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College Basketball Bubble Watch: Week 9

By Nathaniel Reeves

Jan 3, 2017; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward Wesley Iwundu (25) celebrates after scoring a three point basket during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won 90 to 88. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2017; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward Wesley Iwundu (25) celebrates after scoring a three point basket during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won 90 to 88. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 1, 2017; Newark, NJ, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Steve Wojciechowski reacts after a basket against the Seton Hall Pirates during the first half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Newark, NJ, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Steve Wojciechowski reacts after a basket against the Seton Hall Pirates during the first half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

Marquette Golden Eagles 

The Big East is shaping up to be a thrilling four-team race at the top, but there are a couple of bubble teams in the conference that will be worth keeping an eye on.

Marquette is one such program, as Steve Wojciechowski’s squad is currently projected as one of the first few teams out of the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Eagles are off to a 10-4 start, and really need to improve their 81st ranked RPI in the coming weeks.

There are some good wins on the resume, as Marquette won a neutral court game against Vanderbilt to open the season and later took down fellow bubble team Georgia on the road. Non-conference losses to Michigan, Pittsburgh and No. 13 Wisconsin also shouldn’t hurt the Golden Eagles too much in the committee’s eyes on Selection Sunday.

Still, the resume is missing some punch, as the Golden Eagles could use a ranked win over one of those four premier Big East teams. Marquette missed an opportunity on New Year’s Day in a narrow road loss against Seton Hall, which is currently on the right side of the bubble.

The Golden Eagles will get a few chances in the coming weeks to add to their profile, starting with a trip to Villanova on Saturday. If Marquette falls completely out of contention in Wojciechowski’s third season as head coach, there could be some questions about the program’s future.