Greg Sankey defends Auburn, Oklahoma amid Miami (OH) bubble debate

With just two days to go until Selection Sunday, the NCAA Tournament bubble has plenty of questions. Three teams – Miami (OH), Auburn and Oklahoma – sit at the center of the debate, and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey weight in on the conversation.

Miami (OH) went 31-0 during the regular season before falling to UMass in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals. That means a bid-stealer will come out of that conference, and On3’s James Fletcher III has the RedHawks as one of the last four teams in the field, according to his latest Bracketology. Meanwhile, Auburn and Oklahoma are two of the first four out.

But Miami (OH)’s strength of schedule has been part of the debate when it comes to the RedHawks’ NCAA tournament hopes. Sankey also noted that, wondering how things would look if Oklahoma and Auburn played that type of slate.

“For me, it’s not just about Miami,” Sankey said Friday on ESPN ahead of Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee. “But we have been challenged and have challenged our teams to play difficult schedules. So you take Auburn, give them the 304th-ranked schedule and you’re going to balloon their win number. Oklahoma, give them the 304th-ranked schedule, you will balloon their number. So you and I talk in football, it’s not about the number on the left [wins]. It is about the number on the right [losses], but it’s not all about that. There’s a big picture.

“I think the wins against the bubble metric, as we’ve studied this year more deeply, has great meaning. That gives Miami an opportunity, and both of those programs [Auburn and Oklahoma] an opportunity to be fully considered. And again, when you look at the totality of the work, I think those three programs merit inclusion in that list. At least two of those three, in our league, being part of March Madness.”

How strength of schedule impacts bubble debate

After Miami (OH) fell to UMass on Thursday, Auburn’s season also came to an end with a loss to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. Oklahoma, meanwhile, has played its way back into the bubble conversation with six straight wins dating back to the regular season, including back-to-back victories in Nashville.

As a result, strength of schedule is becoming an even bigger part of the conversation. Miami (OH) sits at No. 296 as of Friday afternoon, according to ESPN’s BPI. Oklahoma’s schedule ranks No. 40 in the country and Auburn sits at No. 4 out of the 365 teams in Division I.

But the NET rankings are also part of the picture. Miami (OH) entered Friday ranked 64th in the NET while Oklahoma ranked No. 47 and Auburn was at No. 39. There are other metrics in play, as well, including wins above the bubble.

Regardless, each team will be watching closely on Selection Sunday. Oklahoma still has plenty at stake with its SEC Tournament quarterfinal matchup against Arkansas coming up Friday night.