Fresno State Athletics
Men's Basketball Receives Vote in Associated Press Poll
1/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2003
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State received a vote in the latest edition of the Associated Press rankings, released Monday. The Bulldogs picked up one vote, placing them at No. 44 in the poll.
But more impressive has been the team's climb up the power rankings. Thanks to victories over teams like Pacific and Santa Clara, which have played very well since losing to the Fresno State, the Bulldogs currently own an RPI ranking of No. 21, according to the College Basketball News Co. and posted on ESPN.com.
The Rating Percentage Index (RPI) has been used by the NCAA since 1981 to supplement the selection of at-large teams and the seeding of all teams for the NCAA Tournament. ESPN.com's list is an independent duplication of the RPI without input from the NCAA, which does not release the RPI to the public. It is derived from three component factors: Division I winning percentage (25 percent); schedule strength (50 percent); and opponent's schedule strength (25 percent). Games against non-Division I opponents are not used in calculating the RPI.
The Bulldogs are also 30th on CBSSportsline.com's power rankings. And in the latest version of Bracketology, ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi has Fresno State making the tournament as a No. 8 seed.
The Bulldogs have jumped out to a 9-2 (2-0 WAC) start and opened eyes throughout the conference last week when they defeated preseason favorite Tulsa 74-65. Three days later, Damon Jackson hit a 14-footer with 4.2 seconds left to lift the the Bulldogs past Rice 71-70. It was Jackson's third game-winning shot of the season.
Fresno State next sees action Thursday at 7 p.m. against Boise State (8-4, 2-0 WAC), the fourth of a five-game homestand. The Bulldogs are 8-0 at Selland Arena this year.
