Potential Bubble Teams Who Have Shot Themselves in the Foot

Come mid-March, when the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee is holding its final deliberations on the last four at-large teams to get an invitation, one question is always asked.

How much did [insert school] challenge themselves in non-conference play? Last year, Penn State won at the Breslin Center and swept Illinois (with a healthy Chester Frazier in both games, no less). However, they had an awful non-conference strength of schedule (SOS) and some bad losses.

Below are some teams that you may want to take a look at now and remember in March.

School (Non-Conference SOS in parentheses)*

• Marquette (291)

• Tulsa (284)
  

• Miami-FL (337)

• Notre Dame (334)

• Wichita State (344)

• Oregon (294)

• Virginia Tech (315)

• Seton Hall (340)

• Missouri State (309)

• Illinois State (341)

* Non-conference SOS data from www.kenpom.com as of January 11, 2010