UE Men Named Nation's 6th Most Improved Team
Published: February 19, 2009
The University of Evansville men's basketball team is the nation's sixth most improved from last season, according to the latest Ratings Percentage Index. The RPI has been used by the NCAA since 1981 to aid in selecting at-large teams and the seeding of all teams for the NCAA basketball tournament. It is based on winning percentage, strength of schedule, and opponents’ strength of schedule.
Under second year head coach Marty Simmons, the Purple Aces are 15-11 after finishing 9-21 last season. They rank 98th nationally this week among the nation's 343 Division I teams after finishing 251st at the end of last season. The Aces have the fourth highest RPI in the Missouri Valley Conference, trailing Creighton (53), Illinois State (60) and Northern Iowa (81). This Saturday's opponent at Roberts Stadium, Miami of Ohio, is ranked 66th.
Nation's 10 most improved teams in 2008-09 (Last year's final RPI/Current RPI/Difference):
1. Portland (298/106/192); 2. Buffalo (268/84/184); 3. Long Beach State (323/148/175); 4. The Citadel (334/177/157); 5. Radford (309/153/156); 6. Evansville (251/98/153); 7. Hofstra (242/90/152); 8. Mercer (316/165/151); 9. Binghamton (247/100/147); 10. Northwestern (224/83/141).
