March Madness Bubble Teams Forecast: First Four Teams Out of the NCAA Tournament

2012 March Madness Bubble Teams Forecast – Expert Picks and Predictions on First Four Teams Out of the NCAA Tournament Bracket: For a handful of team, Selection Sunday is going to be a nerve-racking process. The teams sitting on the bubble won’t know for sure whether or not they will be in the field of 68 until the brackets are unveiled. With the expansion of the field, the latest trend in bracketology is pinpointing the last four teams in the tournament, as well as the first four out. For the unfortunate teams that come up just short of being part of March Madness, there is little solace to be found in being one of the first four teams out. That being said, the bubble teams on the outside looking in still have a couple of games left to change their fate.

2012 March Madness Bubble Teams Forecast and Predictions: First Four Teams in the NCAA Tournament

1. Miami Hurricanes (17-10)

On the plus side, the Hurricanes have statement victories against Florida State and Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium. On the downside, they are just 8-6 in a relatively weak ACC and struggled in out-of-conference play, losing to Purdue, Mississippi, Memphis and West Virginia. Miami ranks 50th in the RPI and has the 33rd-toughest schedule, which helps its cause, as well. That being said, the Hurricanes need to close the regular season with a couple of wins and get a little help to solidify their spot in the NCAA tournament. An upset win in the ACC tournament should definitely punch Miami’s ticket.

2. Colorado State Rams (17-10)

The Rams have the type of measurable that the selection committee tends to look for. In addition to victories against ranked opponents San Diego State and New Mexico, Colorado State ranks 26th in the RPI and has the seventh-best strength of schedule. That being said, the Rams are just 6-6 in Mountain West play, which is a huge red flag. A .500 record in a mid-major conference just isn’t going to get it done, and as a result, the Rams need to go on strong run to close the year to sneak back into the field of 68.

3. VCU Rams (25-6)

After last year’s memorable run to the Final Four, it is hard not to be sentimental about the Rams. However, this is a new year, and even at 25-6, VCU has its work cut out for it. The Rams rank 60th in the RPI, and having the 177th-toughest schedule isn’t helping the cause. VCU failed to capitalize on its out-of-conference schedule, losing to Seton Hall, Georgia Tech and Alabama. The Rams didn’t win the Colonial Athletic Association regular season title either. At this point, VCU will probably need to win its conference tournament to return to the NCAA tournament.

4. West Virginia Mountaineers (17-12)

The only thing keep West Virginia afloat at this point is having the ninth-toughest schedule in the country. The Mountaineers are right on the edge in the RPI, ranking 50th, and their 7-9 record in the Big East is a major deterrent. Granted, the conference is the deepest in the country, but West Virginia is currently looking up at eight other teams in the Big East standings. Throw in the Mountaineers’ recent struggles that have seen them drop seven of their nine games, and this team is trending the wrong way at the wrong time.

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