Hanging on by a Thread? Rebel Basketball on the Bubble.

We might have written this team off a while back, but this season's still alive. Sure, it's on life support, but there is a chance that the Rebels can earn their invitation to the NCAA tournament with wins over LSU, Alabama, and Mississippi State to finish out the season.

Also, a win or two in the SEC Tournament couldn't hurt.

According to the bracketologists:

• Ole Miss is an 11 seed fighting against Temple for a spot.
• Ole Miss is an 11 seed fighting against Iowa State for a spot.
• Ole Miss is the first team out.

I'm not about to apologize for Andy Kennedy and his team's embarrassing loss to South Carolina this past weekend, but last night something happened which served to remind me that, in college basketball, frustrating losses happen and can severely damper fan enthusiasm. No, it wasn't during our victory over the Aggies, but rather in #4 Michigan's loss on the road to Penn State. The Nittany Lions, until that point, had yet to win a game in the B1G in a season that's going to be over in a week-and-a-half or so. And, yet, they beat the #4 team in the country, one which was until that point in the driver's seat to win their conference championship.

"That's basketball," so to speak. Upsets happen, which is why the NBA playoffs aren't nearly as dynamic as March Madness (this isn't to say that the NBA playoffs aren't fun to watch), because a one-and-done system for a sport like basketball really is madness. It's crazy, and a highly flawed method to actually determine who the best team in the sport is, but that's why it's so gripping.

And if we can keep winning, we'll get our chance to dance (which means we probably won't keep winning - there, I said it).