The last seven teams in my bracket and the first three out were all scheduled to be in action Wednesday. The only game not involving one of those ten teams – Syracuse at Louisville – was postponed as the Cardinals continue to sit out due to COVID-19.
Minnesota dropped to 0-8 on the road with an 82-72 loss at Indiana. The Gophers were without starter Gabe Kalscheur, who is out indefinitely with a hand injury suffered in practice this week.
Utah State is still looking for a road win over a good team after losing at Boise State. The loss knocked the Aggies out of first place in the Mountain West. The Broncos are now two games ahead in the win column. San Diego State is four games back in the win column and the Aztecs are in action Thursday. Those three teams, along with Colorado State, each have three conference losses.
Maryland swept the home series with Nebraska to run their record to 12-10 and Loyola survived a scare from Valparaiso.
It is a busy schedule once again Thursday. The entire Pac-12 bubble contingent is in action, but the highlight game is from the top of the American Athletic Conference, where Wichita State hosts Houston. Hope you are ready to stay up late. The Shockers-Cougars game is the only one that starts before 9 p.m. ET.
Here are the bubble teams in action Thursday. All times Eastern
Thursday's 'double-bubble' game
| Team | Game | Time (TV) | Bubble breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLORADO | 11 p.m. (ESPN2) | The Buffaloes have done reasonably well against better competition. They are 7-3 against Quads 1-2, with wins over USC, Stanford and Oregon. However, they also have three bad losses, the most recent of which was a 71-62 defeat at Cal on Saturday. That lack of consistency could hurt them in the end. | |
| AT OREGON | Oregon was the preseason favorite in the Pac-12, but had a lengthy interruption due to COVID that led, in part, to the Ducks' two worst losses of the season. They seem to have turned things around and are coming off of a sweep of the Arizona road trip. This weekend's games are Oregon's final home games of the regular season, so it is important to take advantage of them. |
Bubble teams in action Thursday
| Team | Game | Time (TV) | Bubble breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| WICHITA STATE vs. Houston | 7 p.m. (ESPN2) | It is not possible to understate the importance of this game to Wichita State. The Shockers are not likely to make the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team without a win over Houston. There just aren't any other teams in the AAC that can provide that pop for the selection committee. They came within seven points of the Cougars at Houston earlier this season. | |
| UCLA vs. Arizona | 9 p.m. (ESPN2) | The Bruins have been struggling lately and now find themselves on the bubble. They have lost three of their last five after previously winning seven in a row. None of the losses are bad, but UCLA has dropped to 3-5 vs Q1-2. The Bruins beat the Arizona schools on the road earlier this season. | |
| SAN DIEGO STATE at Fresno State | 10 p.m. (CBSSN) | The Aztecs find themselves in a four-way tie for first in the loss column in the Mountain West, but have four fewer wins than Boise State. They are still looking for their first Quad 1 win, but that will have to wait. They are also just 1-3 against the other two contenders. Boise State will visit next week, but it will not mean much if the Aztecs do not handle Fresno State first. | |
| STANFORD at Washington | 11 p.m. (FS1) | Stanford has been playing hit-and-miss basketball for a month and needs to turn this homestand into momentum. The Huskies are near the bottom of the Pac-12, so this game is really must win for Stanford's fading tournament hopes. |