With Selection Sunday on the horizon, USA TODAY Sports tracks how bubble teams fared in their ever-crucial championship weekend showings.
With Selection Sunday on the horizon, USA TODAY Sports tracks how bubble teams fared in their ever-crucial championship weekend showings.
Outcomes are based on games from Thursday, Friday and Saturday in major conference tournament action. Teams that are sweating and lost earlier in the week — including Saint Mary’s (first four out), Syracuse (next four out), No. 11 seed Arizona State (last four in), No. 11 seed Oklahoma (last four in) — are not included. Same goes for teams that are relatively safe but lost early in their league tourneys — including No. 10 seeds Florida State and N. C. State.
BRACKETOLOGY: A look at the full field of 68
POSTSEASON LINEUP: College basketball conference tournament schedule
► Kansas State (No. 8 seed, lock): The Wildcats defeated TCU 66-64 on Thursday in the Big 12 quarterfinals before bowing out to Kansas 83-67 on Friday in the semifinals.
► Rhode Island (No. 8 seed, lock): The Rams defeated VCU 76-67 on Friday in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals and then beat Saint Joseph’s 90-87 on Saturday in the semifinals to reach the tournament title game for the second year in a row. ⇒ [still playing]
► USC (No. 9 seed, safe): The Trojans defeated Oregon State 61-48 on Thursday in the Pac-12 quarterfinals, then routed Oregon 74-54 on Friday in the semifinals to reach the Pac-12 tourney title game. ⇒ [still playing]
► UCLA (No. 9 seed, safe): The Bruins defeated Stanford 88-77 on Thursday in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals before bowing out to Arizona 78-67 on Friday in the semifinals.
► Alabama (No. 9 seed, safe): The Crimson Tide knocked off Texas A&M 71-70 on Thursday in the SEC tournament second-round, then upset Auburn 81-63 on Friday in the quarterfinals before bowing out to Kentucky 86-63 on Saturday in the semifinals.
► Providence (No. 10 seed, relatively safe): The Friars defeated Creighton 72-68 on Thursday in the Big East quarterfinals before taking down Xavier 75-72 on Friday in the semifinals to reach the conference tournament championship game. ⇒ [still playing]
► Butler (No. 10 seed, relatively safe): The Bulldogs beat Seton Hall 75-74 on Thursday in the Big East quarterfinals before bowing out to Villanova 87-68 on Friday in the semifinals.
► Texas (No. 11 seed, unsafe and sweating): The Longhorns lost to Texas Tech 73-69 on Thursday in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals but escaped Iowa State 68-64 in the first round to avoid the résumé stain.
► Creighton (No. 11 seed, unsafe and sweating): The Bluejays lost to Providence 72-68 on Thursday in the Big East quarterfinals.
► Marquette (No. 12 play-in seed, unsafe and sweating): The Golden Eagles lost to Villanova 84-70 on Thursday in the Big East quarterfinals.
► Middle Tennessee State (First four out): The Blue Raiders lost to Southern Mississippi on Thursday in the Conference USA quarterfinals.
► Notre Dame (First four out): The Irish lost to Duke 88-70 on Thursday in the ACC quarterfinals after previously beating Virginia Tech 71-65 in the second round and Pittsburgh 67-64 in the first round.
► Louisville (First four out): The Cardinals lost to Virginia 75-58 on Thursday in the ACC tournament quarterfinals. They beat Florida State 82-74 in the second round.
► Oklahoma State (First four out): The Cowboys lost to Kansas 82-68 on Thursday in the Big 12 quarterfinals. They beat Oklahoma 71-60 in the first round.
► Baylor (Out of the projected field): The Bears lost to West Virginia 78-65 on Thursday in the Big 12 quarterfinals.
► Georgia (Out of the projected field): The Bulldogs lost to Kentucky 62-49 on Friday in the SEC tournament quarterfinals. They defeated Missouri 62-60 on Thursday in the second round.
► Oregon (Out of the projected field): The Ducks lost to USC 74-54 on Friday in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals. They beat Utah 68-66 on Thursday in the quarterfinals.
► LSU (On life support): The Tigers lost 80-77 on Thursday in the SEC tournament second round.
For RPI and other data on each bubble team, visit WarrenNolan.com — updated on the hour.
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