Living dangerously on the bubble

Casino Dealer: 17.
Number Two: Hit me.
Casino Dealer: You have 17, sir.
Number Two: I like to live dangerously.
Casino Dealer: [reveals the next card] 4. 21.
[he turns to Austin Powers after dealing him his next card]
Casino Dealer: [to Austin] 5.
Austin Powers: [waves his hands over his cards] I’ll stay.
Casino Dealer: I suggest you hit, sir.
Austin Powers: I also like to live dangerously.

Boston College is most certainly living dangerously, much like Austin Powers, only this isn’t a fictitious high-stakes blackjack game, it’s a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. Last night, we lucked out with Old Dominion taking out VCU, who are now most likely relegated to the NIT. The battle is far from over, however: with two days until BC’s march in Greensboro begins, there are a few more bubble teams which need to take a good old-fashioned kick to the coin purse. Your bubble rooting interests for today are as follows:

*Providence (ESPNU, 9pm). They face the Marquette Golden Eagles in the first round of the gargantuan Big East Tournament. We know from playing the Friars that they can be tough, but for the most part, they’ve come up with zip this season. The most major reason for pessimism is that Providence played Marquette in Wisconsin less than two weeks ago, and went back home with a 24-point loss. The Golden Eagles are perhaps the only of eleven Big East tournament contenders in any danger of missing out, and there isn’t a major chance that they will, but we can hope, right? Losing to Providence on Day 1 would probably eject them from the field.

*Butler (ESPN, 9pm). Can you watch two games at once? There is only one reason we know this game is relevant: it’s the Horizon League title game. UW-Milwaukee is the top seed in the conference, but don’t have the resume Butler does. Current Bracketology has Butler as an at-large on the bubble, but projected-conference-champ Milwaukee is taking up a bottom-feeder bid as a 15-seed. If Butler wins, what was expected to be a two-bid conference will become one. Milwaukee stands no chance of making the field of 68 aside from winning this game, so the bubble would actually grow if Bruce Pearl’s old team loses and is banished from the dance. No, I’m not really over that game in 2005, either.