Loading ...Blind Resumes: Who Really Deserves a Spot?
When determining whether a team is worthy of an NCAA Tournament berth, it’s important to focus on their body of work from that year, not from two years ago, five years ago or twenty years ago. The best way to do that is to take away the name and looking solely at the resume. Too often teams are misplaced in the Tournament because of their tradition, which plays into a perceived greatness that often isn’t there. Here are five “blind” resumes. Which resume is the best?
(You could go look these up, but I don’t encourage it. That just defeats the purpose.)
TEAM A
Overall Record: 13-6
RPI: 45
SOS: 32
Record vs. Top 25: 2-3
Record vs. 26-50: 0-1
Record vs. 51-100: 3-2
Last 12: 7-5
TEAM B
Overall Record: 13-4
RPI: 31
SOS: 99
Record vs. Top 25: 1-1
Record vs. 26-50: 2-1
Record vs. 51-100: 1-1
Last 12: 10-2
TEAM C
Total Record: 12-7
RPI: 69
SOS: 18
Record vs. Top 25: 1-4
Record vs. 26-50: 1-2
Record vs. 51-100: 3-1
Last 12: 6-6
TEAM D
Total Record: 14-6
RPI: 47
SOS: 63
Record vs. Top 25: 0-1
Record vs. 26-50: 3-2
Record vs. 51-100: 1-2
Last 12: 7-5
TEAM E
Total Record: 12-7
RPI: 74
SOS: 45
Record vs. Top 25: 1-3
Record vs. 26-50: 1-1
Record vs. 51-100: 2-2
Last 12: 7-5
Who’s most deserving?
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4 Responses to “Blind Resumes: Who Really Deserves a Spot?”
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I can’t think of a situation where prestige should count.
Blind resumes aren’t perfect, but they do eliminate bias. Adding a subjective element is necessary for the optimal bracket.
As for Northern Iowa, it’s unacceptable for that to happen, until you look at what other top teams do. Tennessee puts up a clunker at Georgia. Georgia Tech dropped one to Virginia. Clemson blew a 20-something lead at home against Illinois. This stuff happens all the time.
I’d go with B, then D/A, then C/E
But to only factor in numbers, and blind resume, is, well, blind. Sometimes where they play can have a factor. A 1-point loss on the road to a top ten team shouldn’t count as merely a “loss”. And you also have to consider factors like injuries or suspensions, such as in the case of Ohio State or Tennessee. Sure, UNC may not have the best “resume”, but sometimes prestige SHOULD be a factor, especially when you have a coach like Roy WIlliams. And take the latest mid-major sweetheart for example: Northern Iowa. I’ll admit I haven’t seen either them or wichita State play, and that the shockers are a solid team, the “22nd best” team in the country shouldn’t fall flat on their face with a 16 point half effort vs WSU. They have been and will remain a 10-13 seed in my bracket.
Well team c is North Carolina.
Team A – in
Team B – in (deserving to be in)
Team C – out
Team D – out
Team E – out