. . . the decline in RPI for some of those. Charlotte and USC for related reasons, for example. The odds on them repeating the '25 results with the known losses in the circle were long. Overall, though, it just emphasizes the need to GET INVITED to Clearwater (Note Liberty went down the weekend BEFORE into Shriner's Invite) or Cathedral City. The teams you face there are not going to fall off the table in a given year. Heck JMU is a +25 this year with essentially the same record as last season. Why? They went to Clearwater and got pounded all weekend. These invitations don't occur in a vacuum. Politics (softball style) are involved. Look at the list of teams that played in these tourneys. No reason VT shouldn't be at one at least every third year if the correct strings are being pulled and egos massaged.