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Bracketology Bubble Watch: UCLA, Texas trending upward

By Lukas Harkins

ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 6: Soap bubbles are seen in front of St. Peter's Basilica at sunset on February 6, 2019 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 6: Soap bubbles are seen in front of St. Peter's Basilica at sunset on February 6, 2019 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Boilermakers and Hoosiers fight.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Boilermakers and Hoosiers fight.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Lead-Pipe Locks: Maryland, MSU, PSU, OSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois

Safely in the field: None.

Some perspiration: Indiana, Rutgers

Double the deodorant: Purdue

Indiana Hoosiers (18-11, NET: 54)

Bracketology Average: IN (134/136 brackets) – 9.90 seed.

Indiana dropped back-to-back road games to Purdue and Illinois during this past week to fall a bit closer to the cutline. On the whole, neither one of those defeats was devastating by any stretch as the Hoosiers are still in decent shape heading into a two-game homestand. IU will finish its regular-season schedule in front of the Assembly Hall faithful against Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Hoosiers might only need one more win to solidify a tournament slot but two would definitely do the trick. I think that Archie and Co. will dance.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (19-11, NET: 32)

Bracketology Average: IN (124/136 brackets) – 10.69 seed.

Rutgers is perhaps the trickiest team to figure out with regard to bracketology. On the surface, the Scarlet Knights are definitely on the right side of the cutline and only helped themselves by taking down Maryland at home during this past week. Rutgers has a solid record, good rankings across all metrics, and are a respectable 8-10 in Q1+2 games. With that said, though, the Scarlet Knights have been absolutely putrid outside of Piscataway as they are 1-10 in road/neutral games. If the committee emphasizes performance away-from-home this season, Rutgers could be left out. This team finishes with Purdue on the road in what could be a huge game for its tournament hopes.

Purdue Boilermakers (16-14, NET: 33)

Bracketology Average: OUT (11/136 brackets)

Purdue did itself a lot of favors during this past week. Since sitting at .500 even for the last installment of my bubble watch, the Boilermakers secured a home win over Indiana and then put together one of their most impressive performances of the season by controlling Iowa on the road. Purdue is now 16-14 on the year with outstanding metric rankings. I find it hard to believe that the committee would let a 16-loss team in the tournament, though, so the Boilermakers need to defend their home court against Rutgers this weekend.

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