Tech’s one win over FSU likely keeps them in the field…for now
Last week, we introduced the Universal Selection Index to give our most up to date indication of where Georgia Tech Baseball sits in potentially making the NCAA Tournament field. If you missed it, check it out to get an explainer on what USI is and what goes into it.
For a weekend filled with wild sports stories, Tech Baseball had their own weird weekend with multiple weather delays against one of the toughest teams in the country on the road. Thankfully, the Jackets walked out of Florida State with a win in game 3, a big win that should keep Tech in most tournament fields, including ours.
With a 2-1 series drop, Tech has shuffled a few spots back in our predicted tournament field, now sitting in the ‘last four in’ after being in the ‘next four in’ last week:
A couple notes that were given to us by the GT media team:
Every ACC team with a .500 or better record and RPI of 50 or better has made the NCAA Tournament. Georgia Tech is 31-21 (15-15 ACC) with an RPI of 46.
On the other side of that, every sub -.500 ACC team has not made the tournament. While this should portend to good news for Tech, you never know when a given season can bring a bunch of auto-bids that shake up who gets in from the at-larges, so it’s no guarantee.
Georgia Tech played four Top 15 RPI (top 10 KPI) road ACC series – RPI No. 4/KPI No. 6 North Carolina, No. 7/7 Clemson, No. 8/8 Florida State, and No. 13/9 Virginia
This is where the Jackets have a big leg up, they had the strength of schedule that set them up for RPI/KPI success even if they didn’t win the majority of those games. While it was only the 8th hardest strength of schedule in the conference, it’s still 29th in the nation. And then we also managed to get ranked series wins against #16 Virginia Tech, #13 NC State, and #9 Duke.
So, the wins are there. More would’ve been extremely nice, but we are where we are.
Current Projected Field (sorted by regional location)
(if you missed last week’s update, do read how we sort this field because this will spit out some weird groups that will not in reality be selected together)
Site 1 (College Station): Texas A&M, Oregon, Oklahoma, Alabama St.
Site 2 (Knoxville): Tennessee, Southern Miss, UConn, Oral Roberts
Site 3 (Fayetteville): Arkansas, San Diego, Louisiana, Sacred Heart
Site 4 (Chapel Hill): North Carolina, Northeastern, Texas, Army
Site 5 (Athens): Georgia, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Little Rock
Site 6 (Clemson): Clemson, Louisiana Tech, Auburn, Fresno St
Site 7 (Lexington): Kentucky, Lamar, UCF, Bryant
Site 8 (Irvine): UC Irvine, Mississippi St., UNCW, Wright St
Site 9 (Charlottesville): Virginia, LSU, Illinois, Columbia
Site 10 (Dallas): Dallas Baptist, South Carolina, Cal, Bowling Green
Site 11 (Terre Haute): Indiana State, Wake Forest, South Alabama, VCU
Site 12 (Tallahassee): Florida State, Alabama, Portland, Austin Peay
Site 13 (Greenville, NC): East Carolina, NC State, West Virginia, USC Upstate
Site 14 (Stillwater): Oklahoma St, UC Santa Barbara, Georgia Tech, Niagara
Site 15 (Corvallis): Oregon St., Vanderbilt, Louisville, Grand Canyon
Site 16 (Charleston): College of Charleston, Duke, James Madison, Wofford
Based on how much Tech has fluctuated within USI over the season, getting one win the ACC Tournament we think should be enough to put keep them in the NCAA field. There of course is barely any wiggle room, to the point that losing both of our pool play games very well could put us first team out.
But, in good news, Drew Burress hit his 22nd home run over the weekend, so a little bit more of that, and who knows what may happen.