Every season of college basketball seems to always bring us a few bubble teams that sit right on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament. While some say a bid to the dance isn't that big of a deal and typically leads to an early round exit, look at a team like the VCU Rams. They were the final team selected to the field of 68 last season and ended up in the Final Four.
That team could be the Washington Huskies in 2012. They sit right on the bubble and seemingly every Bracketology update has them either just in or just out of the tournament.
This is not to suggest UW is going to make a Final Four run if they make the tournament, but you just never know with March Madness. And speaking of madness, let's take a look at why the Huskies are such a bubble team and why some folks are so split on the team.
As far as the "eye test" goes, the Huskies certainly pass.
They rank in the top-40 in terms of points-per-game and dominate the boards, ranking No. 5 overall in rebounds. UW features a ton of NBA talent as well; Tony Wroten is arguably the best player in the conference and can take over a game offensively, and Terrance Ross has the potential to become a star at the shooting guard position at the next level. C.J. Wilcox is a lethal shooter from outside, Aziz N'Diaye protects the rim with his size and length, and point guard Abdul Gaddy just makes everything flow on offense.
Defense has been a concern for Washington for most of the year and has cost them late in games, but their scoring ability can help cover up some of their deficiencies on the other end of the court.
The numbers do not side with the Huskies, though, and they may just keep them from dancing next week.
According to the very highly respected KENPOM ratings system -- a series of formulas that creates more of a balanced playing field for all teams, and values advanced metrics over your typical stats -- the Huskies are the 66th best team in the country. They rank 69th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 71st in adjusted defensive efficiency, and their RPI of 69 is not great.
So what does the Selection Committee value? The strength of a resumé or how a team looks while playing? The Huskies certainly have the talent to make a run to the Sweet 16, but as we all saw earlier this week when falling to a mediocre, CIT-bound Oregon St. Beavers team, they could just as easily be blown out in the opening round and sent home early.