NCAA March Madness Daily: Tuesday's Biggest Bubble Games

The regular season is over, and we've arrived at the do-or-die, make-it-or-break-it time known to all as Championship Week.

Every day from now until Selection Sunday is loaded with bubble games of the utmost importance.

Let's take a look at Tuesday's bubble action.

Horizon League Final: Wright State vs. Butler

Make no mistake about it, Butler (17 RPI, 86 SOS) is in the NCAA Tournament win or lose. This game is all about whether Wright State can upset Butler and steal an automatic bid to the dance.

Butler has lost in the Horizon League final two of the last three years—once to Wright State in 2007—to shrink the bubble by one team. Butler won both contests this season against Wright State, and fans of teams such as Illinois, Memphis, and Ole Miss will be rooting for the Bulldogs to win a third time.

Atlantic 10 First Round: Rhode Island vs. Saint Joseph's and Dayton vs. George Washington

Rhode Island (40 RPI, 77 SOS) is in serious bubble trouble after losing at 187th-ranked Massachusetts to close out the regular season. The Rams have lost five of seven overall and have played their way from good bubble position to needing a lot of work to make the field of 65. Rhode Island only went 9-7 in the Atlantic 10 and earned the conference's fifth seed.

The Rams are in a no-win position in their first game of the Atlantic 10 Tournament by playing 184th-ranked Saint Joseph's. A win will do absolutely nothing for the Rams' at-large chances, while a loss would finally pop their bubble. A win over Saint Joe's will pit the Rams against 84th-ranked St. Louis, another must-win.

Dayton (51 RPI, 35 SOS) is also on life support after losing five of their last seven games heading into the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Dayton only went 8-8 in the Atlantic 10 regular season and is the conference's seventh seed.

Similar to the Rams, the Flyers are in a no-win situation with their first round game against 137th-ranked George Washington. However, a win over the Colonials will create a quarterfinal matchup between Dayton and 21st-ranked Xavier. A matchup with Xavier is a golden opportunity for Dayton to pick up a top-25 RPI win and boost their overall résumé.

Big East First Round: South Florida vs. DePaul, Connecticut vs. St. John's, Seton Hall vs. Providence, Cincinnati vs. Rutgers

The common theme among all four Big East First Round games—and all of Tuesday's bubble games—is that these are no-win contests for the bubble teams in action. A loss by South Florida, Connecticut, Seton Hall, or Cincinnati on Tuesday—or even Wednesday—will officially end their at-large hopes.

South Florida (63 RPI, 54 SOS) has the easiest game of the bunch, against 208th-ranked DePaul. However, a win over the Blue Demons will actually hurt the Bulls' overall profile instead of helping it.

The real test for South Florida will come on Wednesday against 14th-ranked Georgetown, a team they beat on the road once already this season. The Bulls will have to pull off the upset to keep any hope alive for an at-large berth.

Connecticut (54 RPI, 3 SOS) will face 76th-ranked St. John's in the 12/13 Big East First Round game. The Huskies closed the season on a three-game losing streak and really need to get something going in this week's tournament. Defeating the Red Storm in Madison Square Garden will not be easy, but UConn must win both this game and Wednesday against 57th-ranked Marquette to get back in the discussion.

Seton Hall (55 RPI, 31 SOS) is still clinging to life after winning at 128th-ranked Providence in their last game. The Hall must duplicate that success against Providence, this time on a neutral site, to have any chance for an at-large bid. A win by Seton Hall would set up a tough second round matchup with one of the hottest teams around, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Cincinnati (68 RPI, 9 SOS) is in the most trouble of the Big East's Bubble Four and won't get any help by beating 152nd-ranked Rutgers. A win would be a start, but the Bearcats have a long way to go and probably need a trip to the semifinals to have any hope on Selection Sunday.