After a quiet few days of the bubble, Saturday will offer 13 bubble games, including two “double bubble” games. Also, since the SEC has dominated all of college basketball this season, it would be appropriate for the five bubble games on Saturday to be involved with the SEC team.
Most teams’ records for one meeting in the NCAA Tournament are 11 set by Big East in 2011. That was when Big East was a 16-team league. The SEC threatens that record, and their ability to match or break it depends on how these bubble teams finish the season.
I still don’t have a bracket with a team under 12 seconds. I have 13 the latest one, but before 14 I am 13. I don’t think 13 or 14 is sustainable as there are still many games left. One or two of these teams are tasks. I think it’s much more likely that the final number of SEC teams in the field will be closer to 11 than 14. You’d be surprised at this point if the league didn’t match at least the 2011 Big East Records.
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Saturday’s “Double Bubble” Game
Baylor’s West Virginia
2pm (ESPN2)
After losing five of the last seven games, West Virginia is not used to the bubble. The climber plays without Star Tucker Devries, who is out in the season with a shoulder injury. They have a relatively advantageous schedule, but they need to start tying together.
Baylor also has a relatively advantageous schedule. The bear gets Arizona and Houston at home, but since Saturday there are no other games left for the team in Bracket. A 5-2 finish gives you the comfort of participating in the Big 12 tournament.
SMU’s Wake Forest
6pm (ACC Network)
It’s another “double bubble” game, but it’s a big deal for SMU. The Mustangs have a good record, but lack a high-quality victory. Their victory over Pittsburgh on Tuesday is the best of the season so far and the only team on the team anywhere near the bracket. The Demon Butler will replace Pitt as SMU’s best victory if the Mustangs pull it apart.
Wake Forest saw a snap of a three-game winning streak against Florida State on Wednesday. It was the first bad loss of Demon Deacon’s season and they can’t afford to buy any more. It’s the only quad win ever to win against Michigan in the first week of the season. The victory over SMU is their second.
Other bubble teams on Saturday
Arkansaud
Texas A&M, Noon (ESPN)
The Razorback won three out of four to put himself in this position. Two of these wins were Kentucky and Texas. This is the first of four out of six people on the road as Arkansas faces a challenging schedule in the end. Arkansas should continue to be the Road Warriors if they want to create an NCAA tournament.
Vanderbilt
Tennessee, 1pm (SEC Network)
Vanderbilt is not used to the bubble after losing four of his last six games. The remaining Commodore schedule is also difficult for the top 16 teams on the bracket, all on Thursday, with three of the next four being three. They were good on their home floor, but they may need to get one of these road wins to stay on the bracket.
Georgia
vs. Missouri, 3:30pm (SEC Network)
Georgia has lost seven of seven of his last nine games and is at risk of falling out of reach of the bracket. This is the third and most likely to win in five straight games against the top 25 teams in brackets. If Georgia keeps the Tigers and Tigers short, it’s hard to see a realistic path to the bracket.
Cincinnati
4pm in Iowa (ESPN2)
Bearcats won three times in a row to ride the bubble. Staying there is a challenge. Cincinnati is a team that needs a higher quality victory and has the opportunity to get some opportunities. This is not the most difficult of these opportunities as there is also travel in the future of Houston.
Oklahoma
vs. LSU, 6pm (SEC Network)
The Sooners lost four of the last five and landed in the bubble. This game is the last game against non-contenders in the SEC, with only one game remaining against fellow bubble teams. Care for your business on the home floor is important for Oklahoma.
Texas
vs. Kentucky, 8pm (ESPN)
Longhorns tournament hopes are waning quickly. Texas lost four of the last five, and now they lost three games under .500 against the top three quadrants. No team has created a tournament with that ugly statistic on their resume. The Longhorns will need to finish 4-2 to return to a game under .500 against Quad 1-3 entering the SEC tournament.
BYU
vs. Kansas, 9pm (ESPN+)
BYU is the bubble team here, but Kansas has been getting hot at a good time. The Cougars suffered a major loss in Cincinnati last weekend, but bounced back in a victory over rival Utah. BYU still needs some better victories and this isn’t one of them. In the meantime, the Cougars will need to defeat the team they are supposed to defeat.
San Diego State
vs. Boise State, 10pm (CBS Sports Network)
The Aztecs have some very good wins over Houston and Clayton, but the only victory in the first two quadrants that are likely to make the field. They hold a road trip to Utah and get New Mexico from home. The other game is “You have to win.”
Gonzaga
vs. Pepperdine, 10pm (ESPN+)
Gonzaga is another team whose average scoring margin metrics are far better than your actual resume. The Zags beat Baylor, San Diego State and Indiana, but these are three of the last six teams in my bracket. They get St. Mary the following weekend. Gonzaga needs to beat everyone else
San Francisco
San Diego, 10pm (ESPN+)
The Dons defeated St. Mary’s and rode the bubble and almost handed it over at the LMU. San Francisco may need to win all the time, but surely until the Dons host Gonzaga in the regular season finale.
St. Mary’s
vs. Washington State, 10pm (ESPN2)
The Gaels are probably some wins from getting down the bubble. The danger to them is outside of Gonzaga, and the losses will be quite damaging. Cougars are enough to be dangerous except when playing the Pacific Ocean. They are fired for this.
Team near the cut line
NCAA Tournament Rock
Lock based on resume: 3 | Automatic bids secured: 0
Note – All mentions to trends based on NCAA Tournament selection records and net rankings exclude the 2021 tournament. With shortened schedules and a relatively small number of non-meeting games, these rankings are not as reliable as they are considered.
