NCAA Tournament Bubble Watch: Games on March 8 that will determine who’s in and out

As conference tournaments begin in earnest, bubble teams will hope to make a case for themselves with a deep run. There are a few teams whose fates in the NCAA Tournament rely solely on avoiding early upsets in their conference tourneys. Let’s take a look at some do-or-die games on Wednesday, March 8.

Bubble Games to watch on March 8

Pittsburgh vs. Georgia Tech

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

Pittsburgh rests in the Last Four Byes in ESPN’s projections. The tournament is their last chance to prove their worth ahead of the NCAA Tournament, and an early exit could spell disaster for their NCAA Tournament hopes if some other bubble teams make a deep run. Pitt will need to make it a few rounds into the ACC Tournament to keep their spot.

Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma

Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU

Oklahoma State needs a few wins here. They sit in the First Four Out at ESPN and at CBS, and a solid run into the Big XII Tournament would do wonders for the jump that they’ll need to make. The good news for the Cowboys is that they’ve already beaten Oklahoma State twice this season. The bad news is that if they win, Texas is up next on the docket, and the Longhorns have bested OSU twice this season.

Arizona State vs. Oregon State

Time: 11:30 p.m. ET
TV: Pac-12 Network

Arizona State is currently in the First Four Out at both ESPN and CBS. While a win over Oregon State might not affect their standing too much, a victory over USC in the second round could certainly make a case that the Sun Devils belong in the NCAA tourney.