text: NCAA tournament bracketology: Brand names have big opportunities this weekend – The Latest Breaking News
  With the calendar about to show to March, it turns into more straightforward to type out the video games possibly to have an have an effect on at the NCAA basketball committee's deliberations in two weeks. And of the groups with probably the most to realize this weekend, maximum are established manufacturers within the recreation.
  Indiana (vs. Michigan, midday Saturday, Fox): The wheels are temporarily coming off for the Hoosiers, who've slipped nearer and nearer to the brink of the sphere since an Eight-Five get started. And what a unusual six-plus weeks it's been since then. Indiana has 4 victories in that span: A double-overtime squeaker at lowly Northwestern, a house victory over road-allergic Minnesota … and a sweep of Iowa.
  The Hoosiers (12-11) have dropped 3 of 4, and so they catch Michigan coming off victories over Ohio State and Iowa. Their ultimate two common season video games are at the street (Michigan State and Purdue). And so they have been specifically forgettable at Rutgers on Wednesday, permitting a four-point halftime deficit to balloon to 20 sooner than the Scarlet Knights coasted to the end line. This may well be as pivotal a recreation as there's been within the Archie Miller generation in Bloomington.
  North Carolina (vs. Florida State, Four p.m. Saturday, ESPN). The Tar Heels' total profile is just right sufficient to be within the box — for now. However particularly after Wednesday's house loss to Marquette, North Carolina may just use the signature victory it's been lacking all season.
  Input Florida State, winners of 4 in a row and 9 out of 10. The younger Tar Heels have been masses pesky in a loss in Tallahassee ultimate month, on the time an encouraging signal. North Carolina used to be sure to be up and down, and there figured to be a minimum of one consequence just like the Marquette result. Conversely, the whole lot will more than likely come in combination every so often, too, like ultimate weekend's bludgeoning of Louisville. Possibly it occurs once more on the Dean Dome on Saturday.
  Xavier (vs. Creighton, Five p.m. Saturday, Fox). The Musketeers have continued some awful covid success. No longer best did they play simply as soon as between Jan. 10 and Feb. 13 and are heading in the right direction to lose seven convention video games, they received't get a crack at Large East chief Villanova within the common season.
  That doesn't depart many high-end alternatives. A seek advice from from Creighton (which received the groups' first assembly 66-61 simply sooner than Christmas) represents the most efficient probability to stabilize Xavier's tottering NCAA hopes after 3 losses in its ultimate 4 video games.
  Louisville (at Duke, 6 p.m. Saturday, ESPN). It's no doubt a precious recreation for each groups. Duke (11-Eight) has received 4 in a row, its longest profitable streak of the season, however the Blue Devils received't achieve as a lot from this recreation as they did from slipping previous Virginia per week in the past.
  As for the Cardinals (12-Five), they don't have a Quadrant 1 victory and this might rely as one for now. A sweep of Duke (the house defeat of the Blue Devils counts as a Quadrant 2 triumph within the NCAA's analysis metrics) can be a useful asset if each groups occupy area close to the brink of the sphere. Louisville does have further possibilities to provoke, even though; it closes the season at Virginia Tech and at house towards Virginia.
  Michigan State (at Maryland, 2 p.m. Sunday, CBS). What a distinction two weeks makes. As Valentine's Day dawned, Michigan State used to be 10-Eight, Maryland used to be 10-10 and the one postseason implications this recreation seemed to elevate have been tied to averting the primary day of the Large Ten event.
  Maryland has since received 4 in a row and now enjoys a minimum of some wiggle room relative to the brink of the sphere. Michigan State ripped off wins towards Indiana, Illinois and Ohio State in a span of six days to restore its season, and a victory in School Park would give the Spartans 4 Quadrant 1 victories in a bit of greater than per week (and 6 for the season).
  First 4 at the out of doors: Mississippi, Seton Corridor, Indiana, Stanford
  Subsequent 4 at the out of doors: Duke, Georgia Tech, Richmond, Minnesota
  Convention name: Large Ten (Nine), Large 12 (7), Atlantic Coast (6), Southeastern (6), Large East (Four), Percent-12 (Four), Atlantic 10 (three), Mountain West (three), American Athletic (2), Missouri Valley (2), West Coast (2)
  Shifting in: Connecticut, Drake, Michigan State
  Shifting out: Indiana, Seton Corridor, Stanford
  The one Department I league with a couple of undefeated groups in convention play is the SWAC. Prairie View A&M is Nine-Zero towards SWAC foes, whilst Jackson State is 7-Zero. They aren't scheduled to satisfy within the ultimate two weekends of the common season. … Texas has performed 13 convention video games, 9 of them at house. The Longhorns shut the common season with a four-game, nine-day go back and forth to Texas Tech, Iowa State, Oklahoma and TCU. They received't make up a recreation at Baylor. …
  Oklahoma State performs 4 video games in 8 days to complete the common season, together with each ends of the Bedlam sequence on Saturday and Monday. The Cowboys are on the level the place they are able to resist a whole cave in and stay within the box. … This seeding may well be a bit of excessive for Virginia Tech, however victories over Villanova and Virginia will have to stay the Hokies neatly above the minimize line.
  Friday's loss to Drexel manner James Madison will cut up the common season CAA name with Northeastern. However there used to be a long way worse information for the Dukes with the lack of league scoring chief Matt Lewis to a knee damage for the remainder of the season. … The argument for Belmont to land an at-large berth took successful when the Bruins misplaced at Japanese Kentucky on Thursday. Casey Alexander's workforce remains to be a substantial favourite in subsequent week's Ohio Valley event. …
  Clemson may just head into the ACC event as one the most up to date groups within the league. The Tigers are undefeated in February — Four-Zero, with a coronavirus pause breaking issues up — and end the common season with video games towards Miami, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. … Rutgers stopped the bleeding by way of dispatching Indiana by way of 11. The Scarlet Knights nonetheless have suffering Nebraska and free-falling Minnesota at the street within the subsequent week.
  (2) Illinois vs. (15) BIG SKY/Japanese Washington
  BYU hasn't gotten a lot consideration the ultimate couple months aside from at the two events it used to be an unlucky foil within the Gonzaga Display. However the Cougars have just one loss out of doors the projected box and are 7-Five in video games towards Quadrant 1 and a pair of combatants. They're a rock-solid, middle-of-the-bracket workforce. … Tennessee doesn't have a lot operating towards it, nevertheless it additionally hasn't received 3 in a row in additional than a month. That loss of traction is price holding in thoughts heading into subsequent month. …
  Colorado has the most obvious drawback of 3 Quadrant three losses, however it's also .500 at the street, owns a sweep of Southern California, is a metrics favourite and is Nine-Four towards the highest Quadrants. The Buffaloes transfer up every other seed line on the finish of the week. … VCU has but to say a Quadrant 1 victory, nevertheless it leads the rustic in Quad 2 triumphs. The Rams are Eight-Zero in the ones contests and get every other one Saturday at Davidson.
  Michigan nonetheless has a minimum of 5 video games scheduled between now and Variety Sunday, so it might theoretically play its manner off the highest line. However after back-to-back victories over Ohio State and Iowa, it kind of feels an not likely result for the Wolverines to finally end up as the rest however a No. 1 seed. … Arkansas picked off Missouri, Florida and Alabama in its ultimate 3 outings to cement its upward trajectory. The Razorbacks have received 8 of 9 coming into Saturday's seek advice from from LSU. …
  Wisconsin hasn't received back-to-back video games in additional than a month, nevertheless it has no foolish losses, a profitable street file (Five-Four), a strong sufficient Four-6 mark in Quadrant 1 video games and a blended Nine-Eight mark within the best two quadrants. The Badgers haven't been particularly spectacular for rather some time, however their total profile nonetheless warrants a No. 6 seed. … Missouri nonetheless has a minimum of as many Quadrant 1 victories as everybody rather then Gonzaga, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio State, however shedding 4 out of 5 has broken the Tigers' status.