As Syracuse basketball, UNC do battle, both among last in new mock field

Syracuse basketball could use a solid road win at UNC for its resume.

Assuming a 2021 NCAA Tournament is played amid the novel coronavirus pandemic – fingers crossed – Syracuse basketball will have to rely on picking up marquee Atlantic Coast Conference victories to hear its name called on Selection Sunday.

After dispatching of former Big East Conference rival Georgetown last Saturday night on the Hill, the Orange wrapped up its non-conference slate with a more than respectable 6-1 record.

To recap, the ‘Cuse in the non-conference portion of the 2020-21 calendar notched successes versus Bryant, Niagara, Rider, Northeastern, Buffalo and the Hoyas. These are credible conquests, but none of them are eye-popping.

The Orange also fell at Rutgers minus two of its starters. The Scarlet Knights have slipped a bit of late, but still the ‘Cuse sole non-conference setback is anything but a bad one.

So the bottom line is that Orange’s non-conference docket won’t hurt the team as it pertains to a Big Dance bid, but it probably won’t help the ‘Cuse much either.

That brings us to ACC competition. This league is deep in 2020-21, but it also doesn’t have a lot of elite squads, as compared to other conferences such as the Big Ten and the Big 12. Then again, a lot can transpire over the next few months.

But, for now, what Syracuse basketball needs to do is pile up some quality ACC triumphs. North Carolina, which hosts the Orange on Tuesday evening, isn’t stellar to date in 2020-21, although the Tar Heels are in the new projected mock field of 68 from ESPN’s resident bracketologist, Joe Lunardi.

Interestingly enough, UNC and the ‘Cuse are No. 11 seeds and First Four participants in his bracket published on Jan. 12. The Tar Heels would face No. 11 seed Oklahoma, while the Orange would duel No. 11 seed Stanford.

All four of these teams are in Lunardi’s “last four in” category, with Syracuse basketball the last squad altogether in his projected bracket.

Thus, if the ‘Cuse could knock off North Carolina on Tuesday night in Chapel Hill, N.C., that would prove pretty huge for the Orange’s resume moving forward.

If Syracuse basketball got past Stanford in the First Four, the ‘Cuse would suit up against No. 6 seed Alabama, whose head coach is former Buffalo boss Nate Oats.

Other notable teams in the Orange’s region are No. 1 seed Texas, No. 2 seed Michigan, No. 3 seed Creighton, No. 4 seed Louisville and No. 5 seed Ohio State.

Lunardi’s four No. 1 seeds are Gonzaga, Baylor, Villanova and the aforementioned Texas. He has eight ACC units in his bracket, and they are No. 4 seeds Louisville and Clemson, No. 7 seeds Virginia and Virginia Tech, No. 9 seed Florida State, No. 10 seed Duke, and previously mentioned No. 11 seeds North Carolina and Syracuse basketball.

N.C. State is in the “first four out,” while Pittsburgh is in the “next four out.” It’s also relevant to share here that Lunardi has Rutgers as a No. 7 seed, Bryant as a No. 14 seed and Northeastern as a No. 15 seed.