10
Best RPI win: home vs. VCU (7-4, RPI 113)
Worst RPI loss: home vs. Rider (3-8, RPI 287)
RPI: 108
Non-conference schedule strength: 57
Home: 3-1; Road: 2-3; Neutral: 1-1
Opponents’ combined record: 66-53
(last 3 opponents, N.C. State, Minnesota and South Carolina, are a combined 33-4)
Opponents at .500 or better: 6 of 10
Best RPI win; home vs. VCU (7-4, RPI 113)
Worst RPI loss: home vs. Charlotte (4-7, RPI 208)
RPI: 113
Non-conference schedule strength: 221
Home: 5-0; Road: 2-4; Neutral: 0-0
Opponents’ combined record: 58-61
Opponents at .500 or better: 7 of 11
Best RPI win: home vs. Texas-Pan American (7-7, RPI 143)
Worst RPI loss: at William and Mary (6-4, RPI 162)
RPI: 160
Non-conference schedule strength: 258
Home: 4-1; Road: 2-1; Neutral: 0-2
Opponents’ combined record: 47-66
Opponents at .500 or better: 4 of 10
Best RPI win: at Eastern Kentucky (5-5, RPI 177)
Worst RPI loss: neutral site vs. Central Michigan (4-5, RPI 96)
Home: 3-1; Road: 3-3; Neutral: 0-0
Opponents’ combined record: 51-59
Opponents at .500 or better: 6 of 10
Best RPI win: home vs. VCU (7-4, RPI 113)
Worst RPI loss: at N.C. A&T (7-5, RPI 221)
RPI: 180
Non-conference schedule strength: 263
Home: 7-2; Road: 1-2; Neutral: 0-0
Opponents’ combined record: 60-71
Opponents at .500 or better: 6 of 12
Best RPI win: home vs. East Tennessee State (7-6, RPI 132)
Worst RPI loss: at George Mason (7-4, RPI 263)
RPI: 231
Non-conference schedule strength: 87
Home: 2-5; Road: 1-3; Neutral: 0-0
Opponents’ combined record: 66-47
Opponents at .500 or better: 8 of 11
Best RPI win: at Appalachian State (4-4, RPI 118)
Worst RPI loss: home vs. Coastal Carolina (7-3, RPI 279)
Worst overall loss: home vs. Division II West Virginia State (3-5)
RPI: 263
Non-conference schedule strength: 346
Home: 3-2; Road: 1-1; Neutral: 3-1
Opponents’ combined record: 46-68
Opponents at .500 or better: 5 of 11
Best RPI win: Neutral site vs. Winthrop (5-5, RPI 135)
Worst RPI loss: at Navy (6-5, RPI 286)
RPI: 314
Non-conference schedule strength: 225
Home: 1-3; Road: 1-3; Neutral: 0-1
Opponents’ combined record: 46-51
Opponents at .500 or better: 4 of 9
Best RPI win: at Tennessee State (3-7, RPI 248)
Worst RPI loss: at Radford (3-8, RPI 231)
RPI: 328
Non-conference schedule strength: 87
Home: 0-2; Road: 0-8; Neutral: 0-0
Opponents’ combined record: 64-48
Opponents at .500 or better: 8 of 10
Best RPI loss: at Virginia (9-2, RPI 89)
Worst RPI loss: home vs. UNC Asheville (3-8, RPI 343)
"Hats off" to Hampton and JMU for playing tough non-conference schedules. I think doing so will prepare those teams well for their conference races. Playing a weak non-conference schedule (with a rating over 200) may give a team a better record at this point in the season, but will likely "haunt" the team later as they meet tougher conference competition. ACC schools with with a winning record now based on a strength of schedule at over 200 will likely not be very competitive in that tough league.
Also, praise to Liberty for their tough non-conference schedule.
To be fair, some teams adjust their schedule based on the teams' experience level. At Virginia, for example, Joanne Boyle freely acknowledged she eased up on this year's schedule because she has so many first- and second-year players. The Cavaliers' non-conference schedule is typically a lot more rigorous.