March Madness Bubble Teams: Cincinnati, Gonzaga, and Utah Fight for NCAA Tournament Spot

Introduction

Selection Sunday for the 2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament is just 31 days away. While some teams have already secured their spot in the field of 68, there are still many teams on the bubble. In this article, we will take a look at the current bubble breakdown and discuss the notable March Madness bubble teams.

The Bubble Breakdown

According to several March Madness bracket predictions, here is the breakdown of teams on the bubble:

• Last Four In: New Mexico, Ole Miss, Nevada, Utah
• First Four Out: Wake Forest, Gonzaga, Seton Hall, Cincinnati
• Next Four Out: St. John’s, Colorado, Providence, Villanova

Notable March Madness Bubble Teams

Cincinnati

• Record: 15-9, 4-7 Big 12
• NET: 36
• Quad 1 & Quad 2 Records: 4-8 (2-6 Quad 1, 2-2 Quad 2)
• Best Wins: Jan. 6 at BYU (#9 NET), Jan. 16 vs TCU (#40 NET), Feb. 3 at Texas Tech (#25 NET)
• Worst Losses: Jan. 31 at West Virginia (#143 NET)
• Remaining Games: Feb. 17 at UCF (#65 NET), Feb. 21 vs Oklahoma State (#137 NET), Feb. 24 at TCU (#40 NET), Feb. 27 at Houston (#1 NET), March 2 vs. Kansas State (#77 NET), March 5 at Oklahoma (#32 NET), March 9 vs West Virginia (#154 NET)

Cincinnati is looking to make their first trip to the Big Dance since 2019. They have had a tough stretch recently, with six of their seven losses coming by five or fewer points. To secure a spot in the tournament, they will need to finish strong and reach the 20-win mark.

Gonzaga

• Record: 18-6, 8-2 WCC
• NET: 23
• Quad 1 & Quad 2 Records: 3-6 (1-5 Quad 1, 2-1 Quad 2)
• Best Wins: Feb. 10 at Kentucky (#24 NET)
• Worst Losses: Jan. 11 at Santa Clara (#110 NET)
• Remaining Games: Feb. 15 at Loyola Marymount (#189 NET), Feb. 17 vs Pacific (#354 NET), Feb. 22 at Portland (#308 NET), Feb. 24 vs Santa Clara (#110 NET), Feb. 29 at San Francisco (#66 NET), March 2 at Saint Mary’s (#14 NET)

Gonzaga has made the NCAA Tournament 24 straight times, but their streak is in jeopardy this year. They have only one Quad 1 win so far and will need a strong finish to secure their spot.

Utah

• Record: 15-9, 6-7 Pac-12
• NET: 47
• Quad 1 & Quad 2 Records: 7-8 (3-6 Quad 1, 4-2 Quad 2)
• Best Wins: Nov. 16 vs Wake Forest (#37 NET), Nov. 27 at Saint Mary’s (#14 NET), Dec. 9 vs BYU (#9 NET), Dec. 29 vs Washington State (#38 NET), Feb. 3 vs Colorado (#35 NET)
• Worst Losses: Jan. 4 at Arizona State (#127 NET), Feb. 10 vs Arizona State (#127 NET)
• Remaining Games: Feb. 15 at USC (#109 NET), Feb. 18 at UCLA (#111 NET), Feb. 24 at Colorado (#35 NET), Feb. 29 vs Stanford (#99 NET), March 2 vs Cal (#125 NET), March 7 at Oregon State (#170 NET), March 9 at Oregon (#63 NET)

Utah started the season strong but has struggled recently. They will need to perform well in their remaining games, especially on the road, to secure a spot in the tournament.

Conclusion

As Selection Sunday approaches, these bubble teams will be fighting for their spot in the NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati, Gonzaga, and Utah are among the notable teams on the bubble. It will be an exciting month of college basketball as these teams battle it out for a chance to compete in March Madness.