As I get home and review the scores of this afternoon’s games, there were some interesting outcomes.  While some of them looked like they were great games (like Florida State beating Virginia Tech 65-63 in overtime), I am going to stick to the bubble.  All the FSU / VT game tells me is that both teams play tenacious defense, and are both going to be difficult teams to beat in the tournament (unless their offenses go completely cold and it is just a question of if the ball ever goes in the basket for either team).

Editor’s note: I did not watch these games – these are purely analyses from what I am seeing in the ESPN recaps.  If I ream them for their stat department saying silly things, I should give them credit for their writers doing the recaps.  These are simply the Lunatic’s analysis from what he views from the score.

• Villanova 73, Providence 62 – It looks like Providence kept this game closer for most of the game than what the final score suggests.  But Providence might have needed better than a decent performance.
• Ohio State 79, Indiana 75 – With a little over 7 minutes left in the game, the Buckeyes were up by 20 points.  Then, the Hoosiers stormed back to cut the lead all the way down to 2 before the Buckeyes finished off the game from the line.  So many thoughts.  At the end of the day, OSU won – this was critical for them, they had to show they could win now that Kaleb Wesson was back from his three game suspension – and they did.  If that makes the committee ignore the three games he was out, the Buckeyes are probably in.  As for the Hoosiers, is it possible that a 7 minute stretch in a losing effort saved their season.  I think that if they had been blown out by 20, they probably would be done.  Now they are in the boat that I think Oklahoma is in – a NET ranking that says that they should be in with a profile that says they should be out.  This result means the Hoosiers went 8-13 in the Big 10.  I will have to evaluate the teams the way I think the Committee will look at them – but I just don’t know that being 5 games under 500 in conference says that you are tournament ready.
• Virginia 76, North Carolina State 56 – the Wolfpack had the opposite of Indiana in this game.  NC State was beating what might be the top team in the country by 2 points at halftime.  And then everything went wrong in the second half.  Before this game, the Wolfpack’s profile screamed I can beat the teams I am supposed to, but I can’t beat any of the top teams.  This game didn’t do anything to change the profile.
• Iowa St 83, Baylor 66 – The Cyclones jumped out to a first half lead and never looked back.  I suspect Baylor is still safe – they had one of the safer profiles on the bubble.  But not the best lasting impression.
• Florida 66, Arkansas 50 – Florida had been struggling so they needed a win – and they got one.  Arkansas needed to get a win in order to make the Committee take a closer look at them – and they obviously did not get that win.
• Xavier 63, Creighton 61 – The Musketeers were down 7 with just 2:20 in the game, and then they came charging back.  Xavier went on a 10-1 run to finish the game, and they are still alive in the Big East Championship.  Still struggling to interpret the Big East bubble – this game showed these two teams are so close to each other.  Not sure all of them can get in though.  At a minimum, this bumped Xavier’s profile slightly and hurt Creighton’s profile slightly.
• Kansas State 70, TCU 61 – TCU led by 2 at halftime but Kansas State rallied in the second half to beat the bubble game.  This would have been a big win for the Horned Frogs.  Don’t think the loss hurts them – but it certainly isn’t the win that could have solidified their profile and improved their standing on the bubble.
• Washington 78, USC 75 – Really, Washington.  I kept thinking that I don’t really need to think hard about the Huskies – the Pac 12 champion has to be in right.  So, very thankful that the Trojans didn’t upset them today and cause the Pac 12 tournament to turn into a Bid Stealing tournament where their champion was potentially out for good.  Still think the Huskies are safe – but it looks like the Pac 12 tourney could be fun to watch just for the drama.
• Nebraska 69, Maryland 61 – Lets face it – with a 6-14 conference record, the only reason the Cornhuskers are here is because their NET ranking is in the top 80.  But have to admit that beating Maryland is better than some of the bubble teams are doing – they beat a locked team.  If they beat Wisconsin tomorrow, things might start to become interesting on the Big 10 bubble.
• Memphis 83, Tulane 68 – If Memphis wants to get noticed as a smaller conference team and a NET ranking of 53, they are going to need to win tomorrow against UCF.   But this is obviously big for them – while beating Tulane doesn’t get them in, losing to Tulane certainly would have knocked them out.

Looks like there are a lot more good games tonight – whether you want to watch bubble teams like Alabama, Mississippi,  Colorado, St. John’s, Minnesota, Syracuse, Texas, Arizona State, Iowa, Seton Hall, Oregon and Georgetown make their case to be considered (and I might have missed a bubble team in that run down).  Or if you simply want to see Zion Williamson play (then you get to watch him and Syracuse – double bonus!)  Or you want to see locks play – Louisville is playing UNC right now (should be a fantastic game).  Tonight should have a lot of great games!!!!!!!!