Welcome

If you’ve been following my college football rankings this fall, you already know the drill of how these rankings work. Basically, I have wanted a way to combine subjective views towards teams with an objective component. It is essentially a ranking of the resumes of teams, plus a sprinkle of subjectivity (not my personal opinion, but the general consensus opinion of the media/other rankings, etc.). If I were to come up with a snazzy name for this system, it would be the BOW+ rankings - or the Bodies Of Work (+ subjectivity) rankings.

Within the context of college football, I have tinkered with my formula over the seasons and have what I think is a pretty decent way to compare bodies of work of different teams. For the first time ever, I am attempting to apply this approach to college basketball teams. It may provide valuable insight into which teams are favored by the tournament selection committee, or it could crash and burn. Who knows! Consider this season a test run for applying my rankings approach to college basketball. This is NOT a sophisticated algorithm, and should not be treated the same way as Sagarin, KenPom, or other computer rankings found in places like the Massey Ranking Composite. The rankings should also not be used to predict future games; my rankings should be considered a snapshot of how a team’s body of work has been up to this point. Even though it is not the most complicated ranking system ever created, I think its simplicity can be a positive thing.


Basic Idea

The approach is identical to what I do for football. Speaking of which, you can find all of my football rankings and previous basketball rankings here: (http://rpubs.com/ditrapani4)

I will not go into detail here about how these rankings are calculated, but I will describe the basic concept. Like I mentioned above, these rankings combine subjective and objective features. The subjective component drives the whole process. Every team is placed by me into a bin. There are seven general bins, ranging from -3 to 3. A basic idea of what each bin represents is:


If a team seems to be somewhere in between two of these categories, they can be binned as a “0.5”, “1.5”, etc.

This is the subjective part of the process. I make the final call which bin a team falls into, but I try to inform myself as much as possible of the consensus of a given team. For example, for a team to be “borderline ranked” (bin 1), they need to at least appear in the “Other Receiving Votes” area of the AP and Coaches polls. I try to make the bins representative of the nationwide media consensus of a given team. Still, there is definitely subjectivity involved.

The objective element of the rankings gives and takes away points from a team depending on the bins of that team’s opponents. For example, beating a team from bin 0 at home by a “non-blowout score” (less than 21 points) rewards that team 0.5 points, and so on. This is the part of the process that I have tinkered with over the years. A team of course loses points for losing a game, depending on the opponent, where the game was played, and whether it was a blowout or not.

So the basic idea of the system is that we have an idea as fans which “bin” a team falls into. Once we determine that, we can get an obective idea of how a team’s resume is depending on the bins of that team’s wins and losses. The final “Score” of the ranking is simply a sum of the bin you are in and the amount of points you have gained/lost from wins and losses.


3/6: Conference Tournaments

I love the overwhelming amount of games during conference tournament week. I won’t go as far as to say it’s better than the opening weekend of March Madness, but it ain’t too far off. To keep pace with all of the games, these rankings will be updated daily with all of the previous day/night’s games. This will keep the rankings up-to-date as the season nears an end. I won’t be posting these updates onto Facebook daily, but you can find the daily pages here: (http://rpubs.com/ditrapani4). I also will be adding the mid-major conference champions into the rankings if they were not in the rankings before winning their tournaments. So welcome Radford, Lipscomb, Iona, Murray St., and UNC Greensboro into the power rankings. All bolded teams represent conference champions.

This includes all games through Monday, March 5th:

Rank Team Score Record Conf Prev Rank
1 Virginia 14.5 28-2 (17-1) 1
2 Villanova 9.25 27-4 (14-4) 2
3 Xavier 7.75 27-4 (15-3) 6
4 Michigan State 6.5 29-4 (17-3) 3
5 Duke 6.5 25-6 (13-5) 8
6 Purdue 6.25 28-6 (17-4) 7
7 Kansas 5.5 24-7 (13-5) 4
8 Michigan 5.25 28-7 (17-5) 12
9 North Carolina 4.5 22-9 (11-7) 5
10 Gonzaga 3.5 29-4 (19-1) 9
11 Cincinnati 3.5 27-4 (16-2) 15
12 Tennessee 2.5 23-7 (13-5) 17
13 Texas Tech 1.25 23-8 (11-7) 14
14 Clemson 0.75 22-8 (11-7) 13
15 West Virginia 0.25 22-9 (11-7) 10
16 Auburn 0 25-6 (13-5) 11
17 Ohio State -1 24-8 (15-4) 16
18 Miami -2 22-8 (11-7) 24
19 Kentucky -2.5 21-10 (10-8) 19
20 Wichita St -2.75 24-6 (14-4) 20
21 NC State -3.5 21-10 (11-7) 21
22 Houston -3.75 24-6 (14-4) 23
23 Florida -4.25 20-11 (11-7) 38
24 Arizona -4.5 24-7 (14-4) 34
25 Seton Hall -4.5 21-10 (10-8) 31
26 TCU -4.75 21-10 (9-9) 26
27 Florida State -5 20-10 (9-9) 33
28 St Marys -5.25 28-5 (17-3) 22
T29 Virginia Tech -5.25 21-10 (10-8) 27
T29 Kansas State -5.25 21-10 (10-8) 25
31 Rhode Island -5.5 23-6 (15-3) 18
32 Creighton -5.75 21-10 (10-8) 30
33 Texas AM -5.75 20-11 (9-9) 39
34 St Bonaventure -6 24-6 (14-4) 36
35 Oklahoma -6.75 18-12 (8-10) 28
36 Nevada -7 26-6 (15-3) 29
37 Arkansas -7.25 21-10 (10-8) 40
38 Texas -7.5 18-13 (8-10) 45
39 Butler -7.75 19-12 (9-9) 32
40 Baylor -8 18-13 (8-10) 41
41 New Mexico St -8.75 25-5 (12-2) 47
42 Marquette -8.75 18-12 (9-9) 49
43 UCLA -9 20-10 (11-7) 52
44 Mid Tennessee -9.25 24-6 (16-2) 35
45 Nebraska -9.25 22-10 (13-6) 44
46 Louisville -9.5 19-12 (9-9) 37
47 OK State -9.5 18-13 (8-10) 53
48 Loy Chic -9.75 28-5 (18-3) 54
49 Arizona St -9.75 20-10 (8-10) 46
50 Murray St -9.75 26-5 (18-2) NA
51 Mississippi St -10.25 21-10 (9-9) 42
52 Syracuse -10.25 19-12 (8-10) 50
53 Providence -10.75 19-12 (10-8) 55
54 Missouri -11 20-11 (10-8) 60
55 UL Lafayette -11 26-5 (16-2) 43
56 Notre Dame -11.5 18-13 (8-10) 57
57 Boise St -12 23-7 (13-5) 48
58 Vermont -12 25-6 (15-1) 61
59 Utah -12.25 19-10 (11-7) 64
60 Alabama -13 17-14 (8-10) 51
61 USC -13.5 21-10 (12-6) 59
62 Penn State -13.5 21-13 (11-10) 68
63 Maryland -13.5 19-13 (8-11) 58
64 Old Dominion -13.75 24-6 (15-3) 63
65 BYU -14.75 24-9 (13-7) 70
66 Oregon -15 20-11 (10-8) 67
67 Boston College -15 17-14 (7-11) 66
68 Georgia -15 16-14 (7-11) 62
69 LSU -15.5 17-13 (8-10) 69
70 UNC Greensboro -15.5 27-7 (17-3) NA
71 Washington -15.75 20-11 (10-8) 65
72 Buffalo -15.75 23-8 (15-3) 73
73 W Kentucky -16 22-9 (14-4) 56
74 Davidson -16.25 18-11 (13-5) 72
75 South Carolina -17.25 16-15 (7-11) 76
76 UCF -17.5 18-12 (9-9) 74
77 ETSU -17.75 25-8 (16-4) 78
78 Stanford -18.25 17-14 (11-7) 87
79 Tulsa -18.5 19-11 (12-6) 79
80 San Diego St -19 19-10 (11-7) 86
81 Indiana -19.25 16-15 (9-10) 77
82 Georgetown -19.25 15-14 (5-13) 84
83 St Johns -19.5 15-16 (4-14) 83
84 Temple -20.5 16-14 (8-10) 71
85 Wisconsin -20.5 15-18 (8-12) 88
86 Lipscomb -20.75 23-9 (13-4) NA
87 Fresno St -21.25 21-10 (11-7) 81
88 Colorado -21.5 16-14 (8-10) 89
89 Iowa State -21.5 13-17 (4-14) 75
90 SMU -22.75 16-15 (6-12) 80
91 Memphis -23 19-12 (10-8) 82
92 Northwestern -23.5 15-17 (6-13) 90
93 UNLV -24.25 19-12 (8-10) 85
94 Vanderbilt -24.25 12-19 (6-12) 91
95 Uconn -25 14-17 (7-11) 93
96 Oregon State -25.5 15-15 (7-11) 95
97 Georgia Tech -25.75 13-18 (6-12) 97
98 Minnesota -26.5 15-17 (4-15) 94
99 Wake Forest -27.25 11-19 (4-14) 96
100 Radford -28 22-12 (15-6) NA
101 Ole Miss -28.25 12-19 (5-13) 92
102 Iowa -28.5 14-19 (5-15) 101
103 DePaul -28.5 11-19 (4-14) 99
104 VCU -28.5 17-14 (9-9) 98
105 Illinois -29 14-18 (4-15) 100
106 St Josephs -30.75 15-15 (10-8) 107
107 Rutgers -31 15-19 (5-16) 105
108 Iona -31.25 20-13 (14-7) NA
109 Dayton -33 14-16 (8-10) 103
110 Saint Louis -33.75 16-15 (9-9) 102
111 Tulane -34.75 14-16 (5-13) 104
112 G Washington -36.25 14-17 (7-11) 106
113 La Salle -36.25 13-18 (7-11) 109
114 Washington St -36.5 12-18 (4-14) 110
115 G Mason -36.5 15-16 (9-9) 108
116 Duquense -37 16-15 (7-11) 111
117 Pittsburgh -40 8-23 (0-18) 112
118 Richmond -43.75 11-19 (9-9) 115
119 Umass -44 12-19 (5-13) 113
120 California -46.75 8-23 (2-16) 116
121 E Carolina -47 10-19 (4-14) 114
122 Fordham -52 9-21 (4-14) 117
123 S Florida -52.25 10-21 (3-15) 118



Conference Ranks


Rank Conf Avg
1 Big 12 -5.625
2 ACC -8.5833
3 Big East -8.775
4 SEC -10.8393
5 Big 10 -14.1071
6 Other -14.5114
7 Pac 12 -19.0208
8 Amer -22.0208
9 A10 -31.3929



Next are the rankings within every conference, as well as each team’s national ranking:

ACC

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Virginia 14.5 28-2 (17-1) 1
2 Duke 6.5 25-6 (13-5) 5
3 North Carolina 4.5 22-9 (11-7) 9
4 Clemson 0.75 22-8 (11-7) 14
5 Miami -2 22-8 (11-7) 18
6 NC State -3.5 21-10 (11-7) 21
7 Florida State -5 20-10 (9-9) 27
8 Virginia Tech -5.25 21-10 (10-8) T29
9 Louisville -9.5 19-12 (9-9) 46
10 Syracuse -10.25 19-12 (8-10) 52
11 Notre Dame -11.5 18-13 (8-10) 56
12 Boston College -15 17-14 (7-11) 67
13 Georgia Tech -25.75 13-18 (6-12) 97
14 Wake Forest -27.25 11-19 (4-14) 99
15 Pittsburgh -40 8-23 (0-18) 117


Big 10

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Michigan State 6.5 29-4 (17-3) 4
2 Purdue 6.25 28-6 (17-4) 6
3 Michigan 5.25 28-7 (17-5) 8
4 Ohio State -1 24-8 (15-4) 17
5 Nebraska -9.25 22-10 (13-6) 45
6 Penn State -13.5 21-13 (11-10) 62
7 Maryland -13.5 19-13 (8-11) 63
8 Indiana -19.25 16-15 (9-10) 81
9 Wisconsin -20.5 15-18 (8-12) 85
10 Northwestern -23.5 15-17 (6-13) 92
11 Minnesota -26.5 15-17 (4-15) 98
12 Iowa -28.5 14-19 (5-15) 102
13 Illinois -29 14-18 (4-15) 105
14 Rutgers -31 15-19 (5-16) 107


SEC

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Tennessee 2.5 23-7 (13-5) 12
2 Auburn 0 25-6 (13-5) 16
3 Kentucky -2.5 21-10 (10-8) 19
4 Florida -4.25 20-11 (11-7) 23
5 Texas AM -5.75 20-11 (9-9) 33
6 Arkansas -7.25 21-10 (10-8) 37
7 Mississippi St -10.25 21-10 (9-9) 51
8 Missouri -11 20-11 (10-8) 54
9 Alabama -13 17-14 (8-10) 60
10 Georgia -15 16-14 (7-11) 68
11 LSU -15.5 17-13 (8-10) 69
12 South Carolina -17.25 16-15 (7-11) 75
13 Vanderbilt -24.25 12-19 (6-12) 94
14 Ole Miss -28.25 12-19 (5-13) 101


Big 12

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Kansas 5.5 24-7 (13-5) 7
2 Texas Tech 1.25 23-8 (11-7) 13
3 West Virginia 0.25 22-9 (11-7) 15
4 TCU -4.75 21-10 (9-9) 26
5 Kansas State -5.25 21-10 (10-8) T29
6 Oklahoma -6.75 18-12 (8-10) 35
7 Texas -7.5 18-13 (8-10) 38
8 Baylor -8 18-13 (8-10) 40
9 OK State -9.5 18-13 (8-10) 47
10 Iowa State -21.5 13-17 (4-14) 89


Pac 12

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Arizona -4.5 24-7 (14-4) 24
2 UCLA -9 20-10 (11-7) 43
3 Arizona St -9.75 20-10 (8-10) 49
4 Utah -12.25 19-10 (11-7) 59
5 USC -13.5 21-10 (12-6) 61
6 Oregon -15 20-11 (10-8) 66
7 Washington -15.75 20-11 (10-8) 71
8 Stanford -18.25 17-14 (11-7) 78
9 Colorado -21.5 16-14 (8-10) 88
10 Oregon State -25.5 15-15 (7-11) 96
11 Washington St -36.5 12-18 (4-14) 114
12 California -46.75 8-23 (2-16) 120


American

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Cincinnati 3.5 27-4 (16-2) 11
2 Wichita St -2.75 24-6 (14-4) 20
3 Houston -3.75 24-6 (14-4) 22
4 UCF -17.5 18-12 (9-9) 76
5 Tulsa -18.5 19-11 (12-6) 79
6 Temple -20.5 16-14 (8-10) 84
7 SMU -22.75 16-15 (6-12) 90
8 Memphis -23 19-12 (10-8) 91
9 Uconn -25 14-17 (7-11) 95
10 Tulane -34.75 14-16 (5-13) 111
11 E Carolina -47 10-19 (4-14) 121
12 S Florida -52.25 10-21 (3-15) 123


Big East

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Villanova 9.25 27-4 (14-4) 2
2 Xavier 7.75 27-4 (15-3) 3
3 Seton Hall -4.5 21-10 (10-8) 25
4 Creighton -5.75 21-10 (10-8) 32
5 Butler -7.75 19-12 (9-9) 39
6 Marquette -8.75 18-12 (9-9) 42
7 Providence -10.75 19-12 (10-8) 53
8 Georgetown -19.25 15-14 (5-13) 82
9 St Johns -19.5 15-16 (4-14) 83
10 DePaul -28.5 11-19 (4-14) 103


A10

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Rhode Island -5.5 23-6 (15-3) 31
2 St Bonaventure -6 24-6 (14-4) 34
3 Davidson -16.25 18-11 (13-5) 74
4 VCU -28.5 17-14 (9-9) 104
5 St Josephs -30.75 15-15 (10-8) 106
6 Dayton -33 14-16 (8-10) 109
7 Saint Louis -33.75 16-15 (9-9) 110
T8 G Washington -36.25 14-17 (7-11) 112
T8 La Salle -36.25 13-18 (7-11) 113
10 G Mason -36.5 15-16 (9-9) 115
11 Duquense -37 16-15 (7-11) 116
12 Richmond -43.75 11-19 (9-9) 118
13 Umass -44 12-19 (5-13) 119
14 Fordham -52 9-21 (4-14) 122


Other

Rank Team Score Record Conf NatlRank
1 Gonzaga 3.5 29-4 (19-1) 10
2 St Marys -5.25 28-5 (17-3) 28
3 Nevada -7 26-6 (15-3) 36
4 New Mexico St -8.75 25-5 (12-2) 41
5 Mid Tennessee -9.25 24-6 (16-2) 44
6 Loy Chic -9.75 28-5 (18-3) 48
7 Murray St -9.75 26-5 (18-2) 50
8 UL Lafayette -11 26-5 (16-2) 55
9 Boise St -12 23-7 (13-5) 57
10 Vermont -12 25-6 (15-1) 58
11 Old Dominion -13.75 24-6 (15-3) 64
12 BYU -14.75 24-9 (13-7) 65
13 UNC Greensboro -15.5 27-7 (17-3) 70
14 Buffalo -15.75 23-8 (15-3) 72
15 W Kentucky -16 22-9 (14-4) 73
16 ETSU -17.75 25-8 (16-4) 77
17 San Diego St -19 19-10 (11-7) 80
18 Lipscomb -20.75 23-9 (13-4) 86
19 Fresno St -21.25 21-10 (11-7) 87
20 UNLV -24.25 19-12 (8-10) 93
21 Radford -28 22-12 (15-6) 100
22 Iona -31.25 20-13 (14-7) 108