Teams on the NCAA men’s tournament bubble face a crucial final weekend of the regular season.
Key matchups include VCU at Dayton, Indiana at Ohio State, and Auburn at Alabama.
While this is the last regular season chance, conference tournaments offer another opportunity to impress the selection committee.
Teams still out to prove they belong in the NCAA men’s tournament have one final shot to impress in the last weekend of the regular season, and there are plenty of opportunities up for grabs.
Every team on the bubble in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology plays one more scheduled contest, and most of them aren’t just playing a game, but going against opponents that can significantly alter their resume. Ranked foes, conference leads and fellow bubble members can very well change the tournament picture a week before the bracket is revealed.
This won’t be the last chance to impress the March Madness selection committee with conference tournaments on the horizon, but every result is magnified, and momentum could be just the secret sauce needed to go on one last run that leaves no doubt about making it on Selection Sunday.
Virginia Commonwealth at Dayton
Time/TV: Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Currently among the first four out, VCU gets a rare conference Quad 1 game at Dayton, giving the Rams an opportunity to improve their 1-5 mark in the category. A win could push VCU into the last four in range, and they can get a share of the Atlantic 10 championship with a victory and a Saint Louis loss to George Mason. However, the Flyers are hot, winners of six in a row, which includes a defeat of Saint Louis. Lose and the Rams likely need to win the conference tournament to make the NCAA field.
No. 20 Miami (Ohio) at Ohio
Time/TV: Friday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
One of the most-discussed teams in the country, Miami (Ohio) is one win away from a perfect regular season, yet there’s still debate if it deserves to be in the tournament without an automatic bid. The RedHawks defeating the Bobcats would likely lock up a spot by pushing their record to 31-0. Since March Madness expanded in 1985, no team has ever had a perfect regular season and didn’t make the bracket. The critics could be silenced and the rest of the bubble teams will be rooting for Miami to get the auto spot so it doesn’t have to worry about another MAC team stealing a bid..
New Mexico at Utah State
Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m., Mountain West Network
The Lobos are holding onto a projected spot by a thread after a Senior Day loss to Colorado State was the second Quad 3 defeat of the season – a major no-no at this point of the calendar. The defeat can be rectified, but it comes in the biggest game of the year at Mountain West-leading Utah State. The Aggies are tough at home with a 13-1 record in Logan, and New Mexico was badly beaten by them on Feb. 4. A win will keep the Lobos afloat, but another loss surely makes way for someone to take their place.
Indiana at Ohio State
Time/TV: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, Fox
A major Big Ten bubble battle. The Hoosiers are the first team on the wrong side of the cutline, coming off a dominant win at Minnesota to snap a four game skid. It’s a Quad 1 chance at Ohio State – a type of win Indiana needs since it has a disastrous 2-10 record in the category. An impressive road victory could get it on the right side of the tournament outlook, but another lose could really make it bleak. The Buckeyes pretty much wrapped up a tournament spot last week after beating Purdue, but doesn’t want to test its fate.
Auburn at No. 16 Alabama
Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Another hot topic team, Auburn is the last team in the field and it will have to really earn that spot playing against rival Alabama. Even though the Tigers have an ugly 16-14 record, their four Quad 1 wins can’t be dismissed and getting a fifth one − on the road against a ranked foe − would be noteworthy. However, Alabama has been really clicking recently and beat their in-state enemy already this season. Should Auburn lose for the eighth time in 10 contests, it’ll be hard to justify they belong, even if Bruce Pearl continues to shout from mountain tops.
Other bubble games to watch
All times Eastern
Friday
Central Florida at West Virginia (8 p.m., CBS Sports Network): A pair of bad losses have UCF reeling and in need of a win to avoid being a double-digit seed.
Saturday
No. 19 Arkansas at Missouri (12 p.m., ESPN): With a rough NET ranking of 60, Missouri could use a ranked victory to stay away from being in the last four in range.
Cincinnati at TCU (2 p.m., TNT/truTV): Back from the dead, Cincinnati can continue its climb toward the conversation with another road victory against a tournament team.
SMU at Florida State (2 p.m., ACC Network): The Mustangs have lost three in a row and cannot afford falling to upstart Florida State if they wish to stay away from the First Four.
California at Wake Forest (4 p.m., ACC Network): Plenty of work still needed from the Golden Bears, and improving a 4-5 Quad 1 record is a necessary step.
Texas A&M at LSU (6 p.m., SEC Network): After a much-needed win over Kentucky, the Aggies can’t fall against a SEC cellar-dweller if it wants to find a much more secure spot.
UCLA at Southern California (9 p.m., FS1): Another top-10 win has UCLA back on solid ground, and it needs to take advantage of its reeling rival.