andyokstate
02-09-2010, 09:58 AM
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bubblewatch?id=100
Big 12 Conference
Locks: KU, KSU, UT
Teams that should be in: Texas A&M
Work left to do: Baylor, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Missouri
With Texas losing four of its last six games, No. 1 Kansas is threatening to run away with the Big 12 race. The Jayhawks have opened up a three-game lead over the Longhorns. UT will stay in "lock" status for now, but another lousy week could cost it a guaranteed spot in the 65-team field. Texas A&M is working hard to earn an invitation, while Missouri and Oklahoma State suddenly seem headed in the wrong direction.
Texas A&M [17-6 (6-3), RPI: 20, SOS: 11] The Aggies are right back in the thick of the Big 12 race, after winning three straight games on the heels of a 2-3 slide. In fact, few bubble teams had as good of a week as Texas A&M, which beat Missouri on the road 77-74 on Wednesday, ending the Tigers' 32-game winning streak at Mizzou Arena. On Saturday, the Aggies beat fellow Big 12 bubble team Baylor 78-71 at home. With a 6-3 mark against Big 12 foes, the Aggies are tied with Kansas State, Texas and Missouri in the loss column for second place in the league standings. Texas A&M goes for a sweep of Texas Tech on Saturday, and then plays No. 1 Kansas on Big Monday on Feb. 15. The Aggies have four victories over RPI top-50 foes, beating Baylor (home), Texas Tech (home), Clemson (neutral court) and Missouri (road).
Baylor [17-5 (4-4), RPI: 28, SOS: 26] The Bears have fallen into a habit of winning a game and then dropping one. Baylor is only 4-4 over its last eight games, after losing at Texas A&M on Saturday. With a 3-3 mark against RPI top-50 opponents and 7-3 record against the top 100, the Bears should still be in pretty good shape, barring a collapse down the stretch. The Bears have three high-quality victories, beating Texas (road), Xavier (neutral court) and Oklahoma State (home). Nonconference wins over South Carolina and Arizona State also look better than they did a few weeks ago. The Bears can't afford any hiccups down the stretch, so they need to win at Nebraska on Wednesday before hosting Missouri on Saturday. If Oklahoma keeps winning, Baylor might face a fellow Big 12 bubble team in six consecutive regular-season games, before ending with Texas.
Texas Tech [15-7 (3-5), RPI: 32, SOS: 15] The Red Raiders keep doing just enough to hang on the fringe of the bubble discussion. After losing three of its last five games, the Red Raiders beat Oklahoma State 81-74 at home on Saturday. Texas Tech is only 1-7 against RPI top-50 opponents and 4-7 against the top 100. But it might get more help from victories over UTEP and Washington than originally believed. The Red Raiders lost at Oklahoma State and Texas A&M and fell to Missouri at home. Two of Texas Tech's next three games are against fellow Big 12 bubble teams and it might need to win both of them. The Red Raiders play at Oklahoma on Tuesday, host Texas A&M on Saturday and play at Baylor on Feb. 16. The Red Raiders really need a signature victory, too, and home games against Texas on Feb. 20 and Kansas State on Feb. 23 would prime opportunities to get one.
Oklahoma State [16-7 (4-5), RPI: 39, SOS: 30] The Cowboys have taken a big step back among Big 12 bubble teams, losing three games in a row. They lost 72-60 at Texas on Big Monday and then fell 81-74 at Texas Tech on Saturday. The Pokes don't have as good of a nonconference profile as most of the other Big 12 bubble teams. In fact, Oklahoma State's best nonconference victories came against RPI No. 111 Bradley and No. 112 Pacific. The Cowboys split games with Texas Tech and beat Texas A&M at home, but lost at Missouri and at Baylor. Oklahoma State upset Kansas State 73-69 on the road on Jan. 23, but it might need at least one more marquee victory to pair with it. The Pokes host surging Oklahoma on Saturday.
Missouri [17-6 (5-3), RPI: 47, SOS: 77] Stuck in the middle of the pack in the Big 12, the Tigers seem to be stuck in neutral. After losing to Texas A&M at home on Wednesday night, Missouri routed Colorado 84-66 on the road on Saturday. The Tigers are only 3-3 in their last six games and 2-4 in road games. They have beaten four RPI top-50 opponents: Kansas State (home), Texas Tech (road), Old Dominion (neutral court) and Oklahoma State (home). Missouri certainly can't afford a slip-up against Iowa State at home on Wednesday and could really use a win at Baylor on Saturday. The Tigers could use another marquee victory to go with their 74-68 upset of Kansas State on Jan. 9. They play Texas at home on Feb. 17, at Kansas State on Feb. 27 and Kansas at home on March 6.
Big 12 Conference
Locks: KU, KSU, UT
Teams that should be in: Texas A&M
Work left to do: Baylor, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Missouri
With Texas losing four of its last six games, No. 1 Kansas is threatening to run away with the Big 12 race. The Jayhawks have opened up a three-game lead over the Longhorns. UT will stay in "lock" status for now, but another lousy week could cost it a guaranteed spot in the 65-team field. Texas A&M is working hard to earn an invitation, while Missouri and Oklahoma State suddenly seem headed in the wrong direction.
Texas A&M [17-6 (6-3), RPI: 20, SOS: 11] The Aggies are right back in the thick of the Big 12 race, after winning three straight games on the heels of a 2-3 slide. In fact, few bubble teams had as good of a week as Texas A&M, which beat Missouri on the road 77-74 on Wednesday, ending the Tigers' 32-game winning streak at Mizzou Arena. On Saturday, the Aggies beat fellow Big 12 bubble team Baylor 78-71 at home. With a 6-3 mark against Big 12 foes, the Aggies are tied with Kansas State, Texas and Missouri in the loss column for second place in the league standings. Texas A&M goes for a sweep of Texas Tech on Saturday, and then plays No. 1 Kansas on Big Monday on Feb. 15. The Aggies have four victories over RPI top-50 foes, beating Baylor (home), Texas Tech (home), Clemson (neutral court) and Missouri (road).
Baylor [17-5 (4-4), RPI: 28, SOS: 26] The Bears have fallen into a habit of winning a game and then dropping one. Baylor is only 4-4 over its last eight games, after losing at Texas A&M on Saturday. With a 3-3 mark against RPI top-50 opponents and 7-3 record against the top 100, the Bears should still be in pretty good shape, barring a collapse down the stretch. The Bears have three high-quality victories, beating Texas (road), Xavier (neutral court) and Oklahoma State (home). Nonconference wins over South Carolina and Arizona State also look better than they did a few weeks ago. The Bears can't afford any hiccups down the stretch, so they need to win at Nebraska on Wednesday before hosting Missouri on Saturday. If Oklahoma keeps winning, Baylor might face a fellow Big 12 bubble team in six consecutive regular-season games, before ending with Texas.
Texas Tech [15-7 (3-5), RPI: 32, SOS: 15] The Red Raiders keep doing just enough to hang on the fringe of the bubble discussion. After losing three of its last five games, the Red Raiders beat Oklahoma State 81-74 at home on Saturday. Texas Tech is only 1-7 against RPI top-50 opponents and 4-7 against the top 100. But it might get more help from victories over UTEP and Washington than originally believed. The Red Raiders lost at Oklahoma State and Texas A&M and fell to Missouri at home. Two of Texas Tech's next three games are against fellow Big 12 bubble teams and it might need to win both of them. The Red Raiders play at Oklahoma on Tuesday, host Texas A&M on Saturday and play at Baylor on Feb. 16. The Red Raiders really need a signature victory, too, and home games against Texas on Feb. 20 and Kansas State on Feb. 23 would prime opportunities to get one.
Oklahoma State [16-7 (4-5), RPI: 39, SOS: 30] The Cowboys have taken a big step back among Big 12 bubble teams, losing three games in a row. They lost 72-60 at Texas on Big Monday and then fell 81-74 at Texas Tech on Saturday. The Pokes don't have as good of a nonconference profile as most of the other Big 12 bubble teams. In fact, Oklahoma State's best nonconference victories came against RPI No. 111 Bradley and No. 112 Pacific. The Cowboys split games with Texas Tech and beat Texas A&M at home, but lost at Missouri and at Baylor. Oklahoma State upset Kansas State 73-69 on the road on Jan. 23, but it might need at least one more marquee victory to pair with it. The Pokes host surging Oklahoma on Saturday.
Missouri [17-6 (5-3), RPI: 47, SOS: 77] Stuck in the middle of the pack in the Big 12, the Tigers seem to be stuck in neutral. After losing to Texas A&M at home on Wednesday night, Missouri routed Colorado 84-66 on the road on Saturday. The Tigers are only 3-3 in their last six games and 2-4 in road games. They have beaten four RPI top-50 opponents: Kansas State (home), Texas Tech (road), Old Dominion (neutral court) and Oklahoma State (home). Missouri certainly can't afford a slip-up against Iowa State at home on Wednesday and could really use a win at Baylor on Saturday. The Tigers could use another marquee victory to go with their 74-68 upset of Kansas State on Jan. 9. They play Texas at home on Feb. 17, at Kansas State on Feb. 27 and Kansas at home on March 6.