Utah State dispatched New Mexico and Boise State to solidify its at-large case and, most likely, additionally bypass a Dayton play-in sport. The Aggies may also help themselves just a little extra Saturday in opposition to San Diego State within the Mountain West title sport.
In the meantime, there hasn’t been a lot chaos, and the potential for it has been decreased considerably going into the following two days. Solely 5 attainable bid snatchers — Cincinnati, Ohio State, Tulane, UAB and Vanderbilt — can nonetheless create mischief for the sting of the sector, and it’s attainable all of them are cleared out by the tip of play on Saturday. Of the group, solely UAB has reached a convention title sport.
If these groups all lose, it is going to be a quiet Sunday afternoon for groups like Arizona State (which fell in Friday’s Pac-12 semifinals to Arizona), Oklahoma State and Rutgers as they anticipate the choice committee’s work to conclude. However for now, there are nonetheless methods for the sector to be disrupted.
As for Saturday’s highlights …
Massive Ten semifinal: No. 13 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Purdue, 1 p.m. (CBS)
For the fourth consecutive day, Ohio State’s season might come to an finish. The Buckeyes (16-18) haven’t allowed that to occur but, navigating their well past Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan State. They’re the final bid-snatcher left within the Massive Ten, and the common season champion Boilermakers (27-5) will attempt to do a strong to the workforce it simply beat within the quarterfinals (Rutgers) and at last deliver Ohio State’s season to an in depth.
Bracket affect: None if Purdue wins, besides to render the Massive Ten last irrelevant to groups on the fringe of the sector. If Ohio State advances it is going to be a chaotic variable proper all the way down to the ultimate hours earlier than Sunday’s choice present.
American semifinals: No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Cincinnati, 3 p.m. (ESPN2); No. 2 Memphis vs. No. 3 Tulane, approx. 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
The story is identical as yesterday. If both Houston or Memphis wins the American, the league will land two bids. If anybody else does, it is going to be a three-bid league. The Cougars and Tigers can ensure there aren’t any extra “anybody elses” by the shut of play Saturday.
Bracket affect: The American might filter its potential bid thieves if Houston and Memphis advance, making Sunday significantly much less nerve-racking for the sting of the sector. In fact, if each lose Saturday, then a shock automated qualifier would develop into a given.
SEC semifinal: No. 2 Texas A&M vs. No. 6 Vanderbilt, approx. 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Vanderbilt’s newest feat was Friday’s 80-73 defeat of Kentucky within the quarterfinals. The Commodores (20-13) had been a sub-.500 workforce heading into play a month in the past however have systematically picked off lots of the good groups within the SEC because the begin of February: Kentucky (twice), Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee. Vanderbilt’s profile has its flaws, however Jerry Stackhouse’s bunch does nicely in results-based metrics and is inching nearer to the sector.
Bracket affect: The Commodores most likely want not less than yet one more victory to keep away from falling brief. The duty of ousting the SEC’s final potential bid thief’s hopes falls to Texas A&M, which rallied previous Arkansas in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Convention USA last: No. 1 Florida Atlantic vs. No. 3 UAB, 8:30 p.m. (CBS Sports activities Community)
To date, so good for groups squirming on the fringe of the sector. Florida Atlantic survived a spirited run from Center Tennessee on Friday and now sits 40 minutes away from its first NCAA event berth since 2002 and first and solely Convention USA title (the 30-3 Owls transfer into the American subsequent season). Jordan “Jelly” Walker, who’s averaging 23.6 factors, and the Blazers (25-8) await within the last.
Bracket affect: C-USA is a one-bid league if Florida Atlantic wins. However because the Owls’ profile is so good, it will safely land within the at-large pool if UAB triumphs.
Different multi-bid league finals
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Massive 12 (Kansas Metropolis, Mo.): No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 2 Texas, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Kansas (27-6) goes to be a No. 1 seed — possibly the No. 1 seed. Texas (25-8) isn’t falling any additional than a No. 2 seed no matter Saturday’s sport. With a 13-8 report in Quadrant 1 video games, the Longhorns’ profile already has its share of heft.
Mountain West (Las Vegas): No. 1 San Diego State vs. No. 3 Utah State, 6 p.m. (CBS)
San Diego State (26-6) ousted the final attainable bid thief within the Mountain West with its semifinal defeat of San José State. Utah State (26-7) has gained seven in a row to successfully lock up an at-large berth, together with Friday’s 72-62 defeat of Boise State.
Massive East (New York): No. 1 Marquette vs. No. 2 Xavier, 6:30 p.m. (Fox)
Each Marquette (27-6) and Xavier (25-8) are proper across the No. 3 and No. 4 strains. Xavier has a four-point victory over the Golden Eagles, whereas Shaka Sensible’s workforce earned an everyday season break up with a 69-68 triumph on Feb. 15.
ACC (Greensboro, N.C.): No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 4 Duke, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Virginia (25-6) claimed an time beyond regulation victory over the Blue Devils on Feb. 11 that was memorable largely as a result of the ACC shortly admitted an officiating error that occurred on the finish of regulation. Duke (25-8) hasn’t misplaced since, bringing an eight-game profitable streak into Saturday because it seeks to win its first event below Jon Scheyer and maybe transfer as much as the No. 5 line.
Pac-12 (Las Vegas): No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 2 Arizona, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
It’s the rubber sport for the Bruins (29-4), winners of 12 in a row, and the Wildcats (27-6). Every workforce held serve at house in opposition to one another, they usually’ve mixed for under three different losses since Jan. 14. It’s the title sport this 12 months’s Pac-12 deserves.
America East: No. 2 UMass Lowell at No. 1 Vermont, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)
Mid-Jap Athletic (Norfolk): No. 1 Howard vs. No. 3 Norfolk State, 1 p.m. (ESPN2)
Southwestern Athletic (Birmingham, Ala.): No. 2 Grambling State vs. No. 8 Texas Southern, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Metro Atlantic (Atlantic Metropolis): No. 1 Iona vs. No. 11 Marist, 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Mid-American (Cleveland): No. 1 Toledo vs. No. 2 Kent State, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Massive West (Henderson, Nev.): No. 2 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 4 Cal State Fullerton, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Western Athletic (Las Vegas): No. 3 Southern Utah vs. No. 5 Grand Canyon, 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Different convention event video games
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Atlantic 10 semifinals (Brooklyn): No. 1 VCU vs. No. 4 Saint Louis, 1 p.m. (CBS Sports activities Community); No. 2 Dayton vs. No. 3 Fordham, approx. 3:30 p.m. (CBS Sports activities Community)
Massive Ten semifinals (Chicago): No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 10 Penn State, approx. 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Ivy League semifinals (Princeton, N.J.): No. 1 Yale vs. No. 4 Cornell, 11 a.m. (ESPNU); No. 3 Penn at No. 2 Princeton, approx. 1:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
SEC semifinal (Nashville): No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Missouri, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
Final 4 included: Pitt, Windfall, Oklahoma State, Rutgers
First 4 on the surface: Arizona State, Wisconsin, Clemson, Vanderbilt
Subsequent 4 on the surface: Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, Oregon
Transferring in: Southern Utah, UC Santa Barbara
Transferring out: UC Irvine, Utah Valley
Convention name: Massive Ten (9), Massive 12 (8), SEC (8), ACC (5), Massive East (5), Mountain West (3), Pac-12 (3), American Athletic (2), West Coast (2)
Bracket projection: South vs. West, Midwest vs. East
Indiana bought the combo it most likely wanted to have an opportunity to get to the No. 4 line — a victory over Maryland and a Miami loss to Duke (a Virginia loss would have additionally sufficed). Yet another triumph may lock the Hoosiers into the highest line. … The Massive Ten event has executed no good for Iowa. Not solely did the Hawkeyes lose to Ohio State, however their Quad 1 victories at house over Michigan State and Illinois had been decreased to Quad 2s when these groups went one-and-done.
Nonetheless waffling over the Baylor/Gonzaga alternative for the eighth and ninth spots within the discipline. The Bears are in double figures in each Quad 1 victories and general losses. … Perhaps Northwestern doesn’t keep on the No. 7 line after a loss to Penn State within the Massive Ten event, however the Wildcats gained’t fall far. They’re 7-5 in Quad 1 video games with no dangerous losses. Their lowest seeding can be in an 8/9 sport, and even that looks like a stretch.
Tennessee goes to be a No. 3 or a No. 4 seed, however regardless of the committee’s verdict, the Volunteers are 5-7 because the begin of February and misplaced guard Zakai Zeigler to an ACL tear throughout that stretch. They don’t appear like a workforce that may final lengthy within the NCAA event. … Two wins this month over Boise State ought to guarantee Utah State is the second-highest seeded Mountain West workforce behind San Diego State. …
At this level, UCLA has executed sufficient to lock in a top-two seed within the West. The Bruins could have a Sacramento/Las Vegas path to the Ultimate 4 if that certainly holds up. … Duke is inching nearer to a No. 5 seed, and it’d simply get there if it beats Virginia within the ACC last.
In some unspecified time in the future, Kansas’s 17-6 report in Quadrant 1 video games warrants much more respect. The Jayhawks slide as much as the No. 2 general seed on this projection after dispatching Iowa State. … It will likely be a stress-free Choice Sunday for Penn State, which nobody would have guessed was coming when it misplaced its first 4 February video games and sunk to 14-11. The Nittany Lions have since gained seven of eight. …
Perhaps Marquette might scramble as much as the No. 2 line by finishing a Massive East double championship, however the Golden Eagles certain appear like a rock-solid No. 3 seed at this level. … These 4 Quadrant 3 losses ought to make Rutgers followers a bit nervous. It’s the form of distinguishing attribute nobody needs to have. There’s an honest case to be made for Arizona State slipping into the sector forward of the Scarlet Knights.
Seems like Connecticut will settle right into a No. 4 or possibly a No. 5 seed and play comparatively close by in Albany for the opening weekend. The Huskies misplaced to Marquette in Friday’s Massive East semifinals. … With Duke and Texas A&M nonetheless pushing upward a bit, St. Mary’s might wind up falling to the No. 6 line. As a counterpoint, the Gaels are within the high 20 of 5 of the six metrics on the workforce sheets — and the highest 20 correlates to a No. 5 seed or higher. …
Kentucky most likely isn’t getting higher than a No. 6 seed, however contemplating the Wildcats had been 16-9 and much from a certain factor when it comes to making the event a month in the past, it’s not a foul place for John Calipari’s program to seek out itself. … N.C. State bought hopscotched by Penn State and fell to the No. 11 line, however the Wolfpack shouldn’t fear an excessive amount of about truly making the sector. N.C. State doesn’t have an ideal profile, nevertheless it isn’t severely flawed.
