TCU Men’s Basketball’s clutch late-game comeback to take down West Virginia in Schollmaier Arena over the weekend may not have moved the needle nationally or in the detailed statistical metrics, but it was a desperately needed result for a Horned Frogs squad clinging to NCAA Tournament hopes. While the result only goes into the ledger as a Q2 victory, it allows TCU to keep pace and prevented the Mountaineers from adding a Q1 road win to its at-large resume. Now at 7-7 in conference play, TCU has a real opportunity to finish above .500 in the Big 12 for the first ever with several challenging but winnable games in the final two weeks of the regular season. Tuesday night presents another near must-win for TCU in Fort Worth, a Q2 contest vs. a frisky Arizona State team that took down Texas Tech last week. The Sun Devils are clinging to a faint flicker of hope to remain alive in the Bubble race, a flame the Frogs could douse on Tuesday night.
Note: all rankings are per NET unless otherwise noted
Impact Games of the Weekend
One of the tough truths about the Bubble race is that it takes a series of big-time wins to truly secure that spot in the LOCK column, but any loss can send you tumbling towards the abyss. Wisconsin locked up its bid with a dominant performance on Sunday in a winner-gets-locked showdown vs. Iowa. St. Louis also officially got locked into the Big Dance by outlasting VCU in A-10 heavyweight battle while the rest of the Bubble hopes the Billikens cruise through the A-10 Tournament to avoid any true bid thief. In addition to the aforementioned GCU Lopes, Oklahoma State & Creighton also took the killshot loss, each getting demolished on the road in must-win games to be knocked out of at-large contention. The Bubble is now left with 40 teams battling for just 18 possible at-large slots. There are many teams right on the brink of sustaining that final eliminating loss, with Washington, West Virginia, and Stanford now potentially just one loss away from getting the axe. The Horned Frogs remain just along the cut-line, depending on exactly where the field gets sliced, with another opportunity to deliver a damaging blow to a fellow Big 12 at-large contender with the Tuesday’s contest vs. Arizona State in Schollmaier Arena.
After a massive weekend across the sport, the week ahead is filled with opportunities for Bubble teams to make a big splash with resume-boosting opportunities across the board. With 11 marquee upset opportunities vs. already-locked programs, we could see some significant movement across the at-large landscape if anyone can pick up that signature win. The week will also feature five double-bubble showdowns with Iowa, SMU, and Saint Mary’s potentially locking up a bid with a win, while others can take a big step towards the right side of the Bubble.
Bubble Battles 🫧🆚🫧
Bubble vs. Locks 🫧🆚🔒
Bubble vs. Spoiler 🫧🆚❌