All our experts agree (and we actually do have quite a few). We’ve actually locked our first team into the field on our HOOPS HD SURVIVAL BOARD, which is the earliest we have ever done it. This means that even if this team loses all their remaining games, they are still guaranteed to make the NCAA Tournament. Check out the whole Survival Board by CLICKING HERE
-Oregon continues to be a mystery team. Some nights they look like they may make the Final Four, and on other nights they lose at home to fringe bubble teams like Nebraska. Last night was an example of the latter. The Huskers won at Oregon 77-71, which probably moves Nebraska inside the bubble and Oregon outside of a protected seed. For now.
-VIRGINIA AT PITTSBURGH (ACC). Pitt is right on the bubble and needs to hold serve at home tonight. Given the strength of the ACC (or lack thereof) their margin for error is actually kind of small.
-CHARLESTON AT WILLIAM & MARY (Coastal Athletic). This game won’t effect the bracket, but it is a good UTR game. It’s an interesting matchup between two conference frontrunners, and on a slow night it’s actually one of the more compelling games.
-IOWA STATE AT KANSAS (Big 12). Both teams are probable protected seeds. Kansas has lost two in the last week or so where they appeared to be in complete control, but then couldn’t hold on. After blowing a 19pt lead to Baylor in their last game, they will be looking to bounce back. Iowa State is also coming off a rather surprising and decisive loss to Kansas State and will be looking to bounce back from that.
PROGRAM NOTE: This was recorded Sunday, Feb 2nd at 9pm, est, and the seedlist was built before the show was recorded. None of the games that were played later in the day, particularly Nebraska @ Oregon, were factored in
A full Hoops HD panel have all submitted their own individual seedlists. They were then cross country scored by Chad to form a master seedlist, and it is revealed to the panel Selection Sunday style team by team and line by line. They discuss, assess, and debate each team as they are revealed. See who the #1 seeds are, who the rest of the protected seeds are, who is on the bubble, and who just missed it.
Below is the final bracket, but don’t look at it until you’ve watched the show!!
And, for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…
We are only 6 weeks away from Selection Sunday as we begin to make our NCAA tourney predictions. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel correctly picked 67 of the 68 teams that made the 2024 tourney: 62 of his 67 were within 1 spot of their actual seed and 41 were right on the money. He will spend the upcoming months predicting which 68 teams will hear their names called on March 16th. See below for his list of who would make the cut if they picked the field today and if you agree or disagree then feel free to tweet us. To see how he stacks up with other websites (ranked 7th out of 179 bracket veterans over the past 5 years), check out: www.bracketmatrix.com
SEED: TEAM (CONFERENCE) 1: Auburn (SEC) 1: Duke (ACC) 1: Alabama (SEC) 1: Iowa State (Big 12)
-Auburn got a battle from Ole Miss, but picked up another high level win away from home as they held them off 92-82. Auburn seems to be cruising toward a #1 seed.
-Duke v UNC usually lives up, but didn’t yesterday. Most of the game looked like an OOC buy game as Duke totally dominated. The final score was 87-70, but it never even felt like it was that close. Duke remains a likely #1 seed, and UNC remains squarely on the bubble and in need of some big wins.
There were MANY surprises yesterday!
-Kansas State went into Iowa State, and didn’t just win, but blew it completely open late in the game and ended up winning 80-61. K State was a team that was so far outside the bubble that we weren’t paying attention at all. At 10-11 they still aren’t near the field, but they’ve now won three straight and when you look at the rest of their schedule you start to feel that many of those are winnable considering how they’ve been playing. This will make for an interesting finish to the season. Is K State this year’s team that comes out of nowhere and somehow makes the field??
-Another shocker was Texas Tech’s 82-81 win at Houston. Very early in the game, Texas Tech’s JT Toppin was ejected for a call that was questionable. Head Coach Grant McCasland then went ballistic and got himself ejected as well. The fact that both of them were unavailable for a road game at Houston, and Texas Tech won anyway, is quite remarkable, and it may be the singler most impressive win that any team has managed this season. A true road win at Houston.
-Michigan State’s long winning streak is over. They went to USC and lost 70-64. This is not an easy game to win, but given how well Michigan State had been playing, and given the fact that USC probably isn’t a team that will make the field, it was a bit of a surprising result.
-UConn went into Marquette and basically controlled that game from tip to buzzer, and came out with what is probably their biggest win of the year as they won 77-69. This is one that UConn really needed to stabilize their resume. As for Marquette, it is a bit of a setback, but they’re still well within range of a protected seed.
-Arkansas, who had been having a rather unspectacular and perhaps disappointing year, got a massive win yesterday as they went into Rupp Arena. They led for most of the game and were in complete control down the stretch as they won 89-79. It’s their biggest win of the year by far, and it may give them the momentum they need to go on a run and end up making the NCAA Tournament after all.
-Kansas was blowing Baylor off the court and looking as good as they’ve looked all year. They had a 40-21 lead at the half. In the second half, Baylor came back so quickly that it was shocking, and after outscoring Kansas 60-30 in the second half, it actually looked like Baylor won rather comfortably 80-71. Kansas is not in trouble, but they are starting to look like they may not deserve a protected seed.
-Missouri, who some of us were really starting to like, absolutely blew Mississippi State off the floor yesterday 88-61. It was hands down their best performance of the year, and I think they are now very high on everyone’s radar.
-New Mexico, who we all thought was good but not capable of blowing a team like Utah State off the floor on the road, blew Utah State off the floor on the road yesterday. The final score was 82-63, and it was the biggest win of the season for New Mexico, and should give their resume a huge boost.
-Louisville, who had been looking as hot and as exciting as anyone in the country, could not get it done at Georgia Tech yesterday. They fell 77-70 in what was a fairly surprising loss.
-Florida and Tennessee are both great teams, but the two games they’ve played against each other have been snoozers. Florida won the first game in Gainesville in a blowout, and Tennessee finished them off in Knoxville yesterday 64-44.
-Saint Mary’s held off Gonzaga in a 62-58 thriller. I know it was a home win, but when you look at how the two teams have been playing just on the court, Saint Mary’s looks better. When you look at the two teams on paper, Saint Mary’s may not be better yet, but they’re getting better. If they can continue to string together wins we may see SMC end up with a protected seed.
-Oklahoma blew Vanderbilt off the court 97-67, and after struggling at the start of SEC play, the Sooners have now won three straight and have themselves back in the picture.
-Pittsburgh and Wake are both squarely on the bubble, and both really needed the win yesterday. Wake ended up getting it at home 76-74. Both teams still have work to do, but yesterday was a pivotal game for both of them, and one Wake really needed.
-Arizona continues to roll. They got a big win against rival Arizona State. After the game Arizona State Coach Bobby Hurley made it a point to get his players and coaches off the court and not shake hands, and then in the postgame presser said that he won’t be voting for Caleb Love for all conference. Love is devastated, I’m sure. After a sluggish start, Arizona is now 11-1 since December 18th.
-Clemson continues to win. They got another one on the road as they held off NC State 68-58 and are now 18-4 on the year and 10-1 in the ACC.
-BYU has now won five out of six, and got a really big one yesterday against UCF on the road 81-75. BYU is now getting closer and closer to the bubble. As for UCF, they lead the nation in close losses to really good teams. They are now 13-8 on the year and are 2-5 in their last seven games, but three of those losses were by six points or less to really strong teams. They need to finish strong if they want to make it into the field.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-OHIO STATE AT ILLINOIS (Big Ten). Both teams have been schizophrenic this year. By that I mean they’ve both won some really big games, but then also lost several gams you would have expected them to win rather easily. Ohio State has won three straight and they need to keep winning games to end up on the right side of the bubble. Illinois is safely in the field, and can still get a protected seed, but they haven’t always held serve and won the games you would expect them to.
-WEST VIRGINIA AT CINCINNATI (Big 12). West Virginia has lost five of their last seven, which includes three straight coming into this one. They are in a bit of a tailspin and need to turn things back around. A road win like this would be a huge step in the right direction, and this is one that they can/should win.
-MEMPHIS AT RICE (American). This is another conference road game that Memphis should be able to win. This would get them to 18-4 on the year and perhaps keep them within reach of a protected seed.
-BRADLEY AT NORTHERN IOWA (Missouri Valley). Bradley may be out of strikes, but if they can run the table through the rest of the regular season they may at least get a look from the committee.
-NEBRASKA AT OREGON (Big Ten). Nebraska finally snapped their losing streak a few days ago with a surprise home win against Illinois, but this is an even tougher test considering it’s on the road against an Oregon team that has a path to a protected seed. This is a big opportunity for the Huskers. They’re right on the bubble and a win like this could make the difference. But…it won’t be easy.
For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day, which features one of the greatest promotions of all time, – CLICK HERE
-I kept waiting for Purdue to run away from Indiana last night, but it never happened. In fact on one of their final possessions Indiana actually had the chance to get the lead and possibly win the game. The final score was 81-76, but this one came down to the wire.
-Akron ran away from Kent State 85-71 in a game that didn’t even feel as close as the final score. The Zips are now 9-0 in MAC play and 16-5 overall. I’m starting to think they should be in the discussions with teams like Drake and UC Irvine. They may be good enough to win out and play their way inside the bubble.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-FLORIDA AT TENNESSEE (SEC). Neither team is in any danger at all of not ending up as a protected seed, so it’s still more of a showcase game and a chance at the kind of win that can land a team on a #1 line than it is a high stakes game with a huge sense of urgency. Having said that, Tennessee has lost three of their last four and is coming off a home loss to Kentucky. They also really got their noses bloodied in the first meeting between these two teams, so chances are they’ll want to win this one for their pride. The Gators have won three in a row and are looking for a high signature road win.
-PITTSBURGH AT WAKE FOREST (ACC). In short, both teams are right on the bubble and this one is extremely important. Wake is coming off a decisive road loss to Louisville and while they’ve looked good in their games against teams outside the bubble, they’ve come up short in most of their opportunities to build up their resume. They need this one today. Pitt is coming off a home win against North Carolina, which was big, but this one is actually bigger and would help them out more because it’s a road game.
-MISSOURI AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (SEC). Both teams are ranked in the top 20 and deservedly so. Mizzou is having a good year, but they still only have one true road win, so a win today would make their resume look even better, and perhaps put them in the hunt for a protected seed. Mississippi State also has a really strong profile, but they’ve lost four of their last six so this game is a good chance for them to get some of that momentum back.
-ARIZONA AT ARIZONA STATE (Big 12). It’s a rivalry game, and it’s a stakes game, so it’s important both on and off paper. Arizona keeps winning games and keeps climbing the seedlist. Arizona State is a fringe bubble team that could really use a win like this to help stabilize their profile.
-AUBURN AT OLE MISS (SEC). Auburn continues to string together wins against one of the toughest schedules that any team has ever played. They’re on the road again to face another ranked team in an atmosphere that should be totally bonkers. Ole Miss is safely in the field, but this would be a huge win to add to their resume if they can pull off the upset today.
-VANDERBILT AT OKLAHOMA (SEC). This is another game between two teams that appear to be inside the bubble for now, but who also need to stabilize their profiles and get wins when they can because most of the conference schedule is brutal. Both teams should be coming in with a sense of urgency.
-KANSAS AT BAYLOR (Big 12). Baylor has dealt with injuries and while they are inside the bubble, they could really use a really big win like this to help cement their place inside of it. Kansas looks like a sure protected seed and they are certainly good enough to win this one on the road.
-BYU AT UCF (Big 12). BYU has suddenly gone on a bit of a hot streak winning four of their last five, but they still have a lot of work to do. One thing they need to do is build up more road wins, so this is a big game for the Cougars. UCF is right on the bubble. While they’ve lost three of their last four, the losses were to Houston, Iowa State, and Kansas, and they nearly pulled upsets in two of those games. They really need to hold serve at home in this one to help make sure they land on the right side of the cut line.
-TEXAS TECH AT HOUSTON (Big 12). Texas Tech has won seven out of eight and their resume keeps getting stronger and stronger. Having said that, this is a huge buzz saw that they’re up against today. Houston is among the best teams in the country and they’ve showed that in their last two games, which were on the road against good teams. They should be able to win this one at home and keep that streak going.
-NORTH CAROLINA AT DUKE (ACC). This wouldn’t even be highlighted if it wasn’t for the rivalry. Duke is on pace to earn a #1 seed, and North Carolina is outside the bubble and needs a big win to get them on the right side of it. The two schools are also only eight miles apart!! And the two have never met in an NCAA Tournament game prior to the Final Four!!
-UCONN AT MARQUETTE (Big East). UConn has been dealing with some key injuries and hasn’t been quite the same, but is sitll very good. They are also about to start a really tough strech in their schedule, which will be tough, but it will also give them some chances at some really big wins. Marquette is looking like they could end up as high as a 2 seed, so if UConn could somehow win this game it would shoot them back up the rankings and back up our seedlist.
-ARKANSAS AT KENTUCKY (SEC). On paper, this game isn’t that spectacular. Kentucky is a solid protected seed who may even have an outside shot of ending up on the #1 line. They’re at home taking on an Arkansas team that is outside the bubble and needs to string together some wins between now and the end just to get into the conversation. But, there is also that whole angle of who Arkansas’s current coach is and where he formerly coached, so we’ll go ahead and highlight this one.
-NEW MEXICO AT UTAH STATE (Mountain West). This is one of the more compelling games of the day. Both are inside the bubble and barring a collapse both should make the field. Having said that, both teams have limited opportunities at big wins between now and the end and tonight is one of those big opportunities for both teams.
-GONZAGA AT SAINT MARY’S (West Coast). It feels as though Gonzaga has underperformed this year, but if they can go on the road and win this one it will make their resume look a whole lot better and chance a lot of people’s opinions about them. Saint Mary’s is having a great year and if they can win out, which some think they are good enough to do, they could end up as a protected seed. This is also a big rivalry and is always fun to watch.
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
–Providence @ Saint John’s (Big East) – The Johnnies are on an absolute roll and should be able to continue that at home today
-Creighton @ Villanova (Big East) – Creighton is coming off a nice win against Xavier. They’ve now won six in a row and can pick up their 4th true road win of the season today
–Clemson @ NC State (ACC) – people probably aren’t paying enough attention to Clemson. They’re 17-4 on the year, and while they’ll likely be tested today, it’s the kind of road game they can certainly win
-Kansas State @ Iowa State (Big 12) – Iowa State should be able to hold serve in this one without too much trouble
-Wisconsin @ Northwestern (Big Ten) – Something Wisky needs to build up their resume is road wins, and this should be a winnable road game against a decent (but not great) Northwestern team
-Drake @ Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley) – a win for Drake would be their 20th of the year and it would keep them positioned to land inside the bubble
-Army @ American (Patriot League) – this game won’t impact the bubble, but it could impact 1st place in the Patriot League and home court advantage throughout the conference tournament. If Army can finish first, then WOW!
-Michigan @ Rutgers (Big Ten) – Michigan has been a little schizophrenic this season, but they’re a strong team and they should be able to pick this one up and add another road win to their resume
-Louisville @ Georgia Tech (ACC) – Louisville is on a roll and this should be another winnable road game for the Cardinals
-Georgia @ Alabama (SEC) – Alabama is one of the best teams in the country and has one of the most impresive resumes in the country. A win for Georgia would be huge and would add a lot of stability to their resume, but it’s also a very tall order
-Richmond @ VCU (Atlantic 10) – VCU may have an outside shot at getting selected if they can win out
-UC Davis @ UC Irvine (Big West) – UC Irvine can/will land inside the bubble if they win out
-Michigan State @ USC (Big Ten) – Michigan State’s winning streak continues, and while this one won’t be a cakewalk, it is certainly one they can (and should) win
-Stanford @ SMU (ACC) – I suppose both teams still have a shot at landing inside the bubble, but neither are inside of it now and both need to win this one today if they want to make that happen
-Texas @ LSU (SEC) – Texas nearly pulled off a huge upset win at Ole Miss in their last game, but came up just short. It’s never easy to win on the road, but this is one that they should get
-Wyoming @ San Diego State (Mountain West) – this should be a “hold-serve-game” for San Diego State, especially since they are at home
-Texas A&M @ South Carolina (SEC) – TAMU is having a strong year, but they could use a few more road wins, and this is one they should be able to get
Denver (8-15, 2-6) at Omaha (13-10, 7-1) – 8:00 PM ET (MidCo/Summit Network)
Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day heads to Baxter Arena in Omaha for a matchup between the hometown Omaha Mavericks and the Denver Pioneers in a Summit League game. Omaha is currently tied with St. Thomas at the top of the Summit League; they are a game ahead of South Dakota State in the standings. They did lose their outright lead after a loss at South Dakota snapped the Mavs’ 9-game winning streak.
Another reason we highlight this game is because of tonight’s promotion at Baxter Arena. Fans are invited to bring a 5-gallon empty container (clean containers only, no lids) to bring into the arena that can be filled with popcorn at the concession stands for only $5. This is in response to a postgame tradition where one of the Omaha coaches will toss a garbage can in the locker room following a Mavs victory.
