Northwestern

NO. 13 MICHIGAN (20-7, 10-4 Big Ten) AT NORTHWESTERN (16-10, 6-8 Big Ten)

 

Time: 8 p.m.

 

In this week's Bracketology projection, Northwestern and Miami enter the field in place of slumping Illinois and Minnesota. Arizona remains the last team out, while South Florida is now firmly in the picture.

 

While Mississippi State's (19-8, 6-6) NCAA tournament prospects won't boil down to just one game there's no mistaking the importance of their game against #1 Kentucky (26-1, 12-0) in light of their three-game losing streak. It's one thing to drop three straight games at this point in the season and another to have those defeats come against Georgia, LSU and Auburn. That's not going to get it done for Rick Stansbury's squad, and their inability to take care of the basketball in recent games has been a big reason why.

With games at #13 San Diego State and against #11 UNLV this week, Steve Alford's New Mexico Lobos had a great opportunity to not only take control of the Mountain West but also make a statement nationally. 

Mission accomplished. 

Now that I'm back from the NCAA's Mock Selection Committee, I finally have time to sit down and answer some of the many questions asked by readers and followers on twitter. Sitting in with the likes of Committee chairman Jeff Hathaway and NCAA Senior VP Greg Shaheen (the person who understands the selection process best), I certainly know more about the process than ever before.

 

Wednesday night's game between New Mexico and San Diego State was a big one for the visitors, as Steve Alford's team didn't own a single win over a Top 25 team. But also on the line was sole possession of first place in the Mountain West after UNLV fell at TCU on Tuesday night.

NORTHWESTERN (15-9, 5-7 Big Ten) AT NO. 20 INDIANA (19-6, 7-6 Big Ten)

 

Time: 6:30 p.m.

With Selection Sunday rapidly approaching the chances left for teams to improve their tournament resumes are dwindling, which makes this week vitally important to Steve Alford's New Mexico (20-4, 6-2) Lobos. While the have an impressive record there aren't a lot of marquee wins to their credit, but they've got a shot at one on the road as they visit #15 San Diego State (20-4, 6-2). What's also on the line this week: the driver's seat in the Mountain West race, as UNM has lost to both SDSU and UNLV while those two split their two meetings.

Based on CollegeHoops.net's most recent Bracketology projection, here is how the NCAA Tournament Bubble currently stands. CHN will publish Bubble Watch on Tuesday's following the Bracketology update.

 

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NORTHWESTERN (15-8, 5-6 Big Ten) AT PURDUE (15-9, 5-6 Big Ten)

 

Time: 6 p.m.