Bubble Heartbreak: Top 10 NET Teams Left Out of NCAA Tournament

 

This was a temperamental campaign from the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They were constantly oscillating in and out of the tournament field before a five-game losing streak to end the regular season pushed the Cornhuskers onto the wrong side of the bubble.

Record: 24-10 (14-6)

 

Arguably, the Boise State Broncos were the most qualified team to be left out of the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos could swing with the heavyweights, going 8-8 against Quad 1 and 2 opponents. However, with only one matchup versus a Top 25 team, Boise State's resume didn't reflect the quality of opponents the tournament committee was looking for.

Record: 23-10 (13-7)

 

The SMU Mustangs feasted on their lesser-than-opposites, but the absence of any signature wins kept them out of the tournament field. SMU went a staggering 17-0 against Quad 3 and 4 teams and a respectable 6-5 versus Quad 2 programs. However, their 0-5 record against top-tier teams resulted in the Mustangs getting written off the ballot.

Record: 18-15 (7-13)

 

The Cincinnati Bearcats are a textbook example of what the tournament committee is not looking for when picking the field of 68. Cincinnati ran a gauntlet of top teams in the Big 12, even taking on some notable programs in non-conference action. But at the end of the season, their 3-12 record against Quad 1 teams burst the Bearcats' bubble.

Record: 19-13 (10-10)

 

In an alternate universe, the West Virginia Mountaineers' 10-13 record versus Quad 1 and 2 opponents was enough to warrant an invitation to the big dance. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case in our reality. West Virginia brought defensive energy to all its matchups but couldn't muster enough on offense to steal a few more victories.

Record: 17-16 (7-13)

 

Although their record doesn't reflect it, the Northwestern Wildcats had a relatively complete analytics profile. The Wildcats ranked prominently in the NET standings and fared even better in the KenPom rankings. Nevertheless, a 17-16 record is a hard pass when selecting tournament teams.

 

 

By the end of the season, the Indiana Hoosiers had cultivated a perfect 15-0 record versus Quad 2, 3, and 4 teams but a much less impressive 4-13 mark versus premier programs. An unceremonious end to the season, punctuated with an earlier-than-expected ousting from the Big Ten Tournament, was too much to overlook.

Record: 19-14 (11-9)

 

The Villanova Wildcats never truly recovered from their mid-season slide. Early in conference play, they ran a gauntlet of elite opponents, which disrupted their confidence over the latter stages of the campaign. While they managed a few marquee wins toward the end of the season, their unexpected losses to inferior opponents kept them out of the madness.

Record: 20-12 (12-6)

 

Playing in a mid-major conference, the Santa Clara Broncos' only way into the NCAA Tournament was against the top-tier teams in the West Coast. Unfortunately, they consistently came up short of the teams they were chasing. Santa Clara beat the teams it was supposed to, but that's well below the expectations for earning a berth in the field of 68.

 

This was a temperamental campaign from the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They were constantly oscillating in and out of the tournament field before a five-game losing streak to end the regular season pushed the Cornhuskers onto the wrong side of the bubble.