Wisconsin Basketball Bracketology Guide: March 8th

Wisconsin basketball March Madness fate is directly tied to its performance against Ohio State – a game you can watch tonight at 5:30 PM CST on the Big Ten Network. With a loss, the Badgers will find themselves mulling over an invitation to the NIT. With a win, Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament hopes will live another day.

Badgers. Buckeyes. Big Ten Tourney.

🏀 #B1GMBBT
🆚 Ohio State
⏰ 5:30 PM
📺 Big Ten Network#OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/N10k86pjzx

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 8, 2023

Will Wisconsin Basketball Make the NCAA Tournament?

UW appears to be just on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble at the moment. According to the Bracket Matrix aggregated bracket projection, Wisconsin is the first team out. 43 of 89 bracketologists currently have the Badgers making the big dance. Penn State is projected to be the last team in the field by nature of getting back-to-back buzzer-beating wins last week.

Wisconsin Basketball NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch

The NCAA Tournament bubble remained steady yesterday as two potential bid thieves were denied. Charleston won an exciting back-and-forth game against UNC Wilmington to secure the Colonial Tournament Championship. Oral Roberts completed an undefeated Summit League season by defeating North Dakota State by 34 points.

There are 15 conference tournaments being played today. Four of those tournament games are of particular interest to Wisconsin basketball fans.

Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets – ACC Tournament – 1:30 PM CST on ESPN

With a loss in its regular season finale, Pitt slipped all the way from an ACC regular season championship to on the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Panthers now sit as one of the last four teams avoiding a trip to Dayton for the First Four. A loss tonight, however, may end Pitt’s March Madness hopes altogether. A loss to Georgia Tech would be the Panthers’ third loss outside of the first two Quadrants. Pitt won both of its regular season games against the Yellow Jackets.

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Boston College Eagles – ACC Tournament – 6:00 PM on ESPN2

Wisconsin fans got some help from their much beloved Duke (I kid, I kid) over the weekend as the Blue Devils denied North Carolina a Quad 1 win. UNC is barely holding onto its only Quad 1 win, as Virginia is just one spot in the NET away from falling to a Quad 2 win for the Tar Heels. Tonight, North Carolina has a must-win game in the first round of the ACC Tournament against Boston College. UNC won its one regular season matchup against BC.

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Oklahoma Sooners – Big 12 Tournament – 8:30 PM on ESPNU

Oklahoma State is another team on the list of the first four out of the NCAA Tournament right now. The Cowboys now face in-state rival Oklahoma in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. OSU won both regular season matchups against the Sooners.

Arizona State Sun Devils vs. Oregon State Beavers – PAC-12 Tournament – 10:30 PM on PAC-12 Network

Arizona State is the third team in the first four out playing tonight. The Sun Devils have slipped out of the projected field after taking back-to-back losses to close the regular season. A blowout loss to UCLA and a three-point loss to USC put ASU in a precarious position. A third consecutive loss probably pops Arizona State’s bubble.

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