Throughout the season we'll look at bubble teams and assess whether they have a better chance of ending up in the NIT or NCAA Tournament.Team: Houston Cougars
Record: 21-7 (10-4 C-USA)
Good Wins: Kentucky
Bad Losses: at East Carolina
Comments: If Houston doesn't go dancing, Tom Penders will spend an awful lot of time thinking about that East Carolina loss. The rest of their schedule, save the Kentucky win, went about as expected and none of their other losses are anything to be embarrassed about but if you're looking for a reason to keep Houston out, you need look no further than that ECU game on Saturday.
Other Views: They rank 69th in RPI, 68th on Basketball State, 67th in Pomeroy Ratings and 71st in Sagarin Ratings.
Outlook: Take a look at those numbers in the other views column. They share a common thread, they're just outside the top 65 and that's where Houston probably belongs. They still have some time to change things. Beat UCF and UTEP and they'll be in line for a rematch with UAB in the C-USA semis. A win there would make them a compelling choice. Anything short, though, and it's the NIT.
