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NCAA Tournament 2018: 5 biggest snubs on Selection Sunday

By Neil Harrington

MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 04: FIU guard Eric Lockett (5) and Middle Tennessee forward Karl Gamble (25) reach for a rebound during a college basketball game between the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders and the Florida International University Panthers on January 4, 2018 Florida. Middle Tennessee defeated FIU 71-66 in overtime. (Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 04: FIU guard Eric Lockett (5) and Middle Tennessee forward Karl Gamble (25) reach for a rebound during a college basketball game between the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders and the Florida International University Panthers on January 4, 2018 Florida. Middle Tennessee defeated FIU 71-66 in overtime. (Photo by Richard C. Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 08: Head coach Mike Boynton of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts from the bench during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Sprint Center on March 8, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 08: Head coach Mike Boynton of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts from the bench during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament quarterfinal game against the Kansas Jayhawks at the Sprint Center on March 8, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

4. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Record: 19-14

RPI Ranking: 88

SOS: 54

Non-Conference SOS: 145

The Cowboys’ non-conference schedule was rather weak, with a few exceptions.

Quality wins against RPI Top 100: 

  • Florida State (54)
  • Tulsa (89)
  • Texas (51)
  • Kansas/ at Kansas (5)
  • Texas Tech (23)
  • Oklahoma– twice (49)
  • at West Virginia (27)

Beating Kansas twice is no easy feat, especially winning at Allen Field House. If the Cowboys would have knocked off the Jayhawks in their third contest, would the committee have been able to keep them out of the field? Likely not.

Even though their resume includes very impressive wins, their non-conference SOS was too much to overcome. Gottlieb makes an excellent point, Oklahoma State deserves to be in over Syracuse, but, both should have been left out of the March Madness field.

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