SB Nation’s Chris Dobbertean breaks down which teams are on the right and wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, and tells you which games to watch down the stretch as dozens of teams look to sneak into the field of 65.
NCAA Bubble Watch: Florida, Virginia Tech And Utah State In; UTEP, Illinois, Miss. State Out
Final Bubble Watch Update: Florida Back In; UTEP Falls Out; Miss. State Out Of Luck
After more hot number-crunching action at the Chateau Bracket, I’ve made a few changes to my Last Five In and First Four Out before the selection show at 6 p.m. ET. This is the last Bubble Watch update for this season.
California (23-10; 13-5 Pac-10; RPI: 20; Non-conf. RPI: 10): The Golden Bears remain here after Saturday’s loss in the Pac-10 final to Washington.
Read Article >Saturday Recap/Sunday Preview: Minnesota And Miss. State Look To Do What Several Could Not
Saturday wasn’t a great day for Bubble Watch teams, as Houston and New Mexico State, stole bids, meaning two teams are destined for the NIT. Things could get even worse Sunday, if Mississippi State claims the SEC title.
If a team’s name appears as a link, click it to visit that school’s SB Nation blog for more coverage and analysis.
Read Article >Bubble Watch Update: Florida And Virginia Tech Look For A Kentucky Win Sunday
Click here for my Sunday morning bracket (forthcoming). For more on Sunday’s games of importance, check my preview and recap post.
Click any team name that appears as a link to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
Read Article >Last Four In/First Four Out After Pac-10 And Mountain West Finals
Things just got a bit more uncomfortable for Bubble Watch teams after the Pac-10 and Mountain West finals this evening.
Washington pushed the Pac-10 closer to two-bid status, as they defeated regular season champion California to claim the league’s automatic bid. I say “closer” because I’m not totally convinced the Golden Bears are safe.
Read Article >Last Four In/Last Four Out Update: Nervous Hours Ahead For Blacksburg, Champaign, El Paso, Gainesville
If you’re a fan of a Bubble Watch team like Florida, Illinois, Virginia Tech or UTEP, be prepared for a sleepless night and nerve-racking day Sunday. Results didn’t quite go your way through the afternoon.
Minnesota absolutely hammered Purdue in their Big Ten semifinal, quite the contrast from Illinois’ inability to close out their game with Ohio State, twice.
Read Article >Last Four In/First Four Out After Houston Claims Conference USA Title
Houston is our first official bid thief of the year (St. Mary’s West Coast crown is arguable), as they came from behind to stun Conference USA regular season champion UTEP, 81-73, to claim that league’s automatic bid.
Since the Cougars were nowhere close to an at-large threat, that means someone from my Saturday morning “Last Four In” group has to go. As Rhode Island was at-large No. 34 going into today’s action, they drop out.
Read Article >Bubble Watch Update: Ole Miss Out; Rhode Island In; Minnesota Knocking On The Door
Click here for my Saturday bracket. For more on Saturday’s games of importance, check my preview/recap post.
Click any team name that appears as a link to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
Read Article >Friday Recap/Saturday Preview: Five Teams Can Claim Conference Crowns And Breathe Easy
With two days of action left before the bracket is revealed, the at-large picture is starting to clear up a little. Still, there are going to be many anxious Bubble Watch teams sweating it out. That includes one team who I had pegged as safe after Thursday’s action.
If a team’s name appears as a link, click it to visit that school’s SB Nation blog for more coverage and analysis.
Read Article >Bubble Watch Update: How The Field Stacks Up With Three Days Left
Click any team name that appears as a link to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
America East, Atlantic Sun (East Tennessee State), Big Sky (Montana), Big South (Winthrop), Big West, Colonial (Old Dominion), Horizon (Butler), Ivy (Cornell), Metro Atlantic (Siena), Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley (Northern Iowa) Northeast (Robert Morris), Ohio Valley (Murray State), Patriot, Southern (Wofford), Southland, Southwestern, Summit (Oakland), Sun Belt (North Texas)
Read Article >Thursday Recap/Friday Preview: Who’s Finished? Who Has Games Left?
Since conference tournament action is moving fast and furious, I want to take this opportunity to point out where the Bubble Watch teams currently stand in terms of game action from here on out.
Virginia Tech, idle on Thursday, plays Miami in the ACC Quarterfinals Friday. The four seed in the ACC is in better shape thanks to the carnage below them on the S-curve.
Read Article >Bubble Watch Update: USF And Seton Hall Out; Ole Miss Back In; Arizona State Makes A Cameo
Click any team name that appears as a link to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
America East, Atlantic Sun (East Tennessee State), Big Sky (Montana), Big South (Winthrop), Big West, Colonial (Old Dominion), Horizon (Butler), Ivy (Cornell), Metro Atlantic (Siena), Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley (Northern Iowa) Northeast (Robert Morris), Ohio Valley (Murray State), Patriot, Southern (Wofford), Southland, Southwestern, Summit (Oakland), Sun Belt (North Texas)
Read Article >Wednesday Recap/Thursday Preview: All Of The Major Conferences In Action
After Wednesday’s action at the Big East and Big 12 Tournaments, Bubble Watch teams Marquette, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State are in better position. However, Seton Hall and USF’s bubbles burst.
For more, check out the Big East Tournament Storystream
Read Article >Bubble Watch Update: No Change In Last Four In Heading Into Wednesday
Here is the updated look at the teams fighting for the last few spots in the NCAA field. Click here for my Wednesday bracket projection.
Thanks to Butler’s win the Horizon League final Tuesday evening, the only change to this list is the removal of UConn after their 21-point loss to St. John’s in the Big East Tournament.
Read Article >Tuesday Recap/Wednesday Preview: Seton Hall And USF Pick Up Wins; UConn Doesn’t
Bubble Watch teams again dodged a bullet Tuesday night, as the Horizon remains a one-bid league, thanks to Butler’s big 70-45 victory over Wright State. That win means all of my “Last Four In” from Monday’s bracket stay in Wednesday’s version.
Two of those teams were in action Tuesday at the Big East Tournament. That event featured four first-round games with bubble interest, and Wednesday will see... four games with bubble interest. This is despite the fact UConn lost their opener. You can follow the biggest of the conference tournaments here on SB Nation.
Read Article >Monday Recap/Tuesday Preview: ODU, Siena, St. Mary’s Officially In; Big East First Round On Tap
Bubble Watch teams from coast-to-coast rejoiced when Old Dominion and Siena claimed their respective conference crowns Monday night; however, St. Mary’s win over Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference final means there is one less at-large spot remaining.
CAA Championship: Old Dominion 60, William & Mary 53 (recap): The Monarchs probably would have been in even if they lost this one. The Tribe missed several threes in the final minute that could have made this one a real nail-biter, considering Old Dominion’s struggles from the free throw line.
Read Article >Monday Bubble Update: USF And Seton Hall Make It Ten For The Big East
Here is the updated look at the teams fighting for the last few spots in the NCAA field. Click here for my Monday bracket projection.
Click any team name that appears as a link to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
Read Article >Bubble Watch Sunday Recap/Monday Preview: Northern Iowa In; ODU, Siena Draw Closer
Old Dominion and Siena moved closer to locking up their conferences’ automatic bids on Sunday, while Northern Iowa booked their place by claiming the Missouri Valley crown.
In the major conferences, Florida and Illinois fell to further damage their chances.
Read Article >Sunday’s Bubble Games: Plenty Of Focus On Conference Tournament Action
Sunday is a quieter day from a Bubble Watch perspective compared to Saturday. Much of the attention over this afternoon and evening will be on conference tournament action. Bubble teams will be hoping for Northern Iowa, Old Dominion and Siena wins.
Team statuses based on my Sunday update.
Read Article >Sunday Bubble Update: USF And Ole Miss Move In; Rhode Island And UAB Drop Out
Click any team name that appears as a link to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
America East, Atlantic Sun (East Tennessee State), Big Sky, Big South (Winthrop), Big West, Ivy (Cornell), Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Northeast, Ohio Valley (Murray State), Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt
Read Article >Saturday Bubble Recap: Ole Miss and USF Grab Crucial Wins
Things are a little clearer for several Bubble Watch teams after Saturday’s action, as teams like UAB, UConn and Rhode Island didn’t grab crucial wins, but Ole Miss, San Diego State and USF did.
If a team’s name appears as a link, click it to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
Read Article >Saturday’s Bubble Watch Action: UConn At USF Highlight Of A Busy Day
Many conferences wrap up their regular seasons this weekend, while others have already jumped into tournament play. That means Saturday is a particularly busy day for the teams fighting for the last few spots in the NCAAs.
Team statuses are based on my Saturday morning bracket.
Read Article >Bubble Watch Update: How The Field Stacks Up As The Regular Season Wraps Up
Click any team name that appears as a link to visit that school’s SB Nation blog.
America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt
Read Article >Bubble Watch Update: No New Entries After Thursday’s Action
For quite awhile on Thursday night, it looked like the Dayton Flyers were going to grab a key road win at Richmond and sneak in. However, the Spiders prevailed to all but knock UD out of tournament contention, barring a run through the Atlantic 10 Tournament next week.
The other four bubble teams in action all grabbed wins; however, none was big enough to bump them into the field.
Read Article >Thursday Night Review: Dayton Falls; Arizona State, Ole Miss, Seton Hall, Washington Win
Thursday night saw several Bubble Watch teams who are on the outside looking in (in my opinion) looking to grab key wins. All but one was successful.
If a team’s name appears as a link, click it to visit that school’s SB Nation blog for more coverage and analysis.
Read Article >Thursday Night Action: Dayton Looks To Grab Crucial Win At Richmond
Since all of the teams I have in “Last Four In” group played either on Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday’s Bubble Watch action features several teams looking to move into the bracket.
If a team’s name appears as a link, click it to visit that school’s SB Nation blog for more coverage and analysis.
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