2015 Bubble Watch: March 7 Scoreboard Watching

We have our own business to take care of later today, but that doesn't mean we can't do some scoreboard watching. There are still plenty of games that affect Purdue win or lose, but they have more of an effect if we win.

Big Ten:

Michigan State at Indiana, Noon, ESPN

I hate it to the very core of my soul, but we could really use and Indiana win. A victory for the Hoosiers assures that a Purdue win gives us a double by in Chicago. It also gets them back into the top 50 of the RPI and gives us six top 50 wins instead of four. Both of those factors are huge. So cheer for Indiana, even though it assures they will lose by 45 and hire Brad Stevens just to f*** with us. Cheer for: Indiana

Northwestern at Iowa, Noon, BTN

It doesn't really affect us for seeding, but we want the Iowa win as strong as possible. Cheer for: Iowa

Rutgers at Michigan, 2:15pm, BTN

Unless you're a prisoner and this is being used as torture fund something else to watch.

Illinois at Purdue, 4:30pm, BTN

Duh.

Other Games:

Miami at Virginia Tech, Noon, ESPN3

The Hurricanes are still alive and creeping in the "First Four Out" area. They probably need some wins in the ACC Tourney to get in, but a loss in this one will end them. Cheer for: Virginia Tech

Syracuse at NC State, Noon, CBS

We probably want to keep the Wolfpack as a good win, but we still want to make sure we're ahead of them. I do want to thank Syracuse for getting sanctioned after knocking out Indiana's best team of the last decade.  Cheer for: NC State

Oklahoma State at West Virginia, 2pm, ESPNNews

The Cowboys are a fringe Bubble team in need of a huge road win, say over a solid lock in West Virginia. Cheer for: West Virginia

Connecticut at Temple, 2pm, ESPN2

Temple is another team that is very, very close to us and they are playing the defending champs at home. UConn is not dancing unless they win the American title, so a loss for Temple would be devastating. Cheer for: Connecticut

Alabama at Texas A&M 2pm, ESPN3

The Aggies are 0-6 against the top 50, but don't have a single bad loss. Their loss to Florida this week put them in danger and another loss, plus a Purdue win, might move us past them for seeding. Cheer for: Alabama

LSU at Arkansas, 2pm, ESPN

Another SEC Bubble team I would like to move ahead of is LSU. Let them sweat things out while we're comfortable in eight days, especially when this would be a very, very good win that might lock a bid for them. Cheer for: Arkansas

St. Joseph's at Rhode Island, 2pm

Are the Rams on the Bubble or not? Who knows? Better to be safe than sorry. Cheer for: St. Joseph's

Xavier at Creighton, 2pm, FoxSports2

At least we're not playing against Xavier for a Bubble spot. Bad things happen when we play Xavier. Cheer for: Creighton

Illinois State vs. Wichita State, 2:35pm, ESPN3, MVC Semifinal

We want the MVC final to be Wichita State vs. Northern Iowa. Otherwise, a bid will be stolen and push every Bubble team back because UNI and WSU are both locks, and no one else from the Valley is going without the Autobid. Cheer for: Wichita State (and Northern Iowa in the other semifinal)

Kansas State at Texas, 4pm, ESPN2

A win makes the Kansas State loss suck a little less and severely damage a Texas team that has no business being an at large team anyway since they have a losing Big 12 record. Cheer for: Kansas State

Stanford at Arizona, 4pm, CBS

Don't let a Bubble team (Stanford) get a huge road win just before Selection Sunday. Cheer for: Arizona

Fresno State at Boise State, 8pm, ESPN3

Boise locks up the Mountain West title, No. 1 seed, and probably an NCAA bid as a Bubble team with a win. Cheer for: Fresno State

Vanderbilt at Mississippi, 9pm, SEC Network

A Vandy win keeps Mississippi off the Bubble, but could the Commodores be coming on? A win would be a fifth straight and sixth of 7. Might be priming them for an SEC Tourney run. Cheer for: Vanderbilt