Canes Look For Upset Of Top-Ranked Blue Devils
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – When the Duke Blue Devils and Miami Hurricanes square off at the Bank United Center Wednesday night, it will be a battle of two of the nation's best teams when it comes to RPI.
RPI is the rating percentage index that is used by the NCAA men's basketball committee to rank the country's best teams. The formula used to calculate has three main components to it: team winning percentage (25 percent of RPI); opponents winning percentage (50 percent); and opponents' opponents' winning percentage (25 percent).
Currently, Duke is ranked number one in the AP Top 25, the coaches poll, and in RPI. Miami is currently ranked 25th by the AP, but is ranked fourth in the country in RPI. Miami has pulled off the feat by playing what CBSSports.com considers the toughest schedule in the country.
Miami has also put together a 13-3 record on the season and is undefeated in Atlantic Coast Conference play thus far in 2013. The Canes' three losses have come to Florida Gulf Coast University, Arizona, and Indiana State.
The losses to Florida Gulf Coast University and Indiana State hurt, but Arizona is ranked sixth in the country in human polls and second in RPI, which actually helps UM.
In addition, the Canes have a signature victory over Michigan State this season and play number one ranked Duke Wednesday night and again on March 2.
Outside of the Duke games, the only other ranked team UM faces for the rest of the season is North Carolina State, which is ranked 18th in both human polls and 16th in RPI.
The UM-Duke game scheduled for Wednesday night at the Bank United Center is completely sold out and some students have taken to camping out in front of the arena to try to score a ticket for the game.
UM expects more than 7,000 fans in the Bank United Center Wednesday night and are hoping to spring a historic upset on the Blue Devils and Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be live on ESPN.
The Canes will be right back on the court on Saturday when they welcome in the Florida State Seminoles to the Bank United Center.
