Here's some trivia about the RPI and the selection process. (Through the 2012 tournament)
Highs and Lows
Note: This section covers the period since the last major change in the RPI formula, which was first used for the 2005 tournament.
To see similar notes for the period covering 1994-2004, click here.
The "big six" conferences are: ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac 10, SEC.
For the 2005 season only, Conference USA is considered a major conference.
Also, records do not include games against non-Division I opponents.
The highest rated team left out: #21 Missouri St, #30 Hofstra (2006), #30 Air Force (2007).
... among the big six: #40 Cincinnati (2006).
The lowest rated teams to get at-large bids (ALB): #67 USC, #64 Marquette (2011), #63 NC State (2005), #63 Stanford (2007).
Most teams from one conference: 11 (Big East - 2011).
... as percentage of membership: 6/9 (ACC 4 times, last - 2004).
Fewest wins to get an ALB: 17 (Alabama - 2006).
Most losses to get an ALB: 14 (Arizona - 2008, five teams in 2011).
Worst record to get an ALB: 18-14 .563 (Arizona - 2008, Michigan St - 2011)
Number of times a team with at least 20 wins has been left out: 215
... among the big six: 37
Number of times a team with at least 25 wins has been left out: 11
Most wins left out: 27 (Drexel, Oral Roberts - 2012)
... among the big six: 23 (Arizona - 2012, Mississippi St, Virginia Tech - 2010, Florida - 2009)
Best record left out: 24-5 .828 (Coastal Carolina - 2011)
... among the big six: 23-8 .742 (Virginia Tech - 2010)
Highest RPI ranking for a sub-.500 team: 67 (Georgia Tech - 2008)
The RPI as a predictor of seed
The RPI is a decent predictor of seed for the tournament, but there are some extreme cases.
Since 1994, if you were to seed the tournament strictly by RPI and compare it to the actual seed teams received, the RPI
predicted 903/1234 (73%) teams within one of their actual seeds.
Since 2005, the RPI predicted 363/526 (69%) teams within one of their actual seeds.
The final AP poll has actually been a better predictor of seeding for teams ranked in the poll. Since 1994, the poll has
predicted 400/475 teams within one of their actual seed. The RPI was 356/475.
The RPI Geek as a predictor of seed
My bracket guess results:
2012: 35/37 at-large teams correct, 60 teams within one seed of actual
2011: 35/37 at-large teams correct, 55 teams within one seed of actual
2010: all 34 at-large teams correct, 55 teams within one seed of actual
2009: 33/34 at-large teams correct, 56 teams within one seed of actual
2008: all 34 at-large teams correct, 57 teams within one seed of actual
2007: 32/34 at-large teams correct, 51 teams within one seed of actual
2006: 31/34 at-large teams correct, 50 teams within one seed of actual
2005: 33/34 at-large teams correct, 55 teams within one seed of actual
2004: 33/34 at-large teams correct, 53 teams within one seed of actual
2003: 31/34 at-large teams correct, 53 teams within one seed of actual
2002: all 34 at-large teams correct, 56 teams within one seed of actual
2001: 33/34 at-large teams correct, 48 teams within one seed of actual
2000: 34/35 at-large teams correct, 55 teams within one seed of actual
1999: 32/34 at-large teams correct, 49 teams within one seed of actual
1998: 32/34 at-large teams correct, 60 teams within one seed of actual
1997: 30/34 at-large teams correct, 56 teams within one seed of actual
Conference Ratings
Although there is logically some correlation between conference rating and number of teams in the tournament, there is certainly no quotas or guarantees. The 7th rated conference has had the most teams in a given season twice. A breakdown by year of conferences with multiple representation and conference rankings:
CR - Conference Ranking in Overall Conference RPI, # - number of tournament teams. Most teams in a given year highlighted in red.
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
CR-#
ACC
3-5
2-4
1-6
1-6
1-5
2-3
7-3
3-6
2-4
3-4
1-6
1-5
3-4
1-7
1-4
1-7
3-6
5-4
5-5
Big East
5-6
4-4
6-5
5-4
4-5
5-5
4-5
4-5
4-6
4-4
3-6
2-6
2-8
5-6
5-8
4-7
2-8
1-11
2-9
Big Ten
1-7
7-6
3-5
3-6
3-5
1-7
2-6
2-7
6-5
5-5
6-3
6-5
1-6
4-6
6-4
2-7
5-5
2-7
1-6
Big 12
2-5
6-4
7-5
3-6
6-6
3-6
2-6
4-4
3-6
5-4
7-4
3-6
3-6
1-7
4-5
4-6
Pac 10/12
9-4
6-5
7-4
6-5
5-4
3-4
6-4
5-5
5-6
7-5
8-3
4-4
7-4
3-6
2-6
5-6
8-2
7-4
11-2
SEC
8-4
5-5
4-4
4-5
2-5
4-6
1-6
1-6
1-6
1-6
2-6
5-5
4-6
2-5
4-6
6-3
4-4
6-5
3-4
Atl 10
7-3
9-2
8-4
7-5
7-5
10-3
9-3
9-3
9-3
7-4
11-2
10-2
7-3
8-3
7-3
9-3
7-4
Conf USA
5-4
9-4
8-3
6-4
5-4
10-2
8-3
8-4
5-6
9-4
13-2
11-2
10-2
9-2
Mtn West
10-2
7-3
6-3
9-3
11-2
8-2
8-2
9-2
7-2
6-4
3-3
6-4
MVC
18-2
10-2
13-2
8-3
11-2
12-2
14-2
12-2
11-2
8-3
6-4
6-2
8-2
WAC
10-2
11-2
11-2
8-3
9-4
9-3
8-2
7-2
10-2
10-2
12-2
9-2
9-2
Atl Sun
25-2
Big West
17-2
Colonial
10-2
13-2
8-3
Horizon
19-2
15-2
10-3
13-2
12-2
12-2
MAC
12-2
14-2
11-2
Metro Atl
20-2
19-2
Sun Belt
13-2
15-2
West Coast
13-2
10-2
15-2
15-2
10-2
7-2
14-3
13-2
10-3
Big Eight
2-4
1-5
2-4
Great MW
6-4
8-3
Metro
3-3
SWC
9-2
NCAA Tournament Performance
The following refer to active streaks only.
Teams with the most consecutive years of NCAA Tournament appearances:
23: Kansas
17: Duke
15: Michigan St
14: Gonzaga, Texas, Wisconsin
7: Marquette, Xavier
6: BYU, Louisville, Purdue
5: Temple, West Virginia
Teams with the most consecutive years of at least one NCAA Tournament win:
5: Kansas, Purdue, Wisconsin
4: Duke
3: Gonzaga, Syracuse
2: BYU, Kansas St, Kentucky, Ohio St, West Virginia
Teams with the most consecutive years of Sweet 16 appearances:
3: Kentucky, Ohio St
2: Florida, Kansas, Marquette, North Carolina, Wisconsin
Teams with the most consecutive years of Final Four appearances:
2: Kentucky
Results by seed (since 1985 - first year of 64 teams). Seeds listed in bracket order.