Bubble Update

The first two days of the major-conference tournaments have brought about several different situations. Bubble teams playing their way into the tournament; others playing their way out.

Teams attempting to play their way in: West Virginia looks to be a lock with two Big East tournament wins, including an impressive victory over Boston College...New Mexico, UTEP and George Washington are doing what they need to do to get a bid--avoid bad losses...North Carolina State dominated Florida State in a warm-up for Wake Forest...UAB may have clinched a bid with their huge, buzzer-beating win over DePaul...Iowa is doing their best to get back in the conversation with an expected victory over Purdue--they need to beat Michigan State tomorrow...Buffalo stayed in the discussion with a win in the quarterfinals of the MAC...Northern Iowa and Wichita State sat around and watched bubble teams lose...St. Joseph's needs to reach the final to get a chance...

Teams whose bubbles burst: Georgetown blew a chance to get a bid with their loss to Connecticut...Similarly, Notre Dame lost to #11 seed Rutgers to cost themselves a berth...Texas A&M is done after a disappointing loss to Kansas State...Houston went from almost in to NIT in 3 games--all losses...Maryland lost to Clemson for the third time (?!?!) to ruin any shot they had of getting a bid...Miami (Fl.) lost to Virginia to kill any shot they had of getting a bid...Vanderbilt got blown out by last-place Auburn, which assures them of the NIT...Kent State no longer has a shot after their loss in the quarerfinals of the MAC Tournament...