Syracuse Basketball: Orange is knocked out of latest ESPN bracketology

Prior to its game at North Carolina earlier this week, Syracuse basketball was the last team in Joe Lunardi’s projected bracket as a No. 11 seed and First Four participant.

The Orange lost that Atlantic Coast Conference contest to the Tar Heels by six points, and that has led Lunardi, ESPN’s resident bracketologist, to put the ‘Cuse on the outside of the proverbial bubble looking in as it pertains to March Madness.

In his new mock field of 68 published on Jan. 15, Lunardi has Syracuse basketball in his first four out category, along with Richmond (yuck), Maryland and Northwestern.

The Orange (7-3) is playing at Pittsburgh (6-2) on Saturday afternoon in a rematch of an ACC clash that the Panthers prevailed in on Jan. 6 by three points.

In that first encounter, the ‘Cuse held an 18-point advantage, but a rough shooting performance from beyond the arc did Syracuse basketball in, along with Pitt crushing the Orange in the rebounding department.

If the ‘Cuse wants to stay anywhere near the bubble in future Lunardi brackets, or ones from other national experts, then the Orange absolutely has to take care of business versus the Panthers on the road.

Syracuse basketball is out of Joe Lunardi’s most recent bracketology.

While the ‘Cuse didn’t make the cut, Lunardi has seven ACC teams in his projected field, and their seed lines aren’t all that stellar. Clemson and Louisville are No. 4 seeds, Virginia and Virginia Tech are No. 7 seeds, Florida State is a No. 8 seed, and Duke and North Carolina are No. 11 seeds.

Let that sink in. The Blue Devils and the Tar Heels are No. 11 seeds. Lunardi’s last four byes are Duke, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue. North Carolina is among the last four in, while N.C. State is in Lunardi’s next four out.

The Big Ten Conference leads the way with 10 teams slated for the 2021 NCAA Tournament, according to Lunardi’s projections. He has Gonzaga, Baylor, Villanova and Michigan as the four No. 1 seeds.

Rutgers, which defeated Syracuse basketball during the 2020-21 non-conference calendar, is a No. 8 seed. Northeastern, a squad that gave the Orange all it could handle in a 62-56 victory by the ‘Cuse last month, is a No. 15 seed.