The New Mexico State Aggies suffered a serious setback to their post-season hopes.  Fresh off an impressive win over Boise State, the WAC conference leaders lost a tough game on the road against Utah State...another team destined for the proverbial bubble.

Against Boise State, NMSU finished off a tight game with clutch free-throw shooting and a stellar performance from forward Tyrone Nelson (20 pts, 10 rebounds).  Everything seemed to be in order as the Aggies dominated the paint and earned the victory with a score of 78-68.

NMSU traveled to Utah State for another key conference match-up on Monday.  And once again, another tough opponent on the road meant another loss for Theus' Aggies.  To date, all 5 of their losses have occurred on the road.

Here is a look at the top of the WAC standings:

Team                   Conference        Overall

Nevada (#12)            9-1                  21-2
NMSU                         8-2                  18-5
Utah State                 5-4                  17-7
Fresno State             5-5                  16-7

Before their most recent loss, NMSU was inching closer to a top 25 ranking.  And even though they will control their own conference title destiny, two losses against lesser opponents (Louisiana Tech & Utah State) are devastating to their chances for an at-large tournament bid.  If they can somehow avoid another letdown, the regular season finale at Nevada could be the ultimate March Madness audition.

Top 25 Movers

Since mid-January, there has been a lot of movement within the top 25 rankings.  Here is just a brief snapshot of a few notables:

- Ohio State has won 7 straight games, and moved up to # 3 in the AP Poll.  If they can take care of Wisconsin in late February, it may be enough to earn a # 1 seed heading in to the NCAA tournament.

- The quirky quackers of Oregon have lost 3 of their last 4 and are rapidly falling out of conference contention.  Is this the same team that beat UCLA earlier in the year?

- Kansas has the talent to be top-10 team, but they may not have the discipline.  Two sloppy losses against Texas Tech and Texas A&M virtually destroyed their shot a # 1 seed.  If they don't start playing with more poise, they may be sent home early in March.

- Marquette is playing as good as anyone right now...quietly climbing their way up the rankings.  A big win over Pittsburgh proves that they can be a legitimate Final Four contender.  They may be ranked a bit too high to qualify as a true Cinderella, but if the glass slipper fits...

- More noise from the Pac-10 as USC surpasses Arizona in the conference rankings, as well as the AP Poll.  An extremely difficult remaining schedule for the Wildcats may knock Lute Olson's team out of the top 25 for good.

Bubble Watch

One of my favorite things about the college season is the NCAA tournament "bubble watch", where lesser-known teams battle for a shot at The Big Dance.  This infamous group usually produces at least one candidate for a glass slipper...who will it be this year?

Below is a quick look at a few bubble battles:

- It's all about cats & dogs in the America East conference, with a close race between Albany and Vermont.  Which would you rather see get a shot at the tourney - a Catamount, or a Great Dane?

- The Big 12 will undoubtedly get more tournament bids than the conference deserves, as it seems that everyone is stuck on the bubble.  Texas Tech (15-8, 4-4) is a prime example of a team that gets way too much credit.  Texas A&M (19-3, 7-1) doesn't get enough.

- Is anyone else excited about the Southern conference battle featuring Appalachian State and Davidson?  One of these teams will be playing in March.

- This isn't a good time for the state of Michigan.  The Wolverines (16-7) and Spartans (17-7) have both dropped 3 straight.

- The ACC is absolutely insane!  NC State and Georgia Tech are 2 of 10 conference teams hoping to make a late season run at The Big Dance.

Stay tuned for more bubble watch...