NCAA Tournament: Dancing on the Bubble

This feature is not be about projecting the field or anticipating what might happen. No, this is how I see the field of 65 and who I think should be in. After all, we all complain about who WE think should have/should not have gotten in on Aftermath Monday.

All of this is according to my eyes and my judgment. And no, I do not read any Bracketology. As I’ve stated before, Lunardi is just too good at what he does that he takes the fun out evaluating the field for me.

Locks? Yeah, I’ve got some. But first let me give you my definition of “lock”. If you can afford to lose every single game for the remainder of the season and still be granted an at-large berth despite that, then you’re a lock.

I’m litigious with this, I know, but I do it purposefully in order to really be able to get a full scope of the at-large field.

There are now 12 locks.

The at-large field after that? We continue to cut the fat and get a healthier set of 49 teams still rolling around in the cement truck.

There are others, and I call them the “fringers”, that are not even worthy of consideration yet (Kentucky, Akron, Utah State, etc…), but could eventually fight their way into the at-large picture.

That door, however, is almost closed; those teams have about a week left to enter the discussion. If you have any questions, gripes, serious disagreements or love letters you’d like to send me, I can be reached at [e-mail].

Understand that there are only 34 at-large berths handed out each year and the ratio of locks/bubblers will certainly become a lot tighter once February comes to an end.

For the sake of this column, I’m assuming the worst right now. That means that I’m assuming that every single conference tournament will produce a winner that has no at-large chances.

Gone from last week’s edition: Virginia Tech, San Diego State, Villanova, Providence, Charlotte, Wake Forest and Seton Hall.

The week before that I rid the list of: Texas Tech, Minnesota, Virginia, Creighton, Boston College, Florida State.

Those schools could enter back into the fold, but they’re not there today. For all of your NCAA Tournament questions, needs and curiosities, follow me…