Texas Colleges in Latest Bracketology

Selection Sunday for the 2023 edition of March Madness is about seven weeks away.

Here are where the local college basketball teams stand at this point in the season, according to the latest projections from CBS, ESPN, and Fox.

IN THE FIELD

Houston (18-1,6-0 AAC)
AP Rank: 1 NET Rank: 1
Quad 1: 3-1 Quad 2: 5-0 Quad 3: none Quad 4: 10-0
CBS: No. 1 seed in the West Region, playing 16-seed Siena
ESPN: No. 1 seed in the West Region, playing 16-seed University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Fox: No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, playing 15-seed American University
Last Tournament Appearance: 2022

Houston has been rolling this season, with its only loss coming to Alabama, who is currently the No. 4 team in the country. The Cougars are on a nine-game winning streak and have notable wins over Virginia and Oregon this season.

Texas (15-3, – Big 12)
AP Rank: 7 NET Rank: 11
Quad 1: 5-3 Quad 2: 1-0 Quad 3: 2-0 Quad 4: 7-0
CBS: No. 3 seed in the South Region, playing 14-seed Eastern Washington
ESPN: No. 2 seed in the East Region, playing 15-seed University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
Fox: No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region, playing 14-seed Florida Gulf Coast
Last Tournament Appearance: 2022

It has been a strange season for Texas as it had to let head coach Chris Beard go over a domestic incident. The team has responded by winning seven of its last nine games and has been able to stick around the top 10 in the AP poll all season.

TCU (14-4, 3-3 Big 12)
AP Rank: 14 NET Rank: 29
Quad 1: 3-3 Quad 2: 3-0 Quad 3: 0-0 Quad 4: 8-1
CBS: No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region, playing 13-seed Southern Illinois
ESPN: No. 4 seed in the West Region, playing 13-seed Southern Illinois
Fox: No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region, playing 10-seed San Diego State (last updated December 30)
Last Tournament Appearance: 2022

TCU stumbled early with a loss to Northwestern State but rebounded to win 11 games in a row, including wins over then-No. 25 Iowa and No. 19 Baylor. A Gabe Kalscheur buzzer-beater snapped the streak, and the Horned Frogs have now lost three of their last four games.

Baylor (13-5, 3-3 Big 12)
AP Rank: 19 NET Rank: 16
Quad 1: 4-5 Quad 2: 2-0 Quad 3: 1-0 Quad 4: 6-0
CBS: No. 5 seed in the South Region, playing 12-seed Oral Roberts
ESPN: No. 5 seed in the East Region, playing 12-seed Kent State
Fox: No. 3 seed in the South Region, playing 14-seed Indiana State
Last Tournament Appearance: 2022

Baylor had to reload its roster after winning the 2021 NCAA Championship and earning a No. 1 seed in last year’s NCAA tournament. The Bears have a strong resume and should have no problems returning to the tournament this season. The Big 12 is a gauntlet, meaning each win will mean something come Selection Sunday.

BUBBLE WATCH

Texas A&M (13-5, 5- 0 SEC)
NET Rank: 55
Quad 1: 1-2 Quad 2: 2-1 Quad 3: 2-1 Quad 4: 8-1
CBS: Out
ESPN: First Four Out
Fox: Out
Last Tournament Appearance: 2018

The Aggies have been a hot and cold team this year, but their current seven-game winning streak has them in the conversation. Texas A&M only has one Quadrant One win against then-No. 20 Missouri, which is fading fast. The SEC is not as strong as it has been in recent years, so the Aggies need to find a way to earn quality wins.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi (11-7, 4-1 Southland)
NET Rank: 200
Quad 1: 0-3 Quad 2: 0-0 Quad 3: 1-1 Quad 4: 6-3
CBS: No. 16 seed in South Region, playing 16-seed UMBC in First Four
ESPN: Out
Fox: Out
Last Tournament Appearance: 2022

The resume does not say NCAA Tournament, but CBS’s Jerry Palm has the Islanders in the tournament, playing 16-seed UMBC as part of the First Four play-in games. The winner would face top-seed Purdue in the South Region. As a smaller school, Corpus Christi does not play a high-quality schedule and will likely only make the tournament by winning the Southland Conference tournament at the beginning of March.

OUT

Abilene Christian (9-10, 1-5 WAC)
NET Rank:  248
Quad 1: 0-2 Quad 2: 0-1 Quad 3: 1-4 Quad 4: 4-3
Last Tournament Appearance: 2021

Houston Christian (6-12, 3-2 Southland)
NET Rank:  353
Quad 1: 0-3 Quad 2: 0-0 Quad 3: 0-2 Quad 4: 3-7
Last Tournament Appearance: Never

Incarnate Word (6-12, 0-5 Southland)
NET Rank:  350
Quad 1: 0-1 Quad 2: 0-1 Quad 3: 0-3 Quad 4: 3-7
Last Tournament Appearance: Never

North Texas (15-4, 6-2 Conference USA)
AP Rank: NR NET Rank: 50
Quad 1: 0-3 Quad 2: 2-0 Quad 3: 6-1 Quad 4: 5-0
Last Tournament Appearance: 2021

Prairie View A&M (7-12, 3-3 SWAC)
NET Rank:  266
Quad 1: 0-4 Quad 2: 1-0 Quad 3: 0-2 Quad 4: 4-6
Last Tournament Appearance: 2019

Rice (13-5, 4-3 Conference USA)
NET Rank:  167
Quad 1: 0-1 Quad 2: 0-1 Quad 3: 3-3 Quad 4: 7-0
Last Tournament Appearance: 1970

Sam Houston State (13-5, 3-3 WAC)
NET Rank:  47
Quad 1: 2-2 Quad 2: 0-2 Quad 3: 4-1 Quad 4: 3-0
Last Tournament Appearance: 2010

SMU (7-12, 2-4 AAC)
NET Rank:  204
Quad 1: 0-3 Quad 2: 2-0 Quad 3: 6-1 Quad 4: 5-0
Last Tournament Appearance: 2017

Stephen F. Austin (13-6, 5-1 WAC)
NET Rank:  137
Quad 1: 0-0 Quad 2: 0-1 Quad 3: 5-3 Quad 4: 5-2
Last Tournament Appearance: 2018

Tarleton State (10-8, 3-2 WAC)
NET Rank: 156
Quad 1: 0-4 Quad 2: 0-1 Quad 3: 2-2 Quad 4: 5-1
Last Tournament Appearance: Not yet eligible

Texas Southern (5-14, 1-5 SWAC)
NET Rank:  321
Quad 1: 0-4 Quad 2: 1-2 Quad 3: 2-2 Quad 4: 2-6
Last Tournament Appearance: 2022

Texas State (10-9, 3-3 Sun Belt)
NET Rank:  201
Quad 1: 0-1 Quad 2: 1-1 Quad 3: 3-2 Quad 4: 4-4
Last Tournament Appearance: 1997

Texas Tech (10-8, 0-6 Big 12)
NET Rank:  74
Quad 1: 0-7 Quad 2: 0-1 Quad 3: 2-0 Quad 4: 8-0
Last Tournament Appearance: 2022

Texas A&M-Commerce (7-12, 3-2 Southland)
NET Rank:  303
Quad 1: 0-1 Quad 2: 1-0 Quad 3: 2-4 Quad 4: 3-7
Last Tournament Appearance:  not yet eligible

UT-Arlington (6-13, 1-5 WAC)
NET Rank:  284
Quad 1: 0-1 Quad 2: 1-4 Quad 3: 1-5 Quad 4: 1-3
Last Tournament Appearance: 2008

UTEP (10-8, 3-4 Conference USA)
NET Rank:  178
Quad 1: 0-1 Quad 2: 1-2 Quad 3: 1-4 Quad 4: 6-1
Last Tournament Appearance: 2010

UT-Rio Grande Valley (10-8, 1-4 WAC)
NET Rank:  259
Quad 1: 0-2 Quad 2: 0-1 Quad 3: 0-5 Quad 4: 7-0
Last Tournament Appearance: Never

UT-San Antonio (7-12, 1-7 Conference USA)
NET Rank:  318
Quad 1: 0-2 Quad 2: 0-3 Quad 3: 1-4 Quad 4: 4-3
Last Tournament Appearance: 2011