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Bracketology 2023: Dayton, Missouri and Texas Tech among week’s biggest losers

By Tristan Freeman

Dec 31, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard De'Vion Harmon (23) reacts during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard De'Vion Harmon (23) reacts during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jose Perez
Bracketology West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

Missouri Tigers

The Tigers were one of the biggest surprises midway through the season, making a national statement after beating Kentucky. But they came back down to Earth this week, suffering two straight losses. One was to Texas A&M earlier in the week, with the other being against Florida.

Both were on the road and are Quad 1 defeats so the damage is minimum for the Tigers’ resume. But the NET ranking for Missouri is around 50 and outside of Kentucky and Illinois, there’s literally nothing else for the team’s resume to speak on. So if they end up struggling going forward in SEC play, the Tigers could easily end up on the wrong side of the bubble soon. And with Arkansas and Alabama coming up at home, the losing skid could continue.

West Virginia Mountaineers

Big 12 play has been brutal for the Mountaineers, losing all four games by a combined 20 points and another being a blowout to Kansas. They were in a position to beat either Baylor or Oklahoma this week and failed to do so, now creeping ever so slightly toward the wrong side of the bubble.

The good news for West Virginia is that there are no bad losses in the Big 12 and they still don’t have any losses outside of Quad 1. But they’re now just 1-7 in Quad 1 games, with Pittsburgh being its lone good win of the season. The metrics and top-30 NET ranking are saving them at the moment but at some point, they have to start winning games.

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