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Bracketology: Diving into the Bubble
It’s been an interesting week for Bubble teams. Texas Tech, Virginia and Mississippi State posted key wins. Many others lost; some to good opponents and others to not-so-strong opponents. Amid the chaos, a deep dive was required, with more than twenty team resumes parceled apart, trying to separate nuances. The result?
About what you would expect – a quagmire of mediocrity with some good, some bad, and a whole lot of average. Ten people, such as the Selection Committee, could view the same material and develop different responses as to how teams might be placed on the Seed List. Not so sure about today’s outcome? Wait until Monday.
It was a particularly rough week for Stanford, which lost at California on Sunday and at home last night to Oregon State. Those results leave the Cardinal without a Quad 1 win and two Quad 3 losses. And with just three Quad 2 wins (only one of which is in today’s bracket) Stanford’s light resume became even lighter. Every year we have a team whose NET rating doesn’t seem to match its profile. For now, Stanford fits that bill.
Bracketology: Top seeds remain in place
It’s been a while since we could say this: All four No. 1 seeds remained in place between bracket updates: Baylor, Gonzaga, Kansas and San Diego State.
Elsewhere, more than a handful of teams still have significant resume questions. And several current bubble teams have important showdowns this weekend – including key matchups in the Big 12 / SEC Challenge.
On a closing note … remember that the Selection Committee evaluates a team’s entire profile, from beginning to end. How a team performed in its last ten games is no longer an official criteria (although each Committee member may have his or her own perspective on its importance). So while Ohio State and Michigan, as examples, have both struggled of late, each team’s early wins remain relevant considerations with regard to team sheet evaluation.
Quick Takes: Kentucky starting to roll
Kentucky is starting to look like the team we expected back in October – a team with No. 1 seed potential. Prior to steamrolling Vanderbilt in Nashville, the Wildcats were carrying a trio of victories over Auburn, Mississippi State and Kansas. That’s a pretty good trifecta, even if Auburn and Mississippi State haven’t yet been as good as we thought.
Looking ahead, the most anticipated dates on UK’s remaining calendar are February 16 and March 2 – the Wildcats’ matchups with Tennessee. If Kentucky is in contention for a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday those two outcomes will likely play a major factor. Up next: a tricky trip to Florida. The desperate Gators need a big win to boost their NCAA resume. Read more…
Bracketology: An oversized early bubble
We still have five top-line resumes. Seven if you include Gonzaga and Kentucky. Ultimately, though, with its third loss after a tough trip to surging Purdue, Michigan State was the odd team out today, now slotted as the top two-seed and No. 5 on the Seed List. If you have a different take, I won’t argue. Attrition within the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten will help define where we go from here. And when the dust settles, don’t be surprised if Gonzaga again finds itself No. 1 in the West Region come Selection Sunday.
The real dilemma today was finding 36 at-large teams to complete the bracket. I’ll leave the term “worthy” off for now because, quite frankly, several teams in the field today have significant resume issues. In all, 11 teams along the cutline lost this past weekend – which means we basically ended up about where we started. If you’re a fan of one of the bubble teams at least you haven’t fallen too far behind. The door is wide open as we head into February.
Bracketology: Michigan State gets its due
Michigan State has completed a near two-month stretch of perfection, last losing at Louisville on November 27. The Spartans’ run includes an impressive 8-0 start in the Big Ten and a 5-0 road record since that loss to the Cardinals. Add in an impressive 7-2 mark against Group 1 (NET ratings) and MSU has a solid top-seed profile.
In the interest of full disclosure, we have seven teams with viable one-seed resumes, and Kentucky is quickly building its case, too. The race is on.
The middle and lower-end of the bracket remains littered with mix of average to questionable profiles. That’s pretty typical for this time of year. With Buffalo’s recent loss, Bowling Green earns the Mid-American’s automatic bid this morning; bumping the Bulls into the at-large pool. That takes away one at-large spot from someone else.
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