re: Where LSU stands compared to at-large tourney teams since 2008

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So...for whatever those stats are worth, it's possible but as an indicator our RPI kills us, comparatively

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There is a reason LSU's RPI is so low. They played a bad non-conf. schedule (SOS 200). That in and of itself doesn't always kill you. However, when you combine a bad schedule with several losses to those weak teams, you find yourself in a BIG hole.

LSU's schedule left them very little room for error in Nov/Dec. The blew through that margin of error by losing 5 games to weak teams (Houston is the only one of that group with an RPI better than 100)

You get credit for scheduling tough OOC games (obviously you get even more if you win a few of those). That's why Bama and Florida have managed to stay around the bubble even though they struggled in SEC play. It's why LSU was a #4 seed in 2006 even though some other teams had better records.

If you are going to put together a shitty schedule, you better win damn near all of the games. Like South Carolina did. Otherwise, you run the risk of torpedoing your tournament chances before you even get to the much tougher conf. play.