Formula tweak

There is nothing more frustrating than letting the data tell you how to analyze it.  I feel like this is the game we play with Bracketolgy.  We are basically trying to reverse engineer something that has no plan and is not repeatable.  Basically, we are going back to Doc Brown rigging up the clock tower to send the Delorean back to the future.  One time, your timing will be right and everything will come together.  Most times, you will do everything correctly and somehow Air Force will sneak in anyways.  It's this fine line between what we believe to be correct through tireless analysis of efficiency numbers and game results to determine who is good, who beat who, where, when, and why.

We know that the committee will acknowledge advanced metrics, but everything that they do proves that they will fall back on the RPI.  Not as bad as past years, where they drop the 64 teams on the S-curve and maybe shuffle around a little so that they met their conference and venue criteria. 

I have tweaked my Total Rating formula with an RPI factor.  As a whole, nothing major changes.  I would have been more inclined to put Maryland in around the 10-11 seed with this formula and request that SMU and Houston duel to the death for the final spot.  While the Power 5 teams would be seen as benefitting most, Rhode Island get a huge jump would be hanging with Arizona and Cinci on the 4 line.  Nevada would remain 5-worthy.  St. Mary's and Gonzaga would get crushed though.

St. Mary's profile out like ISU last year, and splitting with the alpha in a mid-major is no longer a ticket.  The Nitty Gritty team sheets are barren for Big Wins, and their saving grace is that Jock Landale is a beast and makes for watchable basketball.