With over 300 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs, there are games on every day. Top 25 rankings help determine marquee matchups and nationally televised matchups. Postseason play is so inclusive that every game counts and every team is chasing success in March. This article will discuss the opportunities for teams to boost or hurt their resumes as March Madness nears.
* – indicates second game in back-to-back series already covered in previous day.
MUST WIN GAMES
These teams already have a fine resume and risk tacking a bad loss on their resume or are a bad loss from falling out of at-large contention.
Teams that Should Win
No Games to Report.
Teams that Need a Win but Could Lose
No Games to Report.
WINNER GETS A BOOST
These matchups have two mid-level contenders facing off for bubble separation. Games with two fringe teams are crucial in determining who gets a higher seed or qualifies for the NCAA tournament.
For High Tournament Seeding
Matchups between Top 25 teams won’t typically help resolve the bubble. For viewing interest, these matchups are more marquee while the others are for teams with high hopes and less security.
Virginia @ Florida State
President’s Day has only one game with clear tournament implications. Other matchups may be fun like East Tennessee State @ Chattanooga or Washington @ Washington State, but only the ACC game bears meaning. The Seminoles enter this game on a rough patch losing to Georgia Tech and then edging out Wake Forest in an overtime win. They do, however, possess the highest-scoring offense in the ACC and one of the top offenses in the country average almost 80 points per game. Virginia, on the other hand, allows the 4th-fewest points per game in the NCAA with just under 60 allowed per contest. The Cavaliers have lost only once in 2021 and were victorious in their last four games. This is a primetime matchup that could help Virginia inch towards a top regional seed or move Florida State into the committee’s Top 16 teams. Especially with no other games on, this coin flip battle is must-watch.
For Low Tournament Seeding and Tournament Qualification
Unlike the “Teams that Need a Win but Could Lose” above, a loss here isn’t quite as damning. These results will most fall into NET rankings Q1 or Q2 wins and losses benefitting the winner in a meaningful way.
No Games to Report.
UPSET ALERT
Games in this section are expected to go the favorite’s way but realistically could be very competitive. If the underdog pulls off a win it is a huge boost for their resume. Whoever loses doesn’t add a bad loss to their resume.
No Games to Report.
Featured Image courtesy of accsports.com
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