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While the movement will get much more extensive today, probably the biggest bubble day of the college basketball year, here’s everything that happened to the NCAA Tournament field according to Joey Brackets yesterday.
Georgia Tech and Louisville flip-flopped spots as the Yellow Jackets won, while Louisville dropped a 70-56 pre-quarterfinal game to Duke. The Blue Devils played themselves onto the Next Four Out line with the victory, and can do plenty to seal their case with a win over the ACC’s second-seed Florida State today. The Seminoles are four-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Also Syracuse and Xavier flip-flopped spots, as the Orange are now the last team in the NCAA Tournament according to Lunardi. Syracuse looked good yesterday beating NC State 89-68, which sets up a game with ACC champion Virginia today. Though they are 5.5-point underdogs, a win today over the Hoos makes Syracuse basically a lock for the field of 68.
Xavier can no longer improve their resume after a 70-69 OT loss to Butler in the Big East play-in games.
Here are the latest projections from Joe Lunardi of the 16 teams on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament:
Last Four Byes
- Michigan State
- VCU
- Georgia Tech
- Louisville
Last Four In
- Drake
- Boise State
- Colorado State
- Syracuse
First Four Out
- Utah State
- Saint Louis
- Xavier
- Memphis
Next Four Out
- Ole Miss
- Duke
- Seton Hall
- St. John’s
Key games today
Michigan State (-1) vs. Maryland: 11:30 a.m. Big Ten Network
The Spartans are likely in the field, but could take away any chance they play in the First Four with a win.
Syracuse (+5.5) vs. Virginia: 12 p.m. ACC Network
It’s win and you’re a lock for the Orange, and this is their chance to remove all doubt. These teams split during the regular season over a home-and-home the last weekend in January.
Georgia Tech (-9.5) vs. Miami: 2:30 p.m. ESPN2
Probably a spot where Tech needs to win to avoid the First Four, but can’t do much to improve their case either. Miami played well yesterday in dispatching a Clemson that’s in the tournament already.
Seton Hall (-1.5) vs. St. John’s (+1.5): 3 p.m. Fox Sports 1
The rare true eliminator game: There’s very little doubt the winner goes on and the loser goes home here. And the winner still might have a bit more work to do this week, but the loser can cancel any catering for the team party on Selection Sunday as they’ll be waiting for an NIT bid at best.
Duke (+4) vs. Florida State: 6:30 p.m. ESPN
It’s win and you’re probably in for Duke, a nice upstart school from The Triangle area of North Carolina. They’ve blown out two opponents to get here, but probably need this to be favored to get in on Selection Sunday.
South Carolina vs. Mississippi (-7): 9:30 p.m. SEC Network
Can’t do much to improve, but a loss here ends the hopes for Ole Miss.