Here is some more objective data from BasketballState that shows just how absurd the ESPN rankings are.--
Bradley-
http://www.bbstate.com/schools/BRAD/history
Here are Bradley's last 15 RPIs (the RPI has only existed for the last 15 years)-
105, 38, 33, 142, 152, 234, 102, 96, 110, 64, 138, 105, 25, 58, 86.
That is an
average RPI of 99.
And, only
once was Bradley's RPI above 152.
Only once in 15 years has Bradley's RPI been in the lower half of all D1 schools (that was 2002-2003 after the coaching change and the player defections).
ETSU-
http://www.bbstate.com/schools/ETSU/history
Here are their last 15 RPIs-
145, 123, 225, 293, 61, 111, 174, 170, 214, 176, 266, 280, 270, 193, 173.
That is an average of 192 !
Note that 11 out of 15 years, the RPI was 170 or higher!
All but 4 out 15 years, their RPI has been in the lower half of all D1 schools.
Bradley has had a better RPI that ETSU for 13 of the last 15 years, and most years it hasn't been close!
And if the RPI had existed prior to 1993, it would also show that Bradley was ranked well ahead of East Tennessee State for nearly the entire 20th century.
And another comparison:
Here is Bradley's NCAA record--
http://www.bbstate.com/schools/BRAD/tournament
Bradley has been to 8 NCAA tournaments, and have a record of
11-8 and 2 national championship games, 3 Elite 8s, 4 Sweet 16s.
Here is ETSU's NCAA record--
http://www.bbstate.com/schools/ETSU/tournament
ETSU has been to 7 NCAA tournaments, and have a record of
2-8, and they have never won more than 1 game in any year.
NIT-
http://nit.org/history/nit-postseason-all-time-participants.html
BRADLEY has been to the NIT 20 times and won it 4 times. Their overall record is
25-17. Only 1 school (St. Johns- 27 times) has been to more NITs, or won it more (St. John's 6 times).
Years in NIT-1938, 1939 (third), 1947, 1949 (fourth), 1950 (second), 1957 (won), 1958, 1959 (second), 1960 (won), 1962, 1964 (won), 1965, 1968, 1982 (won), 1985, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001
EAST TENNESSEE STATE has been to the NIT 1 time (in 1983) and their record is
0-1. They have never won an NIT game in their history.