After a hectic day on the bubble for the men’s NCAA tournament, I completely refreshed the bubble picture and dove deep into the résumés. The result? A major drop for Wake Forest, which falls out of the field completely less than 48 hours after a stunning loss to Boston College in the second round of the ACC tournament.
Wake’s résumé lacks the headliner win that teams like Notre Dame, Oklahoma and even Xavier have, and a putrid nonconference strength of schedule has been an excuse to leave a team out in the past. The Demon Deacons aren’t done, but they could use help from teams playing other bubble teams Friday.
UPDATE—2 p.m. ET Friday: After not moving Indiana into the field after a Quad 1 win over Michigan Thursday, the Hoosiers essentially played themselves in with a huge win Friday over Illinois. Indiana now has 20 wins, four of which are Q1, and its only Q3 loss was at home to Rutgers, which is hardly a bad one. It jumps over the First Four in Dayton and into the Last Four Byes, and could further improve that stock should it continue to advance in the Big Ten tournament.
Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Oklahoma rose stunningly into the field with a Big 12 tournament neutral-court win over one of the best teams in the country (Baylor). The critics of a team like OU getting seemingly infinite opportunities to work its way into the Big Dance are likely correct, but the Sooners have strong quality metrics and wins over three elite teams in Arkansas, Texas Tech and now Baylor. Right now, they belong in the field.
Three of our “First Four Out” are in action today, and all play against teams clearly in the field of 68, so things are far from set in stone at this point.
Betting Advice: Men’s College Basketball Futures
Charlie Riedel/AP
Friday’s autobids to be awarded:
None
Friday’s bubble games to watch:
- Indiana vs. Illinois
- Iowa vs. Rutgers
- Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech
- Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina
- Wyoming vs. Boise State
Other key games:
- LSU vs. Arkansas
- Duke vs. Miami
- UConn vs. Villanova
- USC vs. UCLA
On the Bubble:
Last Four Byes:
Miami
Michigan
Wyoming
Indiana
Last Four In:
SMU
VCU
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
First Four Out:
Xavier
Wake Forest
Rutgers
Virginia Tech
Next Four Out:
Texas A&M
BYU
Dayton
North Texa
*Indicates team is projected to win its conference’s automatic bid
Bold indicates team has won its conference’s automatic bid
West Region
No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 16 Nicholls State*/Alcorn State*
No. 8 Michigan State vs. No. 9 San Diego State
No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Notre Dame/Xavier
No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 South Dakota State
No. 6 LSU vs. No. 11 Indiana
No. 3 Duke* vs. No. 14 Montana State*
No. 7 USC vs. No. 10 Davidson*
No. 2 Villanova vs. No. 15 Saint Peter’s*
South Region
No. 1 Baylor vs. No. 16 Bryant/Norfolk State*
No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Iowa State
No. 5 UConn vs. No. 12 Chattanooga
No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 13 Vermont*
No. 6 Colorado State vs. No. 11 Miami
No. 3 Illinois* vs. No. 14 Longwood
No. 7 Boise State* vs. No. 10 Memphis
No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 15 Jacksonville State
Midwest Region
No. 1 Arizona* vs. No. 16 Wright State
No. 8 Murray State vs. No. 9 San Francisco
No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 VCU/Oklahoma
No. 4 Providence* vs. No. 13 Toledo*
No. 6 Houston* vs. No. 11 Wyoming
No. 3 Purdue vs. No. 14 Princeton*
No. 7 TCU vs. No. 10 Loyola Chicago
No. 2 Kentucky* vs. No. 15 Colgate*
East Region
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 Long Beach State*
No. 8 Seton Hall vs. No. 9 Marquette
No. 5 Iowa vs. No. 12 UAB*
No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 13 New Mexico State*
No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Michigan
No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 14 Georgia State
No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Creighton
No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 15 Delaware
SI’s updated bracket (as of 2:30 p.m., March 11):
