Bubble Teams 2013: 5 Squads Likely to Squeak into Tournament

Championship week gives teams a chance to make up for past mistakes, bad losses and messed up RPI ratings.

A couple of impressive wins during a team's conference tournament could propel a program from outside the tournament to being in the spotlight on the dance floor.

Here are five teams that could squeak into this year's NCAA tournament.

They have more than their fingers crossed as we head to Selection Sunday. They have helped themselves at the end of the season.

Check out B/R's own bracketologist Kerry Miller's full-field, 68-team projections!

5. Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado is getting ready to enter the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season. For some schools, that would not be worth mentioning.

The Buffs, who won last year’s inaugural Pac-12 tournament, are ready to break through as a program.

If CU does make it into March Madness, look for Andre Roberson to step up his game. He is a double-double phenom who averages 10.9 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

4. Boise State Broncos

Boise State basketball has a ridiculous amount of distance to catch up to their renowned football program. But making it out of this year’s cutthroat Mountain West Conference and into March Madness is a step in the right direction.

The Broncos had quality MWC wins this season against Colorado State, UNLV, San Diego State and Wyoming (twice), not to mention an impressive road win against Creighton.

Kerry Miller, B/R’s own bracketologist, has BSU going into the Dance as a No. 12 seed.

If that pans out, it will be Boise’s sixth NCAA tournament appearance in school history.

This very well could be the year the Broncos break through to get their first March Madness victory.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide

With a convincing victory over Tennessee in the SEC quarterfinals, Alabama may have done enough to play its way into an at-large bid in this year’s NCAA tournament.

With a 21-11 record and important wins over Kentucky, Tennessee and Villanova, the Crimson Tide have positioned themselves to be a No. 11 seed.

Head coach Anthony Grant uses a “defense-first” mentality to build Bama’s overall strategy, and junior guard Trevor Releford leads the Tide’s offensive attack.

2. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss’ Marshall Henderson has been shooting the Rebels into and out of games all season.

The 6’2” junior guard dropped 27 points on Mizzou to lead the team into the SEC semifinals.

On the season, Henderson led the conference in scoring (19.7 PPG) and getting under the opposing fans' skin.

Over the last three games, he is averaging 24 points per game.

The Rebels are at their best when they are running up and down the court, scoring lots of points. They are the nation’s No. 6 scoring team (78.7 PPG).

Miller currently has Ole Miss as a No. 12 seed who will play in a “First Four” play-in game.

Right now, the Rebels have momentum, winning five of their last six games.

1. Maryland Terrapins

Maryland did it again!

For the second time this season, the Terrapins bumped off Duke—no small feat.  This time, the huge victory was in the ACC quarterfinals.

Versatile wing Dez Wells is the catalyst to Maryland’s (22-11) success.

As Wells goes, so go the Terrapins in the 2013 NCAA tournament.

If Mark Turgeon’s troops can take out North Carolina in the ACC semifinals, they won’t be sneaking into the 2013 NCAA tournament.