In thinking about how RPI works and how we desperately need to improve ours, I think getting a top-4 bye would hurt us in RPI.

If RPI is mostly based on record of who you play, would it not benefit us to get lets say the 5 or 6 seed, play an ACC bottom feeder, which we would hopefully win. This would give us an extra win, and the next round we would then play a top seed, which would further help our RPI based on that team's likely high SOS.

On the other hand, if we get a top 4 seed, we sit out a game, then play a victor from the first round, and potentially lose. We almost didnt make the tourny last year because of losing to NC State, while a 5 seed would have notched us a likely extra win vs Wake, who we destroyed.