Explaining what goes on behind closed doors

Great article from SI.com’s Seth Davis on the selection process. He explains 10 things he learned after hearing a presentation from the NCAA’s Greg Shaheen. I’ll address the points that impact BC’s selection this year:

1. The RPI matters a lot. Just not in the way you think it does. Basically your RPI doesn’t matter, but your opponents’ RPI does. BC should fare pretty well in this regard due to the relatively strong schedule and some good out of conference wins against UCLA and Holy Cross.

2. Margin of victory does count. Sort of. This has more to do with losses than wins. Which helps BC. We didn’t blow people out and were only blown out once.

5. Head-to-head matchups mean something. Here is where Seth loses me a little. He says that when things are equal a head-to-head matchup becomes important. If this is true how can anyone explain the 2003 snub when BC was left home but an NC State team we beat in Raliegh got off the bubble.

6. The committee members and NCAA staff are free to do their own investigating. This has to do with the whining and/or selling of the program. BC has not be one of those schools that campaigns for a bid and therefore I think we’ve suffered (3 seed in 2001, playing Texas in Dallas in 2002, 2003 snub, etc.). Maybe the move to the ACC will help our future pitches.

9. Technically speaking, the number of teams per conference means nothing. But then Davis goes on to quote an unnamed source about how it does matter. Really this should only impact bubble teams. Not important to BC this year, but critical in after the ACC move.

With all that said, this is my prediction on BC's seeding. Win the Big East Tournament and we are a No. 1. Advance to the Semis and we are a 2. Lose on Thursday and we are a 3.