Argus articles today

[SDSUFAN]

Chris as usual did a nice update article on SDSU bb programs. Women are 121 in RPI and Men are 226 which is not bad and things are looking up.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...601050338/1002

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Argus articles today

Chris as usual did a nice update article on SDSU bb programs. Women are 121 in RPI and Men are 226 which is not bad and things are looking up.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...601050338/1002

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...38/1002/SPORTS




SDSU at 121 in power rankings





Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com

Article Published: 01/5/06, 2:55 am

Aaron Johnston's goal is to get his South Dakota State women's basketball team into the top 100 of the Ratings Point Index. The Jackrabbits are off to a good start.

SDSU (7-6) is ranked 121st out of 332 teams in this weeks RPI rankings, a primary determining factor for at-large bids to the Division I NCAA Tournament. The Jacks are considered to be playing the 131st most difficult schedule in the country.

SDSU, which is still without a basketball league, will not be eligible for NCAA Tournament play until the 2008-09 season. However, the Jacks could earn a berth in the Women's National Invitation Tournament with a strong season, as fellow independent Texas A&M-Corpus Christi did last year.


The Jackrabbit men (3-10) are 226th out of 333 D-I schools, including the 62nd most difficult schedule in the nation.

Athletic Director Fred Oien said since this is SDSU's first full year of playing a D-I schedule, it will be the most difficult to get home games when students are in session. The Jacks played a men's game on Thanksgiving Day and two games after semester break, while the women had two contests right after finals.

"Each year is going to get easier for us to make favorable schedules," he said. "But right now, because we're so new and trying to get the highest strength of schedule, we have to make some sacrifices."

RPI is a major concern for the league into which SDSU wants to gain entry. Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton issued an edict in Wednesday's Missoulian newspaper to league coaches to improve their schedules. The Big Sky ranks 20th out of 32 leagues this year in mens basketball, but it was the second-worst conference in Division I a year ago.

Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.