http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ms-that-could-steal-2017-ncaa-tournament-bids
Record: 25-4 (15-1 Conference USA)
RPI: 31
BPI: 51
If Middle Tennessee wins the Conference USA tournament as expected, no one will pay much attention. The Blue Raiders would simply be acknowledged as one of 32 automatic qualifiers from a conference that seldom gets more than one NCAA berth.
However, if the Blue Raiders lose in the conference tournament, they will be the subject of must discussion and considerable disagreement.
All three projections have Middle Tennessee as a No. 11 seed in their tournament fields, which certainly does not guarantee the Blue Raiders an at-large berth if they lose, but is high enough to make an at-large berth a possibility.
Middle Tennessee has a pretty good RPI ranking, and that coupled with its record will force the selection committee to take hard look at the Blue Raiders if they suffer a fifth loss.
Two things that the selection committee claims don't matter should at least be noted.
First, the selection committee saw fit to give Middle Tennessee an at-large bid in 2013, when it had an RPI ranking of 33 and an overall record of 28-6, but lost in the semifinals of its conference tournament.
Second, as much as selectors claim previous seasons' results don't matter, it will be impossible for them to forget that Middle Tennessee upset No. 2-seeded Michigan State in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament. This version of Middle Tennessee basketball is better. Giddy Potts and Reggie Upshaw, the top two scorers from last year's team, are back, and the Blue Raiders added JaCorey Williams, who is their top scorer this season after transferring from Arkansas.
Middle Tennessee has wins over Vanderbilt, North Carolina-Wilmington and Mississippi, but losses to Georgia State, Tennessee State and UTEP, all of whom are outside the RPI top 100, are hard to disguise.
Vanderbilt is on the bubble, so if it comes down to Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee for the final at-large spot, the Blue Raiders have the 23-point victory over the Commodores on their side.
Our conclusion is that Middle Tennessee will get an at-large berth if it does not win the conference tournament, giving Conference USA two NCAA berths instead of the anticipated one berth.
