March Madness 2024 Bubble Watch: Last Four In, First Four Out, more on Feb. 20
March Madness Bubble Watch: Last Four In
Team | Conference | Record | NET | Last Game | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nebraska | Big Ten | 18-8 (8-7) | 48 | W 68-49 Vs. Penn State | At Indiana 2/21 |
Butler | Big East | 16-10 (7-8) | 58 | L 79-57 Vs. No. 17 Creighton | At Villanova 2/20 |
Seton Hall | Big East | 17-9 (10-5) | 63 | W 68-62 At St. John's | Vs. Butler 2/24 |
Ole Miss | SEC | 19-6 (6-6) | 65 | W 79-76 Vs. Missouri | At Mississippi State 2/21 |
Nebraska took care of business against two Big Ten bottom feeders at home last week but still have the issue of a 3-6 Quad 1 record with only one road win all season. The NCAA Tournament won't be played in Nebraska so the Cornhuskers really need to beat Indiana at Assembly Hall to show they can handle business away from home.
Butler had a big opportunity to add a marquee win to their resume but failed to beat either Marquette or Creighton, dropping the Bulldogs to 4-9 in Quad 1 games. This week's two-game bubble trip to Villanova and Seton Hall provides the Bulldogs two more opportunities to improve that mark while also damaging their bubble rivals.
An epic comeback on Sunday against St. John's allowed Seton Hall to climb back into the field on the strength of its 5-5 record in Quad 1 games, a mark that includes a 15-point win over UCONN that is a gold star for their resume. Saturday's showdown with Butler is pivotal since it would give the Pirates a chance to complete a season sweep over the Bulldogs.
The Quad 1 wins situation could be a big problem for Ole Miss, which is 19-6 but picked up 14 of those wins against the bottom two quadrants. That is awfully light work for a potential tournament team and winning against fellow bubbler Mississippi State on Wednesday would be well-advised.