March Madness: With SDSU, 4 Mountain West Teams in Mix, Outlook Shaky for Bubble Teams ...Middle East

Times of San Diego - News
March Madness: With SDSU, 4 Mountain West Teams in Mix, Outlook Shaky for Bubble Teams
NCAA Tournament chances are up in the air for Wayne McKinney III and the Aztecs and several teams across the country. (Photo by Chris Stone/Times of San Diego)

Although there won’t be bid thieves in the top few conferences, there’s now another threat that should have bubble teams fearful.

The Mountain West nabbing five bids to the NCAA Tournament.

    San Diego State – even though it was knocked out of the Mountain West Tournament early – along with New Mexico, Utah State, Boise State and Colorado State, each entered the tourney with hopes of the title or an at-large NCAA bid.

    Boise State and Colorado State’s chances looked iffy, but on Friday night, they both won to advance to the MW championship game. So one of them will definitely be in the NCAA Tournament — and perhaps both.

    That’s a concerning proposition for teams like Indiana, Texas and North Carolina, whose spots could end up going to Mountain West teams now.

    The defense rests

    While Boise State and Colorado State prepare to play for an automatic bid at 3 p.m. Saturday, Texas and North Carolina have finished their closing arguments. They both lost Friday, so there’s nothing more they can do except wait until Selection Sunday, to be broadcast on CBS at 3 pm.

    Texas lost 83-72 to No. 8 Tennessee in the SEC Tournament, and North Carolina dropped a 74-71 heartbreaker to top-ranked Duke.

    pic.twitter.com/ectgL0mjFI

    — Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 15, 2025

    The experts say …

    At least, for San Diego State fans, bracketologists have them in – but barely.

    ESPN’s last four in: West Virginia, San Diego State, Xavier, Boise State.

    CBS Sports’ last four in: West Virginia, Boise State, Indiana, San Diego State.

    Sports Illustrated’s last four in: Arkansas, San Diego State, Indiana, Boise State.

    ESPN’s first four out: North Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Dayton.

    CBS Sports’ first four out: Xavier, Texas, North Carolina, Wake Forest.

    Sports Illustrated’s first four out: Texas, North Carolina, Xavier, UC Irvine.

    But in the end, the tournament committee has the final say.

    Up next

    Bubble teams will want to root for Memphis in the AAC and Virginia Commonwealth in the Atlantic 10, since those teams entering the at-large pool would squeeze everyone else even more.

    Memphis faces Tulane on Saturday and VCU takes on Loyola Chicago.

    Automatic bids so far

    SIU Edwardsville (Ohio Valley), Omaha (Summit), Lipscomb (Atlantic Sun), High Point (Big South), Drake (Missouri Valley), Wofford (Southern), Troy (Sun Belt), Robert Morris (Horizon), UNC-Wilmington (Coastal Athletic), St. Francis, Pa. (Northeast), Gonzaga (WCC), McNeese (Southland), American (Patriot), Montana (Big Sky).

    Automatic bids at stake Saturday

    America East (Bryant vs. Maine)

    ACC (Duke vs. Louisville)

    Big 12 (Houston vs. Arizona)

    Big East (St. John’s vs. Creighton)

    Big West (UC San Diego vs. UC Irvine)

    Conference USA (Liberty vs. Jacksonville State)

    MAAC (Iona vs. Mount St. Mary’s)

    MAC (Akron vs. Miami, Ohio)

    MEAC (Norfolk State vs. South Carolina State)

    Mountain West (Boise State vs. Colorado State)

    SWAC (Jackson State vs. Alabama State)

    WAC (Utah Valley vs. Grand Canyon)

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