Bracketology 2023: Ranking all 18 teams on the bubble in terms of safety
By Joey Loose
Rutgers: 19-13 (10-10 in Big Ten) NET: 43
Their road upset win over Purdue wasn’t exactly the launching point many expected, but it remains the most important of their 5 Quad 1 wins this season. The Scarlet Knights find themselves on the bubble because of how they played down the stretch this season, losing six of their final eight regular season games, including dreadful performances at home against Nebraska, Michigan, and Northwestern.
However, there’s still plenty of hope for the Scarlet Knights thanks to their performance in the Big Ten Tournament. They had a dominant defensive effort against Michigan in the second round but face a much more significant challenge in top-seeded Purdue in the quarterfinals. It’s not rocket science to assume that Rutgers locks themselves into the Tournament with a win over the Boilermakers. At the very least, they still control their destiny, and even a close loss would resonate with the Selection Committee right now.
Mississippi State: 21-11 (8-10 in SEC) NET: 46
Mississippi State is making great strides in Chris Jans’ first season at the helm, but have the Bulldogs done enough to secure their place? There’s no easy answer at this point in the season, though they do have 4 Quad 1 wins and have played significantly better basketball in the last month or so. They had near misses against both Alabama and Kentucky and have knocked off Arkansas, TCU, and Texas A&M since late January.
What’s even more important is that the Bulldogs remain alive in the SEC Tournament, knocking out Florida in the second round on Thursday. A loss to the Gators would have been very detrimental to their resume; instead, it becomes just another Quad 2 victory. Obviously, a win over Alabama would secure Mississippi State’s place in the field of 68, but even with a loss they have a chance to dance, as that NET figure will likely slide up a few spots in the days to come.