Syracuse basketball positively trending in bracketology projections

As Syracuse basketball awaits its seeding and first opponent in next week’s ACC Tournament, the Orange sits at 15-8 overall and 9-7 in conference competition.

The ‘Cuse has re-entered the conversation as a possible bubble team for the 2021 March Madness, thanks to victories over North Carolina and Clemson on Monday night and Wednesday evening, respectively, from the Carrier Dome.

Bracketologists, at least the majority of them, seem to agree that the Orange has to win a few games in the ACC Tournament to solidify its standing for a bid to the Big Dance. Of course, Syracuse basketball could do all of us fans a favor and just go capture the ACC post-season crown.

Short of that, how many triumphs the ‘Cuse needs at the ACC Tournament, which will take place from March 9-13 in Greensboro, N.C., is really nothing more than a bunch of speculation.

Some fans and pundits think two successes in Greensboro will get the Orange an invite to the NCAA Tournament. Others feel that Syracuse basketball must win the ACC Tournament, or at a minimum reach the title contest, to feel good about the squad hearing its name called on Selection Sunday. Who really knows.

Let’s say that the ‘Cuse is the No. 8 seed in the ACC Tournament. And then let’s say that the Orange beats No. 9 seed Duke and No. 1 seed Florida State before bowing out.

That would put Syracuse basketball at 17-9, with an additional pair of strong victories on a neutral court in Greensboro. Maybe that’s enough, but perhaps not.

Syracuse basketball breathed new life into its Big Dance hopes with two recent ACC conquests.

Everything is so fluid as it pertains to the March Madness bubble, but I will say this. Prior to its two most recent games, the Orange was only in one or two mock fields of 68 on the Bracket Matrix Web site.

After dispatching of the Tar Heels and the Tigers, as of March 5, the ‘Cuse was in 10 projected brackets on this Web site, with an average seed of 11.60. This still isn’t great, but it’s heading on an encouraging path for Syracuse basketball.

The Orange, with a NET ranking of No. 51 as of March 4, simply needs to stay laser-focused on its task at hand, which is to collect multiple wins next week at the ACC Tournament. And, of course, ‘Cuse fans out there will be rooting for fellow bubble bunches to lose.

That’s right, we’re looking at you, Michigan State, VCU, Xavier, Seton Hall, Memphis, Boise State, Wichita State and many, many others. March Madness is going to be wild – and fun.