:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72055131/usa_today_20176629.0.jpg "Bracketology & bubble watch 2023: What March 8 results mean for Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, UNC, others")
We've hit the stretch where the college hoops slate gets going in the morning and rolls through midnight with plenty of matchups that may have a big impact on the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday.
Below is a look at some of the biggest results, and we'll use Joe Lunardi's ESPN Bracketology as the guide.
Key games for bracketology on March 8
The North Carolina Tar Heels could not afford a loss in this contest, and they still need some work to improve their NCAA Tournament chances. A win over the Virginia Cavaliers on Thursday afternoon could go a long way for a team that heads into the day among the “first four out” teams.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys are battling for their March Madness lives after a late-season collapse that featured five straight losses to end February. Oklahoma State is still an NCAA Tournament team among the “last four in” with a golden opportunity to improve the resume on Thursday against the Texas Longhorns.
Bubble Watch
The biggest losers of the day were the Wisconsin Badgers, which are now slated in the “first four out” category with a difficult wait toward Selection Sunday. The Badgers went down by 27 points in the first half before coming back to cut the deficit to four with a few minutes left, but long scoring droughts have been the issue all season long. That may cost them an NCAA Tournament spot.