Big 5 bubble watch: Where Philly’s men’s and women’s teams stand as March Madness looms

Three weeks from today we’ll all be staring at brackets and making our picks. That’s how little runway is left on this college hoops season.

It’s crunch time for those teams still in pursuit of a ticket to the dance, and among them are three from the Big 5 who are in the mix for an at-large tournament bid: the St. Joseph’s women’s team, and both the men’s and women’s teams at Villanova.

Here’s a look at where they stand.

The Hawks had a big chance for a bubble-bursting win to push them into the projected field of ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme when they traveled to Richmond to face Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday night. But they managed just 12 points in the entire second half and squandered a 13-point halftime lead in a 59-48 defeat, snapping an 11-game winning streak.

St. Joe’s (25-3) got back on the winning track with a five-point home win vs. Rhode Island on Saturday.

Where does that leave the Hawks? Right where they were, likely just outside the projected tournament field with two games to play. They’re tied atop the Atlantic 10 with Richmond at 14-2, but the Spiders beat St. Joe’s and own the tiebreaker.

The teams seem to be on a collision course to meet in the conference tournament final.

Could they both make the NCAA Tournament, no matter what happens in that final? That seems like a coin flip right now. The Hawks can’t afford to stumble in their home finale Wednesday vs. Fordham or Saturday at Duquesne before the A-10 Tournament. If they do, it’s likely their only way into the NCAA Tournament field is a run at a conference tournament title.

» READ MORE: In a blowout loss at UConn, Villanova gets an up-close look at the new class of the Big East

Losing at then-No. 1 UConn, even by 24 points, did nothing to Villanova’s tournament chances. In fact, the Wildcats moved up a line in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracket update. As of Monday afternoon, they were two spots out of the field.

Bracket Matrix, which tracks various tournament projections and predictions, shows Villanova (15-12, 8-8 Big East) in the field at some places and out at others. So, firmly on the bubble.

The path hasn’t changed. Villanova needs to take care of business Tuesday night at home vs. Georgetown, then likely win two of its final three games, all Quadrant 1 opportunities: at Providence; at Seton Hall; home vs. Creighton.

But how will Villanova respond after getting thumped on the road?

“I feel like this group is built for anything,” Villanova guard TJ Bamba said. “Going through this, we’re going to be hungry to get better, go watch film, get in the gym, and flush it out.”

Like the men’s team, the Villanova women also dropped a road game against a ranked opponent Saturday at Creighton.

Where does that leave the Wildcats? In a pretty similar position: likely outside the tournament field with work to do to get a bid. Creme had Villanova in the “next four out” category, a few spots behind St. Joe’s, in his latest update.

Villanova (17-10, 10-6 Big East) has a big chance for a boost with a road game at UConn on Wednesday, but the Wildcats lost by 21 when the teams met at Villanova on Jan. 31.

The Wildcats will likely need to make a run at the Big East Tournament final, and maybe even win it, to secure their bid.

They’re not in the at-large conversation, and won’t get there, but Diane Richardson’s Temple Owls are rolling and in first place in the American Athletic Conference thanks to a five-game winning streak.

Temple (17-10) took home two road wins in Texas, including a 75-66 victory at Rice on Sunday, to move to 11-4 in the AAC, one game ahead of North Texas and Tulsa, Temple’s next opponent (Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPN+).

Only a conference tournament victory would get Temple back to the dance for the first time since 2017, but the Owls are getting hot at the right time.

» READ MORE: Temple men: Their entire starting five left last season. Here’s how they’re faring at new programs.