Sports > February 28, 2008

By James Burnett | Staff writer

We are in! March Madness here we come. Well, at east according to the RPI (rating percentage index). In the ever confusing world of computer rankings, the Deacons come in at a bracket-busting 62nd (www.kenpom.com/rpi.php).

For those of you counting at home, 65 teams are allowed a chance to compete for the Division I Basketball Championship, and according to the RPI, we would be the 62nd team allowed in.

Too bad these rankings are hardly an indicator of the 65 teams that will be selected.

Conference tournament wins, which account for 31 automatic bids, complicate the process as upset teams such as the Long Beach State 49ers snatch up bids from would be “bubble teams”.

Politics and the long-standing reputations of power programs all come into play as the 328 teams are whittled down like so much athletic driftwood.

So here we stand Deacon Fans, perched ever so lightly on the edge of an already distended bubble.

With wins over BYU and Duke, the Deacs have obviously proven their ability to beat any team on any given night; however some things stand out as large question marks for the Tournament Selection Committee.

Our road record of 1-8 does not bode well for a tournament in which the majority of the teams spend their time on the road. Barring an unprecedented move of the entirety of March Madness to Winston-Salem, the Deacons seeming inability to win outside of the Joel will be detrimental.

NCAA.org’s statistical rankings are equally unfavorable. The Deacons are ranked 158th in scoring defense, 188th in field goal percentage, 257th in three-point percentage and, our lowest ranking, 264th in free throw percentage. These numbers do not instill confidence, especially in such a young team – that is unless you have watched them play this season.

Much like the RPI, these numbers tend to deceive, despite their accurate depiction.

Such statistics are remnants of painful losses: Chas McFarland’s foul trouble and a general “on/off” switch offense.

These numbers also fail to account for emotional wins such as that over Duke (45 percent from three, 71 percent from the free throw line and a winning margin of 13 points). With one win the Deacons established themselves as a legitimate contender for a spot in the tourney and have given themselves something more to play for than a “Welcome to the NIT” T-shirt.

With four winnable games, two of which are at the Joel, the Deacons are in a position to return to the “real” postseason for the first time since 2005.

The win over Duke and subsequent loss to Carolina sets up what could be an astounding ACC tournament.

Which Deacons will show up in Charlotte come April? Are we one of the teams that will heat up in the postseason?

Only time will tell, but for now all we can do is sit back and attempt to enjoy the ride, which has been strangely similar to driving down I-40 blindfolded. At a school which suddenly has become synonymous with football accolades, this year’s young basketball team has become quite a pleasant surprise.

Everyone knows that next year Wake brings in a potential group of one and done superstars.

What better way to keep them around than by establishing the current roster’s competence? What better way to reestablish Wake basketball than riding our bubble all the way into March?