With six weeks until the NCAA Tournament, some teams are starting to need to get quality wins to potentially get off the bubble ahead of Selection Sunday on March 16.
NCAA Tournament women's bubble watch: Iowa, Illinois grab quality wins; Arizona, Colorado in need
With six weeks until the NCAA Tournament, some teams are starting to need to get quality wins to potentially get off the bubble ahead of Selection Sunday on March 16.
By DOUG FEINBERG
Iowa got a huge victory over then-No. 4 USC on Sunday to give the Hawkeyes a resume-building victory. Illinois also had a nice win over then-No. 14 Maryland on the road.
Arizona and Colorado both need another quality win or two to help get themselves into the 68-team field.
Bubble watch
Seton Hall at Creighton, Wednesday. The Big East is having a down season with UConn and Creighton the only two real locks right now to reach the tournament. The Pirates have no bad losses this season (Princeton, LSU, USC, Creighton and UConn). They need to find a quality win to bolster their chances. Creighton provides a chance.
Arizona at Colorado, Wednesday. The Buffaloes have a NET ratings of 59 while Arizona is sitting at 57 which puts them in bubble territory. There are still plenty of games left in the Big 12 for both teams, but a win would definitely help the victor.
Key ratings
Belmont: The Bruins are currently 54 in the NET ratings and 0-6 against quad one teams. Bart Brooks' squad has a one-game lead in the Missouri Valley Conference standings over a trio of teams.
The Ivy League: The conference has three teams with strong tournament resumes in Columbia, Princeton and Harvard. Last season, the Lions got just the second at-large tourney bid in conference history. All three teams are in the top 45 of the NET ratings heading into this week. They all play each other one more time, but face the bottom part of the league this weekend. None can afford a slip.
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DOUG FEINBERG
The Associated PressIndiana and North Carolina are tradition-rich programs who enter the week looking shaky for NCAA Tournament bids.