NCAAB

Bubble Tracker: ACC a hotbed of tourney-worthy teams

Shelby Mast and Scott Gleeson
USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps Virginia Tech's double-overtime victory against rival Virginia on Sunday is an example of the ball bouncing — or not bouncing, rather — the right way to pave way for a trip to the NCAA tournament. In the first overtime, Virginia's London Perrantes drove the lane for what appeared to be a go-ahead basket. But the ball lightly bounced on the rim before rolling dead on the backboard to lead to a jump ball call and then a second overtime. There, Seth Allen hit a game-winner with 3.2 seconds remaining.

Virginia Tech Hokies guard Seth Allen (4) reacts following a made basket against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cassell Coliseum.

Virginia Tech, one of six bubble teams from the ACC, inched closer to the safety zone with that marquee victory. The Hokies aren't completely safe yet, but that's the type of rèsumè-builder that will stand out as eye candy to the NCAA selection committee.

Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest join Virginia Tech in the in for now category, while Clemson and Miami find themselves on the outside looking in. The ACC features 13 of its 15 teams in contention for an at-large bid in the Big Dance, which means there will be plenty of room to boost or stain the rèsumè in the next several weeks heading into March Madness.

Bracketology: Full field of 68

Results/records are shown are against Division I opponents only. Breakdown data as of February 13. 

Houston (out for now)

► Profile:  18-7 (9-4) 58 RPI, 100 SoS, 118 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Rhode Island, Vermont
  • The Bad: Losses vs. UCF, LSU, Harvard

Virginia Tech (In for now) 

► Profile: 17-7 (6-6) 39 RPI, 64 SoS, 289 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Duke, Clemson, Syracuse, Ole Miss, Michigan, Georgia Tech, Virginia
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Syracuse (In for now)

► Profile: 16-10 (8-5) 72 RPI, 55 SoS, 152 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Florida State, Virginia, Wake Forest, Monmouth, Miami, Clemson, Pittsburgh,
  • The Bad: Losses vs. UConn, Saint Johns, Boston College

Georgia Tech (In for now)

► Profile: 14-10 (6-6) 78 RPI, 50 SoS, 249 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. North Carolina, Florida State, VCU, Notre Dame, Clemson
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Ohio

Wake Forest (In for now)

► Profile: 15-10 (6-7) 31 RPI, 15 SoS, 15 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Miami, Georgia Tech
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Clemson (Out for now)

► Profile: 13-11 (3-9) 56 RPI, 19 SoS, 103 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. South Carolina, Wake Forest, UNC-Wilmington, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Alabama, Georgia Tech
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Oklahoma

Miami (Out for now)

► Profile: 16-8 (6-6) 52 RPI, 58 SoS, 262 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Stanford
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Both Dayton and VCU are at the top of the Atlantic 10 standings, but far from safe in notching an at-large bid to the NCAAs right now.

Dayton (In for now)

► Profile: 18-5 (10-2) 28 RPI, 67 SoS, 55 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Rhode Island (twice), Vanderbilt, Alabama
  • The Bad: Losses vs. Massachusetts

VCU (In for now)

► Profile: 20-5 (10-2) 27 RPI, 66 SoS, 68 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Dayton, Middle Tennessee State
  • The Bad: Losses vs. Davidson, Fordham

Rhode Island (Out for now)

► Profile: 16-8 (8-4) 40 RPI, 51 SoS, 22 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Cincinnati, Belmont
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Richmond

Minnesota (In for now)

► Profile: 18-7 (6-6) 24 RPI, 22 SoS, 32 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Purdue, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio State
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Michigan State (In for now)

► Profile: 15-10 (7-5) 41 RPI, 16 SoS, 16 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Minnesota (twice), Northwestern, Wichita State, Michigan
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Northeastern

Michigan (In for now)

► Profile: 16-9 (6-6) 61 RPI, 47 SoS, 96 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. SMU, Michigan State, Illinois, Marquette, Indiana (twice)
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Indiana (Out for now) 

►  Profile: 15-11 (5-8) 93 RPI, 45 SoS, 165 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Kansas, North Carolina, Michigan State, Illinois,
  • The Bad: Loss vs. IPFW

Illinois (Out for now)

► Profile: 13-12 (4-9) 70 RPI, 8 SoS, 38 NonCon SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. VCU, Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Penn State (Out for now)

► Profile: 14-12 (6-7) 67 RPI, 23 SoS, 44 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Maryland, Minnesota, Michigan State, Illinois (twice), Georgia Tech
  • The Bad: Losses vs. George Mason, Rutgers, Albany

Seton Hall has some work to do in February to go dancing in March.

Seton Hall (In for now)

► Profile: 15-9 (5-7) 49 RPI, 49 SoS, 120 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. South Carolina, California, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Saint Johns

Georgetown (Out for now)

► Profile: 14-12 (5-8) 62 RPI, 12 SoS, 20 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Butler, Oregon, Creighton, Syracuse
  • The Bad: Losses vs. No bad losses

Providence (Out for now)

► Profile: 15-11 (5-8) 68 RPI, 36 SoS, 176 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Seton Hall, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgetown (twice), Marquette, Memphis, Butler
  • The Bad: Losses vs. Saint Johns, Boston College, DePaul

Marquette (Out for now)

► Profile: 15-10 (6-7) 84 RPI, 65 SoS, 261 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Villanova, Creighton, Seton Hall, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Georgetown
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Saint Johns

Oklahoma State (In for now)

► Profile: 15-9 (5-7) 29 RPI, 11 SoS, 33 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. West Virginia, TCU, Arkansas, Wichita State, Georgetown, Texas Tech
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Texas

TCU (In for now)

► Profile: 16-8 (6-6) 36 RPI, 33 SoS, 97 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Illinois State, Kansas State, Iowa State, Texas Tech
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Iowa State (In for now)

► Profile: 15-9 (7-5) 55 RPI, 46 SoS, 157 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Kansas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Miami, Texas Tech
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Texas

Kansas State (In for now)

► Profile: 16-9 (5-7) 42 RPI, 38 SoS, 239 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Baylor, West Virginia, Oklahoma State
  • The Bad: No bad losses

USC (In for now)

► Profile: 21-5 (8-5) 32 RPI, 84 SoS, 173 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. SMU, UCLA, Stanford
  • The Bad: No bad losses

California (In for now)

► Profile: 18-7 (9-4) 35 RPI, 41 SoS, 80 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. USC, Utah
  • The Bad: Loss vs. San Diego State

Utah (Out for now)

► Profile: 15-8 (8-5) 82 RPI, 90 SoS, 243 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Win vs. USC
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Tennessee (In for now)

► Profile: 13-11 (6-6) 47 RPI, 5 SoS, 10 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Kentucky, Kansas State, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech,
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Mississippi State

Arkansas (In for now)

► Profile: 18-7 (7-5) 44 RPI, 69 SoS, 51 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Houston
  • The Bad: Losses vs. Mississippi State, Missouri

Alabama (Out for now)

► Profile: 14-10 (7-5) 74 RPI, 43 SoS, 84 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Georgia
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Texas

Auburn (Out for now)

► Profile: 16-9 (5-7) 66 RPI, 72 SoS, 124 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. TCU, Alabama (twice), Texas Tech
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Texas

Vanderbilt (Out for now)

► Profile: 12-13 (5-7) 65 RPI, 6 SoS, 1 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Florida, Iowa State, Arkansas, Belmont, Auburn
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Missouri

Georgia (Out for now)

► Profile: 13-11 (5-7) 53 RPI, 21 SoS, 35 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Vanderbilt, Auburn, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Tennessee
  • The Bad: Loss vs. Oakland

Ole Miss (Out for now)

► Profile: 15-10 (6-6) 59 RPI, 31 SoS, 31 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn (twice), Memphis
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Illinois State has an RPI in the 30s but could still miss the cut due to a lack of quality wins.

Assume these teams do not win their conference tourney to secure the auto-bid.

Saint Mary’s (In for now)

► Profile: 22-3 (12-2) 20 RPI, 80 SoS, 83 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. Dayton, Nevada, Stanford
  • The Bad: No bad losses

Middle Tennessee State (Out for now)

► Profile: 21-4 (12-1) 38 RPI, 134 SoS, 17 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Wins vs. UNC-Wilmington, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Ole Miss
  • The Bad: Losses vs. Georgia State, Tennessee State, UTEP

Illinois State (Out for now)

► Profile: 20-5 (13-1) 34 RPI, 129 SoS, 93 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Win vs. Wichita State
  • The Bad: Losses vs. Tulsa, Murray State

Wichita State (Out for now)

► Profile: 22-4 (13-1) 48 RPI, 162 SoS, 205 non-conference SoS

  • The Good: Win vs. Illinois State
  • The Bad: No bad losses

***

Note: All RPI and statistical data is used from WarrenNolan.com.

About our bracketologist: Shelby Mast has been projecting the field since 2005 and has finished as one of the top 5 national bracketologists for his website, Bracket W.A.G. He’s predicted for The Indianapolis Star, collegeinsider.com and is an inaugural member of the Super 10 Selection Committee. Follow him on Twitter @BracketWag.

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