Bubble Watch: West Virginia is Entering Dangerous Territory

You've all heard the cliche coachspeak in regards to only worrying about one game at a time, but for Darian DeVries and West Virginia, that's what the mindset has to be when living life on the NCAA Tournament bubble.

They can't worry about how many more wins they need to be safe or how much wiggle room they have, which, quite frankly, isn't much. The only thing that matters right now is Cincinnati and snapping a two-game skid.

DeVries on coaching a bubble team

West Virginia University head coach Darian DeVries | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

"Whether I was at Drake or Creighton or here, the mindset is still ‘the next game’ and that’s kind all you focus on. The losses, they hang with you a little longer, but you can’t let it hang on too long. After a game, I’ll always immediately, whether at home or road, try to go watch the game we just played and then flip it right to the next game and next opponent because by that next morning, you have to have a scouting report and a game plan ready. So, I think you just have to stay super disciplined in your preparation, and we try to do that after a win or a loss."

Entering a dangerous territory

West Virginia University guard Javon Small | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The Mountaineers let a couple of games slip right between their fingers last week, dropping to BYU and Baylor by a combined seven points. If both those results are flipped, or you at least split the two, you're in a pretty good spot.

With Texas Tech waiting on deck, it makes tonight's game against Cincinnati critical. I'm not going to assume that the Mountaineers will lose in Lubbock, but they won't be favored. As a matter of fact, they'll probably be big underdogs. Trip up tonight, and all of a sudden, the needle moves significantly closer to popping West Virginia's bubble.

The current projections

West Virginia University center Eduardo Andre | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Joe Lunardi at ESPN has West Virginia among his "Last Four Byes" as of Tuesday, meaning they're in the field, but barely. They avoid playing in the "First Four," but a loss tonight against Cincinnati could put them in the play-in or perhaps out of the field completely.

Jerry Palm at CBS has the Mountaineers in the First Four, projected to play Arkansas for the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region.

DeVries on coaching a bubble team

Entering a dangerous territory

The current projections

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