Latest news with #Bracketology
USA Today
30-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where ESPN's Joe Lunardi predicts Alabama in debut 2025-26 'Bracketology'
Where ESPN's Joe Lunardi predicts Alabama in debut 2025-26 'Bracketology' During the 2024-25 season, the Alabama Crimson Tide made a NCAA Tournament appearance for the fifth-straight year, while also reaching the Elite Eight for the second consecutive campaign under head coach Nate Oats. As the Crimson Tide now begin to look ahead to next season, Alabama is tasked with replacing a significant amount of production that includes essentially their entire starting lineup, as well as many prominent bench options. In this group are names such as Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, and Clifford Omoruyi, along with many others. So far this offseason however, Alabama has certainly been active in the transfer portal to help address some of the needs facing the roster, bringing in four players at the moment in Noah Williamson, Taylor Bol Bowen, Jalil Bethea, and Keitenn Bristow. In addition to this group, Alabama also has four players returning next season in Aden Holloway, Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Aiden Sherrell, and Houston Mallette, and will also add the nation's No. 13 recruiting class to that group. So, when taking a look at the names alone, it's clear that Alabama should have a talented team once again, one that could end up being among the best in the SEC next season. However, when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, just where do the Crimson Tide currently project? Well, according to the debut edition of 2025-25 "Bracketology" according to ESPN's Joe Lunardi, Alabama projects as a No. 6 seed in the East Region facing off against No. 11 seeded Memphis in San Diego for the first round. The Crimson Tide are also one of 13 SEC teams included. Yes, it is still a long way away from the 2025-25 college basketball season, but it already appears that Alabama may end up dancing into March once again next year. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
No. 1 seeds and bubble teams fates revealed in Bracketology prediction for NCAA Tournament
No. 1 seeds and bubble teams fates revealed in Bracketology prediction for NCAA Tournament Show Caption Hide Caption What teams in March Madness does Hunter Dickinson have his eyes on? Kansas Jayhawks' Hunter Dickinson has two teams that surprised him and believes they can make a run in March Madness tournament. Sports Seriously The NCAA men's tournament picture has come into focus with just five games remaining before the selection committee's official reveal of the 68-team field for March Madness on Selection Sunday. After months of weekly updates, our bracket is looking flawless. The final USA TODAY Sports final Bracketology begins with No. 1 seeds Duke, Auburn, Florida and Houston. The Blue Devils are the tournament's top overall seed after defeating Louisville in the ACC tournament championship game without star Cooper Flagg. That sends Duke to the East Region with the start of its journey to the Final Four in Raleigh, North Carolina. Auburn will be in the South, Houston tops the Midwest and Florida is out West. On the No. 2 line are Tennessee, Alabama, St. John's and Michigan State. The Red Storm climbed one spot after winning the Big East tournament and will be opposite the Blue Devils in the East. Rounding out the top four lines are No. 3 seeds Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Texas A&M and No. 4 seeds Iowa State, Maryland, Purdue and Arizona. Two-time defending national champion Connecticut is a No. 8 seed after losing to Creighton in the semifinals of the conference tournament. The bubble situation remains fluid and could be impacted by Alabama-Birmingham beating Memphis in the American Athletic championship game Sunday. That would send the Blazers into the field and knock out one of the last four teams, likely San Diego State or Texas. Among the high-profile teams to miss our bracket are North Carolina and Xavier. UNC's bubble burst with a 74-71 loss to Duke in the ACC tournament semifinals. In the end, the Tar Heels are crippled by a dismal 1-12 record against Quad 1 competition. Another factor was the general weakness of the ACC, which has just three teams in our field. Like the Tar Heels, the Musketeers are undone by going 1-9 against Quad 1 teams. Bracketology: NCAA Tournament field projection Teams in bold have clinched berths Last four in Vanderbilt, Indiana, San Diego State, Texas. First four out Boise State, Xavier, North Carolina, Ohio State. NCAA Tournament bids conference breakdown Multi-bid leagues: SEC (14), Big Ten (9), Big 12 (8), Big East (4), ACC (3), Mountain West (4), West Coast (2).
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Texas basketball stands: Current forecast on Longhorns' NCAA Tournament chances
Where Texas basketball stands: Current forecast on Longhorns' NCAA Tournament chances Will the Texas Longhorns Men's Basketball team get into March Madness? That's the big question that will be answered this evening during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. While Texas had been trending the right way on Friday, Saturday's forecasts have turned darker. Last week, USA TODAY Sports Bracketology said Texas needed to make a run in the SEC Tournament to have a chance. "The Longhorns need to beat Vanderbilt in the SEC tournament first round, beat rival Texas A&M again and possibly take down Tennessee in the quarterfinals. A verry difficult path for Rodney Terry's team." - Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY Sports UT was able to beat Vandy and the Aggies, but fell to Tennessee, The latest Bracketology has UT as one of the last four teams into the tournament. "The Longhorns leaped back into the bracket by beating rival Texas A&M 94-89 in double overtime in second round of the SEC tournament. That gives the SEC 14 teams in our projected field, which would shatter the previous record for any conference in one tournament. The record is 11 set by the Big East in 2011." - USA TODAY Sports ESPN's version of Bracketology paints a darker future. Writer Joe Lunardi updated his bracket forecast late Saturday evening has Texas as one of the first four out of the Big Dance. ESPN's Neil Paine has a slightly different take, Texas has a 63% to get into the field. "Texas' run through the SEC tournament ended Friday with an 83-72 quarterfinal loss to Tennessee, a defeat that dropped the Longhorns' odds of making the NCAA tournament from to the low 60s% in the ESPN Analytics model. In truth, that might be overstating their case somewhat if we compare with other forecasts. On the plus side, Texas' NET ranking is around the top 40, and it has six wins against top-50 BPI teams (11 against the top 100), the foundation for a good tourney résumé. But its SOR and WAB still rank just outside the top 50, giving the Longhorns a tougher case to make than some other bubble squads. ... Texas ranks 11th both in NET and ESPN Analytics' tourney odds, so the Longhorns might have done enough -- but they'll have to wait until Sunday to find out." - Neil Paine, ESPN CBS Sports forecasts a similar end to the Texas season. Writer Jerry Palm thinks the Longhorns miss out on March Madness because of the team's struggles during the SEC season.
USA Today
14-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UNC basketball sits in good spot in latest Bracketology
UNC basketball sits in good spot in latest Bracketology Where does UNC basketball stand in Bracketology? Apparently, Joe Lunardi has Texas as the last team in the tournament right now. — Derek Ryan (@longhornderek) March 14, 2025 North Carolina picked up a HUGE win on Thursday, beating Wake Forest with a strong final few minutes in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. Not only does it set up a third game against rival Duke but it also helped North Carolina's spot on the bubble. Going into the ACC Tournament, North Carolina was on the outside looking in as a 'first four out' team per most bracket projections. Two wins later and some big losses by other bubble teams and North Carolina has moved into the field of 68. ESPN's Joe Lunardi made an update to his Bracketology on Thursday night at 6 p.m., moving UNC into the field as one of the 'last four in' teams. That's a big jump as not only are they in that section but they are essentially team 67 in the field. UNC jumped a few teams and now sits in that 'last four in' section behind San Diego State and Xavier. They are ahead of Texas who took down Texas A&M on Thursday. UNC would be in a "First Four" game next week in Dayton. Now, while a win over Duke would essentially seal it for the Tar Heels on Friday, they still have to feel good about their chances right now. It feels like the perfect combination of teams ahead of them losing and UNC winning two games. The easiest way to make it and now sweat is to beat Duke. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
09-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
College basketball bubble winners, losers: North Carolina fails to improve dreadful resume
College basketball bubble winners, losers: North Carolina fails to improve dreadful resume Show Caption Hide Caption Which NCAA men's teams to watch on the bubble before March Madness USAT's Jordan Mendoza gives his teams to keep an eye on for 'bubble watch' as March Madness selection Sunday approaches. Sports Pulse North Carolina could almost taste it. For much of the season, the Tar Heels couldn't get the job done against top-tier opponents. They'd come close, only to fall short and miss out on getting a signature victory. Needing that mark on their resume, North Carolina hosted heated rival and national championship contender Duke in the regular-season finale. A golden opportunity to prove it belongs in the NCAA Tournament. Early in the second half, it looked like North Carolina would finally get it done. It had limited Cooper Flagg's impact on the game and with a seven-point lead, the Dean Dome crowd was in a frenzy. A win − and a spot in March Madness − was in sight. But as has been the case so many times this season, it all fell apart. The sleeping giant in the Blue Devils woke up and decided to dash dreams. Duke closed the final 13 minutes on a 29-10 run and sucked any life out of those in Carolina Blue en route to an 82-69 victory. Don't let the 20-12 record fool you. Thirteen wins came against Quad 3 and 4 opponents, and only one − against UCLA in December − was against a likely March Madness squad. In Quad 1 games, North Carolina entered the night a horrid 1-10. Even with the name on the front of the jersey, North Carolina needed to prove it could beat a quality opponent after failing to do so time and time again. One of the first four teams out in the latest version of USA TODAY Sports' Bracketology, a win could've catapulted North Carolina into the projected field and fix what's been a frustrating campaign for Hubert Davis. Instead, the chance was wasted yet again. There's nothing impressive about its 20-win season. Barring a perfect run through the ACC tournament, it will be two missed NCAA Tournaments in three seasons for North Carolina, far from the standard expectations in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels fell short when they couldn't afford it. They lead the bubble winners and losers on the final weekend of the regular season. Winners Indiana What an incredible send-off for Mike Woodson. Coaching in his final home game at Assembly Hall, Indiana overcame a sluggish start against Ohio State with an emphatic finish. A 15-3 run midway through the second half got Indiana back in the game, and a 12-0 run in the final minutes helped cap off the come-from-behind victory to get the season sweep over Ohio State in one of the most pivotal bubble games played Saturday. The late surge toward a spot in the NCAA Tournament is very much alive for Indiana, shaking off the collapse at Oregon on Tuesday to get its fourth victory in the last five games. The Quad 2 victory pushed the Hoosiers to 5-0 in such games, and it's notable because even though they have 12 losses, they all came against Quad 1 opponents − they don't have any bad losses. Plus, they made a case to take Ohio State's spot in the field. The win gave Indiana the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten tournament to avoid the first round and set up a second-round matchup against the Ducks. The Hoosiers fell just short in their meeting earlier in the week; if they can change their fortune, the Big Dance could be in the cards. Oklahoma What a week it was in Norman as Oklahoma snatched two Quad 1 victories to end the regular season. The cherry on top is the last one, which came on rival Texas' home court. It was a back-and-forth contest that showed how desperate each team was for a win, but Brycen Goodine's 3-pointer with just over two minutes to go extended the lead to six points and the Sooners were able to hold off the Longhorns the rest of the way for the statement victory. Things looked grim for Oklahoma heading into the week with six losses in its last seven games, resulting in it being pushed out of the projected bracket. But now, mix Saturday's win with the one over Missouri on Wednesday and the Sooners are now 6-10 in Quad 1 games. Their chances are much higher. There's still plenty of work needed, and it won't be easy with Georgia in the first round of the SEC tournament and Kentucky awaiting the winner. But Oklahoma was the first team out and Texas was the last team in the field. A flip-flop could be happening; the Sooners could start the final week before Selection Sunday with a First Four projection. As RJ Melendez's potential game-winning shot for Mississippi State bounced off the rim, Arkansas felt itself inching closer to dancing. The Razorbacks survived a chaotic ending with a one-point victory over the Bulldogs. A strong start to the second half looked like it would lead to a convincing Arkansas win, but a late 12-0 run from the Bulldogs flipped the script and had the Hogs sweating. Luckily, some clutch shots and a free throw from Jonas Aidoo with 11 seconds left were enough to avoid a disastrous end of the regular season. Arkansas recovered from the disastrous loss to South Carolina a week ago with two quality wins against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State. The loss to the Gamecocks pushed the Razorbacks back to the bubble. They needed a perfect week to avoid having a shaky fate. One Quad 1 and 2 win each does wonders for John Calipari's team, and gave them great positioning in the SEC tournament. It will get a crack to avenge the defeat to South Carolina in the opening round. A win in that game may just be enough to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Losers Ohio State The win was right in Ohio State's hands, but it let it slip away when it couldn't afford to. Entering a hostile environment at Indiana, the Buckeyes settled the crowd down early and Indiana could only muster up nine points in the first 12 minutes. They stayed ahead for much of afternoon and led by 10 points in the second half. Then mistakes happened, Indiana got back in the game and Ohio State could only watch pandemonium unfold inside Assembly Hall. The Buckeyes didn't hit a field goal in the last five minutes in the six-point loss. Ohio State couldn't build off the double-overtime win over Nebraska earlier in the week and missed out on a golden chance to secure its seventh Quad 1 win of the season. Now, the Buckeyes are 6-12 in the category. Their 14 total losses are the most among at-large candidates. As a First Four candidate, Ohio State could see itself fall out of the field and will need an impressive outing in the Big Ten tournament to stay alive. Playing against the No. 15 seed in the first round, that means getting two wins, and possibly a third. Texas The Longhorns are going to be haunted by what transpired at home. They uncharacteristically turned the ball over too much, which resulted in 21 Oklahoma points, including the final one that came on a failed last-second shot. It was a night Tre Johnson would love to forget. The Longhorns star has become a potential NBA talent this season, but he was completely off as he 0-for-14 from the field, with all seven of his points coming from the free throw line. An unusual night at the worst time for Texas. Texas was the last team slated to make the NCAA Tournament, but that spot is likely gone thanks to Saturday's loss. It was a chance to even its Quad 2 record, but instead it's now at 3-5. A win could've given Texas some cushion on the bubble, but instead it's now in a must-win situation heading into the SEC tournament. It doesn't get an easy first matchup with Vanderbilt scheduled on Wednesday, a team it already lost to earlier this season. If the Longhorns want a shot at the NCAA Tournament, it will have to fix their mistakes immediately. Boise State dropped a critical home contest against Colorado State on Friday night. It was back-and-forth for much of the first half and the Broncos had a nine-point lead with 11 minutes to go, but the Rams closed the contest on an impressive 32-13 run for a 10-point victory. It was a crushing defeat for a Boise State team that entered the night with five straight wins and was gaining momentum toward an NCAA Tournament spot. One of the last four teams in the field, the Quad 2 loss pushes its combined Quad 1 and 2 record to 6-7 and it's now No. 49 in the NET rankings. While Colorado State is a good team that will be the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, it isn't projected to be an at-large tournament squad and those are teams Boise State has to beat. Now, with its March Madness hopes hanging in the balance, the Broncos must have a successful Mountain West tournament. It won't be easy with San Diego State awaiting them in the quarterfinals.
