http://sports-att.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?page=bubblewatch Sometimes the bubble gets bigger, instead of smaller, the closer we get to Selection Sunday. Such was the case Friday, as two teams who couldn't afford early exits during Championship Week may have not only lost games but also their grasp on at-large bids. Inside the bubble Projected One-Bid Conferences: 17 Projected Multi-Bid Conferences: 13 Available Spots 65 Automatic Bids 31 At-Large Bids 34 Projected "Locks" 41 Open Spots 6 "Locks" include 13 projected multi-bid conference champions, leaving 28 "locks" needing at-large bids and just six "open" at-large bids for bubble teams. Become an Insider today to go inside the Bubble Watch numbers with Joe Lunardi's daily updated InsideRPI LSU and Colorado each find themselves a little less secure about their NCAA futures after losing in the SEC and Big Ten quarterfinals. While still "locks" at this hour, what happens later tonight in places like Dallas, Los Angeles and Dayton, Ohio, have a direct effect on just how long the next 48 hours will be for both teams. For LSU (18-10), a 21-point loss to South Carolina was its sixth in seven games and fifth without Jaime Lloreda. The question for the Tigers becomes: Just what is their "body of work?" Is it the 17-4 record with Lloreda, or the spiral to Friday's end without him? Colorado, already on the bubble heading into Friday, is also 18-10 after its loss to Texas Tech. And while the Buffaloes didn't finish poorly, their "body of work" now looks a lot like several other teams arguing for at-large bids. Tonight, Florida State, Richmond, Washington, Oklahoma, Missouri, Western Michigan, Utah, UTEP and Nevada all play potential bubble-busting games. How each fares will impact both LSU's and Colorado's chances to dance. Oh, and keep an eye on both Villanova and Saint Louis in the Big East and C-USA tournaments. While both need automatic bids to dance, each are in the semifinals. If either wins two more games, it'll mean one less at-large bid for the bubble. "With Jaime Lloreda, LSU was a "lock." Without him, the Tigers have edged close to the bubble with each of their six losses in seven outings down the stretch. Now, following its 21-point drubbing at the hands of South Carolina on Friday in the SEC quarterfinals, LSU can't feel safe on Selection Sunday. Whether or not the committee gives LSU (18-10) credit for those wins with Lloreda remains to be seen. Losing to South Carolina is one thing, in the manner in which LSU did is another. LSU still has an RPI of 33 and is 5-5 against the top 50 with three top-25 RPI wins. But those marquee wins came with Lloreda, who won't dance even if the Tigers do. Georgia remains on the edge of the bubble. Beating Kentucky for a third time would have been huge. Now, the Dawgs (16-13) will need a lot of bubbles to pop around the country for its RPI of 51 to get them into the at-large debate Sunday. The Dawgs swept Kentucky during the regular season, but even with four top-25 wins, Georgia's best bet was to win the automatic bid. "
Georgia LOST Colorado LOST Oklahoma LOST St. Louis LOST UAB LOST Missouri LOST Florida State LOST Virginia LOST Villanova LOST Richmond LOST Washington WON UTEP WON Maryland WON W. Michigan WON Utah WON Nevada WON Cal. State Northridge WON (major upset over Utah State, who is already in)
We are not the same team without Lloreda. We do not deserve to be in the dance over any bubble team at full strength.
With the upset of Utah State by Cal State Northridge, this will lower the remaining at-large bids available from 6 down to 5. Utah State will certainly get in, they have been in the top 25 for the past 6 weeks and they are 25-3. Maryland and Washington have secured 2 of these spots. Washington has now beaten Arizona 3 times and also beat Standford. And they face Stanford for an automatic bid possibility as well, but as I indicated, it doesn't matter, they have earned their way in. Maryland has played well down the stretch with a key win over a very good Wake Forest team in the ACC tourney, they have also locked up a spot. They have also beaten Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina and North Carolina State. I hope Florida State gets in somehow with an 18-13 record, but more than likely not. They are a team capable of making a run in the tourney (beat Ga. Tech, Wake Forest, North Carolina and Maryland).
We certainly did not do ourselves any favors with yesterday's performance, but I have to think an 18-10 record, a .500 conference record, victories over Alabama (twice), Florida, and Utah, and an RPI in the Top 40 will be enough to get us in. Yes, we don't have Lloreda, and yes we are limping into the tourney, but still, when you consider the whole season, by any standard, we deserve to get in. Even if we only get a 10 or 11 seed, if that's what we deserve, give it to us. What we don't need is any more upsets in conference tournaments. The favorites that are left have to win out. Utah State and Washington are in, they are taking an at-large bid from somebody. Just hope it ain't us. I'm hearing talk of C-USA getting six teams in, that's also not good.
i thought so i thought so too til i heard Fl St has not won one road game. I know ACC is tough but no way i let them in based on that.
I hate Florida State with every breath in my body and hope they get nothing, no matter how much they deserve it.
I do not like Florida State at all either. My sole reason is because of Dick Vitale and his "non bias" analysis of who gets in to the tourney. He is such a pro Duke guy it really, really, makes me sick... OK I feel better now. Thank you for letting me get that off my chest.
But they do not look at the whole body of work only, they take into account how you finished, and we were terrible at the finish, and they also take into account that Lloreda is not on the team and that we are not going to be the same team that won all of those games. If LSU gets in it would surprise the heck out of me but then again I've seen stranger things happen with the field of 54.
