It’s never too early to start examining teams resumes for the NCAA tournament. The bubble can be scary, all it takes is one bad loss to knock you off it. That being said, let’s take a look at teams that helped or hurt their bubble cases.
Texas Tech: Improving its bubble case.
A loss at Kansas is not going to hurt Texas Tech’s resume. However, a win against seventh-ranked West Virginia is a signature win, the type of win that gets you into the tournament. Keenan Evans and Anthony Livingston can play and the Red Raiders are for real.
Michigan State: Back on the bubble.
Just a week ago, the Spartans looked like they shut the critics up that called them a bubble team after wins against Minnesota and Northwestern. You know what a loss to Penn State will do? Put you right back on that bubble. With a freshmen heavy lineup, Tom Izzo will be going through ups and downs all year.
Nebraska: This is a joke, right? No. Nebraska has worked its way on the bubble.
Nebraska was 6-6 heading into conference play, but a closer look at their schedule will show that they were better than 6-6. The Gardner-Webb loss aside, their other five losses were to UCLA, Kansas, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Creighton. That is a brutal schedule. Now with wins at Indiana and at Maryland, the Nebraska fighting fake Bo Pelini’s have a shot at the tournament.
TCU: Not on the bubble.
I’ll answer all your questions ahead of time. I know TCU is 12-3. I know their only losses are at SMU, Kansas and at West Virginia. And no, I have not been drinking the hard stuff. Take a look at their resume. They haven’t beat anyone of quality. Who’s their best win? Washington? Illinois State? Those teams are so average it hurts. Until TCU beats somebody decent, I’m not ready to call them a bubble team.
Pittsburgh: Does anybody know?
Right after smacking Virginia in a statement victory, the Panthers laid an egg against a bad Syracuse team. This team is so up and down it’s impossible to tell where they stand on the bubble. And I have a feeling it will continue to be this way all season.