From Michigan to Houston, who should bubble teams root for this week?
Congratulations! If you’re reading this, your team has likely made it — or perhaps fallen — to the infamous NCAA Tournament bubble.
So go ahead and grab the remote, put a few hours into that couch imprint and let the not-quite March Madness unfold.
Here’s a rooting guide for the biggest bubble games on Sunday that give your team the best shot at hearing its name called on Selection Sunday:
March Madness Bracket or Bust: Michigan in, Indiana out?
SMU at Houston — 12:30 p.m. EST
FOX Bet Odds: n/a
SMU stands as the very last team in the tournament, per DeCourcy, with one final opportunity for a résumé-boosting win this regular season against Houston. The Mustangs swept fellow bubble team Memphis and knocked off Houston in Dallas earlier this month.
Houston has looked much more vulnerable in recent weeks, dropping an additional game to Memphis and narrowly defeating Wichita State. An elite road win here would place SMU solidly into the field, so root for Houston to hold serve at home.
Illiinois at Michigan — 2 p.m. EST
FOX Bet Odds: n/a
Michigan’s season seemed destined for a tailspin after head coach Juwan Howard received a season-ending suspension for striking a Wisconsin assistant. Interim coach and long-time St. Joe’s boss Phil Martelli took over seamlessly, however, and led the Wolverines to an impressive home victory over Rutgers.
Michigan temporarily played itself off the bubble, currently sitting as an 11-seed in DeCourcy's latest bracket. A win over the high-flying Illini would go a long way for the Wolverines' tournament chances. Root for the Illini to complete the season-sweep over UM and keep pressure on the Wolverines.
Michigan's Juwan Howard slaps Wisconsin assistant
Indiana at Minnesota — 6 p.m. EST
FOX Bet Odds: n/a
Indiana finally ended a very untimely five-game losing streak Thursday with a home win over Maryland. However, that skid dropped the Hoosiers to DeCourcy’s first team out of the field.
The Hoosiers have struggled mightily away from Assembly Hall this season, posting a 2-8 record in true road games. The Gophers have remained competitive despite a disappointing season, recently losing by just one to Wisconsin. Root for Minnesota to knock off the Hoosiers and possibly remove Mike Woodson’s squad from contention.
