Thanks in part to former Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne, the Wildcats received a much-needed name brand for their 2017-18 home nonconference schedule when Alabama agreed to start a two-year series at McKale on Dec. 9.
But the nonconference team with the best 2016-17 RPI headed for McKale next season may be a surprise. Unless you watched some Western Athletic Conference or NIT ball last season, that is.
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Cal State Bakersfield, which will be back at McKale for the second straight season, moved on from a 78-66 loss to Arizona early last season to win the WAC with a 12-2 record, then reach the NIT semifinals and finish with an RPI (Rating Percentage Index) of 59.