Now that SCS.com has released its first weekly projected field of sixty-five, it's time for some explanations as to why some teams made the field and why others 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. It's mid-February, and crunch time is now here in college basketball!
Missouri State Bears
Overall Record (Conference): 19-8 (10-6 MVC)
RPI: 33
Strength of Schedule: 33
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 3-5
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 8-5
Good Wins: Wisconsin 66-64, Wichita State 95-87
Bad Losses: @ Evansville 56-63
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 16- Winthrop, Feb 20- @ Wichita State
Why They're IN Right Now: Decent record to go with a high SOS and RPI has Missouri State at the top of the list of bubble teams.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Overall Record (Conference): 18-6 (6-5 Big East)
RPI: 55
Strength of Schedule: 109
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 4-3
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 3-6
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 "Statement" Games: Feb 15- Providence, Feb 24- Marquette
Why They're IN Right Now: Only one out of conference loss came at the hands of #15 Butler. Also being above .500 in the tough Big East Conference helps put the Irish near the top of the bubble list.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Overall Record (Conference): 18-6 (5-5 SEC)
RPI: 31
Strength of Schedule: 57
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 2-3
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 6-5
Good Wins: Xavier 63-56, Georgia 78-76
Bad Losses: @ Auburn 57-81
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 14- @ Florida, Feb 17- Kentucky, Feb 21- @ Tennessee
Why They're IN Right Now: 5 of 6 wins have come on the road, with lone non-conference loss being at Notre Dame. Playing in the SEC helps the Tide’s resume too.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Overall Record (Conference): 16-8 (6-4 SEC)
RPI: 48
Strength of Schedule: 29
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 5-4
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 4-6
Good Wins: Georgia Tech 73-64, Tennessee 82-81, Alabama 94-73
Bad Losses: @ Wake Forest 78-88, Appalachian State 79-87,
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 17- Florida, Feb 25- Kentucky, March 3- Arkansas
Why They're IN Right Now: A fairly high Strength of Schedule and a pretty decent 6-4 SEC record will look really impressive come March.
Kansas State Wildcats
Overall Record (Conference): 18-8 (7-4 Big 12)
RPI: 54
Strength of Schedule: 93
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 1-4
Record in Last 10 Games: 8-2
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 19- Kansas, Feb 27- @ Oklahoma State, March 3- Oklahoma
Why They're IN Right Now: 8-2 in their last ten games is always a turn-on. Also, being in fourth place in a conference that has Texas A&M, Kansas, and Texas (and being within two games first place) helps a lot.
Georgia Bulldogs
Overall Record (Conference): 14-9 (6-5 SEC)
RPI: 44
Strength of Schedule: 11
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 "Statement" Games: Feb 28- @Kentucky, March 3- Tennessee
Why They're IN Right Now: Though their record isn’t all that great, the Dawgs’ SOS gives their resume a great boost.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Overall Record (Conference): 18-9 (6-6 Big Ten)
RPI: 42
Strength of Schedule: 18
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, March 3- @ Iowa
Why They're IN Right Now: Like Georgia, the Illini’ record needs improvement, however high SOS should bail them out- for now.
Maryland Terrapins
Overall Record (Conference): 18-7 (4-6 ACC)
RPI: 32
Strength of Schedule: 25
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 5-5
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 4-5
Good Wins: @ Illinois 72-66, Clemson 92-87, Georgia Tech 80-65, Duke 72-60
Bad Losses: Miami 58-63
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 18- @ Clemson, Feb 25- North Carolina, Feb 28- @ Duke
Why They're IN Right Now: Good record, high RPI, high SOS, and quality wins all look very good. However a 4-6 record in the ACC does not. The Terps are barely in.
Arkansas Razorbacks
Overall Record (Conference): 15-9 (4-6 SEC)
RPI: 39
Strength of Schedule: 12
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 4-5
Record in Last 10 Games: 4-6
Road/Neutral Record: 4-7
Good Wins: @ Southern Illinois 61-53, West Virginia 71-64, @ Alabama 63-57
Bad Losses: @ South Carolina 60-66
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 24- Tennessee, March 3- @ Vanderbilt
Why They're OUT Right Now: Same as Maryland. Good RPI. High SOS. Quality Wins. Poor conference record. The Hogs are just out of the field.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Overall Record (Conference): 16-10 (5-6 Big 12)
RPI: 34
Strength of Schedule: 7
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 4-6
Record in Last 10 Games: 4-6
Road/Neutral Record: 6-7
Good Wins: @ Arkansas 71-56, Kansas 69-64, Texas A&M 70-68, @ Texas A&M 77-75
Bad Losses: UNLV 66-74, @ Baylor 70-73, Nebraska 59-61
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 20- @ Texas, Feb 24- Oklahoma State
Why They're OUT Right Now: Though the strength of schedule will look very nice in March, the record still needs improvement.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Overall Record (Conference): 17-8 (5-6 ACC)
RPI: 45
Strength of Schedule: 40
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 7-6
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 3-7
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 "Statement" Games: Feb 18- @ Duke, March 1- North Carolina, March 4- Boston College
Why They're OUT Right Now: Finishing second in the Maui Invitational is always nice, however that was back in November. 11-7 since that time is not very good.
Purdue Boilermakers
Overall Record (Conference): 16-9 (5-6 Big Ten)
RPI: 43
Strength of Schedule: 16
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 3-6
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 3-8
Good Wins: @ Oklahoma 74-71, Illinois 64-47, Michigan State 62-38
Bad Losses: @ Indiana State 70-89, @ Minnesota 59-65
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 14- Indiana, Feb 21- @ Iowa
Why They're OUT Right Now: Poor record combined with some ugly losses against no-name teams keeps Purdue from being where they want to be right now.
Old Dominion Monarchs
Overall Record (Conference): 20-7 (13-3 CAA)
RPI: 53
Strength of Schedule: 99
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 2-3
Record in Last 10 Games: 8-2
Road/Neutral Record: 6-5
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 17- @ Toledo, Feb 24- @ William & Mary
Why They're OUT Right Now: For a team that has rose out of no where to be in tournament talk, they still need a good, quality win. 99 SOS really hurts, too.
Syracuse Orange
Overall Record (Conference): 17-8 (6-5 Big East)
RPI: 63
Strength of Schedule: 44
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 2-2
Record in Last 10 Games: 6-4
Road/Neutral Record: 3-4
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
Why They're OUT Right Now: Syracuse is 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.
Drexel Dragons
Overall Record (Conference): 19-6 (11-4 CAA)
RPI: 52
Strength of Schedule: 104
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 1-1
Record in Last 10 Games: 7-3
Road/Neutral Record: 11-3
Good Wins: @ Villanova 81-76, @ Syracuse 84-79
Bad Losses: @ Penn 49-68, @ Rider 81-89,
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 14- @ William & Mary, Feb 17- @ Creighton
Why They're OUT Right Now: Though the road record is very impressive, playing in the Colonial Athletic Association hurts the Dragons.
Providence Friars
Overall Record (Conference): 15-8 (5-5 Big East)
RPI: 56
Strength of Schedule: 24
Vs. Teams in Top 50:: 2-5
Record in Last 10 Games: 5-5
Road/Neutral Record: 1-6
Good Wins: Boston College 73-64, Marquette 74-59
Bad Losses: Brown 41-51, @ Seton Hall 68-69
Remaining "Statement" Games: Feb 15- @ Notre Dame, Feb 20- West Virginia, Feb 24- Syracuse
Why They're OUT Right Now: Like many teams, although their strength of schedule may look good, only ONE road win really hurts their chances of making the field.