Bracket Racket 3/3: Would Anyone Like To Make the Dance This Year?

Yes, the fans in College Park and Syracuse are quite upset with their teams’ recent collapses over the weekend. We have no idea which was worse personally, only that right now both fan bases think that their bubbles just burst. Thing is, with the worst bubble in recent memory and so many bubble teams doing everything possible not to make the tournament, neither the Terps or the Orange are realistically out of the running for an at-large after this weekend. Which is shocking when you sit down and think about it. So keep your heads up Orange and Terrapin fans, still plenty of opportunities for your team to let you down in the next two weeks!



Bracket Winners

Mississippi State - Clinch SEC West with win over Florida, can now worry about getting a 6/7 seed.

Illinois State - Absolutely huge win over SIU, looking very much like an at-large team thanks to so many bubble Ls over the weekend

Vanderbilt - Arkansas loss is somewhat excusable and not too damaging…win against Tennessee has the surging Dores thinking top 4 seed

Arizona State - Huge second-half win against USC basically seals up the bid for Sun Devils

UAB - I guess? With the way the bubble is this year, the Blazers could soon be a lock thanks to almost beating Memphis

Davidson - Finish 20-0 in the SoCon, no possible way this team is being left home is if they lose in the conference tournament.



Back to the Bubble

Virginia Tech - Hokies get the award for slowest moving surge into the bubble in history. At no point while watching the Hokies did I believe I was watching a tournament team, but they move past a reeling (who they swept) of Maryland at this point.

Kentucky - Of all the bubble teams that lost this weekend, Wildcats had the most impressive defeat with three point loss to Tennessee. That is basically as good as a win on the bubble this season.

Texas Tech - Sure, why not? Wins over Texas and Texas A&M. Losses to umm….Centenary. Yeah, let’s just forget this



Bursting Bubbles


Syracuse - Literally gave away a must-win game away on Saturday. Now must beat Seton Hall, Marquette and win

Saint Joseph’s - Hawks bubble may have burst as Temple fans stormed the Palestra floor.

Maryland - Blown 20 point lead to Clemson rivals Cuse chokejob

Houston - Automatically disqualified from the Dance if you lose to East Carolina

Texas A&M - Automatically disqualified form the Dance if you only score 37 points in a game

Ohio State - Blown out at Minnesota

Kent State - As Suss cheers, Golden Flashes have to feel like they let a sure-fire bid slip away in loss to BG



Rising up the Bracket

Louisville - Cards tied for first in the Big East,. America’s soon-to-be sleeper team will be #2 seed if they win the Big East

BYU - Cougars have all but locked up the bid, now can focus on 6/7 seed.

Clemson - Relax, Tiger fans, you team is in for real this season. We promise.



Falling Down the Bracket

Washington State - Cougars fail to hold on to big lead at Stanford, have failed to win all big games since Gonzaga victory.

Pitt - Given a gift from Syracuse, still looking like an 8/9 latley.

Kansas State - Looks like this team peaked in January.




Top 16 seeds

1 Tennessee (M)
Memphis (S)
UCLA (W)
North Carolina (E)

2 Duke (M)
Texas (S)
Kansas (E)
Louisville (W)

3 Stanford (M)
Georgetown (S)
Wisconsin (W)
Xavier (E)

4 Purdue (S)
Notre Dame (E)
UConn (M)
Vanderbilt(W)


Last Five In:
UMass
UAB
Illinois State
Kentucky
Texas A&M

Last Five Out:
Florida
Syracuse
Kent State
Maryland
Virginia Tech

(For more Bubble Talk, check out BD's Bubble Watch on Mondays and Fridays)