"Bubble Cutline" Sits Roughly At #47; Gophers sit at #45

[SelectionSunday]

Heading into the weekend the NET "bubble cutline" roughly sits at #47. As a guide, based strictly on today's rankings the "last 4 in" and "first 8 out" would be:

Last 4 In
#44 Rhode Island
#45 Minnesota
#46 Indiana
#47 Washington (last team in)

First 8 Out
#49 Georgetown (first team out)
#50 Memphis
#51 Cincinnati
#52 Oklahoma
#53 Virginia Tech
#54 Utah State
#55 Virginia
#56 NC State

My next Field of 68 projection coming late Sunday night if NET rankings are updated quickly, Monday morning if not.

 

[golfing18now]

As you are comparing resumes this year against your experience in prior years, do you have a harder time finding worthy teams this year or leaving worthy teams out this year? In other words, how soft is the bubble this year compared to other years?

 

[Ope3]

As you are comparing resumes this year against your experience in prior years, do you have a harder time finding worthy teams this year or leaving worthy teams out this year? In other words, how soft is the bubble this year compared to other years?

Doesn't the fact that an 11-10 Minnesota (1-7 in true road games) even being in the conversation answer that question?

 

[golfing18now]

Doesn't the fact that an 11-10 Minnesota (1-7 in true road games) even being in the conversation answer that question?

I don't go back year after year and crunch the data Ope. We have definitely heard about a few of the conferences being "down" this year, but how do we even measure that? It's not like the Big Ten destroyed the ACC in the challenge this year, but it has been widely reported the ACC is down and the Big Ten is up.

EDIT: I wasn't surprised by his response, but I also don't remember the last time we haven't talked about how soft the bubble was at the end of the year.

 

[SelectionSunday]

As you are comparing resumes this year against your experience in prior years, do you have a harder time finding worthy teams this year or leaving worthy teams out this year? In other words, how soft is the bubble this year compared to other years?

Thanks for asking.

Definitely having trouble finding enough teams. I don't ever remember considering this many teams that are 1 or 2 games above .500, this late into the season. Teams like the Gophers, Purdue, and Washington are still in the picture because all they really need is one little 3-game winning streak to get themselves into the bracket.

I am drawing a line (for now) in my next projection that a team needs to be at least 2 games above .500 to merit at-large selection. That means the Gophers will be out this week. At some point you have to WIN GAMES.

 

[golfing18now]

Thanks for asking.

Definitely having trouble finding enough teams. I don't ever remember considering this many teams that are 1 or 2 games above .500, this late into the season. Teams like the Gophers, Purdue, and Washington are still in the picture because all they really need is one little 3-game winning streak to get themselves into the bracket.

I am drawing a line (for now) in my next projection that a team needs to be at least 2 games above .500 to merit at-large selection. That means the Gophers will be out this week. At some point you have to WIN GAMES.

Thanks as always for your insight.

 

[Ope3]

As you are comparing resumes this year against your experience in prior years, do you have a harder time finding worthy teams this year or leaving worthy teams out this year? In other words, how soft is the bubble this year compared to other years?

Apologies for my response coming off as condescending. Suffice to say, using SS's upcoming criteria of at least being 2 games over .500, even with that low bar as far as I can tell only 2 teams have ever gotten At Large bids by meeting that bare minimum (1991 Villanova & 2001 Georgia). Minnesota and a few others could test that in 2020. I am guessing Pitino really wishes he could have scheduled 1 more nonConference game (they are 1 less than is allowed).

I have heard the theory that Grad Transfers and exceptions have really sapped the Mid Majors from getting NCAA berths. Makes sense to me.