Syracuse basketball in absolutely brutal region in latest ESPN bracketology

Syracuse basketball is among seven ACC squads to make the new ESPN mock field of 68.

If Syracuse basketball earns an invite to the 2021 Big Dance, the game or games that the Orange plays are expected to occur in one geographic region, likely the Indianapolis area, according to NCAA officials.

And in the latest bracketology from ESPN guru Joe Lunardi, the ‘Cuse is safely in the field of 68, however, the Orange’s region is a real bruiser, if you ask me.

Lunardi places the ‘Cuse as the No. 8 seed in Region 3, as he describes it. Syracuse basketball would go toe to toe with No. 9 seed Arizona in the round of 64.

The Wildcats just had three former players selected in the 2020 NBA Draft, and national pundits seem to think that Arizona will prove one of the better teams in the Pac-12 Conference throughout the 2020-21 term.

Should the Orange get past the Wildcats, our boys would then likely have a round of 32 date against former Big East Conference rival and No. 1 seed Villanova, which is matched up in the round of 64 versus No. 16 seed Liberty. Villanova is expected to reside in the top five of the major polls during 2020-21.

Lunardi’s four No. 1 seeds are the aforementioned Wildcats (Villanova), Gonzaga, Baylor and fellow Atlantic Coast Conference crew Virginia. Understandably, those four teams are all ranked in the top four of the Associated Press and Coaches pre-season top-25 ballots.

The seven ACC squads in Lunardi’s new bracket are No. 1 seed Virginia, No. 2 seed Duke, No. 5 seed Florida State, No. 6 seed North Carolina, No. 6 seed Louisville, No. 8 seed Syracuse basketball and No. 9 seed Miami.

From that arrangement, it seems that Lunardi views the Orange as the sixth-best group in the ACC, which I agree with, as does the league’s pre-season media poll. He has Virginia Tech and Clemson in the “first four out” category, and N.C. State in the “next four out” department.

The ACC and the Southeastern Conference each have seven squads in the field, and the Big Ten Conference leads the pack, with a stellar 10 teams included.

Other strong units in the ‘Cuse region, besides Villanova and Arizona, are No. 2 seed Duke, No. 3 seed Texas, No. 4 seed Illinois, No. 5 seed Tennessee, No. 6 seed Rutgers and No. 7 seed Indiana. Syracuse basketball is slated to make a trip to Rutgers on Tuesday, Dec. 8, as part of the 2020 ACC-Big Ten Challenge.