:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53634505/usa_today_9925771.0.jpg)
Syracuse Orange fans are going to have an agonizing time over the next three days. Yesterday Ari told you who you should be rooting for and well clearly some of you weren’t rooting hard enough because it wasn’t a great day for Syracuse’s at-large chances.
California, Vanderbilt, Michigan State, Xavier, Kansas State and TCU all WON yesterday. Only Providence and Iowa lost. https://t.co/r2LFAZiF4m
— Ari Gilberg (@arigilberg) March 10, 2017
However, all is not lost yet Orange faithful. As of this morning SBNation’s Chris Dobbertean has Syracuse hanging on to one of the final four at-large bids. According to his bracket, we’d be seeing former Syracuse players Jason Hart and Tony Bland in Dayton for a match-up with the USC Trojans.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi also has the Orange heading to Dayton, but to face the Kansas State Wildcats who secured a key win yesterday over the Baylor Bears last night to jump into the field.
Lest you think these two bracketologists are in a fantasy world, you can also take solace in the fact that 68 of 121 projections included at Bracket Matrix have Syracuse receiving an at-large bid.
So who are the teams you need to be pulling against?
URI will take on St. Bonaventure today in the A-10 tournament. Both Dobbertean and Lunardi have them in the “First Four Out” category, so a loss today keeps them there. Let’s hope Syracuse native Denzel Gregg can do his hometown team a favor today.
Don’t look now, but Cal’s getting right back in this after a win over Utah last night. They are on the outside looking in, but a win over the Oregon Ducks today would likely push them into the bracket.
Indiana is in the next group of teams on the bubble, so a loss against the Wisconsin Badgers today ends their hopes. A win today and Indiana suddenly makes another team for the committee to consider closely.
“Let’s Go UConn!” Now, please excuse me while I throw up, but yes the Huskies winning tonight in Hartford would help the Orange. Like the Bonnies, we only want them to win today and then lose, so at least the pain of cheering for them is temporary.
Another team that is barely hanging on, Georgia can change things with a win over the Kentucky Wildcats today. You’re already rooting for UConn, so adding Coach Cal to the mix really isn’t that difficult.
Damn you Jamie Dixon. Why must you keep tormenting us? It’s March, you’re teams are supposed to be losing. Beating a Josh Jackson-less Kansas Jayhawks team is one thing, but a win over the Iowa State Cyclones today and we’ll hear TCU’s name more followed by the “neutral/road wins over top 25 teams” mantra.
If I missed anyone let me know in the comments. Just remember if these teams all win today, it’s all your fault so go out there and root like hell against them.