March Madness 2024: Schedule and Bracket Predictions for Men's Bubble Teams

The 2024 field for the 2024 men's NCAA tournament is about to get crowded.

With conference tournaments underway, automatic bids will soon be dispersed. And as each set at the table is secured, each bubble team could be a step closer to being burst.

There are only so many invites to go around—68 to be precise—and not every deserving team will get into the dance. After laying out the tournament schedule, we'll spotlight the final team we project to make and miss the cut.

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NCAA Tournament Schedule

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 23: A general view of March Madness center court logos are seen before the Sweet 16/Elite Eight round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena on March 23, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Selection Sunday: March 17

First Four: March 19-20

First round: March 21-22

Second round: March 23-24

Sweet 16: March 28-29

Elite Eight: March 30-31

Final Four: April 6

NCAA championship: April 8

Last Team In: St. John's

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MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 10: St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino paces the sideline during a game between the Marquette Golden Eagles and the St. Johns Red Storm at Fiserv Forum on February 10th, 2024 in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Rick Pitino's first season on the St. John's sideline seemed to be going off the rails at one point, but they wound up doing what every team hopes to: Play their best basketball down the stretch.

The Johnnies' current four-game winning streak matches their season-high, and they have a great chance to extend it to five during Saturday's visit from Georgetown. The Hoyas have the second-to-worst record in the Big East (9-21 overall, 2-17 in conference play).

If St. John's handles business there, that would bump its season victory total to 19. Add another tally or two to that total during next week's Big East Tournament, and the Red Storm should be in business.

Recent Quad 1 wins over Creighton and Butler—both by double-digits—were big resume-boosters, and St. John's is well-positioned to capitalize on this opportunity.

Last Team Out: Providence

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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 05: Head coach KIm English of the Providence Friars reacts to a call in the first half during a college basketball game against the Georgetown Hoyas at the Capital One Arena on March 5, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Bursting actual bubbles is a blast; just ask my three-year-old son. Bursting figurative bubbles of tournament hopefuls, though, is an absolute bummer.

Still, the Selection Committee makes these hard cuts every year, so I might as well get a head start on yanking off the Band-Aid, right?

Providence will wish it had last week's 11-point home loss to Villanova back. Win that game, and the Friars are probably feeling pretty good about their chances right now. With the loss, though, they're stuck on the outside looking in, and Saturday's daunting home tilt with UConn is unlikely to change that.

The Friars, then, might need multiple wins at the Big East Tournament to change their fate, but their offense, ranked 123rd at KenPom, has too many misfires to trust that it will deliver when needed most.