Bubble Watch: Nebraska Basketball Back on Bubble After Loss

Pop, Pop, Pop. This has been a familiar sound heard throughout championship week as teams have let chance after chance to solidify their tournament spot just go by the wayside.

All bubble teams can do now is just wait and hope their name comes up when the bracket is unveiled Sunday, but no bubble teams that get left out of the field will have a legitimate gripe as each team has blown more than one chance down the stretch to sure up their resume. While Nebraska‘s tournament case has gained steam down the stretch, the Cornhuskers still remain a fringe bubble team and are in danger of missing the big dance.

The Cornhuskers had a perfect chance to claim a spot in the tournament with a win against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten conference tournament on Friday, but the team saw an 18-point lead evaporate in the second half and ended up losing 71-67. Nebraska was playing like a championship worthy team at the start of the second half, but became shell-shocked as the Buckeyes started to mount a comeback late in the half.

While LaQuinton Ross carried the majority of the load for the Buckeyes recording 26 points and 13 rebounds, Amedeo Della Valle was crucial in the comeback scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds.

Nebraska was unable to do anything in the closing minutes of the game as Ohio State took complete control over the game. Nebraska now finds itself back on the bubble heading into the final weekend of the season as one half could prove to be the difference between dancing and sitting at home watching.

If the bracket was announced tonight, the Cornhuskers would be in the big dance, but several things have to play out between now and Sunday. Nebraska must hope no bid thieves poach a spot as this could ultimately end the Cornhuskers’ season in disappointment.

Greg Douglas is a College Basketball writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @thegpd93 or add him to your Google Network.