Bearcats among USA Today's First Four Out
Dave Clark, dclark@cincinnati.com 1:58 p.m. EST March 3, 2016


The Cincinnati Bearcats are among the First Four Out, according to the most recent NCAA tournament bracket projections from USA TODAY Sports, which currently expects the team to miss the Big Dance for the first time since 2010.

More from USA TODAY bracketologist Shelby Mast:

What an interesting night on the bubble. Some teams really helped themselves. Others not so much. Alabama barely lost to Arkansas and this is the loss the Tide couldn't afford. They're way out now. Big bubble winners are St. Bonaventure besting St. Joseph, VCU beating Davidson and Butler defeating Seton Hall. All were solid wins and have shuffled the last four in grouping up.

The short-handed Bearcats play at Houston late Thursday night.

Earlier this week, The Enquirer's Tom Groeschen wrote that the Bearcats were "rocking on the positive side of the daily bracketology dance."

More from Groeschen:

The scoop: The Bearcats are rocking on the positive side of the daily bracketology dance. Joe Lunardi of ESPN lists UC as “probable” to make the field via his T.O.P. (Tournament Odds Program). Lunardi writes: “These teams have a 65 percent T.O.P or better and should make the tournament provided they suffer no “bad losses” down the stretch: Syracuse, Providence, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Connecticut.” Also, Jerry Palm (CBS Sports) and Shelby Mast (USA Today) both list UC among the “last four in” as a potential No. 11 seed. UC stands No. 50 in the daily NCAA RPI, with a trip to No. 77 Houston on Thursday followed by a regular season home finale against No. 11 SMU on Sunday. The Bearcats also might need to make some noise in the AAC tournament in Orlando, depending on how other bubble teams perform.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../81272470/

His prediction doesn't make me "Glad all over"...USA Today sucks,,does anyone acually buy that POS

Just keep winning and we will be fine.

As much as I hate to read it the Bearcats have made their own bed this season. Lose tonight and it may be all over, regardless of Sunday and the conference tourney.

Win tonight and I think UC is still in for March Madness. They are in the frustrating position of having to hope for the failure of other bubble teams, which often proves disheartening to say the least.

Bearcats have had a very up and down season but really still control their own destiny.
Win tonight, win Sunday. Win a game or two in the AAC tourney and should be pertty safely in.

Lose tonight, better win the AAC tourney.
Win tonight, lose to SMU, better get to the AAC tourney final.

In all cases, wouldn't hurt to root for no tourney upsets to keep maximum slots open.

Bracket matrix

http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

Has us listed in 100 of 108 published brackets (93%)

Leave it to the Enquirer to highlight one of the 7%

(03-03-2016 03:32 PM)Bearcat2012 Wrote:  Bracket matrix

http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

Has us listed in 100 of 108 published brackets (93%)

Leave it to the Enquirer to highlight one of the 7%

I had the same thought. I kept a digital only subscription this year and when that expires mid-summer I'm completely done. I find very little of value, even for my modest investment.

I think we win the next two and we are a lock. If we lose tonight, but beat SMU, we should be fine (This would not be a bad loss). If we win tonight but lose to SMU, it will be close. Lose both and we better win the AAC (Or at least get to finals and hope to get help).

I've looked at a lot of bubble resumes and they are very ugly. Some teams under .500 in their conference and some haven't won a road game against a team with a pulse. Honestly if we lost the next two, but made it to the AAC finals, I could see us still having a shot at an at-large, but I wouldn't feel good about it.

Lets just win out and work our way up to a 7 seed or so. I do think we have the capability to do it, just need to come out with fire every night and play to the best of out abilities.

(03-03-2016 03:02 PM)OKIcat Wrote:  As much as I hate to read it the Bearcats have made their own bed this season. Lose tonight and it may be all over, regardless of Sunday and the conference tourney.

Win tonight and I think UC is still in for March Madness. They are in the frustrating position of having to hope for the failure of other bubble teams, which often proves disheartening to say the least.

Exactly. Win at least the next four and we will be in, if not, then maybe we don't belong.

WOW a lot of doom and gloom here...

If UC loses, SMU is a must win. IF they win that, and avoid a bad tourney loss, they are FINE.

UC is doing great in the non-rpi rankings. Often in the top 30. Those numbers are more important to the committee than the RPI is. They flat out said so last year.

However, I'm sure this place will be an absolute dumpster fire of panic and woe if cincinnati loses tonight. SMU is the more important game, and we aren't losing that one.

All I can say is:
The conference tourney winner gets the auto-bid.

Win the conference tourney and all doubt is removed.