With the nature of college basketball and how they select their champion, us basketball junkies watch the non-conference slate specifically to see how the RPI views our favorite teams. While supposedly not an actual deciding factor, the rankings certainly give the selection committee a gauge to start with.

The good news for us fans of the MAC is that the RPI really likes us so far. There are two teams inside the top 30 and 6 in the top 100. Having half the conference in the top 100 at this point in the season is an impressive stat to have. When the dust settles at the end of the year, the MAC might be getting a team or two selected to go to the NCAA tournament, and not just the automatic bid given to the MAC tournament winner.

The RPI rankings are through games from the 9th of December.

#15 Buffalo Bulls, 7-1

Buffalo is the highest ranked MAC team, sitting at 15. With three games remaining, two of their games are against teams that aren’t well regarded by the RPI. St. Johns out of the Big East is 6-2 overall and sitting at 11. The two teams square off on Thursday, December 21st at 11 A.M.

#28 Toledo Rockets, 7-2

The Rockets have a big game of their own, when they take on Western Kentucky in the West Palm Invitational on December 17th at 11 A.M. The Lady Toppers are sitting at 34 in the RPI rankings.

#53 Ball State Cardinals, 9-0

The only team in the conference to remain unbeaten, the Cardinals also have a game against the Lady Toppers.

#77 Central Michigan Chippewas, 8-1

After dropping their opener against Purdue, the Chippewas have rattled off 8 straight wins. Their remaining non-conference opponents sit at 101 and 27 respectively.

#85 Miami RedHawks, 6-3

Coach Megan Duffy seems to have turned around the RedHawks sooner than expected.

#89 Western Michigan Broncos, 5-5

The Broncos have had a brutal non-conference schedule, as their top 100 RPI ranking with a 5-5 record would indicate.

Remaining MAC teams and their rankings.

• Bowling Green Falcons #119
• Ohio Bobcats #145 (will improve after knocking off Purdue)
• Northern Illinois #161
• Kent State #236
• Akron Zips #251
• Eastern Michigan Eagles #288