This week is crucial for Brigham Young University’s (BYU) prospects in the NCAA Tournament.
The Cougars, boasting a record of 17 wins and 8 losses with an 8-6 mark in Big 12 play, are presented with vital opportunities to bolster their tournament resume by aiming for Quadrant 1 victories.
On Tuesday, they will compete against the 23rd-ranked Kansas at home, followed by a road game at the 19th-ranked Arizona on Saturday.
As of Monday, BYU’s performance includes a 3-6 record in Quadrant 1 games and a commendable 4-2 in Quadrant 2 games.
According to the recent analysis from BracketMatrix.com, which averages 87 mock tournament brackets, BYU remains on the positive side of the bubble as an 11th seed, with projections placing them in 80 different tournament fields.
The Cougars are currently positioned 36th in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings, while various analytics platforms, including KenPom, Bart Torvik, and Evan Miyakawa, rank them between 26th and 35th.
Turning the focus to other teams on the bubble, the Vanderbilt Commodores are set to take on the 17th-ranked Kentucky on Wednesday.
Under the leadership of first-year coach Mark Byington, Vanderbilt holds a record of 17-8 and 5-7 in the Southeastern Conference, currently ranked 41st in NET.
However, they face challenges with a dismal 2-7 record in Quadrant 1 matchups.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are scheduled to play against North Carolina State on Saturday.
With a record of 19-7 and 11-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and ranked 58th in NET, Wake Forest recently suffered a setback with a loss to Florida State, which was classified as a Quad 3 defeat.
Their remaining schedule offers little room for error, with a significant opportunity coming up against 3rd-ranked Duke on March 3.
On Sunday, the 13th-ranked Purdue will visit Indiana, a game of critical importance for the Hoosiers, who are struggling with a 15-11 record and 6-9 in Big Ten play, holding down a NET ranking of 57.
They have only achieved 2 wins in Quadrant 1 contests so far this season, making this match the most crucial remaining on their calendar.
Evaluating key ratings, the Oklahoma Sooners, currently ranked 52nd in NET, have endured a streak of four consecutive losses but have a chance to redeem themselves with a Quadrant 1 win against 2nd-ranked Florida on Tuesday.
The VCU Rams, at 34th in NET, have shown promising metrics, sitting 29th in the Miyakawa rankings and in the 30s according to both KenPom and Torvik, but they’ve only claimed one victory in Quadrant 1 games and may need to secure the automatic bid from their league.
Lastly, the Xavier Musketeers, holding a NET ranking of 54, have faced difficulties with a 1-8 record in Quadrant 1 games, with no further matchups ahead to improve their standings.
