Busting Brackets
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Bracketology Bubble Watch: Who deserves at-large consideration?

By Lukas Harkins

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Bubbles are seen prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium on October 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Bubbles are seen prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium on October 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – MARCH 17: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 17: NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

Bracketology season is heating up and teams around the nation are attempting to land crucial victories. Which teams reside on the Bubble Watch right now?

The NCAA Tournament draws closer every single day. With now less than a month left until Selection Sunday, each game matters all that much more (even though they are all weighted equally for selection purposes) and bracketology is heating up around the country. As you already probably know, I release my updated fields on Tuesday’s and Friday’s while also publishing this complete bubble watch breakdown every week.

For those who are new to my bubble watch, this piece is meant to break down each team currently in consideration for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The article is broken down by conference and each team is given an identifier of where they currently stand with regards to the bubble. Additionally, I include the metrics for each team (NET, KPI, BPI, etc.), their quadrant records, and my current projected bracketology seed.

As a quick refresher, here is a quick breakdown of what each of the categories in this piece signifies:

Lead-pipe lock: Barring a massive collapse or huge injury issues, these teams are sure-fire NCAA Tournament teams. They are No. 1-7 seeds in just about everyone’s projected fields and it would be a shock for them to tank out of the field.

Firmly in the field: These teams have the potential to reach the “lead-pipe lock” category in next week’s edition of the bubble watch. Through the first few months of the season, they have put together a great resume and are in just about everyone’s projected bracketology field. They usually hold No. 7-9 seeds.

Some perspiration: Teams in this category might not be on the verge of missing the NCAA Tournament but they cannot afford major slides in the coming weeks. As long as they play as they have been, an at-large bid is in their future. These teams usually currently hold No. 8-10 seeds.

Double the deodorant: These are the squads who would be sweating out Selection Sunday most if the tournament started today. They have work left to do in the coming months to secure a spot in the Big Dance and are usually either in the tournament as a No. 10-12 seed or on the outside looking in.

So, without any further ado, let’s dive into the fourth edition of the 2019 bubble watch!

This update to the bracketology bubble watch is completed prior to the games on Friday, Feb. 22.

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