Bubblicious: The Weekend Ahead

Starting a smidge earlier than usual with a Bubblicious Report, but since I've got the day off we'll have at it. Currently the Gophers (#45 in the RPI) are in the Field of 68, so say the most reputable Bracketologists (Joe Lunardi/ESPN, Jerry Palm/CBS). However, at this point they certainly are a bubble team.

Here's a look at what bubblers (with current RPI noted) have on tap this weekend. This time around our bubble is very expansive (all inclusive). We'll tighten it significantly as we wind down to the (major) conference tournaments.

Friday
Marshall @ #35 Southern Miss, 8:30 (CBSSN)

Saturday
Butler @ #54 Georgetown, noon (CBS)
Nebraska @ #89 Northwestern, noon (ESPNU) -- Wildcats have slightest margin for error
Texas @ #43 Kansas State, 12:30
#60 NC State @ Miami, 1
#42 Florida State @ #72 Maryland, 2 (ESPN2)
South Carolina @ #47 Tennessee, 2 (ESPNU)
#50 Providence @ #37 Xavier, 2 (FS1)
#56 Saint Mary's @ Pepperdine, 3
#61 Dayton @ Saint Bonaventure, 3
Auburn @ #63 LSU, 3
Arkansas @ #68 Vanderbilt, 3
#73 West Virginia @ Kansas, 3 (ESPN)
#40 Oregon @ #41 Arizona State, 4 (FS1)
#49 Missouri @ #59 Ole Miss, 4
#65 Boise State @ Utah State, 5:05 (CBSSN)
#58 Baylor @ Oklahoma, 6 (ESPN2)
North Texas @ #75 Louisiana Tech, 6
Cincinnati @ #48 SMU, 6:30 (ESPNU)
VCU @ #52 Saint Joseph's, 7 (CBSSN)
#70 Indiana @ #45 GOPHERS, 7:15 (BTN)
San Francisco @ #46 BYU, 8

Sunday
Charlotte @ #35 Southern Miss, 1 (CBSSN)
Drake @ #55 Indiana State, 2:05
#69 Clemson @ Syracuse, 5 (ESPNU)
Creighton @ #64 Saint John's, 6 (FS1)

Weekend's Biggest Bubble Games: Providence @ Xavier, Oregon @ Arizona State, Missouri @ Ole Miss, Cincinnati @ SMU, Indiana @ GOPHERS

Love these kind of posts in general...however, on different a thread you mentioned other "bubblers" (Richmond and Florida State) need to continue playing well to keep our wins seemingly more impressive. At what point, do we throw this logic out the window considering at the end of this we'll probably be fighting each other for the last spots available for at-larges. All three teams have been and are currently hovering around that area...

Shawn Bradley Guy said:

Love these kind of posts in general...however, on different a thread you mentioned other "bubblers" (Richmond and Florida State) need to continue playing well to keep our wins seemingly more impressive. At what point, do we throw this logic out the window considering at the end of this we'll probably be fighting each other for the last spots available for at-larges. All three teams have been and are currently hovering around that area...

Click to expand...

Valid question. In a perfect world I'd like both FSU and Richmond to do just enough to stay in the top 50, but nothing spectacular beyond that. I guess I'd define that as, beat who they're supposed to beat & lose the ones they're supposed to, without getting any "signature" wins down the stretch. For FSU that would be Syracuse (March 9), for Richmond it would be VCU (March 5).

I suspect it'll be a moot point with Richmond; the Spiders lost their leading scorer for the rest of the season due to injury, and another one of their rotation guys recently quit. Plus, to this point I think the Gophers' resume is stronger than either one, especially Richmond.

Florida State, Richmond, Gophers triangle

It's interesting you mention those 3. I just checked the updated RPI, and if the selection committee went strictly by RPI when selecting at-large teams (which they don't, thankfully), FSU, Richmond, and the Gophers all would be among the last 8 in. The estimated cutline at this point would have #49 as the final at-large.

Last 8 In (by RPI)
42. Florida State
43. Kansas State
44. Richmond
45. GOPHERS
46. BYU
47. Tennessee
48. SMU
49. Mizzou

First 8 Out (by RPI)
50. Providence
51. Cal
52. Saint Joseph's
54. Georgetown
55. Indiana State
56. Saint Mary's
58. Baylor
59. Ole Miss

An imperfect way to look at things because the human element (selection committee) isn't involved? Absolutely. However, I do think this presents a very clear picture that the Gophers are hovering in dangerous territory.

Looking at the rest of the schedule for West Virgina, if they make the tournament Huggins will have pulled off a miracle. 8 games left and 6 of those teams are ranked starting with the Kansas game you posted.

Looking forward to the SMU-Cincy game.

Indiana State just couldn't stop the Shockers.

Guess I'm surprised the Gophers are still in. The last three games were where I thought they might make a little hay when looking at things earlier in the year. My hopes are fading. Dang, beat Indiana.

Thanks for the post.

fan of Ray Williams said:

Guess I'm surprised the Gophers are still in. The last three games were where I thought they might make a little hay when looking at things earlier in the year. My hopes are fading. Dang, beat Indiana.

Click to expand...

I know I'm sounding redundant, but once again the bubble is really, really weak. It's pretty much been that way since the move to a 68-team field. The fact that teams like Ole Miss and Saint Mary's (0 RPI top-50 wins between 'em) are even being considered says it all about how weak the at-large pool is. That's why it's so frustrating the Gophers haven't been able to solidify their position these last 3 games vs. middlin' Big Ten opponents.

SelectionSunday said:

Weekend's Biggest Bubble Games: Providence @ Xavier, Oregon @ Arizona State, Missouri @ Ole Miss, Cincinnati @ SMU, Indiana @ GOPHERS

Click to expand...

All the home teams securing a win. Larry Brown's squad pummeling the Bearcats. The Mustangs with wins in 8 of their last 9 games.