Memphis at Houston – Memphis did NC State a huge favor by beating Wichita State this week, now it’s time for them to go home as far as the Pack is concerned. This is a chance for Memphis to put itself back onto the bubble entering the American Conference tournament, but a loss here means Memphis probably needs to win it all. Memphis did beat Houston at home a couple weeks ago for one of its two Q1 victories. Memphis’s best metrics are a 6-1 Q2 mark and a solid strength of record (SOR) for a bubble team at 47. But it needs Q1 wins to overcome a softer schedule (No. 141 non-conference) and three Q3 losses.
Tulsa at Wichita State – This is the big game of the day as far as NC State is concerned. Wichita State has not impressed lately, is just 2-6 in Q1 and has a non-conference SOS of No. 142. Right now its lone win over a NCAA Tournament team is a home victory over Oklahoma. That said, it is a very strong 7-2 in Q2, owns a .500 road record (5-5 which is also 6-6 when you throw in neutral games) and is well liked by the computers, with the NET being one of its lowest ratings at No. 46. Entering today, its SOR was really good at 32.
I’ve said before, I think this Wichita State is a slightly better version of NC State’s resume at this point a year ago because it does not have the albatross of a bad schedule hanging around its next (even if theirs is nothing to brag about), and this Wichita State team has no bad losses. That said, it probably needs to win today, if for anything they have not been passing the eyeball test. They are a 24-point rally at SMU away last weekend from being off the bubble at this point. Tulsa is a solid team that’s borderline Q2/Q3 (NET 76 for a home game).
Western Carolina vs. East Tennessee State – ETSU needed a buzzer shot to beat WCU a week ago at home after winning by 19 on the road at the Catamounts earlier in the season. Bubble teams want a repeat of the latter. Although it was bad news for NC State that UNC Greensboro was upset in the first round and has no hope of providing the Pack with an extra quad one win at this point, both the two and three seeds in the Southern Conference Tournament are now out. The Pack wants ETSU to ensure it’s a one-bid league.
Tulsa at Wichita State – This is the big game of the day as far as NC State is concerned. Wichita State has not impressed lately, is just 2-6 in Q1 and has a non-conference SOS of No. 142. Right now its lone win over a NCAA Tournament team is a home victory over Oklahoma. That said, it is a very strong 7-2 in Q2, owns a .500 road record (5-5 which is also 6-6 when you throw in neutral games) and is well liked by the computers, with the NET being one of its lowest ratings at No. 46. Entering today, its SOR was really good at 32.
I’ve said before, I think this Wichita State is a slightly better version of NC State’s resume at this point a year ago because it does not have the albatross of a bad schedule hanging around its next (even if theirs is nothing to brag about), and this Wichita State team has no bad losses. That said, it probably needs to win today, if for anything they have not been passing the eyeball test. They are a 24-point rally at SMU away last weekend from being off the bubble at this point. Tulsa is a solid team that’s borderline Q2/Q3 (NET 76 for a home game).
Western Carolina vs. East Tennessee State – ETSU needed a buzzer shot to beat WCU a week ago at home after winning by 19 on the road at the Catamounts earlier in the season. Bubble teams want a repeat of the latter. Although it was bad news for NC State that UNC Greensboro was upset in the first round and has no hope of providing the Pack with an extra quad one win at this point, both the two and three seeds in the Southern Conference Tournament are now out. The Pack wants ETSU to ensure it’s a one-bid league.
