EIGHT games remain in this wild and wooly UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament.
And with the games entering the homestretch, the race to the finish is getting tighter and tighter with two more Final Four spots still up for grabs.
Plain and simple, the magic number for everyone still dreaming to make it through to the postseason is nine wins.
Eight, though, will still do although all that assures is at least a playoff for the Final Four spot.
Here's how the last five teams standing figure for those elusive seats.
UST (7-5)
Up next: NU (Nov. 23), FEU (Nov. 26)
Among the teams in this list, UST is the closest to completion with two more games remaining in its schedule.
The Growling Tigers face league leader NU next Sunday before playing Far Eastern U in the rescheduled game on Nov. 26.
If this season's hosts want no complications in their postseason bid, all they have to do is to sweep those games to lock up a spot.
Lose one and they're still assured of a playoff if the black-and-gold can move up to eight victories.
La Salle (6-5)
Up next: Adamson (Nov. 19), UP (Nov. 22), Ateneo (Nov. 26)
The beauty of La Salle's abundance of games is that it can net the highest of prizes that it can still finish at no. 2 at best.
That's given the caveat that the Green Archers sweep their final foes in Adamson, UP, and Ateneo.
Fall in one of those and it is still assured of at least a playoff, not the most optimal but a chance nonetheless for the Taft side's title reclamation campaign.
Ateneo (5-6)
Up next: UP (Nov. 19), Adamson (Nov. 23), La Salle (Nov. 26)
Already on a downward spiral, things won't get better for Ateneo as it still has UP, Adamson, and La Salle up next.
And it's marching orders are plain and simple: go on a perfect 3-0 run to end the eliminations and replicate that hot start.
Achieve that and the Blue Eagles are bound for their second fourth-place playoff in three seasons.
FEU (5-7)
Up next: UE (Nov. 22), UST (Nov. 26)
There's no more tomorrow for FEU as it has no choice but to go undefeated in its last two assignments.
Next on the Tamaraws' schedule are the lowly University of the East next Saturday before ending their campaign against UST on Nov. 26.
However, that can only get it to 7-7, which means it has to root for either UST to go winless in its last two games or for La Salle to drop two of its three matches to even just have the puncher's chance for a playoff.
Adamson (5-7)
Up next: La Salle (Nov. 19), Ateneo (Nov. 23)
It's the same allegory for Adamson which has the unenviable task of perfecting its last two games.
The problem? La Salle and Ateneo stand in its way.
The Soaring Falcons can still control their fate by winning over the Green Archers, but they have to couple a victory against the Blue Eagles with luck hoping that another team take out the Taft side or for UST to lose its last two games.
That's the only way that Adamson will be able to play in a fourth-place playoff, which would be their fourth in as many seasons.
Wildest scenario
But wait! What if there's a wild chance that there will be a five-way tie for no. 3?
That's still possible if all of the aforementioned teams end up with identical 7-7 records.
For that to happen, UST must lose all of its games including that against FEU; the Tamaraws to also taking out winless UE; Adamson to sweep its games against La Salle and Ateneo; the Blue Eagles to beat La Salle and UP; and for the Green Archers to repeat against the Fighting Maroons.
In that unbelievable instance, FEU (yes, FEU!) will actually be rewarded with the no. 3 spot thanks to the tiebreak rules while we'll see a wild stepladder for the no. 4 which will have La Salle and Adamson meeting in the first stage, the winner facing Ateneo, and the last survivor meeting UST.
It's a dizzying prospect but as the old saying goes, let's cross the bridge when we get there.
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