Bracketology Bubble Watch: Kentucky in must-win game, Michigan gets opportunity for big win vs. Indiana

at Georgia, Noon | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Wildcats have a decent record, but there is so little quality to it. The win at Tennessee is keeping them afloat, but they also have that ugly home loss to South Carolina. That win over the Volunteers is Kentucky’s only win in eight Quad 1 games. This one is a must-win. at Maryland, Noon | Big Ten Network, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Nittany Lions let one get away against Wisconsin on Wednesday and that could be a problem because three of their next four games are on the road. Penn State needs quality wins wherever it can get them and will get ample chances in the Big Ten. at Texas, Noon | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Mountaineers are doing well in the metrics in no small part due to the fact that they have already played 19 Quad 1 games. The reason they are on the bubble is because they are only 5-9 against that group and just 8-9 if you add Quads 2 and 3. This game is a tall task, but in this league, they all are. vs. Alabama, 2 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) – Auburn’s tournament resume isn’t awful, but it is not exactly inspiring either. The Tigers managed to beat Arkansas, Florida and Mississippi State at home, and beat Northwestern in a rock fight in November. They also lost at Georgia and were swept by Texas A&M. Here is a chance for some pizzazz. Projected No. 2 overall seed and in-state rival Alabama comes calling to start an end of season schedule that includes a return trip to Tuscaloosa as well as home tilts with Missouri and speaking of rock fights, Tennessee. at Notre Dame, 2 p.m. | ESPN+ – The Hokies cannot seem to get out of their own way. They sit 14-10 after losing at home to Boston College, giving the Eagles a sweep of the season series. Now, they enter a stretch of the season with four of their next six on the road. At least a few of those games look winnable, but Virginia Tech will have to do better than that. at Nebraska, 4 p.m. | Big Ten Network, fuboTV (Try for free) – Wisconsin picked up a big win at fellow Big Ten bubbler Penn State earlier this week to get a leg up on the Nittany Lions and is in the bracket for now. The Badgers have an odd resume with some good wins, but four home losses. Also, they have only played five games all season where the scoring margin was greater than 10 points. Nebraska may be near the bottom of the league standings, but the Cornhuskers have already beaten Iowa, Ohio State and Penn State at home. vs. Georgia Tech, 5 p.m. | ACC Network, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Demon Deacons got a nice win at home over North Carolina to stay afloat. However, it has been their inconsistency that has them looking up at the bracket at the moment. Wake is just a .500 team against opponents in the top three quadrants. However, this is a Quad 4 game, so a loss could be disastrous. at Iowa State, 6 p.m. | ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Cowboys have won four in a row and six of their last seven to put themselves in the bracket for now. Now they get a chance to do what no other team has done – beat Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum. This would also give Oklahoma State a season sweep of the Cyclones. vs. Indiana, 6 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) – Aside from a loss to Central Michigan at home, the biggest problem with Michigan’s tournament resume is the lack of higher quality wins. The Wolverines are just 2-8 vs. Quad 1 with a win at home to Maryland being the best of those. Here comes an opportunity to make a big splash against the hottest team in the Big Ten. This isn’t a must win though because every game Michigan has left in the regular season is against a team in Friday’s bracket. at Oregon State, 6 p.m. | Pac-12 Network, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Trojans had won six of seven before falling at Oregon on Thursday. They need to rebound quickly though because this game starts a stretch of three must win games against the bottom of the conference. Any loss could be the one that sends USC to the NIT. vs. Wyoming, 8 p.m. | CBS Sports Network (Channel finder | CBSSports.com | CBS Sports App) – Boise State’s tournament profile shows at least one loss in each quadrant, but Quad 1 is the only one with multiple losses. The Broncos cannot take another bad loss while they wait for the chances they need at quality wins. at Cal, 8 p.m. | Pac-12 Network, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Sun Devils are one bad loss away from seeing their bubble pop. They had to rally to avoid that at Stanford on Thursday night. Cal has the second lowest NET ranking of any major conference team. ASU doesn’t just need to win, they need to win big or see their NET ranking drop even further. at Villanova, 8 p.m. | FS1, fuboTV (Try for free) – Despite the loss to Creighton the last time out, Seton Hall has been enjoying a good run of play. The Pirates have won six out of their last eight. Villanova is not what it has been in the recent past, so this is a winnable game and at 14-10, the Hall needs to keep stacking wins. at LSU, 8:30 p.m. | SEC Network, fuboTV (Try for free) – The Aggies have season sweeps of Auburn and Florida, which could be good if they get into a closer competition with either team. Texas A&M already has two bad losses on its tournament resume and one to the rebuilding Tigers, even on the road, would be a third. vs. UCLA, 10 p.m. | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) – Oregon has won six of its last eight to get to the edge of the bracket. A win over the Bruins could get the Ducks over the hump, for now. It would give them home wins over the two best teams in the Pac-12 after having already defeated Arizona. It is also Oregon’s last chance at such a win before the conference tournament. at San Jose State, 10 p.m. | CBS Sports Network (Channel finder | CBSSports.com | CBS Sports App) – It’s about last call for Utah State. The Aggies almost picked up a big win at home against San Diego State Wednesday night. Their best win is against fellow bubbler New Mexico at home. They also have two Quad 4 losses. A loss to the Spartans would not be that bad, but it is damage the Aggies cannot afford.