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For the first time in months Texas men's basketball looks to be on solid ground when it comes to the NCAA Tournament.
The Longhorns (19-14) assuredly needed multiple wins at this week's SEC tournament to qualify for the Big Dance. Thursday's upset over fifth-seeded Texas A&M (22-10) might have been enough but a Friday win over Tennessee should qualify the team for the second straight full season under Rodney Terry and third in a row overall.
More: How new-look Texas Longhorns, Rodney Terry are about to crash March Madness party | Golden
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has updated his projections Thursday and has Texas in, but most other leading bracketologists' rankings don't account for the latest games. NCAA.com bracketologist Andy Katz did not rank Texas in his top-37 power rankings but wrote about the Horns:
"Texas is likely out entering the SEC tournament, but the path to get back is available... if the Longhorns were to beat two tournament-bound teams in Vanderbilt and Texas A&M then there would be a chance."
So let's take a look at the teams supposed to have been ahead of Texas in those brackets and see how they've done now that two days of conference tournament play is complete.
Here other NCAA bubble teams to watch over the next week:
Lunardi now has the Longhorns in while Katz didn't have Texas in their last updates, made Monday. and Jerry Palm of CBS updated his field Friday morning and had Texas as the first four out.
Mike DeCourcy of Fox Sports updated his bracketology prior to Texas' game and the Longhorns among the first four out. The SEC was by clearly the best conference in the season and Texas were tied for the third-worst record in the 16-team standings.
Palm and DeCourcy had Indiana (19-13) among their last four in; Lunardi has the Hoosiers on his first team out. Katz did not mention Indiana in his top-37 power rankings and Big Ten roundup.
The Hoosiers lost their Big Ten tournament opener against Oregon, their second loss to the Ducks in a little over a week. Indiana ended the season with more wins than Texas, but was just 4-12 against Quad 1 foes with a 5-0 record against Quad 2 teams. Texas is 6-9 in Quad 1 games and 3-5 in Quad 2 teams with a chance to get a huge win Friday.
The Big Ten should have the second-most teams in the country admitted to the tournament. Indiana finished 10-10 in the league for a middling eight seed in the tournament after a soft nonconference schedule.
Palm has UNC (22-12) among his first four out while DeCourcy and Lunardi have the Tar Heels among the last four in. Katz did not mention North Carolina, the fifth seed in the ACC tournament..
UNC is trying to offset a non competitive season sweep against rival Duke with a strong ACC tournament showing. It’s working so far with wins over Norte Dame and fellow bubble team Wake Forest.
For their tournament, the Tar Heels are the fifth seed in what seems to be a down year for the ACC.
Palm had Xavier (21-11) on his last four in as did Lunardi and DeCourcy. Katz had Xavier as one of four Big East teams almost assured a spot, ranking the Musketeers 25th in the country in his power rankings.
Xavier, the fourth seed in the Big East tournament, lost to Marquette, another potential invitee to the Big Dance, in the first round.
Palm had SDSU (21-9) as his last four in as did DeCourcy and Lunardi. Katz said the Aztecs "should be in... but it's close." SDSU finished tied for fourth in a tough Mountain West Conference and fell to fellow bubble team Boise State (23-9) in the first round of the MWC tournament.
The Buckeyes (17-15) are likely on the outside looking in after a first-round exit in the Big Ten tournament. Ohio State, seeded 10th, could have really used a win over Indiana and is listed on Lunardi's projection as one of the first four teams out. Same for DeCourcy. Katz didn't even mention OSU in his Big Ten roundup or power rankings and OSU isn't feature in Palm's update either.
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, first four out. Palm, last four in. Katz indicated Boise State needed at least two wins in the conference tournament to make the Big Dance.
Next game: fifth-seeded Boise State (23-9) vs. top-seeded New Mexico (26-6)
Analysis: Texas has done well by beating A&M but this mid-major conference could have multiple bid stealers if Boise State continues its run.
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, first four out. Palm, first four out. Katz had the Rams in his field, ranking them 37th in his power rankings earlier this week.
Next game: second-seeded CSU (23-9) vs third-seeded Utah State (26-6)
Analysis: A 16-4 romp through a better-than-you-think MWC should be enough to get the Rams in. But we know how highly valued the SEC is this season. But Colorado State won one game in its conference tournament and another win over the Aggies would be huge and put more pressure on Texas.
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, first four out. Palm, first four out. Katz doesn't include Dayton in his rankings but mentions the Flyers as potential bid stealers if they make a title-game run.
Next game: third-seeded Dayton (22-9) vs sixth-seeded St. Joe's (21-11)
Analysis: It might need to be title game or bust for Dayton, which beat Marquette and Connecticut in nonconference play. A third-place finish in the Atlantic 10 is a dangerous place to be this season with so many strong conferences and a system that seemingly rewards solid major teams over standout mid-majors.
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, out. Palm, out. Similar to Dayton, Katz doesn't include George Mason in his rankings but mentions the Patriots as potential bid stealers if they make a title-game run.
Next game: second-seeded George Mason (24-7) vs seventh-seeded George Washington (21-11)
Analysis: You can pretty much copy what was said for Dayton, except George Mason doesn't have any nonconference wins of note. The Pats are relying on A-10 dominance and a conference title to continue their season.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: March Madness: 5 bubble teams Texas Longhorns fans should know
Continue reading...
The Longhorns (19-14) assuredly needed multiple wins at this week's SEC tournament to qualify for the Big Dance. Thursday's upset over fifth-seeded Texas A&M (22-10) might have been enough but a Friday win over Tennessee should qualify the team for the second straight full season under Rodney Terry and third in a row overall.
More: How new-look Texas Longhorns, Rodney Terry are about to crash March Madness party | Golden
ESPN's Joe Lunardi has updated his projections Thursday and has Texas in, but most other leading bracketologists' rankings don't account for the latest games. NCAA.com bracketologist Andy Katz did not rank Texas in his top-37 power rankings but wrote about the Horns:
"Texas is likely out entering the SEC tournament, but the path to get back is available... if the Longhorns were to beat two tournament-bound teams in Vanderbilt and Texas A&M then there would be a chance."
So let's take a look at the teams supposed to have been ahead of Texas in those brackets and see how they've done now that two days of conference tournament play is complete.
Here other NCAA bubble teams to watch over the next week:
Texas Longhorns bracketology update
Lunardi now has the Longhorns in while Katz didn't have Texas in their last updates, made Monday. and Jerry Palm of CBS updated his field Friday morning and had Texas as the first four out.
Mike DeCourcy of Fox Sports updated his bracketology prior to Texas' game and the Longhorns among the first four out. The SEC was by clearly the best conference in the season and Texas were tied for the third-worst record in the 16-team standings.
Indiana Hoosiers bracketology update
Palm and DeCourcy had Indiana (19-13) among their last four in; Lunardi has the Hoosiers on his first team out. Katz did not mention Indiana in his top-37 power rankings and Big Ten roundup.
The Hoosiers lost their Big Ten tournament opener against Oregon, their second loss to the Ducks in a little over a week. Indiana ended the season with more wins than Texas, but was just 4-12 against Quad 1 foes with a 5-0 record against Quad 2 teams. Texas is 6-9 in Quad 1 games and 3-5 in Quad 2 teams with a chance to get a huge win Friday.
The Big Ten should have the second-most teams in the country admitted to the tournament. Indiana finished 10-10 in the league for a middling eight seed in the tournament after a soft nonconference schedule.
UNC basketball bracketology
Palm has UNC (22-12) among his first four out while DeCourcy and Lunardi have the Tar Heels among the last four in. Katz did not mention North Carolina, the fifth seed in the ACC tournament..
UNC is trying to offset a non competitive season sweep against rival Duke with a strong ACC tournament showing. It’s working so far with wins over Norte Dame and fellow bubble team Wake Forest.
For their tournament, the Tar Heels are the fifth seed in what seems to be a down year for the ACC.
Xavier basketball bracketology
Palm had Xavier (21-11) on his last four in as did Lunardi and DeCourcy. Katz had Xavier as one of four Big East teams almost assured a spot, ranking the Musketeers 25th in the country in his power rankings.
Xavier, the fourth seed in the Big East tournament, lost to Marquette, another potential invitee to the Big Dance, in the first round.
San Diego State bracketology
Palm had SDSU (21-9) as his last four in as did DeCourcy and Lunardi. Katz said the Aztecs "should be in... but it's close." SDSU finished tied for fourth in a tough Mountain West Conference and fell to fellow bubble team Boise State (23-9) in the first round of the MWC tournament.
Ohio State bracketology
The Buckeyes (17-15) are likely on the outside looking in after a first-round exit in the Big Ten tournament. Ohio State, seeded 10th, could have really used a win over Indiana and is listed on Lunardi's projection as one of the first four teams out. Same for DeCourcy. Katz didn't even mention OSU in his Big Ten roundup or power rankings and OSU isn't feature in Palm's update either.
More NCAA tournament bubble teams to know
Boise State
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, first four out. Palm, last four in. Katz indicated Boise State needed at least two wins in the conference tournament to make the Big Dance.
Next game: fifth-seeded Boise State (23-9) vs. top-seeded New Mexico (26-6)
Analysis: Texas has done well by beating A&M but this mid-major conference could have multiple bid stealers if Boise State continues its run.
Colorado State
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, first four out. Palm, first four out. Katz had the Rams in his field, ranking them 37th in his power rankings earlier this week.
Next game: second-seeded CSU (23-9) vs third-seeded Utah State (26-6)
Analysis: A 16-4 romp through a better-than-you-think MWC should be enough to get the Rams in. But we know how highly valued the SEC is this season. But Colorado State won one game in its conference tournament and another win over the Aggies would be huge and put more pressure on Texas.
Dayton
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, first four out. Palm, first four out. Katz doesn't include Dayton in his rankings but mentions the Flyers as potential bid stealers if they make a title-game run.
Next game: third-seeded Dayton (22-9) vs sixth-seeded St. Joe's (21-11)
Analysis: It might need to be title game or bust for Dayton, which beat Marquette and Connecticut in nonconference play. A third-place finish in the Atlantic 10 is a dangerous place to be this season with so many strong conferences and a system that seemingly rewards solid major teams over standout mid-majors.
George Mason
Projections: DeCourcy, next four out. Lunardi, out. Palm, out. Similar to Dayton, Katz doesn't include George Mason in his rankings but mentions the Patriots as potential bid stealers if they make a title-game run.
Next game: second-seeded George Mason (24-7) vs seventh-seeded George Washington (21-11)
Analysis: You can pretty much copy what was said for Dayton, except George Mason doesn't have any nonconference wins of note. The Pats are relying on A-10 dominance and a conference title to continue their season.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: March Madness: 5 bubble teams Texas Longhorns fans should know
Continue reading...
