NCAA Bracket 2018: Predicting Top Bubble Teams on Selection Sunday

The bubble is usually the center of discussion on Selection Sunday.

With little drama at the top of the field of 68 with regard to the men's No. 1 seeds this season, everyone's attention has turned to the teams hoping to have a shot at an at-large bid at the Big Dance.

Each bubble team presents a different argument as to why it should participate in March Madness. Whether it be through strength of schedule, quality wins or recent results, each prospective men's NCAA tournament team finds a way to skew its resume in a positive manner for the selection committee to see.

Entering Sunday, there are a few intriguing cases we haven't seen much of in the past, while there's also the traditional bubble plight of mid-major teams that failed to win their respective conference tournaments.

Oklahoma

Unless you've been living under a rock, you are aware of Oklahoma's struggles.

The Sooners were a lock to make the NCAA tournament at the start of February, but they suffered a string of losses and finished ninth in the Big 12.

Oklahoma receives so much attention because star freshman Trae Young resides on its roster, but he's all the Sooners have to brag about.

Young averages 15 more points per game than the second-best scorer on the Oklahoma roster, Christian James. And only James and Brady Manek sit alongside Young with point averages of more than 10 per game.

Garett Fisbeck/Associated Press

The much-hyped NBA prospect is capable of carrying his team to victory, but opposing defenses found a way to control Young's output while shutting down the rest of the Oklahoma offense, which is average at best.

With nonconference wins over Oregon, USC and Wichita State to go along with a pair of Big 12 wins over TCU and single victories against Kansas and Texas Tech, the Sooners belong in the bubble conversation.

However, the team's critics point to a 2-8 record in the last 10 games as the primary reason why Oklahoma doesn't belong in the Big Dance.

Saint Mary's

Every season, the case is made for a mid-major team to beat out a middle-of-the-run squad from a power conference. 

Saint Mary's, which has the curse of playing in the West Coast Conference with Gonzaga, finds itself in a favorable situation despite losing to BYU in the West Coast tournament semifinals. 

Lifting the Gaels' resume is a 74-71 victory over Gonzaga from January 18 and an RPI top-50 win over New Mexico State. 

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Although they have only lost five games, the Gaels have a pair of bad defeats to San Francisco and Washington State.

A case can be made for Saint Mary's to make the Big Dance based off its pair of Quadrant 1 wins, its 28-5 record and a RPI ranking of 44.

However, an argument can easily be made against the Gaels because of the pair of bad losses and a strength-of-schedule ranking of 211.

Although they don't have the most convincing resume, the Gaels did their job in conference play unlike the bubble teams they are fighting for a spot in the tournament.

The determining factor for Saint Mary's could be how much the selection committee values mid-major teams as at-large bid holders. If that's the case, it could be in trouble.

Providence

Providence isn't 100 percent safe despite a run to the Big East tournament final.

During their pair of overtime wins over Creighton and Xavier and overtime defeat to Villanova in the championship game, the Friars proved they are worthy of an NCAA tournament bid.

Ed Cooley's Friars have three wins over the top three teams in the RPI, as they beat Xavier twice and Villanova once.

Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

For as good as that trio of victories looks, losses to Minnesota, UMass and DePaul are as bad as the selection committee attempts to evaluate Providence's resume.

If you are going off recent form, Providence has the upper hand over Oklahoma, Arizona State, Texas and others, as it finished with four wins in six games.

Providence passed the eye test during Championship Week, but you have to wonder whether the team's three bad losses will affect the Friars' chances on Selection Sunday.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.