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Sunday, December 22, 2024
Sometimes, our best-laid plans just flop. In March, this writer rolled out a historical series looking at NCAA Tournament at-large selection and the proverbial ‘bubble’, examining teams just above and below the cutline in the tourney every year from 1985 through 2019. The series ran in early March, five years […]
Part 6 of our year-by-year deep dives looking at the NCAA Tournament bubbles past brings us to the years 2010-14. The 68-team tourney arrives, TV commentators go ballistic about VCU’s selection in its Final Four year, and inspired picks in 2012 and 2013 are followed by a decided shift in committee philosophy the next year.
The first two NCAA Tournament bids went out after dramatic finishes in championship games to set the stage. Plus a long day of tournaments ends with a thrilling back-and-forth between two star guards, a surprise champion in the ACC and a three-way tie atop the Big East.
After higher seeds routinely won the first couple of days, the Missouri Valley Conference highlighted a day where several lower seeds won. Plus one more regular season title has been clinched, a blueblood disagrees with some allegations levied against them, and the show will go on for one school next week.
In our latest podcast, we talk about a close call in the Mountain West Tournament and most of the power conferences being largely undecided heading into the final days before conference tournaments are the only game in town.
As conference tournaments get into full swing, the Mountain West takes center stage with its share of drama, including a shocker to end the day. Plus the Huskies get a big win to affect the top of their conference race, the Pac-12 is down to two for its regular season crown, and the Eagles soar above their competitors to control their own destiny in the Big Sky.
Part 4 of our look back at Selection Sundays and NCAA Tournament bubbles over the last 35 years moves into a new decade with our review of 2000-04. Strength of schedule becomes king, Barry Hinson has his first notable snub, and Butler in 2002 and Utah State in 2004 beg the question of just how much do teams like them need to win to get a bid.
The Spartans got a big win with a dramatic finish, but let’s hope both their opponent and the sport didn’t lose a bright young star. Plus a team remains undefeated overall, another stays undefeated in conference, and a traditional power continues to struggle at home.
Another long losing streak has come to an end, and against an unlikely opponent as well. Plus a tale of two halves in the ACC, some big shooting in the Big East and one Big Ten game, and a Big 12 team is finally on the board as well.
Can the ACC picture for the NCAA Tournament get any more murky? Plus no surprises in the Big Ten despite one team without key players, rallies in the SEC and a health concern postpones a couple of games.
