Bracket Projection- 3/1/16

(1)MIDWEST-Chicago, IL
Des Moines, IA
1 Kansas
16 Wagner/Texas Southern
8 USC
9 Syracuse
Ok City, OK
5 Kentucky
12 Valparaiso
4 Maryland
13 Stony Brook
Denver, CO
6 Texas
11 Ark-Little Rock
3 Utah
14 Hawaii
St. Louis, MO
7 Dayton
10 Providence
2 Miami (FL)
15 Stephen F Austin

WEST(4)- Anaheim, CA
OK City, OK
1 Oklahoma
16 Weber State
8 St. Joseph's
9 Michigan
Denver, CO
5 Texas A&M
12 Temple
4 Purdue
13 Yale
Brooklyn, NY
6 Baylor
11 Wichita State
3 UNC
14 UAB
Spokane, WA
7 Texas Tech
10 Butler
2 Oregon
15 New Mexico State

SOUTH(2)Louisville, KY
Raleigh, NC
1 Virginia
16 Bucknell/Hampton
8 Oregon State
9 South Carolina
Denver, CO
5 Iowa
12 San Diego State
4 Iowa State
13 Akron
Providence, RI
6 Arizona
11 Alabama/Cincinnati
3 West Virginia
14 Chattanooga
Raleigh, NC
7 Notre Dame
10 Connecticut
2 Xavier
15 Belmont

EAST(3)Philadelphia, PA
Brooklyn, NY
1 Villanova
16 North Florida
8 Wisconsin
9 Pittsburgh
Spokane, WA
5 Indiana
12 St. Mary's
4 California
13 South Dakota State
Providence, RI
6 Colorado
11 Monmouth
3 Duke
14 Hofstra
St. Louis, MO
7 Seton Hall
10 Vanderbilt/St. Bonaventure
2 Michigan State
15 Winthrop

Danger Zone
Last 10 In:  USC, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Michigan, Providence, Connecticut, Butler, Vanderbilt, St. Bonaventure, Cincinnati, Alabama
First 10 Out: Florida, Tulsa, VCU, George Washington, Princeton, Washington, Florida State, Gonzaga, Stanford, Ohio State

Multiple Bid Conferences

ACC- 7
Pac-12-7
Big Ten- 7
Big 12- 7
SEC- 5

Big East- 5

A-10- 3

AAC-3

Bubble Watch: Winners and Losers From Tuesday and Wednesday

Bubble Winners

Vanderbilt- The Commodores needed a prayer, and they made one at the end of the 1st half that helped them roll to a great road win at Florida. Vandy is now moving closer but still lack quality wins. Kentucky comes to town giving them a crucial opportunity.

Texas Tech- The Red Raiders survived a scare at home against TCU giving them their first ever 5 game winning streak against the Big 12. Texas Tech is suddenly very close to the safe zone. 1 more win will put them there. A trip to Kansas is up next.

Tulsa- The Golden Hurricane continued their hot streak by blitzing Temple. Tulsa is right on the cut line and is arguably playing the best ball of anyone in the American. A trip to a slumping Memphis team is up next. They can't afford to lose that one.

Wisconsin- The Badgers continued their hot streak by coming out of Iowa with another big road road, which is huge for Wisconsin. The probably is with so many bad losses the margin of error is small. A desperate Michigan team comes to town next. The Badgers should not take any chances with this one.

Colorado- The Buffaloes defeated Arizona at home and now will very likely be dancing. Win against the Sun Devils on Saturday, and they should be secure.

Oregon State- The Beavers won on a prayer Stephen Thompson hit a three pointer at the buzzer. He may have walked, but it counted. Oregon State probably needs two of three to likely move into the safe zone. Up next is a visit from the basement, Washington State. A win is a must in that one.

Other Winners: Each of these avoided bad losses: Michigan, George Washington, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph's, South Carolina, San Diego State, Wichita State

Bubble Losers

Ohio State- The Buckeyes finally started to move into the discussion and then got rolled at home. They have a lack of Top 100 wins and have bad losses. There is a lot of work to do for this 10 win Big Ten team. Iowa comes to town next. It is a win or the B1G Conference tourney is their only hope kind of game.

Alabama- The Crimson Tide got dismantled at Kentucky and now after their current 2 game winning streak, it might not be as clear as before. Arch nemesis Auburn comes to town next. The Tigers would love to ruin Bama's chances. Will the Tide come to play?

LSU- The Tigers got destroyed at Arkansas and it is clear that Ben Simmons and company will have to win the SEC Conference Tournament to get into the dance.

Florida- The Gators lost at home to fellow bubble dweller Vanderbilt and are now starting to move into icy waters. A trip to LSU is next. A loss there and suddenly, their tourney hopes will begin to become dicey.

Temple- The Owls got handled at Tulsa for their first loss against the other Top 5 teams in the American. Temple does not much outside of these wins against the Top 200. Good thing they are still in 1st because relying on an at-large probably is not recommended for the Owls. Nothing but no win situations remain in the regular season. Up next is a visit from UCF.

Pittsburgh- The Panthers lost at home to Louisville and have really struggled lately, Their lone Top 50 win is at Notre Dame, which is low compared to other contenders. Duke comes to town on Saturday. A win needed since a loss would put the Panthers in an interesting spot.

Georgia- The Bulldogs lost a Auburn, which is a bad loss. UGA needed good wins as they were hanging on by a thread. Previously, they lacked bad losses, which is not the case anymore. It appears UGA will have to win the SEC Conference Tourney to get in.

VCU- The Rams picked up their 2nd bad loss of the season by falling at UMass. VCU did not need that as they no longer lead the A-10 standings and their resume was probably the 5th strongest in the conference to begin with. Good thing they have a chance to erase this with a trip up I-95 to George Washington next. Bad thing is that this is likely a must win for their hopes.

Creighton- The Bluejays finally were starting to creep onto the bubble but then they lost at home to one of the most hot and cold teams in the country in Marquette. Creighton's at-large hopes are gone for now, but if they can win out (vs St. John's, @Providence, @Xavier), we will take another look at them.

Washington- The Huskies had the game won and let it slip away as they lost a heartbreaker at the buzzer in Corvalis. Washington has lost 5 of 6 and is really reeling now. A trip Eugene is up next where the Huskies need to hunt the Ducks in this one. That move them in the right direction of the bubble, but for now, they need to regroup and finish strong.


Safety Zone
ACC: Virginia, UNC, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Duke
A-10: Dayton
Big East: Villanova, Xavier
Big 12: Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, Iowa State, Baylor
Big Ten: Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland, Indiana
PAC-12: Oregon, Utah, Arizona, California
SEC: Kentucky, Texas A&M


Danger Zone(Safest Teams are listed 1st)- Current At-Large Contenders

Purdue, USC, Texas Tech,  Colorado, South Carolina,Providence, Oregon State, Syracuse, Connecticut,  St. Joseph's, Wisconsin, Seton Hall,  Michigan,  Florida, Pittsburgh,  Alabama, Butler, St. Bonaventure, Tulsa, George Washington, Cincinnati, Monmouth, Wichita State, Ark-Little Rock, Temple, Vanderbilt, Washington, Florida State, Princeton, UCLA, VCU, St. Mary's, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Valparaiso, Stanford, Ohio State

Bubble Watch: Weekend's Winners and Losers

Bubble Winners

Texas A&M- The Aggies defeated Kentucky in a thriller and have locked up a bid. It's official.

St. Bonaventure- The Bonnies rebounded huge by following up their worst loss of the season with their best win of the season when they won at Dayton. Their profile is actually is in better shape than it was a week ago. Duquesne and UMass come to town this week. St. Bona cannot afford a bad loss to either.

Indiana- The Hoosiers defeated Purdue for another Top 50 win. Though their profile is still pretty average, they only have one potential bad loss left until the Big 10 tournament. Therefore, the odds of Indiana missing is very slim. Indiana will be dancing.

Baylor- The Bears won at Texas giving them another big win. With 9 conference wins and no bad losses, Baylor will be invited to the Big Dance.

South Carolina- The Gamecocks beat Florida for another Top 50 win. SC is almost a sure thing except there is still a few more bad loss opportunities. Up Next: vs Tennessee @Miss State. Winning both might be enough to move into the safe zone.

Vanderbilt- The Commodores beat Georgia after previously picking up a bad loss at Miss State. Vandy has plenty of work as they need more good wins and wins in general. The opportunity is here with a tough stretch ahead with a trip to Florida and Coach Calipari and Co. coming to town.

Pittsburgh- The Panthers ended their recent slump by beating the Orange in Syracuse giving them a season sweep. With only 1 Top 50 win and a sweep of Syracuse, the Panthers need more quality wins to make them feel safe on Selection Sunday. Louisville and Duke come to town this before finishing up with two road trips at Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. Losing both games this week could come back to haunt them. Winning at least one is a must.

Washington The Huskies bounced back and beat Stanford. A huge trip to the Oregons loom this week. Huge opportunities to enhance their resume before they end the regular season with their arch-rival Wazzu.

Texas Tech- The Red Raiders continued their hot streak by avoiding a bad loss at Oklahoma State. TCU comes to town followed by a trip to Kansas. With 4 remaining regular season games, Texas Tech needs to win 2 to likely solidify a bid.

St. Mary's- The Gaels finished off their 1st sweep of Gonzaga since 1995 by winning in Spokane. Their at-large profile is not great and probably should not rely on the at-large bid. They have took control of the driver's seat in the WCC, so the 1 seed is possible. Up Next: vs Santa Clara, @San Francisco

UCLA- The Bruins beat the Buffaloes for another Top 50 win. UCLA is likely on outside looking in but are on the cusp. Big road trips in Northern California loom this week giving them a chance to boost their resume.

California- The Bears won at Washington State to avoided that bad loss. After this road sweep, Cal will be dancing.

Other Winners: Each of these avoided bad losses: Princeton, Ark-Little Rock, Yale, Temple, Ohio State, Monmouth, Seton Hall, George Washington, Tulsa, Valparaiso, San Diego State, Wichita State, Wisconsin

Bubble Losers

Butler- The Bulldogs lost at Villanova as expected. Butler badly needs more quality wins and with no more opportunities until the conference tournament, it seems the Bulldogs will likely be sweating it out on Selection Sunday unless they can pick up something in the Big East tourney. A trip to Georgetown is up this week.

Kansas State- The Wildcats lost at home against Kansas and Texas and will now need to win the Big 12 Conference Tourney to dance.

Georgetown- The Hoyas lost at home to Xavier and is eliminated from at-large contention.

Oregon State- The Beavers lost at rival Oregon. They still have 6 Top 50 wins. The Washingtons come to town this week. Both are must win games.

Purdue- The Boilermakers are very close to a lock but would be in bad shape if they lost out. 1 more win would seal it. Maryland comes to town on Saturday.

Florida- The Gators lost at South Carolina and remain very much on the bubble. The lack of marquee wins is hurting. Good thing they have a good RPI. Big week with Vanderbilt coming to town and a trip to LSU. Which team will be hungrier?

Syracuse- The Orange missed another opportunity. This one was home against Pittsburgh. The Orange have a great list of wins but have a shaky RPI in the mid 50s. NC State comes to town Saturday. It is a must win.

St. Joseph's- The Hawks lost their first road game of the season at Davidson. They are still on the right side of the bubble. However, it's a big week ahead with 2 chances for bad losses. Up Next: @UMass, vs. Saint Louis

Alabama- The red hot Crimson Tide cooled off and picked up their worst loss of the season at home to Mississippi State. They have a great collection of wins but are starting to stack up in losses. Winning any games are important at this point. Up Next: @Kentucky, vs Auburn

LSU- The Tigers lost at Tennessee picking up another bad loss. It looks like Ben Simmons might be headed to the NIT as they are pretty far out right now. A road trap at Arkansas is next before the Gators come to town. Two losses would pop them for sure.

Florida State- The Seminoles continued their slide losing their 4th straight. This one was bad too as it was to VA Tech. A trip to Duke is next before the Fighting Irish come to town. There's certainly an opportunity to get back on track, but 2 losses would be devastating to their at-large hopes.

Georgia- The Bulldogs lost the bubble battle at Vanderbilt and remain on the outside behind multiple teams. UGA seems like an NIT team, but with a strong finish, they could make it. No chances to help their resume this week with a trip to Auburn and Ole Miss coming to town.

Clemson- The Tigers lost at NC State and now have an RPI of over 100, so they are eliminating from at-large consideration for now.

Connecticut- The Huskies lost at Cincy continued their struggle against the top of the American. Though, the best thing for UConn is that have avoided losing to any of the landmines in the American. No chances to impress this week with a nice trip to South Florida before a better than you think Houston team comes to town.

Chattanooga-The Mocs lost at home to UNC-Greensboro and now will not have a legitimate at-large claim if needed.

Gonzaga- The Zags lost at home to St. Mary's. With only 2 Top 100 wins, Gonzaga will very likely need the WCC auto bid to dance putting their NCAA tourney streak in jeopardy.

Colorado- The Buffaloes lost at UCLA. Colorado is still in good shape to dance but are not looking at too great of a seed. The Wildcats and Sun Devils are coming to town. Need at least one of them to tray on track.

Michigan- The Wolverines lost at Maryland as expected but were very close to winning which would have been huge. Now they sit with 3 consistent Top 100 wins, which is very low for a team looking for an at-large. Northwestern comes to town next which will not help their resume either way, but the trip to Wisconsin Sunday would if they could win this bubblicious battle.

USC- The Trojans got blitzed at home to the rolling Utes. USC probably needs 1 more win to be safe. Tough week ahead with a road trip to Cal and Stanford.

Safety Zone
ACC: Virginia, UNC, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Duke
A-10: Dayton
Big East: Villanova, Xavier
Big 12: Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, Iowa State, Baylor
Big Ten: Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland, Indiana
PAC-12: Oregon, Utah, Arizona, California
SEC: Kentucky, Texas A&M


Danger Zone(Safest Teams are listed 1st)- Current At-Large Contenders

Purdue, USC, Texas Tech, South Carolina, Colorado ,Providence, Syracuse, Connecticut, Oregon State, St. Joseph's, Florida, Pittsburgh, Alabama, Seton Hall, Wisconsin, Michigan, Temple,  Butler, St. Bonaventure, George Washington, Tulsa, Cincinnati, Monmouth, VCU, Wichita State, Ark-Little Rock, Washington, Florida State, Princeton, Vanderbilt, UCLA, St. Mary's, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Georgia, Creighton, LSU,  Valparaiso, Akron, Stanford, Ohio State

Bracket Projection-2/23/16

(1)MIDWEST-Chicago, IL
Des Moines, IA
1 Kansas
16 Wagner/Texas Southern
8 Connecticut
9 Pittsburgh
Ok City, OK
5 Indiana
12 Akron
4 Kentucky
13 Valparaiso
St. Louis, MO
6 Baylor
11 Monmouth
3 UNC
14 UNC-Wilmington
St. Louis, MO
7 Notre Dame
10 Seton Hall
2 Michigan State
15 Stephen F Austin

WEST(4)- Anaheim, CA
Raleigh, NC
1 Xavier
16 North Florida
8 Colorado
9 Florida
Denver, CO
5 Texas A&M
12 Ark-Little Rock
4 Duke
13 Stony Brook
Providence, RI
6 Dayton
11 Wichita State
3 West Virginia
14 UAB
Spokane, WA
7 South Carolina
10 Wisconsin
2 Oregon
15 New Mexico State

EAST(2)Philadelphia, PA
Brooklyn, NY
1 Villanova
16 Bucknell/Hampton
8 Syracuse
9 St. Joseph's
Spokane, WA
5 Arizona
12 St. Mary's
4 Iowa State
13 Hawaii
Providence, RI
6 Texas
11 VCU
3 Maryland
14 Chattanooga
Brooklyn, NY
7 USC
10 Alabama/Butler
2 Virginia
15 Winthrop
SOUTH(3)Louisville, KY
OK City, OK
1 Oklahoma
16 Montana
8 Providence
9 Oregon State
Denver, CO
5 Purdue
12 San Diego State
4 Utah
13 Yale
Des Moines, IA
6 California
11 Temple
3 Iowa
14 IPFW
Raleigh, NC
7 Texas Tech
10 Michigan/St. Bonaventure
2 Miami (FL)
15 Belmont

Danger Zone
Last 10 In:  St. Joseph's, Oregon State, Florida, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Wisconsin, Alabama, Michigan, Butler, St. Bonaventure
First 14 Out: Tulsa, Cincinnati, George Washington, Washington, Florida State, Princeton, Vanderbilt, UCLA, Gonzaga, Georgia, Creighton, LSU, Stanford, Ohio State

Multiple Bid Conferences

ACC- 7
Pac-12-7
Big Ten- 7
Big 12- 7
SEC- 5

Big East- 5

A-10- 4

AAC-2

Bracket Projection-2/20/16

(1)SOUTH-Louisville, KY
Des Moines, IA
1 Kansas
16 Wagner/Texas Southern
8 Providence
9 Florida
Ok City, OK
5 Purdue
12 Wichita State
4 Kentucky
13 Akron
St. Louis, MO
6 California
11 Butler/George Washington
3 Michigan State
14 UNC-Wilmington
St. Louis, MO
7 USC
10 Seton Hall
2 Miami (FL)
15 Stephen F Austin

WEST(4)- Anaheim, CA
OK City, OK
1 Oklahoma
16 Montana
8 South Carolina
9 Oregon State
Providence, RI
5 Dayton
12 Ark-Little Rock
4 North Carolina
13 Stony Brook
Des Moines, IA
6 Texas A&M
11 Monmouth
3 Iowa
14 UAB
Spokane, WA
7 Syracuse
10 Wisconsin
2 Oregon
15 New Mexico State

EAST(2)Philadelphia, PA
Brooklyn, NY
1 Villanova
16 Bucknell/Hampton
8 Texas Tech
9 St. Joseph's
Spokane, WA
5 Texas
12 San Diego State
4 Duke
13 Valparaiso
Providence, RI
6 Arizona
11 Temple
3 Maryland
14 Yale
Brooklyn, NY
7 Colorado
10 Pittsburgh
2 West Virginia
15 Belmont

MIDWEST(3)Chicago, IL
Raleigh, NC
1 Xavier
16 North Florida
8 Connecticut
9 Alabama
Denver, CO
5 Notre Dame
12 Chattanooga
4 Iowa State
13 South Dakota State
Denver, CO
6 Indiana
11 Gonzaga
3 Utah
14 Hawaii
Raleigh, NC
7 Baylor
10 Michigan/Tulsa
2 Virginia
15 Winthrop

Danger Zone
Last 10 In:  Oregon State, Alabama, Florida, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Wisconsin, Michigan, Tulsa, Butler, George Washington 
First 16 Out: Washington, Florida State, Cincinnati,  VCU, Princeton, Vanderbilt, St. Bonaventure, UCLA, LSU, Creighton, Clemson, St. Mary's, Kansas State,  Georgia, St. Mary's, Stanford

Multiple Bid Conferences

ACC- 7
Pac-12-7
Big Ten- 7
Big 12- 7
SEC- 5

Big East- 5

A-10- 3

AAC-3

Bubble Watch: Notable Results-Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

Bubble Winners

St. Joseph's- The Hawks picked up their biggest win of the season by taking down a ranked Dayton team to put them in a 3-way tie for 1st place in the A-10. St. Joseph's resume looks much better now and are positioned well. However, there are still opportunities for bad losses. Next up is a chance for a decent road win @Davidson.

Alabama- The Crimson Tide continued their hot streak by winning at LSU extending their winning streak to 5. With three of the next five at home, Alabama is in great position for a bid. Winning 4 out of 5 will likely be enough. Mississippi State comes to town next.

Seton Hall- The Pirates won at Georgetown in a key bubble game. This adds a road win against a Top 100 foe, but Seton Hall is still on the edge and needs more good wins. Up next is trip to Big East doormat St. John's. They cannot afford a loss there.

Texas Tech- The Red Raiders made it 3 straight against ranked opponents by scoring a huge upset win over Oklahoma. They are have 4 Top 50 wins and are 6-7 in the Big 12. Winning 3 of their last 5 would be huge for their NCAA tourney hopes. However, it is important to not pick up any bad losses. Up Next: @Ok State

Connecticut- The Huskies upset SMU picking up their best win of the season. With a Top 40 RPI, UConn sits pretty good right now. The bad thing is that they are not a sure thing yet, and in a league like the American, the opportunity of resume killing losses exists. Up next is visit to fellow bubbler Cincinnati. A win here and it becomes more of a seeding thing than whether or it they will be in.

Tulsa- The Golden Hurricane picked up another good win knocking off Cincinnati. Their profile is looking more and more like a legit at-large candidate. Tulsa cannot stop now. A trip to UCF is up next in a game where a loss would put them back to being a fringe candidate. 

California- The Golden Bears picked up their 2^nd road win of the year, which was a pretty good one too as they hurt Washington’s at-large chances. Cal looks to be safe. A win at Pullman against the Cougars should be enough, but one more after that would likely be the icing on the cake. 

Other Winners: Each of these avoided bad losses: George Washington, Clemson, Indiana, Arizona, Wichita State, Ark-Little Rock, Gonzaga, St. Mary's, Stanford, VCU, Valparaiso, Princeton

Bubble Losers

Stony Brook- The Seawolves lost at American East rival Albany likely eliminating their already slim at-large chances. The America East Conference Tournament was their best option and now it is the probably only way they will dance.

St. Bonaventure- The Bonnies took a huge blow to their at-large chances by losing at bottom feeder La Salle. Adding this loss really hurts their mediocre profile. The game at Dayton Saturday looms large now as the Bonnies need to offset that defeat.

Providence- The Friars continued their slide losing at Xavier. At least, they were not the favorite in this one. Providence is still safe, but they are taking on water quickly. The win @Villanova looks better than ever, but they likely need 3 more wins to feel safe. Up Next: @Seton Hall

Temple- The Owls got handled pretty easily at home by the #1 Villanova Wildcats. It would have been huge for their profile and would be been great for the entire AAC, but instead, the AAC stays in the same spot as before being very desperate for any way to send multiple teams to the dance. Temple is still in 1st in the AAC with a maginal at-large profile, but a trip to an improving Houston team is next.

Syracuse- The Orange missed an opportunity to pick up a huge road win that would have moved them into the safe zone. The Cuse still has a great collection of wins and likely only needs to win 2 more games to secure a bid. The next two are at home, which is good for the Orange. Up Next: vs Pittsburgh

LSU- The Tigers lost at home to Alabama and are in trouble with only 2 marquee games left and a few opportunities for bad losses. Ben Simmons and company are on the outside looking in and have plenty of work to do. Making up for a poor non-conference schedule that they struggled against has been an uphill climb. They visit Tennessee on a Saturday for a game where a loss could be devastating for their chances.

Georgetown- The Hoyas lost the bubble match at home to Seton Hall and are in a bad spot. With a 14-13 record, any win helps now. Winning their last 4 is required at this point for an at-large bid. Xavier comes to comes to town this Saturday.

Florida State- The Seminoles lost their third straight after falling at home to Georgia Tech. Florida State is fading fast. A trip to Virginia Tech is next. They cannot afford losing that one.

Cincinnati- The Bearcats were oh so close to winning at Tulsa. Life on the bubble can be tough especially in the American where margin for error is much smaller. Good thing UConn comes to town next, so the Bearcats get another chance at a good win. 

Wisconsin- The Badgers winning streak came to an end after they were blasted in East Lansing against the Spartans. Making up for their dismal non-conference has been a challenge especially when they have pretty much maxed out in the bad loss department. With Illinois coming to town, the Badgers cannot lose this one as another bad home loss will be hard to swallow.

UCLA- The Bruins missed out on a huge opportunity last night with the Utes in town. A win there would have begun a possible late season surge. Instead, they came up short. Colorado is in town next. This is a must win for the Bruins if they want any chance as an at-large.

Washington- The Huskies also blew an opportunity at a great win when recent road dog Cal came to town. A loss there really stings as the Huskies needed another Top 50 win. Stanford comes to town next. Washington needs to beat the Cardinal to keep their hopes alive.  

Monmouth- The Hawks picked up their first home loss of the year, and it was not a good one as Iona has an RPI in the 100s. With four bad losses, it is starting to become dicey if Monmouth would get an at-large if needed. Winning the MAAC tourney is definitely recommended, but would the committee give them the nod if needed. 

Safety Zone
ACC: Virginia, UNC, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Duke
A-10: Dayton
Big East: Villanova, Xavier
Big 12: Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, Iowa State
Big Ten: Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland
PAC-12: Oregon, Utah, Arizona
SEC: Kentucky


Danger Zone(Safest Teams are listed 1st)- Current At-Large Contenders

Purdue, Texas A&M, California, USC, Syracuse, Baylor, Indiana, Colorado, Providence, Texas Tech, Connecticut, Oregon State, St. Joseph's, Florida, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Alabama, Seton Hall, Wisconsin, Michigan, Temple,  Butler, George Washington, Tulsa, Monmouth, Washington, Florida State, VCU, Cincinnati, Princeton,St. Bonaventure,  Ark-Little Rock, Gonzaga, Chattanooga, LSU, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Wichita State, San Diego State,  Clemson,  Kansas State, Georgia, Creighton, Valparaiso, Akron, St. Mary's, South Dakota State, UC-Irvine

Bubble Watch- Notable Results Monday and Tuesday

Bubble Winners

Baylor- The Bears defeated Iowa State in OT completing the season sweep. This win is a much needed Top 50 win giving them 3 total now.  Baylor is almost in the safe zone. 2 more wins will likely be enough.  Up Next: @Texas

Butler - The Bulldogs beat Creighton giving them another Top 100 win. However, the ultimate chance to enhance their resume is coming this Saturday when Butler travels to Villanova.

Florida- The Gators followed up their home loss to Alabama by winning in Athens. This win adds a Top 100 road win to the Gators profile making them more securely in the field. Florida cannot stop now as their schedule is backloaded. Up next is a visit to a slumping South Carolina.

Other Winners: Each of these avoided bad losses: Purdue, Pittsburgh, Wichita State, Valparaiso, VCU, Kansas State, Monmouth

Bubble Losers

South Carolina- The Gamecocks lost their second straight. This time it was not Kentucky. It was bottom feeder Missouri. South Carolina's very bland profile took a hit with this. There is not many great opportunities to improve their resume either with a few chances to pick up more questionable losses. Fellow bubbler Florida comes to town this weekend. Both teams need this one.

Creighton- The Bluejays lost at Butler. Time is running out for Creighton. Wins are needed to improve the profile. Up next is a must win: Round 2 with Marquette.

Michigan- The Wolverines lost to arch rival Ohio State missing the opportunity at another Top 100 win. It's crunch time for Michigan as Top 100 wins are needed now. Having only 3 is not good for a team looking to receive a bid. A trip to Maryland is up next.

Vanderbilt- The Commodores lost at the buzzer at Mississippi State giving them a bad loss that really stings for their at-large hopes. Georgia comes to town next. Both teams need it to help keep their hopes alive.

Georgia- The Bulldogs missed an opportunity at home to knock off the Gators to creep into serious at-large discussion. Now, the odds are really against them. A trip to Vanderbilt is next. Who's hungrier? The Bulldogs or the Commodores?


Safety Zone
ACC: Virginia, UNC, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Duke
A-10: Dayton
Big East: Villanova, Xavier
Big 12: Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, Iowa State
Big Ten: Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland
PAC-12: Oregon, Utah
SEC: Kentucky


Danger Zone(Safest Teams are listed 1st)- Current At-Large Contenders

Purdue, Texas A&M, Arizona, USC, California, Syracuse, Baylor, Indiana, Colorado, Providence, Oregon State, Connecticut, St. Joseph's, Florida, Texas Tech, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Monmouth, Alabama, Michigan, Florida State, Wisconsin, Washington, Temple, Seton Hall, Butler, George Washington, Tulsa, VCU, Cincinnati, St. Bonaventure,  LSU, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Gonzaga, San Diego State,  Wichita State, Chattanooga, Ark-Little Rock, Clemson,  Kansas State, Georgia, Creighton, Georgetown, Valparaiso, Akron, St. Mary's, South Dakota State, Stony Brook, Princeton, UC-Irvine

Bubble Watch: The Weekend's Winners and Losers

Bubble Winners

UCLA- The Bruins kept their at-large hopes alive by winning in Tempe against the Sun Devils after falling short Friday Night at Arizona. UCLA still has plenty of work to do and is clearly on the outside looking in. A hug week is up for the Bruins as Utah and Colorado come to town giving the Bruins 2 Top 50 Win opportunities. UCLA really needs both if they want to get back in serious at-large discussion.

LSU - Ben Simmons and company picked up their 3rd Top 50 win of the year once they defeated a slumping Texas A&M team. LSU features a great record in the SEC but a very weak non-conference strength of schedule in which they struggled. A lot of work is left and the SEC does not offer too many chances, so the margin of error is small. Alabama comes to town this week giving the Tigers another opportunity at a Top 50 win and then they travel to Tennessee in a game where a loss would sting.

Michigan- The Wolverines defeated Purdue on Saturday giving them their third Top 50 win. The only problem with that is that those three wins are also their only Top 100 wins. More Top 100 wins will needed if the Wolverines want to go dancing. More opportunities are coming as Michigan ends the season with a gauntlet. It begins with trips to Ohio State and Maryland. Winning one of the two is definitely recommended.

St. Bonaventure- The Bonnies beat George Washington on Saturday for another Top 100 win. St. Bona is getting close to the cut line but still has plenty of work to do. It does not get any easier as they hit the road this week with trips to bottom feeder La Salle and A-10 leader Dayton. The La Salle game is a must and a win over Dayton would really help put a stamp on their profile.

Alabama- The Crimson Tide had a huge week last week including Saturday's win at Florida. The Tide are finally .500 in conference play and have 4 Top 50 wins. Alabama has had a tough SEC schedule in comparison to others. Up this week: @ LSU and vs. Miss State. They cannot afford losing to the Bulldogs.

Wisconsin- The Badgers appear to be back after defeating the Terps in College Park. However, their woeful non-conference performance is really holding them back. Good thing a tough schedule looms giving them plenty of more opportunities. The bad thing is that the room for error is small. Up this week: @Michigan State, vs Illinois. A bad loss at home to Illinois could be fatal, so that is a must win.

Texas Tech- The Red Raiders scored a huge road win at Baylor avenging their home loss to the Bears earlier this season. This came after the win against Iowa State, which became Texas Tech's best week of the season. The Sooners come to town this week which would be a huge win for the Red Raiders. However, a potential bad loss at Oklahoma State looms on Saturday. Texas Tech just needs to keep winning and avoid bad losses.

Connecticut- The Huskies beat Tulsa on Saturday after losing to Temple earlier this week. UConn's strange profile is hard to hard right now with good wins out of conference. However, the Huskies have struggled against AAC's best. Up this week: vs SMU, @Cincinnati. Winning both would really help their at-large chances as they would be moving up on the S Curve.

Creighton- The Bluejays folowed their win over Xavier by winning at Marquette. Creighton still has a ways to go, but they are moving into the discussion. Up this week: @Butler, vs. Marquette


Bubble Losers

Georgetown- The Hoyas just missed on what would have been a great road victory in Providence. The chances are not great now as the room for error is very slim. Any loss hurts now and a bad one would pop their already shrinking chances. However, Seton Hall and Xavier come to town this week. Both are musts for Georgetown.

Kansas State- The Wildcats did not have a great profile, but going into Saturday's trip to Oklahoma State, the worst loss they had was Baylor, which was playing into their advantage giving them a great RPI and reason to believe that the Selection Committee would leave a team with their worst loss as Baylor out of the tournament. However, K-State lost Saturday which shot their RPI down and quickly put them in bad shape. The Wildcats need win games now as they are 3-9 in conference play. Odds are not looking so good. Up this week: @TCU, vs Kansas

Washington- The Huskies were oh so close to completing the sweep of Colorado, which played without star Josh Scott. Washington is now in icy waters. Cal and Stanford come to town. The Huskies need both.

Butler- The Bulldogs followed their road victory over Seton Hall by getting blitzed at home to Xavier. Butler really needs more Top 50 wins as their neutral court win over Purdue is it. Fellow bubbler Creighton comes to town followed by a trip to the #1 team in the land, the Villanova Wildcats. Could be a big week for the Bulldogs.

George Washington- The Colonials lost in Olean to St. Bona. GW has some great wins but a few bad losses. They currently sit right on the cut line. One thing is sure though: they cannot afford anymore bad losses. This week is potential bad news with a trip to Duquesne and a visit from La Salle.

Tulsa- The Golden Hurricane lost at UConn, but overall it was a good week as they scored a huge road win at SMU. Tulsa is trending upward. Up this Week: vs Cincy @UCF. 2 wins is a must to stay close.

Wichita State- The Shockers' home court winning streak came to an end by Northern Iowa putting Wichita State in a bad spot for an at-large berth. Their profile is not very strong meaning that the MVC tournament might be their only chance.

Safety Zone
ACC: Virginia, UNC, Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Duke
A-10: Dayton
Big East: Villanova, Xavier
Big 12: Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, Iowa State
Big Ten: Iowa, Michigan State, Maryland
PAC-12: Oregon, Utah
SEC: Kentucky


Danger Zone(Safest Teams are listed 1st)- Current At-Large Contenders
Purdue, Texas A&M, Arizona, USC, California, Syracuse, Indiana, Colorado, Providence, Baylor, Oregon State, Connecticut, St. Joseph's, Texas Tech, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Monmouth, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Wisconsin, Washington, Temple, Seton Hall, Butler, George Washington, Tulsa, VCU, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, St. Bonaventure,  LSU, UCLA, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Georgia, Wichita State, Chattanooga, Ark-Little Rock, Clemson, Creighton,  Kansas State, Georgetown, Valparaiso, Akron, St. Mary's, South Dakota State, Stony Brook, Princeton, UC-Irvine

Bracket Projection- 2/15/16

(1)SOUTH-Louisville, KY
Des Moines, IA
1 Kansas
16 Wagner/Texas Southern
8 Connecticut
9 Pittsburgh
Denver, CO
5 Purdue
12 Ark-Little Rock
4 Dayton
13 South Dakota State
St. Louis, MO
6 California
11 Wisconsin/Butler
3 Miami (FL)
14 UNC-Wilmington
Raleigh, NC
7 Syracuse
10 Alabama
2 Xavier
15 Belmont

WEST(4)- Anaheim, CA
Raleigh, NC
1 Virginia
16 North Florida
8 Oregon State
9 Texas Tech
OK City, OK
5 Notre Dame
12 Chattanooga
4 Iowa State
13 Akron
St. Louis, MO
6 Texas A&M
11 Washington/Seton Hall
3 Michigan State
14 Hawaii
Spokane, WA
7 South Carolina
10 Monmouth
2 Oregon
15 New Mexico State

EAST(2)Philadelphia, PA
Brooklyn, NY
1 Villanova
16 Bucknell/Hampton
8 Baylor
9 St. Joseph's
Spokane, WA
5 Texas
12 San Diego State
4 Kentucky
13 Valparaiso
Providence, RI
6 Arizona
11 Temple
3 Maryland
14 Yale
Brooklyn, NY
7 Indiana
10 Florida State
2 West Virginia
15 Winthrop

MIDWEST(3)Chicago, IL
OK City, OK
1 Oklahoma
16 Montana
8 Providence
9 Michigan
Denver, CO
5 Duke
12 Wichita State
4 Utah
13 Stony Brook
Providence, RI
6 USC
11 Gonzaga
3 North Carolina
14 UAB
Des Moines, IA
7 Colorado
10 Florida
2 Iowa
15 Stephen F. Austin

Danger Zone
Last 12 In:  Connecticut, Pittsburgh, St. Joseph's, Michigan, Texas Tech, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Wisconsin, Washington, Seton Hall, Butler
First 16 Out: George Washington, Tulsa, VCU, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, St. Bonaventure,  LSU, UCLA, Georgia, Clemson, Creighton,  Kansas State, Georgetown, St. Mary's, Princeton, UC-Irvine

Multiple Bid Conferences

ACC- 8
Pac-12-8
Big Ten- 7
Big 12- 7
SEC- 6

Big East- 5

A-10- 2

AAC-2

Bubble Watch- 2/12/15

WEEKEND BUBBLE WATCH:

We are about a month away from Selection Sunday. As the season winds down, bubbles start to burst as others lock up bids.



UCLA (13-11)- Currently on the outside looking in

After a narrow loss Friday night in Tucson, the Bruins travel to Tempe in a must win game against the Sun Devils on Sunday. The Bruins are on the outside looking in and are in need of any wins at this point to stay in the hunt. Without this win, UCLA  is close to falling out on at-large contention.

Georgetown (14-11, 7-5)- Currently on the outside looking in

The Hoyas have a chance to pick up a quality road win this weekend when they head to Providence. The Friars have struggled as of late. A win will move Georgetown in the right direction towards the cut line. At this stage of the season, the Hoyas need wins and can't afford too many more losses to stay in the hunt.

LSU (15-9, 8-3)- Currently on the outside looking in

Ben Simmons and company have a great chance to enhance their resume this Saturday with the Aggies coming to town. Currently, the Tigers have a great mark in conference play, but not too much else. If they want to be dancing in March, a win over Texas A&M will move them in the right direction. A loss will be another missed opportunity.

Kansas State (14-10)- Currently on the outside looking in

K-State missed an opportunity earlier this week against Baylor and now fall to 2-10 against the RPI Top 50. The Wildcats are staying in the hunt because they have no bad losses. Saturday's visit to Stillwater is a must-win for the Wildcats as Oklahoma State's RPI is over 100 and would be their first bad loss of the season. A win would keep K-State in the hunt as a loss would really hurt.

Michigan (18-7)- Currently in the field

Purdue travels to Ann Arbor this weekend for a battle with Michigan. Coming off a win at Minnesota following home losses to Iowa and Indiana, the Wolverines are in for now, but can really enhance their resume with a win over Purdue. A loss would probably keep them in the field, but they could slide towards the Last 4 In. A win would move them farther in the field.

Washington (15-9)- Currently in the field

The Huskies are coming off a loss at Utah and travel to Boulder to take on the Buffaloes. With three homes games and three road games remaining, the Huskies can really feel safe if they can win a road game or two. Washington won the first game against Colorado in Seattle. Can the Huskies sweep the Buffs? A loss would probably keep them in the field, but another quality road win will boost their resume. 

Clemson (14-10)- Outside looking in

Brad Brownell's team hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday and is a must win for the Tigers. Tigers have some great wins and bad losses. Add in the weak out of conference schedule and the room for error is slim. Need to beat the Yellow Jackets to stay in consideration. 

Butler (17-7)- Last 4 In

The Bulldogs got a much needed road win at Seton Hall earlier this week to push them on the cut line. The Musketeers come to town after their loss to Creighton. A great opportunity for the Bulldogs to come away with a huge week. A win will move Butler in the field above the Last 4 In. A loss will either push them out of the field or keep their status in the Last 4 In. 

George Washington (18-6)- Last 4 In  vs St. Bonaventure (16-6)- Outside Looking in

The Colonials and the Bonnies meet in Olean for a huge A-10 Bubble Showdown. GW is coming off a home loss to St. Joe's and can add another quality road win to their resume. The Colonials have some great wins including one against Virginia, but bad losses have put them on the bubble. 

The Bonnies can add to their road win at St. Joseph's with a win against the Colonials. With an RPI in the Mid 30's and not too many quality wins, the Bonnies need to keep winning games, especially marquee games like Saturday's battle. The Bonnies need to take care of business in order to stay in the discussion.

Cincinnati (18-7)- Outside looking in

The Bearcats host the Pirates in a must win game for Cincy. A win will keep them in the hunt and a loss would really hurt their chances. 

Alabama (14-9)- Last 4 In

The Crimson Tide are the bubble team that no one is talking about which currently has 4 solid Top 50 wins. Alabama travels to Florida, which would be a huge road win if the Crimson Tide can get it done. A loss does not hurt too much, but a win would be significant.

Vanderbilt (14-10)- Outside looking in

Vanderbilt travels to Auburn to take on Bruce Pearl's team, which has struggled lately. The Commodores cannot afford too many more losses and definitely do not need a bad loss. This is must win for Vandy to keep their hopes alive.

VCU (17-7)- Outside looking in

VCU is right on fence right now as our first team out after picking up a bad loss at UMass this week. Saint Louis is coming to town in a game that the Rams cannot afford to lose. The Billikens almost won at St. Bona the other day, so the Rams cannot expect to sleep walk through this one. A loss here would greatly damage their resume.

Wisconsin (15-9)- Last 4 In

The Badgers have played well lately to get them in serious contention for an at-large bid. They currently hold a 6 game winning streak and travel to Maryland for a game that would be a huge win for the Badgers. This game is not must win, but boy it would greatly help Wisconsin's chances on keeping their streak alive.

Georgia (13-9)- Outside looking in

The Bulldogs travel to Mississippi State to take on Ben Howland's much improved team, where Miss State is actually the favorite. Bad news for UGA is that a loss here would be considered bad  greatly damaging a fairly mediocre at-large profile to begin with. UGA cannot afford this loss.

Texas Tech (14-9)- Outside looking in

The Red Raiders travel to Waco to take on the Bears for a chance at their second big win this week. Texas Tech just needs to win games and a quality win like this would be huge. A loss does not take them out of consideration, but time is starting to run out.

Tulsa (16-8)- Outside looking in vs Connecticut (17-7)- Currently in the Field

Tulsa picked up a huge win at SMU this week and now bring their show to Storrs for a game that is huge for both teams. If the Golden Hurricane get a win here, they will be on Monday's bracket. If the Huskies lose their second game this week, they will likely move out. Therefore, this is a huge game for both teams.

Creighton (16-9)- Outside looking in

After upsetting the Musketeers, Creighton has moved into the bubble discussion. If they would like to be in serious contention, winning at Marquette is a must.

St. Joseph's (20-4)- Currently in the Field

The Hawks host La Salle in must win game. St. Joe's has no bad losses and needs to keep it like that to stay in the field. This a game they cannot afford to lose.

Gonzaga (20-5)- Projected WCC Champ

The Bulldogs are in the field for now as the AQ out of the WCC. They do not have an at-large profile right now, so their trip to SMU is their last chance to add some meat to a very empty profile in the quality wins department. Without this win, the conference tournament might be their ticket.

St. Mary's (19-4)- Outside looking in

The Gaels suffered a damaging home loss to Pepperdine earlier this week making them more of long shot as an at-large contender. A win is a must against Loyola Marymount, but the WCC tourney is likely their best option.

Bracket Projection- 2/12/16

(1)SOUTH-Louisville, KY
OK City, OK
1 Oklahoma
16 Farleigh Dickinson/Texas Southern
8 Indiana
9 Florida State
Denver, CO
5 USC
12 Akron
4 Dayton
13 South Dakota State
St. Louis, MO
6 Arizona
11 Temple
3 Xavier
14 Hawaii
Raleigh, NC
7 Syracuse
10 Washington
2 Maryland
15 Belmont

WEST(4)- Anaheim, CA
Raleigh, NC
1 Virginia
16 Montana
8 Florida
9 Wichita State
OK City, OK
5 Notre Dame
12 Wisconsin/Alabama
4 Iowa State
13 Ark- Little Rock
St. Louis, MO
6 Baylor
11 George Washington/Butler
3 Michigan State
14 NC-Wilmington
Spokane, WA
7 Duke
10 Monmouth
2 Oregon
15 New Mexico State

EAST(2)Philadelphia, PA
Brooklyn, NY
1 Villanova
16 NC- Asheville
8 Colorado
9 Pittsburgh
Spokane, WA
5 Purdue
12 San Diego State
4 Texas
13 Chattanooga
Providence, RI
6 Kentucky
11 Michigan
3 North Carolina
14 UAB
Brooklyn, NY
7 Oregon State
10 Seton Hall
2 West Virginia
15 North Florida

MIDWEST(3)Chicago, IL
Des Moines, IA
1 Kansas
16 Bucknell/Hampton
8 Providence
9 St. Joseph's
Denver, CO
5 Texas A&M
12 Valparaiso
4 Utah
13 Stony Brook
Providence, RI
6 South Carolina
11 Gonzaga
3 Miami (FL)
14 Yale
Des Moines, IA
7 California
10 Connecticut
2 Iowa
15 Stephen F. Austin

Danger Zone
Last 10 In:  St. Joseph's, Washington, Seton Hall, Connecticut, Michigan, George Washington, Butler, Alabama, Wisconsin
First 16 Out: VCU, Texas Tech, Tulsa, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Kansas State,  St. Bonaventure, LSU, Georgia, Clemson,  UCLA,  Georgetown, St. Mary's, Hofstra, William and Mary, Creighton

Multiple Bid Conferences

ACC- 8
Pac-12-8
Big Ten- 7
Big 12- 6
SEC- 5

Big East- 5

A-10- 3
AAC-2