NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch
- Mar 3, 2016
- 3 min read
Championship week is upon us and teams around the country are fighting for an opportunity to play in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. First, let's classify exactly what it means to be on the "bubble." Bubble teams typically have had an up-and-down season of sorts. They have suffered some tough losses, but also have some key wins as well. Each year, there are going to be teams that get the short end of the stick, but that's for the selection committee to decide.
Here's a breakdown of where each conference stands as of today.
American
Locks: SMU
On the Bubble: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Temple, Tulsa
Cincinnati (21-8, 11-5)
Key Wins: Connecticut (2x)
Key Losses: Temple (2x), Memphis
In or Out: In
Connecticut (20-9, 10-6)
Key Wins: SMU, Michigan, Texas
Key Losses: Cincinnati (2x), Temple (2x), Houston
In or Out: In
Temple (18-10, 12-4)
Key Wins: Cincinnati (2x), Connecticut (2x), SMU
Key Losses: East Carolina, Houston, Memphis
In or Out: Out
Tulsa (19-10, 11-6)
Key Wins: Wichita State, SMU
Key Losses: Oral Roberts, Houston, Memphis
In or Out: Out
Atlantic 10
Gavin Baker/SportsWire
Locks: Dayton
On the Bubble: George Washington, Saint Joseph's, St. Bonaventure, VCU
George Washington (22-8, 11-6)
Key Wins: Virginia, Seton Hall
Key Losses: Saint Louis, Richmond, Saint Joseph's
In or Out: Out
Saint Joseph's (24-5, 13-3)
Key Wins: George Washington, Dayton
Key Losses: VCU, St. Bonaventure, Davidson
In or Out: In
St. Bonaventure (20-7, 12-4)
Key Wins: Saint Joseph's, George Washington, Dayton
Key Losses: Siena, Duquesne, VCU, La Salle
In or Out: Out
VCU (21-8, 13-3)
Key Wins: Saint Joseph's, St. Bonaventure
Key Losses: UMass, George Mason, Georgia Tech, Florida State
In or Out: In
ACC
Richard C. Lewis/SportsWire
Locks: Duke, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Notre Dame, Virginia
On the Bubble: Clemson, Pittsburgh, Syracuse
Pittsburgh (20-8, 9-7)
Key Wins: Syracuse (2x), Notre Dame, Duke
Key Losses: Clemson, NC State
In or Out: In
Syracuse (19-11, 9-8)
Key Wins: UConn, Texas A&M, Duke, Notre Dame
Key Losses: Pitt (2x), Clemson, St. John's
In or Out: In
Big 12
Brendan Maloney/USA TODAY Sports
Locks: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia
On the Bubble: Texas, Texas Tech
Texas (19-11, 10-7)
Key Wins: North Carolina, Iowa State, West Virginia (2x), Baylor, Oklahoma
Key Losses: TCU, Texas Tech, UConn, Michigan, Washington
In or Out: In
Texas Tech (18-10, 8-8)
Key Wins: Iowa State, Baylor, Oklahoma
Key Losses: Arkansas, Kansas State
In or Out: In
Big East
Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Locks: Villanova, Xavier
On the Bubble: Butler, Providence, Seton Hall
Butler (19-9, 8-8)
Key Wins: Cincinnati, Purdue, Seton Hall, Temple
Key Losses: Creighton, Marquette, Providence (2x)
In or Out: Out
Providence (20-9, 8-8)
Key Wins: Arizona, Butler (2x), Villanova
Key Losses: Marquette, DePaul, Seton Hall (2x)
In or Out: In
Seton Hall (21-7, 11-5)
Key Wins: Wichita State, Providence (2x), Xavier
Key Losses: Butler, Creighton, George Washington, Long Beach State
In or Out: In
Big Ten
The Sporting News
Locks: Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Purdue
On the Bubble: Michigan, Wisconsin
Michigan (20-10, 10-7)
Key Wins: Texas, Maryland, Purdue
Key Losses: Ohio State, Wisconsin
In or Out: In
Wisconsin (19-10, 11-5)
Key Wins: Maryland, Syracuse, Michigan State, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan
Key Losses: Western Illinois, Milwaukee, Marquette
In or Out: In
Mountain West
AP Photo/Laramie Boomerang
Locks: None
On the Bubble: San Diego State (22-8, 15-2)
Key Wins: Cal
Key Losses: San Diego, Grand Canyon
In or Out: In
Pac-12
Kelvin Kuo/USA TODAY Sports
Locks: Arizona, Oregon, Utah
On the Bubble: California, Colorado, Oregon State, UCLA, USC
California (21-8, 11-5)
Key Wins: Utah, Arizona, Oregon, UCLA, USC
Key Losses: Richmond
In or Out: In
Colorado (21-9, 10-7)
Key Wins: Oregon, Arizona
Key Losses: USC, UCLA
In or Out: In
Oregon State (17-10, 8-8)
Key Wins: Oregon, Utah
Key Losses: Valparaiso, Arizona State
In or Out: Out
USC (19-10, 8-8)
Key Wins: Wichita State, Arizona
Key Losses: Monmouth, Washington, Arizona State, Stanford
In or Out: In
SEC
Associated Press
Locks: Kentucky, Texas A&M
On the Bubble: Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
Alabama (17-11, 8-8)
Key Wins: Wichita State, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Texas A&M
Key Losses: Ole Miss, Auburn, Mississippi State
In or Out: Out
South Carolina (23-6, 10-6)
Key Wins: Vanderbilt, Texas A&M
Key Losses: Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi State
In or Out: In
Vanderbilt (19-11, 11-6)
Key Wins: Alabama, Texas A&M, Kentucky
Key Losses: Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Arkansas
In or Out: In
Mid Majors On the Bubble
Chris Brashers/Icon Sportswire
Arkansas-Little Rock (27-3, 17-2)
Key Wins: San Diego State
Key Losses: Arkansas State
In or Out: In
Gonzaga (23-7, 15-3)
Key Wins: UConn
Key Losses: UCLA
In or Out: Out
Saint Mary's (25-4, 15-3)
Key Wins: Gonzaga (2x)
Key Losses: Pepperdine (2x)
In or Out: In
Wichita State (23-7, 16-2)
Key Wins: Utah
Key Losses: Tulsa, Illinois State, Northern Iowa
In or Out: In
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