A new Bracketology NCAA Tournament projected bracket is out Friday and the further down the bracket you go, the less stability you find. Nobody on the top two lines lost during the week, but that is going to change for sure this weekend. There are several big games on Saturday that do not involve bubble teams. Here is a look at some of the important games listed in chronological order.
Latest Bracketology projected seeds in parenthesis. All times Eastern
(2) Purdue at (7) Michigan State
12 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free)
Like Xavier, Michigan State is heading in the wrong direction. The Spartans have also lost five of their last six games, including a drubbing at Iowa on Wednesday. Also like Xavier, MSU is not yet a threat to miss the tournament, but after this one, they travel to Michigan and Ohio State.
For the Boilermakers, they are looking for another Big Ten championship and a shot at a No. 1 seed. There is very little margin for error if they hope to accomplish either of those goals.
(2) Kentucky at (6) Arkansas
2 p.m. | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
This is a matchup of the two hottest teams in the SEC. The Wildcats have won eight of nine, the last two without their starting backcourt of TyTy Washington Jr. and Sahvir Wheeler. Kentucky still holds out hope for a SEC title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Arkansas, winners of 12 of their last 13 games, has been screaming up the bracket of late. The Razorbacks are now a No. 6 seed after not being in the bracket at all a few weeks ago. They may be one of those teams that enters the tournament under-seeded and one you do not want to face.
Bracketology top seeds
Check out Palm's latest bracket, full field of 68 and all the teams on the bubble on the Bracketology hub.
(3) Texas Tech at (10) TCU
6 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free)
The Red Raiders still have an outside shot at a league title and also a chance to run down either Baylor or Kansas to become the second highest-seeded team from the Big 12 in the NCAA Tournament. The reward for that is very likely starting the NCAA Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.
(1) Kansas at (2) Baylor
8 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free)
A No. 1 seed – for now – is on the line between the No. 4 overall Jayhawks and No. 5 Bears. However, first place in the Big 12 is not at stake. Kansas has a two-game lead in the loss column over the Bears and Texas Tech. Baylor is also trying to show the NCAA Tournament selection committee that they can still win big games shorthanded. Among the Bears' injury troubles is the recent loss of forward Jonathan Tchamwa-Tchatchoua for the season.
(1) Arizona at Colorado
8 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free)
The Wildcats could clinch the Pac-12 regular season title Saturday with a victory over the Buffaloes and a loss by USC at Oregon. That is not something many predicted before the start of the season. Arizona is also currently a No. 1 seed in the bracket and cannot afford too many more losses if it hopes to stay there.
(8) Seton Hall at (9) Xavier
8:30 p.m. FS1
The Musketeers are coming off of a triple-OT loss at Providence, which is their fifth loss in their last six games. I am not ready yet to be concerned about Xavier making the tournament, but it could really stand to turn things around. The Musketeers still have a road game at St. John's, which will also be tough. The next bracket is Monday and, with the start of conference tournaments, we will begin updating Bracketology each day until Selection Sunday on March 13.
