2026 March Madness Thread

[bearcatbret]

I know that it is early but Lunardi has 6 Big 12 teams on the bubble.
Joe Lunardi Breaks Down Big 12's March Madness Outlook | Fanrecap.com
The bubble would not even be a discussion if UC had taken care of Eastern Michigan, WVU, UCF and a couple of other losses.

[bearcatbret]

Lunardi's latest on the bubble teams:
Joe Lunardi Issues Firm Message To Big 12 Bubble Teams | Fanrecap.com

[KevMan1976]

Lunardi's latest on the bubble teams:
Joe Lunardi Issues Firm Message To Big 12 Bubble Teams | Fanrecap.com

Is it just me, or is that update. . .not much of an update?

[bearcatbret]

Big 12 bubble teams all won on Saturday. I am a bit disappointed that BYU lost. They will just be that much hungrier when they visit UC.
Big 12 Bubble Teams Stun with Perfect 4-0 Saturday Performance | Fanrecap.com

[Carthage World]

Need Purdue to win Ohio State today and Michigan State to win at Indiana.

[bearcatbret]

Still no change for UC:
Joe Lunardi Warns Big 12 Bubble Teams About March Madness Challenges | Fanrecap.com

[London 'Cat]

Still no change for UC:
Joe Lunardi Warns Big 12 Bubble Teams About March Madness Challenges | Fanrecap.com

The ‘Cats only path to the NCAAs is to win the BigXII tournament. Can’t get there without it.

[London 'Cat]

Need Purdue to win Ohio State today and Michigan State to win at Indiana.

1-1 today. tO$U defeats Purdue in Columbus. Spartans defeat IU in Bloomington. tO$U picks up a second Q1 victory, matching UC.

[Chewbacca2099]

The ‘Cats only path to the NCAAs is to win the BigXII tournament. Can’t get there without it.

I think you're close to right... if we could win the next 4 in a row that could do it. but also means we have to beat AZ, UH, Kansas, or TT in the conf tourney which I don't think we are capable of. We definitely could lose to BYU before that... They're going to be thirsty for a win after losing 2 in a row. I feel better about TCU for some reason.

[Carthage World]

1-1 today. tO$U defeats Purdue in Columbus. Spartans defeat IU in Bloomington. tO$U picks up a second Q1 victory, matching UC.

If one team had to win today, I think that was the better outcome for us. Ohio State had their foot further in the door for an at-large bid. IU is more squarely on the bubble. We'll need OSU to beat IU at home next Saturday.

[Carthage World]

There were no real bubble teams in action last night. NC State got blown out at home by 29 to Duke, but is still safely in the field as of now. They'd have to lose at home to Stanford this weekend to be put on the bubble.

Games of interest tonight (3/3)
TCU @ Texas Tech (need a Texas Tech win - a blowout would be nice for metrics)
Nebraska @ UCLA (need a Nebraska win)
George Mason @ VCU (could use a George Mason win although it appears unlikely to happen)
Oklahoma State @ UCF (could use an OK St win although it appears unlikely to happen)
Seton Hall @ Xavier (a Xavier win helps keep Seton Hall off the bubble)
Kentucky @ Texas A&M (need a Kentucky win)
West Virginia @ Kansas St (a KSU win helps keep WVU off the bubble)
San Diego St @ Boise St (need a Boise St win)
Boston College @ Virginia Tech (could use a BC win although it appears unlikely to happen)
LSU @ Auburn (could use an LSU win although it appears unlikely to happen)

[GoBearcats31]

There were no real bubble teams in action last night. NC State got blown out at home by 29 to Duke, but is still safely in the field as of now. They'd have to lose at home to Stanford this weekend to be put on the bubble.

Games of interest tonight (3/3)
TCU @ Texas Tech (need a Texas Tech win - a blowout would be nice for metrics)
Nebraska @ UCLA (need a Nebraska win)
George Mason @ VCU (could use a George Mason win although it appears unlikely to happen)
Oklahoma State @ UCF (could use an OK St win although it appears unlikely to happen)
Seton Hall @ Xavier (a Xavier win helps keep Seton Hall off the bubble)
Kentucky @ Texas A&M (need a Kentucky win)
West Virginia @ Kansas St (a KSU win helps keep WVU off the bubble)
San Diego St @ Boise St (need a Boise St win)
Boston College @ Virginia Tech (could use a BC win although it appears unlikely to happen)
LSU @ Auburn (could use an LSU win although it appears unlikely to happen)

Auburn is fascinating. They are 15-14 and 6-10 in the SEC. So best case for them, absent an SEC tourney title (and auto bid), will involve 15 losses. But look at their non-conference: played current No. 2 Arizona, No. 3 Michigan, No. 7 Houston, No. 15 Purdue, No. 18 St. John's (win), beat potential NCAA team NC State, plus beat a down Oregon. Granted the Arizona, Michigan and Purdue games were huge blow outs and Auburn has gone 1-7 of late.

If UC really really went on a run (beat BYU, win at TCU, win a couple games or more in Big 12 which would include upsetting an Arizona or Houston/Texas Tech), I don't see how the committee--with its full body of work approach--would not crush UC for the non-conference. They beat Dayton and lost all the other high major games. I don't think they should be punished by the EMU loss - it's already caused enough damage in the metrics. But even the optimist in me is skeptical of the committee taking UC's non-con performance seriously. But at the same time, maybe there is some precedent of a team that just hit its stride late and plays like a new team. I just feel like you hear every year they don't weight the recent games, but rather the full resume -- but perhaps there is some unavoidable recency bias. In any event, beat BYU.

[D.A.H.]

Auburn is fascinating. They are 15-14 and 6-10 in the SEC. So best case for them, absent an SEC tourney title (and auto bid), will involve 15 losses. But look at their non-conference: played current No. 2 Arizona, No. 3 Michigan, No. 7 Houston, No. 15 Purdue, No. 18 St. John's (win), beat potential NCAA team NC State, plus beat a down Oregon. Granted the Arizona, Michigan and Purdue games were huge blow outs and Auburn has gone 1-7 of late.

If UC really really went on a run (beat BYU, win at TCU, win a couple games or more in Big 12 which would include upsetting an Arizona or Houston/Texas Tech), I don't see how the committee--with its full body of work approach--would not crush UC for the non-conference. They beat Dayton and lost all the other high major games. I don't think they should be punished by the EMU loss - it's already caused enough damage in the metrics. But even the optimist in me is skeptical of the committee taking UC's non-con performance seriously. But at the same time, maybe there is some precedent of a team that just hit its stride late and plays like a new team. I just feel like you hear every year they don't weight the recent games, but rather the full resume -- but perhaps there is some unavoidable recency bias. In any event, beat BYU.

UC, for the foreseeable future, will not get the benefit of the doubt from the ncaa. anyone can use mumbo jumbo stats to prove anything they want to, and the ncaa will use any stats out there, to justify not taking uc.

[GoBearcats31]

UC, for the foreseeable future, will not get the benefit of the doubt from the ncaa. anyone can use mumbo jumbo stats to prove anything they want to, and the ncaa will use any stats out there, to justify not taking uc.

Yesterday, it was reported that the NCAA sent a memo warning about potential travel struggles that could impact the NCAA Tournament teams. What if, hypothetically, the committee was deciding between San Diego State or Cal and UC for the last spot -- any chance they could slip UC into Dayton for ease of travel?

Again, all these posts are worthless if UC does not take care of business tonight but I, personally, enjoy them at lease being relevant-ish at this time of year.

[London 'Cat]

UC, for the foreseeable future, will not get the benefit of the doubt from the ncaa. anyone can use mumbo jumbo stats to prove anything they want to, and the ncaa will use any stats out there, to justify not taking uc.

There isn’t a conspiracy to exclude UC from the NCAA tournament. Fact is the body of work doesn’t justify inclusion. 2-10 against Q1 opponents. A Q3 loss to EMU. Likely finish at .500 in conference with two wins against top half of the conference and losses to bottom half teams. UC hasn’t earned a bid and can only earn one by winning the BigXII tournament.