As SCS.com continues to release its projected field of 65, it's time for more explanations as to why some teams made the field and why other squads were left out. College hoops fans know this “game” as the bubble. Here you will find all the answers you need to know as to why your favorite team is looking like it won’t make the tournament as of now. Or perhaps even worse, why your rival looks like they’re in. With less than three weeks until Selection Sunday, let’s all take a glance at this week's new-look bubble.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Overall Record (Conference): 20-6 (8-5 Big East)
RPI: 49
Strength of Schedule: 115
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 4-3
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 4-6
Good Wins: @ Maryland 81-74, Alabama 99-85, West Virginia 61-58, @ Syracuse 103-91
Bad Losses: @ South Florida 63-69, @ St. John’s 68-71
Remaining Games: Feb 20- DePaul, Feb 24- Marquette, March 3- @ Rutgers
Why They’re IN Right Now: Only one out of conference loss came at the hands of #15 Butler. Also being 8-5 in the tough Big East Conference helps put the Irish at the top of the bubble list.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Overall Record (Conference): 19-7 (5-6 Big 12)
RPI: 36
Strength of Schedule: 45
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 4-4
Record in Last 10 Games: 4-6
Road/Neutral Record: 5-6
Good Wins: @ Syracuse 72-68, Pittsburgh 95-89, Texas 105-103
Bad Losses: @ Colorado 77-89, Missouri 64-75
Remaining Games: Feb 21- Texas A&M, Feb 24- @Texas Tech, Feb 27- Kansas St, Mar 3- @Baylor, Mar 5- @Nebraska
Why They’re IN Right Now: A very average team at this point. No REALLY disturbing losses, yet no REALLY quality wins. The Cowboys look safe at this point, however they need to turn their losing skid (lost 4 out of last 5) around.
Maryland Terrapins
Overall Record (Conference): 20-7 (6-6 ACC)
RPI: 18
Strength of Schedule: 17
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 6-6
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 6-5
Good Wins: @ Illinois 72-66, Clemson 92-87, Georgia Tech 80-65, Duke 72-60
Bad Losses: Miami 58-63
Remaining Games: Feb 21- Florida St, Feb 25- North Carolina, Feb 28- @ Duke, March 3- N.C. State
Why They’re IN Right Now: Good record, high RPI, high SOS, and quality wins all look very good. However they need to get over the .500 mark in the ACC to be a sure lock.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Overall Record (Conference): 19-7 (6-6 SEC)
RPI: 23
Strength of Schedule: 39
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 2-5
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 6-6
Good Wins: Xavier 63-56, Georgia 78-76, Kentucky 72-61
Bad Losses: @ Auburn 57-81
Remaining Games: Feb 21- @ Tennessee, Feb 24- Auburn, Feb 28-Mississippi, Mar 4-@ Mississippi St
Why They’re IN Right Now: 5 of 6 conference losses have come on the road, with lone non-conference loss being at Notre Dame. Playing in the SEC helps the Tide’s resume too.
Missouri State Bears
Overall Record (Conference) : 19-9 (10-6 MVC)
RPI: 42
Strength of Schedule: 30
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 3-5
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 8-5
Good Wins: Wisconsin 66-64, Wichita State 95-87
Bad Losses: @ Evansville 56-63
Remaining Games: Feb 20- @ Wichita State, Feb 24- Drake
Why They’re JUST IN Right Now: Decent record to go with a high SOS and RPI has Missouri State just in right now.
Purdue Boilermakers
Overall Record (Conference): 17-9 (6-6 Big Ten)
RPI: 37
Strength of Schedule: 15
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 4-6
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 3-8
Good Wins: @ Oklahoma 74-71, Illinois 64-47, Michigan State 62-38, Indiana 81-68
Bad Losses: @ Indiana State 70-89, @ Minnesota 59-65
Remaining Games: Feb 21- @ Iowa, Feb 24-@Northwestern, Feb 28-Minnesota, Mar 3- Northwestern
Why They’re JUST IN Right Now: Decent record along with some very good wins and a very high SOS have the Boilermakers in the field of 65.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Overall Record (Conference): 17-9 (5-7 ACC)
RPI: 46
Strength of Schedule: 29
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 6-7
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 3-8
Good Wins: Memphis 92-85, Georgia 78-69, Duke 74-63, @ Florida State 63-57
Bad Losses: @ Miami 82-90, @ Wake Forest 75-85
Remaining Games: Feb 21- Wake Forest, Feb 24- @ Virginia, March 1- North Carolina, March 4- Boston College
Why They’re JUST IN Right Now: The Yellow Jackets have won 4 out of their last 5 and have a very good out of conference schedule along with some nice wins.
Old Dominion Monarchs
Overall Record (Conference): 21-7 (13-3 CAA)
RPI: 45
Strength of Schedule: 96
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 3-2
Record in Last 10 Games: 9-1
Road/Neutral Record: 7-5
Good Wins: @ Georgetown 85-72, Drexel 84-57, @ Drexel 62-52, VCU 79-63
Bad Losses: @ Marist 71-84, @ James Madison 65-72
Remaining “Statement” Games: Feb 21- Towson, Feb 24- @ William & Mary
Why They’re JUST IN Right Now: For a team that has rose out of no where to be in tournament talk, they still need a good, quality win. 96 SOS really hurts, too.
Clemson Tigers
Overall Record (Conference): 19-7 (5-7 ACC)
RPI: 31
Strength of Schedule: 44
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 5-6
Record in Last 10 Games: 3-7
Road/Neutral Record: 7-4
Good Wins: Georgia Tech 75-74, Boston College 74-54
Bad Losses: Virginia 63-64, @ Wake Forest 65-67
Remaining Games: Feb 22-Duke, Feb 24-@Boston College, Feb 28-Miami, Mar 4-@Virginia Tech
Why They’re JUST OUT Right Now: The Tigers have gone a terrible 2-7 since starting the season out at 17-0. The last 10 games record does not look good at all and Clemson has no stand-out wins.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Overall Record (Conference): 19-9 (7-6 Big Ten)
RPI: 43
Strength of Schedule: 23
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 3-8
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 6-6
Good Wins: Indiana 51-43, Michigan State 57-50
Bad Losses: @ Purdue 47-64
Remaining “Statement” Games: Feb 21- Michigan, Feb 24- @ Penn State, March 3- @ Iowa
Why They’re JUST OUT Right Now: The Illini’ record needs improvement, but strength of schedule looks very good. A couple of nice wins for Illinois, too. They still need one more good win to be in though.
Kansas State Wildcats
Overall Record (Conference): 19-9 (8-5 Big 12)
RPI: 60
Strength of Schedule: 80
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 1-5
Record in Last 10 Games: 7-3
Road/Neutral Record: 7-7
Good Wins: @ USC 68-55, Texas 73-72
Bad Losses: @ New Mexico 54-78, @ Colorado State 83-84
Remaining “Statement” Games: Feb 24- @ Colorado, Feb 27- @ Oklahoma State, March 3- Oklahoma
Why They’re JUST OUT Right Now: The Wildcats seem to move in and out of the projected tournament every week. A terrible strength of schedule for a Big 12 school and a 1-5 record vs. top 50 teams has them out of the tournament right now.
Michigan State Spartans
Overall Record (Conference): 19-8 (6-6 Big Ten)
RPI: 33
Strength of Schedule: 28
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 4-7
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 3-7
Good Wins: Texas 63-61, Illinois 63-57
Bad Losses: @ Iowa 60-62, @ Purdue 38-62
Remaining Games: Feb 20- Wisconsin, Feb 24-Indiana, Feb 27-@Michigan, Mar 3-@Wisconsin
Why They’re JUST OUT Right Now: The Spartans have a few quality wins, however they need one more big one to put them where they want to be.
Bradley Braves
Overall Record (Conference): 19-10 (9-7 MVC)
RPI: 30
Strength of Schedule: 18
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 1-7
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 7-8
Good Wins: Southern Illinois 48-46, Wichita State 78-63
Bad Losses: @ Tennessee Tech 84-86, @ Northern Iowa 65-76
Remaining Games: Feb 20- Northern Iowa, Feb 24- Indiana State
Why They’re OUT Right Now: Ten losses doesn’t look good, and neither does seven conference losses. Strength of schedule might be able to get the Braves in the field, however they will have to win the rest of their regular season games to be sure.
Drexel Dragons
Overall Record (Conference): 20-7 (11-5 CAA)
RPI: 50
Strength of Schedule: 103
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 2-2
Record in Last 10 Games: 7-3
Road/Neutral Record: 12-4
Good Wins: @ Villanova 81-76, @ Syracuse 84-79, @ Creighton 64-58
Bad Losses: @ Penn 49-68, @ Rider 81-89, @ William & Mary 47-60
Remaining Games: Feb 21- William & Mary Feb 24- @ Towson
Why They’re OUT Right Now: Though the road record is very impressive, strength of schedule and playing in the Colonial Athletic Association hurts the Dragons.
Georgia Bulldogs
Overall Record (Conference): 16-9 (7-5 SEC)
RPI: 51
Strength of Schedule: 22
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 3-8
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 4-6
Good Wins: Gonzaga 96-83, Vanderbilt 85-73, Kentucky 78-69
Bad Losses: Western Kentucky 67-70
Remaining Games: Feb 21-@Mississippi, Feb 24-Mississippi St, Feb 28-@Kentucky, Mar 3-Tennessee
Why They’re OUT Right Now: Record is starting to fall, as are Georgia’s shot at making the Big Dance. They need to win 3 out of their last 4 games, or do something big in the SEC Tournament to have a shot now.
Syracuse Orange
Overall Record (Conference): 19-8 (8-5 Big East)
RPI: 64
Strength of Schedule: 57
Vs. Teams in Top 50: 2-4
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 4-4
Good Wins: @ Marquette 70-58, Villanova 75-64
Bad Losses: @ St. John’s 60-64, @ Louisville 71-76
Remaining “Statement” Games: Feb 24- @ Providence, Feb 26- Georgetown, March 3- @ Villanova
Why They’re OUT Right Now: Syracuse is still the hardest team to get a read on at this point, however any team that loses 4 games at the Carrier Dome does not deserve in the tournament at this point in time.
