MBB: University Athletic Association

[deiscanton]

The NCAA DIII Men's Basketball Committee released the official NPI summary report for games through February 1, 2025.  However, while the national NPI rankings of the UAA men's basketball teams are correct, the "official" NPI numbers of the UAA men's basketball teams as calculated by the NCAA computer are incorrect.  That is because the NCAA DIII NPI computer, for the second year in a row, is incorrectly counting games where Coast 2 Coast teams are playing each other as conference round-robin games.  The Coast 2 Coast Conference does not play conference round robin games-- only C2C conference tournament games are the official conference games in the C2C.  Moreover, starting this season, the C2C is seeding the teams in their conference tournaments using the D3Datacast NPI numbers. 

Since Emory and UChicago played C2C teams in their non-conference schedules this season, the NPI numbers being calculated by the NCAA DIII computer are different than the D3Datacast NPI numbers. 

For the second year in a row, the NCAA DIII NPI calculator is also not programmed to account for the fact that the GNAC only plays a single round robin prior to their conference tournament, and is once again counting the first game where one GNAC team plays another as a conference game if the two GNAC teams play each other twice.   In GNAC, if one GNAC team is playing another twice in the same season, only the second game counts as the conference round robin game.  GNAC conference round robin action is being played as doubleheaders on the men's and women's sides-- but both the GNAC men's and women's conference games are single round robin.

The larger discrepancy in Brandeis's numbers in both NCAA and D3Datacast is explained by the fact that Brandeis played GNAC teams in their non-conference schedule.

The NCAA DIII NPI February 1, 2026 summary report for men's basketball can be located at:

http://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/48516

Here are the discrepancies due to incorrect calculation by the NCAA of games where C2C teams played against each other and skewed the NPI numbers, as well as incorrect calculation by the NCAA of non-conference games where GNAC teams played against each other:

1.)  UChicago-- ranked #1 in NPI by both NCAA and D3Datacast-- NCAA has the NPI at 69.155, while D3Datacast has it at 69.156

2.)  Emory-- ranked #9 in NPI by both NCAA and D3Datacast-- NCAA has the NPI at 66.285, while D3Datacast has it at 66.283

3.)  WashU-- ranked #20 in NPI by both NCAA and D3Datacast-- NCAA has the NPI at 62.742, while D3Datacast has it at 62.739

4.)  Brandeis-- ranked #28 in NPI by both NCAA and D3Datacast-- NCAA has the NPI at 61.769, while D3Datacast has it at 61.761  (Brandeis played 2 GNAC teams, Emmanuel and Lasell, in their non-conference schedule.)

5.)  NYU-- ranked #34 in NPI by both NCAA and D3Datacast-- NCAA has the NPI at 61.198, while D3Datacast has it at 61.196.  (NYU played GNAC team University of St. Joseph in their non-conference schedule.)

6.) Carnegie Mellon-- ranked #64 in NPI in both NCAA and D3Datacast-- NCAA has the NPI at 58.345, while D3Datacast has it at 58.335

7.)  CWRU-- ranked #117 in NPI in both systems-- NCAA has the NPI at 55.254, while D3Datacast has it at 55.251

8.)  Rochester-- ranked #120 in NPI in both systems-- NCAA has the NPI at 55.194, while D3Datacast has it at 55.186

[deiscanton]

The NCAA DIII Men's Basketball Committee has released their NPI summary report through games played Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026--

The report can be found at:

http://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/48671

Here are the UAA teams as listed in the rankings--

1.)  Emory-- NPI rank #1-- NPI is 69.806-- NPI rank last week was #9.
2.)  U. Chicago-- NPI rank #3-- NPI is 69.364-- NPI rank last week was #1.
3.)  NYU--  NPI rank #20-- NPI is 63.340-- NPI rank last week was #34
4.)  WashU-- NPI rank #28-- NPI is 62.133-- NPI rank last week was #20
5.)  Brandeis-- NPI rank #32-- NPI is 61.776-- NPI rank last week was #28
6.)  Carnegie Mellon-- NPI rank #79-- NPI is 57.538-- NPI rank last week was #64
7.)  CWRU-- NPI rank #101-- NPI is 56.372-- NPI rank last week was #117
8.)  Rochester-- NPI rank #102-- NPI is 56.301-- NPI rank last week was #120

 

[deiscanton]

Once again, the official NPI Summary Report for February 8, 2026 has mistakes made in the calculation.

The basic mistake is that the NCAA's statistical NPI calculator is erroneously counting every game played between two teams in the same conference as a conference round robin game, when not all of them are.

I have noticed, in particular, the following errors:

(1)  The Coast to Coast Conference does not have conference round robin games-- all conference play is done through the conference tournament in the final week of the regular season.   Yet, the NPI calculators are erroneously assuming matchups between C. Newport, Mary Washington, Salisbury, and UC Santa Cruz as conference round robin games when two of those 4 teams are playing against each other.

(2)  The Great Northeast Athletic Confernce only does a single round robin in men's basketball, yet the NPI calculator is erroneously assuming the first meeting of the season between Dean and other GNAC schools as conference games, even though they are non-conference.  Only the second match of the season between Dean and certain other GNAC schools is the official conference game.

(3)  In NESCAC-- Little Three games and CBB games are being erroneously counted as conference games, even though they are not being played on a weekend.   NESCAC only has a single round robin, and NESCAC games in the round robin are played on the weekend.

Here are the D3Datacast NPI numbers for UAA teams in games played through Sunday, February 8--

(1)  Emory-- NPI rank of #1-- NPI is 69.797
(2)  U.Chicago-- NPI rank of #3-- NPI is 69.367
(3)  NYU-- NPI rank of #20-- NPI is 63.541
(4)  WashU-- NPI rank of #27-- NPI is 62.136
(5)  Brandeis-- NPI rank of #32-- NPI is 61.774

If selections were being done today-- Emory, UChicago, NYU, WashU, and Brandeis would all be in the tournament, with Brandeis being one of the last 7 in. 

The bubble-in teams are the group of NPI teams ranked from #30 to #36. 

D3Datacast has Roanoke of the ODAC currently as the last team in with an NPI rank of #36 and an NPI of 61.164 as of this morning.

The rest of the UAA-- with the D3Datacast NPI numbers

(6)  Carnegie Mellon-- NPI rank of #79-- NPI is 57.536
(7)  CWRU-- NPI rank of #101-- NPI is 56.371
(8)  Rochester-- NPI rank of #102-- NPI is 56.303

[Ole Ollie 76]

You never know about recruits until they get on the court, but a potential impact recruit for Brandeis, Javi Lopez from Mass HS power Central Catholic. Lopez has smashed the school's all time scoring record and this year he is averaging 30 points a game.

Emory also has plucked a top Massachusetts player 6'6" Harrison Miles from Deerfield Academy.

[deiscanton]

The NCAA DIII Men's Basketball Committee has released the Summary Report for games played through Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

It is available at:

http://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/48779

There are still discrepancies in the NPI values in the NCAA NPI calculator vs the D3Datacast NPI calculator.  Based on reading the coding used for the NCAA NPI calculations, D3Datacast NPI is the correct calculation, and the NCAA suits in Indianapolis have refused to correct the errors in their calculations.  For details, see my current post in the Pool C forum.

UAA teams as ranked in the NCAA Summary Report vs D3Datacast calculations made at 5:21 PM Sunday Feb. 15 using results from Massey:

Emory  -- ranked #1 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 71.440  D3Datacast has Emory ranked at #1 with an NPI value of 71.436

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 71.437)

UChicago-- ranked #3 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 69.720  D3Datacast has UChicago ranked at #3 with an NPI value of 69.722

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 69.722)

NYU-- ranked #18 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 63.927  D3Datacast has NYU ranked at #18 with an NPI value of 63.926

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 63.926)

WashU-- ranked #21 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 63.387  D3Datacast has NPI ranked at #21 with an NPI value of 63.387

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 63.385)

Brandeis-- ranked #40 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 60.635  D3Datacast has NPI ranked at #40 with an NPI value of 60.631

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 60.636)

Carnegie Mellon-- ranked #97 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 56.852    D3Datacast has NPI ranked at #97 with an NPI value of 56.850

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 56.852)

Rochester-- ranked #99 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 56.842  D3Datacast has NPI ranked at #99 with an NPI value of 56.843

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 56.842)

CWRU-- ranked #121 in NPI from NCAA-- NPI value of 55.861  D3Datacast has NPI ranked at #122 with an NPI value of 55.859

(Updated NCAA NPI value this morning is 55.860)

[deiscanton]

State of the UAA men's basketball title race going into the final week--

1.)  Chicago is currently the leader at 11-2 in the UAA-- the Maroons have 1 game left to play (at WashU on Saturday).

2.)  Emory is currently in second place at 10-2 in the UAA-- the Eagles have 2 games left, both at home-- (vs Carnegie Mellon on Wednesday, and vs Rochester on Saturday.)

No other team can catch these 2 teams for first place-- If both Emory and Chicago win out, they will be UAA co-champions and a tiebreaker will determine the AQ.

Scenarios--

1.)  Chicago wins at WashU and Emory wins out-- Emory and UChicago will be co-champions , and the result of Brandeis at NYU will determine who gets the AQ--

Subpart 1-- If Emory and UChicago finish tied at 12-2 and NYU defeats Brandeis on Saturday, NYU would take third place by themselves at 8-6 in the UAA.   Emory would get the AQ on tiebreaker #2 (Results between UAA co-champions and subsequent finishers in the standings in descending order until the representive for AQ is determined), because Emory swept the series vs NYU, 2-0, while Chicago split 1-1 vs NYU.

Subpart 2-- If Emory and UChicago finish tied at 12-2 in the UAA, and Brandeis wins at NYU on Saturday there would be a group of WashU, NYU, and Brandeis that would finish tied for 3rd at 7-7 in the UAA, and tiebreaker #2 would not settle the issue.  (Emory and UChicago would each have gone 5-1 vs the group tied for third, and each co-champion would each have swept all remaining subsequent finishers in the standings.)   

UChicago would get the AQ on tiebreaker #3-- Better road win/loss record in UAA games.   Chicago would have gone 6-1 in UAA road games, while Emory finished 5-2 in UAA road games this season. 

2.)  If Emory wins out and WashU defeats Chicago on Saturday-- Emory will be outright UAA champion at 12-2 in the UAA  while Chicago would finish in second at 11-3 in the UAA.

3.)  If Chicago wins at WashU on Saturday while Emory loses one of their 2 UAA home games this week-- Chicago will be outright UAA champion at 12-2 in the UAA,   while Emory would finish in second, either at 11-3 or 10-4 in the UAA. 

[WUPHF]

The AQ is completely meaningless in UAA Men's Basketball, but this year it is more meaningless than most as Emory and Chicago are 1-2 in the NPI.

If Emory and Chicago finish the season at 12-2, they will be co-champions.

Co-champions.  Not co-champion and ever so slightly better co-champion.

[deiscanton]

The AQ is completely meaningless in UAA Men's Basketball, but this year it is more meaningless than most as Emory and Chicago are 1-2 in the NPI.

If Emory and Chicago finish the season at 12-2, they will be co-champions.

Co-champions.  Not co-champion and ever so slightly better co-champion.

And Bob Quillman still gets full credit for his pick of Emory for regular season UAA champion in the D3Datacast  Conference Champions Draft for this season if Emory and Chicago finish tied at 12-2 in the UAA, since the draft was on who would be conference champion at the end of round robin play, not on who gets the AQ.  Co-Champion is the same as outright champion for purposes of this particular draft.  (D3Datacast Episode 121-- October 20, 2025-- Year 3 of this draft).