Bubble Banter: Who hurt their tournament chances?

WEDNESDAY’S BUBBLE LOSERS

Arkansas: The Razorbacks are done. Wins over Florida and Missouri put them back into the bubble conversation, but an easy way to drop back out is to lose yet another road game in league play. On Wednesday, the loss came against LSU.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils missed out on a great opportunity to help their profile when they lost at UCLA on Wednesday night. The Sun Devils have some ugly computers numbers thanks to a really poor non-conference performance and a pair of ugly losses to Utah and DePaul, but they do have four top 50 wins and they’ll visit USC and Arizona before the season’s over. Herb Sendek’s team is in a dangerous spot, but they’re not quite dead yet.

Maryland: All that credit that the Terps built up by beating Duke two weeks ago? Poof. Maryland has now lost road games to Boston College and Georgia Tech since then. They are 7-8 in the ACC, they don’t have favorable computer numbers, they have two notable wins (NC State and Duke) and they still have a tough schedule down the stretch. That schedule is the only reason they are still in the conversation: at Virginia, at Wake Forest, North Carolina and the ACC tournament. There will be chances to turn things around. It better happen soon.

Wichita State: The Shockers aren’t exactly in trouble just yet. They have three top 50 wins and eight top 100 wins. But WSU plays at Creighton in the MVC finale — which just so happens to double as the MVC regular season title game — and then heads to St. Louis for Arch Madness. After losing to Evansville at home tonight, if the Shockers lose at Creighton and then get dropped in the first round of Arch Madness, they’ll be sweating it out on Selection Sunday.

Oklahoma: The Sooners aren’t in a ton of trouble just yet, thanks mostly to a really strong RPI and no glaringly awful losses. That changed, however, on Wednesday when Oklahoma lost to Texas in overtime after blowing a 22 point lead. The Sooners have wins at home against Kansas and Oklahoma State and, well, not much else. Lon Kruger’s club is at home for Iowa State and West Virginia and then heads to TCU before the Big 12 tournament. They’re going to want to avoid another slip-up.

Charlotte: Charlotte was hanging on for their tournament lives, but I think it’s safe to say that getting blown out by a Dayton team that may miss the Atlantic 10 tournament at home is not a good way to try to impress the selection committee.

Indiana State: I think we can officially pop the Sycamore’s bubble after they lost to Drake at home tonight. There is only so much juice you can squeeze out of a win over a depleted Miami team.

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.