2024 NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch: Did the Big 12 game the system?
New York TimesThe full NCAA Tournament bracket has been released with UConn leading the way as No. As we approach March, it’s worth keeping an eye on Big 12 bubble teams like Cincinnati, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and TCU — all with sub-275 NC SOS — and how they fair on Selection Sunday compared to other bubble teams with better NC SOS, like Texas A&M, Utah, Boise State and Virginia Tech. ACC Locks: North Carolina, Duke Projected to be in: Clemson On the bubble: Virginia, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech Movement: Despite a road loss to UNC, Duke elevates to a lock after a road win at Virginia Tech and with a 4-2 Q1 record, including neutral-site nonconference wins over Baylor and Michigan State. Big Ten Locks: Purdue, Wisconsin Projected to be in: Illinois On the bubble: Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern Movement: It’s admittedly strange to make Wisconsin a lock after back-to-back losses, but the Nebraska game went to overtime on the road, and the Badgers played Purdue tough on Sunday. Spotlight On: New Mexico Resume at a glance: 18-4, 6-3 MWC; NET: 18; KenPom: 19; SOS: 107; Quad 1: 2-2 It’s a thin line between in and the bubble for the Lobos, who get dinged for last week’s home loss to fellow bubble-watcher Boise State.