With just over two weeks until Selection Sunday, Missouri finds itself teetering on the NCAA Tournament bubble. As the games unfold, we'll dive into the Tigers' competition for those coveted final spots, breaking down how each round impacts Mizzou's chances for an at-large bid.
Currently, Missouri is on the cusp, sitting among the last four byes in Joe Lunardi's latest bracket projection. Their recent 73-69 victory over Tennessee was a crucial boost, especially since their fellow bubble teams stumbled this week.
As of now, BracketMatrix, which compiles 127 bracket projections, has Missouri projected as a No. 11 seed. This would place them in a precarious position, likely facing a play-in game against TCU in Dayton. Here's a snapshot of Missouri's current profile:
Missouri (19-8, 9-6 SEC)
- In on 118/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.86
- Last game: Beat Tennessee 73-69
- Next game: at Mississippi State (SAT)
- Stock: Up
Let's explore the other bubble contenders and see how they stack up:
SMU (19-9, 8-7 ACC)
- In on 127/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 8.43
- Last game: Lost to California 73-69
- Next game: at Stanford (SAT)
- Stock: Down
Clemson (20-8, 10-5 ACC)
- In on 127/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 8.85
- Last game: Lost to Florida State 70-65
- Next game: vs Louisville (SAT)
- Stock: Down
UCF (20-7, 9-6 Big 12)
- In on 127/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 8.89
- Last game: Beat BYU 97-84
- Next game: vs Baylor (SAT)
- Stock: Up
St. Mary's (26-4, 15-2 WCC)
- In on 127/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 9.11
- Last game: Beat Santa Clara 88-67
- Next game: vs Gonzaga (SAT)
- Stock: Up
Texas (17-11, 8-7 SEC)
- In on 126/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.00
- Last game: Lost to Florida 84-71
- Next game: at Texas A&M (SAT)
- Stock: Down
Indiana (17-11, 8-9 Big Ten)
- In on 118/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.58
- Last game: Lost to Northwestern 72-68
- Next game: at Michigan State (SUN)
- Stock: Down
Texas A&M (19-9, 9-6 SEC)
- In on 127/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 9.59
- Last game: Lost to Arkansas 99-84
- Next game: vs Texas (SAT)
- Stock: Down
Georgia (19-9, 7-8 SEC)
- In on 127/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 9.16
- Last game: Lost to Vanderbilt 88-80
- Next game: vs South Carolina (SAT)
- Stock: Steady
Auburn (15-13, 6-9 SEC)
- In on 124/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 9.82
- Last game: Lost to Oklahoma 91-79
- Next game: vs Ole Miss (SAT)
- Stock: Down
USC (18-10, 7-10 Big Ten)
- In on 42/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.98
- Last game: Lost to UCLA 81-62
- Next game: vs Nebraska (SAT)
- Stock: Down
UCLA (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten)
- In on 127/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.31
- Last game: Beat USC 81-62
- Next game: at Minnesota (SAT)
- Stock: Up
Santa Clara (23-7, 14-3 WCC)
- In on 116/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.96
- Last game: Lost to St.
Mary's 88-67
- Next game: vs Oregon State (SAT)
- Stock: Down
TCU (18-10, 8-7 Big 12)
- In on 85/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 11.00
- Last game: Beat Arizona State 90-78
- Next week: at Kansas State (SAT)
- Stock: Up
Ohio State (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten)
- In on 45/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.98
- Last game: Lost 74-57 to Iowa
- Next game: vs Purdue (SUN)
- Stock: Down
New Mexico (21-7, 12-5 MWC)
- In on 89/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 10.99
- Last game: Lost to Nevada 67-60
- Next game: vs San Diego State (SAT)
- Stock: Steady
San Diego State (19-8, 13-4 MWC)
- In on 3/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 11.00
- Last game: Beat Utah State 89-72
- Next game: at New Mexico (SAT)
- Stock: Up
VCU (21-7, 12-3 A-10)
- In on 9/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 11.00
- Last game: Lost to St.
Louis 88-75
- Next game: vs Fordham (SAT)
- Stock: Steady
Virginia Tech (18-10, 7-8 ACC)
- In on 4/127 brackets
- Average Seed projection: 11.00
- Last game: Beat Wake Forest 82-63
- Next game: at North Carolina (SAT)
- Stock: Steady
California (20-8, 8-7 ACC)
- Last game: Beat SMU 73-69
- Next game: vs Pittsburgh (SAT)
- Stock: Up
Seton Hall (19-9, 9-8 Big East)
- Last game: Beat Georgetown 51-47
- Next game: at Connecticut (SAT)
- Stock: Steady
Key Matchups to Watch
Missouri's upcoming clash with Mississippi State is pivotal. A win could solidify their spot in the tournament and shift their focus to improving their seed. Keep an eye on games involving Georgia, Clemson, UCF, and SMU, as these teams are currently positioned ahead of Missouri but remain within reach.
Saturday Highlights:
- UCLA at Minnesota
- Nebraska at USC
- Texas at Texas A&M
- SMU at Stanford
- TCU at Kansas State
- Baylor at UCF
- Clemson vs Louisville
- Virginia Tech at North Carolina
- Gonzaga at St.
Mary's
- San Diego State at New Mexico
With so much at stake, the bubble race is heating up, and every game matters as teams jockey for position in the final stretch before Selection Sunday.