At some point, you just have to win some games.
That goes for you, Michigan State. Yes, the NCAA tournament field is bigger. But Sparty is 16-12 (15-12 when the selection committee takes out the defeat of Division II Chaminade) and just hasn’t done enough even with the nation’s No. 5 schedule as a cushion to fall back on.
SEE RELATED:In many ways, being close to a postseason berth is telling, a reflection of (a) A weak season and (b) The value to so-so teams of adding three spots in the NCAA tournament.
In short, the area around the bubble is still a mess. This is an attempt to sort it out. Fortunately, there’s two weeks of real games that can still do that.
EAST REGION
Cleveland
(1) BIG TEN/Ohio State vs. (16) SOUTHLAND/McNeese State-SWAC-Texas Southern
(8) Kansas State vs. (9) Florida State
Tucson, Ariz.
(4) Connecticut vs. (13) MISSOURI VALLEY/Missouri State
(5) Kentucky vs. (12) HORIZON/Cleveland State
Tucson, Ariz.
(3) San Diego State vs. (14) METRO ATLANTIC/Fairfield
(6) Missouri vs. (11) Michigan
Chicago
(2) Notre Dame vs. (15) MID-AMERICAN/Kent State
(7) UCLA vs. (10) WESTERN ATHLETIC/Utah State
SOUTHEAST REGION
Cleveland
(1) BIG EAST/Pittsburgh vs. (16) BIG SKY/Northern Colorado-MEAC/Bethune-Cookman
(8) UNLV vs. (9) Old Dominion
Washington
(4) North Carolina vs. (13) SUMMIT/Oakland
(5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) CONFERENCE USA/UAB
Denver
(3) Wisconsin vs. (14) AMERICA EAST/Vermont
(6) Villanova vs. (11) Gonzaga
Tulsa, Okla.
(2) Texas vs. (15) BIG WEST/Long Beach
(7) Temple vs. (10) Marquette
SOUTHWEST REGION
Tulsa, Okla.
(1) BIG 12/Kansas vs. (16) OHIO VALLEY/Murray State
(8) Illinois vs. (9) Cincinnati
Tampa, Fla.
(4) SEC/Florida vs. (13) IVY/Princeton
(5) St. John’s vs. Boston College/Memphis
Washington
(3) Syracuse vs. (14) SOUTHERN/College of Charleston
(6) PAC-10/Arizona vs. (11) Richmond
Charlotte, N.C.
(2) ACC/Duke vs. (15) NORTHEAST/Long Island
(7) COLONIAL/George Mason vs. (10) WEST COAST/Saint Mary’s
WEST REGION
Denver
(1) MOUNTAIN WEST/Brigham Young vs. (16) BIG SOUTH/Coastal Carolina
(8) West Virginia vs. (9) Tennessee
Tampa, Fla.
(4) Louisville vs. (13) ATLANTIC SUN/Belmont
(5) ATLANTIC 10/Xavier vs. (12) Clemson/Colorado
Charlotte, N.C.
(3) Georgetown vs. (14) PATRIOT/Bucknell
(6) Texas A&M vs. (11) Virginia Tech
Chicago
(2) Purdue vs. (15) SUN BELT/Florida Atlantic
(7) Georgia vs. (10) Washington
Last four in: Colorado, Boston College, Memphis, Clemson
Last four out: Michigan State, Colorado State, Oklahoma State, Butler
Next four out: Virginia Commonwealth, Dayton, Minnesota, Marshall
Conference call: Big East (11), ACC (6), Big 12 (6), Big Ten (5), Southeastern (5), Atlantic 10 (3), Mountain West (3), Pac-10 (3), Colonial (2), Conference USA (2), West Coast (2)
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