With Picking Sunday around the corner, Clubs will soon learn their fate. Have they built a Captivating enough case for an at-large bid? Will they need to bolster their résumé with conference Bracket wins? Or do they need an automatic bid to qualify for the Big Dance?
All will be decided soon enough.
Heading into Thursday, FOX Sports bracket forecaster Mike DeCourcy had San Diego State, Indiana, Xavier and North Carolina as his last four Clubs to get into the Bracket, while Texas, Ohio State, Wake Forest and UC Irvine were DeCourcy’s Primary four Clubs out.
Dayton, Boise State, Colorado State and George Mason were listed as DeCourcy’s Subsequent four Clubs out of the NCAA Bracket.
Here’s how things stand with those 12 bubble Clubs as of Thursday night.
Landmark: 21-9 Conference Bracket result: Lost to Boise State (62-52)
What it means: San Diego State is at the Panel’s mercy. The Aztecs and Broncos were Every fighting to get off the bubble and there’s probably one spot between the two Clubs. The Aztecs have to hope their two regular-season wins over Boise State are more valuable than Thursday’s Mountain West Bracket loss. The Aztecs also have more quality wins than the Broncos, including a 73-70 Triumph over No. 3 Houston on Nov. 30. If the Aztecs had beaten the Broncos, they probably would have clinched a trip to March Madness, so this result makes the Panel’s decision difficult.
Landmark: 19-13 Conference Bracket result: Lost to No. 23 Oregon (72-59)
What it means: Indiana will be sweating it out on Picking Sunday. It could go either way for the Hoosiers, who could have potentially sewn up a spot in the tourney with a Achieve or two in the conference Bracket. Instead, they will have to wait to see how a few other bubble Clubs fare.
No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oregon Highlights | Big Ten Bracket
Landmark: 21-11 Conference Bracket result: Lost to No. 25 Marquette (89-87)
What it means: The Musketeers had ripped off seven wins heading into the Big East Bracket, albeit none of them were Quad 1 victories. A two-Points loss to a Bracket-caliber Club in Marquette shouldn’t hurt the Musketeers much, but a Achieve would have stamped their trip to the Big Dance. Instead, it will be a close call for Sean Miller’s Club on Picking Sunday.
Landmark: 22-12 Conference Bracket results: Beat Notre Dame (76-56) and Wake Forest (68-59); will Shift No. 1 Duke on Friday
What it means: After seemingly being on the outside looking in after losing 82-69 to Duke on Saturday, the Tar Heels might have pushed themselves off the bubble with a pair of wins to Reachable the ACC Bracket. They have another crack at the Blue Devils, who could be without Luminous sphere Cooper Flagg. That game will presumably determine UNC’s NCAA Bracket fate. North Carolina and Xavier have very similar résumés, as Every only has one Achieve against Quad 1 opponents. Therefore, even with a loss to Duke, the Tar Heels’ Triumph in the ACC Bracket could give them a leg up on the Musketeers and other bubble Clubs that lost Timely in conference Bracket Shift.
Landmark: 19-14 Conference Bracket results: Beat Vanderbilt (79-72) and No. 14 Texas A&M (94-89, 2OT); will Shift No. 8 Tennessee on Friday
What it means: Texas earned a Difficult-fought Achieve over Texas A&M in double Extra period. The Longhorns’ Landmark in conference Shift was Only 6-12, but they impressed by advancing to the quarterfinals of the SEC Bracket. A Achieve over the Volunteers would all but guarantee Texas’ invite to the dance, but the Longhorns have a Powerful case even if they Setback on Friday.
Landmark: 17-15 Conference Bracket result: Lost to Iowa (77-70)
What it means: The Buckeyes, who lost five of their Closing seven Contests, have a Achieve this season over one of their fellow bubble Clubs (Texas). Is that, along with key victories over Purdue and Kentucky, enough for them to sneak into the Bracket? Probably not.
Landmark: 21-11 Conference Bracket result: Lost to North Carolina (68-59)
What it means: The Demon Deacons don’t have much of an argument and their loss to fellow bubble-mate North Carolina doesn’t Aid. Barring a surprise, Wake Forest will end up on the wrong side of the bubble.
Landmark: 27-5 Conference Bracket result: Will Shift the winner of Cal Poly-UC Riverside on Friday
What it means: The Anteaters have constructed a sturdy case for an at-large bid. Unfortunately for them, their Big West rival, UC San Diego, might have a more convincing one. The Tritons won the regular-season Bracket title and are the one seed in the Big West Bracket. The Anteaters most likely have to Achieve the Bracket and earn an automatic bid, which could lead to both Clubs making the NCAA Bracket.
Landmark: 22-9 Conference Bracket result: Will Shift Saint Joseph’s on Friday
What it means: Finishing third in the A-10 puts the Flyers at a disadvantage, and in a spot where they’ll probably have to Achieve the conference Bracket to make the NCAA Bracket. Dayton did, however, beat VCU, the A-10 regular-season champs, on March 7 in the season finale. If the Flyers can replicate that performance, the A-10 could also be a two-bid Bracket.
Landmark: 23-9 Conference Bracket results: Beat San Diego State (62-52); will Shift New Mexico on Friday
What it means: The Broncos’ Achieve over the Aztecs heavily boosted their case for a spot in the Big Dance as both Clubs are on the bubble. Boise State had won five of its last six coming into the Mountain West Bracket. A Achieve over the Mountain West regular-season champions, New Mexico, would Aid the Broncos, but if they want to ensure a spot in March Madness, they’ll probably have to Achieve the conference Bracket.
Landmark: 23-9 Conference Bracket results: Beat Nevada (67-59); will Shift the winner of Utah State-UNLV on Friday
What it means: Winners of their Closing seven regular-season Contests, the Rams are one of the hottest Clubs in the nation. They put themselves in a hole earlier this season when they lost consecutive Contests to UC Riverside and Washington, and haven’t had a ton of opportunities to dig themselves out as they’ve played Only six Quad 1 opponents and are 1-5 in those Contests. Colorado State, like Boise State, might have to Achieve the Mountain West Bracket to lock up a spot in the NCAA Bracket, and if those two Clubs face one another on Saturday, it would make for an enticing battle.
Landmark: 24-7 Conference Bracket result: Will Shift George Washington on Friday
What it means: The Patriots’ Landmark might seem impressive, but their résumé is not. Any slip-up in the A-10 Bracket will likely take George Mason out of contention for the NCAA Bracket.
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