Hey all-

Yes, it is that time of year again: the release of the first issue of the MRI. I know that it is still deep in the heart of football season, but the season opening tournaments are in full swing. And now, a brief introduction to the MRI for those who may not be familiar with it from previous years.

The MRI stands for the Miraski Ratings Index. It is loosely based upon the RPI ratings but I tweaked it beyond just that. The MRI includes a rated margin of victory, a rebound differential, a turnover differential and several winning percentages. All this rounds up into a number that really has no absolute meaning. However, in comparison to the average number for the league as a whole it can pretty much separate the good from the bad. The MRI only includes games against Division 1 opponents, so your wins against the Sisters of the Poor do not count. So, that kinda sums it up.

My thoughts from the first few weeks:

· Arizona is still good. Good ol' Bobbi looking down on them from above. Though, they will live and die by their shooting. The team is just not talented enough to win with defense anymore.

· Illinois is looking good. Since I am forced to watch when Dan is home, I have seen 3 of their games. They did have a scare on Saturday but look for them to stay near the top of the MRI all season.

· The Maui tournament was something to be seen. Ball State put on a nice show against Kansas and UCLA. Too bad they couldn't pull off the big upset against Duke. Meanwhile, Duke almost trips up against Seton Hall and then has easy wins the rest of the way. The only easier path for them would have been if they played Chaminade. And when exactly was the last time that team won a game in their tournament?

· The Preseason NIT was a great display. Syracuse is going to be a power this year. They looked good in every game they played. They still rely a little too heavily on Preston Schumpert but still a well oiled machine. It was also good to see Wake Forest do well, especially since they were the only team in the Final Four that had to play on the road.

· Michigan State: Early disappointment.

· North Carolina who? How do you lose two games at home against teams who have no business beating you even in their place? UNC also lost to the EA Sports All-Stars in the preseason. They lost to a video game team...Sad.

We'll leave it at that for now.

And now to the rankings. Remember that these are early season results. In no way do I think that Oregon is going to remain this good, or that Western Kentucky is better than Duke. But right now, this is what the numbers show.

Conference Standings: Big East, ACC, Big 12, SEC, PAC-10, Big Ten

And now the rankings

Rank Team MRI Final Last Year

1 Syracuse 80.46 NR

2 Missouri 75.74 NR

3 Oregon 75.01 NR

4 Oklahoma State 74.20 NR

5 Illinois 73.11 6

6 Western Kentucky 65.84 22

7 Notre Dame 64.38 NR

8 Alabama 62.47 NR

9 Duke 61.34 1

10 North Carolina State 61.23 NR

11 Marquette 59.87 NR

12 Pittsburgh 57.67 NR

13 Stanford 57.07 3

14 Memphis 56.77 NR

15 Iowa 56.17 NR

16 Virginia 55.40 12

17 Bradley 54.01 NR

18 Maryland 52.85 7

19 Mississippi State 52.47 NR

20 Texas A&M 52.40 NR

21 Cincinnati 51.75 NR

22 Wake Forest 51.05 18

23 Connecticut 50.99 NR

24 Arizona 50.82 5

25 Georgetown 50.62 8

Teams people might care about

RANK TEAM MRI

26 Miami 50.39

49 Michigan State 44.16

50 Florida 44.13

73 Indiana 40.60

84 Georgia Tech 39.04

140 Purdue 31.75

194 Texas 26.48

237 Drexel 19.91

Last place this week: Hartford at -13.16 (Note that the America East conference has looked pitiful so far after losing their four best teams)

Enjoy

Ben