Selection Sunday is almost here folks, it is almost time for the greatest three weeks in basketball. On Sunday, the Selection Committee will announce the field of 68 that will make up this year’s tournament. 24 conference champions will be crowned in the coming days, who will receive automatic bids and the other 44 teams will receive at-large bids. According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, these are some of the bubble teams. All of them have the opportunity to build their resumes, with some impressive wins in the conference tournament.
Here are my predictions…
Team 1: Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners have struggled mightily lately losing eight of their last 10 games. The Sooners had an opportunity to build some momentum in the Big 12 Tournament but lost to in-state rival Oklahoma State yesterday. They have some impressive wins on their resume, but nearly all of them came early in the season. If it were not for such a torrid start to the season, the Sooners would not even be in the conversation.
Trae Young is one of the most exciting players in college basketball. Unfortunately for the Sooners and their fans Young’s awesome play has not resulted in many wins recently. The way they have played the past three weeks does not warrant an NCAA tournament appearance.
However, the Sooners will make the tournament because the committee will have a hard time excluding one of the sport’s most entertaining players.
Verdict: NCAA Tournament Bound
Team 2: Alabama Crimson Tide
With the emergence of Auburn and Tennessee, the SEC has become one of the more entertaining and competitive conferences this year. Alabama is led by their outstanding backcourt duo of Collin Sexton and John Petty. The Crimson Tide were a tournament team, until their recent slide losing five games in a row heading into the conference tournament.
They have numerous impressive wins throughout the season including victories over Auburn, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida each victory coming when those teams were ranked. In order to have any shot at making the tournament, they needed to take care of Texas A&M in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Defeating Texas A&M with Collin Secton’s buzzer beater, they will have that opportunity, to take down the number one seeded Auburn Tigers again.
Collin Sexton and John Petty will outduel Bryce Brown and Mustapha Heron getting another upset victory to clinch an NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time since 2012.
Verdict: NCAA Tournament Bound
Team 3: UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are in a much different position than around the same time last year when they were clearly in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have a much different roster this season but are still lead by a trio of talented players Aaron Holiday, Kris Wilkes and Thomas Welsh. They are coming off a big win to conclude the regular season, against crosstown rival USC.
The Bruins are the number four seed in the Pac 12 Tournament and will take on number five Stanford later today. With a win over the Cardinal, that should be just enough for the Bruins to find their way into the tournament field. However, defeating the Cardinal would set up a matchup with number one Arizona tomorrow night.
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The Bruins have already defeated the Wildcats and certainly have the offensive firepower to do so again.
Verdict: NCAA Tournament Bound
Team 4: Arizona State
Arizona State started the season as one of the hottest teams in college basketball at 12-0. Recently, however, the Sun Devils have struggled getting bounced in the first round of the Pac 12 Tournament by Colorado. The Sun Devils needed a first-round victory over Colorado, which would have set up a second-round matchup with number one Arizona.After losing to Colorado they lost six of their last seven games.
Arizona State’s biggest marquee victories over Xavier and Kansas were in the first two weeks of the season. Arizona State needed one more impressive victory to make the NCAA tournament but will not have that opportunity.
While the Sun Devils had a fantastic start to their season, their late season struggles ultimately will keep them out of this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Verdict: NIT Bound
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