A lot can happen between now and Selection Sunday, and Syracuse basketball and its fan base will have to sweat out the next few days, but the Orange remains very much in the mix for an at-large berth to the upcoming March Madness.
Another layer has emerged for the ‘Cuse situation as it relates to the NCAA Tournament, with the news coming on Friday that Virginia has a positive Covid-19 test within its program.
The Cavaliers, as we’d like to forget, stunned the Orange on Thursday afternoon in the ACC Tournament’s quarterfinal round with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
That heart-breaking loss knocked the No. 8 seed Syracuse basketball (16-9) out of the ACC Tournament, and No. 1 seed UVA also unfortunately had to exit the event due to Covid-19 protocols. Virginia was supposed to play No. 4 seed Georgia Tech in a semifinal clash on Friday evening.
Assuming that there are no Covid-19 issues with the Orange team, then the ‘Cuse will want to see no bid stealers emerge over the weekend.
If a group that would only make the Big Dance by winning its respective league tournament accomplishes that feat, it will tighten things up for Syracuse basketball and other bubble teams.
Syracuse basketball has a solid shot to hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
Even though the Orange fell to Virginia in the ACC Tournament, CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm and ESPN’s Joe Lunardi have the ‘Cuse in the last four in categories of their latest mock brackets.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) March 12, 2021
On the Bracket Matrix Web site, Syracuse basketball appears in 89 projected fields of 68, with an average seed of 11.79. The Orange’s NET ranking is a respectable No. 39 for the time being.
Taking a look at the proverbial bubble, the ‘Cuse definitely doesn’t want either Georgetown or Seton Hall to run the table and capture the Big East Conference Tournament championship.
Other squads that could advance deep in their league tourneys and potentially move past Syracuse basketball on the cutline include Ole Miss, Memphis and SMU.
In the Mountain West Conference Tournament, Orange fans should root for San Diego State to take the crown. The other squads in the semifinals, Colorado State, Utah State and Nevada, all could be possible bid stealers if they secure that league’s post-season prize.
Then again, maybe all of us ‘Cuse fanatics out there are worrying for no reason. Noted ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, for one, said on Thursday night during his broadcast of the North Carolina-Virginia Tech encounter that he believes Syracuse basketball will get to dance next week.
Bilas knows his stuff. I sure hope that he’s right.